Late Han Zhao Tang

Chapter 13 Ideological and Political Studies in the Han Dynasty
The spring breeze is blowing and the weather is getting warmer.

In the morning, the mountain courtyard was no longer as quiet as usual. A dozen scholars who were studying with Wang Hong were already waiting in the courtyard, including Zhang Yu and Li Song.

"Enter the hall!"

Amid the shouts of the attendants, Zhang Yu and a dozen scholars in the courtyard took off their shoes at the steps, carried their book bags, and walked quickly in the corridor.

"Zhang Yu!"

Wen Shao quickly stepped forward and deliberately bumped Zhang Yu from behind with his shoulder. While Zhang Yu was still not reacting, he quickly passed by and glared at him.

Zhang Yu frowned slightly after looking at Wen Shao's back. He hadn't seen Wen Shao for a few days, and he almost forgot about his existence.

"Jian!"

Li Song said: "I heard from outsiders that Wen Shao is narrow-minded and vindictive. I'm afraid Wen Shao will not forget what happened in the market, and will seek revenge in the future!"

Zhang Yu stared at Wen Shao's back and said in a cold voice, "You spoiled brat!"

"Let's go, Lord Changwen is coming!"

Hearing Wang Hong's heavy footsteps, Zhang Yu and Li Song walked into the hall.

Because they arrived a little late, Zhang Yu and Li Song chose two adjacent seats in the second row on the left, and placed the pens, ink and carving knives in their book bags neatly on the table.

"Lord Chang Wen is here!"

"Your servants greet you, sir. May you be well!"

A dozen scholars stood up in unison and greeted Wang Hong who was in a high position.

"sit!"

Wang Hong stroked his beard and waved for everyone to sit down.

"promise!"

Zhang Yu adjusted his legs and then knelt on the rush mat.

The support leg is T-shaped. Its purpose is to place the oval surface under the buttocks when kneeling, and the bottom between the feet. This will protect the heels from pressure and facilitate long-term kneeling.

Anyone who kneels for a long time will have difficulty in walking, so the invention of the support made kneeling more convenient. Also because of the habit of using the support, the cross-legged chair was easily accepted by Han scholars.

Wang Hong symbolically spread out a scroll of bamboo slips and said in a deep voice: "Confucius said: 'My ambition is in the Spring and Autumn Annals, and my practice is in the Book of Filial Piety.' Therefore, when studying the classics, the Spring and Autumn Annals and the Book of Filial Piety should be given priority, and of the two classics, the Classics should be given priority!"

“Why put the Book of Filial Piety first?”

Wang Hong, who had studied the Filial Piety Classic for many years, could read almost nothing and continued, "When Zengzi was serving Confucius, Confucius said, 'The ancient kings had the highest virtues and important principles to govern the world, so that the people lived in harmony and there was no resentment between the upper and lower classes. Do you know this?' Zengzi avoided the table and could not answer."

"The Master said to the doubter, 'Filial piety is the root of virtue and the source of education.' One's body and hair are given by one's parents, and one should not damage them. This is the beginning of filial piety. To establish oneself and behave in a righteous manner, to make a name for oneself in the future generations and to honor one's parents, this is the end of filial piety. Filial piety begins with serving one's parents, continues with serving one's ruler, and ends with establishing oneself..."

Zhang Yu listened attentively to what Wang Hong said. It must be said that Wang Hong had a very deep understanding of the "Book of Filial Piety". He could not only quote from classics, but also explain the ideas of loyalty and filial piety promoted in the Han Dynasty.

For example, when the Han Dynasty was constructing its own ruling order, it very cleverly used the combination of filial piety and loyalty, and Wang, who compiled the "Book of Filial Piety", obviously provided a theoretical basis for this.

How can filial piety be linked to loyalty?

The reason is very simple. Everything you have is given by your parents, so you need to give back to them.

So how do we repay our parents?

Studying hard and becoming an official, bringing honor to ancestors and clan, are the ultimate goals of filial piety.

Therefore, people should first be filial to their parents and then serve the monarch in order to achieve the goal of making achievements.

The Wangshi Jing also provides an explanation on how to serve the monarch.

You treat your mother with love and your monarch with respect, so you need to serve your father with love and respect.

