Guide to traveling through the Northern Song Dynasty

"stop!"

Min Zishun wanted to chase Chen Yuan, but after taking a few steps, he heard his uncle shouting to stop.

Min Wenwei asked: "Where are you going?"

Min Zishun turned around and bowed: "Uncle, my nephew wants to ask for some advice."

"His knowledge is a direct descendant of the Second Cheng Dynasty, so it is naturally excellent, but it is too biased to the sidelines," Min Wenwei warned. "It won't be too late to learn from him after you pass the imperial examination."

Min Wenwei has been in charge of the academy for more than 20 years and has not produced even a single Jinshi. No one complained about this situation.

Because in the entire Hanzhong area, there were only 22 Jinshi in the two Song Dynasties for more than 300 years, and evenly divided, one would be born every fifteen years. This is just an average. Even if there is no Jinshi in thirty years, it is very normal.

It's not like Jiangdong and Jiangxi, where there are a lot of people in one exam!

There was no north-south ranking system in the Song Dynasty, and the distribution of Jinshi was extremely uneven. They mainly came from Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Guangdong, Sichuan, Fujian, Kaifeng, Guanzhong, and Hunan. Even these areas are relatively concentrated. For example, in Sichuan, most Jinshi scholars come from Chengdu Fulu, and in Guangdong, most Jinshi scholars come from Guangzhou and its surrounding areas.

In the Hanzhong area, one Jinshi will be awarded an average of fifteen years, which is already very good. Yangzhou Academy is definitely considered a high-end institution.

Min Zishun once again raised his hands and saluted: "Uncle, my nephew knew about sincerity and benevolence before, but it is not as clear as it is today. Mr. Chen is a true Confucian. If my nephew wants to study with him, he must make it happen."

Min Wenwei said: "You are the darling of my family. You are the one who has the best chance of becoming a Jinshi in the past twenty years."

Min Zishun said: "You don't have to be an official, but you have to seek true knowledge."

Min Wenwei said: "This Mr. Chen was the first to solve formulas at the age of eighteen. In the next twenty or thirty years, he did not even take the imperial examination and only immersed himself in learning. Do you also want to be like him?"

"My heart is longing for it." Min Zishun lowered his head. Although he did not dare to look at his uncle, he had already made up his mind.

Min Wenwei knew his nephew very well and knew that once he made up his mind, even nine cows would not be able to pull him back. After being silent for a while, he said helplessly: "For six years, I will only study with him for six years. After six years, I must come back for the imperial examination!"

"Nephew, I obey!"

Min Zishun was so happy that he said goodbye to his uncle immediately and ran in the direction Chen Yuan left.

Ling Guxu sat next to Bai Chongyan and whispered: "How about we go too? I think Mr. Chen's words are very reasonable."

Bai Chongyan said with a guilty conscience: "First pretend to move the stool back, and then go to find Mr. Chen halfway. Don't let the mountain leader find out, otherwise we will definitely be scolded."

Li Hanzhang smiled and said: "I have heard what Mr. Chen said before, but I didn't explain it as clearly as he did. It seems more like it came from Mr. Mingdao (Cheng Hao)."

Er Cheng is a key figure in Neo-Confucianism, but their emphasis is also different.

Cheng Yi is biased, Cheng Hao is biased.

The Luo School disciples at this time were basically both psychological practitioners, but they also had their own preferences. For example, masters and disciples Yang Shi and Chen Yuan were more inclined to Cheng Hao and closer to Xinxue. Zhu Xi, the fourth and fifth generation descendant of Yang Shi, moved closer to Cheng Yi's Neo-Confucianism.

Anyway, it was in the Southern Song Dynasty that psychology and Neo-Confucianism were separated.

Yang Shi and Chen Yuan's principles of benevolence and benevolence are similar to Wang Yangming's principles of seeking conscience. Their focus on practice is similar to Wang Yangming's integration of knowledge and action. Everyone can be a saint, which is also the slogan of Xin Xue Wang Gen. The Lu Wang Xinxue has a very clear inheritance relationship with the Luo Xue thoughts of the Song Dynasty.

