In the early summer of the ninth year of Hongwu in the Song Dynasty, Qufu, the Confucian holy city, finally ushered in its highlight moment.

More than 200 great Confucian scholars from all over the Song Dynasty (more than 100 of them were from the territory of Wu) have gathered in this small county town and are preparing to attend the first Confucian meeting, the most important conference in Confucian history!

There is the first time, of course there is the second time, the third time, the fourth time until the Nth time.

No matter what the result of this first Confucian Congress can be, just talking about the conference itself can be said to be the beginning of new Confucianism!

That’s right, this is the beginning of New Confucianism!

When more than 200 recognized Confucian elites from all over the Song Dynasty traveled thousands of miles to the Confucian holy city to attend a conference related to the future and destiny of Confucianism and discuss some major issues, this matter itself means that Confucianism has entered a new era.

Because such a meeting was held, it means that Confucianism has its own organization from now on.

This Confucian Congress itself is an organization. Although it is a loose organization, it is much better than no organization.

The current Catholicism, Tianfang Buddhism, Buddhism, and Taoism are all organized, and Catholicism has churches. The Tianfang Buddhism now has caliphs and various meetings of jurists. Buddhism and Taoism have one sect and one sect.

However, Confucianism does not have such an organization, so it can only rely entirely on the court.

Therefore, once Confucianism leaves the protection of the court, it becomes very weak and cannot fight against sects such as Catholicism, Tianfang Buddhism, and Buddhism.

In addition, all these sects have grassroots organizations for the public, including various churches, Tianfang Temples, temples, and Taoist temples.

Therefore, they can brainwash or educate the working people at the bottom through these grassroots organizations.

And what does Confucianism have?

I yelled to educate every day, but in fact, where to go to educate? Academies? But these are just services to a few people.

Most people in the Song Dynasty were illiterate, so they must have never been to school and were never educated by Confucianism.

Therefore, the so-called education of Confucianism is actually aimed at the intellectuals of the middle and upper class of landlords!

And the landlord-class intellectuals who were educated by Confucianism after the Song Dynasty were anxious to think about it!

Therefore, it is completely necessary to hold the first Confucian Conference!

As the convener of this Confucian Congress, Zhao Kai had already arrived in Qufu on the first day of April of the ninth year of Hongwu, but did not enter the small Qufu county town, but instead stayed at the "Kong's Queli Fort" outside Qufu County.

The Qufu County in later generations was built in the Ming Dynasty, and all Yansheng Gong Mansion, Confucius Temple and Confucius Forest were included. During the Song Dynasty, these were all outside the city. Because the Gong Mansion, Confucius Temple and Confucius Forest were all outside the city, a tall exterior wall was built in order to prevent thieves and thefts.

During the pseudo-Song reign of Zhao Gou, the situation in Qufu area became even more chaotic. In order to prevent the rioters and bandits from coming to Konglin to fight, Kong Fu, who stayed in Qufu to preside over the affairs of the Kong Mansion, had obtained Wanyan Yan's approval, dug trenches outside the Kong Mansion, Confucius Temple and Confucius Forest, and built a circle of wooden fences, which circled the Kong Mansion, Confucius Temple and Confucius Forest together to form the Kong Family Queli Fort.

Zhao Kai himself, as well as his accompanying concubines, ministers, men and women Ban Zhi and others, now he lives in the Yansheng Gong Mansion, which covers a large area and has hundreds of houses.

The site of the first Confucian Party Conference was chosen in the Confucius Temple west of Yanshenggong Mansion.

On the fourth day of the fourth month of the 9th year of Hongwu, two hundred and eighteen Confucian elites from all over the Song Dynasty, as well as their 2300 disciples, took a shower and changed their clothes. Under the leadership of hundreds of people from Kong, Yan, Meng and Zeng, carrying lanterns, they walked away from Qufu County and came to the Confucius Temple in the Queli Fortress of Kong Family.

When they entered the Confucius Temple, it was already bright.

In the square outside the Dacheng Hall of Confucius Temple, more than 200 short-shot tables and hundreds of cushions were placed at this time. Each table had a famous brand. The four tribesmen of Kong, Yan, Meng and Zeng, who were responsible for guiding the way, led each Confucian scholar and their disciples to the corresponding position, and then turned around and left the square of Dacheng Hall.

In the square, there were only four or five hundred deep-minded Confucian scholars (218 Confucian elites and their disciples). Even if these people reacted slowly, they could vaguely feel that a new era had arrived.

And this era is really strange and dangerous for them, the "cynics in the circle" who are kept in captivity, and it is simply overwhelming!

"The official's family is here!" As the loud voice of the Xuanzhao official rang, these deep-minded Confucian scholars stood on their seats, and respectfully shouted long live and bowed. Then they heard a sound of footsteps and a rather loud voice: "Flat, flat!"

Everyone stood up and looked up. They saw a burly man with a strong beard, wearing a cloth lace, horn scarf, foot squid, and long sword hanging on his waist. He quickly walked out of the Dacheng Hall, and his outfit was similar to Confucius on the statue of Confucius painted by Wu Daozi in the Dacheng Hall!

