A little confused!

Zhang Wenguan, Liu Xiangdao, and Hao Chujun were all confused by the great masters.

Cultivating oneself, managing the family, governing the country and pacifying the world is a consistent proposition of Confucian scholars, and it has become the catchphrase of Confucian scholars. There is no doubt that Taoist thought cannot have such strict planning, and everything is progressing step by step, and distinguishing it from level to level. Doesn’t Wu Meiniang’s words mean that the use of Taoist thought and Legalism to promote Confucian propositions?

But the problem is that self-cultivation and family management are just personal matters, governing the country and pacifying the world is the world. If there is no future governance of the country and pacifying the world, then the Confucian scholars would never agree with this sentence. If I cannot be an official or get rid of poverty, do I still need to care about morality? Can that be said that we Confucians do small things, and the big things are done by Taoism and Legalists.

Wu Meiniang’s proposal cannot tell whether it is necessary to respect Confucianism and suppress Taoism or to respect Taoism.

But the younger generations of Cui Jieren and others were in deep thought.

Wu Meiniang glanced at Han Yi slightly, and saw that this guy was neither confused nor thoughtful, but was about to fall asleep. If it were before, she would have asked on his own initiative, but now she didn't need to ask because she already knew Han Yi's intention.

After a while, Zhang Wenguan looked confused and said, "Please forgive the old minister for being stupid and don't understand what the queen said?"

"In ancient times, those who wanted to make clear virtues of the world should first govern the country; those who wanted to dominate the country should first govern the country."

Wu Meiniang first said the original words and then said, "I agree with this sentence very much. Using those who are not good at governing the country will definitely lead to chaos in the world. It can be seen that in Confucianism, personal morality is the basis for entering the officialdom. No matter how knowledgeable a person is, he cannot be allowed to enter the officialdom."

Zhang Wenguan and the others nodded one after another, that’s what it means!

Wu Meiniang changed the subject and said, "But after a person with noble virtues, after entering the officialdom, will he continue to use the method of self-cultivation and family management to govern the country and pacify the world? I don't think so. Practicing oneself and managing the family is one thing, and governing the country and pacifying the world is another thing. It cannot be completely confused and governing the country with the art of managing the family is not possible. Similarly, Confucianism has always advocated benevolence to govern the world with benevolence, but what is "benevolence"? Inaction is also "benevolence". If you truly care for the people, you should give the people more free development, use their own talents, and create their own wealth, and thus self-self in advance. Isn't this benevolent government?

Confucianism advocates the stability of the world with virtue, and that law is "virtue". If everyone abides by laws and does not do anything to harm others, isn't this what the saints expect? Self-cultivation is personal virtue. Of course, if everyone is morally noble, then the world will naturally be peaceful. But if everyone in the world can be made noble in virtue, why should the saints distinguish people into three or six levels? It can be seen that virtue is the basis, not the way to pacify the world, but the Legalist thought is the way to pacify the world, and the formation of the law comes from virtue. The two are inherited in the same lineage, but only used in different places.

Now our dynasty is engaged in business, and people are in contact with each other, so there will naturally be more conflicts and disputes. It is difficult to achieve purely moral education and peace in the world. Only the legal system can make the court peaceful when facing many disputes."

After explaining these words, everyone understood that, as Wu Meiniang said just now, the three schools of thoughts were integrated into one to form a new idea, rather than admiring what was suppressing what was.

More importantly, this is not a pure ideological dispute, but an adjustment based on the current environment. Confucianism must be divided into three levels and has a very strict hierarchy. This is obviously not applicable to the current environment, because mercantilism requires equality. Should common people and nobles do business mainly based on high and low status or contract.

Zhang Wenguan and others were not pedantic Confucians, they were still very open-minded, so they thought Wu Meiniang’s words were very reasonable, not to provoke trouble. She did not belittle any ideas, but just let the three ideas perform their own duties and hit the nail on the head. Confucianism advocates moral governance, but it is obviously not possible. The legal system has always existed throughout the dynasties, but it is just packaged with Confucianism, which is the so-called Confucianism outside and law inside. Wu Meiniang’s suggestion is still continuing this proposition.

