The content of Huang Zongxi's lecture is "Datong Collection". He has been sick these days and cannot come to work for the time being.
In the first class "Book of Rites", the teacher was named Zhang Erqi.
In the last years of Chongzhen, the Tatars plundered Shandong. Zhang Erqi's father stepped forward and killed two Tatars alone. He was captured alive and then brutally murdered. His third brother also died tragically, and his fourth brother almost survived after being buried.
After the Tatars entered the customs, Zhang Erqi and his fourth brother burned Shi Wen to express their intention to sever the imperial examination and never serve as officials in the Manchu Qing Dynasty in this life.
He had been teaching in Shandong before, and was later invited to give lectures in Nanjing. Now he is famous all over the world for his academic reputation, and was specially recruited to the Hanlin Academy as a master of Confucian classics. Gu Yanwu read "Yili Zheng Commentary Reading", admired his Confucian attainments, and followed him
Zhang Erqi is known as "Zhuoran Confucian Master".
A monastery in the Wenhua Hall is where the prince studies. The cabinet officials next door are busy.
Zhao Kuanghuan came to Duanzheng and bowed: "Meet Mr. Zhang."
Zhang Erqi stood up and returned the courtesy, then held the ruler in his hand and said: "Prince, please take a seat."
Zhao Kuanghuan and Zhang Erqi sat opposite each other, with a bookcase placed in the middle.
Li Yong stood beside him, while Hu Mengtai sat further away. As a guest of the prince, Hu Mengtai was reading a book by himself and seemed too lazy to pay attention to the teaching, but in fact, his ears were always perked.
There were some officials around, and there were also people assigned to record the content of the class.
Zhang Erqi said: "Your Highness, after these words, there are no monarchs or ministers in this room, only teachers and students. If the prince is stubborn and does not obey the rules, he will still be beaten with the ruler."
Zhu Biao, the first prince of the Ming Dynasty, was often beaten with a ruler by his teacher.
After hearing this, Zhao Kuanghuan felt that the teacher in front of him was too serious, and he felt unhappy but also a little worried.
Zhang Erqi said: "To study, you must first have a clear intention. Whether it is the old Ming Dynasty or the new Dynasty of Datong, why should children first learn "The Great Learning" after enlightenment? "The Great Learning" is what makes people clear their aspirations. Cultivate oneself, harmonize the family and govern the country.
The world, this is the lifelong ambition of scholars. From now on, whether it is Confucian classics, history, or miscellaneous studies, these studies must be centered on one's own ambitions. Have other gentlemen ever said these things?"
Zhao Kuanghuan replied: "I told you."
Zhang Erqi also said: "When I teach people to read, there is a sequence of which books to read. Books on Confucian classics, in order, are "Great Learning", "The Analects of Confucius", "The Doctrine of the Mean", "Mencius", "The Book of Songs", "The Book of Changes",
"Spring and Autumn", "Zhou Rites", "Etiquette", "Book of Rites". Historiographic books, in order, are "Outline", "First Edition", "Continuation Edition", "Tongji" and "Da Zheng Lu" of the former Ming Dynasty.
The miscellaneous books are, in order, "Extensions of the University", "Bu Xishan Study Notes", "General Examination of Documents", "Textual Research on Public Security", "Authentic Articles", "Memories of Famous Officials", and "Da Ming Huidian"."
This gentleman was well versed in all five classics and studied history and miscellaneous studies intensively.
Zhang Erqi continued: "Your Majesty asked me to teach the prince. He can only teach the "Book of Rites" and not teach it in sequence. This fact is helpless. But I still have to say what needs to be said. The prince should have learned the origin of the universe. My school
, Qi is the foundation, reason is the end..."
"Ahem!"
Hu Mengtai, who was reading a book, suddenly started coughing and reminded Zhang Erqi not to add private goods.
Zhang Erqi hesitated to speak, but finally stopped and quickly returned to the topic: "Has the prince ever studied the Book of Rites?"
Zhao Kuanghuan replied: "There are excerpts from the Book of Rites in the middle school textbooks."
Zhang Erqi was very dissatisfied with this. He felt that the Four Books and Five Classics were a step-by-step knowledge system. Primary and middle school students only learned excerpts of chapters, which had already messed up their knowledge.
However, Zhang Erqi was not a Taoist, and his scholarship tended to be practical.
From the fact that Qi is the basis and Li is the end, we can see that although he studied Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism, he subverted Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism. Qi-based means focusing on material research, exploring the world, and managing the world.
Used practice.
Zhang Erqi asked again: "Prince, do you know what 'ritual' is?"
Zhao Kuanghuan replied: "It's just etiquette and rules."
Zhang Erqi said: "That's right, but not entirely right. From a big perspective, etiquette is a system and a convention. From a small perspective, it is an art of self-cultivation. Law is actually a kind of etiquette, but that is the bottom line of etiquette.
"
"Many things in the world cannot be completely relied on laws, otherwise they will not be controlled at all. Just like when acquaintances meet, it is etiquette to greet each other, but it is not illegal to not greet each other. The "Datong Rural Covenant" formulated by His Majesty is a rural etiquette system.
It encourages people to do good and help each other. If you don't comply, you won't break the law, but you will be stabbed in the back by your neighbors."
"The etiquette between kings and ministers, the etiquette between husband and wife, the etiquette between elders and children, these etiquette and etiquette systems can maintain the operation of the court, family, and society. What is the collapse of etiquette and music? It means that the etiquette and law are no longer suitable. The etiquette and law are not suitable for use, and everyone is uneasy about their position.
, the chaos in this world is coming.”
