When Chen Xingshan was clarifying his ideas, Li Zhigang and Wu Yun wrote down something. After Chen Xingshan sat down, they passed the paper to Xia Yuanji. After Xia Yuanji glanced at it, he nodded slightly and stood up. .
"What Chen Shilang said seems reasonable, but when you look at it carefully, it is very problematic. Since Chen Shilang and Zhang Siye both believe that the Four Books and the Five Classics should be the main body, Xia wants to know whether three meals a day are enough. Do you have an appetite for rice and steamed buns without the fragrance of hundreds of vegetables? Can a tree survive if it has an empty trunk but no branches? The sun and moon are the main ones. If there are no stars to decorate it, can the night sky be bright?"
Xia Yuanji chuckled, and then said to everyone: "We advocate reforming the Imperial Academy's curriculum and introducing hundreds of schools to join the Imperial Academy's curriculum. Our purpose is not to seize the main position of the Four Books and Five Classics, but to bring hundreds of flavors into the mouth, luxuriant branches, and stars. The sky is full.”
"You supervisors are the future elites of the imperial court. However, if you only follow the Four Books and Five Classics, it will be difficult for you to enter the imperial court. If you enter the Ministry of War in the future, you will need to understand the military system, training, recruitment, garrison, border defense, honor guard, imperial guards, and evangelism. , stable husbandry, ordnance, Fu survey and other knowledge, if you enter the household department, you need to know the territory, fields, household registration, taxation, salary, finance and other matters."
"I would like to ask you, is it true that the way to be an official and the foundation of governing a country are only found in the Four Books and Five Classics, without involving hundreds of arts? If the court appoints you to investigate the public sentiment, the farmer wants to talk to you about stomach problems, but you talk to the farmer about Confucius Master, aren’t you generous enough to make people laugh? Therefore, if you accept miscellaneous students, you can talk to farmers about farming, discuss benefits when meeting businessmen, and discuss skills when meeting craftsmen.”
Many supervisors thought over and over what Chen Xingshan and Xia Yuanji said. It seemed that everyone was right. Chen Xingshan was right, but Xia Yuanji was not wrong either.
Why are two diametrically opposed views so paradoxical that it is difficult to say whether they are right or wrong?
Who is right?
Who is wrong?
Everyone was confused.
At this moment, Mao Hengtai, the third chairperson, stood up and shouted: "The Imperial Academy has a heavy workload. The students work day and night just to study the Four Books and Five Classics. It is still difficult to become a great Confucian. If we introduce miscellaneous studies into the curriculum, won't we be unable to do all the work? Zhuangzi There is a saying: My life also has a limit, but I know it has no limit. If I have a limit, I will follow the limitless, and I will be in danger."
"As for the supervisors, what's the use of learning hundreds of miscellaneous arts? The people Xia Shilang mentioned are not court officials, but just subordinates! As officials, we only need to sit in the middle hall and command the subordinates, and Those who are not personally involved are on the front lines looking for farmers and asking business.
The subordinate officials are proficient in hundreds of disciplines and can complete the task of running the country according to the instructions of the central hall. Why do we have to learn various tricks from hundreds of schools of thought, wasting our time and energy? "
"As far as the officials are concerned, as an official, you only need to stick to your heart, serve the country and the king, and regulate your words and deeds according to the saint's standards. There will be no mistakes in appointments and dismissals, examinations, promotions, honors, and transfers. There will be no mistakes in all kinds of actions. Do you need hundreds of miscellaneous skills?"
Zhu Yunwen frowned slightly after hearing Mao Hengtai's words.
Although this guy's words don't sound good, they are all true.
Indeed, many court officials either sit in the middle hall and issue orders, or accept bribes in the back hall. They go out for either direct benefits or indirect benefits. There is almost no detailed study of the policy implementation of subordinate officials.
The subordinate official saw that although the person sitting in the middle hall was not blind, he only had yellow and white things in his eyes, so he naturally knew what to do. As long as he covered those eyes with yellow and white things, he would not be able to see anything he did.
This is also one of the main reasons why subordinate officials harm the lower classes.
