Sources of information
1. Why is buying things called buying "things"[J].Xiangyin,2008(11):48.)
2. Hu Xiaofang.Exploring the Emergence and Evolution of Word Meaning from a Cognitive Perspective——Taking the Chinese Words "East" and "West" as Examples[J].Modern Communication,2011(11):59-60.
3.Why is the object called East and West but not North and South[J].Chinese Teaching and Research,2011(18):55.)
Text丨A night
Edit丨Ah Ye
Let me ask you a strange question: why is shopping on the street "buying things" and not "buying north and south"?
At first glance, you may feel that this question is a little nonsensical, but you can't say the cause and effect. But it was such a puzzling question, but one of Zhu Xi's students gave a subtle answer.
So what is this student's answer? Is the origin of "buying something" really what he says?
Why buy something?
Zhu Xi's life was full of ups and downs and brilliance, both in his political career and academic research, showing his extraordinary wisdom and perseverance.
He was born in a turbulent era, and the anti-Kim struggle became the main theme of his political career. Because of the many unique political positions he put forward, he suffered a terrible blow politically.
Despite this, Zhu Xi was not discouraged by this, but devoted himself more firmly to academic research, trying to find a way to save the country and the people.
In the field of academic research, Zhu Xi's performance is particularly prominent. He deeply studied and integrated the ideas of various schools of thought, and put forward many influential theories and views, the most well-known of which is "preserving the principles of heaven and destroying human desires".
This sentence seems to be tragically humane, but it is actually a deep insight into human nature. Zhu Xi believes that only by placing individual desires under the principles of heaven can the harmonious development of individuals and society be truly realized.
After suffering a setback in his political career, Zhu Xi decisively chose to return to education and cultivate talents for the country. He not only set up a private school, but also taught students himself, cultivating many outstanding talents for the Southern Song Dynasty.
His classes are always filled with laughter and the light of wisdom, and an anecdote between Zhu Xi and his students is particularly fascinating.
Once, when Zhu Xi was teaching, a young girl carrying a bamboo basket suddenly walked outside the window, and the students' eyes were instantly attracted and they all looked out the window.
Seeing this, Zhu Xi did not get angry, but took the opportunity to ask questions to the students, which led to a reflection on "buying things".
Zhu Xi asked the students, "What do you say this woman is doing outside the window?"
The students replied in unison: "She carries a bamboo basket in her hand, and she is going to buy something." ”
Then Zhu Xi then asked: "Then why is it called buying things, not buying north and south?"
This sudden question sent the students deep in thought, and just then, a ten-year-old boy stepped forward.
I saw him say nervously: "According to the Five Elements, the East belongs to wood, and the bamboo basket is wood, while the West belongs to gold, and the currency is gold, so it is called buying things." The south belongs to fire, and the north belongs to water, neither of which can be held in bamboo baskets. ”
Zhu Xi was very pleasantly surprised when he heard this, and praised this kid again and again for being very thoughtful. I have to say that this child's explanation is very ingenious, but is the origin of "buying things" really as this child said?
The origin of buying things
There are three theories about the origin of buying things that have been recognized by experts and scholars. One of them is what children call the Five Elements, but everyone agrees with the following statement.
In the urban layout of the Sui and Tang dynasties, residential and commercial areas were strictly separated, which is the so-called fang market system. In fact, the rudiments of the fang market system first appeared in the Zhou Dynasty.
By the Tang Dynasty, this system had been further improved and developed. Chang'an City in the Tang Dynasty is a typical example, as the capital of the Tang Dynasty, its east and west cities were the main places of commercial activity at that time.
It is recorded in the "Mulan Ci" that before preparing to set off on the expedition, Mulan needs to go to different places to buy equipment, including the East Market and the West Market. This market layout gradually formed the idiomatic term "buying things", which is used to refer to the purchase of various items.
Strict urban layout, as well as closed management, to a certain extent, help to reduce management costs and maintain the stability of urban order.
