The academic thought of the New Dynasty of Datong was really too confusing and full of Confucian scholars’ self-doubt about Confucianism.
This phenomenon did not start with the fall of the Ming Dynasty, but appeared as early as the Wanli period.
If you push it further, you can push it to Zhengde. During the Jiajing period, Wang Yangming was one of them. However, Wang Yangming's thoughts soon split into countless factions. By the end of the Ming Dynasty, the reputation of Xinxue was extremely bad, and Cheng Zhu was needed.
Neo-Confucianism, to criticize Yangming’s philosophy of mind which has degenerated into empty talk about metaphysics.
In the final analysis, this ideological movement that lasted for hundreds of years was brought about by the social development of the Ming Dynasty.
With the great development of productive forces, the rise of the merchant class, the growth of the citizen class, and the prosperity of the township economy, it was difficult for traditional Confucianism to deal with new social relations. However, the political corruption and people's livelihood in the late Ming Dynasty, and the subsequent entry of the Manchu and Qing Dynasties,
It only aggravated this phenomenon - unfortunately, this ideological movement was strangled by the Manchu Qing Dynasty in history. The self-renewal of Confucianism was also interrupted, and it was not rekindled until the Opium War.
At the beginning of the founding of the new Datong Dynasty, Confucian scholars were still reflecting.
Some people are more conservative and believe that we should go back to the past, regain the Confucian classics of the Qin and Han Dynasties, and pursue the original meaning of the Confucian sages. This kind of people can be collectively called the "return school".
Some people are relatively conservative and believe that it should be improved, combining Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism with Lu-King's Neo-Confucianism, and integrating it into the Western learning from Europe. Such people can be collectively called the "Practical School".
Some people are more radical and doubt the Confucian classics and the sages of Confucius and Mencius. They think that saints and classics are not necessarily correct. Don't think about retrospection or add private goods to classics. Since saints and classics are wrong, let's go straight to correct them.
That’s it. There are very few people like this, and they can be collectively called “crazy Confucians”.
A debate on whether women should take the imperial examinations to serve as officials was centered in Nanjing and quickly spread to surrounding provinces with the convenience of the postal system. Both the retro school and the pragmatic school were all exposed.
The debate on women's rights has become a flashpoint, and more and more purely academic articles have begun to be published.
The focus of everyone's discussion is how Confucianism will develop in the future!
"Your Majesty, this article is the most radical. It was published by Chen Que, a professor at Hangzhou University, in the Nanjing Industrial and Commercial News under his real name," Li Xiangjun said. "After this article was published, it immediately became the target of public criticism. Other scholars who argued with each other unanimously responded.
He criticized it. However, many emerging schools also put aside their disputes and stood by Chen Que."
This is tantamount to Chen Que using just one article to turn what was originally a chaotic situation into two distinct camps.
Zhao Han was quite surprised and quickly picked it up and read it.
As he read, Zhao Han slapped the table and exclaimed: "The cruel officials use the law to harm the people, and the Confucianism uses reason to kill people. This sentence is beautifully written, but this gentleman actually..."
It’s inconvenient to say the rest because it doesn’t belong to this time and space.
These two sentences are very similar to Dai Zhen's famous sayings, and Dai Zhen lived in the middle of the Qing Dynasty.
Chen Que's article is more radical and comprehensive than Dai Zhen's. He said that as Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism has been deeply rooted in the hearts of the people, now everyone is reasonable. Even stupid men and foolish women all say that they have "reason" when they quarrel.
The elders use reason to rebuke the younger ones, and the venerable ones use reason to rebuke the inferior ones. Even if it is unreasonable, it becomes reasonable. The younger generation and the inferior ones argue with reason and become disobedient.
People with high positions of power and sharp tongues seem to be very reasonable. People with low positions of power and those who are not good at talking seem to be unreasonable.
Therefore, "reason" has gone astray, and Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism has become a tool to shackle thinking.
Neo-Confucianism of the Song and Ming dynasties, including Wang Yangming’s theory of mind, all recognized the theory of Qi-li. However, Chen Chen believed that in addition to Qi-li, the theory of mind should also be added. The theory of mind-nature was also there before, but it must be promoted to the same status as Qi-li.
.
The combination of Qi, Li, Heart, and Nature is the true way of heaven.
Chen Que even introduced physical concepts.
Qi is the material basis of the universe and the basic element of the world.
Principles are the laws of all things, not only natural laws, but also social laws, and also all ethics and laws in the world.
The heart is conscience, the foundation for human beings to understand nature and society, and the ideological tool for human beings to deal with problems.
Human nature is desire, seeking benefits and avoiding harm is human nature, being filial to parents is human nature, being greedy for money and lust is human nature. The distinction between good and evil human nature can be corrected with Confucianism, and it can be done by advocating benevolence, justice, etiquette, wisdom, and trust.
