Daming Yuanfu

Chapter 27 Pragmatic Reading (Part [-])
Gao Yushi is eight years old this year, but he has been enlightened for nearly five years. How rare is this!How could Gao Gong not be confident in him?
What are those "three hundred thousand" [Note: Three Character Classic, Hundred Surnames, Thousand Character Classic. ], "Jijiuzhang", "Tongmengxun" and other famous enlightenment books that have come out, he has already memorized them backwards - this is not surprising at all. "Old concepts" are very heavy. Gao Yushi has memorized all the above enlightenment books, and even Gao Yushi's two favorite books, "Longwenbianying" and "Zengguangxianwen", are missing. Gao Pragmatism has even been hesitating whether to write it silently for the benefit of the public.

Of course, although he does have a little bit of the mentality of benefiting the public, the most fundamental reason is that he hopes to use these two books to "raise hope".But after thinking about it carefully, I felt that "Long Wen Whip Shadow" could be used if there was a chance, but "Zeng Guang Xian Wen" couldn't - no matter how you look at it, this book is a book that sees through the coldness of the world. "Old rivers and lakes" can only write works, and what they say follows Xunzi's theory of sexual evil. With Mr. Xiao Gao's background, age, and experience, writing it will only be regarded as an invitation to grab someone's sword and invite fame. not beautiful.

The book that Gao Yushi is currently reading is "Great Learning". When reading "Great Learning" in the Ming Dynasty, he must also read "Students and Sentences" that "supports" it. After all, the Ming Dynasty respected Zhu Xi as Zhu Zi. If you are proficient in reading, you will inevitably have no good results in the scientific examination.In fact, the book about "University" that he really likes and often studies seriously is Qiu Jun's "University Extension and Supplement".

Gao Yushi has always felt that whether it is the Four Books or the Five Classics, most of the content is too "metaphysical", or in his inner words, it is simply: high-spirited talk.

But reading "University Yanyi Bu" is not only a matter of scholarship, but also a matter of the concept of governing the country-the practical learning of the Ming Dynasty originated from this.

"Shi" is a knowing word. "Shuowen" explains Shi: "Shi, Fu Ye, from 宀 (Note: read 'cotton'.), Guan." Guan means goods.Therefore, the paragraph notes: "Stuffing the house with goods is the truth." It can be seen that reality means truth and enrichment, and when it is extended to practical learning, it can be understood as practical knowledge, which refers to real talent and practical learning, or even practical learning. , and even knowledge aimed at making the country rich and the people strong.

As far as practical learning is concerned, it was first seen in the Tang and Song Dynasties, but its origin should at least be traced back to the Han Dynasty.Han Confucianism used the six classics "Poetry", "Book", "Yi", "Li", "Yue", and "Spring and Autumn" taught by Confucius to his students in the pre-Qin period as classics, but because one of them was lost later, only five remained. It is called the Five Classics.Confucianism became more and more important in the Han Dynasty. Since Dong Zhongshu wrote to Emperor Wu and put forward the proposition that "all those who are not in the 'six arts' disciplines or the art of Confucius, all have their own way and should not make progress together", Confucianism has been supported and promoted by the government, and has gradually become official school.At that time, all the scholars studied the classics. Those who could master one classic were Confucian scholars, and those who could master the five classics and comprehensively comprehensive theories were considered people who had learned practically.

Some people may wonder, Confucianism is clearly a theory of "just talking about the principle" in the eyes of later generations. Few people will link Confucianism with practicality. What's the matter?

Mr. Lu Simian, a famous historian, said: "The prosperity of Confucianism is not only due to the practical administration, so its learning is very practical." Therefore, its learning is useful but not complicated.” Mr. Lu meant that when Confucianism emerged in the form of Confucian classics in the Han Dynasty, it paid attention to practical politics and practical things, which can be called practical learning.Later, due to the competition between ancient and modern scriptures within Confucian classics and Dong Zhongshu's theological teleology, which encouraged the superstition of prophecy and wei, Confucian classics became increasingly cumbersome, secretive, and false, and gradually moved towards the opposite of early Confucianism.

