Chongzhen revived the Ming Dynasty

Collation and annotation of the Four Books and Five Classics is a major undertaking, but it is not the focus today.

Zhu Youjian briefly mentioned it, instructing Liu Zongzhou, Qian Qianyi, and Zhang Pu to make preparations, and then continued to focus on the Citizens' Committee matter:

"The purpose of reforming the rites and music is to allow all groups to find their place under the new system of rites and music."

"The contributions of women are undeniable. How many female members do you think there should be in Parliament?"

This was clearly a major issue concerning the distribution of power, and Chen Jiru and others all began to ponder it after hearing it.

In their hearts, they did not want to discuss national affairs with women, as they did not believe women had the ability to do so.

However, the emperor's attitude clearly indicated that women were allowed to hold official positions and serve as members of parliament.

We also need to stipulate the number of people and give them a certain number of seats.

Chen Jiru, as the head of the Citizens' Committee and an opponent of women's suffrage, spoke first:

"I believe that there should be no special seats for female members of parliament, and that they should be allowed to elect their own members based on their abilities."

“If a female public servant gains the approval of the people, she can naturally become a member of parliament.”

"If you don't have the people's approval, you won't have a seat."

They acknowledge that women can run for office, yet ignore them in other ways.

This approach might have worked in the past, but it is no longer feasible after the implementation of the lottery election law.

After all, elections by lot are conducted proportionally, and if seats for women are not specifically reserved, it is possible that not a single female member of parliament could be elected.

If such a thing were to happen, it would certainly cause dissatisfaction among women.

Zhu Youjian did not want to leave this problem unresolved, and firmly stated:
"There must be a certain proportion of female legislators."

"Just as civil and military officials and farmers, merchants and artisans each make up 20% of the parliament."

"If none of you can do it, then I will set a target: the percentage of female councilors shall not be less than two percent in the civil, military, agricultural, commercial and industrial sectors."

"In total, that's 10 percent. The proportion of female members and standing members in the National Assembly and local councils is no less than one-tenth."

In Zhu Youjian's view, this proportion was very small, only one-tenth.

However, Chen Jiru and others felt that the prospect of facing one-tenth of the councilors in the future was too ambitious.

They didn't want to face so many women and discuss the principles of governing the country with them.

These people unanimously said it was not feasible and opposed this ratio.

Liu Zongzhou, who was in charge of preparing for the National Assembly, said:
"His Majesty once said that rights and obligations are unified."

"Compared to men, women have fewer obligations and are far less likely to pay taxes or serve in the military."

"I believe that there should not be too many female members of parliament, and that their contributions to taxation and military service should be related to their contributions."

This statement was agreed upon by the court officials, and Zhu Youjian was unable to voice any objection.

Because the principle of unifying rights and obligations was established by him, he himself could not violate this rule.

However, it is extremely difficult to calculate the percentage of women's contributions to taxation and military service.

In particular, many families pay taxes on a household basis. How can we differentiate the contribution ratio between men and women?

Finally, the quick-witted Zhang Pu came up with a solution, saying:

"His Majesty allows women to serve in the army, and military service is one of the most important forms of corvée labor."

"I believe that the proportion of female members of parliament can be related to the proportion of female soldiers."

"The proportion of female legislators will be adjusted once more accurate tax and military service data are available in the future."

Chen Jiru and others agreed, but Zhu Youjian frowned, feeling that this was inappropriate.

After all, military service is a weakness for women, and this ratio alone underestimates the contributions of women.

Especially now that the Ming Dynasty has just begun to recruit female soldiers, setting the number of female councilors according to the current ratio of female soldiers is too disadvantageous for women.

So after thinking it over, he said:

"Men fight on the frontier, while women weave at home."

"We cannot ignore their contributions in other areas just because fewer women join the military."

"Therefore, the proportion of female members of parliament will be set at a minimum of five percent and a maximum of twice the proportion of female soldiers."

"What do you think, sir?"

Chen Jiru and the others looked at each other and finally reluctantly agreed.

Because they could all see that the emperor was determined to allow women to participate in politics, and if they insisted on stopping them, they would suffer the same fate as Chen Jiru.

To be able to persuade the emperor to reduce the percentage of female members of parliament to five percent is already a major victory.

These people simply do not believe that twice the proportion of female soldiers can exceed five percent.

However, Zhu Youjian was very confident because the Ming Dynasty now had a true female general, Qin Liangyu.

With such a role model, and by creating special positions for women such as nurses, logistics personnel, and communications specialists, we can definitely increase the proportion of female soldiers.

This way, when needed for future mobilization, strong women can be recruited into the army, allowing more men to go to the front lines and enhancing the Ming Dynasty's war potential in the industrial age.

This was Zhu Youjian's true purpose: to adapt the Ming Dynasty's system to the coming industrial society.

With the full deployment of firearms, able-bodied men could be quickly trained into qualified soldiers, and women could also operate firearms to kill the enemy.

Therefore, wars in the industrial age would inevitably mobilize women.

