Leibniz was writing letters to friends in China. He made more than 30 pen pals in the Nanjing area alone.
But this letter is written to Zhao Zhenfang:
"Your Highness the Princess... I have received your letter. I learned that the great mathematician Mr. Xiao Shixuan passed away due to illness. I feel extremely sad about this. This is a great loss for mankind all over the world..."
"I have carefully read the "Book of Changes" translated by European scholars in Nanjing. Its author Fuxi is a world-renowned figure and the earliest code maker of mankind. Based on the Chinese information I have come into contact with, the "Book of Changes" may be
It is the oldest book in China and even the world. It is the source of all science and philosophy in China. It is intrinsically consistent with numbers in Pythagoras, Plato and Hebrew philosophy. They are all revelations from the Creator...
…”
"I think that from the time Fuxi's Bagua system was understood until today, the annotations written by Chinese authors for the "Book of Changes" over the past three thousand years have only obscured the original meaning of the Bagua and made China consistent with Christianity.
The religion has gone astray..."
"The Chinese Bagua system is consistent with Christian teachings. Dear Princess, please don't rush to refute my point of view. I am attaching a "Creation Map"... 0 means 'everything comes from nothing', 1 means
'Everything is sufficient'. Expressed in the Eight Trigrams, 0 is Yin'--', 1 is Yang'. The sun is 11, Shaoyin is 10, Shaoyang is 01, and Taiyin is 00. Qian Gua is 111, and Dui
The hexagram is 011, the hexagram Li is 101... Mr. Shao Yong's Fuxi Bagua Yi Diagram from the Song Dynasty is actually a binary number table from 0 to 63..."
"I visited London a few years ago, and on my way back, I visited Mr. Spinoza in the Netherlands. His pantheism contains terrible atheistic ideas. If Descartes' philosophy is elucidated by Spinoza's pantheism, it will eventually become
Leading to atheism…”
"During the French invasion of the Netherlands, Mr. Spinoza was invited as a guest by the French Marshal Conde, and he was regarded as a traitor by the Dutch. He also came into contact with Chinese philosophy and combined his pantheism with Chinese Neo-Confucianism. Because the Netherlands and China
war, and his behavior of advocating Chinese philosophy further confirmed his treason."
"Mr. Spinoza is a Jew. He believes that God is the universe, which is the Chinese Tai Chi. He believes that God includes the material world and the spiritual world, which is the Chinese Qi and Li. I don't agree with this view.
…”
"I believe that the universe is composed of 'monads'. 'Monads' are a kind of spiritual entity without parts. It has neither extension nor shape. It has no quantitative determination but only qualitative difference... Every
Each monad relies on its own perceptual ability to represent the world with different degrees of clarity, and naturally evolves according to its own inherent principles..."
"And God is the highest monad that created all monads!"
"If the universe is compared to a band, God is the composer of the order of the universe. Each note is a note, arranged harmoniously by God. This is fundamentally different from pantheism. In the understanding of pantheism, God is not the composer.
Or, it’s the score and the orchestra itself.”
"Mr. Newton of the United Kingdom, perhaps because of his busy official duties, after all, he became the British Chancellor of the Exchequer. His mechanistic theology is ridiculous. According to his theory, the universe is a machine, and God must constantly wind up the universe.
, otherwise the universe will stop..."
"I accept part of Mr. Spinoza's views, and I also believe that Christian teachings and Chinese Neo-Confucianism are common. However, I believe that Chinese Tai Chi is the God of Christianity, the highest monad in the universe. The binary derivation of 0 and 1
, is the music composed by God, that is, Tai Chi separates Yin and Yang Qi..."
"The biggest difference between me and pantheism is that I believe that God is the first reason for things, and the Chinese also believe that Tai Chi is the first reason for things. Therefore, Mr. Spinoza has a misunderstanding of Chinese philosophy. According to his
The point of view is that Tai Chi is all things, rather than Tai Chi derived from all things..."
"Chinese scholars should start from the mathematical principles of the "Book of Changes" and pursue the essential meaning of the "Book of Changes" instead of attaching themselves to various secular explanations..."
"At the end of this writing, I once again pay tribute to the noble Princess, and admire your Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz."
