Is there something wrong with Confucian morality?
The corners of Sima Guang's mouth began to twitch crazily.
You overgeneralize and say that there is a problem with keeping wealth among the people, that's all. You also say that there is a problem with Confucian morality.
Seeing that Sima Guang was frantically building up his anger, Zhang Fei immediately panicked and said quickly: "Grand Bachelor Sima, let's sit down and talk slowly first? If others see this, it will cause misunderstanding."
Sima Guang took a deep breath and said, "Zhang San, if you don't understand this truth today, this matter will never be over."
"Yes Yes Yes!"
Zhang Fei is really only arrogant.
Being caught between Wang Anshi and Sima Guang is really life-threatening.
It would definitely be much easier if there was Cai Jing or a great female minister like Qin Hui.
After all, these female officials are all about interests and power, and their personal ethics are not very good, so everyone can have something to talk about.
Wang Anshi and Sima Guang both talk about political ideas and even values to you. The key is that their personal ethics are very perfect, except that Wang Anshi doesn't like bathing very much.
When talking to this kind of person, first of all, you don’t have enough confidence.
But Zhang Fei had to face that the two of them had completely opposite political philosophies, and it was definitely a technical job to be able to play both sides.
After Sima Guang sat down, Zhang Fei poured a cup of hot tea.
Sima Guang waved his hand and said, "Please explain the truth clearly first."
Zhang Fei could only put the tea on the table, and then he also sat down and said: "Sima's great scholar's frivolous corvee and low endowment to hide wealth among the people is completely based on Confucian ethics."
Sima Guang frowned and asked, "Is this wrong?"
"Of course not." Zhang Fei shook his head.
"Um?"
Sima Guang began to accumulate anger again.
Zhang Fei said: "These eight words spoken by Grand Scholar Sima are not to educate others, but to define the philosophy of governing the country. At the same time, these eight words are based on Confucian morality. In other words, they are to base a country on morality. Come on. Is this right?"
"Isn't that right?" Sima Guang's eyes nearly popped out.
"certainly...."
Zhang Fei decided to say tactfully: "Does Master Sima know the story of Song Xianggong?"
Sima Guang immediately said: "I know what you want to say, but do you know that the number of casualties in the Warring States Period was many times that of the Spring and Autumn Period?"
Zhang Fei remained silent.
Sima Guang asked again: "Do you know what is the difference between the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period? Even in the Spring and Autumn Period, both warring parties still respected etiquette and morality. However, in the Warring States Period, morals declined, etiquette collapsed, and music collapsed. A war could easily occur. More than 100,000 lives. The cost of losing a war in the Spring and Autumn Period was far lower than the cost of winning a war in the Warring States Period.
Do you know what kind of life the people lived in the previous era of feudal rule? Also, without Confucian ethics, why would you stand in court?
If you only talk about the law, whether it is Xu Zhongtu or Lu Huishu, they have the right to prevent you from going to court to argue. It is precisely because they are deeply educated in Confucianism that they allow you to go to court to argue. "
Zhang Fei was sweating profusely after this harsh lesson, and he almost wanted to slap himself in the face. I must have lost my mind! Even telling this old man historical allusions, I really still...!
This is definitely a major mistake. You can tell him examples, but never tell Sima Guang historical allusions.
Seeing that he was silent, Sima Guang felt a little disappointed and said, "What? You have nothing to say?"
Zhang Fei nodded and said, "What Grand Bachelor Sima taught me is that I was wrong."
These words really left him speechless.
Especially the last sentence. The fact that he was able to fight in court before was really not allowed by the law. It was all given by Confucianism.
If he wanted to completely respect the law, according to the existing laws, Xu Zun had a hundred ways to treat him.
The same goes for Lu Gong’s work.
Why give him a chance? Isn't it because they are both fair and honest?
Selflessness is given by Confucianism.
That's it?
Sima Guang was stunned. This is just the beginning. Don't give in. It's so boring.
My aura has been opened up, I can’t hold it back!
Zhang Fei suddenly admitted his mistake, and Sima Guang was a little at a loss. His old rival Wang Anshi never gave up and could fight with him until the sky was dark.
Very boring!
Sima Guangqi couldn't get angry anymore and said very depressedly: "Please tell me your opinion first."
"I will not say anymore."
Zhang Fei shook his head, "I told you and you taught me a lesson."
Sima Guang clicked his tongue: "Aren't you very good at arguing in court?"
Zhang Fei said: "In court, we are talking about the law, and talking about morality is not what I am good at."
Sima Guang was angry and said, "Don't you know how to refute my virtue?"
Zhang Fei was very aggrieved and said: "I was planning to use the law to refute your morality. But the problem is... I can't deny that without Confucian ethics, I really wouldn't be able to argue in court."
Sima Guang was extremely depressed. This was like having enough foreplay, and just after entering a round, the red light suddenly turned on...!
Deadly.
Sima Guang waved his hand and said, "Just pretend that I never said this."
"Huh? Can it still be like this?
"you...."
Sima Guang took a deep breath and said, "Just tell me what you think about hiding wealth among the people."
Zhang Fei shook his head like a rattle, "Don't tell me. If you tell me, you will teach me a lesson."
Sima Guang said angrily: "I will listen to your opinion. If there is a truth, if three people are walking together, there must be my teacher. I, Sima Guang, am not that stubborn."
Not you yet? Zhang Fei rolled his eyes and said, "If I tell you, you can't scold me."
"Don't scold."
Sima Guang said: "I never curse others."
"You're not allowed to lecture me either."
"No lessons."
Sima Guang added: "You are wrong, I have to correct you, right?"
Zhang Fei said arrogantly: "Then you have to wait until I finish speaking before correcting me?"
Sima Guang said angrily and humorously: "I just realized today that discussing issues with you is so laborious."