Their role in the war will become increasingly important, and they will naturally enjoy more power.

This is why both World Wars were accompanied by an increase in the status of women.

Zhu Youjian reformed the rites and music to adapt the Ming Dynasty's system to the development of the times and to promote the coming new era.

That's why he was so determined to allow women to participate in politics and to set a quota for female legislators.
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After much discussion and deliberation, Zhu Youjian finally settled the status of women in the National Assembly.

Liu Zongzhou suddenly said at this moment:

"Your Majesty, since men and women are equal, I believe that we should not only establish women's associations."

"A men's association should be established to protect men's rights."

As soon as he said this, Qian Qianyi and the others burst into laughter.

Even Chen Jiru, who vehemently opposes women's political participation, does not believe that a special men's association should be established to protect men's rights.

If a man can't even protect his own rights, what face does he have left?
In their view, establishing a men's association was completely unnecessary.

However, Zhu Youjian's expression became very serious upon hearing this.

Because he knew that Liu Zongzhou did not believe that men's rights should be specially protected, but rather that since men and women are equal, a men's association should be established in response to a women's association.

Thinking about the events that would occur in later generations, Zhu Youjian said:
"A men's association should indeed be established. We cannot allow some shrewish and adulterous women to infringe upon men's rights."

"The proportion of male members of parliament should not be less than half, and their contributions in serving in the military and defending the country should be commended."

The distribution of power in the Ming Dynasty was determined to be primarily male, thus preventing a situation where women outnumbered men.

However, this protection was largely unnecessary. Even in later generations, the proportion of female members of parliament globally was barely over a quarter. Sweden, with the highest proportion of female members of parliament, had 47%. Zhu Youjian did not believe that women could achieve a dominant position in the Ming Dynasty, which was under pressure from border and coastal defenses.

He proposed this rule simply to express his stance: to give the men's association something to do and a basic responsibility.

At the same time, he wanted to use men's associations to encourage men to join the army:
"The Men's Association should pay special attention to protecting military marriages and prevent the wives and concubines of men serving in the military from being seduced by others. It should also formulate special legal provisions to protect military marriages."

"We also need to cooperate with the Ministry of War to count the number of able-bodied men and ensure that there are enough able-bodied men to enlist in the army every year."

"We will make corresponding suggestions on issues such as conscription laws and birth policies."

A portion of population-related affairs were assigned to the Men's Association.

The main purpose was to count the number of male births each year to ensure a sufficient number of able-bodied men would reach adulthood in the future, thereby increasing war potential.

If officials from the Privy Council were present, they would certainly understand this.

Because of the established mobilization system, all able-bodied men were to be conscripted into the army during a full mobilization, with able-bodied women in charge of logistics and the elderly and infirm in charge of production.

However, the five people in the Qianqing Palace at this time were all scholars, and they were somewhat dismissive of this.

Liu Zongzhou, who was most opposed to the war, said at this time:

"Your Majesty, weapons are inauspicious instruments, not the tools of a gentleman, and should only be used as a last resort."

"Your Majesty's benevolent rule will naturally bring the barbarians to submission, and there is no need to constantly think about using force."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Youjian frowned deeply, feeling that this misconception needed to be corrected.

Otherwise, the Four Books and Five Classics annotated by Liu Zongzhou would certainly not meet his expectations.

Even if the established rites and music are rewritten, they will not be entirely satisfactory.

He thought for a moment and asked:

"Did you think Emperor Wu of Han was right or wrong in his campaigns against the Xiongnu?"

Liu Zongzhou replied without hesitation:

"Emperor Wu of Han's campaigns against the Xiongnu resulted in the depletion of the country's resources and a reduction of the population by half."

"This is why he was previously barred from entering the Temple of Emperors."

"In terms of governing the country, Emperor Wu of Han was not as good as Emperor Wen of Han."

This means that they still disagree with the inclusion of Emperor Wu of Han in the Imperial Temple, believing that he was inferior to Emperor Wen of Han.

However, the emperor valued military prowess and admired the Celestial Empire that conquered the world, so he forcibly brought Emperor Wu of Han into the palace.

Zhu Youjian, having already begun repairs to the Imperial Ancestral Temple with the support of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, ignored this and continued:
"What lessons can we learn from the wars fought between the Song Dynasty and the Liao, Xia, Jin, and Yuan Dynasties?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Zongzhou frowned, somewhat understanding what the emperor wanted to say.

Comparing the Han Dynasty, which could be called the Celestial Empire during the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, with the Song Dynasty, anyone can feel the difference.

Even he couldn't find the words to defend the Song Dynasty at this moment. He also felt that the recent trend of criticizing the Song Dynasty had some merit.

The Song Dynasty was indeed impoverished and weak, far inferior to the Han and Tang Dynasties.

Seeing that Liu Zongzhou did not argue forcefully, Zhu Youjian knew that he could still be saved, and earnestly instructed him:
"Emperor Wu of Han risked his life to cripple the Xiongnu, which meant that even though the Han Dynasty occasionally declined, it was never destroyed by foreign enemies."

