Forty-eight years of Qianlong

Chapter 407 The Great Gathering of Island Country Scholars

Edo in April is warm and fragrant.

In a medical clinic called "Zhilantang" in Bencaimu Town, 51-year-old Lin Ziping smiled and greeted the more than [-] invited Lan scholars and their disciples one by one.

This "Zhilantang" is the first orchid school in the history of the island country founded by orchid scholar Otsuki (sound with the same name) Xuanze; it is a medical center and a private school for orchid education.

Today, many scholars and their students who came from all over the world know or have heard of the famous Lin Ziping, and have also heard that he is in poor health.But today, when I came here, I found that old man Lin, whom I hadn't seen for a few years, was flushed and his body looked very good.

"Mr. Ziping?"

"Ah, it's actually Mr. Ziping. I haven't seen you for many years. How are you?"

"Hehe, it's the same as the young man."

Speaking of the introduction of Western culture in the early days of the island country, it actually relied on a large number of Chinese classics from the late Ming Dynasty.Through books such as "Tiangong Kaiwu", "Original Geometry", "Nongzheng Quanshu", "Taixi Water Law" and other books, Chinese books not only brought the latest technology of China in the Ming Dynasty, but more importantly, Chinese books brought Western science Technology was also introduced to the island country, and China became an important channel for the introduction of Lanxue.

In the [-]th century, although the island nation implemented a one-stop trade policy, the Dutch also brought a large number of Western books, technology, and instruments while conducting trade with the shogunate through trade as a medium, making the island nation Through Nagasaki, I came into direct contact with Western culture.

Basically, the early Lan scholars in the island country started with medicine, and then came into contact with natural sciences such as mathematics, astronomy, calendar, geography, and even humanities.

Corresponding to this, Dai Qing next door is intoxicated with the dream of the heaven and the kingdom, and the imperial autocracy has reached its peak.Scholars cling to the Four Books and Five Classics, and regard natural science as heresy.It was not until after the first Opium War that Li Shanlan, Xu Shou and Hua Hengfang emerged.

So don't look down on the island countries, they have basically laid the scientific foundation for the "Meiji Restoration" since the late eighteenth century. More than 100 years of research on orchidology, in modern times, has been transformed into "Bakumo Western Studies", making it a leap to modern science very quickly.

Today, at the invitation of Lin Ziping and Otsuki Gensawa, besides many orchid scholars who came from Osaka and Nagasaki, there were also some people who were studying at Zhirantang; There are common people, and there are also peasant children who come here from the countryside to study.

Among these blue scholars are Asada Takeli, Takahashi Yoshitoki, and Yamakata Pantao who study astronomy; Sima Jianghan, Motoki Ryonaga, Kuchiki Ryuhashi, and Katsura Fushu who study geography; Yoshimune Hashimoto, Tadao Shizuki and others.And the most famous scholar nowadays, Genbaku Sugita, who once wrote the anatomy book "New Book of Disintegration", went to other places before, and is on his way back day and night.

As for the owner of the local Shirando, Otsuki Genzawa, is from the Mutsu Ichiseki Domain, and its current owner is the Tamura village owner who previously attacked the Shimadzu family with the Beihai Navy.Otsuki Genzawa has been a doctor since elementary school. He went to Nagasaki to learn Dutch. He is now a famous surgeon in Edo.And Lin Ziping is also from Sendai, he and Otsuki Xuanze have known each other for a long time.

Looking at the gathering of Lan scholars from all over the island country, Lin Ziping felt that "the heroes of the world are in the game", and couldn't help but feel happy for Zhao Xin.

In his opinion, if Beihai Town had the help of these people, both surveying and mapping and railway surveying would reach a new level.And Lin Ziping also has his own careful thoughts. If King Zhao has so many scholars from the island country to help him, he probably will show mercy to the island country's subordinates in the future.

The reason why Lin Ziping was able to come to Edo this time and summoned these Shimuni scholars through Otsuki Gensawa was mainly because the shogunate, the Sendai Domain, and Beikai Town officially signed an armistice agreement in February this year.Of course, the money Beihai town lent to the shogunate also played a key role.

