In the afternoon, after dinner, Li Nian was called over again by Ying Zheng's people.
Li Nian was not surprised by this either. To Ying Zheng, he is a novel thing, from whom he can gain many strange experiences. It's not strange at all that he is summoned to be questioned every day.
It was still the same palace where they first met, and Mong Yi still accompanied Ying Zheng. However, compared to their first and second meetings, Ying Zheng and Li Nian were much more familiar with each other.
After Li Nian performed the ritual, Ying Zheng pointed to a prepared seat inside the hall: "Sit!"
"Thank the King for the seat!"
Just as Li Nian sat down, Ying Zheng said, "Today you had a conversation with Su Xu, and I am very curious about it. That's why I called you over."
Li Nian was not surprised and said, "To be able to solve the King's doubts is the happiness of the subject. All that the subject knows can be told to the King."
After reviewing the bamboo slips containing Li Nian's and Su Xu's conversation, Ying Zheng thought deeply today and came up with some reasons why the Legalist philosophy could not govern the Great Qin.
Just that if these reasons were true, wouldn't the Great Qin already be in great danger?
And if the Legalist philosophy cannot govern today's Great Qin, what other doctrines should be used?
Therefore, that is why Ying Zheng summoned Li Nian.
Ying Zheng asked the first question: "I observe that you seem to dislike the Confucian school. Did the Confucian school do something wrong in the future historical records?"
Li Nian said, "The King is wise! The Confucian school has a very important position in the history of the civilized world, with far-reaching influence. These influences have their good and bad aspects, but for a subject who is in a position in later times, it is believed that the bad influences of the Confucian school are more dominant."
Ying Zheng asked, "How bad is it?"
Li Nian did not answer immediately, but said instead, "Before I clarify the Confucian school for the King, I have a question that I dare to ask the King!"
Ying Zheng said, "Speak freely. I forgive you of any sin! In the future, if you have something to say directly, I will not punish you for your words."
Is that really true? I don't believe it!
I said that Lai Da was involved with your mother, and you wouldn't punish me?
But these words, Li Nian dared only to think in his mind, but did not dare to speak. He said, "The question of the subject is that in the King's eyes, what are the various schools of thought? The King should think about it from his own identity!"
What do you think the various schools of thought are from the perspective of my position as the King?
It's no wonder that you are the first emperor in Chinese history to be called an emperor, just thinking for a moment, Ying Zheng came up with the answer Li Nian was going to tell him.
He looked at Li Nian and said, "You want to say that in the eyes of a king like me, the various schools of thought are a tool for governing the world?"
Li Nian nodded and said, "That's right. The later saying is that they are tools for feudal rule, and as tools, it naturally suits to use them in a way that is convenient and beneficial to oneself."
Ying Zheng said, "Your meaning is that the Confucian school has become a tool for later kings and rulers?"
Confucianism becoming a tool for later kings and rulers was pointed out, Ying Zheng raised new questions, Confucianism has become a tool, what other 100 families?
"Yes! During the Han Wu era, Confucian doctor Dong Zhongshu presented a memorial to Emperor Wu 'abolish all schools except Confucianism, and make it the most mainstream school in the world!' Since then, Confucianism has gradually become the most mainstream school in the world without exception!"
Ying Zheng recalled for a moment, he remembered that in the prophecy that Li Nian had recited, Han came after Qin and was "One Qin and Two Hans". Han Wu was the king of the dynasty that came after Qin?
This Han isn't very good either. There was such a foolish king who believed in that Confucian scholar named Dong Zhongshu, abolished the other hundred schools of thought, and gave exclusive respect to Confucianism.
Li Nian continued, "Confucianism becoming a tool for rulers is because they have undergone self-improvement to make themselves suitable for the ruler's rule. Otherwise, if Confucianism has been introduced since the Spring and Autumn period for so many years, why has no ruler ever ruled the country using Confucianism?"
"In short, it is Confucianism that first turned itself into a tool suitable for the king to use!"
"Only in this way could it stand out from the other schools of thought and have the foundation for a ruler to 'abolish all schools except Confucianism'."
"After becoming a tool of the ruler, the ruler naturally wants to make Confucianism more convenient to use, so he continues to reform himself."
"Thus, Confucianism became increasingly advantageous for the ruler's governance, but the more suitable it was for the ruler, the less suitable it was for all the people!"
This statement struck Ying Zheng deeply, and his gaze fell on Li Nian. The meaning was unmistakable. What does it mean when you say "the more suitable for the ruler, the less suitable for all the people"?
Feeling Ying Zheng's gaze, Li Nian felt numbness in his scalp, but he couldn't lie. The cost of lying would be greater than telling the truth, so he continued with a stiff expression.
"For the ruler, using Confucianism to govern the country is a good thing because the modified Confucian ideology is very conducive to them. In the ritual codes and norms of Confucianism, 'heaven and earth, king and parents' are emphasized. Besides heaven and earth, the king is supreme."
Ying Zheng raised an eyebrow. From the perspective of a ruler, this was completely fine. Although there were "heaven and earth" before, heaven and earth cannot speak, so in reality, the ruler is still the greatest.
He didn't know that the "heaven and earth and father and teacher" that Confucianism paired with, was also a set of "heaven and earth response". If there was a disaster, it would be a warning from the heavenly father to the earthly son of kings that they were doing something wrong.
"Again, in the rites and education prescribed by Confucianism, each person of a certain status has their own place, with strict levels and ranks. This contributes to social stability and prevents unrest."
This is also no problem. Social stability and lack of unrest are indeed good things.
"The modified Confucianism also has the wonderful use of restricting human thoughts. First, the rites and codes and norms of Confucianism have become the social order, and everyone who is in it must abide by them; second, as Confucianism is recognized by the king, anyone who wants to serve as an official in the king's court must learn Confucianism."
"So, many talented and heroic individuals are drawn to the classics of Confucianism. They spend their entire lives studying these classics, naturally having no energy left to think too much, and not thinking too much means they won't cause trouble."
Hearing this, Ying Zheng felt that he might have understood it. Confucianism is too beneficial to rulers, making their power too great. If the ruler is a wise one, it's fine, but if the ruler is a foolish one, under this Confucian system, it will be easy for a dynasty to go astray.
"But for a nation and a people, the modified Confucianism is not a good thing. It seriously hinders the development of the nation and people."
"It is the dominant school, suppressing the development of other schools of thought, making our nation's thoughts like a stagnant pond, hard to be lively; it absorbs many talented individuals, making other industries unable to have sufficient talent, and hindering the progress of technology..."
"Accusing Confucianism of all the problems in history is definitely wrong, but in some matters, Confucianism cannot escape the blame. Confucianism has profoundly influenced Chinese history for more than two thousand years!"
Modern times often say that many kings ruled with the skin of Confucianism and the bones of law, not using Confucianism entirely. However, the majority of people during the feudal era couldn't see the 'bones' inside; they only knew the 'skin' on the outside. They lived under this layer of Confucianism and were constrained by its thoughts.
Confucianism has affected Chinese history for over two thousand years?
Ying Zheng was also shocked. Such a long time, it was Confucianism alone that dominated, which shows how much Confucianism is revered by subsequent kings and how beneficial it is to rulers.
