I am not Yuan Shu

Chapter 18 Becoming a Sage
That night, Yuan Shu and Lu Zhi had a heart-to-heart talk and talked about many things that they had never told anyone else before.

Lu Zhi complained about the bad things that happened to him since he started studying.

Yuan Shu complained about the Yuan family's failure to delve deeply into academic studies but instead into ways of scheming for personal gain, as well as the various current situations in the Ma family's studies.

The more they talked, the more excited they became, and the conversation went on in depth, as if they were treating each other as their own tree hole, pouring out their unhappiness.

After Yuan Shu complained about the utilitarianism of the Yuan family, Lu Zhi also talked about his previous experience of studying under the former Grand Marshal Chen Qiu, and his later experience of going to Guanzhong to become a disciple of Ma Rong.

"There are few scholars in the world, and most of them are just people who are seeking personal gain. What they want is to be valued by their teachers and have the opportunity to enter politics. It would be fine if they are not valued, but once they are valued, who knows how they will bully the people and bring disaster to the village!"

Lu Zhi was obviously very dissatisfied with the many strange things he had witnessed during his years of study.

In his opinion, today's young Confucian scholars are very purposeful in their pursuit of learning. They specifically choose to study under famous Confucian teachers with political experience. After entering school, they do not concentrate on their studies, but instead think of ways to please the teachers and show themselves in front of them.

If there is one such person, then there will be two more, and finally everyone will follow suit. They no longer talk about academic matters, but instead talk about the teacher's whereabouts, preferences, today's mood, and what gift to give the teacher for his birthday, which really makes him feel bored.

But what annoyed him even more was that it was often such people who could win the teacher's favor and then receive special care from the teacher, becoming disciples more quickly or gaining connections in the political field.

However, those good students who study hard and do not seek personal gain fall into a disadvantage and are not valued. They can only be students but not disciples.

He had also spoken out for justice, but to no avail. If Yuan Shu had not stood up, the current situation would probably remain the same and the Ma family tradition would continue to deteriorate.

"In the court, there are many people who are scheming for personal gain. Officials do not think about repaying the emperor's kindness to the country, but only seek fame and fortune, which has led to the decline of national affairs. I never thought that even young Confucian scholars are like this. They have been scheming for personal gain since the beginning of their studies. If such people become officials in the future, can we still expect them to save the situation?"

The more Lu Zhi spoke, the more grief-stricken and angry he became. He punched the table in front of him and almost knocked over the cup of honey water that Yuan Shu handed to him.

Yuan Shu looked at the angry Lu Zhi calmly, and suddenly an idea came to his mind.

If you want to achieve your ideal goals, you need a lot of helpers, but qualified helpers also need to be selected, and there are not many such people nowadays.

And isn’t Lu Zhi in front of us just such a rare and qualified talent?

He is honest enough.

That is enough.

So Yuan Shu made up his mind and decided to open a gap from Lu Zhi and take his first step.

So, Yuan Shu asked Lu Zhi a question.

"Mr. Lu, what do you think the reason why we, as students, study so hard and seek education everywhere is?"

"Of course, we should learn the teachings of the saints and master the skills of governing a country, and then use them to govern the country and bring peace to the world and the people to live and work in peace and contentment."

"Is that right?"

Yuan Shu shook his head and said slowly: "Yuan believes that learning the teachings of saints is to become a saint."

Lu Zhi blinked and stood there in a daze.

The purpose of learning the teachings of sages is to... become a sage?
Become a saint?!
Looking at Lu Zhi's astonished expression, Yuan Shu smiled.

"Mr. Lu, don't be so surprised. Saints are also human beings. They were once illiterate children who didn't know the truth. There are no people in the world who are born with knowledge. They become saints because they are too learned and too outstanding. In this way, everyone has the potential to become a saint."

"Everyone can... become a saint?"

It was obviously the first time that Lu Zhi heard such remarks, and he was so shocked that he couldn't close his mouth.

"Mr. Lu, I think that the reason why the Han Dynasty is declining and treacherous people are in power is largely because people don't know why they are learning."

Yuan Shu said slowly: "Once upon a time, Confucian scholars knew that what they learned was to realize the ideal world in the minds of saints. They wanted to realize the unfulfilled ideals of the predecessors, so they worked hard for this purpose. But now, everyone has lost this ideal, so everyone is confused."

Lu Zhi's eyes moved.

"confused?"

"Yes, confused."

Yuan Shu said: "I think that the purest ideals of Confucian scholars reached their peak when Wang Mang usurped the throne, but with Wang Mang's defeat, the original ideals of Confucian scholars also collapsed, because everyone found that the ideal world of sages was not realistic at all.

Whether it is self-denial and restoration of the rites, or no contact with each other until death, it is impossible to go back to the past. Just as everyone will grow old, which is irreversible, so the trend of moving forward is also irreversible. Everyone has worked hard for a long time, but in the end they found that all their efforts were just illusions and not realistic at all. "

Lu Zhi was greatly shocked. "Please tell me more, Mr. Yuan."

Yuan Shu shared with Lu Zhi his insights from reading the biography of Wang Mang and a series of historical books.

He believed that after Emperor Xuan of Han, the Han Dynasty went into decline. Seeing the country's deteriorating situation, both the modern literature school and the ancient literature school put forward their own ideas.

