noveltune Chapter 5506 The Peril of Confucianism
Chapter 5506 The Peril of Confucianism
Chapter 5506 The Peril of Confucianism
Confucius died in the sixteenth year of Duke Ai of Lu. The following year, Duke Ai built a temple at Confucius's former residence to guard his tomb, marking the beginning of the establishment of temples for Confucius and the origin of the Confucius Temple in Qufu. The Book of Rites says: "Whenever a school is first established, it must offer sacrifices to the former sages and teachers."
This solidifies Confucianism's position.
Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang, once personally visited Qufu to offer sacrifices to Confucius with the "Tai Lao" ceremony, thus initiating the practice of emperors "worshipping Confucius." At that time, only Confucius was worshipped in the Confucius Temple. During this period, the core function of the Confucius Temple was to "respect teachers and value the Way," and it was dedicated to worshipping Confucius, the "Supreme Sage and Teacher."
During the Wei, Jin, and Northern and Southern Dynasties, the system of Confucian temples changed. Initially, portraits of Confucius' disciples were simply painted on the walls as embellishments, but the form of "official worship" had already emerged. For example, in the first year of Xinghe reign of Emperor Xiaojing of Eastern Wei, the governor of Yanzhou built portraits of Confucius and ten of his disciples.
After the Tang Dynasty came to power, Emperor Taizong issued an edict to enshrine twenty-two scholars, including Zuo Qiuming, Gongyang Gao, Guliang Chi, Kong Anguo, and Zheng Xuan, who made outstanding contributions to Confucian classics, in the Temple of Confucius. This was the first time that "non-Confucius direct disciples" were included in the national sacrificial rites on a large scale.
Yu Zhining was indeed a great Confucian scholar of his time, but how could he be compared with the likes of Zuo Qiuming, Gongyang Gao, Guliang Chi, Kong Anguo, and Zheng Xuan in terms of status, prestige, and knowledge?
Therefore, Kong Yingda jokingly said that he "wanted to be honored in the Temple of Confucius," and the sarcasm was almost undisguised.
Given Kong Yingda's current status and age, as long as he "doesn't overstep the bounds," he can "do whatever he wants"...
Yu Zhining was both ashamed and angry, and said in a sharp voice, "What I have said is the foundation of Confucianism. Why do you humiliate me, Brother Chongyuan?"
Kong Yingda sighed and waved his hand, saying, "It was just a joke. Why should I humiliate you? It's just that you have never been to the academy and do not know how vigorously the study of things is progressing in the academy. The study of things is not the heresy you see, but the mystery of the origin of the universe and the rules of the operation of heaven and earth."
Fang Jun's books, such as "Mathematics" and "Physics," are published worldwide at very low prices, attracting countless readers and researchers, yet few recognize the profound truths they contain.
It is the origin of all things in the universe.
Glancing at Gu Nalu, who was brewing tea nearby, he continued, "The dull-witted all think that Fang Jun's statement 'the earth is round' is nonsense, or even heresy. But he did not speak nonsense without any basis. Rather, it was a deduction made after gathering the records and calculations of countless students in the academy."
Gai Wenyi's gray eyebrows furrowed tightly as he asked, puzzled, "How is this calculated?"
How can a person, standing on the earth, calculate whether the earth beneath their feet is round?
Kong Yingda said, "They measured astronomy, geography, the waxing and waning of the sun and moon, the movement of stars and constellations... By collecting and calculating the data, they could arrive at such incredible conclusions. Under Fang Jun's supervision, they even invented something called a 'four arithmetic calculator,' which some people also called a 'mechanical abacus.' It could calculate extremely large numbers with very high precision."
He joined Zhenguan Academy as a great Confucian scholar from its inception and followed its rapid changes step by step, witnessing the world-renowned "Academy of Investigating Things" grow to where it is today. The rapid changes in the "study of investigating things" within the academy had a profound impact on him.
He picked up the teacup, took a sip, and found that the tea had cooled down. He gestured to Gu Nalu to give him a fresh cup and said in a deep voice, "Confucianism advocates benevolence and love for others, and order and propriety in governing the world. These are the principles for governing the world. However, Confucianism cannot smelt steel, build ships and cannons, nor can it calculate the laws governing the universe."
Gai Wenyi disagreed: "The Mohists advocated universal love and non-aggression, the Legalists ruled the country by law, the Military Strategists attacked cities and fortresses, the Yin-Yang School analyzed the heavens and the earth... Each of the hundred schools had its strengths, but they were all subservient to the Confucianism. The Confucianism did not need those."
During the Spring and Autumn Period, a hundred schools of thought contended and each displayed its strengths, but in the end, they all converged and Confucianism became the sole state ideology.
The study of "investigating things" is not necessarily superior to that of the Mohists, Legalists, or Yin-Yang School.
Kong Yingda shook his head and said, "That was in the past. We wrote and formulated all the rules. We talked about 'the interaction between heaven and man' and 'the divine right of kings,' and no one could question it. This was the universal principle. But now it's completely different. The Society for Investigating Things has completely overturned the grand world we used to construct. Celestial bodies move in an orderly manner, stars cycle endlessly, tides are determined by the waxing and waning of the moon, and even the earth is round..."
Gai Wenyi interrupted, "Then let's just treat the Mohists, Legalists, and Yin-Yang Schools the same way we did in the past, and completely suppress the study of things!"
These words, though menacing, were not arrogant; Confucianism truly embodies this principle.
As long as a vigorous movement against the study of things is launched nationwide, the still developing method of studying things cannot resist Confucianism, which has already permeated every corner of the country.
Gu Nalu used a wooden spoon to scoop the heated tea into a teacup and pushed it in front of Kong Yingda.