What is the reason why Qiu Jun's "University Yanyi Bu" is regarded by Gao Yushi as the beginning of practical learning in the Ming Dynasty?Gai Yin's reading of "Great Learning" is like "Great Learning" written by Zhen Dexiu of the Song Dynasty. It only focuses on understanding the principles of investigating things, rectifying one's mind, self-cultivation, and family harmony, but has nothing to do with governing the country and pacifying the world. .Therefore, "University Yanyibu" mainly focuses on governing the country and peace of the world, and it expounds political ideas, economic ideas, national ideas, etc., among others.

His political thoughts, such as the role of the monarch and the relationship between the monarch and the people, have been discussed more clearly than previous generations, but in general, they are still extensions under the category of the people are more important than the monarch, so there is no need to elaborate.However, his views on economic theory were quite advanced at that time. For example, he said: "Every department store in the world is funded by money for circulation. Money cannot be used together; the big one cannot be divided, and money cannot be used for small things. The goods are heavy but the money is light, and the things are sluggish, but the money is all the same.” Equivalent" principle.

Speaking of the disadvantages of the Ming Dynasty's banknotes, he not only explained the problem, but also proposed a solution: "If you use silver and banknotes in the same way, every penny of silver is worth ten coins, and the newly made banknotes are easy to change. Wen, if the four corners are completely unbroken, you can change five pennies per penny, if you have a penny in the middle, you can get three pennies, and if you have a consistent character, you will have one penny. There are high and low goods, but the amount of silver and banknote transactions is certain and never easy, and it can be used for hundreds of generations and connected to thousands of places."

Here, "the number of silver and banknote transactions is certain and never easy, and it will last forever and reach thousands of places." In fact, it should establish a banknote issuance system based on silver to avoid currency depreciation caused by excessive issuance of banknotes.At that time, the silver-standard financial system might have some problems in the world, but in the era of Qiu Jun, the western voyages were just beginning. If the silver-standard financial system was implemented in the Ming Dynasty, Gao Yushi felt that it should still be a very advanced currency. Thought.Even if seven or eighty years have passed since the era of Qiu Jun, the implementation of the silver standard within the Ming Dynasty is not impossible—at least it is better than the current chaos.

Others such as proposing the labor value theory, opposing the state monopoly system and advocating free trade among the people, advocating that the imperial court set up an "ancient plan" - similar to the later National Bureau of Statistics - and even proposing that all regions report the price of grain every year and the imperial court stipulates the amount of taxation based on this, etc. Many of them are even similar policies to be implemented step by step in the highly pragmatic "Save the Ming" plan.

One of the reasons why Gao Yushi read "Daxue Yanyi Bu" deeply is to find some basis for future reforms from the works and speeches of these predecessors.It should be noted that in Chinese history, especially in the era of the prevalence of Confucianism after Dong Zhongshu, reforms could not be implemented at the whim of those in power. Without a certain theoretical basis and without a certain basis of public opinion, it was impossible.

At this time, he was seeing that "he can save three or four times the cost of land transportation by sea, and save seven or eight times the cost of land transportation by sea. Although the river canal is free from land travel, people can be transported as before. The rate of labor is comparable to its benefits, and the cover is also equal. Today, the Caohe River is very profitable, and the annual fortune is full, so there is no capital for sea transportation. Regret before the incident." I thought to myself: "Qiu Jun wants to use sea transportation instead of water transportation, and this matter is defined as sabotage by people related to the interests of water transportation. If I want to reform this method in the future, I have to think about the legend of the "Cao Gang" people." There must be a way out, otherwise it will definitely be half the effort, or even fail at all.”

Just as he was thinking, he suddenly heard footsteps outside, and with a move in his heart, he heard the voice of the second girl watching the moon and listening to the piano outside: "The servant has seen the master."

Then came Gao Gong's voice from far to near: "Is your young master here?"

(End of this chapter)