Among them, the New Literature School, especially the Gongyang School, was particularly radical. According to the school's purpose, they believed that the time for change had come and that the Liu Dynasty's mandate of heaven had come. They hoped that the Han emperor would abdicate and be replaced by a virtuous person, so as to restore the country's situation.

In the end, the reformers of the New Literature School were suppressed by the Han Dynasty. The Han Dynasty sent troops to carry out bloody killings, which directly proved that the reforms advocated by the New Literature School could not succeed. The Liu royal family had no intention of abdicating and letting others take over, and the New Literature School did not have enough power to accomplish this.

However, the reformers of the Ancient Literature School, which was then in the ascendant, took another roundabout way and pushed the imperial relative and Confucian scholar Wang Mang to power, partially realizing the ideas of the Modern Literature School and adding their own ideas.

Wang Mang was a pure Confucian scholar. Like many Confucian scholars at that time, he believed that as long as the Zhou Dynasty's system was restored, they could return to that simple world as Confucius said, and all the problems faced in the late Western Han Dynasty would be solved.

Then there is no more.

Wang Mang failed, Zhou Li failed, the world was in chaos again, Liu Xiu emerged, and the Han Dynasty's destiny continued...

But the Confucian scholars' highest ideals were shattered.

Wang Mang's series of actions were all those of a pure Confucian fundamentalist. Even Confucius would not be more "innocent" than Wang Mang.

Then he failed, and the whole people rose up in rebellion. From the powerful to the slaves, no one did not oppose him. He violated the interests of almost everyone.

A complete failure.

The true ideals of the Modern Literature School and the Ancient Literature School completely collapsed from that time on.

"Yuan believes that it was from that time that Confucian scholars lost their true ideals and the enterprising spirit they worked tirelessly for, and became lost. That is why Confucianism was later combined with prophecies and divinations, leading to the current state of Confucianism.

Mr. Lu, I think it is a terrible thing to have no ideal goal. People living in this world, in addition to the material basis of food, clothing, shelter and transportation, should also have a spiritual foundation. People are not just empty shells of flesh and blood. People can think, feel happy, angry, sad and happy. Simply having enough food and clothing will not satisfy people. "

"Spiritual foundation..."

Lu Zhi frowned, thinking carefully about Yuan Shu's words, and after a while, he slowly nodded.

"What Yuan Jun said is indeed reasonable. People living in this world cannot just live for food, clothing, shelter and transportation. Otherwise, what is the difference between them and the walking dead? But what is this so-called spiritual foundation?"

"Legalists want to achieve complete rule of law, which is the spiritual foundation of Legalists. Taoists want to live in seclusion until death, which is the spiritual foundation of Taoists. Confucians want to restrain themselves and return to propriety, which is the spiritual foundation of Confucians. Mohists want to love all and not attack, which is the spiritual foundation of Mohists."

Yuan Shu said slowly: "Students of every school of thought have a fundamental ideal pursuit. This ideal pursuit constitutes the spiritual foundation of the students, allowing them to constantly climb upward for this ideal pursuit. In this way, people have a spiritual foundation, will not be confused, and can endure hardships."

Lu Zhi looked straight ahead and nodded slowly.

"That makes sense, that makes sense... But... what Yuan Jun said, that the spiritual foundation of us Confucian students has disappeared?"

"Nothing."

Yuan Shu nodded and said, "The spiritual foundation of the Legalists disappeared with the collapse of the Qin Dynasty. The spiritual foundation of the Taoists disappeared with Emperor Xiaowu's abolition of all schools of thought and the promotion of Confucianism. The Mohists did not lose their spiritual foundation because they had never been in power, but there are not many Mohists left.

The same is true for Confucianism. With the collapse of the Western Han Dynasty and the failure of Wang Mang, the spiritual foundations of the Modern Literature School and the Ancient Literature School collapsed. Seeing that their ideal world had no chance of success and was despised by everyone, how could they have any spiritual foundation?

Therefore, after Emperor Guangwu revived the Han Dynasty, he did not focus on either the modern or ancient literature schools, but instead promoted the theory of prophecies and divinations. In the end, it even developed to the point where those who did not read the divinations would be deposed. As a result, Confucian scholars were completely confused. "

The more Lu Zhi listened, the more frightened he became, and the more horrified he became.

"According to what Mr. Yuan said, what are we Confucian scholars studying and doing nowadays?"

"He's trying to gain control."

Yuan Shu shook his head and smiled, "Didn't Lord Lu see it all? After Emperor Xiaowu, many talented Confucian scholars emerged, bringing forth new ideas and bringing forth new thoughts. But now, what else is there? Nothing but scheming.

My family, the Yuan family, has three officials in three generations, and the family has inherited the Yi of the Meng family. We are a family of high status, and we should inherit the teachings of the sages, bring forth new ideas, create the future, and lead the Confucian students to make progress. But what are they doing now? They are scheming in the court and managing local affairs. How can they still have the aura of a family of high status?

If this is the case for the noble families who inherit the classics, what about others? The poor cannot stand the desolation, and the rich cannot enjoy their work. After losing the spiritual foundation, people are left with material desires. The empty spirit infinitely magnifies material desires. Everyone is pursuing material desires and has lost their ideals.

All of this directly accelerated the annexation of land. Scholars degenerated into people seeking wealth, using their knowledge and power to amass wealth. As a result, the rich had fields stretching across the country, while the poor had no place to stand. Refugees were everywhere, wars broke out everywhere, the court made mistakes in its response, and the army was exhausted. In the end, it completely collapsed! "

(End of this chapter)