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introduction
In China's long history, the source of ideological enlightenment comparable to the Western Axis era is only the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods. During this period, sons emerged, hundreds of schools of thought contended, and various theoretical ideas blossomed everywhere. In this process, study tours are the main way to spread ideas and culture.
Study tours are educational and cultural activities that go to various places to enhance knowledge, broaden their horizons, and acquire information, so as to realize their own value. The study tours in the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods were of great significance and far-reaching influence on the political and cultural development of successive dynasties.
First, the rise of the scholar class, Confucianism opened the way for study tours
During the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, the main body of study tours was the "scholars" at that time, also known as "wanderers". Before the Spring and Autumn Period, "scholars" were members of the nobility, "most of them have a position". Later, social changes were frequent, and the ranks of scholars developed rapidly, and gradually got rid of the shackles of the patriarchal hierarchy, and finally formed a relatively independent intellectual group.
The rise of the "scholars" has enabled them to form a positive and optimistic spiritual outlook when they change their destiny with their own abilities and talents. At that time, the taxi people believed that learning could change their destiny. "Learning and excelling" has become the internal driving force for scholars' study tours. They tried to enter the upper class through their knowledge, which is contained in Han Feizi:
"If the Lord is properly intended, he shall be appointed as a man in cloth and established as a secretary."
It was at this time that the study tour centered on Confucius began to rise, which kicked off the prelude to the study tour of ancient scholars on the mainland. Confucius was the founder of the Confucian school. During his lifetime, study tours occupied a large amount of time except for a short period of official service.
Confucius was "young and good", and Meng Yizi and Nangong Jingshu followed him very early. After Confucius worked as a clerk in the Kingdom of Lu for a short time, he began his study tour. He first traveled to Zhou and exchanged ideas with Lao Tzu.
At the age of thirty-five, he again took the road of upstream school due to civil unrest in Lu. This time, Confucius traveled to Qi, during which he talked about music theory with Mrs. Qi. The Chronicles contain:
"Smell the sound of "Shao", learn it, March does not know the smell of meat."
This shows how serious it is.
Confucius, between the ages of fifty and fifty-six, participated in politics in the Kingdom of Lu for about six years, and then embarked on a journey around the world, which lasted for fourteen years. During these fourteen years, Confucius led his disciples to travel to Wei, Cao, Zheng, Chen, Cai and other countries. After returning to Lu, Confucius did not re-enter the army, and continued to accept apprenticeships until his death.
During Confucius's study tour and gathering people to teach, he followed more than 3,000 disciples, including more than 70 who were proficient in the "six arts". Most of Confucius's disciples were from the Lu state, but also Qi, Song, Wei, and even the Qin state.
After the death of Confucius, his disciples inherited Confucius's study tours, traveled around the world, and became officials by teaching Confucianism. In this way, they themselves attracted a group of Confucian followers, further expanding the Confucian study tour team. It can be said that with Confucius as the center and Lu State as the base, a huge study tour network has been formed.
It can be seen that as the founder of Confucianism, Confucius traveled around the world with the Confucian idea of "benevolence", paving a broad road for the rise of study tours with both knowledge and the dissemination of ideas.
2. Local or foreign? Worship or apprentice?
Although Confucianism opened a road for scholars to seek knowledge, but this road was affected by the natural geographical environment, traffic conditions, and the economic conditions of the tourists, the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods had obvious regional characteristics in geographical scope, and different schools often had relatively fixed study tour areas. This is one of the characteristics of study tours during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, and the geographical scope is regional.
Beginning with Confucius, Confucian study tours were basically centered on the Kingdom of Lu, and although the area of their study tours gradually expanded, they were still relatively limited to the circle of influence of the Confucian tradition. The study tours of Confucius and his predecessors were mainly concentrated in Zhou, Qi, Wei, Cao, Song, Zheng, Chen, Cai, Chu, Lu, Jin, Wu, Yue and other countries.
Confucius and his later disciples were mainly limited to the states of Lu, Wei, Wu, Wei, Qi, Chu, Song, and Chen. As far as the disciples who studied with Confucius are concerned, there are 77 famous people in the "Shiji", although these people come from different princely states, but most of them are from the Lu state, and few scholars from Confucius in other neighboring countries.
In the Warring States period, Mencius and Xunzi and other third or fourth disciples of Confucius and even later generations traveled to countries including Wei, Qi, Song, Lu, Wei, Chu, Qin and other countries. It can be found that the Confucian study area is mainly the so-called Central Plains region centered on the Kingdom of Lu.
In addition to regional characteristics, another characteristic of study tours is the diversity of study tour goals. The first is to embark on a journey of learning from a teacher. Scholars believe that knowledge can change their destiny, and their travels, visits and study with famous teachers have become their only path. Confucius once traveled in Zhou to visit Lao Tzu to talk with him; Swim to the country of Qi, discuss music theory with Master Qi, and learn Shao music.
