Chapter 031

Author: Feast of Masks

Raws: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=3185016

Translated by Gumihou

Proofread by Pill Bug

Additional notes for readers! Don’t miss this! If you do skip this, that’s fine, just come back up here once you’re confused by Confucianism.

Neo-Confucianism or 理學 is a moral, ethical and metaphysical Chinese philosophy influenced by Confucianism. It originated with Han Yu (768-824) and became prominent during the Song and Ming dynasties under Zhu Xi.

Not to be confused with Confucianism, which is a philosophical and ethical system based on the teachings of Confucius, a Chinese philosopher who lived during the Spring and Autumn period of Chinese history. Central to Confucian thought are concepts such as filial piety, righteousness, propriety, loyalty, and the cultivation of virtuous character. In short, it’s closer to a ‘moral code of conduct’.

The Cheng-Zhu School of Neo-Confucianism was based on the ideas of philosophers Cheng Yi (1033-1107), Cheng Hao (1032-1085) and Zhu Xi (1130-1200). Zhu Xi was the one who compiled the Four Books studied by the scholars of this novel’s period. Naturally, since philosophy is an ever-changing beast, there exists an older ‘style’ of thought.

One of the major schools of thought in opposition against the Cheng-Zhu School is the School of Mind founded by Wang Yangming (1472-1529) which rejects the belief that once one gained knowledge, one had a duty to put that knowledge into action. In short, knowledge and action are unified as one. Any knowledge that had been gained and then put into action was considered delusion or false.

In short:

Cheng-Zhu School of Neo-Confucianism – knowledge first, then action

School of Mind – with actions comes knowledge (the mind gives reason to the world)

—

Dawn came and with it, the crowing of cocks. Students at the dormitory started stirring at the lowed crowing.

Lin Miao, the headmaster, lead the ceremony for students to pay respects to past famous scholars and their teachers. There was a whole set of ceremonies to get through before the students were considered properly indoctrinated into the school.

After that, the students headed to their respective classrooms.

Since the teachers were not there yet, everyone occupied themselves by reading their books. The hall was very quiet, with only the sound of pages turning rustling in the room.

Unlike the others, Xue Tingxiang was busy with some doing some copying.

He wiped down the long table in front of him with his sleeve before opening up his basket of stationary and arranging the brush, ink stick, ink stone and paper on the table. He set up his writing station, wetting the ink stone with water from a bamboo tube filled with water before grinding the ink.

Xue Tingxiang had already copied one volume of [1] <<The Great Learning>>, one volume of <<The Doctrine of the Mean>>, and was now copying <<The Analects with Annotations>>. This <<The Analects with Annotations>> was different from the first two books, as it consisted of 10 volumes of books. Thus far, Xue Tingxiang had only copied up to the second volume.

After grinding the ink, he dipped his brush and immersed himself in copying.

The speed of his writing was not fast because he wanted to use the opportunity to memorise the work. After he was done copying <<The Great Learning>>, he also tried reciting the book to himself once. Although he could not fully recite the entire volume, he could still recall about 50 to 60 per cent of what he had copied.

The Imperial Examination focussed on essay writing according to the so-called Eight-Legged Essay style. Topics for the essay would be derived from the Four Books [1], which represented the words of the sages. Therefore, the first step to answering the Eight-Legged Essay was to memorise all the Four Books as well as any accompanying annotations word for word.

Xue Tingxiang’s memory could not be considered good and he needed to spend quite a lot of effort memorising essays that were more than a thousand words. However, ever since that dream, he found that his memory had improved a lot. Perhaps the person from the dream had already done all the studying, therefore what he was doing was more like a review, which meant he would get twice the result with half the original effort.

Naturally, that alone was not enough to propel him to become a great scholar. Moreover, since he had fallen behind in his studies compared to his peers, he could only do his best from now on.

In the blink of an eye, more than an hour passed and finally their teacher, Meng Wenbo, slowly entered the room.

Meng Wenbo was an elderly man who was there when books were being handed out. He was also the main teacher in charge of teaching Class B. According to Mao Badou, the man was very rigid and strict. Even though the students who entered the academy were no longer young boys, so long as they violated his taboos, he would not hesitate to strike their hands.

Meng Wenbo was also a Xiu Cai, but was considered an ‘Old Xiu Cai’.

There is a saying that goes ‘Poor Xiu Cai, Rich Ju Ren’. In short, Xiu Cai who came from poor families may receive a stipend of rice and a certain amount of allowance from the government, but so long as they were not selected for any official position, they still had to make a living somehow. Apart from these meagre allowances and being exempted from certain taxes and conscriptions, they were no different from ordinary people.

Teacher Meng was a good example. He relied mostly on the salary from the school to support his family and live a very poor and frugal life. The circumstances of his life could be seen in his washed-out blue robes.

