I'm only seven years old, Lao Zhu, you let me supervise the country?

Chapter 293: Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism is not Confucianism at all?

Fang Xiaoru didn't realize that he had fallen into Zhu Yunzhen's trap.

Entering the battlefield that Zhu Yunzhen had already designated in advance.

He replied as he should: "This is natural. As long as you study the words of saints every day, your morality will naturally improve."

"As the saying goes, 'Preserve the laws of nature and destroy human desires.' Only by knowing what the laws of nature are can we better eliminate human desires and let the people know what can and cannot be done."

"Only the right path can be achieved by understanding the principles of heaven, understanding human relations, speaking the holy words, and understanding things."

Fang Xiaoru even said: "Your Highness has always pursued the use of utensils, but these are just some strange and obscene skills."

"Zhu Zi once said that there is no knowledge in using a utensil, and hoping to gain something in this way is tantamount to cooking sand into rice."

"Only pursuing the principles of heaven is the right path!"

"Today's Ming Dynasty has actually gone astray!"

Fang Xiaoru had long been dissatisfied with what Zhu Yunxian had done, because Zhu Yunxian had always been pursuing the development of science and technology.

But look what Zhu Xi, the master of Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism, said?

Except for the law of heaven, nothing else is of use!

This is also the reason why technology has not developed very much since the Ming and Qing Dynasties, because this is what Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism said!

Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism has always advocated "studying things to gain knowledge" and "poor physics".

But don’t think that this gewu is the gewu that everyone imagines. This physics is also what later generations will call physics.

This so-called physical harmony is actually the core natural principle of Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism!
Checking things, what are they checking?

This is what Fang Xiaoru said about the principles of heaven, understanding of human relations, speaking of holy words, and understanding of accidents!
What is heavenly principle?Courtesy, justice, benevolence, wisdom and trust!

What is human ethics?The king is the guide for the ministers, the father is the guide for the son, and the husband is the guide for the wife!
The king can be unkind, but the minister cannot be unfaithful; the father can be unkind, but the son cannot be unfilial; the husband can be unvirtuous, but the wife cannot be disobedient!

As for preaching the Word and understanding things, it is nothing more than dead reading.

Studying desperately on the words of saints, I finally came up with a lot of vain and unrealistic things.

rather than real physics.

The real laws of nature.

Again, Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism was useful for the rule of the feudal dynasty, and it was very useful.

But for Zhu Yunzhen, it was of no use at all.

The paths between the two are completely different!Nature repels!
Cheng Zhu Neo-Confucianism wanted to fool the people, but Zhu Yunzhen wanted to enlighten the people!
Cheng Zhu's Neo-Confucianism wanted to study things to gain knowledge, but Zhu Yunzhen wanted to develop strange and obscene skills!

Cheng Zhu Neo-Confucianism wanted to preserve the natural principles and eliminate human desires, but Zhu Yunzhen wanted to stimulate the people's desires!
After all, if capitalists had no desire, there would be no one to complete the transfer of idle social resources for Ming Dynasty.

If people had no desire, no one would go out to sea to explore and discover new lands!
If people had no desires, then Ming Dynasty would be a pool of stagnant water!
There is no life!

"Bold!"

Lan Yu was the first to stand up and defend Zhu Yunzhen.

He scolded Fang Xiaoru and said: "Your Highness's contribution to the Ming Dynasty is seen by everyone."

"How can you say anything?"

"What is the evil path and what is the right path, how can you allow you to judge!"

But except for generals.

None of the civil servants had much reaction.

Although they did not agree with Fang Xiaoru's views, they also felt that they made some sense.

In their opinion, His Highness Taisun is a little too pursuing external things.

Instead of studying the laws of nature, let the laws of nature guide the operation of this society.

In the final analysis, the words of heavenly principles are too deeply rooted in people's hearts.

Everyone will believe that the law of heaven is supreme and the law of heaven is the most correct, even if the one who conflicts with it is the crown prince of the Ming Dynasty!
But Zhu Yunzhen was not angry.

Because everything was within his expectations, the original matters in the Imperial College had been transferred to a discussion of ideas.

"Fang Xiaoru, then you think that Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism is the right way."

"And anything different is heretical?"

Fang Xiaoru was stunned for a moment.

I don't understand the meaning of Zhu Yunxuan's words.

But he still replied decisively: "Of course!"

Seeing that Fang Xiaoru had finally fallen into the trap, Zhu Yunzhen couldn't help but twitch a sneer at the corner of his mouth.

He asked again: "Then you, Fang Xiaoru, think that Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism is the only orthodoxy in the world."

"Only Cheng Yi, Cheng Hao and Zhu Xi are right!"

"Even the words of Confucian saints are wrong?"

Fang Xiaoru suddenly froze on the spot.

He didn't even understand Zhu Yunzhen's logic. Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism was originally a lineage of Confucianism, and Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism was originally Confucian?
How can it be that agreeing with Zhu Xi’s words is equivalent to disagreeing with the words of the sage?
Could it be that Zhu Yunzhen is suffering from dementia?
Or is it that Zhu Yunxian, a mere seven or eight-year-old child, simply did not understand the relationship between Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism and Confucianism?
Just talking nonsense here?

"Your Highness, please don't make fun of me."

Fang Xiaoru said mockingly: "One has to learn the knowledge of a saint before he is qualified to judge."

"What conflict does Zhu Xi's words have with those of the sages?"

Many civil servants also looked at Zhu Yunzhen with puzzled faces.

My grandson wants to be smart, but why is he so confused today?
Don’t you even understand the relationship between Confucianism and Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism?
But the next moment, Zhu Yunzhen's words were astonishing, shocking everyone present!
"Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism is also Zen."

