Drive to the Tang Dynasty, where supplies are refreshed daily!

Chapter 111 Recruiting a Schoolteacher!

Xiao Ran even considered learning pinyin.

The more I thought about it, the more something seemed off.

Xiao Ran couldn't get his hands on books with phonetic annotations, so he couldn't very well write them himself.

This project is too large.

Furthermore, it is fundamentally in conflict with the historical context, the core reason being that the underlying logic of Pinyin is completely out of touch with the writing system, cultural traditions, and educational needs of the Tang Dynasty.

The core of Pinyin is "using Latin letters to represent sounds," but the Tang Dynasty had neither a cognitive foundation of Latin letters nor a tradition of using "phonetic symbols."

Although the Tang Dynasty had extensive foreign exchanges, it mainly came into contact with Sanskrit, Turkic, and Sogdian languages. The Latin alphabet was hardly introduced into the Central Plains, and ordinary people were completely unfamiliar with abstract symbols such as "A, B, C" and did not even have the concept of "letter".

In this era, phonetic notation relied on the "fanqie method," which, although cumbersome, had become a consensus among scholars.

As a symbol system independent of Chinese characters, Pinyin requires learning the 26 letters and their pronunciation rules first.

For villagers who don't even know Chinese characters, this is equivalent to learning a "new script" first and then using it to learn Chinese characters, which increases their cognitive burden and goes against Xiao Ran's original intention.

The Tang Dynasty was the golden age of the Chinese character cultural sphere. Chinese characters were not only a writing tool, but also a symbol of "orthodox Chinese culture," carrying etiquette, classics, and cultural identity.

The scholar-official class had an extremely strong obsession with the "sacredness" of writing.

They believed that Chinese characters were "created by Cangjie to represent the heavens and reveal the signs," and that the "phonetic symbols" of Pinyin contradicted the "pictographic and ideographic" nature of Chinese characters, thus being regarded as "barbarian methods" that "abandoned sagehood and wisdom."

Even if Xiao Ran promoted it, he would be criticized by the literati as "deviant" and lacking in cultural identity.

Pinyin, as an "intermediary tool," conflicts with the educational logic of "direct literacy" in the Tang Dynasty, and is therefore considered to be "putting the cart before the horse."

Having thought all this through, Xiao Ran completely abandoned the idea.

Totally unnecessary.

After thinking it through, Xiao Ran finally went to sleep.

The next day, Xiao Ran got up very early, as did Li Kecheng, Chu Mo, and Qin Huaidao.

Everyone wanted to follow Sun Simiao's approach to health preservation.

Sun Simiao also practices Tai Chi now.

The three of them also found it interesting and wanted to learn from it.

Others might scoff at such a move, but it's a different story if it's Sun Simiao.

After arranging things at home, Zhang Jinhe also went to Xiao Ran's house.

It's become a habit.

"Jinniang, please ask your grandfather to come over in a moment," Xiao Ran said to Zhang Jinhe.

"What is it, young master?" Zhang Jinhe turned around.

“I want to discuss with Grandpa about setting up a school in the village so that the children can read and write.”

Sun Simiao, who was not far away, also heard it, smiled, and was not surprised.

Sun Simiao had thought of these things when he saw Xiao Ran's idea of ​​reserve funds.

In this era, reading can truly change one's destiny.

There are too few scholars.

“Establishing a school is a major undertaking.” Zhang Jinhe was not confused; he deeply understood the importance of education.

Many people don't not want to study, they just can't afford it; they don't have the means.

“Now that things are getting better in the village, we have to think about the children,” Xiao Ran said. “I hope they can get some education so that the children in the village can go out into the world.”

As Sun Simiao put down the medicinal herbs and turned around, the morning light fell softly on his silvery beard.

He looked at Xiao Ran, a hint of emotion in his smile, and slowly said, "Young master, your mind is more grounded than mining coal or burning glass."

"The old man has practiced medicine all his life and has seen many children in poor villages and alleys. They are not stupid, but blinded—they can't even recognize their own names, how would they know how big the world is outside?"

"Letting them mine coal will provide them with enough to eat, which is an immediate solution. Teaching the children to read is preparing them for the future. Whether they can make it out of there is another matter; first, we need to let them know what the 'road' looks like."

“People always say that studying is for the imperial examinations and to become an official,” Sun Simiao shook his head. “But for these children, being able to recognize that the character ‘田’ (field) is not a painting, and being able to calculate their own family’s harvest, is already a sign that they have escaped ignorance. If they can actually go out into the world, even if they can only recognize the signs of shops in Chang’an, it is better than being trapped in the village guarding clods of earth.”

He stroked his beard and added, "The old village head will go and put in a good word for you. He's a reasonable man; he knows this is more important than repairing or building houses."

Zhang Jinhe also understood that this matter was important. "Wait a moment, when Grandpa wakes up, I'll go and fetch him."

Li Kecheng and the others, who were not far away, also heard it.

