Chapter 85 Four Modernizations
At this moment, Zhu Yuanzhang also understood why He Xi put fiscal reform first.
Because nothing can be done without money.
He Xi took a sip of tea. Moistening his throat, he said: "The three provinces and six departments in the center have been passed down for hundreds of years, but they are no longer sufficient. There are many things in the world. If they are managed one by one, the six departments are simply not enough. Another department must be established. In my opinion, there is about to be established More than a dozen departments can take care of everything."
Zhu Yuanzhang said: "I would like to hear the details."
He Xi said: "If you don't talk about anything else, just develop industry, which ministry should this matter belong to?"
Zhu Yuanzhang just wanted to talk to the Ministry of Industry. But among the four departments of the Ministry of Industry. There are four divisions: Yingzhen, Yuheng, Dushui, and Tuntian. That one is not in charge of industry. Zhu Yuanzhang said: "I can set up a department under the Ministry of Industry."
He Xi said: "Your Majesty's method is not impossible. But as a result, there will be too many division-level departments under the six ministries. Firstly, the six ministers may not be too busy. Secondly, your Majesty, do you really think this is good?"
Zhu Yuanzhang pondered for a moment and said, "Let's stop now."
In fact, Zhu Yuanzhang's idea may not be bad. All we need to do is make each department under the six ministries independent. Become a semi-independent department. These problems can also be solved. But there is a problem of checks and balances of power.
these new powers. It belongs to the six ministers. It's better to be independent.
Considering the relationship between power checks and balances, which one is more likely to be controlled by the superiors.
These are more complicated. He Xi didn't think at all. At least He Xi's thinking cannot be compared with Zhu Yuanzhang's. The system established by Zhu Yuanzhang has been passed down for more than 600 years. Although there have been many repairs, the overall framework has not changed much. This is enough to illustrate a problem.
Zhu Yuanzhang had an excellent understanding of the structure of checks and balances of power.
At this moment, Zhu Yuanzhang understood the problem that He Xi wanted the center to solve. In other words, various departments will be added to deal with industrial development. But what to do? The plan given by He Xi was too rough.
Zhu Yuanzhang said: "What other ideas do you have in this regard?"
He Xi's lips moved slightly and said, "I don't think too deeply here, that's all."
Not really.
If He Xi disliked something in this world the most, it was the emperor.
It's not that Zhu Yuanzhang is not good to He Xi, nor is it that the Zhu family is bad to He Xi. Not to mention that He Xi had any objections to Zhu Yuanzhang. But He Xi naturally didn't want the power of life and death to be in the hands of others.
This kind of political environment was intolerable to He Xi.
Therefore, although he was enemies with many scholar-bureaucrats. But there is an idea in my heart, that is, I hope that the emperor will hang down his clothes and rule the world, even if he does not make the emperor a constitutional monarch and become a mascot. At least it allowed Ming Dynasty to enter the so-called enlightened autocratic monarchy.
He Xi admired Zhu Yuanzhang himself, but he felt that there were too many authoritarian elements in Zhu Yuanzhang's rule. Actually I don't like it.
Even if He Xi is about to become Zhu Yuanzhang's son-in-law.
Because there is no one who is willing to live in fear every day in the shadow of being killed at any time.
But He Xi thought about these words but did not say them after all. Because he didn't know what the consequences would be. However, this did not prevent him from actually being prepared in his heart.
Unknowingly, He Xi has become mature. The innocence and immaturity that had just come to Ming Dynasty transformed little by little.
Zhu Yuanzhang said: "Then what is the last modernization?"
He Xi said: "The last modernization is academic modernization. Zeng Guofan once said that the first thing to do is to find a replacement. That is, no matter what time, you must first find someone who can inherit your own ideas. Because people will always You will grow old when you die. Therefore, it is particularly important to find someone who can replace you."
"Academic modernization, in my opinion, has three aspects."
"First, restore the six arts. In fact, the most important among the six arts is mathematics. The so-called six arts are etiquette, music, archery, imperialism, calligraphy, and mathematics."
"There is no need to mention etiquette, but music has been lost. Although shooting is important, firearms will be popular in the future. It can be changed to shooting, and chariot can be changed to riding or driving. Books, needless to say. Only mathematics. If it only represents a practical Mathematics. It’s just addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. But in terms of play, mathematics is the mother of science. Mathematics is indispensable in science.”
"Mathematics is also reflected in the Six Arts. I am trying to restore the Six Arts and then promote mathematics. Let mathematics become the world's most prominent science. Introduce mathematics into actual production and scientific research, and brew the emergence of science."
"Second, organize the national heritage."
"Your Majesty, do you know the "Yongle Dadian"?"
Zhu Yuanzhang naturally knew, nodded and said: "Of course I know."
He Xi said: "The "Yongle Dadian" is certainly important, but I think it is not enough. The "Yongle Dadian" only preserves the secret knowledge of the past saints. It does not introduce the new. There is a school in the West, the Encyclopedia School. These scholars have all participated in encyclopedias. The revision of the entire book. Thus exerting a huge influence."