Kong Yingda took the teacup but didn't drink it. His gaze toward Gai Wenyi was full of disappointment: "We can suppress the Mohists, incorporate the Legalists, and exterminate the Yin-Yang School. Of course, we can also completely overthrow the study of things... But you must understand that the truth is there. We can destroy everything, but we cannot destroy the truth."
The Mohists barely survived, the Legalists lay dormant and bowed their heads, and the Yin-Yang School was extremely weak... The once prosperous and flourishing Hundred Schools of Thought were in a state of utter destitution.
But so what?
The mechanical arts of the Mohists are still passed down among craftsmen, the Legalist system is still in operation, and the Yin-Yang school of thought has long been deeply rooted in people's hearts...
Truth may be concealed, may obscure the truth, but it cannot be destroyed.
It will always be there.
Someone will eventually discover it.
What if we completely overthrow the study of things now?
Can mathematics become extinct?
Can Physics be eliminated?
Gai Wenyi was stunned for a moment, then said with shame, "I was blinded by my own narrow view and failed to see the whole mountain. I only thought about maintaining the orthodoxy of Confucianism, but forgot the teachings of the sages."
Confucianism emphasizes "continuous progress and pioneering spirit." The Book of Poetry says, "Although Zhou is an old state, its mandate is ever new." The Commentary on the Book of Changes also says, "Daily renewal is called great virtue," elevating "daily renewal" to the level of lofty virtue.
Confucianism also emphasizes "inclusiveness and tolerance." The Analects of Confucius states, "When it comes to benevolence, one should not yield even to one's teacher." This means that when faced with matters that are morally and ethically sound, one should not be humble even towards one's teacher.
This reflects the Confucian spirit of transcending sectarianism and prioritizing the "Dao" (the Way) in the pursuit of truth and benevolence.
However, to this day, this great Confucian scholar, who is one of the most renowned in the world, has almost forgotten the teachings of the sages. When faced with difficulties, he only thinks about excluding those who are different and eliminating dissent, without ever considering how to achieve a state of transcending sectarianism and embracing diversity through his own innovation and progress.
Kong Yingda smiled, took a sip of tea, and nodded, saying, "We should all strive to reflect on ourselves three times a day."
Holding his teacup, Yu Zhining asked, "So what should we do?"
Kong Yingda took another sip of tea.
The sky outside the window had darkened at some point. The autumn wind blew, leaves fell, and raindrops pattered down from the sky.
A cold autumn rain.
Kong Yingda put down his teacup, tightened his collar, and looked tired and unwell.
Although the tea ceremony was elaborate and almost ritualistic, there were too many ingredients, making it quite greasy after consumption...
"It is not acceptable to cling to outdated ideas and remain stagnant, nor is it acceptable to knowingly go against the grain. Didn't Fang Jun always say that 'Confucianism should be the primary focus and the investigation of things should be secondary'? Then let's heed his advice and take the initiative to integrate Confucianism with the investigation of things."
Gu Nalu, who had been brewing tea all along, was puzzled: "The two are completely different in nature, how can they be reconciled?"
Kong Yingda had already made up his mind, and was now confident: "Didn't Fang Jun want to send a fleet on a long voyage to verify that 'the earth is round'? Then we will send our outstanding disciples to accompany him."
He paused for a moment, then tapped the coffee table with his knuckles and said in a low voice, "If the earth is truly round, then the so-called interaction between heaven and man and the divine right of kings are all illusions, which may not necessarily be a bad thing for us."
The other three thought for a moment and then realized what was going on.
As the saying goes, no one wants to have a monarch who holds the power of life and death and whose power is unchecked. When all your inheritance, wealth, and power depend on the monarch's whims, anyone would feel suffocated.
Moreover, even if the Confucian concept of "interaction between Heaven and humanity" is completely shattered, the status of Confucianism will not be overturned.
The study of things, though it may be the ultimate truth of the universe, is still a matter of the physical world. It can be used as a means of governing a country, but it cannot be the guiding principle for governing the world.
Only Confucianism could provide such a framework.
Yu Zhining sighed, "At this time, I'm afraid all the aristocratic families will lean towards the study of things."
Gai Wenyi nodded: "As far as I know, many aristocratic families have been secretly discussing donating money and silk, sending their children to assist the academy on its voyages, and even more research and inventions related to the study of things."
This is a very normal phenomenon.
After two consecutive defeats, the aristocratic families suffered heavy losses. Not only were their fiefdoms stripped away, but their ancestral lands were also greatly reduced due to Xu Jingzong's "measuring of the land" and "re-registering of the Yellow Registers." Now, all they have left are the huge sums of money and silk passed down from their ancestors or earned through maritime trade.
Money is certainly a good thing, but without the protection of power, even a lot of money can fall into the wrong hands, or even become the cause of trouble.
Everyone understands the principle that "a common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime."
Therefore, for powerful clans, "limiting imperial power" and "ruling the country by law" were the ultimate protective shields they sought.
In the past, the group that disregarded the law has now become the one that most desires the existence of laws to follow and strict enforcement of them. After all, with the law as a constraint, as long as they do not break the law, no one can plunder their wealth, let alone decide their life or death with a single word.
Kong Yingda made the final decision: "Let us together elevate the study of things, make it the study of governing the world, to expand our territory, build ships and cannons, and benefit the people. We Confucianists will grasp the universal principles and guide everything."
When the study of investigating things arose, the crisis of Confucianism would inevitably erupt sooner or later.
Rather than suppressing or covering it up, it would be better to "merge" early on, each fulfilling its role, turning the crisis into an opportunity, and prompting Confucianism to evolve once again.
After all, no one is better at theoretical evolution than Confucianism.
(End of this chapter)