Zhang Fei defended: "Sima Dajun, you are well-read and knowledgeable. I have read a copy of "Song Xingtong". Of course... it is very difficult!"
At this moment, Sima Guang missed Wang Anshi very much and said: "Okay, okay, you say it. I will correct you after you finish speaking."
"a man of his words."
"explain!"
"Why!"
Zhang Fei nodded, and then said: "The purpose of the great scholar Sima to hide wealth among the people is to concentrate wealth in the hands of those who are deeply educated in Confucianism, moral and responsible. But the problem is that morality cannot be established Create a country..."
"who......."
"Wait until I finish."
Zhang Fei said immediately.
Sima Guang put down his hand, "Then speak quickly."
"yes."
Zhang Fei nodded and said: "There is no rule without rules. The country must be based on laws. Although the legislative idea is born out of morality, since it has been separated, it is clear. And Sima University Bachelor said before that I To overgeneralize is to overgeneralize oneself."
"you...!"
"I'm not finished yet."
"......you say."
Zhang Fei added: "As far as the law is concerned, what is there is what is there, and what is not is what is not. You cannot use black sheep or generalizations as reasons.
Just now, Grand Scholar Sima mentioned that the landlords are not living well, and the common people are living even more miserably. That is what it is. But why is this happening? The main reason is not that the court is immoral, but that the court does not abide by the law.
It can be seen that frivolous corvee and low wealth must be based on the law.
, and cannot be said to be based on morality. Because morality is about personal self-restraint, while law is about public power restricting individuals.
It is impossible for Sima University to concentrate all wealth in the hands of virtuous people. If there is one Wei Yushan, there will definitely be a second one. This is purely gambling. Personal interests can be gambled, but national interests must not be done. I just quoted the story of Song Xianggong to illustrate this point. National construction must be structured. "
Sima Guang asked: "Have you finished speaking?"
Zhang Fei said: "It's almost the same. I just want to say that the law has given those people special privileges, and if they break the law, it is too much and they should be severely punished."
Sima Guang nodded and said, "You just said that morality is a personal restriction and the law is a public restriction."
Zhang Fei nodded.
Sima Guang asked again: "Then let me ask you, do people follow the law, or does the law follow people?"
Zhang Fei fell silent.
Sima Guang said: "If you don't restrain individuals, who can teach the law? Those people evade taxes. I know better than you. I also want them to pay taxes. But if you use the law to restrain them, I tell you, they are not human beings." It’s gone, but the law is gone.
Wang Jiefu's reform is bound to fail.
If you want to govern the country, you can only stop this phenomenon by paying attention to Confucian education and cultivating a group of gentleman ministers like Fan Gong and Bao Gong. This shows that virtue is more important than law. "
Rule of men or rule of law?
People rule.
Are people more important, or is the law more important?
It's definitely people that matter.
Today's Dharma is like a piece of plasticine, and its shape depends on who shapes it.
Met Xu Zun.
take off!
Met Wang Hong.
Done!
It's that simple.
As expected of the man who wrote Zizhi Tongjian, he saw it thoroughly! At this point, he is indeed better than Wang Anshi. Zhang Fei rolled his eyes and nodded: "Yes, yes, yes! What Grand Bachelor Sima taught me is, alas... I have suffered the loss of not studying!"
Sima Guang smiled and asked, "How do you say this?"
Zhang Fei said: "I haven't read any other books except Song Xingtong, so I always have the illusion that this law lies in people. As a result, I can't understand many things. I don't pay taxes." If you break the law, you will be punished. It is such a simple thing, why can’t you do it? That’s it.”
Sima Guang joked: "This is why you always get into trouble."
"If you think about it, it really is."
Zhang Fei nodded repeatedly and said: "Sima's bachelor is worthy of being a Hanlin bachelor. This explanation made Zhang Fei suddenly enlightened. If all the ministers in the court were like Fan Gong, then from the monarch to the common people, everyone would If you don’t dare to do anything that violates morality, the world will be at peace.”
Sima Guang stroked his beard and said with a smile, "You can teach me."
That's it.
If all the officials were Fan Zhongyan, there would be no need for reform and the world would be at peace.
From this, we can also deduce what their theoretical basis is for hiding wealth among the people. If the wealth is concentrated in the hands of gentlemen like Fan Zhongyan, there will be absolutely no problem, and the country will definitely have long-term peace and stability.
Based on this, the people definitely do not refer to ordinary people, but to those gentry and landlords. Because ordinary people have not read books and do not understand loyalty, filial piety, etiquette, justice and shame, how can they become Fan Zhongyan.
"That's wrong!"
Zhang Fei suddenly seemed to think of something again.
Sima Guang asked: "What's wrong?"
Zhang Fei scratched his head and said, "I just said that the problem is that people are in the law, so it is still a problem with the law. So shouldn't the solution be to turn it into a law in people?"
Sima Guang's expression suddenly changed.
Zhang Fei didn't notice, scratched his head, and said to himself: "If we train a group of ministers like Duke Fan, and everyone abide by morality, then no one from the monarch to the common people will dare to violate morality easily. .
But... this is more difficult to observe morality than to respect law.
If it's too much and you don't pay back the money you owe, it's not necessarily illegal, but it's definitely against morality. If all the ministers in the DPRK and China respect the law, can we say... "
Having said this, he secretly glanced at Sima Guang.
I saw Sima Guang staring at him expressionlessly. When he glanced over, he immediately said: "You should go on talking!"
Zhang Fei said hey, "I don't know much about reading, so I hope that Grand Master Sima can help me answer my questions?"
"Okay! You win this time."
Sima Guang stood up, patted his butt, walked slowly outside, and sighed: "Wise words are as simple as the path, and the road is as simple as possible."
