Bringing the Railway to Daming

Chapter 263: Shangwu Railway, Hanlin Political Discussions [Request for Subscription]

Liu Kuan laughed and said, "The court must uphold the law, so it must set an example and pay patent fees to inventors."

"But Your Majesty, don't just focus on the royalties the court pays private inventors. You also need to realize that the court has numerous research institutes and researchers, and they are bound to own many more patents. Even if private individuals want to use their inventions, they must pay royalties to the court."

"I can say with certainty that if the patent law is implemented well, the money the court can earn from patents will definitely be much more than what it pays out."

"Also, future patents are not permanent and will have time limits depending on the type of patent."

"For example, in the Xin Dynasty of later times, the protection period for invention patents was 20 years; the protection period for utility model patents was only 10 years; and the protection period for design patents was 15 years."

"Finally, some high-tech achievements are difficult for outsiders to decipher for a while, so the developers can continue to reap the benefits beyond the protection period."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded. "So there's even a patent protection period—later laws are truly mature and have few loopholes."

At this time, Zhu Biao said, "Brother-in-law, this patent protection law does sound good, but even with the power of the court, it will be difficult to implement it well, right?"

"For example, how do we authenticate patents? Or how do we prevent counterfeiting without paying patent fees?"

Liu Kuan was not surprised by Zhu Biao's question.

He said, "Your Highness, patent appraisal is a technical job that can only be done with the scientific research and engineering talents trained by the court."

"As for the implementation of patent laws, this has been a difficult problem for many countries in later generations – counterfeiters are constantly emerging, and sometimes it's difficult to distinguish between counterfeiting and invention, making it difficult to hold people accountable."

"But no matter how difficult it is, having patent laws and not having patent laws are two completely different things. It's like order: having order and not having order are two completely different things—even the worst order is better than no order."

"As long as the Ming Dynasty establishes patent laws and strives to enforce them, even if the initial implementation is inefficient, it will greatly encourage inventors and creators and greatly benefit the development of science and technology."

After hearing Liu Kuan's words, Zhu Biao was still in deep thought, but Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't help but admire him.

"The worst order is better than no order at all, that's a good saying. Similarly, having laws is definitely better than having no laws at all—we've also agreed to the patent law issue, and will also hand it over to Tiangong Academy!"

Old Zhu was giving as much power as he could, but Liu Kuan didn't dare to take it all.

He immediately said, "Your Majesty, the formulation of patent laws and the definition of future patents can be handled by the Tiangong Academy, but the collection of royalties and the prosecution of private counterfeiters must be handled by officials from the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Justice."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded, "I understand this matter - I won't let you bear the burden of things that shouldn't be assigned to you."

Liu Kuan continued, "Your Majesty, it will probably take quite some time to reorganize the Department of Science and Technology into the Institute of Tiangong. Therefore, I would like to wait until the Shangwu Railway is opened to traffic before completing this matter."

"Shangwu Railway" refers to the Zhili Jiangnan Railway from Shanghai to Wuhu.

Zhu Yuanzhang asked, "When will the Shangwu Railway be open to traffic?"

"It will probably be around April, and no later than May."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded and said, "Okay, I'll do as you say."

···
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Since this meeting in Fengxian Hall, Liu Kuan has been busy again.

Reorganizing the Science and Technology Department into the Tiangong Academy is indeed not a trivial matter. He must first think of a Tiangong Academy structure that is suitable for the current situation of the Ming Dynasty.

After several years in Ming Dynasty, Liu Kuan has realized that it is unrealistic to establish an institution in Ming Dynasty as complex and sophisticated as that of later generations - not that it cannot be established, but that even if it is established, it will not have the desired effect, and may even greatly increase administrative costs due to communication problems.

After all, this was an era without computers, mobile phones, and relatively slow transportation.

In the end, Liu Kuan decided to set up three major departments under the Tiangong Institute: the Institute's Administrative Office, the Natural Science Research Department, and the Industrial Technology Promotion Department.

The Court Administration Office will have several managers responsible for managing administration, personnel, finance, and service matters, as well as several low-level officials and clerks.

The Department of Natural Science Research is referred to as the "Department of Scientific Research". It temporarily has jurisdiction over the Patent Office, the Generator Research and Development Experimental Group, and the Machinery Manufacturing Bureau. Currently, there are actually no real scientific research departments under the Department of Science and Technology, and only a few related ones can be attached to it.

The Department of Promoting Industrial Technology is referred to as the "Technology Department", which is under the jurisdiction of the Craftsmen Management Office, Locomotive Manufacturing Bureau, Railway Construction Research Institute and other bureaus.

As for the First Railway Transportation Company, Liu Kuan planned to transfer it to the Ministry of Industry's Industrial Operations Department for management.

In terms of the staffing of the Tiangong Academy, it is tentatively planned that there will be one director, one judge, and two deputies. The deputies will each be in charge of a piece of business, while the judge will be mainly responsible for supervision.

The two departments each appointed one doctor, several principals, and a number of low-level officials and clerks.

The Patent Office was established for patent matters; the Craftsman Management Office was established to reform the craftsman grades and assessment system, and to establish technical schools.