"Therefore it is said: Nations often perish because of weakness, but the Han Dynasty alone perished because of strength."

"Sir, should the Ming Dynasty learn from Emperor Wu of Han and eliminate powerful enemies, or should it learn from the Song Dynasty and allow its enemies to change, growing stronger and stronger until it finally conquers the Central Plains?"

Liu Zongzhou was completely speechless, because the lesson of the Song Dynasty's downfall was far too profound.

After more than two hundred years of restoring China and another two hundred years of tug-of-war with the northern barbarians, no one misses the Mongol Yuan dynasty anymore.

The people of the Ming Dynasty felt ashamed and filled with hatred whenever they thought about how the country had once been destroyed.

Even though Liu Zongzhou did not agree with Emperor Wu of Han's approach, if he had to choose, he would rather the population of the country be halved than have barbarians conquer the Central Plains.

However, as a Confucian scholar who believed in benevolence and righteousness, he could not bring himself to praise Emperor Wu of Han.

But Qian Qianyi dared to speak out, and was very willing to.

He quoted from Han Feizi, a book he has been frequently reading lately, and said:
The Han Feizi states: "King Wen practiced benevolence and righteousness and ruled the world, while King Yan practiced benevolence and righteousness and lost his kingdom. This shows that benevolence and righteousness are applicable in the past but not in the present. Hence it is said: 'When times change, things change.'"

"During the time of Shun, the Miao people refused to submit, and Yu was about to attack them. Shun said, 'No. It is not right to use force if one's virtue is not profound.' So he cultivated education for three years, and then danced with shields and axes. The Miao people then submitted. In the battle of Gonggong, those with short iron hilts were able to reach the enemy, and those with weak armor were injured. This shows that shields and axes were used in ancient times but not in the present. Therefore, it is said: When circumstances change, preparations must change."

"In ancient times, people competed in morality; in the Middle Ages, they pursued wisdom and strategy; and in the present day, they contend with strength."

"The war between the Han and the Xiongnu can be described as a struggle between two powerful forces, which was a contest of strength."

"Even if the number of households is halved, we must do our utmost to eliminate the powerful enemy."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Youjian praised it highly and said with great satisfaction:
"Mr. Qian's understanding is excellent!"

"When faced with an invading enemy, we should be determined to fight the war to the bitter end."

"Just as the Ming Dynasty faced the Jurchens, no matter how difficult the court was at the time, it had to eliminate them to avoid developing into powerful enemies like the Liao, Xia, Jin, and Yuan dynasties."

"Otherwise, if we learn from the weak Song dynasty, we risk national subjugation!"

It was reaffirmed that the Jurchens were the Ming Dynasty's irreconcilable enemy, and the court would do everything in its power to eliminate them.

The five people before him were all shaken upon hearing this conclusion. The emperor's meaning was clear: the Ming Dynasty was willing to risk halving its population to eliminate the Jurchens.

The purpose of the current census of able-bodied men is precisely this.

Even though they didn't think they could defeat the Jurchens to this extent, they still felt the emperor's determination.

This also explains why the emperor allowed the establishment of men's associations and protected men's rights.

In a country like the Ming Dynasty, where border defense was a heavy burden, men with a high rate of military service naturally enjoyed more rights.

They will receive more protection and enjoy special rights in areas such as military marriages.

The equality between men and women promoted by the emperor was, more precisely, a form of equality—

According to the obligations undertaken, one shall enjoy the corresponding rights.

If women contribute more in the future, they will naturally gain more rights.

After reaching a consensus on this point, Zhu Youjian emphasized again:
"The world today is in constant conflict among states, much like the Warring States period of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty."

"Han Feizi said that in those days people competed based on strength, and the same is true now."

"I do not wish for the Ming Dynasty to be drawn into total war, but the Ming Dynasty's system must be prepared for total war and mobilize all forces to eliminate foreign enemies when necessary."

"Even if it means halving the population, I do not want the Ming Dynasty to perish at the hands of foreign enemies, or for China to be destroyed by barbarians once again."

These words deeply moved the five people, allowing them to understand another layer of meaning in the reconstruction of ritual music.

The Ming Dynasty's previous system was clearly not conducive to total war. Otherwise, it wouldn't have fought the northern barbarians for over two hundred years.

Now, as they listened to the emperor explain the world situation, they clearly recognized that the world today was a time of great contention, a veritable Warring States period of warring states. The Ming Dynasty's system was clearly ill-suited to such competition and could not guarantee victory.

Therefore, emperors elevated the status of Qin Shi Huang and Emperor Wu of Han, placing them in the main hall of the Imperial Ancestral Temple. They even quoted Han Feizi to encourage Qian Qianyi to absorb Legalist thought and integrate it into Confucianism.

Clearly, the emperor wanted to adopt the system of the powerful Qin dynasty to deal with the conflicts among the various states.

To ensure that the Ming Dynasty will emerge as the ultimate victor. (End of Chapter)