In his later years, Wang Yangming tried to unify psychology and Neo-Confucianism. If he succeeded, the result would be an advanced version of Luo Xue...

Seeing that his nephew had run away, Min Wenwei scolded the teachers and students: "What are you doing standing still? Go back to the school and study!"

More than two hundred teachers and students, dilly-dallying, moved the benches and dispersed.

Min Wenwei also angrily returned to his office, but he didn't know that after he left, some students suddenly turned around and chased Chen Yuan. There was even an academy teacher who followed him while avoiding the mountain chief.

Min Zishun ran for a while, but could not see Chen Yuan's shadow. He started to look for him in a daze, and suddenly saw two people standing under the old locust tree.

He rushed over excitedly and heard a conversation.

Chen Yuan said: "Before there was heaven and earth, Tai Chi was a chaotic thing. Tai Chi was divided into yin and yang, and one yin and one yang are called Tao. The metaphysical is principle, and the metaphysical is qi. The principles are different and do not distinguish the sequence. Life is between heaven and earth. , possessing the spirit of twenty-five. Those who gain clarity are wise, those who gain turbidity are fools, and those who are neutral become sages. To seek knowledge and seek truth is to seek a balance. If you understand kindness and seek benevolence, even a fool can become a sage."

Ju Ming did not try to subvert the ancient worldview, because this was the public perception of the Song Dynasty, and no matter which school of thought recognized this statement.

Are we still talking about the Big Bang?

Even if you pull it out, you can still say that before the big bang, the chaotic universe was Tai Chi. The differentiation of yin and yang resulted in the Big Bang of the universe, and the Qi of the five elements are the various elements of the universe, and the principles are the various laws of the operation of the universe.

Zhu Ming said: "The younger generation is majoring in "Zhouyi", and there is a legend in the book: one yin and one yang are called Tao... A benevolent person sees it and calls it benevolence; a knowledgeable person sees it and calls it knowledge. The common people use it every day but don't know it, so a gentleman's The Tao is fresh. Show all your benevolence, hide all your usefulness, encourage all things without sharing the same worries as the saints, and you will achieve great virtues and great deeds!"

"Of course!" Chen Yuan clapped his hands and praised.

When establishing a school of thought, you cannot just talk nonsense, it must be consistent with the articles of saints and sages, otherwise it will be difficult to convince the public.

"The Book of Changes·Xici Zhuan" makes it very clear that the benevolent sees benevolence and the wise see wisdom in the way of heaven and earth. People use it every day but don't know the truth, so the gentleman's way cannot be manifested. The truth revealed is benevolence, the truth hidden is the daily use of the people. If all things can be in their proper place, the great cause of virtue will be successful.

This is the basis for the founding of Zhu Ming and Chen Yuan.

That is to say, let the common people know that there are great ways in their daily lives and let them understand these truths. Then all the people in the world will be gentlemen, the path of sainthood will be manifested, and great virtues will be achieved.

Ju Ming continued: "Show benevolence and hide all uses. You can use it to seek benevolence, or you can use it in a benevolent way!"

Chen Yuan exclaimed: "How good that you are! Your Majesty is truly a great Confucian!"

Zhu Ming is bringing in private goods again, and he wants to create a "practical learning" school.

Principles are hidden for daily use, and people can become benevolent gentlemen if they understand them. What do so many gentlemen do with it? Of course, it is to turn benevolence into usefulness, that is, a gentleman uses the principles he has mastered to transform them into common people's daily needs.

Turning benevolence into practical use can be at the moral level, teaching people to understand etiquette and abide by the law, respect the elderly and love the young. It can also be inventions, creations, and water conservancy projects. With the "Book of Changes" as the endorsement, miscellaneous studies in the future will also be the main path, not some side path.

"The common people's daily use is the Tao", this is the theory of knowledge.

"Pursue benevolence through application", this is the methodology.

"Transforming benevolence into utility" is the theory of practice.