As exchanges between the East and the West deepened, there were many Chinese scholars famous in Europe, but Zhao Zhenfang quickly became the most sought-after one.
Although Zhao Zhenfang has some scientific research achievements, her ranking is only average or low in China. Why did she gain great reputation in Europe?
Very understandable!
First, Zhao Zhenfang is a woman, which is a rare phenomenon in European academic circles.
Second, Zhao Zhenfang is the sister of the Chinese emperor and has the distinguished status of the eldest princess of China.
Therefore, even though Zhao Zhenfang is over 50 years old, portraits of her beauty when she was young are circulating in Europe.
It was painted by an Italian official in Nanjing based on his memory, and his memory automatically turned on Beauty. The original painting was purchased by a businessman, and when it was shipped to the Netherlands, it was auctioned for a sky-high price, and was sold to Louis XIV for an even higher price.
Purchased and now kept in the Palace of Versailles, France.
The Sun King Louis XIV often invited nobles to hold balls at the Palace of Versailles. The portrait of the Chinese eldest princess became well known to the Parisian nobles, and was later copied and spread by painters.
I wrote two more replies, one of which was written on the toilet.
Leibniz was different from Newton. He was not keen on fame and fortune, and he didn't even like socializing, because it would waste precious time. Even when he was eating, drinking, and having diarrhea, he was thinking, reading, and writing letters!
But sometimes, socializing is necessary.
Especially after Leibniz corresponded with the Chinese emperor, the correspondence was transmitted through the French diplomatic system. Of course, this news could not be hidden, and the French nobles soon knew that Leibniz and Zhao Han were pen pals.
This time, the French diplomat brought back two replies from Zhao Han, one to Louis XIV and one to Leibniz.
To celebrate the Chinese emperor's reply, Louis XIV decided to hold a ball.
This is of course an excellent reason, and it is more reliable than other reasons. There are too many reasons for Louis XIV’s dance, such as: today’s bowel movement is smooth, so we should hold a dance to celebrate!
In the afternoon, Leibniz left his residence and took a carriage to the outskirts of Versailles.
The urban area of Paris is still smelly. Although scholars who returned from China have elaborated on the Nanjing feces cleaning model, it cannot be replicated in France because an industrial chain needs to be established, and the nobility and officials have no interest in it.
Even the feces problem in the Louvre has not yet been solved.
French dung collectors must work at night. Those who work in the dark can fall into the pit if they are not careful. The mortality rate of dung diggers is extremely high. The poor in France would rather be beggars than work as dung diggers unless they have to.
Smelling the stench coming from the streets from time to time, Leibniz naturally remembered the content of the communication. Whether it was to settle down or engage in short-term diplomacy, all Europeans who had been to China were full of praise for China's urban management, and even because of this
Feeling inferior to Europe.
Not long after, the carriage drove near the Palace of Versailles.
There are three straight avenues there, the traffic conditions are very good, and there are already residential and office units nearby. The three avenues were laid out on the order of Louis XIV in order to attract residents to move here.
Many nobles and wealthy people have built their new residences near the Palace of Versailles. But most of them are civil structures, because Louis XIV ordered that stone should not be used in new buildings nationwide within ten years. This is to ensure that the Palace of Versailles has an adequate supply of stone.
.
The current Palace of Versailles is still under construction, with new buildings being added every year.
Before announcing his identity as a diplomat, Leibniz was allowed to enter the palace of Versailles in a carriage.
Halfway through, Leibniz got off the car and walked, while the driver drove the carriage to the stables.
The first thing you see is majestic palaces and wide gardens. The winding paths of Chinese gardens have been criticized in Europe and have always been considered unsatisfactory. European aristocrats and artists feel that everything is good in China, but there is something lacking in architecture.
, garden construction and interior design are messy.
Leibniz looked into the distance and could vaguely see the unfinished porcelain tower.
The Versailles porcelain tower, which was modeled after the Nanjing Glazed Pagoda, had already been built to a height of more than 50 meters. Its final height would exceed that of the Glazed Pagoda. The only thing that depressed Louis XIV was that he lacked enough porcelain and glass, so he could only build exterior walls.
