Although Zhou Qun pointed out Yang Xiu's mistake, which may have made him feel a little disgraceful, Zhou Qun's observations further supported Xuan Ye's theory, and the reasoning and argumentation were considered rigorous and had a somewhat empirical flavor.
He is worthy of being a person who studies astronomy.
In ancient China, there were two subjects of knowledge that most emphasized empirical evidence: one was astronomy, and the other was the art of war.
Astronomy is not only related to agricultural farming, but also to abnormal celestial phenomena such as solar eclipses and lunar eclipses. Because of the idea of the unity of heaven and man, abnormal celestial phenomena are often associated with human affairs. When abnormal celestial phenomena occur, the court must respond. If
If you get it wrong, big problems will arise.
Therefore, ancient Chinese astronomy was very developed, and arithmetic related to astronomy was also very successful. Although there was no axiom-based geometry like ancient Greece, the practical ability was not weak at all.
It can even be said that compared to axiom-based geometry, which focuses on system deduction, Eastern arithmetic pays more attention to practicality.
The problem is that after the Tang and Song Dynasties, especially after the Song Dynasty, Confucian scholars were in power and talked about doctrines, but despised practical learning. With the invasion of Jingjin and Yuan Dynasties, the inheritance was interrupted. Many calculation skills were lost, and future generations have no idea what kind of world their ancestors had reached.
Very high. Even if ancient books were placed in front of them, not many people would be able to understand them.
In the middle of the Ming Dynasty, when Western mathematics was introduced to the Central Plains, methods such as Tianyuan Shu, Quanyuan Shu, and the multiplication method were lost. Even "Nine Chapters of Arithmetic" was not known by many people.
Of course, Western mathematics could not escape a similar fate and was lost for a long time. However, they had better luck, thanks to the preservation of Arabia, and later rediscovered and spread back to Europe.
Therefore, the best way to ensure that civilization will not be lost is to sow more seeds. The wider the spread, the less likely it is to become extinct.
Liu Xie, who was obsessed with the Western Expedition, also had this aspect in mind.
If we can take this opportunity to conquer the Western Regions and sow the seeds of Chinese civilization across several continents, even if there are any natural or man-made disasters in the future, if the east does not light up and the west does not light up, and the south does not go up to the north, we will not be destroyed.
This is still the worst plan.
If he were not so pessimistic, he could successfully lead Chinese civilization to a higher level, perhaps skipping the cycle of rise and fall, glory and disgrace, and embark on a bright and prosperous road.
Just as the food and wine were served, Xun Yu and his wife came back.
Liu Xie sat up and said with a smile: "Xun Jun came back in time, otherwise I would have to drink alone."
Xun Yu bowed his hands and expressed his shame. After sitting down, he picked up his wine glass and punished himself with three glasses of wine.
The Han people were fond of wine, and Xun Yu was no exception. He had a good capacity for drinking, and it was said that he could drink three dou without drinking. According to later generations, he would rinse his mouth with a pint of beer.
"Is Mr. Xun using wine to drown his sorrows?" Liu Hehe asked.
"Why are you worried, sir?" Xun Yu asked in response.
"There is no way to break the wall." Liu Xie picked up the chopsticks, picked up a salt bean, put it into his mouth, and chewed it with a bang.
"Broken wall..." Xun Yu muttered, as if his heart was touched by something.
In the past few years, he has lived a very hard life. Not physically, but mentally.
He wanted to keep up with the pace of the emperor and create a new era, but he was always one step slower and could not satisfy the emperor. He seemed to be stuck in a quagmire and couldn't get out. The harder he tried, the deeper he fell.
He even began to doubt whether he was not talented enough or the emperor was wrong?
"It is easy to keep the old tradition for a hundred years, but it is difficult to break the wall in ten years. Counting from Dong Zhongshu's rise of Confucianism, it has been more than three hundred years. Even counting from the revival of Emperor Guangwu, it has been one hundred and fifty-sixty years. Habits have become established, and we want to reform the old and create something new.