Zhao Kuanghuan suddenly asked: "Sir, what should I do if the etiquette and law are no longer suitable?"
Zhang Erqi said: "Then you have to seek change. Trees are moved to death, people are moved to life, nothing is eternal. But reform must be cautious. People who have been reforming since ancient times will be ruined if they don't pay attention. The key to reform is first.
Emotion and benefit. The etiquette must be in line with the emotion, then it is the right etiquette, and it will convince the world. The etiquette must also be in line with the benefit, because everyone pursues profit and goes against the great interests of the world. No one will abide by such etiquette."
"Love and profit..." Zhao Kuanghuan was thoughtful and suddenly said, "Isn't it love and reason?"
Zhang Erqi said: "Many times, people are unreasonable. Love comes before reason, and profit comes before reason. I would not say this to others casually when I am giving lectures outside. But the prince is different. The prince will govern the country in the future.
, you must understand this truth.”
Hu Mengtai, who had been reading, looked up at Zhang Erqi. He began to find this gentleman very interesting.
Zhang Erqi said: "Please open the book, the prince." Qu Li said: Don't be disrespectful, be thoughtful, calm down your words, and calm the people! Ao cannot be long, desires cannot be followed, ambitions cannot be fulfilled, and happiness cannot be extreme. A wise man respects him with respect.
Fear and love...Has the prince learned this chapter?"
Zhao Kuanghuan shook his head: "No."
Zhang Erqi explained the meaning and said: "Don't be disrespectful. Don't relax your self-restraint and vigilance, and always reflect on yourself. As a king, you should do this even more. Because you don't know who is trying to flatter you, and who is being unfaithful. As a king,
Living in a deep palace. In ancient times, the king of the subjugated country was deceived by treacherous villains, and the rebel army came to the city, only to realize that the country was in great trouble!"
"As if thinking. Don't express joy or anger, stay dignified, and look thoughtful at all times. As a king, your thoughts cannot be seen through by your ministers. Once you are seen through, your ministers will take the medicine according to the prescription, and you will be led by your ministers.
Walking with your nose in your hands makes your ministers unpredictable... Moreover, if a king does not express his attitude easily, then there is room for change in everything..."
"Adj. When speaking, you cannot be impatient, you must be calm. Only words spoken in this way will be convincing..."
"Don't grow arrogant. Once people are arrogant, they will easily lose their reason. Don't indulge your desires... You can't be satisfied... Don't be too happy to be sad..."
Zhang Erqi thought of the emperor's instructions and felt that he was speaking too seriously, so he said: "Every sentence here, I use ancient emperors and civil and military examples, so that the prince can understand it more deeply and clearly..."
This gentleman is really knowledgeable. Explaining the "Book of Rites" to the prince is very different from giving lectures to the people. He talks about how a king should be, and he also has allusions to various historical celebrities at his fingertips.
After one lesson, although Zhao Kuanghuan could not recite the original text, he had fully understood the content of the article.
After class, Zhang Erqi walked away without looking back. He actually didn't like giving lectures to the prince.
Hu Mengtai also put away his books and asked with a smile: "Is Your Highness satisfied with Mr. Zhang's teaching?"
"I don't hate it." Zhao Kuanghuan said.
"That's good." Hu Mengtai's status is very special. He is not only a guest of the prince (an official position), but also the prince's cousin.
The two of them walked out together, and Li Yong and other officials followed.
Hu Mengtai pointed at Li Yong and said: "This is your Majesty's choice. I will follow him every time he comes to class."
Li Yong quickly bowed his hands and said, "Your Majesty, Li Yong, pays homage to His Highness the Crown Prince."
"That's polite." Zhao Kuanghuan returned the greeting with his hands in hand.
After introducing Li Yong to the prince, Hu Mengtai ran away.
Zhao Kuanghuan is not a fool, he can even be said to be very smart. The Imperial City School is like that, and even though there are many prodigies, the prince's grades are not at the bottom. At least compared to those students who were eliminated, the prince is definitely at the top.
Since he is a close minister arranged by his father, he must be capable and must be familiar with him.
When leaving in the carriage, Zhao Kuanghuan said to Li Yong: "Come up too."
Of course Li Yong didn't dare. He raised his hands and said, "Prince, please observe the ceremony."
What the teacher just said about emotions and anger is invisible. Although Zhao Kuanghuan understood it carefully, he immediately committed the crime. He smiled and said: "Which etiquette stipulates that the prince cannot ride in the same car with his subordinate officials? Come up quickly!"
"Follow your orders." Li Yong, a wild man without a master, is certainly not a rigid person.
They all got on the carriage, and Zhao Kuanghuan asked: "Where are you from?"
Li Yong replied: "People from Wuxi (Zhouzhi), Shaanxi."
The royal carriage was very spacious. Zhao Kuanghuan found a comfortable position and lay half down, forgetting all the teacher's instructions in class: "Shaanxi people, there is also a Shaanxi person in my class. I heard that during the Chongzhen period of the previous dynasty, Shaanxi suffered from drought every year.
, are people rebelling everywhere?"
Li Yong said: "My father was following the governor of Shaanxi to fight against thieves, and was killed by Zhang Xianzhong."
"Oh, I heard that a lot of people died at that time." Zhao Kuanghuan sighed, but in fact he was not very touched. The environment where he grew up was destined to be separated from the lower class people.
Li Yong said: "I have already figured out that the intruders and the Eight Thieves started the army because of natural and man-made disasters, and they really can't survive. What we must bear in mind is not the revenge of killing our father, but how to achieve peace and prosperity for the country and the people.
If we have food and clothing, we will not follow in the rebellion, and we can avoid more families being destroyed.”