Regarding the establishment of a technical school, Liu Kuan planned to pilot it in Zhili first, and then expand it to the entire Ming Dynasty after two or three years.

As for the patent issue, Liu Kuan planned to wait until the Tiangong Institute was established and running smoothly, and the reform of the craftsman grade system was almost completed before doing it... Time passed quickly in the busyness.

It seemed like the blink of an eye, and it was already the end of April.

On April 28, the 18th year of Hongwu, the Shangwu Railway was officially opened to traffic!

From then on, almost all the prefectures in Zhili and Jiangnan could enjoy the convenience of trains - going east, they could go down the river, and going west, they could take the train. Transportation was much faster than before.

In addition, the court has promoted trade in recent years, and the business in Zhili and Jiangnan has become more prosperous.

In early May, construction of the railway from Peking to Zhending also began. While many people in the public paid attention to this matter, officials at the imperial court were discussing something else.

On the third day of the fifth lunar month, Zhu Yuanzhang issued an edict abolishing the Science and Technology Department of the Ministry of Works and establishing the Tiangong Academy. Liu Kuan, formerly a doctor and earl of the Science and Technology Department, was appointed as the director of the academy (rank 4).

In addition, Zhao Chengzhu, formerly the Deputy Director of the Department of Science and Technology, was appointed as the Judge of the Academy (fourth rank), Zhao Youxuan and Ma Jiawen were appointed as Vice Directors (fourth rank), Guo Tianwen was appointed as the Director of the Department of Natural Science Research (fifth rank), and Qiu Qichi was appointed as the Director of the Department of Craftsmanship Promotion (fifth rank).

He also issued an edict ordering Liu Kuan to lead the Tiangong Academy to handle matters such as the reform of the craftsman system, patent law, and industrial schools.

Even though Zhu Yuanzhang's prestige is extremely high now, the series of edicts and proclamations issued regarding Tiangongyuan have caused a lot of discussion in the court and the public.

Hanlin Academy.

Fang Xiaoru, who had been in Beijing for more than two years, was already a seventh-rank Hanlin editor. At this moment, he was flipping through an ancient book at his post, copying silently, as if the discussions of several colleagues not far away had nothing to do with him.

Unfortunately, even though he had no intention of listening, the discussions still reached his ears.

"Tell me, everyone. What are the higher-ups thinking? It's fine they changed the Science and Technology Department into the Tiangong Academy, but they also made the director of that academy a fourth-rank official. What's the logic behind this?"

"That's right—the Hanlin Bachelors of our Hanlin Academy are only of the fifth rank, and the Directors of the Imperial Observatory and the Shanglin Garden are also of the fifth rank. Even the Director of the Imperial College is only of the fourth rank."

"The Tiangong Academy is ultimately nothing more than a branch of the Ministry of Works, responsible for manufacturing and craftsmanship, and inventing some strange and ingenious techniques. Why should the chief officer be higher in rank than the other major academies and supervisors?"

"It can't be said that his rank is higher than that of all the chief officials of the academies. Isn't the rank of the Chief Censor of the Inspectorate higher than that of the Dean of the Tiangong Academy?" The person who said this was sarcastic.

At this time, someone looked at Fang Xiaoru and said, "Brother Xizhi (Fang Xiaoru's courtesy name), aren't you often invited by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to lecture on books and politics? Do you know what His Royal Highness thinks of this matter?"

Fang Xiaoru said without looking up, "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince said: Attaching importance to science and developing technology is the national policy of the Ming Dynasty and cannot be shaken."

national policy?

Unshakable?

After hearing this, the people who were discussing the matter looked at each other and fell silent for a moment.

It would be fine if Zhu Yuanzhang didn't value these scholars, or even looked down on them. After all, Zhu Yuanzhang was old, so they could wait for ten years until Zhu Yuanzhang passed away and Zhu Biao ascended the throne. After all, the prince had been close to scholars and Confucianism since he was young.

But looking at the situation now, in Zhu Biao's mind, the status of literati and Confucianists is lower than that of scientists and craftsmen.

How can this be good?

They can't just wait for Zhu Biao to die and then bet on the crown prince Zhu Xiongying, right?
Thinking of this, someone suddenly said, "I heard that among the three teachers of Confucianism, Mathematics, and Nature at the Grand Hall, the Crown Prince is closest to the Master of Science and Technology and obeys his every word."

This man's words were incoherent, but his colleagues in the Hanlin Academy who heard him understood what he meant.

Judging from Zhu Xiongying's appearance, I'm afraid that after he ascends the throne, he will pay more attention to science, and the status of them, the literati, in the court and the country may be even lower by then!

Hearing that his colleagues were silent for a while, Fang Xiaoru finally turned his head and looked at them.

Then he sighed.

"These people don't know the specific reform measures of the Tiangong Academy on the craftsman system. If they knew that the court would give craftsmen the same honors as scholars, I'm afraid it would be even more difficult for them to accept it."

If Fang Xiaoru had learned about these things before coming to the capital, his reaction would have been more intense than that of his colleagues.

But what he saw and heard in the capital over the past two years, especially his interactions with the prince, changed his mind.

He felt that the times were really about to change, and Confucianism and literati had to find new ways out.

　Second update.

　　Good night~
　　
　　
　
(End of this chapter)