It is precisely this kind of thinking of many officials that results in the level of officials being significantly weaker than that of subordinates. Some professional operations are performed by subordinates. Even if the account books are handed over to officials, officials may not be able to spot the fishiness.
Because, their stomachs are full of ink, but they cannot write the word "farmer and businessman"!
"When was the last time the Beijing Inspector and Supervisory Censor conducted an assessment?"
Zhu Yunwen looked at Xie Jin.
Xie Jin was startled, and immediately understood what Zhu Yunwen meant, and said quickly: "It was in the 30th year of Hongwu. According to the system, the evaluation of Beijing inspection and local officials should be carried out next year."
"After the imperial examination is finalized, the evaluation of Beijing inspection and local officials will be carried out."
Zhu Yunwen said in a deep voice.
Xie Jin nodded solemnly and said, "I obey your order."
On the stage, Yang Shiqi stood up. This was the first time Yang Shiqi had faced so many people since he entered the capital and the Hanlin Academy from a local place. However, he was not timid at all, but was particularly mature and solemn.
After Yang Shiqi saluted, he said loudly: "There are people who do things without knowing it, and I am not right. If you hear a lot, choose the good ones and follow them; if you see a lot, you will recognize them. Knowing is the next best thing. This is what Confucius said. I personally It is believed that Shi Lang Mao is one of those who 'act without knowing anything', making arrogant arguments based on his own narrow knowledge and making arrogant arguments about the world."
"I have been in the place for a long time, traveled to many provinces, and know how to be an official.
, If you can't defeat the subordinate officials with your talents, then the subordinate officials will do it secretly and subjugate all the people! I dare to ask whether it is the officials or the subordinates who speak in such mountains and rivers? "
"The purpose of entering the Imperial Academy with miscellaneous skills is to prepare the imperial students to serve as officials in the court. When they sit in the central hall, they will not be hidden or deceived by subordinate officials! Could it be that when you become officials in the future, you just want to be prestige in the central hall, but you don't care about it? The suffering and wailing of the people?”
"According to what Hu Jun, a student of the Imperial College, reported, a small grain manager can destroy a farmer's home, deprive his family wealth, and rob his children! How can the subordinate official not do this if he has the power? The county magistrate is in What are you doing? You're collecting money! How many hypocrites have been taught by the Four Books and Five Classics? Why didn't you rectify people's hearts and why didn't you win people's hearts?"
"In the final analysis, it's because of weak faith, lack of talent, different skills, and unclear miscellaneous skills! If you enter the Imperial Academy with hundreds of miscellaneous skills and know the secrets of subordinate officials, and the investigation is clear, why would such a human tragedy happen?!"
After Yang Shiqi finished speaking, he sat down.
All the supervisors of the Imperial College have heard of Hu Jun. He is one of the most famous supervisors of the Imperial Academy. He single-handedly promoted the implementation of national policies. He was also a person who influenced the interests of countless gentry in the Ming Dynasty. He is a person destined to remain in the annals of history. people.
The supervisors had also heard what Yang Shiqi said. Apart from being filled with indignation and hating the county magistrate, they didn't think too far ahead. But what Yang Shiqi said made these supervisors have to think:
How come those who read the Four Books and Five Classics thoroughly are hypocrites and corrupt officials? !
Is the saint wrong?
No, the saint is not wrong.
Are the Four Books and Five Classics wrong?
No, the Four Books and Five Classics are also correct!
So who is wrong?
The person is wrong!
The county magistrate is wrong, the supervisor is wrong, and all the scholars in the world are wrong!
A gentleman should think twice, but he must think twice.
If you don’t learn enough, you will be incompetent;
If you grow old without teaching, you will die without thinking;
If you have something but don't give it, you have nothing to give.
Therefore, when a gentleman is young and thinks long, he learns; when he is old and thinks of death, he teaches; when he thinks of poverty, he gives.
Confucius was able to be heard all over the world and known to the princes, relying on his "eruditeness", "good thinking", "self-discipline", and "knowledge of new things"... How could he ever deny the miscellany of hundreds of schools of thought?
If you only know the words of the saints but not the actions of the saints, how can you regulate your family, govern your country, and bring peace to the world?
