Chongzhen revived the Ming Dynasty

Zhang Pu's involvement drew the attention of more scholars to this debate.

As a religion with fewer than 10,000 followers, Nestorianism had very little influence among the people of Ming Dynasty, or rather, no influence at all.

However, because they wore Confucian robes and preached in the image of Western Confucian scholars, they were quite influential among the literati.

This is also why Zhu Youjian attached great importance to Nestorian Christianity and was determined to suppress it.

The imperial court could completely disregard 10,000 ordinary believers, but 10,000 scholar believers were a force that could not be ignored.

Many scholars now adhere to Nestorian Christianity. Xu Guangqi, Yang Tingyun, Wang Zheng, and others were even Jinshi graduates.

As Zhu Youjian (Emperor Yongle) promoted science, its close connection with Western learning might lead more scholars to embrace Nestorianism. This is why Zhu Youjian wanted to separate science from Nestorianism.

He did not want Nestorianism to spread widely under the guise of science, or even to develop the fallacy that "the end of science is theology."

Zhang Pu clearly noticed this and approached the debate entirely with the attitude of studying an academic issue.

His impartiality has led to greater recognition of scientific research methods.

Many neutral scholars who neither believed in nor disliked Nestorianism developed an interest in studying Nestorianism because of this article.

Officials of the Hanlin Academy and researchers of the Academy of Sciences, who were tasked with publishing papers, began writing articles on Nestorianism, dissecting everything about the religion.

The various doctrines, customs, and knowledge brought by missionaries were examined and analyzed in depth by scholars of the Ming Dynasty.

Needless to say, the monogamous system and other customs mentioned by Zhang Pu have been further understood through this article, as have the primogeniture system and women's inheritance rights.

Some have also discovered that even within the Western monogamous system, issues such as mistresses and lovers exist in an almost open manner.

This would be considered adultery in the Ming Dynasty and should be punished.

The clash between Eastern and Western etiquette began to be taken seriously.

Many people are beginning to realize that Western countries have a completely different set of etiquette and customs from China, and that there are many contradictions between the two.

These rules of etiquette may seem barbaric to the scholars of the Ming Dynasty, but compared to the barbarians who had almost no rules of etiquette and lived a life of survival of the fittest, they could indeed be called civilized people.

Some people began to understand why the emperor would recognize certain countries as civilized nations, as they were indeed different from ordinary barbarians.

Others, however, were provoked into opposing everything about this civilization.

They firmly believed that the Western countries were barbarians and, under the guise of de-barbarianization, questioned everything they saw.

For example, the Catholic Church next to Xuanwumen has been questioned because it adopts a Western church style.

Some scholars believed that it was out of place with other buildings and that even if it was not completely destroyed, it should be replaced with the Chinese style.

Nestorian Christianity argued that such buildings were the same as Buddhist pagodas, and since the court allowed the existence of pagodas, it should also allow churches.

There are also some religious buildings that originated from outside the region.

They even pointed out that there is a building with an exotic style in the Forbidden City.

(The backyard of Yude Hall before the major renovation of Wuying Hall, a remnant of the Yuan Dynasty palace bathhouse, an Arabian-style bathhouse)
This has drawn in more areas, especially related religions, architectural styles, and doctrines, which are also being examined.

It can be said that the religious circles of the Ming Dynasty were in turmoil at the beginning of the fifth year of Chongzhen's reign.

Many people have a premonition that a major upheaval in the religious world is about to occur, and that it will affect the religious landscape for decades or even centuries to come.

Nestorian Christianity was teetering on the brink of collapse during this upheaval.

Having only recently spread their influence in the Ming Dynasty, they simply lacked the capacity to withstand such a storm.

As more and more believers broke away from Nestorianism, a message from Southeast Asia brought the missionaries great joy:
"came back!"

"The mission to the West has returned!"

"We've already passed Malacca and are heading back to the capital!"

However, the mission led by Sun Yuanhua and Long Huamin finally returned safely after nearly four years of sailing.

When they stopped in Malacca, the local Imperial Guards discovered their presence and sent a message back to the capital.

The missionaries in the capital were eagerly hoping they could bring back a response from the Vatican to resolve the pressing problems at hand.

Zhu Youjian was equally excited, as he hoped that the technology and seeds brought back by the mission would promote the further development of industry and agriculture in the Ming Dynasty.

If any of these people could complete even half of the task he assigned them, it would bring about a great change to the Ming Dynasty.

At his behest, the rhetoric attacking Nestorianism began to soften, focusing more on academic discussions within academia.
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Qian Qianyi was dissatisfied with this because he wanted to suppress Nestorianism completely in one fell swoop.

Furthermore, he received the support of some ministers who wanted to remove Xu Guangqi from the position of Grand Secretary so that an additional Grand Secretary could be appointed during the September reshuffle.

The Buddhist community, which he had incited, was equally unwilling to give up.

