Taiping Dao at the end of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 90 Difficult, difficult, difficult! It's a dead end!

"Master Zhang! The Mandate of Heaven is constant, and Heaven and Earth are clearly defined. The Zuo Zhuan says, 'Heaven gives birth to the people and establishes a ruler to govern them and prevent them from losing their nature.' This serves as the guiding principle. Without a ruler, how can one distinguish between superior and inferior? Without the principles of social order, how can one know the relationship between father and son? The Book of Rites is the framework, and Righteousness is the details. The people cannot govern themselves and need a sage emperor to guide and teach them!"

"Lord Xun! Heaven and earth are the transformations of the Dao. Humans are born of the Dao, their forms depend on the four seasons, and their qi flows with the five elements. Now, the way of the king is not flourishing, the social order is broken and disordered, and the people have lost their foundation. Are we not going against the Dao? The Taiping Jing says: 'The Great Dao has no master, and all people govern themselves.' This is the principle of nature."

"May I ask, Master Zhang? Without a wise ruler, how can the people govern themselves?"

"And I also ask you, Lord Xun! In this world, where is a sage ruler? Can the emperor be called a sage? Is the current emperor better off, or better off without him?"

"The current emperor is wicked, greedy, and cunning. He has imprisoned scholars and seized the throne for his own enrichment; he certainly cannot be considered a sage ruler! But since no sage appears, we, the gentlemen of the party, will govern the country with rites and music, follow the right path for the emperor, and educate the people!"

"Uncle! Be careful what you say!!"

The young Xun Yu spoke hastily, interrupting the two elders' conversation. Zhang Chengfu looked up and saw that this future king's advisor was now covered in sweat. Before the Yellow Turban Rebellion, the majesty of the Han emperor was like the blazing sun in the sky, almost blinding. Even the most outstanding talents from the most prestigious families couldn't help but feel apprehensive.

However, two renowned elders at the center of the gathering remained unperturbed. One was a prominent figure in the partisan world, imprisoned for over a decade. The other was the leader of the Taiping Dao, repeatedly wanted for treason. Having weathered many storms, neither regarded the emperor as an inviolable "saint." The very first topic of debate—whether the Way of Heaven is governed by "virtue" or "non-action"—had already ignited the two elders like a firecracker!
“Lord Xun, the Daoist classic says, ‘The Dao gives birth to One, One gives birth to Two, Two gives birth to Three, and Three gives birth to all things.’ Today, Heaven and Earth are ruthless, treating all things like straw dogs. Sages have long since ceased to exist; the people should save themselves.”

“Zhang Daoren, the Book of Documents says: Heaven gives birth to the people, and there are things and rules. The people’s inherent nature is to love virtue. Without propriety, there is no way to establish a country; without benevolence, there is no way to bring peace to the people. The people can be taught, but not abandoned! The so-called self-salvation of the people is to abandon the people rather than to educate them.”

"Lord Xun! Heaven created the people, not the ruler; the earth bears grain, not the treasury. The Taiping Jing says: 'The Way is in all living beings, and all living beings are the Way.' If one or a few families were to rule the world, that would be seizing the people from Heaven, which is absolutely not the way of Heaven! In my opinion, a greedy and tyrannical ruler, or a world ruled by a few families, is worse than having no one at all!"

“Master Zhang, you are biased! If a ruler loses his virtue, he can be educated and assisted by virtuous men. The common people are easily fooled and also need the guidance of scholars. What we scholars have learned and studied is to inherit the teachings of the sages, practice the way of the virtuous men, and rectify the etiquette of the world. The common people need the teachings of the sages, but they cannot teach themselves, just like a flock of sheep cannot be herded by itself.”

The great Confucian scholar Xun Shuang stared intently into the eyes of Zhang Jiao, the Great Teacher of Virtue, his face filled with a chilling intensity. Zhang Jiao's words, his exposition on the "Way of Heaven," had instilled in him a sense of threat to the orthodox tradition, even threatening the very foundation of Confucianism's prominent school of thought—its "rites, laws, and hierarchy"!
"The Way of Heaven honors virtue, and the Way of Humanity is orderly. Heaven is divided into Qian and Kun, Yin and Yang, and humanity is divided into ruler and subject, legitimate and illegitimate. Heaven, Earth and human hearts correspond one to one, fitting together perfectly like the joints of bamboo."