Naturally, Xue Tingxiang knew all of these details thanks to Mao Badou, who seemed to know everything.

Teacher Meng’s lectures were very meticulous. He treated everyone equally and started his teachings from <<The Great Learning>>, the first of the Four Books.

He would recite passages from the book first, then explain the meaning and allusions behind each word. Occasionally, he would call up a student and make them repeat what he had said.

If the student could recite it correctly, all was well. If not, the student would have to go to the front of the class and hold out a hand to be struck with a ruler. Teacher Meng would only strike the student’s left hand, as the right hand was used for writing.

Xue Tingxiang had heard about this hand-striking punishment before and thought it was just a joke that students spread around to scare each other. After all, it was rare for teachers to use corporal punishment on students who were already this old. To think that he would not witness this kind of punishment after having entered a prestigious private school.

Still, one had to admit that this was certainly a very effective method. [5] There was one student who received five strikes for not reciting his lines properly. After that, when Teacher Meng continued his lecture, everyone paid full attention, not daring to let their attention wander any more.

In fact, quite a lot of students were distracted in class because the senior students had already gone through the same lecture and studied <<The Great Learning>> at length. Probably more than once. It must be quite dull for them to have to go through the entire thing again.

“Do not think that learning from the beginning will harm your studies. If you cannot enter Class A, it means your foundation is not strong enough. The Four Books are vast and profound; reading them once and reading them ten times later will lead to different insights. Among the Four Boos, <<The Great Learning>> is the most important. It serves as a guiding principle for all other discussions. Mastering <<The Great Learning>> will bring you countless benefits in the future.

As Zhu Xi [2] said: <<The Great Learning>>, is learning for adults. Only those who understand the principles of <<The Great Learning>> can engage in profound discussion. To govern others, one must first cultivate oneself. To cultivate oneself, one must first cultivate one’s own person, and only then can one govern one’s family, the country, and bring balance to the world. What is self-cultivation? Self-cultivation is the observation of things, it is acquiring knowledge, sincerity, rectitude of heart…”

Teacher Meng spoke eloquently, teaching and admonishing the students at the same time.

Even so, Xue Tingxiang’s thoughts started to drift away. <<The Great Learning>> as taught by Teacher Meng was the one collected by Zhu Xi. [3] Cheng-Zhu School of Neo-Confucianism came into popularity during the previous dynasty and the Cheng-Zhu School of Neo-Confucianism became the orthodox study for all scholars since imperial examinations were all based on it.

In the past, the Cheng-Zhu School of Neo-Confucianism faced significant challenges from the School of Mind led by Wang Yangmin. The Cheng-Zhu School emphasised observation and acquiring knowledge, focusing on the study of things, acquiring knowledge, preserving the Principles of Heaven while suppressing human desires.

In contrast, the School of Mind was more idealistic.

Cheng-Zhu School considered ‘rules’ and ‘principles’ as the ultimate source of all things in the world, that everything was governed by certain principles, and that there was a certain way of doing things. Whereas the School of Mind believed that the ‘mind’, in other words, ‘thought’ as the ultimate principle.

Naturally, the younger generation aspiring to greatness preferred the School of Mind as it allowed them greater freedom of thought and action. Due to this, the Cheng-Zhu School gradually saw a decline.

However, as with all things, once a trend reaches its extreme, a reversal of the trend happens. Later, the School of Mind was seen as ‘deviant’ and ‘corrupt’. After all, how could people gain knowledge by thinking without learning? In fact, The School of Mind way of thinking gave birth to many bad habits among the literati – they developed an aversion to the ordinary and pursued novelty for novelty’s sake. Many held themselves in high regard but lacked substance and were ignorant of current affairs. As a result, the Cheng-Zhu school of thought regained prominence. [3b]

Even so, The School of Mind, as represented by Wang Yangming and his followers, had a significant influence on the Neo-Confucian philosophical tradition, particularly in contrast to the more traditional Neo-Confucian teachings of the Cheng-Zhu school. In other words, the School of Mind’s impact on Neo-Confucianism was profound and fundamental, with <<The Great Learning>> serving as a central point of departure or reference for their philosophical divergence and critical engagement with the existing Neo-Confucian framework.

Strictly speaking, the version of <<The Great Learning>> that Teacher Meng was lecturing on had been modified by Zhu Xi. [4]

After the tumultuous era of the previous dynasty, the reigning emperor decreed a stringent crackdown on historical texts during the initial stages of reconstruction and implemented a strict prohibition on works influenced by the School of Mind. This measure was intended to consolidate imperial authority and centralize power. Consequently, the suppression of these texts resulted in limited awareness among the populace regarding the existence of the School of Mind or the alternative interpretation of <<The Great Learning>>, with only a select few individuals privy to this obscured facet of intellectual history.[4a]

In short, very few people in the present even knew that [4a] another school of thought based on <<The Great Learning>> even existed, let alone the existence of the School of Mind. At least, someone like Teacher Meng would not have this knowledge.