Layer ceramic tiles and finally paint a layer of white ash to pretend it is a porcelain tower.
As night falls, more and more nobles arrive.
Hundreds of candles were lit in the main hall, which was brightly lit. A few decades ago, this would have been impossible, at least not to hold such dances every now and then. Of course there were candles, but they were too inferior and filled with odor and black smoke.
Smokeless and odorless candles are also relatively expensive consumables for the French royal family.
But things are different now. France's national power continues to rise, its candle craftsmanship has become more advanced, and it can afford to hold more than ten large-scale dances a month.
Staying up late is a privilege of the aristocracy and a symbol of consumption power!
The aristocrats were keen to light high-end candles and stay up late, and the Paris aristocrats collectively turned day and night upside down. The Palace of Versailles did not hold balls, but other nobles would hold them. They stayed up all night almost every day, and the daytime became their time to sleep.
Louis XIV appeared with the queen on his arm. Leibniz quickly stood up and saluted the king together with the nobles.
Next to the king and queen, there was an Asian woman wearing a pleated skirt, which instantly attracted the attention of all the guests.
Louis XIV proudly introduced: "This is Mrs. Yang from China. She and her husband are both Chinese aristocrats. Sadly, her husband died of illness, and she filed an inheritance lawsuit with her husband's family.
Mrs. Yang only received a small amount of inheritance. She was very dissatisfied with this and decided to leave China and settle in Europe. Now, Mrs. Yang is my court art consultant."
The dance scene immediately became lively. If the king had not been present, I don’t know how many nobles would have come to strike up a conversation.
However, the expression of the Queen of France at this moment is inevitably a bit forced to smile. What kind of palace art consultant? She is obviously the mistress of the king!
Of course, Louis XIV was also fooled by diplomats.
He wanted to find a Chinese noblewoman as his lover, but the diplomat had no choice but to spend a lot of money to find a high-end prostitute.
The so-called Mrs. Yang's mother was the illegitimate daughter of a Dutch colonist and a Japanese woman. After the Dutch colonists were expelled, her mother married a Yecheng landlord as his concubine. After the landlord died, mother and daughter were sold together to human traffickers by his wife.
Because Mrs. Yang was still young, she was bought to learn piano, chess, calligraphy and painting, and was later sold to Guangzhou to work as a high-end prostitute.
In her late thirties, Mrs. Yang, a famous prostitute, married a Guangzhou maritime merchant as her concubine.
In this kind of situation, people in China do not raise officials and do not investigate, but it is illegal to actually pursue it. Mrs. Yang was so arrogant that she was sued by her first wife, and the maritime businessman was forced to pay a huge fine. This matter was very troublesome.
Da, was informed by a French diplomat passing through Guangzhou, and privately gave a lot of money to persuade Mrs. Yang, who didn't know where to go, to take a boat to Paris to fool Louis XIV.
As a result, Mrs. Yang became the widow of a Chinese aristocrat. She went overseas due to inheritance lawsuits and naturally became the mistress of the king.
This Mrs. Yang is of mixed ancestry from the Netherlands, Japan, and China. She has also learned music, chess, calligraphy, and painting since she was a child. She also learned how to serve men since she was a child. Her appearance combines the best of both China and the West, exuding a gentle and scholarly quality. She also learned French during the voyage, and she almost
In just one day, he figured out the temper of Louis XIV, and the Sun King of France was coaxed into confusion.
Facing the eager gazes of many nobles, Mrs. Yang smiled, her smile was charming but not vulgar, and she gave a blessing salute to everyone.
Although they were not sure what etiquette this was, the French nobles still stepped forward to salute one after another. The French noble ladies were carefully observing Mrs. Yang's behavior and thinking about how to wear this whalebone skirt to perform this kind of Eastern greeting etiquette.
Louis XIV said proudly: "Mrs. Yang is not only a Chinese noblewoman, but also an artist. Before the ball officially begins, Mrs. Yang is invited to show off her superb painting skills."
The paints have been mixed long ago, and the complete set of painting equipment has also been shipped from China.
Mrs. Yang behaved gracefully and said to everyone in French: "I am short of time, so I will draw a sketch tonight."
The drawing paper was spread out on the dining table, and Mrs. Yang took up her pen and daubed it at will.