Zhang Dalang wasn't good at studying, but he knew this matter was important.

Judging that Zhang Mingde was about to wake up, Zhang Jinhe went to invite him.

Xiao Ran went to burn glass and wasn't in the yard.

Only Sun Simiao and Zhang Erya were present.

“Old Village Chief!” Sun Simiao called out with a smile.

"Old sir!"

The two elderly people sat down, and Zhang Jinhe then spoke about the school.

"Jinniang, have you told us about the school?" Sun Simiao asked.

"Yes, I told you." Zhang Mingde nodded.

Zhang Mingde's Adam's apple bobbed, and his voice was a little hoarse with emotion: "Alas, I'm not afraid to admit it, but in my entire life, I've met very few scholars."

“In the old days, it was a blessing if the children in the village could even survive to grow up. With spring planting and autumn harvest, they were so busy that their feet barely touched the ground, and they couldn’t even fill their stomachs. Who would dare to think about ‘studying’?”

"Back then, we just hoped that our children could carry more bundles of firewood and gather more millet ears, so that they would have the strength to support themselves when they grew up. That would be enough. How could we expect them to be literate?"

“But what you say makes sense, young master.” Zhang Mingde straightened up, his tone brightening. “Reading helps us understand things. We farmers spend our whole lives dealing with dirt and clods of earth, so we are most easily deceived.”

"Two years ago, a traveling doctor came selling 'miracle drugs,' claiming they could cure all diseases. Wasn't he just taking advantage of the fact that we couldn't read or understand those complicated medical terms? If the kids knew a few words, could read the prescriptions in the pharmacy, and could keep track of the accounts, would they have been fooled?"

He counted on his fingers: "Furthermore, if the children understand the principles, there will be fewer disputes in the village."

“In the long run, this school is laying the foundation for the village.” Zhang Mingde looked at the coal yard in the distance. “Our village can make money by mining coal now, but money will eventually run out. If the children are educated, even if they don’t mine coal in the future, they can work as a shop assistant in Chang’an or manage accounts in the town. That would be better than us, who are all illiterate.”

"If we could produce someone who could read documents and interact with outsiders, our Kaolao Village would no longer be the poor village that was once hidden in the mountains."

He turned to Sun Simiao, his eyes full of gratitude: "Young man, you really treat our village as your own home. You make sure we have enough to eat and wear, and you also think about how to help the children understand things and have a future. This thoughtfulness is more precious than any amount of copper coins you could give us—money is gone once it's spent, but the knowledge in the children's minds is a lifelong asset."

"This school must be established! Whatever is lacking, I, this old man, will personally take care of it. Even if it means tearing down my two houses for timber, I will make sure the children have a place to study!"

After listening, Sun Simiao stroked his beard and laughed heartily, his eyes filled with warmth:

“Old Village Chief’s words are true, and his actions are even more so. Ordinary people, seeing that they have enough to eat and wear, just breathe a sigh of relief, but you can think about the children’s future. This is not just ordinary shrewdness, but planning with the roots of the whole village in mind.”

Zhang Mingde was a little embarrassed by the praise, a blush rising on his dark face. He waved his hand and said:
"You flatter me, sir. I'm just an old man following the path laid out by the young man."

Zhang Mingde gazed in the direction of the coal yard, his voice deepening: "If we're talking about something truly remarkable, it's still the young man. The old folks saw what our village was like before—mud houses leaking the wind, children barefoot, who could have imagined we'd have days of burning coal to earn money?" "Not to mention setting up a school, it was him who came, ensuring we had enough to eat first, and then allowing us to dare to dream of things we never even dared to dream of before. As the village head, I was just lending a hand, doing what I was supposed to do."

“If we’re talking about credit, the first one has to go to the young master.” Zhang Mingde’s attitude was firm, and his eyes were very bright. “If we follow in his footsteps, we can’t go wrong.”

Xiao Ran and Zhang Mingde both want to handle this matter, so it's basically settled.

Without needing anyone else to pay, Zhang Mingde explained the benefits, and the villagers were willing to listen.

Not only did the villagers agree to this, but many were also willing to help build the school.

The schoolhouse was different from ordinary houses and had to be rebuilt.

Every family has children, so they all take this matter very seriously.

Now that we have enough to eat, we naturally won't object to this kind of thing.

Those who live far away may not know, but everyone in the village knows that Zhang Huaicai and his daughter Zhang Jinhe are different in their literacy and education.

While the coal was being mined and washed, preparations at the school were proceeding smoothly.

Even Sun Simiao lent a hand, not idle at all.

In fact, Sun Simiao was literate and could teach without any problem, but Xiao Ran felt that it was a waste of his talents.

Sun Simiao was indeed busy, and he would certainly not refuse to substitute teach occasionally.

Li Ke was good enough to teach the village children. Cheng Chumo and Qin Huaidao were also literate, but they lacked academic knowledge.

Finding a teacher was a simple matter for Li Lizhi and her colleagues.