Xue Tingxiang only knew about this thanks to the dream. Even then, it was only after he became aware of the power struggle between courtiers and monarchs, and heard whispers of the prohibited school of thought among influential courtiers.

So, why was the School of Mind set aside and the Cheng-Zhu School of Neo-Confucianism set as the official orthodoxy?

Simple.

The School of Mind emphasises idealism and the individual’s mind. In short, ‘as a scholar, I will respect you the emperor, so long as you govern well. However, should you govern poorly, I do not need to acknowledge you as my sovereign. Even if I have to obey the throne you sit on, I do not have to respect the person on the throne’.

The Cheng-Zhu School of Neo-Confucianism was different. ‘In accordance to the principles of loyalty and filial piety, I must obey the ruler as the ultimate patriarch of all patriarchs. As a subject, it is only right under the principle of Heaven and etiquette to respect you and revere you above all. Those who disobey the one who sits on the throne are beasts, loyal are great sages’.

Therefore, there it made sense for the imperial family to encourage the rise of the Chen-Zhu School of Neo-Confucianism [4b] over the more individualistic School of Mind.

Aside from Teacher Mang’s voice, the entire classroom was quiet.

Suddenly, Xue Tingxiang smirked. Well, whether it was the Cheng-Zhu or the School of Mind, both were merely tools used by the powerful to gain more power and profit.

So long as one has power, one can manipulate others. Without power, one can only be at the mercy of others. For now, he was just one of the many countless people being manipulated, so why speculate so much? Let’s just learn whatever he is told to learn. It is useless to overthink matters.

With that, Xue Tingxiang began to pay more attention to the lecture.

Teacher Meng spoke for over an hour before letting the students manage their books.

By ‘managing their books’, he meant self-study.

As a general rule, apart from giving lectures on the classics, the teachers rarely interfered with the students’ studies. If they could understand after one lecture, good. If not, discuss with their classmate, seek advice or review the books to seek enlightenment by themselves.

Self-study was widely encouraged. Naturally, they may also seek guidance from their teacher, but that was all considered matters outside the classroom.

After Master Meng left, a melodious bell rang, indicating it was time for lunch.

Xue Tingyang tidied up his notes, brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone, and placed them all in a bamboo basket before returning to his dormitory. During this time, Mao Badou and Li Datian accompanied him, both looking bored. It was evident that the two had already studied <<The Great Learning>> more than once, and did not seem to have taken Master Meng’s words to heart.

Next, the three made their way to the canteen. They did not order any stir-fried dishes that day. After collecting their meals, they found a table to sit and eat.

The dining hall was split into several groups of students. Most were friends who ate and chatted together. For students at this age, not many observed the ‘silence during mealtimes and no talking during sleep’. After all, according to Mao Badou, without witty conversation, how else could one make these tasteless meals more palatable?

Of these groups of people, two small groups from Class A were the most eye-catching. Those ten or so individuals had surpassed their peers in their studies, having completed the Four Books and Five Classics, and were now studying how to craft essays that would gain them fame and success in the upcoming examinations.

The difference between them was like students who had already been studying for a while and youngsters who had yet to start their schooling. Even if they were to sit together, they had nothing in common and could not be considered peers in any real sense.

To Xue Tingxiang’s eyes, the focal point of the dining hall was located in the eastern corner.

There were several empty seats in that area, but even so, some students preferred to share a table rather than sit there.

“What are you looking at? That’s Yu Ziyou and Hu Lianshen. The only two students from our academy who had achieved fame and glory.”

The students in question were the centre of the two groups. Both were young, around seventeen or eighteen. One had a gentle countenance while the other looked calm and reserved. No matter what, they looked more dignified than He Ming. There was really nothing outrageous as the two chatted with the others. Even so, they felt especially noticeable.

“Fame?”

“Yes, both are Tong Sheng. Even though neither of them had passed the Xiu Cai examination in one attempt, it would not be difficult for them to pass the coming examination,” Mao Badou patted Xue Tingxiang’s shoulder understandingly. “You’re envious, aren’t you? Well, I was envious too back when I first found out, but as time went on, I realised that we and they are not of the same species.”

“Not the same species?”

“Still don’t understand?” Mao Badou made an exaggerated gesture and said, “For example, if they are the flowers, we are the green leaves; if they are the moon, we are the little stars. In other words, we exist to make others look good.”

Li Datian could not help but laughingly scolded him, “I’m no little star. If you want to be a little star, go ahead! Little stars… how distasteful!”

