The debates are those between the nongovernmental scholars and the government officials, rather than between the Confucians and legists, or between reformers and conservatists.

• 其实这不能算是儒家和法家之间的论争，也不能算是改革与保守的论争，而是“在野”或尚未掌权的儒士与“当朝”秉政的官员站在各自地位和立场上的论争。