And the other eight middle-aged Confucians dressed in the same dress with this strong man with a beard came out of the Dacheng Hall. Among them is Hu Yin and Hu Hanlin, who went south to welcome the Confucians of the seven routes in the southeast.

It is obvious that this strong man with a beard is Zhao Kai, who raised the "three questions" and initiated this Confucian Congress.

Zhao Kai stood in front of a short sieve table placed under the eaves of Dacheng Hall, while eight middle-aged Confucian scholars stood on his side and left and right, and each of them also had a short sieve table.

Zhao Kai said seriously: "Today, I will meet you before Confucius and discuss major events in the Confucian school. There are only Confucians, but no monarch and ministers. Therefore, you can know that everything is spoken, and you will say everything. Those who speak are not guilty. Now, we will first pay homage to the throne of the Supreme Saint Wenxuan, and then open the Confucian school!"

After saying that, Zhao Kai turned around and faced Dacheng Palace.

Among the eight Confucian scholars who came out with Zhao Kai were Yansheng Gong Kong Jie. He opened his throat and shouted: "Go to the Supreme Saint Wenxuan King! One, two, three! The ceremony was over!"

After the three bows, Zhao Kai turned around and looked at the group of unarmed Confucian scholars with wide clothes and high hats below, and paused and said, "Sat all!"

After saying that, he was the first to kneel down on a cushion behind the desk.

The Confucians below were not polite, and they all followed him, except for Yansheng Gong Kong Jie.

Zhao Kai nodded to Kong Jie, and Kong Jie shouted loudly again: "At today's meeting, only Confucians who are formally present can speak. Confucians other than officials must raise their hands before speaking, and can speak after being named by my master. Today's meeting has been written on the scroll in front of you."

There must be rules for conferences, and you cannot make a fuss!

After announcing the rules of procedure, Kong Jie bowed to Zhao Kai again before kneeling on his cushion.

The first Confucian Congress has officially begun.

Including Zhao Kai, the four treasures of the study have been arranged on the table table of each Confucian scholar, in addition to famous brands, and an unfolded scroll with what to discuss today.

Today, we will not discuss the "Three Questions of Zhao Kai", but Zhao Kai will answer the questions raised by Geng Nanzhong and Lu Benzhong.

In other words, will there be an imperial examination in the Song Dynasty in the future?

What is the imperial examination?

How many scholars should be taken?

Do you also want a scholar-official who is well-read in poetry and books?

Should we abandon Confucianism and instead use the Legalism theory? We no longer use benevolence, but instead use the art of kings and dominance?

The five questions are very sharp and are asked by Confucians and answered by emperors!

This seems to be a little wrong!

However, Zhao Kai, a "non-traditional" emperor, did not feel that there was anything wrong with making things clear, nor did he think that the issue of imperial examinations and the line of governing the country could not be discussed publicly.

So he pretended to pick up the scroll in front of him, took a look, and then started answering the questions.

"The imperial examination in the Song Dynasty must still be held!" Zhao Kai said, "But what is the purpose of the imperial examination? It is to learn from the country's materials! Therefore, the focus of the imperial examination in the future is no longer Confucian classics, but real talent and knowledge, that is, the ability to use in governing the country, managing finances, using military force, diplomacy, etc., is the one that needs to be taken in the imperial examination."

Hearing this, the Confucians present felt a sank in their hearts!

I can't learn it in practice!

In the past so many years, the imperial examinations were mainly moral articles, and they did not take any practical studies, so everyone stopped learning.

Zhao Kai then said: "You should know that the reason why Confucianism can be used by emperors and become the only one is not because of its Confucian classics, but because of its usefulness!"

Confucianism gives people a relatively weak impression, but in fact, before Confucianism is supreme, it has to teach useful scholars. Therefore, Confucianism, Legalism, military strategists, etc. are not clearly distinguished. The mainstream at that time was to absorb and learn from the strengths of many schools.

For example, Li Si and Han Feizi's teacher Xunzi were a great Confucian scholar. He absorbed Legalism and developed Confucianism at the same time. He respected the king's way and was domineering; he respected etiquette and righteousness, and also talked about the rule of law.

Since the Song Dynasty, the selection of scholars was no longer practical, but focused on moral articles, and regarded the imperial examination as a ladder for the poor. It is a good thing for poor families to have an ascendant channel, but we cannot lose our roots and lower our requirements!

Otherwise, the taxi can't be taken out and can't beat all the barbarians around you, that's not OK!

Zhao Kai then said: "As for the number of scholars to be selected, of course, there are not many, because national scholars are rare, how can there be hundreds of students in one subject? Therefore, every three years in the future, the number of scholars to be selected will be limited to fifty people.

However, the imperial examination competition is just one of many methods of taking materials from the court. If you fail to pass the Jinshi exam, you will have other ways out.

As for the use of Confucianism and law, whether to use benevolence or kings or kings, I think that usefulness is the key! Useless Confucianism and benevolence are not as good as useful law and kings and kings!”
Chapter completed!