Song Shi: Propagator of Confucianism – Ercheng
preface
Chinese civilization for five thousand years, countless ideas and cultural relics have been handed down, objects are speechless, and the history of a thousand years can be presented through the body; the ideas are long and passed on through history books.
▲Zhou Dunyi
cause
As a literary scholar, Zhou Dunyi founded the academy, and Cheng Hao and Cheng Yi learned knowledge from Zhou Dunyi.
▲Song Lizong
outcome
Ercheng played a crucial role in the development of Confucianism in the Song Dynasty, for which Song Lizong posthumously awarded the titles to the two.
▲Two-way
disposal
1. Cheng Men Lixue seeks knowledge
There are not a few idioms handed down in ancient times for learning, including the typical Cheng Men Lixue, which is about waiting until the teacher opens the door in the snowy day in order to study.
The ancients were able to achieve this level in order to learn, which shows how serious their pursuit of learning was. Cheng Hao has been studying with Zhou Dunyi, but the time of study is not long, but following Zhou Dunyi's side, there is also a lot of knowledge learned.
At Zhou Dunyi's side, Cheng Hao's thinking is more open, and he can also think about philosophy and life. The knowledge of Confucianism has always been praised, so Cheng Hao decided to find an answer from Confucianism that puzzled him.
Unfortunately, confucianism was not found, so Cheng Hao decided to look for it in Buddhism, after all, Buddhism is about unknown territory.
He did not find the answer he wanted in the Buddhist texts, but at the same time, he found many deficiencies in Buddhism.
Later, he decided to seriously study Confucianism and obtain a meritorious name. Soon cheng hao became a local official, and during his time as an official, Cheng Hao never exploited and squeezed the people, but instead told the people that they should understand "benevolence, righteousness, wisdom and faith."
▲Cheng Hao
2. Confucianism lays
Cheng Hao implemented Confucianism into his own life, and when he saw the elderly on the street injured, he would help, and he would publicly praise good people and good deeds, so under Cheng Hao's governance, the county town had a great improvement.
It was also during this time that Cheng Hao saw all kinds of people, became more certain of Confucian thought, and even felt that in actual life, only Confucian thought could be reflected.
As for Buddhism, Cheng Hao is critical, because he feels that he has not yet understood the things in his life, so he thinks about what happens after death, and we don't know what happens after death.
Moreover, Buddhism is talking about monasticism, and if everyone believes in Buddhism and seeks Buddhahood, then wouldn't it be impossible to reproduce and human beings would become extinct?!
Therefore, Cheng Hao is mostly critical of Buddhism, especially when he is lecturing, Cheng Hao is talking about Confucianism.
Unfortunately, Cheng Hao died of illness soon after, and his younger brother Cheng Yi took over his teachings, Cheng Yi and Cheng Hao had different experiences, Cheng Hao mixed with the officialdom, and finally resigned his official post because he was not satisfied with Wang Anshi's change of law, so he resigned from the government and went home to lecture.
But Cheng Yi was different, he spent most of his time in seclusion, until he was 18 years old, he and his brother Cheng Hao went to take the imperial examination together, because the article was written thoroughly, and was seen by Hu Yu, who worked too hard, and praised it.
But even so, Cheng Yi still decided not to be an official, even if the imperial court sent people to ask for the mountain many times, Cheng Yi did not go.
It was not until after Emperor Zhezong of Song ascended the throne, at the suggestion of Sima Guang and others, that Emperor Zhezong of Song decided to request Cheng Yi to come to the imperial court as an official or enter the imperial palace to give a lecture.
After all, Sima Guang and others said that Cheng Yi was a talented and capable person, and if he was allowed to lecture outside, it would be to bury his ability.
▲Cheng Yi
3. Be honest
At the request of Song Zhezong, Cheng Yi finally came to the emperor's side, because this time Cheng Yi felt that if he wanted to promote Confucianism, the spread through the emperor was still relatively fast and effective.
Cheng Yi decided not to give up this opportunity to revitalize Confucianism, so when Song Zhezong threw an olive branch, Cheng Yi naturally agreed, so Cheng Yi came to the palace to give a lecture to the young Song Zhezong.
Usually the lectures are for many people, this time there is only one object, say easy is also easy, say not easy is not easy, after all, the emperor is not an ordinary person, can not be fooled, must be serious about the lecture.
Through his own level and ability, Cheng Yi successfully attracted the palace eunuchs and other people, they all liked Cheng Yi, but Cheng Yi, as a literati and a Confucian, also had his own thoughts and temper.
▲ Song Zhezong
Song Zhezong is still a child's heart, want to be able to play on vacation, if it is a simple holiday, Xu Chengyi agreed, but Song Zhezong requested a three-month vacation, the excuse is that the weather is hot.
Cheng Yi refused, the emperor did not see the ministers and officials for three months, and he could not govern the country well with the little people such as the palace eunuchs all day.
As a result, as soon as these words came out, many people in the palace did not like Cheng Yi, and many palace eunuchs felt that Cheng Yi discriminated against them and scolded them as villains.
Later, Cheng Yi was unhappy with Su Shi, and both were transferred out of the capital, and Cheng Yi returned to Luoyang to continue his teaching career.
▲Su Shi
brief summary
The interpretation and dissemination of Confucianism by Ercheng played a certain role in the development of science in the Song Dynasty.
【References】
1. History of the Song Dynasty, Vol. 427
2. "The Chronology of Mr. Mingdao"
3. "Ci Hai"