Ming Zuo

Chapter 279
The development of Confucianism in the Ming Dynasty should have entered a major climax at the end of the Ming Dynasty.

Like the Renaissance in the West, after going through the retro trend, a complete transformation has been completed.

However, history made a joke with China. The more brutal and violent minority regimes changed the ideological direction of China.

From barbarism to feudalism, the Manchu Qing regime was able to learn the old system well, which is the limit of what they can do.

They cannot be expected to surpass the times all of a sudden and become the leaders leading China forward.

This task has to be left to the current scholars.

On the way to the south, Zuo Menggeng, Liu Zongzhou, Li Banghua, Huang Zongxi and others exchanged views on the current situation of Confucianism in Jiangnan.

Throughout the Ming Dynasty, the front end of the trend of thought was always in the south of the Yangtze River.

Upper decision decided by the economic background.

The well-developed commercial society in the south of the Yangtze River provides a platform for ideas to take off.

This is not a society that relies on land for survival and development, so the old feudal ideology has always been relatively weak here.

When southeast scholars who are deeply influenced by commercial economy discover problems, they will inevitably explore and research, thus making new voices.

Before and after Liu Zongzhou, countless scholars emerged and inspired the world with their radical ideas.

If the Qing Dynasty had not entered the customs, I believe that in a few decades, there would be earth-shaking changes in the land of Huaxia.

Both Zuo Menggeng and Liu Zongzhou attach great importance to how to spread ideas in the south of the Yangtze River and then affect the whole country.

It is not yet time for their camp to make their own voice, so a little skill is needed.

As a great master, Liu Zongzhou cleverly found the weakness of Confucianism.

That is lack of action and disconnected from the grassroots.

No matter how Confucian scholars tout the unity of knowledge and action and the application of what they have learned, the fundamental problem is that there is no practical way from beginning to end to how to integrate knowledge and action and to apply what they have learned.

Apart from being able to shape ethics and morality, Confucian theories are of little help to practical matters.

From then on, Liu Zongzhou started, and Zuo Menggeng followed suit, defeating Fang Yuegong, the defender of the old ideological system, in one fell swoop.

Next, it was Liu Zongzhou's personal performance time.

Three hours of eloquent lectures, everyone who listened was mesmerized.

The most important thing is that the content of Liu Zongzhou's lectures is not empty theory, but combined with reality.

These were originally Liu Zongzhou's weaknesses, but during the time in Linqing, after being deeply influenced by Zuo Menggeng, Liu Zongzhou went deep into various places, using theory and practice to constantly sharpen his thoughts, and he has gradually reached perfection.

"A gentleman is a metaphor for righteousness, and a villain is a metaphor for profit. However, righteousness and profit are not simple opposites, but a relationship of unity of opposites. The well-being of the people and the livelihood of the people are not benefits? Is the benefit important?"

Everyone thought deeply, and deeply agreed.

The so-called prosperity of the world is for profit, and the hustle and bustle of the world is for profit. Countless creatures travel back and forth, isn't it just for three meals a day, daily necessities, rice, oil and salt?

But is such an advantage important?

Of course it's important, and it's the most important.

Otherwise, when the common people cannot survive, they will rise up to overthrow the tyranny of the dynasty, which is an inevitable result.

Just like the peasant uprising in the Northwest.

"The well-being of the people and the stability of the country are all benefits, and they are also great benefits. Great benefits are great righteousness, and a gentleman should understand them and seek them, so as to live up to what he has learned."

Using Professor Zuo Menggeng's dialectical analysis method, Liu Zongzhou combined the ancients' strict distinction between righteousness and benefit, which is impeccable in theory.

What is the standard for self-cultivation, family harmony, and world governance pursued by countless Confucian children?
Of course, it is Wufu Minfeng, and the world is peaceful.

Why are the rule of Zhenguan and the prosperity of Kaiyuan always talked about?

Isn't that the case.

"The wealth of the people makes the country strong, and the country is peaceful when the country is strong. Whoever can use what he has learned to help the people become rich and strong must be a sage through the ages. Gentlemen, I hope that you will abandon empty talk and be down-to-earth, and do not seek to be heard and spread to the world. , It is also the responsibility of our generation of scholars to rule the world."

Liu Zongzhou finally dug the big pit.

He called on the broad masses of scholars, officials and common people to link Confucianism with daily production and life, and use Confucianism to promote production.

The question is, can Confucianism do it?
It must be impossible.

And once someone does this and finds that it cannot be done, then he will definitely turn his head to question Confucianism and think about it.

Since Confucianism cannot improve production tools, and since Confucianism cannot improve production efficiency, it means that Confucianism is not practical.

It can be inferred from this that Confucianism is not considered practical learning, and it is contrary to the advocacy of the past sages and sages to "unify knowledge and action, and apply what they have learned".