Mozi also studied "Confucianism" in his early years. This experience of Mozi was of great significance to the formation of Mozi's thought: first, because he had systematically studied Zhou Li and Confucianism, Mozi was able to create an ideological system that competed with Confucianism. Second, Mozi was proficient in the "theory of the six arts" and had profound attainments in "poems" and "books", which laid the foundation for Mozi to establish his own doctrine and gather disciples to teach.
Mencius and Xunzi during the Warring States period also had their own journeys to find teachers and study. Mencius studied with Zisi, and Xunzi studied at the age of fifteen in the Jixia School Palace. During the Warring States period, the representatives of Legalism, Li Si and Han Feizi, chose Xunzi. Zhang Yi and Su Qin chose Ghost Guzi, the master of the division and soldier family, and the originator of the Zongheng family.
The second is to accept disciples and impart their own ideas. In order to publicize their ideas and political ideas and expand their influence, in addition to gathering people to give lectures in their places of residence, the study tourists of the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods continued to travel and teach and recruit children. The Chronicles contain:
"Giving up your business is a great encounter with the people of the world. There are thousands of diners, and there are no nobles and wen and so on. ”
Confucius traveled to Wei, Cao, Song, Zheng, Chen, Cai, Chu, Qi, and Zhou. In the process of traveling, Confucius gathered people to give lectures, publicize his ideas, and recruit his children to travel. Confucius's disciples were divided into predecessors and juniors. Most of the senior disciples were active in the late Spring and Autumn period, and were received by Confucius during his travels around the world during the Kingdom of Lu and his departure from the Kingdom of Lu; The younger disciples were the disciples accepted by Confucius after his return to Lu.
This shows the effectiveness of Confucius' lecture tour. As a Confucian master, Mencius visited the Jixia Academy Palace twice to study and teach, and the two times added up to nearly 30 years. Xunzi visited the Jixia Palace three times, the last two of which were teaching tours.
Mozi also led his disciples to study in Lu, Song, Chu and other countries, and through lectures and teachings, he recruited many disciples, the most famous of which was Bird Li. Originally a disciple of Bu Shang, he broke away from Confucianism and joined the Mo family, becoming the most influential figure in the Mo school besides Mozi.
By the Warring States period, the Qi Guojia School Palace became the center of study tours. In its heyday, almost all schools in the "Hundred Schools" traveled and taught here, mainly Taoism, Confucianism, Law, Ming, Soldiers, Nong, Yin and Yang, Light and Heavy, bringing together as many as 1,000 magi from all over the world.
Whether it is to worship a teacher or accept an apprentice, this is the purpose of the study tour of the scholars in the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, and it is also a major feature of the study tour. It is precisely because of this characteristic that the Spring and Autumn Warring States period sent a large number of talents to that era of war.
Third, thousands of miles to send talent, fierce collision of ideas of various factions
The history of study tours in the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods is not only a history of talent flow, but also a history of talent growth. Study tours create a good environment for all kinds of talents to grow personally and achieve self-development, and provide them with a historical stage to show their talents and display their talents.
This kind of talent flow is mainly manifested in the fact that some well-educated people have broadened their horizons, tempered their thinking, increased their talents, and become masters of a generation through travel, exchanges, and study through cross-regional mobility. For example, Confucius was the founder and top academic master of Confucianism, and he traveled around to learn from Lao Tzu. Although the two had different interests and views, many of Lao Tzu's ideas still greatly influenced Confucius.
"History" contains: Lao Tzu once said
"When a gentleman gets the time, he drives, and when he doesn't, he walks with a tired hand"
In the process of contacting him, Confucius fully absorbed Lao Tzu's proposition and admonished his disciple Yan Yuan:
"If you use it, you will do it, and if you give it away, you will hide"
Its spirit is consistent with Lao Tzu's.
In addition, in addition to growing together, the study tour also made the ideas of the two different schools collide in the process of mutual exchange, and promote the formation, development, maturity and wide dissemination of the ideas of each school. For example, Confucianism expanded its sphere of influence due to the study tours of Confucius and his disciples. Huang Lao's ideas took root in the land of Qi because of the Jixia School Palace.
It is worth mentioning that the establishment of the Jixia Academy Palace by the State of Qi itself is a major initiative, and such a large-scale forum hosted by the government and privately hosted by the government is rare in both the ancient East and the ancient West. And this is the result of the study tour of scholars.
epilogue
Study tours during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods were an important innovation in ancient Chinese cultural history, leaving a rich educational legacy for future generations.
It is a special social phenomenon that has made certain contributions to the entire Spring and Autumn Warring States period society, and has certain positive significance, which is worthy of our in-depth study and reference.
Resources:
"History"
"Han Feizi"
"Spring and Autumn"