Great Song Dynasty Writer

Chapter 155 Feelings arise, but restrained by propriety and righteousness.
An elderly man with white hair and beard appeared at the door, wearing a whitewashed scholar's robe. His figure resembled an old pine tree that had weathered many storms but never bent.

He was holding a thick stack of old books with frayed edges, the cover of which was clearly "The Correct Meaning of the Book of Rites".

His steps were not fast, but he possessed a profound and dignified air. After walking to the lecture hall, he gently placed the "Correct Meaning of the Book of Rites" on the table.

Yan Zheng made no small talk or opening remarks, but simply tapped his knuckles on the desk in front of the lecture hall, producing a dull sound.

"The Book of Rites is not merely a record of ritual texts; it is in fact the great law of the sage kings for governing the world and the cornerstone of human ethics and social order."

He spoke with a slight local accent and his voice wasn't loud. Even in this not-so-large study, you had to listen very attentively to hear what he was saying, otherwise you'd miss the lesson.

"However, the study of the meaning of the characters is not merely about memorizing the chapters and sentences, but about 'extracting the essence and grasping the key points,' seeing the spirit in the details, and distinguishing truth from falsehood in common sense."

He opened the thick volume of "The Correct Meaning of the Book of Rites" and said, "Today, I will select several easily confused and difficult-to-distinguish chapters and sentences, discuss their subtleties, and analyze their merits and demerits."

The stationery was distributed again, and the questions on it were indeed exceptionally tricky.

For example, “The Book of Rites says: ‘Rites do not extend to commoners, and punishments do not apply to high officials.’ What exactly does this mean? Is it a misinterpretation that later generations used it as a basis for determining the disparity between the noble and the lowly?”

For example, in the "Great Harmony" chapter of the Book of Rites, it says, "When the Great Way prevails, the world is a commonwealth." Does the word "commonwealth" refer to "public ownership" or "fairness"?

His lectures were rigorous and his style was quite different from that of Zhao Yuanlang and others from yesterday.

Although he spoke slowly, he was extremely knowledgeable in quoting classical texts, with every word having its origin and every sentence touching on its source. For every point of contention, he would first cite the commentaries of Zheng Xuan and Kong Yingda, then analyze the debates of great Confucian scholars throughout history, dissecting the issues meticulously and peeling back the layers, before finally pointing out his own insights.

His insights particularly emphasize the profound meaning of etiquette and social ethics behind "a single word of praise or criticism," closely linking seemingly dry scriptures with real-world politics and moral dilemmas.

Its rigorous logic and thorough argumentation are truly admirable.

However, this also puts even more pressure on students.

Lu Beigu listened intently, his brush quickly taking notes, not daring to slack off in the slightest.

He could sense that Yan Zheng's "extracting the essence" was the key to distinguishing between mediocrity and excellence in the Book of Rites questions of the Mo Yi examination. The slightest oversight could lead to a huge error.

The profound meanings of the Spring and Autumn Annals as discussed by Zhao Yuanlang yesterday seem to have been further confirmed and extended within a more rigorous and precise framework.

Su Zhe listened intently, his brows furrowed, clearly trying his best to digest the complex and profound principles.

Su Xun sat upright like a bell, his eyes bright, occasionally nodding slightly, clearly indicating that Yan Zheng's views had also touched his mind.

The morning passed quietly amidst the solemn, steady, and somewhat imposing lectures.

When Yan Zheng closed the heavy book "The Correct Meaning of the Book of Rites" and announced a temporary break from classes, many students secretly breathed a sigh of relief, feeling that they had exhausted their minds.

Lunch was a simple meal, and everyone ate in silence, the atmosphere even more somber than yesterday.

Because of the daily elimination, it's like a sword hanging over people's heads, making many people look at the steamed buns in their hands with little appetite.

After a short rest, the afternoon classes began.

Unexpectedly, unlike yesterday, the instructor was not changed between morning and afternoon. Yan Zheng was still the lecturer in the afternoon.

