Guangzong Yaoming

Chapter 227 The Emperor's Prediction

If the royal family wants to "worship" certain people, does that necessarily require approval from Confucianism?
Of course you can go your own way, as long as you feel you can withstand the "disloyalty" of Confucian scholars all over the world.

But the emperor did not fail to provide a solution: Confucianism has been regarded by the emperor as a discipline that "encompasses all disciplines", it just depends on whether you are willing to take this step.

This was undoubtedly a major ideological shock.

After the emperor's decision and reward were announced in the Baijiayuan, Shen Shixing could no longer suppress everyone's worries and petitioned the emperor to hold another special Yan court session, this time not including those in the Jinxianyuan.

Zhu Changluo did not refuse, and this time the Yan Dynasty chose to hold the ceremony in the Qianqing Palace.

With people from one house and four courtyards participating, it is already considered half of the court, and those who come are the backbone of the court.

The main hall of the Qianqing Palace was packed with people.

After paying respect, Zhu Changluo also went straight to the point: "Some of my ministers have submitted memorials and reports on my intention to build a holy temple and engrave a forest of steles on Wansui Mountain. As usual, I have ordered people to extract everyone's opinions and evidence. Wang An, you read it first."

Although Tian Yi and Chen Ju are in good health at the moment, they are getting older.

Now that there are so many people in the hall, Wang An will take over and recite louder.

Most of the court officials' opinions were subtle dissuasion.

The basis includes:

There is already a Confucius Temple, which not only enshrines the Great Sage Teacher, but also other ancient philosophers. If we build another temple, also named after the sage, where will the sages in the Confucius Temple go? This is a question of confusion.

The rules of the temple are to have the merit of discovering "laws". Now, should I, a junior student, re-interpret and extract laws from the knowledge and words of the saints? I am afraid that future generations will not be convinced. This is an excuse for fundamentalism.

In addition, the scope of this law seems to be not only the origin of qi, but also some clever tricks. For example, at present, it seems that the discoveries of Mozi and others are the easiest to extract. However, when the Hundred Schools of Thought were contending, the Great Sage and the First Master were roughly contemporaries. Who is superior and who is inferior, who is the master and who is the subordinate?
Wang An read a lot. Zhu Changluo looked at the minister who looked uneasy. His first arrangement was: "Today's Yan Dynasty will naturally leave a mark in history. Mr. Zhu, ask the Classics and History Museum to temporarily serve as the record officer and make a note."

When this arrangement was announced, everyone felt more serious and at the same time had a strong sense of mission.

Shen Shixing looked worried: In fact, this is also the emperor's dissatisfaction with the Taichang Temple. Half a year has passed, and they have not been able to take that step.

Now that the emperor has done this, he is urging or even forcing everyone to take the initiative to reform Confucianism.

The eunuchs brought the desk, and Zhu Geng, the most senior official in the imperial study, arranged the people there. The compilers and editors from the Institute of Classics and History sat nervously at the back.

The ink had been ground, and they all held their pens, dipped them in ink, and looked at each other nervously.

Then Zhu Changluo spoke first: "Based on the rituals and music of Zhou Gong and the Three Dynasties, Confucianism began to exist in the world after Master. However, before that, during the Yu, Xia, Shang and Zhou dynasties, the people multiplied and changed dynasties, so it cannot be said that there was no learning at all. In the subsequent dynasties, although Confucianism gradually became a prominent school of thought, there were also monarchs and ministers who worshipped Buddhism and Taoism and emphasized the rule of law. Let me start with the purpose: all learning is to comprehend the heaven, earth and man, in order to enable the people of the world to settle down and multiply."

The writing over there keeps going, and this side listens attentively.

Zhu Changluo said clearly: "You are all well-read people, so I don't need to explain it to you. Even the emperor is said to be appointed by heaven, and there are also sayings that he is appointed by the strong army. The famous schools and heresies are actually nothing more than what the emperor respects and what he thinks is beneficial to the country. The country is stable and the people can do their jobs. But it does not mean that Confucianism is the only knowledge in the world."