Zhu Yunxun first came to a conclusion that Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism was not a Confucian school at all!

Then he said: "Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism did not take the Five Classics, but abandoned the sayings of the saints and engaged in post-Confucianism. This is called ignorance of the roots!"

"Even the roots are lost!"

"I'm afraid that in the hearts of you Neo-Confucianists, Zhu Xi's weight is higher than that of Confucius!"

"Even if there is a conflict between Zhu Xi's words and the saint."

"You Neo-Confucianists can only tamper with the words of saints and respect Zhu Xi's words!" "You are just wearing the skin of Confucianism!"

"There is no Confucian connotation at all!"

"The golden mean promoted by the sage Confucius has never spoken of the principles of heaven!"

"You are just distorting the facts! Just tampering with the words of the saint!"

Zhu Yunxuan directly and fundamentally rejected the rationality of Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism.

It caused the officials below to explode.

Everyone couldn't help but discuss and discuss it.

Indeed, today's Neo-Confucianism has actually lost the spirit of Confucianism. It is not like Confucianism, but more like Buddhism!

It is said to be Confucianism, but in fact it is Zen!
And this is not a prejudice, let alone an injustice, because Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism is indeed not Confucianism, and it has seriously deviated from Confucianism.

More inclined to Confucianism!
This is also a development path of Confucianism, from the initial Confucianism, to the later Confucianism, and finally to the final Confucianism.

And Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism is obviously Confucianism!

Now, Fang Xiaoru was really anxious and said that everything else was fine, but Zhu Yunzhen's words were obviously offensive.

If Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism is excluded from Confucianism.

Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism has naturally lost its rationality!
That is to say, we have truly lost our roots!There is no soil for roots and sprouts!

Fang Xiaoru naturally would not sit back and watch this happen.

He quickly countered: "Nonsense!"

"The mandate of heaven is called nature, the way of self-will is called Tao, and the way of cultivating Tao is called teaching."

"Everything Zhu Zi said has its source! What's the distortion?"

"Your Highness is still young, so you should listen more to the teachings of saints and read more Four Books and Five Classics."

"Stop making such ridiculous remarks!"

Fang Xiaoru was already ready to fight.

Even if he offends Zhu Yunxuan to death, he will still defend Neo-Confucianism!

Zhu Yunzhen is no more than an eight-year-old child, how much knowledge of saints can he understand?

I am afraid that what I said today was not all taught by people with intentions behind my back!
Want to subvert Confucianism, want to subvert Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism!
I want to target these scholar-bureaucrats!
If this is really the case, Fang Xiaoru will not be afraid even to death!We must defend Neo-Confucianism!Let Zhu Yunzhen know that Confucian scholars like them are not vegetarians!

If it makes you anxious, even if Ming Dynasty changes to another prince, it is not impossible!

But he didn't expect that Zhu Yunzhen would actually come to debate with him today.

Zhu Yunzhen wanted to theoretically crush Cheng and Zhu Lixue to death!
This theory is fundamentally untenable!

"Really?"

Zhu Yunxuan asked again: "The Master said: Self-denial and restoration of propriety."

"If you follow what you say in Neo-Confucianism, you can study things and gain knowledge. As long as you understand the principles, you can become a saint."

"Why do you need to return to the ceremony?"

"Except for the laws of heaven, everything is useless. Doesn't that mean that what the saint pursues is also useless?"

Fang Xiaoru suddenly broke out in cold sweat!

Because Zhu Yun really talked about the pain points of Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism!

To put it simply, Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism is actually a kind of Confucianism. It first sets a goal for everyone, which is the so-called heavenly principle.

As long as everyone studies the principles of heaven, they can become saints.

This is the so-called 'inner saint'.

They only focus on self-denial and have no tendency to return to etiquette. They believe that as long as they can restrain themselves and suppress human desires according to natural principles, they can become saints.

This is a misinterpretation of the sage’s words!
But what shocked Fang Xiaoru even more was that Zhu Yunzhen hadn't finished speaking yet.

And every word after that is heartbreaking!
"Confucius said, natures are similar, habits are far apart."

"You should explain, what does this mean?"

"According to your explanation of Neo-Confucianism, nature is supremely good and pure, and human nature inherits nature. This is the reason why people pursue the principles of nature."

"But the sage said that there is no difference in nature."

"There is no good or evil in nature."

"And what you said, 'The destiny is called nature, and the will is called Tao' comes from the Doctrine of the Mean, and it also explains the good and evil of nature."

"If there is no good or evil in nature!"

"Then what qualification does this Tianli have to be so superior?!"

Zhu Yunzhen finally came to his conclusion.

The target is pointed directly at the core of Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism: natural principles!

If this heavenly principle is untenable, then everything else will be untenable!

The root of Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism and Tianli comes from Confucius's definition of benevolence.

But the problem is that Confucius never defined benevolence or human nature at all.

That's why Zhu Yunxu said that Er Cheng and Zhu Xi were just using Confucianism to explain their own ideas.

It's just that Er Cheng is even more outrageous than Dong Zhongshu.

Ercheng absorbed the content of Buddhism and is very similar to Buddhism and Taoism in content. This so-called natural principle is similar to "Tao" and "Ruru" in Buddhism.

All dharmas are truly one and supreme.

The same is true for Zhu Xi, who quoted the Buddhist theory that "all water appears in one month, and all water is captured in one month".

To illustrate the theory that heaven divides all things and all things return to heaven.

So this Cheng Zhu Neo-Confucianism really has nothing to do with Confucius!

(End of this chapter)