According to the "Tuan Zhuan" (Commentary on the Judgments), the "Ben" hexagram states: "Civilization is achieved through restraint, and human culture is formed." Culture refers to rites and teachings. People in the world need to be educated in morality and rites in order to create a world with "order and harmony"! What is this "civilization" that is being taught? It is not only about etiquette and order, but also about hierarchy and social status!

"Therefore, the hierarchy of Heaven is clear. The hierarchy of humanity is equally clear and inviolable! Sages govern the country with rites and music, and the core of rites and music is hierarchy! The Book of Rites states, 'The order of ruler and subject, father and son, elder and younger must not be disordered.' The natural non-action of the Daoist school of the Former Han Dynasty is 'the sage emperor does nothing, governing the world by doing nothing.' No matter how much non-action is done, this hierarchical order is not disordered at all! But the 'non-action' you, the Taiping Dao, speak of, the so-called 'no ruler but with people,' where does it place the way of the sage and the distinction between ruler and subject? Where does this talk of 'no ruler and no father, the people govern themselves' come from? I have never seen it in the Daoist scriptures!"

The great Confucian scholar Xun Shuang's question was resounding and represented the sentiments of the mainstream partisans and scholars of the world. The great teacher Zhang Jiao stroked his short beard, glanced at Zhang Chengfu, and spoke frankly.

“In the past, Shennong taught farming, and Huangdi created medicine. They did not govern people according to their social status, but rather showed them the Way. The emperor is a private person, but the Way of Heaven is public. The Way of Heaven is impartial and does not rule over any one family. Laozi said: ‘Abandon sagacity and discard wisdom, and the people will benefit a hundredfold.’ He also said: ‘The highest virtue is not virtue, therefore it is virtue.’ Morality is innate, and the people can naturally be their own masters, seeking virtue within themselves, and governing themselves with virtue.”

"My Taiping Jing also says: 'The Dao is among people, regardless of rank or social status; everyone can access it.' The changes in the hexagrams of the Yi Jing are endless; one should not be fixated on unchanging hierarchies. The Tongren hexagram has an interpretation: 'Fellowship in the fields, success.' From the perspective of the horn, all people gathering in the fields, working together equally, without distinction of rank or social status, is the most fundamental state of the world!"

"Oh? Seek virtue within yourself? That's easy to say, but very few scholars can actually do it, let alone ordinary people! As for gathering all the people to work together? Ha!"

The Confucian scholar Xun Shuang chuckled, realizing the situation. It seemed the astonishing ideas this leader of the Way of Peace had just uttered were still in their infancy, merely slogans. They were a far cry from a truly viable doctrine, and could not possibly replace the existing dominant Confucianism. He gently shook his head, his expression softening considerably, though his voice remained firm.

"Zhang Jun! A government without a ruler is worse than a mob. The Book of Rites says, 'When the Great Way prevails, the world is a commonwealth, and the virtuous and capable are chosen.' The so-called 'virtuous' and 'capable' are all products of education and moral principles. The emperor may be incompetent, and a sage may not yet have emerged. But without an emperor, how can the world have a proper order? How can the people's hearts be united? In the past, Yao and Shun abdicated, and there was a ruler. This is not a title for private gain, but the moral principle of universal harmony!"

"From the Way of Heaven to the Way of Humanity, the way to govern a country lies in between! Governing a country with virtue, following the path of righteousness, and adhering to propriety and proper names—this is 'benevolent governance and the system of rites.' Now that the Great Way has been obscured, the world of Great Harmony is long gone. The governance of a moderately prosperous society is about rectifying the relationship between ruler and subject, strengthening the bond between father and son, and seeking propriety and righteousness as the guiding principles."

"Your Taiping Dao is like this: you form societies across the north and south of the Yellow River to protect yourselves, and you supposedly gather all the people to work together. You also need to distinguish between priests, talisman masters, disciples, and believers, and take the rituals of ghosts and gods as your guiding principles! The only difference is that you use so-called Daoist officials and leaders to replace the local tyrants and landlords, resist official taxes, and equalize wealth!"

"Hmm, the principles of humanity, the actions of the Way of Peace?"

