Ming Dynasty: Domination of the World from the Imperial Examination

Chapter 356: Confucianism is the center of harmony!

"Zhao Mian, what do you mean?" Liu Sanwu looked at Zhao Mian fiercely with a bad look on his face. He said angrily, "You mean I'm wrong? Do you know how shocking and unorthodox Xia Zhibai's views are?"

"I have studied for so many years, how can I ignore this?"

"Xia Zhibai does not follow the Confucian sages, but wants to bring out the Mohist and Taoist schools that have long been forgotten in the garbage dump of history. He also arrogantly wants to tamper with history and make the world accept his views. How can I stand idly by and watch such a crazy thing?"

Liu Sanwu was furious.

Zhao Mian looked confused.

He didn't say anything.

I just followed Liu Sanwu's words and ended up being criticized by him.

Moreover.

Is there anything wrong with what he said?

My father-in-law is indeed old, and editing a book is a physical job that requires a lot of time and energy. Given Liu Sanwu's current physical condition, he may not be able to handle it. Now that he has decided not to get involved, he should naturally rest more.

As a result, Liu Sanwu seemed to be stressed.

Zhao Mian said, "Father-in-law, I don't know what happened between you and Xia Zhibai, but Xia Zhibai's ideas are indeed wild and different from those of ordinary people. But even if Your Majesty asked him to compile a book, Your Majesty has his own intentions. As a minister, how can I oppose Your Majesty's will?"

"Besides."

"Even if Xia Zhibai's book is biased, there are so many scholars in the Hanlin Academy that it is really unnecessary for you to remind him. Other scholars will report to His Majesty. With Your Majesty's wisdom and bravery, how could you not find the problem? You will punish Xia Zhibai and correct the inappropriate content."

"Father-in-law, you just take it too seriously."

"It's true that you've spent most of your life studying and reading a lot of books, but you don't really have to do everything yourself. It's really unnecessary."

"As for using the views of Mohism and Taoism, I don't think there is anything wrong with it."

"Didn't the ancient sage Confucius say: 'When you see a virtuous person, you should think about how to emulate him; when you see an unvirtuous person, you should reflect on yourself'? And 'When three people walk together, there must be one person who can be my teacher'."

"Besides, didn't the ancient sage Confucius also seek advice from the Taoist Laozi in the past?"

"The Hundred Schools of Thought during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period are too far away from the present. The essence of the Hundred Schools of Thought has long been mixed together over thousands of years. Today's Confucianism is actually a Confucianism that embraces all schools of thought. It is no longer the 'knowledge' of the ancient times."

Zhao Mian studied for many years.

I have already formed my own opinions on the contents of the book.

Moreover, after passing the imperial examination, he spent some time in the Hanlin Academy as a reserve talent, where he read a lot of ancient Chinese texts, which greatly increased his knowledge reserves and at the same time gave him a deeper understanding of learning. The reason why Confucianism flourished is not only because it makes it easier for emperors to control the people, but more importantly, it is the inclusiveness of Confucianism.

Taoism is too casual, Mohism is too extreme, and Legalism is too cruel.

Only Confucianism can strike a balance.

As for why Confucianism changed its "color", that is not something he can say, and I am afraid that even the great Confucian scholars in the world cannot explain it clearly, because as the debate went on, Confucianism became strange. First, in the Han Dynasty, there were Gongyang Zhuan, Guliang Zhuan, and Zuo Zhuan. Then in the Tang Dynasty, there were the authoritarian thoughts of Han Yu and Liu Zongyuan, such as benevolence within, righteousness in action, and propriety to establish benevolence and righteousness, and without them, Confucianism would be ruined.

In the Song Dynasty, Neo-Confucianism and the School of Mind became popular.

Confucianism has been changing all the time. During the Han Dynasty, it still retained some Confucian characteristics, but it also integrated the ideas of Yin and Yang, Huang-Lao, Nominalism, and Legalism. During the Tang and Song dynasties, when Confucianism was gradually declining, some talented people borrowed from Buddhism and Taoism, and proposed respecting the king and expelling the barbarians, governing the country with Confucianism, and so on.

What's wrong with borrowing some ideas from Mohism and Taoism today?

As long as it is still a "Confucian" and is still covered with the name of "Confucian", what's the big deal?

Zhao Mian didn't agree with it. "You!!!" Liu Sanwu waved his sleeves, and was so angry at Zhao Mian's words that he couldn't speak. After a long while, he continued: "What do you know about the ancient sages' classics? The ancient sages' classics are not used for these things."

"It really makes me angry."

"I never thought that you and Xia Zhibai are birds of a feather."

"I was blind when I married my daughter to you."

"Do you think what you said is what Xia Zhibai thinks? It's ridiculous."

"Xia Zhibai wants to completely subvert the world's traditions and establish his own system. He even directly refuted the Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism approved by Your Majesty. He also brazenly said that Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism has problems. Now he is directly quoting Taoist content to refute Confucian classics."

"Is this a fusion?"

"This is clearly a malicious act, an attempt to shake the ideological foundation of our Ming Dynasty."

"Once the ideology collapses, the harm to the world is unimaginable. Tens of millions of people will live like the walking dead, the order of the world will be in chaos, benevolence and propriety will be trampled upon, and this harm will last for a long time."

"As a Hanlin scholar, how can I allow such unrest to happen!"

"However, Xia Zhibai insisted on his own way and refused to listen to any advice. I just can't understand why Xia Zhibai, who doesn't respect his elders and doesn't know etiquette, could have stolen such a high position. People like him should be sentenced to death and exiled for life!"

Liu Sanwu's speech was already somewhat incoherent.

Hear the words.

Zhao Mian frowned.

He gradually realized that his father-in-law seemed to take the book too seriously. Even if Xia Zhibai was really so unorthodox, how could the other Hanlin scholars agree? Moreover, without the help of other Hanlin scholars, it would be impossible to move forward.

Again.

It's not that serious.

Just a few books can shake the world's thousands of years of thinking. If the people's ideas were so easy to change, why would His Majesty use torture? Isn't it because the people are "conservative" and repeatedly violate the law?
Moreover, his father-in-law was too angry with Xia Zhibai.

It didn't sound like an accusation at all, more like a scolding.

It was as if Xia Zhibai was being blamed.

Considering that his father-in-law is very proud and likes to put on airs, and Xia Zhibai is very straightforward, he is afraid that he will not save face for his father-in-law. Most likely, his father-in-law has been repeatedly rejected by Xia Zhibai and is unhappy, so he wants to vent on him.

Zhao Mian looked at Liu Sanwu carefully.

Liu Sanwu seemed to feel that Zhao Mian had noticed something, and his expression suddenly changed. He said in a cold voice: "Why are you looking at me? There is nothing on my face."

Zhao Mian said: "Father-in-law, are you with Xia Zhibai?"

"Are you unhappy with the birth?"

In the end, he didn't dare to say too much and only asked tentatively with slight spoken words.

But he already had the answer in his heart.

Most likely.

(End of this chapter)