"This morning we discussed the essence of the meaning of the Book of Rites, focusing on its method of 'extracting the profound and extracting the essentials.'" Yan Zheng spoke slowly and deliberately. "This afternoon, we will discuss its key point of 'integration and comprehensive understanding,' emphasizing the interconnectedness of classical meanings, the mutual corroboration of rituals and laws, the ease of understanding individual sentences, and the difficulty of connecting various classics."

Yan Zheng then kept asking questions and began calling on people to answer.

Compared to the morning session, the afternoon session posed a more ambitious question, requiring participants to connect, compare, and verify certain core concepts from the Book of Rites with relevant discussions in other Confucian classics.

How do the concepts of "selecting the virtuous and capable" in the *Liyun*, "honoring the virtuous and employing the capable" in the *Mencius*, and "promoting the upright and dismissing the crooked" in the *Analects* complement each other? How are the standards and procedures for selecting the virtuous reflected in the *Zhouli*? Since the Tang Dynasty, the practice of selecting officials through the imperial examinations can be seen as a modified continuation of this approach.

This is not merely a test of familiarity with a single classic text, but also a test of the scholar's overall classical scholarship, breadth of thinking, and ability to connect logical ideas.

He first selected a student from Rongzhou who was known for his extensive knowledge and excellent memory. The student quoted extensively from classical texts, but his explanations were somewhat verbose and lacked a refined coherence.

Then another person from Jiaozhou was mentioned, but his argument was too digressive and deviated from the core point.

Yan Zheng did not show any dissatisfaction with these answers; he simply explained the question carefully and then continued calling on students.

"Lu Beigu".

Lu Beigu's heart skipped a beat, and he stood up, saying, "This student is here."

"Based on the two phrases 'In the application of rites, harmony is of utmost importance' from the Analects, Book 1, and 'It originates from emotion but is restrained by rites and righteousness' from the Mao Commentary on the Book of Songs, we can discuss the appropriate use of 'rites' in relation to 'emotions' and also touch upon the true meaning of 'harmony.' Relevant chapters from the Book of Rites, Book of Music, can be cited as evidence."

The questions are extremely difficult, requiring not only an understanding of the individual meanings of the two sentences, but also a grasp of the dialectical relationship between "propriety," "emotion," and "harmony," and the ability to find supporting points in different classics.

Lu Beigu hesitated for a moment before answering:
“Sir, ‘In the application of rites, harmony is of utmost importance.’ This ‘harmony’ is not the kind of complacent harmony, but the state of ‘achieving moderation and harmony,’ a great harmony where all things are in their proper place and emotions are in their proper place. ‘Expressing emotions, stopping at rites and righteousness’ clarifies that ‘emotions’ are the inherent nature of humanity, while ‘rites’ are the dam of moderation, ensuring that the expression of emotions does not overstep the bounds or become excessive.”

He paused, his thoughts becoming clearer: "The Book of Rites, Record of Music, says: 'Music is for harmony, rites are for difference. Harmony leads to intimacy, difference leads to respect.' This 'difference' is the 'distinction' of rites, clarifying rank and order, and bringing order to all things. However, 'distinction' is not to create barriers; the ultimate goal is still 'harmony,' which is 'when music reaches its peak, there is no resentment; when rites reach their peak, there is no contention.'"

"Therefore, the rules of propriety in relation to emotions are not meant to suppress, but rather to guide, so that emotions may find their proper place, and be expressed in accordance with propriety, thus reaching the great state of harmony. Without the rules of propriety, conflict arises; but if the rules of propriety are rigid and incompatible with human feelings, then harmony becomes an empty phrase. Thus, 'stopping at propriety' does not mean annihilation, but rather a 'just right' measure, which is the essence of harmony." Lu Beigu's argument not only accurately quotes the key sentence from the "Record of Music," but also elevates the normative role of "propriety" in relation to "emotions" to a philosophical level of pursuing the whole of society, and points out their dialectical relationship.

—One should neither indulge oneself in disrupting the overall order, nor allow rigid etiquette to stifle people's natural emotions.

Yan listened intently, a barely perceptible hint of approval flashing in his eyes for the first time.

“Good.” He nodded slightly and said, “It clarifies that ‘harmony’ is not harmony without principle, but harmony in an orderly manner; ‘moderation’ is not suppression, but guidance within moderation. The citations are appropriate and the reasoning is clear. Please sit down.”