With the heart as the cognition, the nature as the driving force, the Qi as the foundation, and the reason as the criterion, only when the four are coordinated and unified can one truly become a gentleman.
Whether women should take the imperial examinations and become officials can also be explained in terms of Qi and Xinxing.
Qi is constantly moving, society is constantly progressing, and productivity is constantly developing. Poor women must go out of the family, or farm, or work. Rich women, because of their financial support, can already leave the family. This is an objective fact, not
It needs to be refuted. For women to become officials through the imperial examination is just a further step based on this foundation.
Principles are constantly changing with Qi. The idea that men are superior to women is not suitable for social development, so His Majesty the Emperor proposed the personality theory. Since men and women have equal personalities, it is not a deviant thing for women to take the imperial examination as officials. As long as this woman
Just have enough talent.
Heart and sex are the key to this debate.
Some people's hearts, that is, their cognitions, have not kept up with social development, and they look down on women from the bottom of their hearts. This is a deviation in their conscience, and they need more time to accept it.
Some people want to suppress women and do not want women to have a higher status. They have various interests.
Including the natural sciences that are currently in decline, Chen Que also used this set of explanations. Qi is matter, Li is law, heart is cognition, and sex is motivation. All the elements for studying natural science are present.
After reading this article, Zhao Han thought for a moment and said: "The next issue of "Datong Monthly" will reprint the full text of this article. He ordered the Xingren Division to send people to Hangzhou to recruit Chen Que to the Hanlin Academy to become a doctor. He
He is a professor at Hangzhou University, and will be transferred to Jinling University to teach in the future. Also, let him be the prince's teacher, and he will teach you about 'Qi Gong Xing Xing'."
"According to the order!"
Li Xiangjun was quite surprised, because Chen Que was too radical and had always been regarded as a "crazy Confucian" among the people.
This guy came from the Jishan School, but he broke away from the orthodox and revisionist schools and formed his own school. Moreover, he is currently the only one in his school, and he does not even have a formal student (students in the university do not count)
).
"Take down all these newspapers." Zhao Han didn't want to read any more purely quarrel articles.
Whether it is an academic dispute or a battle between men and women, there will definitely be no outcome.
What Zhao Han needs is just the process of quarreling.
We only need to let more people know about the idea of equal rights between men and women. Whether people accept it or not is a secondary matter. Anyone who thinks on his knees knows that it is difficult for the public to accept it. The development of productivity has not yet reached that point.
The same is true for academic disputes. Large-scale public debates have attracted more people to pay attention to the ideological movement and inspired more people to think about the pros and cons of Confucianism.
The next day, Zhao Han called Wang Zhiliang, the president of Jinling University, and asked, "How is the school?"
Wang Zhiliang said: "Some people got into a fight because of an academic dispute."
"Ha ha ha ha!"
Zhao Han laughed happily and said: "As long as there is no disability, it is good for young people to move their hands and feet. Of course, it is wrong to hit people, and they should still be punished."
Wang Zhiliang was helpless about this: "Your Majesty, the most noisy place today is neither newspapers, nor wine shops, nor brothels, but precisely in universities! Those students, you support this, I agree with that, after class
Just argue, write and discuss, and get angry. If you don't pay attention, you will fight with fists and kicks."
Zhao Han said: "It is an excellent phenomenon for a hundred flowers to bloom and a hundred schools of thought to contend. Don't force students to believe in any faction, and don't be certain which faction is right. Let students make their own choices."
Wang Zhiliang said: "Your Majesty, there has never been such confusion in Confucian debates since ancient times. In Jinling Prefecture alone, there are dozens of schools, many of which are extremely fallacious. Such confusing thoughts will inevitably affect the students of the university and cause the ideological confusion of the university students.
It is also extremely chaotic. This situation is not conducive to the enlightenment of sages, nor is it conducive to the government's governance of the people."
Zhao Han said: "We are in chaos now. In a few decades, we will be able to eliminate the chaos and keep the good. We are not afraid of chaos, but we are afraid that one family will dominate and students will not even dare to have novel ideas."
There are so many schools of thought, and Zhao Han has made great contributions.
Just because he did not recognize the merits of the previous dynasty, many Ming Dynasty scholars, candidates, and even Jinshi could not directly become officials. These scholars did not bother to start from small officials, and either chose to be teachers or choose to study at home. Then they made friends
Calling friends, giving lectures at gatherings, writing books, running newspapers and preaching, giving advice, and even instilling one's own thoughts into students in schools.
As a result, a mess of schools of thought were formed, and some people dared to start a sect. For example, Chen Que had one person and one sect.
During the examination period, the university is still in session.
Chen Que has now become a man of the hour, and his old friends have all broken up with him.
