Southern Ming: A boy soldier at the beginning, supporting the world

Chapter 134: Planning for University
Danchu was shocked to see Bi Fangji. After not seeing him for half a year, Bi Fangji looked much older.

He looked haggard and haggard. He shook his head and smiled bitterly, saying, "General, I am no longer useful. I had a serious illness last month and almost lost my life."

"What are the symptoms?" Danchu asked with concern.

Bi Fangji came to China during the Wanli reign and served the Ming court for more than 30 years, traveling across most of China. Now he is nearly 60 years old, but he is still determined and determined. He is a master of both Chinese and Western learning, with profound knowledge and proficiency in casting and making guns. He is a rare talent and cannot afford to make any mistakes.

"I was probably not used to the local climate. I got a fever and had a fever for more than ten days. I was lying in bed unable to move. Fortunately, God blessed me and I finally made it through."

"Those who survive a great disaster will surely have good fortune in the future." Danchu was stunned for a moment, and said, "I have a Changbai Mountain old ginseng in my house, which is very suitable for recuperating. I will have someone send it to you later. Mr. Bi has devoted his life to the country, so you must take care of yourself."

This old ginseng was given to him by Madam Qu, and Danchu had never found it worth using.

Bi Fangji was touched and declined, saying, "Thank you for your kindness, Marshal. I am not virtuous enough to accept such a generous gift."

Danchu refused.

Liu Yuchun, the general manager of the Ironware Bureau, was beside him and said, "Mr. Bi has been busy translating books recently and has to work by candlelight every night until late at night."

Danchu's heart was moved, and he asked, "What book did you translate, sir?"

"The Complete Book of Mining and Metallurgy, a book with twelve volumes written by the German Agricola, focuses on mining and metallurgy technology. The book introduces the separation, preparation and purification methods of various metals, as well as the preparation methods of various acids and alkalis.

During the Chongzhen reign, Li Tianjing was appointed as the Imperial Observatory and was in charge of the calendar bureau. He summoned Johann Adam Schall von Bell, Yang Zhihua, Huang Hongxian and others to translate the Complete Book of Mining and Metallurgy, and decided to give it the Chinese name Kunyu Gezhi.

"In December of the 16th year, the book was translated and Li Tianjing presented it to Emperor Weizong for his perusal. Emperor Weizong was delighted after reading it and ordered the Ministry of Revenue to distribute the book to various places, "and to let local officials consider the terrain and adopt it appropriately."

"At that time, the country was in chaos and Kunyu Gezhi was lost. In the second year of Longwu, I found a copy of Mining and Metallurgy in Macau and kept it with me, but I had no time to translate it. I had fallen seriously ill a while ago and was afraid that the book would be lost, so I translated it overnight..."

Danchu was deeply touched. The thoughts, culture, and technology of the Ming people far surpassed those of the Qing Dynasty, and even led the world, which was unexpected by later generations.

Just a few examples will give you a rough idea:
1. Ideological propositions: He Xin proposed the complete equality of the monarch and his subjects, Wang Fuzhi proposed the constitutional monarchy, Huang Zongxi criticized the feudal monarchy, Wang Yangming advocated breaking free from constraints and liberating thoughts, Li Zhi encouraged the liberation of personality and equality between men and women, and so on.

1. In terms of literary advocacy. The Gong'an School liberated the literary style and advocated expressing one's true feelings. Even in the modern May Fourth New Literature Movement, many people called the New Literature Movement a continuation of the Gong'an School in the late Ming Dynasty. 1. In terms of popularization of education. Fang Yizhi advocated the use of pinyin to teach Chinese characters and the creation of a universal language that could be used around the world. Chinese characters are complex and difficult to learn, resulting in a high illiteracy rate in China and difficulty for ordinary people to learn to read. Fang Yizhi's advocacy was two or three hundred years earlier than the New Culture Movement.

1. Mathematics. Xu Guangqi, an important official in the late Ming Dynasty, had already noticed the fundamental role of mathematics and proposed the theory of investigating things and exploring the principles, advocating the use of mathematical deductive reasoning and quantitative calculation to explore the laws of objective things. He wrote to Emperor Chongzhen "A Memorial on the Correction of the Precession of the Equinoxes in the Calendar", which brilliantly discussed the status and role of mathematics. Emperor Chongzhen was very interested and instructed that "the degree of measurement and the related achievements should be handled by the various departments".