Ju Ming continued: "My father admired agriculture. Isn't agriculture the most important thing for people's daily use? My father often said that farming also contains the avenue of heaven and earth. For example, flowers are divided into female flowers and male flowers. Is this not the way of yin and yang? Female flowers and male flowers mate to produce food. Fruits, this is also the way of the harmony of yin and yang. We know this principle from farming, this is 'utility seeking benevolence'. How to 'turn benevolence into use'? That is artificial pollination. When the weather is bad, bees and butterflies Not long ago, human matchmakers were used to facilitate the mating of male and female flowers. In this way, the food harvest could be increased and benevolence could be put to use."

Chen Yuan asked in surprise: "Flowers are also divided into male and female?"

Zhu Ming followed his father's example, bent down to pick up pebbles, and drew pictures on the ground to explain.

Chen Yuan praised: "The Book of Changes is true. It really says 'show all benevolence and hide all uses'. This farming method implies yin and yang. Hidden, it is used by the people for daily use without knowing it. We are destined for this generation." Use benevolence and understand the truth from these daily uses. After knowing the yin and yang of agriculture, you can then 'turn benevolence into use' and let the people grow more food!"

Ju Ming added: "Sir, you admire shipbuilding. This shipbuilding also has a great path."

"What's the right path?" Chen Yuan asked.

Ju Ming asked: "Sir, do you know why the boat can float on the water?"

Chen Yuan said: "The heavy ones are at the bottom, and the light ones are at the top. Wood is lighter than water, so it can float on the water."

"No," Zhu Ming shook his head and said, "Take a huge stone and carve it into a boat. As long as the stone boat is big enough, it can float on the water."

Chen Yuan laughed and said: "This is a joke. The stone boat is heavy, how can it float?"

"Stone boats are difficult to cut, so can we use copper boats instead?" Zhu Ming asked.

Chen Yuan said: "Yes, copper is heavier than stone."

Zhu Ming asked again: "Does sir have a copper basin at home?"

"Yes..." Chen Yuan suddenly woke up, "The copper plate is the copper boat, which can float on the water! How does this make sense?"

Zhu Ming smiled and said: "This is what people use every day without knowing it. Things are captured in water, which contains great roads. Ships can be built with this great road to travel across the rivers and seas for the benefit of the world. But the people of the world only know its use. But they ignore the way.”

Chen Yuan lowered his head and thought hard. He was already convinced that things floating in water did imply a great way, but how could he understand the truth behind it?

Ju Ming said: "This is about studying things to gain knowledge!"

Chen Yuan hurriedly asked: "How to check it?"

Ju Ming asked: "What's the difference between a copper ingot sinking at the bottom of the water and a copper basin floating on the water's surface?"

Chen Yuan replied: "The shape of copper is different."

"Of course," Ju Ming said, "can we conclude that the same thing with the same weight floats more when its shape is spread out?"

Chen Yuan clapped his hands and praised: "It makes sense."

Ju Ming asked again: "Then how far should it be unfolded so that it can just float on the water?"

Chen Yuan was stunned, yes, how much can an object expand to float?

Ju Ming said: "This requires arithmetic."

"Arithmetic?" Chen Yuan asked, "Can you calculate it accurately?"

Ju Ming asked: "Sir, have you ever heard of Cao Chong calling the elephant?"

"Of course I've heard of it," Chen Yuan said.

Ju Ming said: "Cao Chong called the elephant, replaced it with a stone, and carved water as a mark. When the ship sank to the same depth, the weight of the stone and the elephant would be the same. Can it be concluded that the ability of an object to float on water is not only related to its unfolded size, but also Is it also related to its own weight?”

"Of course." Chen Yuan nodded.

Ju Ming said: "You can pour a few liters of water into a large bucket, put in copper ingots, calculate how much the water has risen, and calculate the size of the copper ingots. You can also use copper ingots and water of the same size to calculate their respective weights... …The size and weight of things are also the principles of things. By calculating and summarizing the relationships, you can figure out the way things float on water. This is also the study of things to gain knowledge."

When Zhu Ming explained the buoyancy problem to Chen Yuan, more than ten people were already standing next to him.

One teacher and twelve students were a little confused at the moment.

Aren't we going to discuss the great ways of the world? Why are we bringing up these things?