Because after studying Nestorianism in depth, they realized that it was a great enemy.

As both being foreign religions and closely connected with scholars, Buddhism and Nestorianism had much overlap in their ecological niches.

When missionaries first started preaching in the Ming Dynasty, they wore monks' robes and were regarded as "Western monks".

Later, on the advice of some scholars, he changed his attire to Confucian robes, transforming himself from a "Western monk" to a "Western Confucian scholar."

Xu Guangqi's idea of ​​using Western ideas to supplement Confucianism was actually more accurately described as "supplementing Confucianism and replacing Buddhism," which aimed to replace Buddhism's position in the Ming Dynasty.

Monks and priests, temples and churches, have many similarities.

Some Nestorian Christians treat Nestorianism as Buddhism.

Therefore, after learning about Nestorianism, eminent Buddhist monks became very wary of it. They even planned to launch a debate to completely suppress this religion.

In this situation, it's almost impossible to get them to let go.

Through Qian Qianyi, they requested the court to hold a debate.

Qian Qianyi addressed the eminent monks who remained in the capital:

"Are you absolutely certain of winning this debate?"

"What if we encounter setbacks? Wouldn't that bring fame to Nestorianism?"

As one of the three major religions, Buddhism and Nestorianism are not comparable in terms of popularity.

If you win the debate, all is well; but if you lose, you'll be using your reputation to benefit Nestorianism.

The debate between Matteo Ricci and Xue Lang Hong En back then resulted in this outcome. Regardless of who seemed to win or lose to outsiders, both contributed to the spread of Nestorian Christianity.

Qian Qianyi naturally did not want to see this situation, and he could not allow the risk of failure to exist.

Zhi Xu, who remained in the capital, said:

"Now is the perfect time for debate; if we win, we can completely suppress Nestorianism."

"Even if we lose, the appearance of the Buddha's relics can dilute the impact of the debate."

"Moreover, Buddhism had already begun to be Sinicized, and it is completely incomparable to Nestorianism, which was only reintroduced to China a few decades ago."

"The words that Taoism used to accuse Buddhism of being a barbarian religion can be used verbatim on Nestorianism." "With the combined strength of Buddhism and Taoism, the debate cannot possibly fail."

This was his idea, and he was very confident of winning the debate.

He hoped that the imperial court would organize a formal debate.

However, Qian Qianyi was still worried about failure, and he did not want to give Nestorianism a chance to become famous.

After careful consideration, he finally said to Zhixu:

"The Golden Terrace was a place for debates in the capital."

"The Court of Imperial Sacrifices can set up agendas at the Golden Terrace to attract religious talents."

"Whether Buddhist or Nestorian, both can come to the stage for debate."

"You can send someone to debate on the Golden Terrace first, to find out the true nature of Nestorianism."

Let Zhixu send someone to debate at Huangjintai; even if they lose, it will suppress the spread of the debate.

Although Zhixu was somewhat disappointed after hearing this, he did feel that this method was better.

Especially after hearing that Qian Qianyi was going to set out a topic that would explore religion in a world of great harmony, he felt even more confident.

According to Qian Qianyi's theory, religions in a utopian world should be largely the same and mutually integrated. Buddhism, which has already merged with Confucianism and Taoism, clearly fits this theory.

Nestorianism, on the other hand, had no such concept. They were a monotheistic religion and did not allow their followers to worship other gods.

Xu Guangqi, for example, has recently been heavily attacked by both Buddhism and Taoism, and even criticized by some Confucian scholars, for "believing in Confucius and Mencius and having a slight understanding of the fundamental principles, laughing at Li Lao's alchemy and mercury-refining, and lamenting the Buddhist practice of chanting the morning bell and evening drum."

Under such circumstances, Buddhism cannot fail unless the people they send are undercover agents.

Therefore, Zhixu and others were full of confidence and prepared for the debate, intending to completely suppress Nestorianism before the Western mission returned.
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Zhu Youjian paid close attention to this debate because he needed to confirm whether the indigenous religions of the Ming Dynasty were capable of fighting against monotheism.

In later generations, Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism all declined, and they were no match for Western monotheistic religions.

Buddhism is in the best position among the three religions (Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism), and is the most likely to rival monotheistic religions. In such debates, Buddhism is the most anticipated.

But the final result disappointed him greatly.

Because the Buddhist sect did not achieve a complete victory in the debate at the Golden Terrace.

In terms of the integration of the three religions, Buddhism naturally does a better job.

However, the idea of ​​supplementing Confucianism with Western teachings proposed by Xu Guangqi and others also integrated Nestorian doctrines with Confucianism.

Faced with criticism of Buddhism, Nestorianism was not afraid at all, and even used Confucianism to point out the problems with the current Buddhist doctrines.

Especially regarding the most controversial aspect of external deities, they pointed out that Buddhist deities have not been completely assimilated either; they are simply like the eldest brother not laughing at the second brother.

