My life is like walking on thin ice

Chapter 574 What I give you is truly yours.
As a competent politician, Dou Ying certainly knew how to answer Liu Rong's question at this time.

— Liu Rong so clearly expressed his dissatisfaction and his intention to criticize Dou Ying and Confucianism!
Any politician of normal ability should know that an emperor in this situation is like a donkey that's been pushed along.

The wisest course of action would naturally be to follow Liu Rong's lead and acknowledge that Confucianism is not essential for the current Han dynasty.
Even if they occasionally possess some talent, it is by no means urgent or time-sensitive for the current Han dynasty.

By adopting such a humble approach, Liu Rong's anger was first appeased. Once Liu Rong calmed down—or rather, returned to normal from the "I'm angry" persona—the topic was steered back on track.

But I don’t know why.

It is unclear whether Dou Ying was influenced by the Confucian arrogance due to his status as a "great Confucian scholar of the time" and the prime minister of the court, or whether he was simply confused by his concern.
Despite knowing Liu Rong's intentions, Dou Ying ultimately made a rather poor choice.

"In my opinion, even if Confucianism occasionally contains inappropriate or unkind words, overall, it is still the most prominent and comprehensive school of thought in the world today."

"All Confucian teachings, including the Book of Poetry, the Book of Documents, the Book of Rites, the Book of Changes, and the Spring and Autumn Annals, can be used by Your Majesty to govern the country."

"And the other schools of thought—except for Yang and Mo—are almost all branches of Confucianism, descendants of Confucius, and are based on the words of Confucius, extending and developing from them."

"As for Yang Zhu and Mo Di, Yang Zhu's teachings were burned to ashes by Xiang Yu in Xianyang Palace, and Mo Di's teachings were lost with the suicide of King Tian Heng of Qi, leaving no trace."

...

"I once heard that Emperor Gaozu, in the ruins of the Qin Xianyang Palace, accidentally found a fragment of the Yang Zhu manuscript, in which he said: 'Our Han dynasty has its own system, which governs the world with a mixture of hegemonic and kingly ways, with internal kingship and external hegemony.'"

"And Your Majesty, disregarding the late Emperor's advice, took in and sheltered the remnants of the Mohist school in the Shanglin Bowang Garden, thus ensuring that the teachings of Mozi were not extinguished."

"And Your Majesty's question: What are the advantages and disadvantages of Confucianism for the Han Dynasty today?"

"Your Majesty, I have only one thing to say for your consideration."

"If the teachings of Confucianism are truly as Your Majesty says, utterly useless, then why are seven or eight out of ten scholars in the world today Confucian scholars?"

"If they were truly useless, why did Huang-Lao philosophy decline, Legalism and Mohism fail to continue, while Confucianism alone flourished and gained the recognition of the people?"

After speaking, Dou Ying pondered for a long time before finally standing up from the banquet, cupping his hands in a deep bow to Liu Rong.

"Your subject dares to ask."

"I am a Confucian scholar and would like to ask Your Majesty for a consultation in person."

"What crime have we Confucianists committed?"

"Why does Your Majesty favor one school over another, favoring the Mohists, the Legalists, and Huang-Lao, while disliking our Confucianism?"

"Could it be Confucius, or some other sage or saint?"

"Could it be that the teachings and words of Confucius are not suitable for Your Majesty to use in governing the country and the people?"

...

Liu Rong was unsure whether Dou Ying had prepared these words in advance or whether he had always intended to say them today.

It can only be roughly speculated that even if these words had long existed in Dou Ying's mind, it was most likely a spur-of-the-moment decision to say them today.

After all, Dou Ying's original purpose in meeting His Majesty today was to ask Liu Rong for help.

Such questioning, even accusatory and critical remarks, are unlikely to have existed in Dou Ying's original draft.

Despite the unexpected turn of events, Liu Rong was not entirely unprepared for Dou Ying's questioning.

—As early as the reign of the late emperor, when he had just been appointed as the crown prince and allowed to oversee the country, Liu Rong had repeatedly pondered what attitude he should have toward Confucianism and what kind of demeanor he should present to Confucianism.

Ultimately, due to his inherent dislike of Confucianism, the late emperor's disapproval of Confucianism, and the current historical context of the Han Dynasty, Liu Rong decided to openly express his aversion to Confucianism in order to stop—or at least slow down—the historical process of Confucianism becoming the dominant school of thought.

Since Liu Rong had considered this matter repeatedly, he had obviously anticipated the Confucianists' reaction as well.

—Over the years, Liu Rong has openly and covertly disliked Confucianism more than once or twice.

Such grievances and injustices probably existed not only in the heart of Dou Ying, this "great Confucian scholar of the time," but also in the heart of every Confucian scholar.

why?
Why is Your Majesty so unjust?
Your Majesty, why do you dislike Confucianism the only one?
Liu Rong had imagined that one day he would hear these words.

However, in Liu Rong's original prediction, these words would most likely come from the mouth of a frustrated and arrogant madman.

Liu Rong never imagined that these words would ultimately come from Dou Ying—and from Dou Ying, who had already been appointed Prime Minister.