Moreover, the Confucianism set cannot be used for the people in the northwest. People are herdsmen and want to wander around. Farmers are mourning at home, and the land is right next to them. Of course, let the herdsmen keep mourning at home for three years, which is to force people to die!

Liu Xiangdao said: "I highly agree with the queen's words. In fact, since the Zhenguan period, many policies of our dynasty included the idea of ​​governing inaction. When the queen talked about this matter today, should the court clearly stipulate all this?"

Wu Meiniang nodded and said, "That's exactly what it is."

Zhang Wenguan said: "According to the opinions of the ministers, this is unnecessary. It will only cause controversy among the three schools of Confucianism, Taoism and Law, and create conflicts."

"But if it is not explained, it will only create more contradictions."

Wu Meiniang said: "Now the policy of our Tang Dynasty is different from any dynasty. Many phenomena are contrary to Confucianism, but they make our Tang Dynasty stronger. In that crisis, this contradiction also emerged. When the court handles contradictions, it must be reasonable. If Confucianism is followed, it must abandon all this. Then a new crisis may break out. Taoism's inaction rule allows the court to handle these contradictions calmly and will not cause new contradictions.

Next, I think that governing by inaction is the most difficult thing to learn. Among them, the idea is profound, because inaction is not inaction, but inaction is better than action. We often say that hard work is rewarded, but governing by inaction requires the court to spend the least effort to make the world stable and the people live and work in peace and contentment. This is naturally the most difficult thing. Therefore, this requires the wisdom of the people in the world to truly govern by inaction. The court must govern by inaction as the central idea of ​​governing the country, so as to attract talented people from all over the world to make suggestions for the inaction and make them perfect."

I understand! The fundamental purpose of her doing this is to help the businessman rise and clear obstacles! Cui Jieren suddenly looked at Han Yi next to him and asked, "I wonder what Shangshu Ling thinks about this?"

Damn it, you bastard like to disturb people's dreams! Han Yi opened his eyes and said, "I have always respected the three saints of the old, Confucius and Mencius. I think they are all geniuses that are rare in a thousand years. Since they are rare in a thousand years, they are certainly saints. I have never questioned this, but many people in the world think that I am against Confucianism, which only means that those people do not understand me. In fact, I respect these saints very much in my heart."

Hao Chujun wondered: "Shangshu Ling we are talking about the queen's proposal, who asked if you respect the saint?"

Han Yi seemed to have just woken up and was not in a state, as if she hadn't heard it, and continued, "Why do those people have so many misunderstandings about me? One reason is that those people are stupid."

Cui Jieren said unhappily: "I would like to hear the details."

Who has the biggest misunderstanding of Han Yi? Isn’t it his uncles?

You are pointing accusing me of the mulberry tree!

Han Yi said: "Confucius's thought was born in the Spring and Autumn Period. Everyone knew that the Spring and Autumn Period was an era of war. Therefore, it can also be said that Confucius' thoughts originated from an era of war. If I was born in that era, I would also think that everyone should understand etiquette, righteousness, integrity and shame, and know that the superiority, inferiority, and the elders and the young are orderly. Everyone should be loyal to the Emperor Zhou. In this way, the world will not be in chaos and I will be able to live happily. When Confucius said this, it was absolutely correct. But now."

Zhang Wenguan frowned and said, "Isn't that wrong now?"

Han Yi waved his hand and said, "It's not that wrong, it's just that the saint's requirements are too low."

"The requirements are too low?" Zhang Wenguan looked at Han Yi for no reason.

"Yes!" Han Yi said: "This has a lot to do with human nature. When you don't have food to eat, you will be satisfied with it when you have food to eat. When you have food to eat, you will want a piece of meat, and your desire is increasing. In the war, Saint Kong yearns for peace. As long as you can be peaceful, that's fine."

Hao Chujun wondered: "Is peace not right?"

"I didn't say it was wrong, what I said was that the requirements were too low!"

Han Yi shook his head and said, "What era is now? It is the prosperous era of the Tang Dynasty. The world has long been peaceful and the people have lived and worked in peace. It has reached the realm that Confucius expected. But the problem is that the people are not yearning for peace now, but wanting to live a better life. I want to ride a carriage, eat meat, and make money. The court must obey the public's opinion. My Tang people are different from the people in the Spring and Autumn Period, and the national conditions are also very different. Therefore, we cannot use the saint's thoughts to hit my Tang Dynasty, because many thoughts can no longer meet the needs of my Tang Dynasty. My Tang Dynasty is really too powerful."