In fact, since Beihai Town's large iron ship arrived in Sendai Fan and Nagasaki a few years ago, many orchid scholars in the island country have always wanted to contact Beihai Town.However, because the shogunate once issued an order strictly prohibiting contact with Tang Yi, and Beihai Town was in a state of hostility with the shogunate almost all the time, so the Lan scholars in Edo and Nagasaki always kept a respectful and distant attitude towards Beihai Town.

In the history of this time and space, this gathering of Lan scholars has become a major event in the natural science circles of the island country.It was also from this that a large number of Lan scholars from the island country rushed to Beihai Town to study or work, and the so-called Lan Xue style soon became "Tang Xue".

Without him, the natural science that Zhao Xin and the others use and disseminate in this time and space is many times stronger than that in Europe, and a large number of orchid science enthusiasts naturally gather here.

However, as the "social equality concept" accompanying natural science was introduced to the island country, it soon had a fierce conflict with the island country society with a clear hierarchy.This completely broke through the concept of autocratic rule based on the ranks of generals, daimyo, and retainers, and seriously threatened the rule of the shogunate.

During the period, the shogunate persecuted some people who returned from Beihai Town after studying, and repeatedly set up large prisons. In the end, many people returned to Beihai Town to be naturalized and became Chinese.

After listening to Lin Ziping's brief introduction to Beihai Town, all the scholars present in Zhilan Hall clicked their tongues and let out bursts of amazement from time to time.

The famous painter and astronomer Sima Jianghan asked: "Mr. Ziping, you said that there are several astronomical measuring instruments in Beihai that even the Dutch don't have?"

"Exactly, what this old man uses every day is the precision measuring instruments in the Royal Secret Collection of Beihai Town, which are far more advanced than those of the Dutch."

After Lin Ziping finished speaking, he took out some sketches of surveying and mapping instruments that he usually hand-painted, such as laser theodolite, laser level, gyro theodolite, three-dimensional coordinate measuring instrument and so on.This thing does not look at the real thing but the picture, and it is impossible to explain the method and effect of use.Old man Lin just briefly talked about the function, which stunned the island nation's scholars.

You only need to aim at the target and take a photo to know how far away, no need to go?
In these years, both astronomers and geographers in the island countries used step counting to measure the earth when conducting field measurements, and then estimated the length of the longitude through the angle of the North Star at different locations.With the lengths of longitude and latitude, a new calendar can be formulated.

Everyone began to circulate Lin Ziping's pictures, while Ma Tian Gangli asked respectfully: "Mr. Ziping, I heard that there is a huge medical clinic in Beihai Town, which can cure all diseases, big or small, even tuberculosis and smallpox are medicines." until the illness is cured?"

Lin Ziping nodded and twisted his beard and said: "This statement is true. The medical center is called Beihai Town Central Hospital. At present, Zhao Dian has popularized vaccinia in all villages and towns of Beihai Town, and there has been no suffering from smallpox since then. As for tuberculosis, it only takes one year. It can be cured. There is also a machine that can see through the whole body of a person, and every detail can be seen, so that the disease can be detected early."

Everyone was shocked when they heard it.

However, Ma Tian Gangli, who is a doctor, frowned and said, "Vaccinia? I have only heard of human pox in the Qing Dynasty. Even if it is vaccinated, it can only save two or three out of ten. What is the explanation for this cowpox? Could it be related to cows? The fatality rate how?"

Speaking of the smallpox in the history of the island country, it is also very terrifying to ravage, and its main route of transmission is North Korea.The worst case during the Heian Dynasty even spread to Heijo-kyo, when all four brothers of the Fujiwara family who presided over the government died.The death toll during the epidemic was as high as 100 million to 150 million, equivalent to 25 to 35% of the total population of the island country at that time.

One of the reasons why the Edo period often changed the year name was the prevalence of plague, and smallpox was the number one culprit.The "Sumida River Fireworks Festival" in later generations began during the period of the eighth generation of the shogunate.