"Chinese civilization has a long history. In fact, many of the ideas of later generations have found their origins in ancient times. However, the development of many other aspects has been restricted due to the exclusive respect of Confucianism. And the issue of books, many ideas are also in the pile of old papers. The development of science and technology in later generations . Just collected them one by one. For example, there is a poem by Wei Zhuang. The streets of heaven trampled all the bones of the ministers, and the inner treasury was burned into beautiful ashes. It can be said that Wei Zhuang was the best in his life. But I am sure that your Majesty asked the bachelors around him. I don’t know. Because this was discovered in the Buddhist scripture cave of Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang later.”
"It has long been lost in the world."
"And when the Yuan Dynasty destroyed the Song Dynasty, I don't know how many books were lost. Even more so, how many schools of thought were lost. Your Majesty, if you want to develop new ideas, the best way is to renovate the past and pursue the new. Therefore, in the name of repairing the canon, we collected The world collects books. Then organize them. Integrate modern academic thoughts into them. Innovate and bring forth the new."
"This is my duty to organize the country's heritage."
In fact, the idea of sorting out the national heritage was not what He Xi thought of. However, He Xi's greatest wealth is the ideas of many later generations of philosophers. Although they may seem like a few simple words, they are the crystallization of the wisdom of many people.
"Okay. Great." Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes were shining, and he could hardly contain his excitement.
Zhu Yuanzhang listened to He Xi's many thoughts. This idea alone was the most popular among Zhu Yuanzhang. the reason is simple. Everything else requires strenuous efforts. If many things are not done well, it may even lead to rebellion.
It's not as simple as He Xi's upper lip touching his lower lip.
In Zhu Yuanzhang's view, it is a matter of repeated review and long-term planning.
Only this incident solved Zhu Yuanzhang's current problem.
What is Zhu Yuanzhang’s biggest problem now? It is the distrust between monarch and ministers.
Zhu Yuanzhang understood very well that there must be a dominant idea in governing a country, which can be said to be ideology. Although Zhu Yuanzhang was a man of great talent and strategy, he was not a scholar after all. In this regard, one cannot invent a theory of one's own.
This is why Zhu Yuanzhang was particularly fond of Mr. Mao’s theories and wanted to ponder them over and over again.
Because not everyone can do it, the master and the master are one.
Zhu Yuanzhang actually did not like the ideas held by these civil servants. It is precisely because of this dislike that Song Lian, Song Ne, and Liu Sanwu, who were regarded as gentlemen by the scholar-bureaucrats, were all honest and honest ministers. It is the pillar of the country. But Zhu Yuanzhang was not very popular here.
Without him, the ways are different and they do not conspire with each other.
It's strange that they can look into each other's eyes.
But he didn't know what he wanted before? Nor is it capable of creating a theory. Just endure it. He was already prepared to compromise. Although I am not satisfied, I have no choice. Now Mr. Mao's thoughts have given Zhu Yuanzhang a choice. But Zhu Yuanzhang was not satisfied with Mr. Mao's thoughts.
I'm really dissatisfied. There is no place for the emperor in Mr. Mao's thoughts.
But no matter, the book "Das Kapital". It points out the shortcomings of capitalism, but it does not prevent capitalists from learning how to make money.
It's just that Mr. Mao's ideas can only be used by him after transformation.
But how to transform. This is what Zhu Yuanzhang has been thinking about. However, in the name of sorting out the national heritage, He Xi's idea of replacing the pillars is really a clever idea.
Apart from anything else, if this matter is placed above the imperial court, Zhu Yuanzhang does not need to push it at all. will pass. Because this is so consistent with the trend of thought during the Hongwu period.
Whatever the trend of thought is, it is Fu Han.
Zhu Yuanzhang was cleaning up the legacy of the Hu people in many aspects. Restore Han style. In clothing, etiquette, carriage, weapons. In other aspects, the styles of Han and Tang Dynasties were restored. Even in the rules and regulations, there are obvious imitations of the style of the Han and Tang Dynasties.
And He Xi's idea of sorting out the national heritage is obviously in line with today's trend. It’s something that can be used right out of the box. Compared to those flashy things. Much more useful.
He Xi said: "Your Majesty, I appreciate it."
Zhu Yuanzhang said: "What else?"
He Xi said: "Actually, the last point is education. It's just that education costs too much. It is estimated that it will take a hundred years. So I will just say one thing, establish a complete education system, from the beginning of elementary school to county school and government school. , all the way to the learning system of the Imperial College. Unified teaching materials. When it becomes popular in the future, no matter what you do, the first thing is to get people. Only by getting people can you do things well. And how do talents come? They are naturally cultivated. If One day in the Ming Dynasty, there will be no illiterates. The national strength of the Ming Dynasty is naturally different from what it is today."
After Zhu Yuanzhang heard this, he also yearned for it.
In fact, Zhu Yuanzhang paid most attention to literacy. During the Hongwu period, many social studies were established, which were rural schools. But after Zhu Yuanzhang's death, these social studies gradually declined.
Without him, the common people are both the most ignorant and the most intelligent.
Of course, when they think there is no future in studying, they are naturally unwilling to spend money to learn a few words. As for why this is the case? It can only be said that the idea that it is difficult to produce a noble son from a poor family and that studying is useless is not new to us now.
History is always similar, but it is not a simple repetition.
