When Han Zhongyan and Wu Haowen visited, Cheng Yi was still ill. He was wearing a thick cotton robe made of kapok cloth and stood on the doorstep to greet him, emitting a series of extremely violent coughs.

Wu Haowen gave a tribute, and then looked at the old man in front of him for a while. The old man might be seventy years old, with a sparse white beard, looking a little fat, pale as paper, and a sickly rosy.

After seeing the visiting Han Zhongyan, he turned around and returned to the room. Han Zhongyan and Wu Haowen also followed in. Both of them felt a warm wind coming towards him and a strong smell of Chinese medicine.

It turned out that there were stoves and flames running around in this humble room.

There was also a medicine jar hanging on the iron stove. The potion was boiling, and water vapor and unpleasant medicine smells were pouring out.

A middle-aged man who was very tall and majestic with a beard, as if he was a martial artist, came to Cheng Yi with a bowl of black medicine soup, "Teacher, it's time to take medicine."

This man was Hou Zhongliang, a great Confucian who later became known as "Mao Zi". He was from Taiyuan, Hedong, and his ancestors were famous generals of the Northern Han Dynasty. He was known as brave and brave. However, during the generation of Hou Zhongliang's grandfather abandoned martial arts and followed Confucianism and embarked on the route of imperial examinations. The reason why this "Mao Zi" was called "Mao Zi", he naturally did not follow the path of imperial examinations. Taking the imperial examinations was the route of becoming an official, but as a school of Confucianism, of course, there was no only one route of being an official, and someone had to do academic research.

Hou Zi Hou Zhongliang and his teacher Cheng Yi. Cheng Hao is a scholar of scholars who are academic. If he becomes big, he will be a great scholar. If he doesn’t become big, he will be a big conspiracy.

In the Northern Song Dynasty, the atmosphere of research on Confucianism was actually very prosperous, with many masters and many schools of thought. The more famous ones were Luoxue, led by the two Chengs, Guanxue, founded by Shen Yan, Hou Ke and Zhang Zai, the newxue (Wangxue) led by Wang Anshi, the Su Shuxue, led by the Su father and son brother, Lianxue, founded by the great scholar Zhou Dunyi, etc.

What are these Confucian masters studying? Of course, they are not studying writing essays. Confucianism is not literature, nor is it studying for exams. Of course, they have to write essays, but this is not the main research direction.

The research direction of Confucianism is explained in words that later generations can understand, roughly speaking, outlook on life, values ​​and worldview! Uh, the three views must be correct!

The first two views, outlook on life and values, in Confucianism, are "ethical principles, four dimensions and eight virtues", which is how to build a social order in the ideal Confucianism of Confucian scholars in the Northern Song Dynasty. The values ​​are generally quite correct, but there are no other means to implement the Confucian ideal society in this way... In Confucianism, this is a typical example of being easy to know and difficult to do!

The world view among the three views, in Confucian terms, is "Tao", which is the "Tao" in "The Analects of Confucius. Li Ren". When you hear Tao in the morning and die in the evening!

In other words, the Confucian "Tao" is not an answer, but a question. This is the biggest difference between Confucianism and religion.

There is no omnipotent God, Allah or Buddha in Confucianism. It can create everything and give an ultimate answer that cannot be falsified. For example, after a person's soul goes to heaven, it is an unfalsified answer.

This is a flaw of Confucianism and an advantage of Confucianism.

The flaw lies in the lack of worldview. There is no omnipotent God and no ultimate answer that cannot be falsified, so it is not easy to unite and exploit the foolish people.

The advantage is that it is conducive to Confucian scholars exploring "Tao" and absorbing the essence of their family... Well, Confucianism was later committed to being self-confidence. At least in the Song Dynasty, various Confucian schools were still very active in seeking the Tao, seeking the Tao, and even absorbing nutrients from other schools and sects. The general route is to Confucianism as its priest, integrate the three religions, and also acquire various scholars.

In other words, we must find a simple answer from the theological system of Buddhism and Taoism, but we do not reject other methods. This route is definitely backward from the perspective of the 21st century.

But in the early 12th century, everyone was actually like this. Scientific reason was just a branch of theology and a tool to prove rather than question God.

In contrast, Chinese Confucianism is still the most enlightened. If scholars of the Tianfang Reason School of Baghdad dare to question Allah, they will probably be killed by a big stone. Not to mention Christianity, they will serve the stake! On the Song Dynasty, Buddha Laojun asked casually, and Yalong Bay was not necessary. Ji Yi believed in Mingzun. If he could directly open a barbecue in Rome, who cares about the Song Dynasty?

Therefore, the later generations believed that Confucianism and science must have had conflicts, which is purely nonsense. At least there was no problem in the Northern Song Dynasty at all. The Northern Song Dynasty just saw that technological innovation was "strange skills and tricks" and "small path" that "art is accomplished".

But "small Tao" is also "dao". Many great Confucians of the Song Dynasty like to do "strange skills and lewd tricks". I have never heard of any Confucian sent to Yalong Bay because of this. Su Dongpo is a Confucian with "strange skills and lewd tricks", but his trip to Danzhou has nothing to do with "strange skills and lewd tricks".

