Chapter 15: Celebrity

Zhu Qizhen did not immediately respond to Li Xian's words.

Silently thinking about what the Ming Dynasty was. The current situation of the Ming Dynasty country is already the so-called governing the country with etiquette.

To understand why Confucianism has been the mainstream theory for many years, we must understand the rituals and music at the core of Confucian rule. What is it?

Music is the same, but rituals are different.

In modern terms, music is to solve the problem of values, and etiquette is to solve the problem of social relations.

There were many jokes in ancient times, and it seemed that listening to the music of a certain country could determine the rise and fall of a certain country. How to implement this logic, first of all, you must understand what music is?

Confucianism believes that joy is born from the heart.

In the era before there was no text, music from a certain place was the best response to the local situation.

Because the people at that time were not fake, just like people from primitive tribes singing around the bonfire. The songs they sing reflect their situation and demands, as well as their distinction between beauty and malice, which is values.

But what kind of etiquette will be done when people meet, is the social relationship between them.

For example, what to do when you meet your parents, what to do when you meet your superiors, and what to do when you meet your monarch?

etc.

Therefore, the most important means for Confucianism to govern the world is to cultivate rituals and music, or to make rituals and music.

Note that this set of rituals and music was not created by Confucianism. It has its roots. It removes some bad and too vulgar things from the rituals and music that people have originally embodied. It is like Confucius practicing 300 poems.

Create a set of rituals and music that reflects the values ​​and social relations at that time, and promotes it.

Later, because people were literate, people penetrated their values ​​more into words. The value of music was greatly reduced, so etiquette became the core element of Confucian governance of the world.

The most typical example is to rule the world with filial piety.

It is from the visible filial piety based on human emotions that extends loyalty. It is a very simple concept that even people who don’t know the word can understand. However, the word loyalty and filial piety is the fundamental element that maintains a great country.

Why does Confucianism continue to flourish?

Almost every dynasty and every generation have to use Confucianism, but it is even more precocious in the political nature of the Chinese nation. The result of this precocious ripening is great unification.

If you look at world history, you will know that the scope of many countries is limited, and the Chinese nation is unique and laid a modern territory two thousand years ago.

But from a high level, it seems that the checks and balances between the army, the government and the local government, and the local government, are perfect. It seems that such a country that takes three months from the north to the south is very appropriate under this dominant model.

Actually, it is not the case.

If you bend down and look at it from the bottom, you will find that this kind of dominance network is too sparse and too ordinary. It even gives people a feeling of breaking it by just twitching.

Military actions alone are definitely not enough to maintain this country.

Therefore, all the unified dynasties in China were built on people's hearts, on ethics, and on values.

Now let me listen to the sentence "The way to establish a country is to value etiquette rather than power and strategy. The fundamental plan is in people's hearts, not skills, but not skills.

.”You will feel a different feeling.

Of course, this is not a defense for these people.

They used the solutions offered by Confucianism in the Han Dynasty for the unified dynasty two thousand years ago to solve the situation two thousand years later, and they were already extremely boring.

But no matter what, this complete and systematic solution is really full of political vision and wisdom.

This is why Huang Renyu said that ancient China was a moral country, and it was particularly important for the emperor to maintain moral integrity.

Even now, Zhu Qizhen has no courage to destroy such a fundamental system.

First of all, Zhu Qizhen's own power is rooted in this system. He can completely control the army, and this system also plays a great role.

Secondly, Zhu Qizhen has not found a better alternative.

But it does not mean that this method is perfect.

Using this method to govern the country has given too much discretion to the local government.

Not to mention anything else, there is a case. Zhang Guaiya, a famous official from the Northern Song Dynasty, found a yamen runner stole a penny, so he inferred that the yamen runner stole money every day and killed the yamen runner. He also wrote a very famous saying: "One money a day, one thousand days a thousand days; the rope sawed and the wood was broken, and the water dripped through the stone."

From the perspective of later generations, if this yamen runner steals money every day, he must also give evidence, otherwise he will be punished and killed.

And this case was praised instead.

Zhu Qizhen sighed. No matter how full his ideal was, Zhu Qizhen had no possibility of achieving it in terms of consequences.

Even if Zhu Qizhen forcibly implemented it, it would only backfire.

Zhu Qizhen said: "Sir, I am a disciple of Confucianism. How can I do such a thing? It's just that I have been puzzled for more than ten years."

"Do you think the Ming Dynasty is considered a prosperous era?"

Li Xian said: "There is no boundary in the world, and there are famines to provide timely relief. There are 20 million stones of grain stored in Taicang. It is also accumulating the warehouses in various places. It can be said that the world is peaceful."

Zhu Qizhen said: "However, there are still people who die of cold and starvation every year. A flood or a severe drought will make the people struggling on the line of life and death. What should I do to change all this."

"I don't want to use the Legalists? But in the current situation, what should I do? Please teach me how do you sir?"

Li Xian's face was a little pale after hearing Zhu Qizhen's words, and he took a few steps back and said, "I am guilty."

Zhu Qizhen hurried forward and helped him, "Why should you do this, sir?"

Li Xian said: "The master is worried about the insult of his ministers. This is the crime of his ministers. Your Majesty wants to promote a great harmony, but I have no good plans to show it. It is just that the world's major events will affect the whole body, and we should not act rashly."

"Otherwise, it's going to be a completely different place."

The last bit of thought in Li Xian's heart that he wanted to leave was dispelled at this moment.

It’s nothing else. In Li Xian’s opinion, what Zhu Qizhen wanted to do was too fantasy.

Li Xian was proficient in classics and history. He knew very well that the Ming Dynasty had reached this point, but in fact, it was the beginning of its prosperity and decline. When Zhu Qizhen was there, he might be able to maintain the current situation, but after Zhu Qizhen passed, only two or three emperors, or even one emperor, all kinds of problems in the Ming Dynasty would gradually be revealed.

This is almost a necessity.

If Li Xian wanted to make the Ming Dynasty do its best, he could only repair it. Such an act could not play an essential role in facing Zhu Qizhen's current ambition.

Moreover, Li Xian is not optimistic about what Zhu Qizhen does, what will happen?

But Zhu Qizhen opened his heart, but Li Xian had nothing to say.

The world of Datong is the ideal of Confucian scholars and officials, but it is more of an ideal. I have never thought it would appear in reality.

But he still persuaded him in the end.

Zhu Qizhen said: "I naturally know these."

At this moment, Zhu Qizhen felt a little touched in his heart, but he didn't know what this touch was.

Li Xian wanted to speak but stopped, sighed and said, "The old minister is not helpful to Your Majesty. After today, he resigned from his post and returned to his hometown to support his father. Now, he heard of Your Majesty's great ambitions and had the last advice. I hope Your Majesty will listen to it."

Zhu Qizhen came back to his senses from the touch just now.

At this moment, he also knew that the words of openness and honesty between each other were over. In fact, Zhu Qizhen still had a lot of things to say. What he wanted to change was not just. What Li Xian said was never expected. Just a truthful word made Li Xian retreat.

In Zhu Qizhen's future world, if it were in the eyes of the Ming people, it might not be Datong, but it was also a well-off society.

But since Li Xian no longer intends to participate in it, Zhu Qizhen has nothing to say.

Li Xian said: "Your Majesty wants to do great things to the world. If you follow the ancients, you should read Gongyang. There is no way to change in our Confucian schools."

After hearing this, Zhu Qizhen naturally knew that what Li Xian said was "The Book of Gongyang in the Spring and Autumn Period", or the Gongyang School of the Han Dynasty.

This is the method of change mentioned by Li Xian.
Chapter completed!