Mao Badou playfully moved closer with his little pinky finger raised in the so-called ‘orchid finger’ way and simpered, “Brother Tian, how can you forget your heart~ This one is your little star, ah~”

His effeminated affectations disgusted Li Datian, to the point that the youth spat a few times before saying, “Get away from me! What nonsense have you been reading again? I don’t want a ‘little star’ like you! Not to mention, Xue Tingxiang has just entered school, so how can you say that he’s a little star? He could become a Xiu Cai!”

Mao Badou clapped his hands and said, “That’s right, oh. I can also tell with just a glance that Tingxiang is different from ordinary people. He will surely surpass Yu Ziyou and Hu Lianshen in the future. He might even pass the Xiu Cai examination in one fell swoop! After that, I can bask in his glory as well.”

“Such bold words!”

The voice came from behind them. When they turned around, they saw He Ming leading three or four students behind him, all with bowls of food in their hands.

However, the one who had spoken was not He Ming, but a short chubby student next to him. It was clear that he was speaking on behalf of others. He Ming’s approving smile was too obvious to miss.

“With your meagre talents, even thinking of comparing with Brother Yu and Brother Hu is already a ridiculous dream! Let alone surpassing them If this isn’t being bold, then what is?”

The voice was fairly loud, which attracted everyone’s attention, especially the gazes of those seated at the two tables in the eastern corner. The dining hall had long since plunged into tense silence.

[Gumihou: Translating this chapter is difficult but rewarding.] [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_classics

These are part of the Four Books of Learning, texts illustrating the core values and belief systems in Confucianism. These books were selected by Zhu Xi (1130-1200) during the Song Dynasty to serve as the general introduction to Confucian Thought

The Great Learning – It is significant because it expresses many themes of Chinese philosophy and political thinking. Extremely influential in both classical and modern Chinese thought.

The Doctrine of Mean – Attributed to Confucious’s grandson Zisi. The purpose of this book is to demonstrate the usefulness of a way to gain perfect virtue

Analects with Annotations – Analects of Confucius + notes – thought to be a compilation of speeches by Confucius and his disciples as well as the discussions they held

Mencius – A collection of conversations between scholar Mencius and kings of his time.

[2] Zhu Xi  – Zhu Xi was a scholar with a wide knowledge of the classics, commentaries, histories and other writings of his predecessors. In his lifetime, he was able to serve multiple times as a government official, although he avoided public office for most of his adult life. He also wrote, compiled and edited almost a hundred books and corresponded with dozens of other scholars. He acted as a teacher to groups of students, many of whom chose to study under him for years.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhu_Xi

[3] Cheng-Zhu School of Neo-Confucianism – is one of the major philosophical schools of Neo-Confucianism

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheng%E2%80%93Zhu_school

[3b] [The impact of the School of Mind on Neo-Confucianism is based fundamentally on <<The Great Learning>>.] – Instead of using this line, expanded it much further.

[4] Strictly speaking, the version of <<The Great Learning>> that Teacher Meng was lecturing on had been modified by Zhu Xi, not the original text.

Okay, this line bothered me a lot, because if we look at the timeline, The School of Mind led by Wang Yangming arose later in the Ming Dynasty, succeeding the Cheng-Zhu school. So, what original text?

…whatever, since this is fictional, we can still imagine a slight flip in the timeline, but in reality, when Wang Yangming introduce his School of Mind, the founders of Cheng-Zhu had already died about 200 years ago.

Also, just so everyone knows, Cheng Yi is credited for the rise of the ‘widow chastity’ cult. In Cheng Yi’s own words 餓死事小，失節事大 which meant that ‘Death by starvation is but a small matter, losing one’s chastity is a disaster’. Like, F this, because of this shitty ‘moral value’, a lot of widows and children led hard lives and there was a dramatic increase in suicides by widows during the Ming era.

[4a] Gumi decided to replace ‘not the original text’, with ‘another version’ instead, since this is actually more feasible than messing around with timelines.

[4b] Here, it says ‘the rise of Neo-Confucianism’, which… uh, School of Thought is also Neo-Confucianism…

Pill Bug Edit notes:

[5] Hm… I have quite a lot of experience with this in primary school. I can’t say it was very effective though, as my bad habits still persisted into adulthood and all I learned was how to withstand pain. This would backfire horribly later in life when I bottled up too much pain over time and exploded my career and health.

Getting beaten taught me something was wrong, but they never taught me how to fix it, or their methods on how to fix it just didn’t work for me and they showed no other methods. So, my mistakes just kept repeating…

Gumihou: I can’t remember whether corporal punishment helped or discouraged my studies, but bad teachers certainly caught a lot of flak from this annoying student.