Cao Zhi sighed and said, "Although I began to learn classics from a young age, I have never thought of this level in more than ten years. The emperor's deep thoughts impress me greatly."
"I merely think from a different angle than you, Uncle." Cao Rui waved his hand. "Since you have figured it out, have you started translating the Five Classics into colloquial language yet?"
"We have already started," Cao Zhi said. "I have translated more than twenty articles from the Shi Jing, the Shu Han, the Li, the Yi, and the Spring and Autumn Annals."
"I have already translated the eleven chapters of Zhou Nan and the fourteen chapters of Shao Nan, a total of twenty-five pieces," he said. "In addition, I have brought all these translations in the carriage with me when I came here to Chenliu to see the emperor."
Cao Zhi asked, "Your Majesty, shall I have someone fetch these translations for Your Majesty to review?"
Cao Zhi asked, "Your Majesty, may I have my people bring these translations to Your Majesty for review?"
"Not necessary," Cao Rui waved his hand. "I will not look at them first. I will wait until Uncle has finished translating the Poetry of the Book of Songs, and then I will read them carefully."
Cao Zhi nodded, "I understand. Your Majesty, I have one more question I would like to ask for clarification."
"What is the question?" Cao Rui looked at Cao Zhi.
Cao Zhi said, "There are stone inscriptions outside the school of Luoyang's Imperial College. From now on, the students of the college can use these stone inscriptions as a basis. But even if I translate the Five Classics into colloquial language, how will the imperial court promote it?"
Cao Rui's mouth curled into a faint smile, "Uncle is asking how to popularize it?"
"I have this doubt," Cao Zhi replied.
Cao Rui nodded slightly, "Uncle asks a very good question."
"The promotion of Confucian classics indeed requires the teaching of scholars and distinguished scholars from the aristocratic families, but it still needs the court to truly exert its efforts behind the scenes."
"There are only about a hundred prefectures in the entire country, from the commandery of Si Li, to Qing Qiu and Yun Chen, to Jing Yu and Xu Yang, as well as the prefectures of Yong and Liang. After translating the Five Classics into colloquial language, the government will copy them first and then send them to each state. The states will then distribute them to their respective counties and territories."
"After they arrive at the counties and states, whether the county funds the copying of manuscripts or selects some important chapters to be written on a wall shadow, these are all acceptable."
Cao Zhi bowed and said, "I have a general understanding. If there is such a translation and explanation of the Five Classics that circulates among the counties, the centers of learning will shift from the private schools established by great scholars to the official schools opened in the counties."
Cao Zhi bowed and said, "I roughly understand. If there is such a translation of the Five Classics available throughout the world, the center of learning in various places will move from private schools opened by Confucian scholars to official schools set up by the counties."
"It seems that Uncle and I are thinking along the same lines," Cao Rui smiled and nodded. "During the Han Dynasty, there were the Eastern Observatories and the Lantai. Now, I also wish to establish an institution in Luoyang to promote Confucianism and teach poetry and fu. Let's call it the Chongwen Guan (Hall of Cultural Enlightenment)."
Of course, Cao Rui also had plans to send people back to the capital to improve paper-making and printing techniques, but there was no need to mention it to Cao Zhi at this time.
Cao Zhi was curious and asked, "Your Majesty is setting up a center for classical learning in Luoyang?"
Cao Rui nodded.
For a long time, the two things Cao Rui had been concerned about were short-term governance and long-term centralization of power.
To gain power in the short term, it is mostly about taking a practical approach to matters.
Whether it's the personnel appointments and military operations against Wu in the south of the border, it's about keeping power within and strengthening the authority of this emperor.
In the long term, the threat from the noble families and aristocratic clans is undoubtedly the greatest. They control elections, lead to class rigidity, and form factions for personal gain...
In the current era, the noble families and the aristocratic clans are almost equivalent.
Cao Rui said, "Uncle, the late emperor himself said that writing is the great enterprise of governing the country and the immortal grand event. If we are to create the prosperity of our Wei Dynasty, it is not only necessary to have military might to unify the world, but also civil governance."
Cao Zhi looked at the emperor, speaking cautiously and with a tone of inquiry, "Your Majesty, since this translation of the Five Classics is for the promotion of literature and culture, should this function also be incorporated into the Chongwen Guan?"
Cao Rui looked at Cao Zhi's eager expression and knew that Cao Zhi had a restless and eager-to-do-things mindset. He then said, "As for the Chongwen Guan, I only have this idea. The specific matters will be decided after I return to Luoyang."
Cao Zhi pretended to be calm and nodded, with a hint of disappointment in his eyebrows.
Cao Rui seemed not to have noticed, and he continued to laugh on his own, saying, "When I was in the Eastern Palace, I had read many of Uncle's articles thoroughly, and some I could even recite by heart."
"Oh?" Cao Zhi seemed to have regained some interest and raised his eyebrows, "I have written many poems and essays. Does Your Majesty have a particular favorite among them?"
Cao Rui nodded, "Uncle, with such excellent literary talent, of course, I have favorite poems. And there are two of them that are related to the word 'Bai Ma' (white horse)."
Cao Zhi slightly pondered for a moment and smiled, "The poems you mentioned are 'The White Horse Poem' and 'Gift to Bai Ma Wang Biao'?"
"That's the exact ones," Cao Rui said. "In terms of literary talent and meaning, I believe these two poems are the first choices among Uncle's works."
When dealing with military officers, one should discuss their battles, military experiences, and achievements. To draw closer to scholars, the best way is to talk about their most prideful works.
However, Cao Rui felt no forced sense. Cao Zhi's literary talent is such that a bit of praise is well deserved, and Cao Rui's words are from the heart.
Cao Rui slowly stood up, hands behind his back, beginning to pace around the hall, reciting lines from Cao Zhi's poem "The White Horse Poem."