The reason why Chinese Confucianism later embarked on the conservative route was actually the same as the rational school of Tianfang Buddhism, which could not stop the Mongols' butcher's butcher's butcher's butcher's sword... And under the barbarians' butcher's sword, the vitality of theology must be greater than that of science!

...

Cheng Yi had already finished drinking the bitter medicine and sat down on a chair while coughing. Han Zhongyan also sat on the chair. Hou Zi Hou Zhongliang and Wu Haowen stood behind Cheng Yi and Han Zhongyan.

"My husband, Ling Xun is the sixth Jinshi. Do you really have to follow the teacher and saint to cultivate Confucianism?"

After hearing Han Zhongyan's request, Cheng Yi coughed a few times and then asked back.

Yes! He is already the sixth Jinshi! Wu Haowenxin said, why do you still learn Confucianism? Moreover, I have already mastered the Confucianism. How can I get into the sixth Jinshi if I can’t master it?

"Yes," Han Zhongyan smiled, touching his beard, "My son-in-law is talented and has passed the Jinshi at the age of 18. Now he is a regular in the Secretariat. He will most likely follow the path of a Confucian minister in the future, so he has to learn more while he is young."

Mr. Han was actually really planning for his son-in-law... The Secretariat is a promising Qingshui yamen. There was a saying in the officialdom of the Song Dynasty that "Ten Years of Certification of Books" means that the Secretariat worked hard for ten years, and went from a regular character to a proofreader. This is a very beautiful resume for officials who succeeded young people.

After ten years of proofreading the book, the fourth level of the person will definitely be selected. At about thirty years old and have some experience in the officialdom, you can go to the local area to become a county magistrate. As long as you have no bad record in the magistrate, your promotion will be very smooth in the future. If you have a little fame in Confucianism, publish a few books, and then find someone to "fight" them. Before the age of 40, you will enter Beijing as a court official and then become a Confucian minister. At that time, you will not go to the Secretariat, but to the Hanlin Bachelor's Academy (the Hanlin Bachelor's Academy is not a Hanlin Academy), and it will only take a few years for you to be the magistrate.

During the "Ten Years of Proofreading Books", truly learning Confucianism will also be of great help to your future career.

"Okay, I'll ask a question first." Of course, Cheng Yi couldn't help but give the prime minister of the dynasty. He smiled and asked Wu Haowen, "Wangdao (the word Wu Haowen), what is your purpose in practicing Confucianism?"

Han Zhongyan interjected: "You must answer truthfully."

Wu Haowen thought about it and replied, "To be an official."

This is the truth, but Wu Haowen is not afraid of not being able to enter Cheng's sect, it is better not to be able to enter...

Cheng Yi smiled and nodded and said, "You can teach me."

Is this still a teaching? Wu Haowen is a little disappointed.

"Teacher Saint," Cheng Yi smiled and said to his students, "From now on, you can teach Wangdao how to be an official."

Ah? Wu Haowen was a little stunned. How to become an official? You have to learn from your elder brother Wu Haowen! How can you be an official? You have only been in the middle of the line after two years of entering the officialdom.

Wu Haowen's surprised expression was in sight by his father-in-law Han Zhongyan. Han Zhongyan smiled and said, "I hope, although you are a Jinshi, you only regard Confucianism as a stepping stone to becoming an official, and you don't really understand the principles of Confucianism. If you don't learn the principles, your official position will not be big... Do you understand?"

"The son-in-law understands."

Wu Haowen doesn’t understand now, so he has to learn it!

...

"Come on, you can try it. This is our specialty of Jiehe Shang City, the Wine Fairy. Brother I, let's stop when we get drunk!"

"Good wine, good wine... By the way, Brother Chongdao, let me talk to you about Jiehe University Academy. Is it because of this that you want to join the Dongpo school?"

"Yes, Brother Yizhi, I came to you for this matter. This big academy should take an all-encompassing approach, and it is best to absorb the knowledge of the whole world. Not only should there be the teachings of Confucius and Mencius and various schools of thought, but also Western knowledge... Your family is a maritime businessman and a Manichi religion. There should be many ways in the West, right?"

Wu Haogu had arrived in Qingchi County. In the backyard of a simple and dilapidated yamen, he was drinking and talking with his "old friend" Ji Yi.

What I drink is the "Immortal in Wine", which refers to the major events of Confucianism.

Although Ji Yi is a villain, she is a villain who is proficient in Confucianism. She is much better than martial arts and literature... She is not at the same level at all, and he is actually a great scholar!

Because he also wanted to make up for the Confucian "Tao", but not the Buddhist way to make up for it, but the Mani holy way to make up for the light and the right way to fight against the dark evil spirits, the gentleman of light fights against the dark villains, and the saints from heaven spread Confucianism and establish a land of kingly ways.

The idea is good, but the means are very lacking. Manichaeism has been unable to be legalized, which makes the Manichaeism worldview unable to be integrated with Confucianism, and it is impossible to establish a school of "integration of Ming and Confucianism".
Chapter completed!