However, Xiao Ran didn't want to trouble Li Lizhi with such a trivial matter.

"Jinniang, write a letter to your uncle and ask him to help hire a schoolteacher who can live in the village."

Zhang Huaicai is also a member of Kaolao Village, so it's not unreasonable for him to do this.

“Alright, I’ll write a letter and have someone send it to Chang’an right away,” Zhang Jinhe quickly replied.

Zhang Huaicai in Chang'an was also very excited when he saw the letter.

In the sixth year of the Zhenguan era of the Tang Dynasty, it was not only "impressive" for an ordinary village to be able to run its own school, but also considered an "extraordinary case".

Behind this lies a profound meaning far beyond "literacy" itself. For Kaolao Village, it represents a leap from "survival" to "dignity," and is also the key to breaking the intergenerational impasse.

Although the early Tang Dynasty had ended the chaos of the late Sui Dynasty, educational resources were still firmly in the hands of the aristocratic families and the government.

Although the imperial court established the Imperial Academy and the National Academy, they only admitted the sons of officials of the fifth rank or above.

County and prefectural schools mostly served local powerful families, and ordinary people couldn't even get close to the school gates.

Rural areas were even more of an "educational desert." According to the "Treatise on Food and Commodities" in the Old Book of Tang, the national literacy rate was less than 5% during the Zhenguan era, and the vast majority of farmers never fully recognized their own names in their entire lives.

That's why the school in Kaolao Village stands out so much.

It broke free from the cycle of "farming and eating" and actively accessed the educational resources that were "exclusively for the aristocracy," creating a sharp opening in the otherwise monotonous rural landscape.

For Kaolao Village, this is the starting point of a "complete transformation".

For the villagers, the significance of the school has long surpassed "teaching children to read," and it is more like providing the entire village with "steps to the top."

Zhang Huaicai didn't dare to delay and immediately posted the recruitment notice as Xiao Ran requested.

Find people in advance, but the applicants may not be suitable, so you need to screen them.

Li Shimin was very concerned about Kaolao Village, and he learned about it immediately without needing Li Kecheng or Chumo to inform him.

"Set up a school and find teachers." Li Shimin looked incredulous upon reading the letter.

Reading is a completely different thing from having enough to eat and wear before.

"This fellow has given me a pleasant surprise; I never expected him to do these things," Li Shimin laughed.

Li Lizhi received the letter from Li Shimin, which described the situation in Kaolao Village.

“Mining coal and burning glass is to ensure that people have food to eat; repairing houses and saving money is to ensure that people live a stable life; and now, establishing schools is to ensure that people can hold their heads high. These three steps are deeper and farther than the last.”

"It's interesting, it's interesting."

Li Lizhi and Princess Yuzhang were also surprised; Xiao Ran never disappointed.

“Ordinary people are already capable of managing a village by relieving its immediate hunger and cold, but he wants to transform the village.”

“When he set up a school in Kaolao Village, it seemed like he was just teaching a few children to read, but in reality, he was laying the foundation for ‘understanding the principles’ in the village. From then on, the village would not only be able to make a living by physical strength, but also by reason. That’s how it will truly be able to stay in order.”

Kaolao Village is becoming an increasingly prominent example.

“It’s not easy to run a school these days, we should help out,” Empress Zhangsun said.

"Of course we'll help."

Li Lizhi said with a smile, "Next time I go to Kaolao Village, I'll bring some books with me!"

Books were a luxury during the Zhenguan era.

The royal family has many copies, and apart from rare ones, they can be given to Xiao Ran and Kaolao Village.

"Bring some primers with you; Xiao Ran probably needs them now," Li Shimin said with a smile.

"Yes, Father, I remember." Li Lizhi had her own thoughts, and hesitated before glancing at Li Shimin and Empress Zhangsun.

"Girl, do you want to apply for a teaching position?" Empress Zhangsun immediately noticed.

"Mother, is it alright?" Li Lizhi asked, pulling on Empress Zhangsun's arm.

Seeing that Li Kecheng and the others could stay for an extended period, Li Lizhi also had her own ideas.

However, since she was a woman with a special status and no excuse, it was definitely inappropriate.

Now we have a reason and an excuse.

Li Lizhi is proficient in all the arts, including music, chess, calligraphy, and painting; she is more than qualified to be an enlightening teacher.

"You have to come back every few days; you can't stay there all the time." Li Shimin's words were a form of approval.

Empress Zhangsun added, "Let Xiao Ran find a tutor; the girl can do that as a favor."

Li Lizhi is somewhat of a part-time worker; she can't be a full-time employee.

“Father, Mother, I want to go too,” Princess Yuzhang quickly said.

"Go ahead!" Li Shimin agreed.

However, since Li Lizhi and Princess Yuzhang are both there, the two little princesses will definitely have to go as well, and Cheng Tiehuan and Li Wu will have to go with them.

Xiao Ran is safe, but the necessary things still need to be done.

(End of this chapter)