It was hard to see anything at first, but soon the shape was revealed. A bird was standing on a branch. The bird was painted in ink, but the branches were full of peach blossoms, and the little bits of red made the picture brighter.
The nobles were amazed by the rapid creation of exquisite pictures and no longer questioned Mrs. Yang's identity as an artist.
Then, Mrs. Yang showed off her musical skills, first playing the pipa and then the guzheng. The French aristocrats gathered around Mrs. Yang as if they had heard the fairy music and refused to leave.
Instead of being angry, Louis XIV felt his face was bright and he was smiling from beginning to end.
He has decided to build a palace specifically for Mrs. Yang in the Palace of Versailles, and all the palaces will be based on Chinese garden specifications.
Only the French queen and another mistress who had just fallen out of favor stood at the ball with dark faces throughout.
A famous prostitute from China is about to cause trouble in the French court!
Immediately afterwards, Louis XIV himself performed in the ballet and won applause from the audience. Mrs. Yang was disdainful, but she also applauded enthusiastically and cast an admiring look at the king.
Finally, during the dance, Louis III, now Duke of Orleans and Prince of Condé, obtained the king's permission to invite Madame Young to dance.
The two hugged each other. Madam Yang was not very familiar with this dance and kept apologizing for stepping on her feet and praising Louis III for his handsomeness and masculinity.
Before the song was finished, the prince was coaxed to smile and asked: "What title did Madam hold before?"
Mrs. Yang talked nonsense according to the script: "My father was a marquis of the previous dynasty of China, and I am his father's only daughter. When the Chinese emperor established a new dynasty, my family also declined, and I had to marry a wealthy businessman.
."
The prince said pitifully: "I'm really sorry for bringing up your sadness. Maybe we should call you Marquise."
"I like this title." Mrs. Yang smiled.
As a result, famous prostitutes from China became marquises. And those French aristocrats were proud to associate with Chinese marquises. When Parisian ladies held salons, they always invited marquises to participate, and they also had to attend the salons.
Put some porcelain, otherwise it will look classless.
The prince asked again: "Has Madam ever seen Her Royal Highness the eldest princess of China?"
Mrs. Yang had obviously received training on the ship and knew which one the eldest princess was referring to. She smiled and said: "Her Royal Highness the eldest princess and her husband lived in Guangzhou for several years, and I happened to be living in Guangzhou at that time. I had the honor to meet
I have met Her Royal Highness several times. She is very beautiful and extremely smart. You may not believe that when I met Her Royal Highness, she was already 50 years old, but she did not look old at all, as if she was still thirty years old.
appearance."
"Really?" the prince asked in surprise.
Mrs. Yang said: "Of course, Her Royal Highness also likes art, so I was invited. But she will also invite many scholars to talk about some philosophical topics. I don't understand mathematics and astronomy at all, but Her Royal Highness is extremely proficient.
The invited scholars were also impressed."
The prince sighed with emotion: "What a perfect princess. It's a pity that I can't see her in person."
With the spread of the portrait, Zhao Zhenfang's popularity in France has become second only to Emperor Zhao Han.
Even Zhao Zhenfang gradually appeared in literary works, and the contents were similar.
He is a down-and-out nobleman from France who went to sea and experienced various adventures. When he arrived in Guangzhou, he accepted the help of a Chinese princess. Every time Zhao Zhenfang appears in the novel, she is always elegant and beautiful, and she is also full of resourcefulness. She even has an affair with the male protagonist.
Affair.
A few years later, Zhao Zhenfang's second son got a French translation of the novel and was immediately outraged by the content.
Zheng Sen also learned about the situation from his son. He couldn't laugh or cry. He was so angry that he didn't know who to turn to. He couldn't go to France to ban this book, right?
At this moment, Louis XIV was very satisfied.
Wearing tight trousers and high heels, he looked around the entire dance floor, with a kind of pride that looked down on the world. Under his rule, France has dominated Europe, and now he has a Chinese Marquise as his mistress. Both his career and life are perfect.
That's why he said that famous saying: "I am the Sun King of the West, Zhao is the Philosopher King of the East, and the two greatest monarchs in the world are here."