warring states careerist

Chapter 720
This rebuttal was rebuked with the Taoist theory.

It seems that the debate has drawn the hatred of other families, but in fact the relationship between Confucianism and Taoism has been quite bad at this time. The people of Yang Zhuliezi's school are regarded as a branch of Taoism, and Taoism has always believed that these etiquettes are They are things that bind people, created by sages in violation of human nature, and have no legal rationality at all.

Gao Zi understood the fear of the opponent, and the opponent knew that if he continued to debate "true" and "false", it would be impossible to win.

So, taking this opportunity, under the infamy of fellow Confucian scholars, he turned the "true or false" debate of human nature and needs into "good or bad" and "right or wrong".

True or false is true or false.

Right and wrong are right and wrong.

In some subjects, the two are equivalent, such as arithmetic.

But in terms of humanities, the two are not equivalent, what is true is not necessarily right, and what is false is not necessarily wrong.

Gao Zi could clearly sense that the other party was avoiding the most important and taking the light of the matter, and wanted to lead the question to right or wrong, because if he continued to argue, Gao Zi could be said to be sure.

This is actually the same routine as the debate topic of "everyone has a heart of benevolence and righteousness" just now: the heart of benevolence and righteousness cannot be seen, and it may not be manifested, but why do you say that it does not exist?
It's like giving you a wooden barrel, you are not allowed to open it, you are not allowed to weigh it, and you are not allowed to shake it open. I just said that there is something in it, how can you prove that there is no?
You can't prove it doesn't, so that can be twisted into your admission that it might exist.

You admit that it might exist, so it can be twisted to allow you to admit that it does exist.

If you admit that it really exists, then it is equivalent to admitting that human nature is the heart of benevolence and righteousness.

This "everyone may have a heart of benevolence and righteousness, and everyone may observe etiquette" is also the same.

Why do you say that this kind of world where everyone observes etiquette cannot exist?
If you can't prove that this kind of world where everyone abides by etiquette cannot exist, then it proves that ours is not wrong-for example, if I say that one plus one equals three, three plus one equals five, then I say one plus one plus one One equals five, right?
Now you Mohists say that people’s needs are human nature, so you infer that the world should be what you said, and the laws should be the same as you said, but your theory is derived on the basis of one plus one equals two of.

Your theory is also correct, but it does not mean that our theory is wrong, because if one plus one equals three, then the sum of three ones is really equal to five. Can you prove that there is no such possibility of "everyone keeps the etiquette"? ?
Gao Zi is also a figure who has been up and down in the Mohism for more than [-] years, and the internal debate needs to be considered far more than this.

Now that the other party understands that continuing to debate what human nature is is likely to lead to the possibility of self-denial and reverence being completely overthrown, so he chooses to argue about right and wrong, good and evil, Gao Zi's heart moved slightly, and he thought of continuing to talk along the other party's topic .

The other party has never understood that the purpose of debating in front of the people in the open space is not to distinguish the truth from the fake, but to convince the people.

It's just that the truth is easier for the people to accept.

Gao Zi then asked: "I remember, Zhong Ni thought that the matter of harvesting crops was a trivial matter, right?"

The Confucian scholar on the opposite side nodded helplessly, knowing that most of the people watching the fun below were so-called "sluts", but he couldn't say that the master didn't even say this.

Fan Chi asked to learn from Jia.Confucius said: "I am not as good as an old farmer." Please learn as a nursery.Said: "I am not as good as Lao Pu." Fan Chi went out.The Master said: "Small man, Fan Xuye! If you are good at courtesy, the people will not dare to disrespect; if you are good at righteousness, then the people will not dare to disobey; if you are good at trust, then the people will not dare to be unkind. If this is the case, then the people in all directions will dare How can I use crops if I carry my son on my shoulders?"

This is a very famous allusion. Fan Chi asked his master about farming. The master said that I was not as good as an old farmer, but turned around and told his disciples that Fan Chi was a villain.

Gao Zi asked again: "Since you don't learn farming, do you know how much grain a person can produce in a year?"

"You don't know. When Zhongni was still here, one mu of land could produce thirty to fifty catties of grain. Now, in two seasons, it can produce four to five hundred catties, which has increased by ten times and more."

Gao Zi is also talking nonsense with his eyes open.

Because the mu at that time and the mu in Sishang now are not the same mu at all, the former is only one-third of the latter.

The other party is a Confucian scholar, so of course he doesn't know the difference.

The people in the audience were convinced that what Gao Zi said was right, wouldn't the two seasons add up to four or five hundred catties?If there are some irrigated fields and manure, I am afraid that there will be seven or eight hundred catties in two seasons.

Gao Zi asked again: "As you said, self-restraint and reverence are due to the fact that there are only so many grains and cloth in the world, so according to the regulations, there must be suitable materials for each grade. Is this the only purpose?"

"If it's not the only purpose, then it is tantamount to admitting that etiquette is to make the nobles act like moths to exploit the people."

The Confucian scholar on the opposite side seemed to have thought of something, but it was too late, so he could only say: "It's the only purpose. Master Daren, Duke Zhou, the great sage, the purpose is naturally for this reason, not for the sake of making the nobles become worms for nothing as you said."

Gao Zi laughed and said: "Now that the population remains the same, the surplus food in the hands of the people has increased five times and ten times, but they are not allowed to violate the etiquette. There will be several times more food left than before.”

"Then, what is the purpose of producing food, vegetables, cloth and silk? Isn't it for people to use?"

"Accumulating food to prepare for famine is use, and wearing clothes to resist the cold is use. Making wine from grain, exchanging grain for more goods, and wearing better-looking cloth clothes, isn't it also use?"