The atmosphere in the Qianqing Palace was stagnant. The emperor's words were already tearing away his own sacredness.

If he is willing to do such a thing, how strange can it be that he has any opinion on Confucianism itself?
He had ordered people to record today's Yan Dynasty meeting in advance, and then said these words.

Zhu Changluo continued: "I also grew up studying Confucianism, and I also think that Confucianism is good. The good thing is that it has always been inclusive, and has always been based on governing the country and benefiting the people. Today, you are in trouble, so I found a sentence for you. Confucius said: "I only narrate but do not create, I believe in and love the ancients." In terms of academic thoughts, Confucius also adhered to the purpose of summarizing the gains and losses of the previous dynasties, and narrated and believed in them. Today, the ancients that you can narrate and love are Yu, Xia, Shang, Zhou, Qin, Han, Tang, Song and Ming."

These eight words describe the origin of Confucianism. Sima Qian recorded: Confucius wrote the Spring and Autumn Annals based on the Records of the Grand Historian, starting from Duke Yin and ending in the 14th year of Duke Ai, with twelve dukes. He was based in Lu, close to Zhou, and thus governed the Yin Dynasty for three generations.

On the basis of summarizing and inheriting the traditional culture of "loving relatives" and "respecting elders" of the previous three generations, and on the basis of refining the six virtues, six actions and six arts of an earlier period, he put forward his own ideological propositions, but at the same time he also said that he only "narrates but does not create, believes and loves the antiquity."

Zhu Changluo gave his own opinion: "Summarizing the gains and losses of the past dynasties and constantly bringing forth new ideas is the essence of Confucianism. Mencius said that the key to governing is to win over the people, and Dong Zhongshu integrated all schools of thought and achieved the connection between heaven and man. Later, Cheng and Zhu advocated the School of Principle, and now the School of Mind has evolved. Confucianism has been constantly changing, so why can't it break free from the shackles now? It's just that Confucianism has been a prominent school for more than a thousand years, and thus it has become a school and a religion. I think these are two different things."

The final word was: "If you have any opinions today, you should talk about them from the perspective of scholarship itself, not from the perspective of Confucianism or Confucianism!"

The two temporary recorders wrote down all this in one breath. Their wrists began to ache a little. Then they looked at the emperor in awe.

In any case, the emperor's words at least provide a very clear analysis of the origin and changes of Confucianism.

What he said was very realistic, and in the end he also pointed out the fundamental cause of the Yan Dynasty at this moment: Confucianism is not sacred, just as the emperor is not sacred. Although the theory of destiny in the Tang Dynasty was hidden in the middle, the interaction between heaven and man was pointed out, which actually shows that the family of heaven and Confucianism are just complementary to each other.

In the current Yan Dynasty, the issue is not whether Confucianism should change, but whether the Confucianism and Confucianism mentioned by the emperor are willing to change.

The hall suddenly fell silent, and everyone's eyes were only on the two people.

One is Shen Shixing and the other is Kong Shangxian.

The former is the Grand Secretary of the Imperial Academy, and is now in charge of the culture and education of the country. The latter is a descendant of Confucius. If there is a Confucian school, his family is the "master", and if there is a Confucian religion, his family is the "leader".

Zhu Changluo was looking at Shen Shixing.

Does Kong Shangxian need to see it?
Shen Shixing was under a lot of pressure, and he also knew that he would have to be the first to speak.

"I have a question, and I would like to ask Your Majesty to clarify it."

"speak."

Shen Shixing was already 69 years old. He knelt down and asked, "Since Your Majesty has made it clear, I would like to ask you something. In the past, there were hundreds of schools of thought, including Confucianism, Taoism, Legalism, and Mohism. Now that all schools of thought are to be united and led by Confucianism, how can the descendants of each school of thought be at ease?"

Zhu Changluo stared at him and said, "The Yan Dynasty is also a court meeting. Since it is a meeting, it is clear to speak. I will answer this doubt. Shen Qing, please stand up first."

"…I thank your Majesty for your grace."

