Ming Dynasty man

Chapter 631 Dragon

After pondering for a while, Li Jing continued: "You can't say that, the correct way to say it should be that academic or scientific things should not be connected with politics, and religion should not interfere with scientific things."

Sighing slightly, Li Jing continued: "If science is connected with politics and religion, it will affect the progress of science, just like the heliocentric theory proposed by Copernicus. Even if this view is wrong, the Holy See should not persecute and support it. scientists of this theory.

Don't worry, Mr. Descartes, I will promulgate clear laws to ensure this.In Daming, there will never be any persecution due to academic disputes. "

After thinking for a while, Li Jing said again: "Mr. Descartes, can you introduce to me what subjects are offered in those universities? I think we, Daming, can learn from it."

"You mean to separate subjects that are connected with politics from those that study science?" asked Descartes.

Li Jingjing nodded: "Yes, that's what it means. After all, our officials will eventually come out of the school. In fact, almost all the schools in our Ming Dynasty train talents in this field, because those who want to be officials still account for the majority. Most of them, so I'm going to divide the schools that teach academic knowledge, and all students who are interested in studying science will be sent to such schools."

Descartes pondered: "I'm afraid this is a little difficult. You must know that people who study science generally have no income. Only after they have achieved certain academic achievements will they be hired as professors by universities. If the family does not have considerable financial resources during the study period, I am afraid that they will not be able to do so." To be honest, in our country, most of the people who can conduct scientific research are nobles, and their families have certain financial resources. In addition, our Holy See also supports these people to carry out scientific research."

Li Jing smiled: "It seems that the Holy See is not worthless, and this is a good thing. It doesn't matter. In Daming, I asked the state to support these schools. No matter how many people there are, the state will pay to train them."

"Hehe, don't know if we can also enjoy this kind of treatment?" Descartes smiled.

Li Jing smiled and said: "No problem, not only you can enjoy this treatment, but also people from your country, as long as people from your country are willing to come to our Daming for academic research, I will support as many people as you come."

Descartes sighed softly: "Master Prime Minister, your country is currently suffering from locust plagues and is still fighting externally. At this time, you can still contribute money to support science education. You are really an amazing person. There has never been a leader of any country like you. It attaches great importance to cultivating scientific talents.”

Li Jing said with a smile: "Hehe, actually, I'm gritting my teeth, but even if it's a waste of money, we have to set up a scientific research school."

Waving his hand, Li Jing pointed to Kong Zhenyun who was coming towards him and said, "Master Kong, come, let me introduce you."

Immediately, under the translation of Ai Julius, he introduced the Guozijian and Descartes and others one by one.

After exchanging pleasantries, Li Jing took everyone to visit the Imperial College, and then brought them to the Academy of Sciences.

The subjects assigned by the Daming Academy of Sciences are relatively detailed, with a total of more than ten subjects. After hearing the introduction from the Academy of Sciences, Descartes and the others couldn't help being surprised. Everyone never expected that the Academy of Sciences of the Ming Dynasty would divide the subjects so finely.

However, seeing the subjects researched by the Academy of Sciences, everyone knew that what Li Jing just said was not modest. The Academy of Sciences of the Ming Dynasty was indeed still in its infancy. Many Western countries had already achieved results, and Daming had only just begun to get involved.Especially in the fields of mathematics, physics, and astronomy, Daming is far from Western countries.

Many of these people are professors in their own universities. Seeing that Ming scholars are still discussing topics that have already been concluded, they can't help but give advice immediately. Descartes and others even asked people to take out the books they brought over. Under the translation of Ai Julius, Tang Ruowang and others, he explained to everyone.

After a long time, everyone remembered that Li Jing was still standing beside him.

"I'm really sorry, I actually forgot that the Prime Minister is still here." Descartes and others said embarrassedly.

Li Jing smiled and waved his hands: "You are the real learners. It is the duty of a teacher to preach and dispel doubts."

After speaking, Li Jing turned his head and said to a group of Ming students: "These foreign friends are all masters of science, I hope you can seriously study with these gentlemen, and in order to better understand what the gentlemen said, I suggest that you study hard. Learn their language, only by learning their language can you better understand the meaning of the gentlemen, after all, translators are not professionals, and due to limited knowledge, the meaning may not be very accurate.”

"Yes!" the crowd responded.

At this moment, there was a chi-chi sound in the distance. Everyone followed the sound and looked out, only to see a house in the distance emitting white gas.

Everyone couldn't help being surprised when they saw it. It is summer, how could there be such a thick white air?
"What's that?" Descartes asked.

Hearing Descartes' question, everyone looked at Li Jing in unison.

Everyone knows that the house in the distance is a steam engine laboratory, and the steam engine research is listed as the top secret of the Ming Dynasty by Li Jing. Now that these foreigners ask, it is naturally difficult for everyone to answer.

Seeing everyone looking at him, Li Jing smiled, pointed to the house in the distance and said to Descartes, "Someone is doing experiments there."

"What experiment? Can we take a look?" Descartes wondered.

Li Jing smiled and said: "It's very dangerous. There have been many explosions and many people have been injured. You should not go there."

"Will there be an explosion? Then you have to go and see." Descartes continued.

