I did it all for the Han Dynasty!

Chapter 398 Your Majesty, please be ruthless...

Heaven, meaning the top. Supreme and unsurpassed, originating from one great.

The Book of Documents, "Gan Shi": "Now I will respectfully carry out the punishment of Heaven."

The "Emperor Gaozong's Rhapsody" states: "Heaven watches over the people below."

Zichan said, “The way of Heaven is far, the way of man is near, and it is beyond our reach.”

Fan Zhong said, "The way of Heaven is majestic, and the sun and moon are constant."

The Analects, Xian Wen: "Is it Heaven that understands me?"

Confucius said, “Does Heaven speak? The four seasons proceed in their course, and all things are born. Does Heaven speak?”

Mencius said, "Sincerity is the way of Heaven."

Xunzi said, "The course of Heaven is constant; it does not exist for Yao, nor does it perish for Jie."

……

What exactly is the sky?
Is it the supreme ruler with a will?
Is this a normal phenomenon in the movement of the sun and moon?

Is it the same principle?
Is he the supreme ruler of all gods? Is he the ancestor of all things?

This is a question that even sages cannot answer.

Until the first year of the Yuanguang era, Emperor Wu of Han dismissed all other schools of thought and exclusively promoted Confucianism, finally establishing a clear official understanding of what Heaven was.

"The interaction between Heaven and humanity".

Heaven is the greatest god, ruling over nature and humankind.

Heaven is connected to humankind and intervenes in human affairs; human behavior can also resonate with Heaven.

For the Han Dynasty that emerged from the chaos of the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, and for the Han Dynasty that was about to wage a life-or-death battle against the Xiongnu Empire, such an explanation was naturally not without merit.

But now three hundred years have passed.

Over the past three hundred years, countless things have happened.

Wang Mang usurped the Han throne, and Emperor Guangwu restored it.

The Taiping Rebellion caused widespread chaos and unrest across China.

When people discovered that even if they cultivated their virtue to the extreme, they still could not get a response from Heaven, nor could they restore peace to this chaotic world or make a single grain of food grow in the fields, this seemingly perfect and flawless interaction between Heaven and man was ultimately abandoned and even despised by the people of the Han Dynasty.

When Liu Miao proclaimed himself emperor, he explained the origin of his throne as "receiving it from the people."

It was because the people still missed the Han Dynasty and hoped that another emperor of the Liu family would appear to restore peace to the world that Liu Miao was able to ascend the throne!
Heaven, having accepted the will of the people, finally recognized Liu Miao and his status as emperor.

This is the legal basis for Liu Miao's ascension to the throne in the south as a member of the Liu clan, bypassing Liu Xie, the legitimate emperor.

It's not hard to see that Liu Miao had one crucial thing left undone.

That is to explain the heavens.

Now that Heaven has acknowledged Liu Miao's position as emperor, Liu Miao must explain what Heaven truly is.

One extremely fortunate yet extremely unfortunate thing was that Liu Miao could no longer use the "interaction between heaven and man" theory to explain the heavens.

This set of documents originated from the Later Han Dynasty. It has since been taken away by Yuan Shao and used as the legal basis for his claim to the throne.

Emperor Liu Miao needed to complete the task assigned to him by Heaven, namely, to explain what Heaven is!
Liu Miao needed a tool to help him explain himself.

Just as Emperor Wu of Han used Dong Zhongshu and Confucianism to explain the heavens, Liu Miao also needed a tool to help him explain the heavens, thereby forming a logically consistent theory to help him achieve a certain goal.

As for the choice of this tool...

Confucianism had been so heavily corrupted by the concept of the interaction between Heaven and Man that Liu Miao had no energy to restore order.

The Buddhist sect, such a foreign poison, should be kept as far away as possible!
The remaining choices can only be made from the various schools of thought of the Hundred Schools of Thought.

Of the various schools of thought from the Hundred Schools of Thought, only Daoism and Legalism seem to be still alive and doing quite well. However, Legalism is not an easy tool to use effectively, and it is also extremely costly.

It may be the best tool, but it's not the most suitable tool right now.

Therefore, Liu Miao actually had no other choice.

【road】

This sect, which instigated the Yellow Turban Rebellion and nearly crushed the Later Han dynasty with a single blow, has far too many advantages!
Therefore, Liu Miao wanted to personally hold this tool in his hands!
If Zhang Lu and Zhang Wei were unwilling, then Liu Miao would have no choice but to find a way to start from scratch.

Fortunately, Zhang Wei quickly realized what a wonderful thing this was! An incredible stroke of luck!

Why did Confucianism become a prominent school of thought after Emperor Wu of Han?

Isn't it still the Confucian scholars who are most subservient to the emperor, and who are the most thorough in groveling before him?

It should be noted that during the period of the Hundred Schools of Thought, the Confucian school was completely defeated by the Mohists and Yang Zhu!
Qin was able to unify the country only by employing the Legalist principles of Shang Yang.

Even in the early Han Dynasty, the Huang-Lao school of thought was far more popular than Confucianism!

Why was it that Confucianism was the one that survived in the end?
It's all because Confucianism met the right people at the right time!
The Han Dynasty, the emperor, and the people at that time all needed Confucianism! And Confucianism was quite compliant, allowing Emperor Xiaowu to act as both player and referee, stuffing many things that did not belong to Confucianism, and even things that Confucianism extremely disliked, into its body, in order to survive?

……

What Confucianism can do, Taoism can do too!
Zhang Wei had no idea what Liu Miao was trying to incorporate into Taoism.

But Zhang Wei was already prepared to have Liu Miao thoroughly infuse his body with Taoist teachings!
As long as Taoism can become a prominent school of thought like Confucianism, a tool in the hands of the emperor, and a rule of the secular world, Taoism is willing to accept any price!
What is "Laozi Erxiangzhu"?
If Liu Miao needs it, change it immediately! Change it now!
Let alone Lao Tzu's "Thoughts on Living"! Even the "Tao Te Ching" can be modified however one pleases!
What? You're shortchanging the immortals?
Those Confucian bastards can even find ancient texts hidden in the cracks of rocks, so why can't the Daoists?

If you don't believe me, take the current Confucian classics to Confucius and see if he recognizes the Confucian classics that have been distorted and modified by countless people!

Zhang Wei trembled again.

His Majesty!

We Taoists are so eager to progress!
If you choose us, we'll do anything!
At this moment, Zhang Wei's only problem was—

"Your Majesty, I cannot make this decision; only Master Shi can do it."

Zhang Weiqiang's suppressed excitement caused his voice to fluctuate wildly.

Although he really wanted to agree immediately.

But now Zhang Lu is the master of the Five Pecks of Rice sect and the legitimate leader of Taoism!
Ultimately, whether or not to agree depends on Zhang Lu himself...

"can."

Liu Miao also knew that Zhang Wei was not qualified to agree to such a thing.

“Your brother should know what kind of opportunity this is.”

"However, I would also like to remind you that with the revival of various schools of thought, we do not need your family."

"Moreover, even among Taoists, there is the Taiping Daoism."

“Those people’s reputation and legitimacy are actually no less than yours.”

Zhang Wei nodded repeatedly: "Understood! Understood!"

"Please wait a few days in Chengdu, Your Majesty. I will immediately return to Hanzhong to explain this matter to my brother!"

"Ah."

Liu Miao rose to leave, but then recited another poem—

"Good rain knows the season, when spring is here."

"It slips into the night with the wind, silently nourishing all things."

(End of this chapter)