However, Liu Rong had already made up his mind about these seemingly harmless grievances.

"Okay~"

"it is good."

"Excellent."

"Wei Qihou, in the end, still managed to ask the question..."

After a brief moment of surprise, Liu Rong uttered these words with a half-smile, causing Dou Ying to instinctively lower his head.

A moment later, however, she raised her head with a hint of indignation and looked at Liu Rong with a stubborn expression.

At this moment, Dou Ying forgot all his other identities, such as the representative figure of the Dou family as a maternal relative, the current prime minister, a great Confucian scholar of the time, and the former general Wei Qihou.

At this moment, Dou Ying is just like every Confucian scholar, or rather, every angry young man, who has been 'unfairly treated' by Liu Rong over the years.

At this moment, Dou Ying was clearly in a position of 'Please give me an answer, Your Majesty'.

Liu Rong, however, was clearly not stingy with his answer.

"it is good."

Since Marquis Wei Qi has dared to ask, I will grant him this small favor.

"I will answer all of Wei Qihou's questions."

As time went on, Liu Rong became increasingly adept at using the late emperor's strange and unpredictable skills.

"Wei Qihou said that, apart from Yang Zhu and Mozi, most of the other schools of thought were descendants of Confucius, and were extensions of Confucius's words and teachings."

"I disagree."

"The term 'Hundred Schools of Thought' refers to a total of 189 schools of thought, but those that can be called a single school or doctrine are actually 189 in number."

"Among those who were once prominent throughout the world and worthy of discussion, there were no fewer than ten schools of thought, including Yang, Mo, Confucianism, Legalism, the School of Names, the School of Military Strategy, the School of Agriculture, the School of Miscellaneous Studies, the School of Medicine, the School of Diplomacy, the School of Yin and Yang, and the School of Fiction."

...

"The teachings of Yang Zhu originated from Yang Zhu, also known as Yang Ziju. His ideas are mostly found in Laozi and Liezi. They have no connection with Confucianism, but are closer to the teachings of Huang-Lao and Daoism."

"The Mohist school originated from its founder Mozi and formed its own school. It not only had no connection with Confucianism, but also went against it. As a result, during the Warring States period, it was said that eight or nine out of ten of the six chapters of the Mozi were derogatory remarks about Confucius."

"The School of Names, also known as the School of Debate, regarded Gongsun Long as a prominent figure and a predecessor of Yang Zhu and Mo Di. He can be considered the teacher of Yang and Mo, and is not a Confucian scholar."

“The military strategists originated from the ranks of soldiers, the agricultural strategists branched off from the Mohists, the eclectic school combined the strengths of all schools, and the medical strategists practiced medicine and acupuncture to save lives, and were not descendants of the Confucianists.”

"And the various schools of thought, including the School of Diplomacy, Yin-Yang, and Fiction—only the School of Yin-Yang, which has some connection with Confucianism because of the Book of Changes."

"However, the *Zhouyi* was not written by Confucius alone, but was a collaboration between Fuxi, King Wen, and Confucius." "Or it could be said that: in ancient times, Fuxi recorded the images of heaven and earth; in the middle ages, King Wen of Zhou elaborated on the way of the *Yijing*; and in recent times, Confucius and his disciples and later scholars annotated the *Yijing* to form the *Yizhuan*. The combination of the classic and the commentary ultimately resulted in the *Zhouyi*."

"In this sense, the connection between the Yin-Yang school and Confucianism is nothing more than Confucius's commentary on the Book of Changes, which became the Commentary on the Book of Changes. The Book of Changes, which was formed by combining the two, was regarded as an academic classic by the Yin-Yang school."

In a calm tone, he listed the prominent schools of thought among the various schools of thought in ancient China that deserved to be considered as one, and pointed out that they were not derived from Confucianism. Liu Rong's gaze towards Dou Ying also carried a hint of mockery.

Looking at Dou Ying with a half-smile, Liu Rong made Dou Ying blush inexplicably and lower his head in embarrassment. Only then did Liu Rong let out a sigh.

Then he said calmly, "Upon closer examination, there is only one school of thought, Legalism, which can barely be considered an extension of the teachings of Confucius."

"But this does not mean that all the schools of thought in the Hundred Schools of Thought originated from the teachings of Confucius."

"—During the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, the various schools of thought were intertwined, with each containing elements of the other, and there were many points of common ground while respecting differences."

"Confucianism is just one of the dozen or so schools of thought among the Hundred Schools of Thought—that is, among the 189 schools of thought in the Hundred Schools of Thought period—that is, it is barely considered a 'prominent school' or a 'comprehensive school'."

...

"As for Wei Qihou's statement that among ten scholars today, seven or eight are Confucian scholars, this is clear evidence that Confucianism is the 'most prominent school of thought in the world'?"

"I, too, dare not agree."

"Confucius taught without discrimination, and his disciples and grand-disciples followed him. I will not refute this."

"I am even more pleased with this achievement in education."

"However, in the world today, if out of ten children, seven or eight are willing to learn the words of Confucius, then only the Confucian school truly advocates education for all."

