Great Song Dynasty Writer

Chapter 239 Song the Madman

"Don't rush, don't be impatient, and don't force clarity."

Zhou Duntian's voice rang out at the right moment: "Distractions are like dust; trying to wipe them away only increases their disturbance. Know that they exist, let them flow, and simply hold fast to the stillness of 'Wuji' and the vitality of 'Taiji.' Like watching the clouds in the sky, do not give rise to likes or dislikes, nor create distinctions."

These eight words, "Do not give rise to likes or dislikes, do not create distinctions," are like a wake-up call.

Lu Beigu realized that his resistance and anxiety to distracting thoughts were in themselves a strong sense of "discrimination" and "disgust," which was the source of his inner turmoil.

He took a deep breath, trying to relax his tense mind, no longer trying to forcibly drive away those thoughts, but simply "knowing" their existence, and then slowly drawing his attention back to the imagery of the silence of "Wuji" and the flow of "Taiji", experiencing the meaning of endless life contained within.

Strangely enough, when he stopped fighting against his distracting thoughts and simply "observed" from the sidelines, those chaotic thoughts gradually lost their power, just like a pebble thrown into still water, creating a few ripples before eventually returning to calm.

Deep within my heart, the imagined moon, though still hazy, seemed to truly radiate a faint yet constant brilliance.

An unprecedented sense of peace, like the thawing of a stream in early spring, began to flow slowly and steadily through his heart.

Lu Beigu's body seemed much lighter, and he no longer felt the heavy pressure brought by the imperial examination.

Time flows in silence.

I don't know how much time passed, perhaps just the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, or perhaps longer.

Lu Beigu was immersed in this peculiar experience. The sounds of the outside world—the wind, the bamboo leaves, and even the faint human voices—became distant and indistinct, no longer able to disturb the tranquility in his heart.

"All right."

Zhou Dunyi's gentle voice broke the silence of the study.

"When first learning this meditation exercise, one should not spend too much time on it. The key is to maintain reverence and cultivate it, integrating it into daily activities, whether moving or still, speaking or silent. The saying 'half a day of standing in silence, half a day of reading' also reflects this principle."

The stillness exercises in Zhou Dunyi's Treatise on Kung Fu are different from those practiced by Qigong masters. The purpose is not to pursue mystical experiences, but to cultivate one's mind and character to deal with things, and to maintain reverence throughout.

The object of reverence is not gods, Buddhas, or heaven and earth, but one's own heart.

Lu Beigu slowly opened his eyes, feeling that the world before him seemed clearer than when he came in, and his mind was exceptionally clear. The faint fatigue he had felt from overthinking earlier was swept away.

It's not some kind of qigong or magic trick. It's hard to imagine that these seemingly simple standing, breathing, and visualization techniques contain such profound power to guide the mind and spirit, far surpassing the methods taught in later meditation classes that have become mere formalities.

This is precisely the unique charm of the Song-Ming Neo-Confucianism theory of self-cultivation pioneered by Zhou Dunyi—to understand one's inner self in stillness.

"Thank you, Mr. Lianxi."

Lu Beigu felt that his visit to Zhou Dunyi today was very rewarding. At the very least, he learned a method to calm his mind, which would help him improve his learning efficiency.

Zhou Dunyi smiled with satisfaction: "'Quiet' is not lifelessness, but the essence of life; 'desirelessness' is not withering, but a magnanimous and impartial attitude. If you have any doubts in the future, you can come with Bochun and Zhengshu at any time."

This means to see the guest off.

Zhou Dunyi gave him a method for calming the mind, but did not engage in in-depth discussions or debates with him, which was somewhat unexpected for Lu Beigu. He didn't know what the other party meant by this.

However, now that he had already benefited, he stopped worrying about it.

If there are any problems, we can visit again next time to discuss them. This time, let's just get acquainted first.

Outside the window, the sun had risen higher, and the cool light shone through the window frame, casting dappled shadows on the floor of the study, which fell precisely on the Tai Chi diagram, where black and white blended, creating a sense of movement within stillness.

