"Reading Notes" Episode 39: Shusun Tong is the originator of pragmatism

Editor's note: As a reading note of the Zizhi Tongjian, it will be updated every Monday. The chronological order and selection of materials for the Chinese chapters are based on the author's learning progress and personal superficial understanding and cognition. For a reader who studies international relations and strategy, all international and domestic issues and governance methods seem to be answered in the General Commentary.

Han Dynasty IV

Fourth year of Emperor Xiaohui of Han (庚戌, 191 BC)

Shusun tong is the originator of pragmatism

Pragmatism is generally thought to have originated in the United States, founded by Peirce, the host of the "Metaphysical Club" who was active at Harvard University in the 1870s. The author actually thinks that people have not carefully read the "General Commentary", and do not know that there is an uncle and sun Tong, who is the master of pragmatism and the originator.

Shusun Tong was probably a kind of person despised by Sima Guang, and the reason why he was "fortunate" to be recorded by Sima Guang may have been used as a negative teaching material to make future emperors vigilant.

Sima Guang's last judgment on Shusun Tong was this: "Now That Uncle Sun Tong advises Filial Piety, Naiyun 'The Lord of Man has no fault', is teaching people to pass the text in a way that is not wrong, is it not absurd!" How could Shusun Tong deliberately cover up the emperor's faults and think that "the emperor (leader) is always right"? (Of course, the vast majority of "bosses" definitely love to hear it.) ）

Here's the thing:

At that time, Emperor Hui of Han would often go to see the empress dowager, and the number of times was more frequent, and he repeatedly cleared the way and disturbed the people. So it's just south of the arsenal on the pavilion road. So Uncle Sun Tong persuaded Emperor Hui to say, "This road is the road that Emperor Gao travels every month, how can his descendants walk on the road of the Zongmiao Temple?" Emperor Hui was taken aback and said, "Quickly abolish the Pavilion Road!" Uncle Sun Tong said: "The monarch must not act wrongly (the lord of man has no faults). But now that it has been done, and the people know it, abolishing the Cabinet Road is tantamount to admitting that you have done something wrong. His Majesty might as well build another ZongMiao temple in the north of Weishui, travel to Emperor Gao's clothes once a month, and build more Zongmiao Temples, which is the root of great filial piety! The emperor then ordered the officials to build the original temple (similar zongmiao).

According to the logic of Shusun Tong, the saint cannot be at fault, and even if he has, he must skillfully cover up the past. This is completely from the perspective of "Emperor Hui", with such a caring minister, how can Emperor Hui not like it?

Shusun Tong was indeed a controversial figure, but at that time, survival was the first priority, Mr. Shu not only survived, but also lived to a high level, and was valued by Liu Bang, which showed that his method was effective.

Shusun Tong served the imperial court during the reign of Qin Shi Huang, because he was proficient in Confucianism and was a "doctor to be commanded", equivalent to an alternate member of the national think tank think tank. When he arrived at Qin II, he was promoted to "doctor" on the spot because he said what Hu Hai loved to hear, and he was also rewarded. At that time, someone reported that Hu Hai and Chen Sheng and Wu Guang had "rebelled", and after hearing this, the second emperor's face changed and asked the think tank to characterize this incident, some people said that this was a "rebellion" and asked the state to send an army to suppress it, while Uncle Sun Tongtong was a war group confucian, and told the second that it was just some "hair thieves" who made trouble, and sent local officials to deal with it. Hu Hai was very satisfied with this statement, and as soon as Lao Tzu took the throne, he told me that the local rebellion was obscure, so he arrested all the Confucian students who said "rebellion", but rewarded His uncle Sun Tong and promoted him to a professional title.

After Shusun Tong returned home, some classmates said that he was unprincipled and misled the emperor. Shusun Tong replied, fortunately, I was improvised, otherwise I would have died. So he rolled up the covers and ran away, and then defected to Xiang Liang (Xiang Yu's uncle). The reason why Shusun Tong was able to run was actually that he judged that Qin II would die, and he had to hurry to the Ming Lord, and the good birds chose trees to live in.

Shusun Tong's road of "choosing wood" was tortuous, first defecting to Xiangliang, and later to Xiongxin, the king of Chuhuai, and when the king of Chuhuai moved to Changsha, he followed Xiang Yu's official, and finally found that Xiang Yu was not his true son, and then turned to Liu Bang, the king of Han, and then ended up. As a result, Shusun Tong fell on the rivers and lakes with the "reputation" of "one person and six masters".

