Regarding the deliberate suppression of Neo-Confucianism by the emperor, many defenders of Dao were angry, furious, and incompetent. Geng Dingxiang was just one of them. Among the millions of people in the capital, how many people really cared?
Ever since Zhu Xi wrote the theory that "there is no such thing as learning if one's mind is still in the grass and trees, and the utensils are used! If you hope to gain something like this, it is like cooking sand and hoping to turn it into rice." Taoism has become the sworn enemy of Gewu.
, even though his theory held the status of official philosophy in the Yuan and Ming dynasties, Zhu Yijun was bound to be deposed quickly.
Of course, as a later cadre, Zhu Yijun attached great importance to work in the ideological field. The orthodoxy of later generations of China can be summed up in one word: "the Sinicization of Marxism." Classic works have been written into the constitution, and compulsory education has also been inculcated in turn. However,
, in the ideological field, bourgeois liberalization ideas are still stubbornly growing, and sometimes they can even occupy the high ground of public opinion. The root cause is just determined by the economic foundation.
His "respect for Confucius but not for Zhu" in Nantai was a decision made after careful consideration. Although the empire stretched from south to north, a cub called "capitalism" was growing under his care, but when it grew fangs, it used
Before the wild power tore apart the Ming Dynasty’s farming economy and its superstructure, not even the emperor dared to challenge the “Confucianism” that had seeped into the bones and blood of the Chinese people.
...
But after all, the wind still started to rise, and the many articles published by Li Zhi and others were just the beginning of the strong wind at the end of Qingping. After the Nantai Conference, Neo-Confucianism faced the real storm.
Many thinkers who can grasp the context of the times, facing the shaky reality of Neo-Confucianism, are looking up at the universe, overlooking the national economy and people's livelihood, thinking about the changes in China that have not happened in thousands of years, and trying to occupy the high ground of new ideas.
"If Neo-Confucianism loses its deer, the world can chase it away" is the greatest significance of the Nantai Conference in the history of Chinese thought, culture and all history in this time and space. Its convening is an unavoidable time in the history of the world in this time and space.
The meeting of the Holy See Mission three days before it was held was a wonderful coincidence in the birth of a new civilization.
When the three missionaries received the appointment letter from Beijing Normal University, their heads were spinning with joy. Fan Li'an repeatedly asked Matteo Ricci what they talked about with Xu Guangqi that afternoon. Matteo Ricci said: "I didn't, I didn't say anything. I
I just talked about the education I had received, and Count Xu Guangqi also asked about the experiences of the two of you. I can swear that our being hired as professors has nothing to do with my exchanges with Xu Guangqi."
Fan Li'an was born into a well-known family, and was a fellow villager of Pope Paul IV. He was deeply loved by the Pope. When he was nineteen, he received a doctorate in law from Bardo University, and later entered St. Andrew's University to study theology, mathematics, physics and philosophy.
, a top academic bishop among the Roman Catholic Church.
Luo Mingjian was not far behind him. He was known as the "Father of Western Sinology" in later generations. He obtained two doctorates in law while studying in Italy. What is even more amazing is that at this time he had completely mastered
He speaks Chinese and can write in classical Chinese, and his thinking has been partially Chineseized.
Matteo Ricci was born in Macerata, Italy. His family ran Ricci Pharmacy and was considered a well-known local family. After graduating from high school, he studied astrology under the mathematician Claudio Claudio, and Fan Li'an was also his teacher at that time.
Matthew has studied a wide range of subjects, including astronomy, mathematics, geometry, geography, etc. He has mastered Greek, Latin, Spanish and Portuguese, and is studying Chinese in depth.
These three missionaries did not know their important position in Zhu Yijun's mind. On the contrary, because of the cold reception they received all the way north, they had lowered their expectations several times before meeting the emperor. In the end, Fan Li'an told himself that as long as the emperor
Being able to meet him is the highest achievement of the mission. No matter how extravagantly he hopes for other gods, he will not forgive his greed.
The greater the disappointment at that time, the sweeter the fruits obtained at this time. The trio never expected that the emperor would actually send a large gift package: he would send an envoy to visit the Holy See, grant land to build a church, and even give him a teaching position at the Capital University.
!
Such a favor conquered the hearts of the three missionaries at once. They had never received such treatment during their missionary career. Even Fan Li'an, who had successfully missionary in Japan, was excited after receiving the letter of appointment from the Ministry of Education.
His eyes were red.
...
The Capital University under construction covers an area of 800 acres. It was rebuilt from the West Factory that had been abandoned for many years. The north gate is facing Lingji Palace. In the capital where land is at a premium, nearly a hundred households have been relocated, and the construction is bigger than that of the Imperial College.
A school twenty times larger, the status of Capital University in the eyes of the emperor can be imagined.
The land area is so large that the building is almost meaningless. Because cement and white ash have been mass-produced, most of the buildings in the Capital University are made of masonry. They are similar to the sloping roof tile houses that have begun to appear in the north, but the glass windows are larger.
There are more, and the indoor lighting is better.
The classrooms and student dormitories are simple, but the professor's residence is high-end and classy. Especially the palace specially built for Zhu Yijun is even more beautiful. In addition to these places, Capital University also has a bell tower built of strips of stone, which was built by Macao
It was constructed under the guidance of Portuguese craftsmen and was the first European-style building in the capital.