As for Dai Qing next door, the same is true. Although China has had "human pox surgery" since the Northern Song Dynasty, it is a pity that it has been kept secret.The reason why the Han people were not allowed to live in the inner city in the early and mid-Qing Dynasty was largely because the Manchus were afraid that the Han people would be infected with smallpox.

Lin Ziping explained to Ma Tian Gangli: "Cows are soil animals. The human spleen belongs to the soil, and the soil attracts the soil. It feels the same energy and grows with the same kind, so it can be effective. Since the application of this method in Beihai Town, there has been no damage. None came back."

Ma Tian Gangli exclaimed: "It's amazing! I must go to Beihai Town to see it."

The disciple Takahashi Yoshitoki on the side bowed and said, "Sir, I want to learn surveying and mapping with Mr. Ziping."

Ma Tian Gangli knew that his son's ambition was in astronomy and calendar, so he readily agreed.

Lin Ziping looked around at everyone present and said, "Everyone, this old man is ordered by the King of Zhao to invite you all to go to Beihai to help. Right now, this old man has just received a big job, which is to survey and map the first railway line in Beihai Town. The more people we need, the better!" "

"Mr. Ziping, what is 'Railway'?" Goto Liharu, who focuses on the study of Poor Confucianism, asked the most critical question.East Asia did not have separate names for physics, electricity, and chemistry in this year, and they temporarily shared the same name, that is, poor physics.

After hearing this, Lin Ziping asked for paper, ink, brush and inkstone, and then wrote the word "Railway" on the white paper. Then he raised his hands, signaled to everyone, and explained: "Simply speaking, it is paved with steel." the way!"

Later in the day, in the meeting hall of Pyeo in Edo Castle, the four elders of the shogunate gathered again.After listening to the report sent by Wakonian to Horita Settsushou, the head of the old middle school, Matsudaira Sadanobu, couldn't help being surprised.

"Use good quality iron to pave the road? Does that Zhao Wangdian have money and no place to spend it?" He frowned and thought for a moment, and then sent Ruo Nian: "Okay, you go down."

In fact, Matsudaira Sadanobu didn't care too much about Beihai Town's aggressive recruitment of Lan scholars. On the contrary, he wished to send all those Lan scholars to Beihai Town, out of sight and out of mind.

Since the "Xiangbao Reform", although the shogunate has not banned Lanxue in recent years, it is still worried about all kinds of natural science knowledge with new ideas; the biggest problem is that it has impacted the original ruling ideas and ruling order.

And since Matsudaira Sadanobu became the head of the old school, he who advocated Zhu Zi's learning even rejected Lan Xue.The "Forbidden Learning of Different Learnings" that he is currently planning is to teach only Zhu Zixue in the academic institutes directly under the shogunate, and prohibit the teaching of "different learnings". The purpose is to prohibit the spread of other "heretical" theories including Lan Xue.

In the history of another time and space, the shogunate adopted various means to suppress the spread of Lanxue, such as restricting freedom of speech, restricting the publication of Lanxue books, and promulgated the "Publications Governing Order".Poor Lin Ziping was sentenced to "dwelling in hibernation" in 1792. Later, old man Lin nicknamed himself "Master of Liuwuzhai", and finally died of depression.

However, in this time and space, Lin Ziping is very lively now because he has taken refuge in and naturalized Beihai Town.The energetic old man jumped up and down as soon as he returned to Edo, contacting Lan scholars everywhere, waving the flag and shouting, which made the shogunate's Ruonian very upset.

However, the main topic of discussion among the four elders is not Zhilantang's Lanxue lovers' meeting, but a letter delivered to the shogunate after the six big ships from Beihai Town arrived in Sendai.

In this letter, Zhao Xin asked the shogunate to provide long-term "labor export" to Beihai Town in a tone that was half negotiating and half threatening.In contrast, Beihai Town will pay the shogunate a labor fee per head per year.

The treatment Zhao Xin gave was that in addition to two daily meals and clothing for these workers, plus a monthly salary of three silver dollars from Beihai Town, these workers would also be paid to the shogunate at the rate of three stones of rice per person per year.