Even Huang Zongxi wrote a letter to refute some of Chen Que's views. For example, it should not be said that "The Great Learning" is a fake work, but it is still within the scope of normal discussion. Huang Zongxi and Chen Que have always had great academic differences, but they have never affected their friendship.
"Professor Chen, we can't talk about Qi and Xingxing in class. How about you talk to us during the holidays?"
"Yes, sir, after we read the newspaper, we all felt that we still had many questions and wanted to ask for advice."
"Sir, why don't you let me treat you tonight? Let's go to a restaurant to have wine and give lectures at the same time."
"..."
Chen Que's article was published in newspapers in Hangzhou and Nanjing. Although there were many critics, there were also many supporters. Among the students at Hangzhou University, there were many radical thinkers who were willing to become his disciples.
Chen Que slapped the ruler and signaled the students to be quiet: "There are many rules when entering our gate. Many of you come from wealthy households in Zhejiang. Today, today's government is benevolent to the people, and the people are happy and prosperous, but the trend of extravagance is getting worse. Marriage
During funerals and weddings, there are always big banquets, and betrothal gifts and dowries are getting richer and richer. This is wrong. If you want to be my direct disciple, everything at the family banquet must be simple. When someone comes home to marry a wife, the welcoming queue is half the street, I understand.
He must be kicked out!"
"Hahahaha!" the students laughed.
Chen Que added: "Also, my students are not allowed to believe in Buddhism. My students are not allowed to be obsessed with Kanyu Feng Shui. When a person dies, he dies. Where is the burial? My students are not allowed to gamble. Those who are obsessed with gambling are not allowed to gamble.
Your mind is too weak to understand my knowledge!"
A student asked: "Sir, does playing mahjong with friends and winning or losing a few pennies count as gambling?"
Chen Que said: "It's okay to have fun occasionally. I don't believe in destroying human desires because of natural principles. Gambling is also human nature. But you must not be obsessed with it. Once you are obsessed, your character will be ruined. But people also need to be entertained. People who don't entertain themselves,
He is Mr. False Taoist. My group is to be a person with true temperament, a person who has seven emotions and six desires, but can restrain seven emotions and six desires. Okay, let’s go to class and don’t talk about anything else.”
During class, there were already people wearing official uniforms standing outside the classroom to listen.
When the bell rang for the end of get out of class, the young official immediately pushed open the door and walked in, cupping his hands and saying, "Mr. Chen, please be polite. I'll be with you, Mr. Yan Zhenggang."
The Pingren Department was specially designed to run errands for the emperor. The officials were all young civil servants who had just joined the job. Many ordinary imperial edicts in the Ming Dynasty were sent directly to the place by pedestrians. Not all eunuchs or royal guards were used to deliver the decrees.
In the New Dynasty of Datong, it was more common for passers-by to pass on edicts.
Upon hearing that he was the emperor's messenger, Chen Que quickly handed over his hand and said, "The angel is polite. Do you need to take a shower and change clothes to receive the order?"
Yan Zhenggang took out an edict and said with a smile: "No need, it's just an ordinary edict. Mr. Chen is a great talent. Your Majesty has ordered Mr. Chen to be transferred to Nanjing to serve as a doctor of the Hanlin Academy and a professor of Jinling University. In addition, he will receive a monthly salary of
Once in the palace, I will teach the prince about Qi, psychology and mind."
As soon as these words came out, there was an explosion in the classroom.
Chen Que had a proud look on his face and did not hide his joy. He turned around and said to the students: "You students can hear me. My knowledge will be demonstrated from now on!"
This man is forty-nine years old.
He once apprenticed with Huang Zongxi and became Liu Zongzhou's disciple. Huang Zongxi was quite fond of Liu Zongzhou, and his daughter was betrothed to Liu Zongzhou's grandson. Later, Huang Zongxi was appreciated by the emperor. Chen Que, on the other hand, was not only an outlier among his sect, but also had no achievements in his official career.
Make achievements.
Unexpectedly, when he was about fifty years old, he could actually become the prince's master, and if nothing else happened, he would become the emperor's master from now on.
Other scholars at Hangzhou University were speechless for a long time when they heard the news. What the hell was going on in the world when a traitor and heretic in their eyes was favored by the emperor?
The emperor likes to be deviant, the emperor likes to talk strange things... Yes, that must be the case!
Chen Que can do it, and so can I. Isn’t that just deviant?
Being so stimulated by Chen Que, some Zhejiang scholars began to have other ideas and planned to come up with a novel theory of their own.
The King of Chu had such a thin waist that many people died of starvation in the palace.
After learning martial arts, don’t you just want to sell it to the emperor’s family?
No matter what the emperor's intentions are today, some people among the scholars will definitely cater to them, and the academic thinking in the future will definitely become more and more strange.
If you don't deviate from the truth and criticize the saints, you'll be embarrassed to go out!