None of the people nowadays is aware of Liu Zongzhou's insidiousness, on the contrary, they are all convinced by his theory.

After all, there are only a small number of people who study and become officials, and the vast majority are just to understand things.

But being sensible can't bring you wealth, and it can't solve the problem of life's hardships.

In the process of pursuing wealth, there are not many ways of sages learned that can be used, and people will inevitably choose new directions on their own.

Everyone in the Songjiang mansion left satisfied, no surprises, in just a few days, the content of Liu Zongzhou's lectures will inevitably spread throughout the southern mansions.

Only Fang Yuegong faltered, his mind was disturbed, and he instinctively felt the crisis.

He knew Liu Zongzhou very well, and he often read Liu Zongzhou's works when he was studying.

But what Liu Zongzhou said today is completely different from the past.

Fang Yuegong couldn't understand the danger of Liu Zongzhou's remarks for a moment, but encouraging the people to pursue wealth would inevitably conflict with the traditional Confucian way of calming the people and doing nothing.

All the way back to the government office, Fang Yuegong couldn't get out of the shock.

After thinking about it, he carefully wrote a letter, and then ordered the housekeeper to come in.

"Send this letter to the capital quickly and hand it over to Duke Xue Binting (Xue Guoguan)."

Fang Yuegong felt a little relieved when the housekeeper took orders.

Now we can only hope that the bigwigs in the capital can detect the danger and eliminate it in danger.

Otherwise, this Jiangnan, which is full of flowers and brocades, might become a scorching furnace at any time.

A successful lecture planted seeds in the hearts of the people in Jiangnan.I believe that as long as the time is right, these thoughts will take root and sprout, and finally break through the old walls and usher in a new dawn.

Because Liu Zongzhou was a guest of the Xu family, this time the reputation of the Xu family also increased greatly.

Originally in Songjiang Mansion, the Xu family was not considered a top-notch family.

Because the Xu family has no background, and because they believe in Catholicism, they are marginally rejected by traditional scholars.

Among other things, Chen Zilong and Song Zhengyu, the rising stars of scholarly society, only knew the Xu family, but they didn't have much contact with each other.

If it weren't for Xu Guangqi's prosperous official career, and now he is even more expensive as a cabinet minister, the situation of the Xu family would still be a little difficult.

But it has been different since then.

With the signature of Liu Zongzhou as a great Confucian, the Xu family can be regarded as gaining a foothold in Jiangnan Shilin.

In the evening, the interior of Xu Mansion was even more lively.

In the bedroom, Xu Ruolan happily opened the gift box, took out a gift from it, and stroked it carefully.

This is a gift from Zuo Menggeng to the women of Xu's mansion, each with a pair of high heels.

Unlike the white high heels worn by Xu Ruolin, this pair is red.Although there is no inlaid jewelry, but the peacock screen is made with gold thread, which has a different charm.

When Xu Ruolan was over [-] years old and her charm was mature, it could be said to complement each other with such shoes.

With the help of the maid, she put on her high heels and got used to it crookedly.

After going back and forth a few times, I finally got the hang of it.

This kind of plump and round woman twisted in high heels, with a light waist and swaying buttocks, which was the most deadly.

The sound of swallowing saliva came from the door, it was actually Ai Tinghuai who lost his composure.

If it was the past, Xu Ruolan would inevitably be displeased to see her husband like this.But seeing her husband indulging in her own charm today, she couldn't help but smile, and the dark room glowed.

"You go down."

"Third brother-in-law makes this kind of shoes, which are unique in the world, and they are so beautiful that we women flock to them. If they can be sold, it will be a great source of income."

After Ai Kejiu, no one in the Ai family was an official, and they focused more on doing business.

Ai Tinghuai recognized the charm of high heels.Not only that, but he also has opinions.

"It's not just women's high-heeled shoes, but also the men's leather shoes that Zhongheng wears, which are also very comfortable and beautiful. Why don't you discuss with Zhongheng tomorrow, this business is worth doing."

Seeing that her husband supported her idea, Xu Ruolan was overjoyed, and took the initiative to come forward, which made Ai Tinghuai both enjoy and frightened.But when I think of the promising business, I can't help but look forward to it.

Early the next morning, Xu Ruolan couldn't wait, so she went to find Xu Ruolin alone.

For this kind of matter, instead of asking Zuo Menggeng, it would be better for the sisters to talk about it in private.

As a result, when they walked into Xu Ruolin's boudoir, they saw Xu Gandi, Yu Shi, Qiao Shi, Wang Shi, Huang Shi, and even Xu Ruoxin came.

Sisters and sisters-in-law, you look at me and I look at you, laughing in unison.

As expected of a family, there is such a tacit understanding.

(End of this chapter)