Under One Person: My Inner Realm Connects to All Worlds!

Chapter 89 The Spirit of Confucianism
After leaving Yunfeng Temple, Han Yun arrived at Jieshen Shrine.

The Jie Temple is dedicated to Jie Zitui, a famous minister of the State of Jin during the Spring and Autumn Period. Legend has it that he cut off a piece of his own flesh to feed his ruler, Duke Wen of Jin, Chong'er, in order to help him restore the state. Later, he went into seclusion in Mianshan Mountain, refusing to serve anyone, and was eventually burned in the mountain.

Han Yun stepped into the shrine and saw that the incense was sparse, but the statues inside were lifelike. Jie Zitui had a resolute face and held a bamboo slip, as if he was deep in thought.

He looked around and suddenly realized that the craftsmanship of the statue was somewhat similar to that of the wrought-bones mummified body statue at Yunfeng Temple, but upon closer inspection, there were differences.

The statue of Jie Zitui is not wrapped in flesh, but is purely a clay sculpture with paint, yet its sinews, textures, and the dynamic folds of its clothing convey a sense of liveliness.

Just then, a soft cough came from behind the shrine. The Confucian elder we had seen before slowly walked out and was slightly taken aback when he saw Han Yun standing in the hall.

Then, laughing and joking, he said, "I didn't know it was the young patriarch of Taoism who had arrived. I'm so sorry for not welcoming you properly!"

Han Yun nodded in acknowledgment and smiled, saying, "You flatter me. I've only come to admire the sages of the past."

Han Yun bowed to the Confucian elder.

The Confucian elder returned the greeting and then asked, "I wonder if you have studied the 'Nourishing Qi and Rectifying the Mind' scroll that I gave you before?"

Han Yun shook his head: "Not yet. I just came from Yunfeng Temple not long ago, thinking of visiting all three religions on Mianshan Mountain and then organizing what I have learned."

"I see!"

The Confucian elder nodded and invited Han Yun to a side hall to serve him tea.

After taking his seat, he said, "In fact, Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism each have their own emphasis on the path of cultivation, but they also have commonalities. Ultimately, it all comes down to the word 'mind'!"

"Taoism seeks self-nature, Buddhism speaks of emptiness, while Confucianism cultivates a righteous nature. I am good at cultivating my noble spirit, which resides in the universe."

"The innate Qi of extraordinary people has different inclinations, and also differs due to the nature of their cultivation methods. The innate Qi of Confucianism can also be called the righteous Qi."

"Heaven and earth possess righteous energy, which manifests in various forms. Below, it becomes rivers and mountains; above, it becomes the sun and stars. In man, it is called the vast and righteous spirit, which fills the boundless sky."

"The intangible Qi is materialized into the sun, moon, mountains, and rivers, constructing a three-in-one inheritance method of Qi-form-Tao. Speaking with divine authority and writing with exquisite skill are all manifestations of this."

"This Qi is extremely powerful and strong; it is the righteous Qi of the spirit, and it also originates from the heart. The heart has desires, so it is restrained by rules and regulations in order to rectify one's own heart."

“In ancient times, there was a saying that one should preserve heavenly principles and eliminate human desires. This was an overcorrection. True Confucian scholars often believed that one should do as one pleases without overstepping the bounds. They believed that if their thoughts and actions were in accordance with the principles they had established, they could do as they pleased.”

"Therefore, Confucianism also has the saying of the three immortalities: establishing virtue, establishing merit, and establishing words. Establishing virtue means creating and establishing laws and regulations, and generously helping the masses; establishing merit means rescuing people from calamities and difficulties, and making contributions that benefit the times; establishing words means speaking the essentials and making the principles worthy of being passed down."

"What Confucianism has been exploring and studying for thousands of years is actually that heart."

“Those who in ancient times wished to manifest their virtue to the world first ordered well their states; those who wished to order well their states first regulated their families; those who wished to regulate their families first cultivated their personal lives; those who wished to cultivate their personal lives first rectified their hearts… When the heart is rectified, then the personal life is cultivated; when the personal life is cultivated, then the family is regulated; when the family is regulated, then the state is ordered well; when the state is ordered well, then the world is at peace.”

"Cultivating oneself, regulating one's family, governing the state, and bringing peace to the world—in modern terms, Confucianism leans towards rationality, rationalizing the understanding of heaven and earth, all living beings, and oneself, summarizing the various relationships among them, and then deriving the Four Books and Five Classics such as the Analects, the Great Learning, the Doctrine of the Mean, and Mencius."