Why should we respect the monarch?
Only if you respect and obey your superiors can you keep your official title, avoid bringing shame to your parents, and worship your ancestors as usual.

As Wang Hong's explanation deepened, Zhang Yu had understood part of the significance of the Han Dynasty's revision of the classics. In addition to teaching knowledge and strategies, the revision of the classics also used the bond between filial piety and loyalty to construct political theories and ideas, promote the significance of loyalty to the country, establish the relationship between the monarch and his subjects and between father and son, and safeguard the legitimacy of the Han Dynasty's rule.

Of course, the Confucianism of the Eastern Han Dynasty was different from the blind loyalty of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Since loyalty is derived from filial piety, filial piety comes before the country. Scholars with such a mode of thinking often choose the interests of their own family, or put filial piety to their parents first.

During the Han Dynasty, people who killed people to avenge their parents were not punished, which indirectly shows that filial piety takes precedence over loyalty.

On the other hand, it is precisely because the Eastern Han society valued filial piety and loyalty that so many aristocratic families and powerful people emerged.

Why was the Western Jin Dynasty ridiculed as a country ruled by filial piety rather than a country of loyalty and filial piety?
The reason is not difficult to understand. The Western Jin Dynasty fundamentally broke the filial piety-loyalty value system that had been constructed for a long time during the Han Dynasty.

When loyalty could not be promoted as a value system, filial piety was particularly valued by the Western Jin Dynasty. Under such circumstances, coupled with the bad political environment, it provided fertile ground for the powerful aristocratic families.

Wang Hong talked eloquently, while Zhang Yu took notes carefully and marked the key points. Compared with the scholars of the time, he was influenced by the thoughts of later generations and it was difficult for him to accept the values of loyalty and filial piety, so he was more in a learning attitude.

While listening, Zhang Yu could not help but think of Wang Yun's actions. Perhaps because he had studied the "Book of Filial Piety" since childhood, Wang Yun's soul was deeply imprinted with the way of loyalty and filial piety, which enabled him to serve the Eastern Han Dynasty until his death.

Similarly, even if some princes wanted to restore the Han Dynasty, perhaps for Wang Yun, this would be a rebellion against the emperor and not the orthodoxy of the Han Dynasty.

I don’t know how long Wang Hong had been talking. His throat was very dry. He picked up the bottle of water on the table and took a few sips.

"cough!"

“Take a break!”

"promise!"

With Wang Hong's words, the scholars sitting there felt relieved and began to stretch their stiff backs, limbs and arms and legs.

Li Song placed his pen on the pen stand, came to Zhang Yu's side, and said, "The Wang's Classics is profound. Filial piety is the foundation of being a human being, which is transferred to loyalty to the emperor. The way to be loyal to the emperor is to give advice and criticism, and not to form a party with villains. This should open my sudden enlightenment!"

Fearing that Li Song would be led astray by brainwashing, Zhang Yu whispered, "Bo Song, you abuse the people instead of loving them, you only listen to the words of villains, and you frame loyal ministers. How can you respect me?"

Li Song laughed and said, "I am learning from Mencius, how can I be confused by the Book of Filial Piety!" In later generations, Mencius's thoughts have been spread for more than 2,000 years, and he was raised to the position of the second sage of Confucianism. However, in the Eastern Han Dynasty, Mencius's teachings only belonged to the "Zi" status in Confucian classics, and were not mainstream thoughts and doctrines.

When did Mencius begin to be respected by the world?

Around the Tang Dynasty, Mencius' Confucianism gradually became the mainstream concept. And after the development of the Tang and Song Dynasties, Mencius's teachings became one of the mainstream Confucian thoughts.

If we want to undermine the value system of filial piety and loyalty established during the Han Dynasty, perhaps the only way to deal with it is to resort to Mencius’ political ideas.

Wang Hong, who was resting with his eyes closed on the couch, didn't know that Zhang Yu was studying how to undermine the value theory of loyalty and filial piety based on the "Book of Filial Piety". If he knew, he would have been arrested and reported to the authorities and tortured.

"Homeowner!"

The servant came up to Wang Hong and asked, "Should we let the maid in?"

Wang Hong thought for a long time and said calmly: "Let the maids sing and dance in the hall as a test for everyone!"

"promise!"