"According to what you said, in order to be able to practice self-denial and restoration of rituals, do we have to go back to the time when the yield per mu was [-] catties? Otherwise, wouldn't the so much surplus food and cloth produced have to be piled up and let them slowly rotting?"

"Is this what you want? In order to restrain yourself and restore the ritual, would you rather let the world's grain output return to the time when the yield per mu is [-] catties? Otherwise, so much grain is rotten, the cloth is moldy, and it is not allowed to be used. How to do it?"

"So iron farm tools, horse plowing and oxen plowing, new looms, etc., all hinder your self-denial and restoration of rituals, and should be burned, right?"

The Confucian scholar had no choice but to say: "As long as the superiors value propriety, the people will not dare to be in awe; as long as the superiors value righteousness, the people will not dare to disobey; as long as the superiors value faith, the people will not dare not treat them with sincerity. You, if you do this, people from all over the world will come here with their children on their backs, so why use it to grow crops by yourself?"

"Confucianism is the study of the gentleman, and the gentleman serves the superior. We may not understand the matter of Jiarong, and we may not understand the changes brought about by Jiarong, but...you can focus on the basics and despise the target."

"The master's so-called self-restraint and restoration of the rituals does not lie in the definite Zhou rituals, but in the world situation of self-denial and restoration of the rituals."

"If it's rituals...if the rituals are no longer in line with the current era, they can be modified. For example, meals and drinks, which were originally eaten by doctors, can now be eaten by scholars, and what were originally eaten by princes can be eaten by doctors...to adapt to the times and revise the rules of rituals. Details, but cannot violate the essence of self-denial and return to ritual."

"Etiquette can be flexible, but self-denial and return to etiquette cannot be changed. According to what your Mohists say, people's needs are human nature. Even if you are proficient in small human affairs, can you really meet everyone's needs someday in the future?"

"If you can't, self-denial and restoration of rituals are the most perfect."

"Businessmen seek profit, and businessmen's desires are hard to satisfy. They can use money to buy everything they used to overstep."

"Indeed, according to what you said, everyone is equal, and everyone can buy everything they want with money, but how can everyone be rich? There must be rich and poor."

"So, in essence, everyone is still unequal. It just turns etiquette into money."

"And Qi, you talk about false equality, why don't you come to real inequality? Establish new rules of etiquette, and formulate new rules of etiquette according to the current wealth of the world, so that people of any status can enjoy what kind of food and clothing entertainment……"

For this answer, the Confucian scholars below objected even more fiercely.

"You even want to revise the etiquette? How dare you call yourself a Confucian scholar?"

"Who do you think you are? Master?"

"Come down, he is not a Confucian scholar at all, his words cannot replace us!"

"Etiquette is immutable!"

"A person who has changed the etiquette, dare to call himself a Confucian scholar? Fuck you, don't ask for standards!"

"Get off!"

Amid the scolding, Gao Zi felt that the other party was ambitious, so he asked with a smile: "Then, what is the basis for distinguishing identities? Even if there is a difference between high and low, what is it based on? Bloodline?"

The Confucian scholar was suddenly asked the dead point, no matter how he answered this question, it would be wrong.

Not blood?That is contrary to etiquette, what is the distinction between monarch and minister?Relying on natural blood, otherwise, wouldn't it be equivalent to approving the selection of emperors and princes of the Mohist family?

It's blood... so how could people in the world accept it?Especially when the minds of the people have been incited by the Mohists, how could they accept it?
The Confucian scholar secretly sighed in his heart. I have said in my heart that the way of Confucianism lies not in the people, but in the king.These people refused to listen, and insisted on coming to Sishang to maintain etiquette and debate with the Mohists.

The audience here is the people, how could they accept our statement?
Only by lobbying the king is it possible.

If they don't listen, they don't know that Confucian scholars and gentlemen serve the superiors.

But it is difficult to lobby the king.

Now is a time of great controversy. If you want to establish new rites, new laws, and a new hierarchy, you need someone in the world who can be heard by all the princes in the world. Now that the emperor of Zhou is weak, who can take this responsibility?
The rest of the princes are now thinking about enriching the country and strengthening the army, so where are they thinking about new etiquette?The new etiquette requires the world, but now who dares to say that they have the world?
Today's strongest princes, the Sishang Mohist School, cannot accept Confucian scholars, the Three Jins have undergone reforms against ritual, Qin is now not even allowed Confucian scholars to lobby, and the native Guanzi School of Qi is even richer. Chu State is a barbarian, but Chu State is also reforming now.

Perhaps after the unification of the world, he may accept his grand ideas, but the problem now is... the monarch who has the idea of ​​​​unification of the world will not accept the lobbying of Confucian scholars; Contradictions and paradoxes are also the reasons why he doesn't want to come to Sishang at all.

According to his thinking, Confucianism is on the decline now, and all the directions of innovation are occupied by the more and more clear schools of thought.

Therefore, in the current situation, one should be tolerant and should not argue with these people.

When the world is gradually unified, there will be an opportunity to stand up and formulate new etiquette laws for the king, instead of arguing with these people now.

He thought, the more you argue about the truth, the more clear it is, you shouldn't argue, but wait patiently, don't look at the viciousness of Yang Zhu, Taoism, peasants and Mohists now, the future king may not use them Confucian scholars, life and death are unpredictable, Winning or losing is hard to tell, but in the long run there is hope of winning.

But now, these colleagues insisted on arguing, arguing, arguing!Especially when arguing in front of the public, they don't even know where Confucian scholars are standing and speaking for whom, so how can they win?
If you really wake up everyone in the world, how can you still win in the future?
(End of this chapter)