They criticized the church's tithes and indulgences by comparing them to the Buddhist practice of usury and the idea of ​​"laying down the butcher's knife and becoming a Buddha on the spot." They even accused the Buddhist community of harboring criminals and ignoring the laws of the imperial court.

Ultimately, the debate devolved into a mutual attack and exposure of each other's shortcomings. It seems that Buddhism, which spread more widely in the Ming Dynasty, also absorbed more of the negative aspects of Buddhism.

Under these circumstances, Buddhism could not possibly achieve a complete victory. Many who heard the debate believed that Buddhism's accusations against Nestorianism were simply a case of the pot calling the kettle black.

While Buddhism was more deeply Sinicized than Nestorianism, the two are essentially no different.

“A journey of a hundred miles begins with a single step.”

"Unless Buddhism is thoroughly Sinicized, it will always be challenged by foreign religions such as Nestorianism."

"The matter of the Buddha's relics must be taken seriously; we must accomplish this monumental task!"

At a gathering of eminent Buddhist monks, Master Zhixu solemnly spoke.

The debate he had placed high hopes on failed to achieve the desired effect, and the Nestorian Church even exposed many of the flaws in Buddhism.

Zhixu deeply realized that the current Buddhist doctrines were incomplete and had to be revised according to the imperial court's instructions to complete integration and unification.

Among these, the conversion of the Buddha was the key point. He had already decided that regardless of whether the Buddha's relics pointed out by the emperor were real or fake, they should be regarded as real.

The high-ranking monks present could naturally understand his meaning, which might have been objected to some time ago.

But at this moment, they had no intention of questioning anything. A small debate on the Golden Platform had completely awakened them:
Without completing the complete Sinicization of Buddhism, they will continue to be criticized by non-Buddhist religions and challenged by subsequent foreign religious groups.

Only by completing naturalization can they rightfully claim to be a Chinese religion and prevent other foreign religions from challenging their status.

These people began to discuss the assimilation of deities such as the Buddha, the Medicine Buddha, Guanyin Bodhisattva, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, and the Eighteen Arhats, and to determine the righteous gods to be worshipped in various temples.

In particular, the idea that the emperor was an incarnation of Manjushri Bodhisattva, which came from Tibet, was also accepted by them, and the emperor of the Ming Dynasty was regarded as a Buddha or Bodhisattva.

The Sinicization of Buddhism, which was previously driven by the imperial court, became a proactive endeavor by Buddhism itself, and its progress accelerated dramatically.
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Zhu Youjian was naturally pleased with this situation.

He was actually constantly stimulating the evolution of the three religions so that they could resist the invasion of Western civilization.

Regarding the exotic architectural styles of the Forbidden City that some people discovered during this debate, he also summoned relevant personnel to inquire about the reasons behind it.

Zhang Wenyu, who had participated in the construction of the three main halls, knew this best. He told the emperor:

"Some buildings in the Forbidden City are remnants from the Yuan Dynasty."

"Emperor Chengzu demolished most of it back then, but some were left behind, and Yudetang was one of them."

Zhu Youjian seemed to be deep in thought, and tapped the table as he said:

"It seems that the task of de-Sinicizing us is indeed arduous and long-term!"

"If the Forbidden City is like this, what about other places?"

"What are your opinions on how to deal with these types of buildings?"

The courtiers, trying to discern the emperor's intentions, mostly believed that the structure should be dismantled, since the phrase "de-Sinicization" already indicated the emperor's view.

Upon hearing their statement, Zhu Youjian was pleased and said:
"It seems you also believe that this kind of building with Hu (non-Han) style should be demolished, then demolish it and rebuild it."

“Similar buildings in other places should be dealt with in the same way. No matter where they are, Hu Feng will not be allowed to exist.”

It reiterated the need to de-Sinicize in all areas and eliminate the remnants of the Mongol Yuan dynasty.

This matter was mostly completed by the Taizu and Chengzu emperors, but it was not completely finished.

Now Zhu Youjian has demanded a comprehensive inspection of foreign customs and practices in all areas, including but not limited to architecture and clothing.

They even categorized all the outdated customs and bad habits, such as bride kidnapping, wedding pranks, and the right to the first night, as "non-Han customs" and demanded their complete rectification.

Even the practice of flogging in court was classified as a "bad custom of the barbarians" and was completely abolished.

Various systems that emphasized master-servant, subordinate, and dependent relationships were classified as remnants of the northern steppe system and were required to be completely eliminated.

The Cabinet Committee on Etiquette and Music, the State Council's Ministry of Rites, and the National Assembly's Committee on Etiquette and Law were all asked to participate in changing customs and traditions.

The goal is to completely eliminate the remnants of the barbarian tribes and expel those who cling to barbarian customs and traditions during the restoration of rites and music. (End of Chapter)