, easier said than done? When Xunzi was a Confucian sect, he tried to revitalize Confucianism, but failed. Instead, two of his disciples went too far and became heretics, and it is still difficult to correct their names. How can it be so easy if you want to revitalize Confucianism?
.”
Xun Yu showed a wry smile, hesitated several times before speaking, and finally raised his neck and drank the wine in one gulp.
The emperor's words touched his heart, but he could not easily agree with them.
He has seen the emperor's methods before, so how could he know that he didn't do it intentionally now?
"Mr.
"There are so many things to take care of every day, even a genius will be exhausted, and there will be no time for leisure. I don't want to be Qin Shihuang, so tired that he dies young and is also known as a tyrant."
Xun Yu held the wine glass in both hands and was silent for a moment, then raised his head and looked at Liu Xie.
"Excuse me for being presumptuous. In this case, why doesn't Your Majesty return to power and retain military power?"
Liu Xie smiled silently. "Don't you have any idea why I retain my military power?"
"I am stupid."
"You are not stupid, you are just pretending to be confused." Liu Xie picked up the wine glass, touched it lightly with Xun Yu, and then drank it all in one gulp. He tasted the wine and was very satisfied. Although it was a nine-steamed wine, it was better than ordinary wine.
The wine is stronger, it is not distilled wine after all, it is just over ten degrees, which is suitable for this kind of drinking. It is bold and not easy to get drunk.
Xun Yu was startled, quickly put down his wine glass, left the table and bowed to the ground. "How dare you, my minister?"
When Xun Wenqian and her daughter saw this, they were a little nervous and put down their chopsticks in unison.
"Get up, this is not a court, so you don't need to be so polite." Liu Xie waved his hand. "This is a rare opportunity. I will tell you a few words from my heart today. Whether you believe it or not, it all depends on fate."
"I am all ears."
Liu Xie poured another glass of wine and held it in his hand. "Xunjun, what do you think people need most?"
Xun Yu thought for a while. "It's food. Food is the most important thing for people. Without food, they cannot survive."
Liu Xie smiled happily.
Xun Yu did not use the sage's words to answer him, but he said it was food, which shows that he is sincere and has the courage to face reality.
This provides the basis for dialogue.
He raised a finger and shook it gently. "It's not food, it's survival."
Xun Yu thought for a moment, then nodded in agreement. "What your Majesty said is true. Food is for survival, but survival is not for food."
"The same is true for people, the same is true for countries, and the same is true for civilizations. Survival is the first need. In order to survive, you must have food. In order to survive, you must have the ability to protect yourself. Without food, you will starve to death, and without the ability to protect yourself, you will be destroyed.
other people
Killing. Therefore, the most important thing in the country is to sacrifice to the army. Sacrifice is to pray for God's blessing, and Rong is to protect oneself. God's will is elusive and difficult to know, and force is more practical. If you have food in your belly and a knife in your hand, you will have enough food.
Soldier, I don’t feel panic."
Xun Yu nodded slightly. "I have no objection to what Your Majesty said, but it is not enough to have enough food and soldiers..."
"Sufficient food and sufficient soldiers are the bottom line, not the upper limit." Liu Xie smiled and signaled Xun Yu not to rush to refute. "To talk about anything else outside of the bottom line is to be a hooligan. I know what you want to say. Master said, enough food and sufficient soldiers are enough.
Believe. It will not be your own.
If you go, you can go with the soldiers and food, but you can't go with the faith. Death has happened since ancient times, and the people will not stand without faith. But don't forget what the Master said before. If you have enough food to feed the soldiers, the people will believe in it. You can't even have enough food.
Even if the soldiers can't do it, where will the faith come from?"
He raised his chopsticks and tapped Xun Yu. "A person can sacrifice his life to keep his trust, but the country cannot. After a person dies, there will still be descendants. If the country dies, who cares whether you kept your trust?"