Cheng Hao and Cheng Yi understood at this moment, and together with Lu Beigu, the three of them respectfully stood up and bowed to Zhou Dunyi, who was sitting behind the desk.

"We apologize for disturbing your peaceful thoughts, sir. We will take our leave now."

Stepping out of the courtyard, Cheng Hao asked, "How was it?" Lu Beigu honestly replied, "The stillness exercise of focusing on stillness and establishing the ultimate is indeed effective. When the mind is calm, everything becomes twice as efficient."

"That is precisely why the practice of 'maintaining stillness and achieving ultimate tranquility, and being free from desires to achieve stillness' should be experienced and practiced throughout one's life."

“Indeed.” Cheng Yi nodded in agreement, a rare occurrence. “If the foundation is not solid, even if the branches and leaves are lush, they will eventually wither and fall. What you have heard today, my dear brother, is the foundation of your character. Do not neglect it because of distractions.”

His words clearly revealed a hint of unease about Lu Beigu's upcoming discussion of current affairs.

Cheng Hao changed the subject: "I heard that Assistant Professor Song is giving a lecture in the 'Mingbian Hall' on the west side of the front yard. He must have already started the lecture by now."

The three of them passed through several more desolate courtyards, piled high with fallen leaves.

In stark contrast to the serene bamboo-shaded environment of Zhou Dunyi's study, a faint murmur of human voices could be heard near the so-called "Hall of Clear Discernment." Though faint, it seemed particularly jarring in the deathly silence of the Imperial College.

After passing a screen wall, the view suddenly opened up before us.

A courtyard with a huge ginkgo tree in the center, most of its golden leaves have fallen and covered the ground.

At the end of the courtyard was a fairly well-maintained lecture hall, with a plaque above the door that read "Mingbian Hall," though the paint was peeling off.

The doors and windows of the lecture hall were half open, and there seemed to be a few people sitting inside, with a buzzing sound of discussion coming from within.

Standing under the eaves at the entrance was a young man dressed in the robes of a student, his neck hunched and his face showing a hint of impatience.

This contrasts sharply with the serene atmosphere of Lianxi Study, adding a touch of liveliness but also making it seem restless and disorganized.

Cheng Hao walked to the door. The slightly chubby student in the corridor, who was rubbing his hands, glanced at him sideways and lazily raised his chin: "Come listen to Madman Song's tales? Find a seat inside, there are empty seats in the back."

His tone was clearly sarcastic, and he obviously didn't think much of Song Tang.

Upon hearing this, the people nearby also began to chuckle quietly.

"Song the Madman?" Lu Beigu's heart stirred slightly, but his face remained expressionless.

The lecture hall was larger inside than it appeared from the outside, with only three or five students sitting sparsely.

Everyone seemed distracted; some were dozing off, some were flipping through books, and others were huddled together chatting and laughing in hushed tones.

"Alas, it's all because my father didn't work hard enough. If I were like those other men, would I still be afraid of Song the Madman's threat to expel me from the Imperial Academy?"

"Hey, just listen to it, stay up for an hour or two and then go back to sleep."

After the three of them sat down, a person entered the lecture hall shortly afterward.

It was Song Tang, the newly appointed assistant instructor of the four gates of the Imperial Academy.

In reality, there are very few doctors and lecturers still teaching at the Imperial College. That's why the Song Hall has the seemingly strange job of "four-door assistant instructors"—one assistant instructor has to do the work of four lecturers.

Song Tang was about forty years old. He was not tall but had a strong build. He was wearing a worn-out dark blue cotton-padded robe that had faded from washing.

His face was thin with a slightly reddish complexion, and his most striking feature was his eyes, which were not large but sharp.

His voice was loud and clear from the moment he opened his mouth, with a Sichuan accent, and he spoke very quickly, like a machine gun.

"Today we'll discuss current affairs and strategies!"

"Most of the test takers are fools who think that the 'Qingli Reforms' were just a flash in the pan and that all reform theories were empty talk and practical measures were all nonsense? That's completely wrong!"

(End of this chapter)