After a while, five or six maids entered the hall and, with Wang Hong's consent, began to sing and dance. Their cool clothes and charming music attracted the attention of many scholars.

"Jian, look!"

Li Song winked at Zhang Yu, indicating that he should watch the singing and dancing of the maids in the hall.

Zhang Yu took a quick look and then quickly looked at Wang Hong. Seeing that he was looking at everyone, he knew something was fishy, so he kicked Li Song.

"Pay attention to Lord Changwen!"

Li Song was instantly awakened by Zhang Yu's reminder, and lowered his head, not daring to look at the maids singing and dancing any longer.

Seeing that it was almost time, Wang Hong continued his lecture, and in order to test everyone, he specifically picked boring parts to lecture on, and occasionally stood up and paced.

At first, some scholars were able to control themselves, but as their attention became distracted, they could not help but be attracted by the singing and dancing. For example, Wen Shao, who sat in the front row, was afraid that Wang Hong would stare at him, so he did not dare to look at him. When Wang Hong paced and lectured, Wen Shao secretly enjoyed the singing and dancing.

The alluring singing and dancing, the gentle female voices, amidst Wang Hong's boring lectures, were like heavenly music, constantly attracting the scholars to watch.

Li Song was afraid that Zhang Yu would go back and complain to Li's mother, so he didn't dare to look at him any longer and could only force himself to listen to Wang Hong's lectures.

Zhang Yu had gone through too many tests in his previous life, and had even played the crazier High Mountains and Flowing Water, so how could he be tempted by ordinary songs and dances? In order to find the flaws in Wang's Sutra, Zhang Yu worked hard to take notes.

The sharply contrasting scene attracted the curious people in the inner house to peek. The girl playing the piano peeked at the lively scene in the hall through the gap on the side of the hall, under the cover of the screen.

While peeking, the girl discovered several familiar faces. She first stopped at Wen Shao's face, and seeing that he was immersed in singing and dancing, she looked a little disgusted.

Then, because Zhang Yu had a tall stature and handsome appearance, which formed a sharp contrast with the scholars on both sides, the girl easily spotted Zhang Yu in the crowd.

"It's him!"

The girl moaned slightly, obviously recognizing Zhang Yu who had killed the snake that day.

His handsome appearance, upright posture, and the sense of security he gave people that day continued to attract the girl's attention.

"Thousands of gold?"

The maid Hongniang saw the girl in a trance and followed her gaze. She also saw the eye-catching Zhang Yu and thought to herself, "No wonder the young lady is so fascinated by him. Many sisters in the courtyard are discussing this. This young man is indeed outstanding in appearance."

The girl seemed to be thinking of something, and she pursed her red lips and said, "Bring me some cakes, I want to give them to my father."

"promise!"

Not long after, the girl took advantage of Wang Hong's break and walked into the hall carrying a lacquer box containing cakes.

The sudden appearance of the elegant girl instantly attracted everyone's attention, including Zhang Yu.

"Sister Wang~"

Wen Shao was very excited, like a dog who saw a goddess in later generations, and took the initiative to greet the girl.

"Brother Shi!"

The girl simply pursed her lips and gave a polite smile.

"Father!"

"Shu Lan, why are you here?"

When he saw his daughter, a rare smile appeared on Wang Hong's dignified face, and he asked in a low voice.

"I'm afraid that my father might be too tired from teaching, so I sent him some cakes!" Wang Ji said as he placed cakes on the table.

After a pause, he continued, "My little brother is very good. I am practicing martial arts in the courtyard today!"

Wang Hong nodded slightly and said with a smile: "Go back quickly!"

"promise!"

When Wang Ji pulled away, she couldn't help but look back at Zhang Yu, but saw Zhang Yu deliberately winked at her, which made Wang Ji's snow-white cheeks slightly red.

After Wang Ji left, Li Song whispered, "Jian, I heard that the reason why Wen Shao came to study with Lord Changwen was mostly because of Lord Changwen's daughter."

Zhang Yu raised his eyebrows slightly and asked in confusion: "When did Bo Song know so much about interesting stories?"

Li Song smiled awkwardly and said, "I mostly heard what my classmates said!"

"nothing!"

Zhang Yu looked thoughtful. The girl under the bamboo pavilion that day was indeed Wang Hong's daughter!

(End of this chapter)