Liu Tingchang has a "cleanliness habit" in employing loyalty, of course, he knows the past history of Shusun Tong, and for the first time he saw Shusun Tong, who looks like a confucian in a robe and a coat, it is really not a good impression. You must know that Liu Tingchang himself has no culture, and he especially hates Confucianism, which belongs to the kind that will break his mouth and scold when he sees Confucianism. Shusun Tong saw Liu Bang's thoughts, so he changed to short clothes and dressed like a Chu person, just to make Liu Bang look good. Shusun Tong's bold modification move was equivalent to the "cutting braids to make a revolution" in the late Qing Dynasty, which required real courage, after all, he was facing an extremely powerful Confucian ideological group at that time.

For the sake of his true destiny, regardless of his disregard, this may be an important reason why Liu Bang looks at Shusun Tong differently. Liu Tingchang's personality is not willing to be bound, and the two hit it off.

Along with Shusun Tong, there were also Uncle Liu's disciples, about one hundred and eighty people. When Liu Bang was fighting, Shusun Tong often recommended some hooligans who could fight good wars to Liu Tingchang, but he did not have a disciple of his own. So the disciples were not happy, teacher, why do you only want your own merit and not consider us? Shusun Tong said that it is not yet time, and when the pavilion chief "sits in the world", you will really come in handy. Mr. Uncle knows a lot about current affairs.

Finally, when Liu Tingchang became emperor, Shusun Tong immediately discovered that there was a trouble in the heart of the pavilion chief. When the revolution was done, there was a big grin between the monarchs and courtiers, and it was okay to be informal, and now that the world was unified, Liu Tingchang was suddenly annoyed by the "reckless noise" of the ministers around him, and he needed to have the etiquette of a monarch, but it could not be too complicated, otherwise it would not be in line with his personality. Shusun Tong guessed Liu Bang's thoughts, so he took the initiative to ask Miao to formulate a ceremonial system for the Han Room. In the end, a simplified version of the etiquette system was developed, and the Confucians in the world despised it, believing that they had lost the traditions of the old ancestors, but Liu Tingchang was greatly appreciated and felt that it was particularly suitable, so he used Shusun Tong more heavily. Shusun Tong also took the opportunity to ask for his disciples, hoping to be reused by Liu Bang. Liu Tingchang was a cheerful person, and not only agreed to his uncle's request, but also rewarded his uncle with five hundred gold. Shusun Tong also distributed all five hundred gold to his disciples. The disciples thanked Dade and called the teacher a saint.

Shusun Tong changed from time to time, simplifying the etiquette system, and its effect was the same as that of King Wuling of Zhao's "Hufu Riding and Shooting", if he was a self-imposed person, I am afraid that his disciples who had been sealed as officials and received money would disagree. Shusun Tong is really not a person without discipline. When he was appointed by Liu Tingchang as the crown prince's wife, he bowed down to the best of his ability, and he also fought desperately for Liu Tingchang's change of prince, hoping to change the prince from the society. Liu Bang finally agreed, preserving Emperor Hui of Han's status as crown prince.

Shusun Tong, as the name suggests, knows how to "adapt" to everything, first knows how to protect himself, and then puts forward realistic solutions, which can be called "Shusun Tong method": it is not necessary to follow the ancients, it is necessary to change with the times, and it is necessary to learn and use the classics and wisdom of the ancients to solve practical problems. "The tao is close and does not have to be out of the long- and has to be accomplished", inheriting the "most important" is the core, and the only criterion for judging good and reliance is "success", that is, getting things done, which is the essence of the Shusun Tong method. Again, isn't that the essence of "pragmatism"? It is not an exaggeration to say that Shusun Tong is the originator of modern pragmatism.

In fact, in today's international relations, the "Uncle Sun Tong Method" can be seen everywhere. The two joint communiques when China and the United States established diplomatic relations, the "one-China principle" between China and the United States; Comrade Xiaoping's proposal to "shelve disputes and jointly develop them" on the issue of the Sino-Japanese territorial dispute, which was later used to handle the South China Sea dispute; and the Taiwan issue, which hopes for peaceful reunification but resolutely curbs Taiwan independence, are all pragmatic and expedient measures. Although it does not solve the substantive problem, it will not make it bigger. The situation is changing, the balance of forces between all sides is changing, the mentality of the United States and the West towards me is changing, after all, we must adapt to a superpower that is on the road to rejuvenation, and give them some cognitive time, the same earth, what are they afraid of? "What is the husband's nostalgia, he wants to see the universe as a rice", first do his own thing, and use the "uncle and grandson method" to calmly cope.

In a word, laugh.