After he stood up, Zhu Changluo said, "It seems that you must give a definite answer. However, Shen Taichang's question is not completely from the perspective of Confucianism. It is a practical question."

This is why Shen Shixing knelt down to ask, and why Zhu Changluo said that he asked in a tactful way.

To put it bluntly, isn't it still a worry about status? It's just that the confusion of cognition and public acceptance caused by the fact that they were once famous in the world and now have to lead the academic world is said to be.

What everyone is most worried about is that the emperor will "linger" in the Hundred Schools Garden and seem to be more interested in those tricks that produce immediate results. This will of course make everyone worry that some people will use the name of Mohism to drive out Confucianism and make it a prominent school of thought.

Zhu Changluo looked at everyone and raised his hand and stretched out three fingers: "Three points."

"First, Confucius taught everyone without distinction. Mr. Yichuan also said that Confucius taught people according to their talents, and then there were four subjects and ten philosophers. Today, the world's cultural education all starts with Confucianism, and it is nothing more than teaching people according to their talents, regardless of the number of subjects. There were ten philosophers in the four subjects, and what about the encyclopedia? After the Qin and Han dynasties, who of those who made achievements in various disciplines was not a Confucian scholar? Therefore, knowledge is just knowledge, and people are the same. Confucianism opens its mind to accept all schools of thought, and people who pursue knowledge in the world are all Confucian scholars."

Since we are all Confucian scholars, there is no need to worry about others competing for your status, right?
"Secondly, except for the military commanders, all the officials in office have made great achievements. Among the people in the countryside, the gentry are at the top. Now more than a thousand years have passed. Apart from some monks and Taoists, how many ordinary people care about the disputes among the Hundred Schools of Thought in the past? Even if there are some confused ideas, the court and the people will discuss them in the Confucian school after all. Are you still worried about what people say?"

Everyone felt a little uncomfortable, as the emperor's words sounded like sarcasm: with the powerful Confucianists today, even the emperor could not avoid being criticized by them and was even forced by public opinion to think twice before acting. Was it necessary to care about the opinions of other civilians?
Once the criticism starts, is it really that difficult to reach a consensus?

"Third, the strength of Confucianism lies in governing morality, governing politics, and governing people. The emperor's dignity is also to seek the rule of virtue in the country and harmony among the people. Confucianism has been respected by all dynasties, and this is a truth that you should think about. I think there may be more than one law about governing politics and human relations hidden here. Confucianism has been indispensable for more than a thousand years because it conforms to this law."

So this third point is more important.

Zhu Changluo concluded: "Therefore, you don't have to worry about the descendants of various schools being unable to deal with it peacefully. Nowadays, there are no pure descendants of various schools. Even if there are, I bear the heavy responsibility of the country and know that Confucianism is most beneficial to the country. In the future, Confucianism may come from various disciplines, but they will always be descendants of Confucianism. Moreover, when there is no fighting in the court, it is often not due to academic disputes. In the court, I don't want chaos. As long as they are all Confucian ministers who are good at governing the country and benefiting the people, they will always remember benevolence, righteousness, courtesy, wisdom, trustworthiness, loyalty, filial piety, brotherhood, chastity, forgiveness, courage, and yielding, right?"

Finally, he looked at Shen Shixing and said, "Can these three points of mine help you resolve your confusion?"

Shen Shixing had already received the assurance he wanted, so he naturally bent down and said, "I am suddenly enlightened. Your Majesty has explained it clearly, and I am deeply impressed."

How could this be the Yan Dynasty where everyone was allowed to express their opinions fully?
The emperor came prepared and predicted almost everything.

The evidence is sufficient, the attitude is clear, and the words are straightforward.

Don’t worry about those trivial things. I know that you Confucians are useful and I will continue to make use of you.

Don't use the academic dispute as an excuse to start a power struggle. What I want are useful ministers who can govern the country and benefit the people.

You all must remember these twelve words!

Zhu Changluo smiled and asked, "Do you have any doubts or concerns?"

(End of this chapter)