In addition, Beihai Town will provide the shogunate with a batch of advanced iron farm tools to replace the decline in food production caused by the shortage of labor in the island country.The samples of these agricultural tools have all arrived in Sendai, and the shogunate can send people to visit them at any time.

It is no secret in today's shogunate that Beihai Town has money and food.Since Makino Sadacho went to Beihai Town and came back to report to Tokugawa Jiaqi, the upper echelons of the shogunate were amazed at the wealth of Beihai Town.Of course, more is not understandable.

If calculated on the basis of 5 people, the rice shogunate alone can earn 15 koku.Moreover, all Beihai town gave were hulled polished rice, which was very unusual.

In addition, the hand-pulled rice transplanter mentioned by Zhao Xin in the letter is really eye-catching.Nowadays, a strong farmer is exhausted and can only work 5 to 6 acres a day at most, but the rice transplanter mentioned in the letter only needs two ordinary laborers, and it can transplant [-] to [-] acres a day. The old man was shocked!
(To put it simply, one mu of land in the Edo period was only a little more than 99 square meters, and 7 mu of land was equivalent to a modern mu of land.)
Matsudaira Sadanobu was naturally moved by advanced farm tools. His main policy after he came to power was to support agricultural development and increase government stockpiles.Don't panic if you have food in your hands. The total population of the island country is now around 2500 million, and many farmers rely on a cup of soba noodles every day to get by.If there is another natural disaster affecting half of the island country, the Matsudaira Sadanobu cabinet will have to step down.

After a moment of silence, the young Yoshida Hou Matsuhira Nobuaki finally couldn't hold back and asked, "Should I send someone to Qingye City to look at the agricultural tools mentioned in the letter?"

It is certain to send someone to visit, the key is how to report this matter like a young general.This is not about a few people smuggling by boat in private, but about sending tens of thousands of people to sea to earn money for the shogunate.

Matsudaira Sadanobu looked at Makino Makino and said, "Did you see those farm tools when Marquis Kasama went to Beihai Town?"

Makino Sadacho recalled for a moment and then shook his head.At that time, he was led by the people from the Civil Affairs Department of Beihai Town, and he just visited some factories in general.What shocked him the most was the gushing molten iron and steel, but he didn't really care about all kinds of utensils.

In the next ten days or so, the four elders of the shogunate sent people to the Sendai Domain to visit the agricultural tools, while nervously discussing the feasibility of this matter.

To be honest, providing Beihai town with tens of thousands of labor is nothing to the shogunate.However, in the feudal era, since the etiquette of the emperor and ministers was to be talked about, eating appearance was very important. Therefore, during this period of time, the shogunate mainly discussed the distribution of labor shares.Naturally, the shogunate's heavenly leadership will take the majority, and those descendants of the vassals will also be exposed to the rain and dew, right?
Compared with the shogunate's dawdling, the Mutsu clan headed by the Sendai clan reacted much faster.There is no way. In recent years, everyone has been poor and crazy. If there is no money, farmers are caught.

Within half a month, [-] peasants who had arrived from various domains of Mutsu in the form of catching young men had already boarded and set off.

At this moment, Deng Fei and Ding Guofeng, who had been stranded in Sendai for many days, were really impatient with the decision-making speed of the shogunate, so after communicating with Zhao Xin, they drove Jinglei and Thor to Tokyo Bay for a stroll , Scared the young seal man and ran to Zojoji Temple to hide for two days.

At the end of April, seeing the urgency of the situation, at the suggestion of Makino Sadacho, Matsudaira Sadanobu made a final decision, and the shogunate established a new organization-"Beikai Pursuit", which is responsible for the export of labor services to Beihai Town.As for those Lan scholars who went to Beihai Town, Beihai Fengxing was responsible for all of them.

So far, Beihai Town has finally opened up the pipeline for importing labor from the island country.

At the same time, Zhao Xin also began to deal with the largest military force of the Manchus outside the pass-the Qing army in the Hunchun Camp.

　This chapter is particularly difficult to write. I checked a lot of information on the orchid scholars in the Edo period.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)