Diqin Designer

Chapter 206 Everyone, times have changed!
When it was the Confucianist's turn to ask questions, Li Shiqi bowed and said, "Thank you for clearing up my doubts earlier! I think your textbooks and divisions are very good, except for a few shortcomings."

"'Books' are included in humanities, history, and moral education; 'rituals' are also included in moral education; 'numbers' are included in mathematics and the study of things; 'archery' and 'charioteering' are included in strengthening the body, but 'music' is not included."

"I think we should add a new subject called 'music'. Confucius once said: 'Music is the beginning of man's spirituality', 'If you don't know music, you can't have fun'. People should know music!"

Daqin did not have an urgent need for artists and musicians, so he did not mention it just now. But now that Li Shiqi brought it up, Li Nian thought about it and nodded, "It is indeed possible to add a music course."

Li Shiqi continued, "Just now, you said that when we are studying, we often ignore the limitations of the doctrines. However, what you meant to say to me is that when we encounter difficulties, we should temporarily put aside the doctrines of the various philosophers, try to solve the difficulties first, and then follow their teachings."

"I want to ask you, if you cannot firmly practice the teachings of the philosophers, how can you achieve the world they envision? And if your mind wavers along the way, it will be difficult to get back on the right path."

Li Nian replied: "First, I never said to put the theories of various philosophers aside and pick them up again after resolving the problems;"

“Second, doubts exist objectively, just like the lazy and evil people in the world. They will not disappear just because we think they do not exist.

“Third, if one’s mind is shaken, it means that the mind is not firm enough to begin with. A person with a truly firm will will not be easily shaken.”

Li Nian asked a question in return: "Confucianism has always praised the Zhou system, but the Zhou had feudal fiefdoms and Zhou rituals, so why did it perish?"

Li Shiqi said: "It is natural that some people do not follow the rules, and the rituals and music are destroyed, which is why the Zhou Dynasty fell."

Li Nian added: "Since Zhou Li is so good, if we follow it, the country will be peaceful and the people will be safe, and the world will be united, why would anyone not follow it?"

This question once stumped Su Xu, but it did not stump Li Shiqi.

Li Nian had no intention of stumping Li Shiqi with this, he just wanted to elicit an answer from Li Shiqi.

After Li Shiqi gave the answer, Li Nian did not discuss Zhou Li with Li Shiqi anymore, but said: "Don't you also admit that there are objective doubts?"

"Then when you know there are problems, can you turn a blind eye to them, pretend they don't exist, and not solve them?"

Li Shiqi naturally couldn't answer "no" against his will, but he didn't want to admit what Li Nian said, so he said: "It is because of the Zhou rituals that the Zhou Dynasty was able to prosper for 800 years!"

What he meant was that it was precisely because the Zhou rituals were so good that the Zhou Dynasty was able to last so long, longer than the Xia and Shang dynasties, making it the longest dynasty in history.

Li Nian said: "Although Zhou has a national history of nearly 800 years, it has not actually flourished for 800 years."

"From the time when King Ping moved the capital from Haojing to Luoyi to the time of King Yuan, it was the 'Spring and Autumn Period'. From then until this year, it can be called the 'Warring States Period'. This is 549 years."

"There were five hegemons in the Spring and Autumn Period and seven hegemons in the Warring States Period. Although they respected the Zhou emperor as the ruler of the world, who listened to his orders? Can the Zhou emperor decide the politics of each country, or can he stop the war between the countries?"

"In reality, each country governs itself, and regards the Zhou emperor as its nominal ruler."

"Can this be counted as the Zhou Dynasty's rule under the Zhou rituals? The Zhou Dynasty lasted nearly 800 years?"

Before Li Shiqi could refute, Li Nian said, "I also know that you all admire the Zhou system because it is a historical fact. Zhou seems to have the longest reign, but if we follow the Zhou system, it will only make Qin return to Zhou. How can we surpass or defeat Zhou?" Li Shiqi was silent for a while, looked at Li Nian, and asked, "So you want to go one step further and make Qin defeat Zhou. But aren't you afraid that you will fail to defeat and lead Qin astray?"

"Of course I know I won't lead Qin astray. Qin was destroyed in just a dozen years. With all my efforts, I can't say that I can make Qin last for hundreds of years, but it should not be difficult to make it last longer than before. And my goal is not to make Qin last forever!"

Li Nian said: "That makes sense, but in life, if you don't try many things and take risks, how can you know new results?"

"I have heard a theory that says that the ancestors of humans were apes in the distant past, living in trees and unable to walk. It was later that they came down from the trees to the ground and gradually learned to walk upright, turning their front feet into hands and learning to use tools."

"If this is true, and no monkeys are willing to go down to the ground, then wouldn't we still be living in trees today? Of course, this is nonsense, and you should not take it seriously, but in ancient times, our ancestors lived in caves and did not know how to make fire or weave clothes. This is true."

"If there had not been the first person to make fire and weave clothes, wouldn't we still be eating raw meat and drinking blood, and covering our bodies with leaves today?"

"And if we can restore the Zhou system and follow the Zhou rituals, it would be good. However, the world is not just for the Chinese people, and the world is not just for this piece of land. We must know that there are many other countries besides the Qin Dynasty!"

"You are all learned men, and you must know the story of the Quanrong. If we restore the Zhou system, will other countries give us a chance?"

"They are making progress every day, are we supposed to stay where we are, not daring to move forward, and wait for them to come and attack us in the future?"

This is what makes Li Nian most angry. This land has never lacked talents, but the people of this land often like to look inward rather than outward, except for a few times during the Han and Tang dynasties.

There is no way. The civilization is too brilliant, far ahead of other places, resulting in everyone looking like a barbarian and everywhere looking like a wilderness.

Li Nian now puts the problem before the scholars of this era, telling them that if they do not make progress, they will be overtaken by nations and peoples other than the Qin Dynasty. This will not be the case then.

After hearing Li Nian's answer, Li Shiqi knew that his questioning was over. He had not considered this point about foreigners. He bowed to Li Nian and said, "Thank you for clearing up my doubts, young master!"

Li Nian nodded to Li Shiqi and had someone bring up a huge world map painted on a wooden board and present it to everyone.

"When you came to Xianyang, you must have heard that there are islands and lands outside of the Qin Dynasty. In the future, the world will be a battle between countries and nations!"

"This is not about the Great Qin destroying the six kingdoms and unifying the world. The Great Qin and the six kingdoms are actually fighting each other. They are all brothers. However, the countries and people in these places are very different from us. They will be fighting with outsiders."

Some people disagreed with Li Nian's words in their hearts. What kind of brothers are Daqin and the six kingdoms? When brothers fight, will anyone kill their brothers?

"Whoever fails to seize the initiative and gain the upper hand will no longer be in danger of being massacred, but will be in danger of having his country and clan destroyed and becoming a slave forever!"

"If we don't want our descendants to be enslaved by others and killed at will, we can only make ourselves stronger and live long among the nations of the world."

"Li doesn't think 'I am right'. If I have made any mistakes or omissions, please point them out if you have better ideas."

But at this moment, no one cared about what he said. Everyone just looked at the huge wooden board: The world is so big, but it is just this big.

The main purpose of Li Nian taking out this world map was to tell these more than 3,000 people: Ladies and gentlemen, times have changed, and this era will be very different from the era in which you are living!
(End of this chapter)