Why was ancient society not a society ruled by law?

China was an autocratic society with an emperor in ancient times, and autocracy was linked with the rule of man. The essence of the legal system is: a law that is not influenced by any individual or group, enjoys equal rights with nationals and is voted by an impartial judge. In ancient society, although there were laws, they were not tried by the emperor alone or by feudal aristocratic groups, so it was not the rule of law, but the rule of man.

A society ruled by law and a society ruled by man are opposites; It means that state power and social relations operate in accordance with a clear legal order, social disputes are solved by coordinating interpersonal relations in accordance with strict and fair judicial procedures, and everyone is equal before the law, rather than deciding political, economic and social affairs according to the personal preferences and personal relationships of rulers. A mature society ruled by law has both spiritual and institutional factors, namely, the spirit of the rule of law and the system that embodies the spirit of the rule of law. In short, the spiritual level of the rule of law mainly refers to the universal recognition and resolute support of the whole society for the supremacy of law, and forms the habit and consciousness of consciously abiding by laws and regulations and solving political, economic, social and civil disputes through legal or judicial procedures.