1. Science and technology. The science and technology of the Ming Dynasty was quite advanced, and there are many of them, which can be seen from the many works published at that time. Fang Yizhi's "Tongya" and "Physical Knowledge", Sun Yuanhua's "Theory of Geometric Body", "Geometric Usage", "Taixi Suanyao", Song Yingxing's "Kaigong Kaiwu", Wang Zheng's "Yuanxi Qiqi Tushuo" and "Xinzhi Zhuqi Tushuo", as well as more official or private publications such as "Guigu Yi", "Yuanrong Jiaoyi", "Geometric Yuanshi", "Kunyu Quantu", "Tongwen Suanzhi", "Ziming Zhongshuo", etc.

……

The Qing dynasty replaced the Ming dynasty, which was not just a simple change of dynasties, but also a stagnation and regression in culture and technology, and even a break in civilization. Many humiliations in China's modern history were actually rooted in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties.

In history, Fang Yizhi was first against the Qing Dynasty, then shaved his head and became a monk. He was arrested in the tenth year of Emperor Kangxi's reign. On the way to the capital, he passed by Huangkong Beach and remembered Wen Tianxiang's poem "I am afraid at Huangkong Beach, and I sigh at my loneliness in the ocean". He died of grief and anger. Sun Yuanhua, the governor of Denglai, took in Kong Youde, but died in Kong Youde's rebellion. Wang Hui, Sun Yuanhua's right-hand man, also died in Denglai.

The most typical example is "The Exploitation of the Works of Nature" by Song Yingxing, a Ming loyalist. This book is divided into three volumes, with a total of 18 chapters, describing the names, shapes, and processes of more than 130 production technologies and tools. It is the world's first comprehensive work on agricultural and handicraft production. When describing firearms, "The Exploitation of the Works of Nature" contains words such as "Northern Barbarians". It was listed as a banned book by the Qing Dynasty and lost in China. However, Europe and Japan regarded "The Exploitation of the Works of Nature" as a treasure and translated it into more than a dozen languages, which greatly influenced the agriculture and handicrafts of Europe and Japan. Even during the Republic of China, the Chinese people could not find "The Exploitation of the Works of Nature" and had to buy it back from Japan.

Looking back on the past and looking at the present, Danchu was filled with emotion. Bi Fangji, Ferreira and other foreigners were able to devote themselves to the cause of resisting the Qing Dynasty, let alone him, a time traveler? For the sake of the country and the nation, and for his personal honor and disgrace, he must be determined to resist the Qing Dynasty and carry forward Chinese civilization.

He said generously: "Mr. Bi, I have always wanted to build a university, but I have been suffering from insufficient funds. Recently, the Zhaoyong Army captured Wutunso and our army seized a lot of spoils, so the expenses of the university have been settled.

"Mr. Fang has always wanted to reform the musical scale and pronounce Chinese characters with Latin letters to make it easier for young children to learn to read and reduce the illiteracy rate in society. Establishing a university and promoting education can be combined together.

"I plan to start planning to build a university next month. I will start with two major tasks. The first is to improve the literacy method. I would like to ask Mr. Fang to do it. The second is to teach science and technology. Mr. Bi is knowledgeable and has a thorough understanding of both Chinese and Western cultures. Please try your best to do it."

Bi Fangji felt that he was old and weak, and was willing to pass on his legacy, so he gladly accepted Danchu's proposal: "General, you are wise. Building a university and promoting education is indeed a great plan for the ages. I will do my best."

Danchu turned to ask Liu Yuchun: "Can you take over the Jinxiu Iron Mine and the Ironware Bureau completely?"

Liu Tongchun hesitated for a moment and said, "There are two more things that we need to rely on Mr. Bi for. One is that the production of muskets cannot be increased, and the other is that the flintlock rifle has not yet been finalized."

The Ironware Bureau had a steel plant and a gun factory under its jurisdiction. Although it was named Ironware to conceal its true identity, it actually mainly produced firearms. Danchu's purpose of this trip was to inspect the production of firearms, so he went to inspect the steel plant first under the leadership of Bi Fangji and Liu Yuchun.

(End of this chapter)