Liu Xiang said: "But I was also from the Spring and Autumn Period of the Zhou Dynasty."

Han Yi said: "So there are many ideas in Taoism that can no longer meet the needs of the Tang Dynasty. So Taoism advocates not fighting, but now our Tang Dynasty is developing so rapidly, mainly because of competition, but a kind of healthy competition can promote the progress of the country. And the etiquette, righteousness, integrity and shame in Confucianism also applies today. I especially advocate the integrity-based in Confucianism.

It is correct to read the book of the sage, but knowing how to use it flexibly is the key. Didn’t Dong Zhongshu also revise many Confucian classics? Did he believe in and love the past? He actually did it to make Confucianism suitable for the Han Dynasty at that time. It can be seen that Dong Zhongshu was a wise man. The sage’s thoughts were not wrong. The mistake was that many people foolishly followed the words of the sage, and did not look at the current environment and the needs of the people. Isn’t this just a talk on paper?

I don't object to any thoughts, because I am a businessman and have never read any books. I think demand and supply are eternal. What the country needs and what the people need, then the right medicine will be given. The principle is very simple. I have big fish and meat every day. If you are still fooling me here, you will have meat to eat. Then I will definitely not pay attention to you. I am tired of eating meat. Why should I listen to you, but if you say, listen to me, you will have a carriage, then I will definitely listen.

Confucian scholars all over the world shouted about benevolent politics every day. What is benevolent politics? It is not that advocating Confucianism is benevolent politics. Benevolent politics is actually very simple, which is to make the people live better and better, but not as good as the people of the Zhou Dynasty. If they are still the same as the Zhou Dynasty, then we are a group of ministers like pigs. They have developed for thousands of years, but the result is still the same as the Zhou Dynasty. If we die, it is meaningless to live.

As a minister, monarch, country, and people, the most important thing is. Thoughts are just tools. They are suitable for the current national conditions. If you are not suitable, then don’t use them. If you are still confused about the faction, then don’t talk about loyalty to the emperor, patriotism and benevolence, because this is an extremely selfish behavior. The Queen’s proposal is right or wrong, and we have to analyze it from the actual situation. The Queen has already explained her proposal. If we think it is inappropriate, we can directly explain what is inappropriate and why is not suitable. Don’t talk about Confucianism and Taoism. If we want to argue about this, let’s hold a debate meeting. The Political Affairs Hall is used to discuss political affairs."

After these words, Zhang Wenguan and his face turned red and white.

Lu Shigua suddenly said: "The Shangshu Ling's words are reasonable! We are ministers. The primary responsibility of the minister is to assist the monarch and govern the country well. As for the current national conditions, it is obviously more appropriate to promote governance by inaction than other propositions. The biggest advantage of governance by inaction is freedom, which not only gives freedom to the people, but also gives freedom to the court. Instead, there will be no conflicts, which is conducive to the ideological unity of the country. Confucianism is relatively conservative, which is not conducive to the current development and the unity of thought."

Changsun Yan said: "If the queen only advocates the rule of inaction, then I do not agree, because being too free is not conducive to the stability and development of the country. However, according to the queen's proposition, Confucianism is the foundation, and inaction is governed in the middle, and there are also legal constraints on it. This is to gather the strengths of the three families to form a new claim, which is conducive to the development of our Tang Dynasty and the current needs of the people."

Wang Xuandao said: "Taoism advocates everything tolerate, so Confucianism naturally also includes it. Therefore, a country with benevolence is actually governed by inaction."

Zhang Wenguan nodded and said, "Since that is the case, the court should clearly state that it advocates the idea of ​​governing the country by inaction, rather than taking Taoist thoughts as the idea of ​​governing the country."

Hao Chujun said: "And, we have to reinterpret the governance of inaction."

They were afraid that Wu Meiniang would use this to suppress Confucianism. They now understand that Wu Meiniang advocates rule by inaction, which is just a slogan, which is to alleviate the contradiction between the rise of merchants and other classes.

Wu Meiniang nodded with a smile and said, "This is also my intention, but it requires your talents."
Chapter completed!