"Confucian scholars are inspired by the words of the sages and then conduct themselves in accordance with the principles therein. However, they neglect important factors such as the objective progress of society and the changes in human culture. They stick to old rules and regulations, hence the saying that they are 'corrupt scholars'."

"They say: 'Studying by rote, studying to death!'"

"This is also because the emperors of various dynasties deliberately indulged and even exacerbated this phenomenon, such as the Ming Dynasty's eight-legged essay and the literary inquisitions of previous dynasties, which reduced and suppressed the true Confucian tradition."

"The most famous Confucius family is like a target that has been erected. Their Confucian tradition has long been lost. They have even become servile and subservient people who have lost their integrity and have submitted to the emperor. It is truly pitiful and lamentable!" "This shrine has only survived because of the special location of Mianshan. Nowadays, the true Confucian tradition is very rare, and disciples are even rarer."

The old Confucian scholar seemed to have a sense of the vicissitudes of life in his eyes, and sighed, "This is the inevitability of the development of the times, and I cannot stop it. But studying Confucianism is like tasting wine. The more you drink, the more you know its mellowness, and the more intoxicating it becomes."

"We will never allow those arrogant and presumptuous individuals who, like those few decades ago, clamored to abolish the written language of China and sever the roots of our Chinese nation."

"Confucianism safeguards the cultural heritage and spirit of China, so Confucianism must not be interrupted."

At this point, the Confucian elder's eyes were extremely firm.

He is like a person abandoned by the times, yet he still guards that lamp of cultural heritage.

The three schools of thought have a long history, and Confucianism, as one of them, is so rich, brilliant, and exquisite in its ideological content that it can rival, or even surpass, Buddhism and Taoism.

Han Yun listened and his heart stirred slightly. After a moment of contemplation, he said, "What you say is very true, senior. Confucianism emphasizes the 'heart' but it is not detached from the world. It focuses on self-cultivation and governing the world, which is indeed different from the pursuit of transcendence in Buddhism and Taoism."

"But the three schools of thought, though different in their approaches, all ultimately converge on the concept of 'heart,' which is quite interesting."

The Confucian elder stroked his beard and smiled, saying, "That's exactly right. The character for 'heart' has three dots, which means that the human heart is fickle, thoughtful, and anxious, making it difficult to grasp, like a cunning rabbit with three burrows."

"To rectify the mind is to restore the mind to its proper place!"

"Taoism seeks freedom, Buddhism seeks liberation, while Confucianism seeks 'establishment'—establishment within heaven and earth, within the world, and within one's own heart. They may seem different, but in reality, they are all forms of spiritual practice."

He paused, then said, "Since you have visited the Buddhist temple and entered the Confucian land, have you ever considered that although these three religions each have their own path, they may not be unable to be integrated?"

Upon hearing this, Han Yun seemed to be deep in thought.

Seeing this, the Confucian elder continued, "Take Wang Yangming, for example. In his early years, he studied Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism, and later explored Buddhism and Taoism. In the end, he returned to Confucianism and founded the School of Mind, which advocated the unity of knowledge and action. In fact, he integrated the strengths of the three teachings. If you are interested, you might as well give it a try."

Han Yun nodded: "Senior's guidance is very helpful to me."

The Confucian elder smiled with satisfaction, picked up his teacup and took a sip, then suddenly changed the subject: "However, the path of cultivation must ultimately be walked by oneself. Others' paths may not be suitable for you."

Han Yun smiled slightly: "This junior understands."

The two chatted for a while longer before Han Yun got up to take his leave.

The Confucian elder did not try to stop him, but before he left, he said meaningfully, "Although the three religions still exist on Mianshan Mountain, the true 'Tao' may not be in the temple or in the scriptures, but under your feet."

Han Yun paused, turned around and bowed deeply: "Thank you for your guidance, senior."

After leaving the Jieshen Temple, Han Yun stood on the mountain path, gazing at the vast sea of ​​clouds over Mianshan Mountain, his thoughts churning.

Buddhism speaks of emptiness, Taoism seeks self-nature, and Confucianism cultivates righteousness. The three teachings seem different, yet they are subtly interconnected.

But where does his path lead?
Taoism? Buddhism? Confucianism?
I seek only the "Tao"!

This path is not that path.

Perhaps I should also read that book on cultivating qi and rectifying the mind, learn from the strengths of others, synthesize the wisdom of various schools, and seek the root of truth—that is my true path!
(End of this chapter)