Li Jing shook his head: "There are so many of us, and the house can't accommodate it. How about it, if Mr. Descartes is interested, I'll ask someone to take you to see it some other day."

Descartes groaned slightly upon hearing the words, and nodded slightly.

Descartes is not a fool to become a great scientist. Li Jing attaches so much importance to the Academy of Sciences, how could he arrange dangerous experiments around the Academy of Sciences?

In addition, when I asked, everyone looked at Li Jing, indicating that everyone knew what was going on there but did not dare to talk nonsense. Obviously, the experiments in that room were very important.

An experiment that can silence everyone is naturally not allowed to be visited.What I asked just now was undoubtedly very abrupt, but Li Jing's answer in this way was to give himself enough face.

Looking at the sky, Li Jing smiled and said, "It's almost time for dinner. Today I invite everyone to dinner, Xiao Jiu, and send someone to Xianghe Tower to inform the master to arrange a banquet."

"Yes!" Xiao Jiu replied.

Then, Li Jing turned his head to Kong Zhenyun and said, "You let people clean up some rooms and come out. These gentlemen will live in the Imperial College from now on."

After a pause, Li Jing said again: "Master Kong, Mr. Chang Geng (Song Yingxing) has been studying locust disaster control in Henan during this period, and Mr. Fang is now focusing on military factories. Please help receive these foreigners first. These people They are all rare talents, tell the people below, we must entertain them with heart, and strive to let them stay in Daming forever."

"Don't worry, Marshal, I understand." Kong Zhenyun said hurriedly.

After finishing speaking, Kong Zhenyun ordered the officials in charge of administrative affairs of the Imperial College to arrange the residence of Descartes and others.

After Kong Zhenyun finished explaining, Li Jing smiled and waved to everyone, "Let's go, I'll treat you to dinner."

After saying that, he led the crowd straight to the Xianghe Tower.

Needless to say, this meal was a feast for the guests and the host. The fly in the ointment was that Descartes and others did not know how to use chopsticks, so they were inevitably in a hurry when eating.

After the banquet, Li Jing ordered people to bring tea, and then said to Descartes and others: "Gentlemen, you may not be used to coming to Daming for the first time, and you need to adapt for a while. If you are interested, you can take a look around. Take a look at the customs of our Daming, and I will arrange someone to guide you."

"Thank you, Your Excellency Prime Minister." Descartes and others hurriedly said.

Li Jing waved his hands with a smile, and said to Tang Ruowang and Ai Julius, "I will work hard for you during this time, and stay with you gentlemen, otherwise, we will not be able to communicate."

"My lord, don't worry." Tang Ruowang and Ai Julius said hurriedly.

Li Jing turned around and waved to Xiao Jiu, who hurriedly took out a stack of paper money and sent it over.

"When you come to Daming, I don't know what you like. The money is a token of appreciation. If you see something you like, you can buy it yourself." Li Jing said with a smile.

Descartes and others hurriedly said: "How can we ask for money from the Prime Minister? Besides, we are not short of money."

Li Jing shook his head and said with a smile: "The currency used by our Ming Dynasty is different from the currency used by you. The people of Ming Dynasty don't recognize the currency you use! These banknotes are in the denomination of ten taels of silver, 100 taels per person."

After speaking, Li Jing waved to Xiao Jiu, and Xiao Jiu took the banknotes and distributed ten bills to each of Descartes and the others.

Descartes and others took it, and saw that the banknotes were printed extremely beautifully, with a long city wall on the front, and a row of soldiers standing on the wall, looking up at the front, and behind the soldiers was a mountain and river.

On the back is a golden dragon, with its body stretching down, its five claws outstretched, its head slightly lowered, its eyes look forward and look down on the mountains and rivers below.

Descartes and others looked at the golden dragon on the banknote and asked, "My lord, what kind of animal is this?"

Li Jing smiled and said: "This is a dragon, a symbol of our Chinese nation."

After listening to Tang Ruowang's translation, Descartes and others couldn't help being startled. Descartes thought for a while and said to Li Jing: "My lord, dragons are evil in our country. How can you regard such evil as a national treasure?" symbol?"

Li Jingwen said with a smile: "Mr. Descartes, the image of the dragon in your country is different from the dragon in our east, and of course the meaning is different. You think dragons are evil things, but we think dragons are auspicious beasts.

Therefore, according to old legends, dragons can be big or small, can fly and walk, can overturn rivers and seas, can swallow wind and spit fog, and can create clouds and spread rain.It is the rain god of our Chinese nation, in charge of the responsibility of the common people.

"Shuowen Jiezi" explains the dragon as follows: the dragon, the length of the lin insect, can be quiet and bright, can be big or thin, can be long or short, ascend to the sky at the vernal equinox, and dive into the abyss at the autumnal equinox.

What does that mean?That is to say, when spring comes, the dragon will start to rain to moisten all things, and after the autumn harvest, the dragon will dive into the abyss to recuperate.

Therefore, in the eyes of our Chinese nation, the dragon is not only an auspicious beast, but also a god, so our Chinese nation believes that we are the descendants of the dragon, and the emperors of all dynasties also compare themselves to the real dragon emperor. "

(End of this chapter)