Upon hearing the comments of the great Confucian scholar Xun Shuang, the Great Teacher Zhang Jiao stroked his beard in silence, his face showing deep thought. The two had debated metaphysical matters for a long time, but when it came to practical matters, they hadn't reached a clear consensus. How could the common people truly govern themselves, protect their agricultural produce, and secure a way to survive? How should the elite class of scholars be absorbed, transformed, and replaced? His answers weren't clear, but that didn't stop him from asking the great Confucian scholar a few questions.

"Master Xun! Heaven and earth have their constants, but human affairs are ever-changing. The current court is tyrannical, and taxes are heavy. Powerful families monopolize land, and the common people have nowhere to stand. Such exploitation of the poor to feed the rich is something that heaven and earth abhor, and it also causes the world to lose its virtue, leading to widespread disasters and plagues. If we do not return to the root of the problem and cleanse the source, how can we attain the Way?"

"Zhang Jun! The Book of Rites states, 'The emperor's fields are a thousand li square, while the fields of dukes and marquises are a hundred li square.' The king has established regulations, and noble families fulfill their duties. If the wealthy are considered evil, then the law is disrupted. Even in the great way, there are distinctions. The current ills of the state are that the emperor exceeds the thousand-li square, and dukes and marquises exceed the hundred-li square. To rectify this, we must restrain the monarch above, the kings and marquises in the middle, and the common people below. This will ensure everyone is in their proper place, acts appropriately, and receives appropriate wealth—this is true prosperity!"

"Oh! In that case, who will be in charge of this constraint allocation?"

Upon hearing this, the great Confucian scholar Xun Shuang stroked his long beard, smiling but remaining silent. The great teacher Zhang Jiao also smiled, and then, after a moment of laughter, asked another question. "Master Xun, then look around. Have the scholars of this world followed the teachings of the sages and exercised appropriate self-discipline?"

"Of course! During the two periods of the Partisan Prohibitions, we members of the partisan clan fought to the death, precisely to restrain the emperor and the eunuch clans."

"If that's the case, then why are the common people of this land still starving and dying in ditches? Why do powerful families own thousands of acres of land, their granaries overflowing with wine and meat, while the common people sell their children and still have not a single grain of rice? Now that drought has struck again, who will seek a way to survive for the millions of people in Yuzhou? Are there any powerful families who will set an example for the gentry and be willing to step forward and shoulder this responsibility for the people of Yuzhou?!"

"."

The smile on the face of the great Confucian scholar Xun Shuang vanished. Their discussion eventually moved from the Book of Changes to the Way of Heaven, from the Way of Heaven to the Way of Man, and inevitably, from ideals to reality.

But when the topic turned to the harsh realities unfolding in Yuzhou, this truly benevolent Confucian scholar fell silent. He lowered his gaze for a long time, his face showing unbearable sorrow, and his profound knowledge of Confucian classics remained unspoken. He was not a scholar like Chen Taiqiu, whose every step was "correct and precise," but an elderly member of the Party who was willing to endure the persecution for the sake of his ideals. The life of fleeing during the persecution also brought him close to the common people in the countryside, preventing him from turning a blind eye to their suffering like the noble families in the manors.

"Hey!"

After a long while, the great Confucian scholar Xun Shuang sighed, his pale eyebrows drooping, and asked Zhang Jiao.

"Master Zhang, do you want to discuss with me the ownership of the world, or the land system and its distribution?"

"We are all willing to discuss this."

"Very well! Who shall rule the world? And who shall participate in its affairs?"

"I would like to hear your answer first, Magistrate Xun."

“I have already given the answer: the ruler is the master, the ministers participate, and the people are educated and follow the rites and laws.”

"Then I'll give you an answer too, it just requires changing the order."

"Please speak!"

"The people are the masters, and the ministers participate. As for the ruler, he may exist but not act, or he may not exist at all."

"call!."

The great Confucian scholar Xun Shuang took a deep breath and then exhaled slowly. His white eyebrows trembled as he slowly shook his head.

"Master Zhang! This change is far too drastic! Countless heads will be lost."

"Lord Xun, changing means death, and not changing also means death. Since we are going to die anyway, we might as well change."

"Difficult, difficult, difficult! The path to Great Harmony is a dead end!"

The great Confucian scholar Xun Shuang shook his head again, unwilling to say another word. After a while, he finally spoke again, but this time he was giving instructions to the Xun family members behind him.

"Go! All of you go! Fetch some wine and water!"

"I would like to offer a toast to Master Zhang!"

"May he die rather than live!"

(End of this chapter)