Of course, at this time, there was no technical problem for Chinese craftsmen to build masonry towers. Zhu Yijun's instructions to build the bell tower at the Capital University were originally based on the idea of "inclusiveness", so that teachers and students would understand the correctness of cultural exchanges between China and the West.
It's what the emperor wants.
...
The three missionaries could not suppress their excitement. Accompanied by the general manager of Honglu Temple and an interpreter, they walked around the Capital University, which was still undergoing finishing work. Matteo Ricci had sharp eyes and saw the spire from a distance.
Construction, because he couldn't believe it, rubbed his eyes.
Hongbao layman Tu Long pointed at the bell tower from afar and said: "This bell tower was designed and built by Portuguese craftsmen from Macau who were invited by the Chief Secretary of Guangdong. You Europeans should look familiar to this style."
Fan Li'an put his hand on his forehead and stammered: "My...my God, is this a bell tower?"
A few people walked quickly for a quarter of an hour before reaching the bottom of the bell tower. As they got closer, they felt the tower was even more majestic. The bell tower covers an area of nearly an acre and is nearly thirty feet tall. There are dials on all sides of the top. The architectural style is very European.
The Jesuit Baroque style that began to emerge, with its double columns, smooth sloped roof, and scrollwork, is solemn, noble, elegant, and has a shocking beauty.
Tu Long introduced: "The construction of this bell tower started when the imperial court finalized the plan for the Capital University. It took three years to complete and cost 40,000 taels - it is the most expensive building in the entire Capital University." Fan Anli and others were amazed.
While everyone was admiring it, the clock happened to reach ten o'clock in the morning, and the big bell rang, loud and melodious, and several missionaries were fascinated by it. After Tu Long heard the bell, he introduced again: "My Emperor Jian
This bell tower is not only to facilitate the people of the capital to grasp the time, but also to verify an important event."
Matteo Ricci pointed to the bell tower and asked in half-baked Chinese: "What's the name of this bell?" Tu Long was dumbfounded and didn't understand what it meant. The interpreter beside him replied directly in Latin: "The name is simple, it's called 'University'.
Bell." Matteo Ricci nodded.
Fan Li'an asked, "I wonder what your Majesty wants to verify?" Tu Long smiled and said, "Come in with me."
Climbing up the steps of the bell tower, Matteo Ricci discovered that there were actually two Ming soldiers standing guard under the university bell, armed with live ammunition.
Tu Long took out his badge from the Ministry of Rites and exchanged a few words with the Ming army on guard. The Ming army pushed open the heavy wooden door and signaled that they could enter.
Fan Li'an and others followed Tu Long into the building. The first thing they saw was the smooth white marble floor. The light could detect people and make their silhouettes appear.
Further forward, what comes into view is a circular copper railing. There is a spherical copper pendulum in the middle of the railing. There is a long, thin needle under the pendulum. Under the long needle, there is a white sand table, surrounded by copper strips.
Inlay the angle.
Naturally, when everyone saw the steel rope on the bronze pendulum, they looked up along the steel rope, and then all the missionaries took a deep breath.
Matteo Ricci asked: "Is this bell tower not divided into layers?" Tu Long had been here once before and introduced with a hint of pride: "No, five feet down from the top is where the big bell is installed. The big bell mechanism
This big pendulum is at the bottom. Didn't you see the spiral staircase? Apart from this big pendant, this is the only staircase in the building."
"Your Majesty said that although this bell tower is expensive, it is worth spending ten times more money to house this grand display!"
Fan Li'an laughed and said: "What is your majesty trying to prove with this big show?" Tu Long laughed, stood outside the sand table, picked up a long copper pole, and said to Matteo Ricci: "Mr. Li, please use this hook to hook that
Hook the copper pendulum over here." After he hooked it over, Tu Long asked him to put a hook on the railing beside the sand table on the copper pendulum.
Matteo Ricci did as he was told, Tu Long said: "Mr. Li, you are standing at zero degrees in the sky now. You said that if you open the button and put the pendulum away, the pendulum should be between zero and one hundred and eighty degrees."
Let’s swing on the straight line between degrees.”
Matteo Ricci carefully inspected the large copper pendulum and ruled out all factors of human intervention. Fan Li'an and Luo Mingjian were not sure why, so they also checked it with Matteo Ricci.
Matteo Ricci said: "Yes, this big pendulum should swing in a straight line." Tu Long smiled and said: "Then you can let it go."
Matteo Ricci pressed the switch, and the big pendulum swung out in front of it, and the long needle drew a clear trajectory on the white sand table. Matteo Ricci said: "What can this mean?"
Tu Long said: "Let's go up around this staircase and look at the universal shaft at the top of the big pendulum. Then we can see the obvious results when we come down again."
An hour later, several missionaries looked at each other in confusion. The protractors and sand table under their feet proved irrefutably that the pendulum had deflected about ten degrees, and a clear and symmetrical petal pattern was drawn on the sand table.
Tu Long said: "Although I rarely read the periodicals of Gewu, I still came to see this display when it was completed and waited for two hours."
"This great pendulum rotates once every thirty-seven new hours, proving that the earth beneath our feet is also rotating."