The Sage of Confucianism and Taoism

Chapter 1649: If the great road is not fulfilled, what is public and private?

The early morning in the capital was very quiet, but there was an undercurrent surging in Taihe Mansion in Xiangzhou.

In an auditorium of Mingxin Academy in Fucheng, the lights were brightly lit. There were only more than a hundred people in the auditorium that could accommodate a thousand people, making it slightly empty.

All members of the Guangfu Society gathered here.

As early as decades ago, the Guangfu Society was secretly established with the purpose of trying to bring Xiangzhou back to Jingguo. It was not until Jingguo took back Xiangzhou that the society was officially announced to the public.

Zhou Ziren, the leader of the Guangfu Society, stood on the high platform of the auditorium. The light of the night pearl shone on the young man's face, making him look more serious and resolute, as if he had turned into a middle-aged man overnight.

Zhou Ziren said slowly: "I am different from many people. After much thought, I want to make it clear before today's action."

Hundreds of Guangfu Society members looked at Zhou Ziren in surprise, but no one spoke, quietly listening to what he had to say.

"I always believe that every citizen of Xiangzhou has the right to choose whether to be a Jingguo or a Qingguo, and even half-saints are not allowed to interfere!" Zhou Ziren said slowly.

Some people looked shocked, while others looked angry, wanting to go up and beat Zhou Ziren, thinking that Zhou Ziren was going to betray Jing Guo.

Zhou Ziren saw everyone's expressions in his eyes, smiled slightly, and said: "My ideal world is a world of great harmony where officials or even semi-saints do not need to decide our future, destiny and holy way. The most important thing in my Confucianism There is a saying in "The Book of Rites", one of the classics, 'In the journey of the great road, the world is the commonwealth'. Semi-sages belong to the world, and you and I are also the people of the world!"

Everyone became more and more puzzled, but since Zhou Ziren came up with famous quotes from Confucian classics, it means that Zhou Ziren did not go astray and did not betray the purpose of Guangfu Society.

"Please give me some advice," said a young scholar.

"What is the Great Dao? The movement of all things and the principles of all laws are the Great Dao. If the Great Dao appears and runs in the world, then the world will be fair, just and common. This is the core of "The Great Harmony of Liyun".

"Reading this chapter, we readers should be excited and inspired by the saints of the past. But if we calm down, think carefully, and ask ourselves, is the Tao of today feasible in the world? I have been thinking hard for many years before I understand a simple truth. The Tao of today is not It is obvious that the human race is pursuing the holy path, and only when the holy path is exhausted can we see the great path! If the great path is not followed, the world will not be able to serve justice!"

The scholars present felt that Zhou Ziren's words were deafening and enlightening. The people present were just young students or scholars, and their literary status was not high. They read "Book of Rites" and only followed the meaning of the text. Zhou Ziren went against the meaning of the text. Among his peers, he was like Stand out from the crowd.

No one could refute Zhou Ziren's words.

Some scholars even nodded slightly, acknowledging the sentence "Unable to follow the great road, it will be difficult for the world to serve the public."

Zhou Ziren said: "It is difficult for the world to be a public one. Or it can be said that there are public and private affairs in the world. How can we get along with ourselves? This goes back to what I said at the beginning. Every citizen of Xiangzhou can choose to be a Jingguo or a Jingguo citizen. However, one person's choice is private, and a country's choice is public. As a scholar, as a wise scholar, you should know that it is foolish to abolish private affairs for the sake of private affairs. Therefore, You and I have to weigh public and private matters.”

When Zhou Ziren finished speaking, more people nodded.

"Take the choice of two countries as an example. Let's talk personal first. Even today, I have always insisted on one thing. And what I insist on is not suitable for a scholar to talk about, because it is blaspheming the saints. I use my most vulgar words. Identity, to use a foul language, I don’t care about anything In this beautiful country, whoever gives me more benefits will be the one I prefer! There is a curse saying, if you have milk, you are a mother. When we are babies, we will starve to death if we don’t drink milk. We are a mother. , indeed shameful, but not an unforgivable crime.”

Some students looked ashamed, as many found themselves thinking the same thing at times.

"What we needed in childhood was milk, but what now? The older we get, the greater our selfish desires. As teenagers, we no longer need milk, but we still need to eat well, wear warm clothes, have a house to live in, and have books to study. When you get older, you have to leave private school and have a skill to support yourself or your family. In fact, unless we go to the demon world and go to those human cities enslaved by demon barbarians, every country in the human race can meet our basic requirements, and we will have a relatively stable space to grow. From the perspective of the lowest selfish desires, Jingguo is no different from Qingguo.”

Everyone listened carefully.

Zhou Ziren continued: "But the problem is that our selfish desires are even greater! We not only need a stable life, not only a skill, we not only need to compare with the people around us, we also need to compare with people in other countries, and also with the world. The ratio of living beings to one thing! Besides food and clothing, what is the most important thing we need? Who can tell me?”

No one answered, and many were lost in thought.

After dozens of breaths, Zhou Ziren stretched out his hand, pointed diagonally at the sky, and said: "The ascending passage! If someone wants to travel around the world, they need a higher income and get the opportunity to make big money. This opportunity is the ascending passage; If someone wants to be a high-ranking official with all the power in the world, they need to get the imperial examination title. Well, we need to participate in the imperial examination in a country or region with a large number of imperial examination quotas. The imperial examination is our path to advancement. I believe you already know what I am going to say. My selfish purpose is to tell myself, no matter who can do it, Qingguo or Jingguo. Give me a way to rise, whichever country I prefer.”

Before everyone had a chance to think, Zhou Ziren slammed the table and said loudly: "When Xiangzhou belonged to Qingguo, the wolves of Qingguo had long blocked our path to rise, treating us as subordinates and slaves! This is the root of my anger. The people of Xiangzhou and Jingguo were originally from the same family. Xiangzhou was originally rich and was the first imperial examination state in Jingguo. There were many talented people and scholars. However, after Xiangzhou was occupied by Qingguo, what did we get? A large number of Qingguo people poured into Xiangzhou. The imperial examination quotas of the Holy Academy were originally prepared for Xiangzhou people, but the Qingguo people interfered and took away most of the quotas. If it weren't for the assassination of Qingguo officials by Xiangzhou people, Qingguo people would even allow only non-Xiangzhou people to participate. Participate in the imperial examination in Xiangzhou!"

"I don't ask for much, just a fair opportunity. I hope everyone can step into the path of advancement through hard work, sweat, wisdom and themselves. However, the people of Qingguo don't want to give it! And now, Jingguo has given it, and even given a lot! Therefore, my private desires are biased towards Jingguo. Please note that I said "biased", not "loyal". Yes, whoever has milk is the mother, but I also want face, dignity, and reputation! For now, I only have reasons to lean towards Jingguo, and no excuses to be loyal to Jingguo. Because, today's Jingguo can't make me proud, nor can it make me proud. "

There was silence in the audience, and many students only felt that a new window had opened in their world.

Zhou Ziren said: "My private desires tell me to lean towards Jingguo, so what about the public desires?"

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