This word "good" was already a very high compliment in Yan Zheng's words.

The gazes of everyone in the study towards Lu Beigu were now filled with even more admiration, and Su Xun felt an even stronger sense of awe he had felt yesterday.

Cui Wenjing clenched his fists inwardly, feeling an even greater pressure.

Yan Zheng then called on Su Xun and asked him to discuss the relationship between "rites" and "law".

Su Xun's argument focuses more on how "rites" supplement and transcend "law" as the foundation of morality, and how rigid rites and laws hinder change. His eloquent style and critical edge are once again evident, forming a profound echo with Lu Beigu's argument from a different angle.

Moreover, Su Xun also seems to have absorbed some of the reformist ideas in Lu Beigu's versions of "On the Six States" and "On Xiang Ji".

Yan Zheng also affirmed Su Xun's answer.

The afternoon classes ended with rigorous and intense mental training, leaving everyone feeling exhausted. The wheat rice and clear soup for dinner were better than yesterday, but they couldn't alleviate the mental fatigue.

As dusk settled and the candlelight was lit again in Songtaozhai, the atmosphere became as heavy as if it were filled with lead.

Another academic official arrived as scheduled and lectured on the "fusion of emotion and scenery" and "expressing one's aspirations through objects" in poetry and prose.

However, after the rigorous baptism of the day and the heavy pressure of the elimination mechanism, many students, though trying to keep their spirits up, could not hide their fatigue, and their answers lacked the sharpness of yesterday. Even Su Zhe's performance in poetry was somewhat mediocre.

When the examiner left and the teaching assistant distributed the exam paper that would determine one's fate once again, only silence remained in the study.

On the exam paper, questions related to the Book of Rites occupied nearly half of the questions, and the difficulty of these questions was even greater than that of the serious lectures given by Bai Ri. The policy essay question required students to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of "provincial officials" in conjunction with the Zhou Li and the official system of the current dynasty. The poetry question was limited to the common topic of "Autumn Thoughts".

During the time it takes for three incense sticks to burn, Lu Beigu cleared his mind of all distractions and focused all his energy on answering the questions. Even after finishing, he was covered in sweat.

When the incense has burned out, roll it up.

The waiting time was more agonizing than answering the questions.

Finally, the familiar footsteps sounded again.

The arrival of the teaching assistants brought a sense of relief to everyone.

"At the Four Prefectures' Elite Training Conference in the first year of the Jiayou era, the last-ranked candidate was examined at Songtao Studio the following day—"

"Luzhou, Han Ziyu."

Han Ziyu suddenly looked up, his lips moved a few times, and the image of Zhou Mingyuan from yesterday seemed to overlap with his own at this moment.

"Han Sheng," the teaching assistant's voice was completely flat, "please go back and pack your bags. You'll need to move to a private house outside the state academy tonight."

The usual sharpness on Han Ziyu's face receded like the tide, leaving only a desolate and lifeless look.

He silently and stiffly began to pack up his writing implements, moving at a pace that was agonizingly slow.

As he picked up his satchel and turned to walk towards the door, his back was straight, yet it conveyed a sense of sorrow as if it had been forcibly broken.

He didn't look at anyone else, and followed the servants waiting outside, his heavy footsteps disappearing into the shadows of the corridor outside the door.

The room was completely silent.

Of the twelve desks, one is now empty.

The final trials before the provincial examination are forging every soul that yearns to leap over the dragon gate in the most brutal and direct way.

"Professor Chen Yuanli once said, all students, please remember this: the provincial examination is not only a test of talent and learning, but also a test of willpower. Those who are not firm in their will will inevitably become whetstones for others!"

Lu Beigu slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, looked down at his palm, and saw that the marks left from writing hard all day had not yet faded.

The cruelty of elimination, like the cold river water, completely extinguished the passion I felt from yesterday's debate with Su Xun.

"A whetstone." He silently repeated the teaching assistant's words to himself, his eyes growing ever sharper.

He gently clenched his fist, feeling his own strength.

In this crucible that brings together the best talents from four states, he cannot be the stone that is worn away; he must be the steel that is ultimately forged into a sword!
(End of this chapter)