"Of the ten children from the countryside, those from prominent families mostly followed the teachings of Huang-Lao (a school of thought combining Taoism and Daoism);"

"Those who have no worries about food and clothing tend to study the Legalist school of thought, particularly the study of criminal law."

"The children of poor peasant families who are not clothed enough to cover their bodies and do not have enough to eat, cannot even get close to the Huang-Lao school or find the way to the Legalist school of criminal law. They are forced to enter the Confucian school of 'education for all'."

"Seven or eight out of ten are so, not because Confucianism is superior to Huang-Lao or Legalism and Mohism, but because of the educational effect of Confucianism's doctrine of 'education for all'."

After saying this, the playful look on Liu Rong's face gradually faded, and his expression became somewhat serious.

Dou Ying couldn't utter a single word in rebuttal to Liu Rong's assessment.

—That's the truth, there's no denying it.

As Liu Rong said: Among the scholars and literati in the folk, seven or eight out of ten are Confucian scholars. This is not because, in the beginning, seven or eight out of ten children who intended to pursue a literary career actively chose Confucianism.
Rather, among these ten children, at least seven or eight came from impoverished families and had no other choice but to follow the Confucian principle of "education for all."

The noble lords who studied Huang-Lao thought looked down on these peasant children—they even looked down on the ordinary nobles who stood on the threshold, and only focused on the top nobles!

Although Legalism has a relatively low barrier to entry, it is not without its own challenges.

While they wouldn't only target the top noble families, or even insist on noble families, at the very least, a family had to be able to support a full-time student to be considered by the Legalists.

Confucianism, on the one hand, advocates education for all, emphasizing that anyone willing to learn is willing to be taught.

Even if Liu Rong disliked Confucianism, he would still give Confucianism a thumbs up for the sake of the phrase "education for all" alone.

In ancient China, where the concept of academic monopoly was just beginning to take shape, the fact that they could propose the concept of education for all and equal educational rights deserves a thumbs up from Liu Rong, a time traveler.

However, this does not mean that Confucianism can prove its superiority over other schools of thought simply because it has a large number of people and a very high percentage of scholars.

As the saying goes, "Eight out of ten scholars are Confucian scholars." This doesn't mean that eight out of ten people actively chose Confucianism, but rather that these eight people had no choice but to choose Confucianism, and only Confucianism was willing to accept these eight people.

After ruthlessly dismantling Dou Ying's logical fallacies with these words, Liu Rong's "answer" finally arrived at the point where Dou Ying had "dared to ask."

After Liu Rong's reply, Dou Ying, who had initially displayed a rather indignant youthful spirit, seemed to remember his identity as the "Chancellor of Han" and silently lowered his head.

"Marquis Wei Qi asked me: Why do you look down on Confucianism and Confucian scholars?"

"They also asked: Is the teachings of Confucius not a prominent school of thought? Are the words of Confucius not a way to govern a country?"

"I may also inform Marquis Wei Qi."

"Confucius was indeed a sage."

"However, he is by no means a 'sage'."

"Our Han dynasty regards only the Duke of Zhou, Ji Dan, as a sage, and the founders of the various schools of thought as virtuous men."

"Confucius, the founder of Confucianism, is no different from Mozi, the founder of Mohism, or even the Yellow Emperor and Laozi."

...

"The teachings of Confucius may have some applications in governing the country, or they may be urgently needed by our Han dynasty."

"But I must ask Marquis Wei Qi: Is it possible that our Han dynasty will be unable to continue without the teachings of Confucius?"

"I have heard the villagers say that if you master both literary and martial arts, you can sell them to the emperor."

"If it is merely 'trade and exchange,' why do Confucianists consider themselves so extraordinary?"

"Since it is a 'goods exchange,' shouldn't it be the Confucian scholars who actively promote their goods, then invite, or even plead with the emperor to buy them?"

"Where does the Confucianism's arrogance come from, which makes it think it is the only dominant school of thought in the world and that it is not a school of thought that can bring peace to the world?"

In the end, Liu Rong abandoned his "approachable" persona, furrowing his brow and openly displaying his anger.

"I respect Marquis Wei Qi, because I respect the Dou family, the maternal relatives of my Han dynasty, and the current prime minister who is in charge of the ancestral temple and the state."

“I dare not accept the kneeling and bowing of my maternal relatives and elders; I also dare not accept the kowtows of the prime ministers.”

"However, I believe I am worthy of the 'great Confucian scholar' kneeling before me."

...

"Marquis Wei Qi, please return."

“If you still consider yourself a Han official—and truly believe yourself to be the ruler of the Han dynasty—then for the next ten months, Marquis Wei Qi, you should stay home and study.”

“Read the Book of Poetry.”

"It would be good to have that 'Confucius' explain to me what the way of loyalty to the emperor is and what the law of serving the emperor is."

"As for the Crown Prince, I am a junior and have no intention of influencing the wishes of the Empress Dowager."

"If the Confucianists can win the Empress Dowager's leniency, this matter will naturally be dropped."

If not, then good luck to you.

"—Our Han people do not lack a single Confucian scholar."

“Our Chinese nation is not lacking in self-important individuals who disregard the emperor’s so-called ‘prominent schools of thought’.”

(End of this chapter)