For example, in the costume drama "The Twelve Hours of Chang'an", Zhang Xiaojing was able to successfully solve the case in just one day, largely thanks to this square market system.
Once a criminal act occurs, the officers and soldiers only need to close the gate of Fang City, and they can easily trap the criminals in the city, thus greatly increasing the success rate of arrest.
It is worth mentioning that the fang city system was not only implemented in Chang'an City in the Tang Dynasty, but also in many other cities. For example, in the TV series "Menghualu", it can be seen that a similar system was also implemented in Bianliang City in the Song Dynasty.
When Zhao Paner, the protagonist of the play, was looking for his long-lost relatives, he mentioned that he wanted to go to the east and west to inquire about the news. It can be seen that the fang market system occupies an important position in the social life of the ancient people.
In addition to the above two theories, some scholars believe that the term "buying things" is related to the trade between ancient China and the Western Regions. During the Western Han Dynasty, Zhang Qian made two missions to the Western Regions and opened up the famous Silk Road.
This trade route not only promoted economic and cultural exchanges between the Han Dynasty and the countries of the Western Regions, but also brought a large number of rare commodities such as jade to the Central Plains.
Therefore, some people believe that "buying things" originally referred to the purchase of these goods from the Western Regions, and later gradually evolved into the act of buying everything in general.
In addition to recognizing the origin of the term "shopping", we should also see Zhu Xi's teaching method, which guides students to observe and think by paying attention to the details of daily life, which is still very relevant today.
To some extent, Zhu Xi's teaching style has a lot to do with his personal growth experience.
Confucianism master Zhu Xi
Zhu Xi's family environment had a profound impact on his upbringing, and his father, Zhu Song, was an erudite scholar who had high hopes for his son Zhu Xi to inherit and carry forward the family's cultural traditions.
Zhu Xi has shown a strong curiosity and thirst for knowledge since he was a child, and while other children were playing, Zhu Xi was intently drawing patterns of the sun and moon on the sand.
Once, Zhu Xi pointed to the sun in the sky and asked his father, "What is shining in the sky?"
The father replied, "That's the sun." ”
Zhu Xi then asked, "Then what is the sun attached to hang on our heads?"
The father replied, "The sun is probably attached to the sky." ”
Zhu Xi was not satisfied, and continued to ask: "What was it outside that day?"
This series of questions surprised Zhu's father, who was full of poetry and books, and his father did not perfunctory Zhu Xi because he was a child, and it was this kind of education that had a profound impact on him.
In school, Zhu Xi excelled and developed a keen interest in Confucian classics such as Mencius, the University, and The Mean. Under the careful guidance of his teachers, Zhu Xi's academic achievements continued to improve and gradually emerged.
When Zhu Xi's mother died, he was in trouble for a while. But he didn't give up, but asked Liu Ziyu for help.
Under the recommendation of Liu Ziyu, Zhu Xi was taught by three Confucian scholars, whose teachings made him yearn to become an enlightened person like Confucius and Mencius.
His academic breakthroughs are mainly reflected in the interpretation of Confucian classics and the absorption of Taoist thought. During the Shaoxing period, Zhu Xi's achievements were widely recognized by the society, and his academic status gradually rose.
After becoming an official, Zhu Xi still maintained the habit of learning. He was exposed to various schools of thought, such as Buddhism, Taoism, etc., which enriched and diversified his thoughts.
During his tenure, Zhu Xi actively promoted educational reform, advocated teaching students according to their aptitude, and focused on cultivating students' independent thinking ability. He also personally restored the White Deer Cave Academy and made great contributions to the local education.
In his later years, Zhu Xi focused more on philosophical research, and he founded Lixue, which put forward the important idea of "learning from things". He believes that the core of Confucianism lies in "benevolence" and "moderation", which are the key to dealing with interpersonal relationships and social contradictions.
These ideas of Zhu Xi had a profound impact on Chinese culture and are still praised and studied today.
In his later years, Zhu Xi retired to the countryside and devoted himself to rural education. Under his influence, many of his disciples thrived, and he earned the reputation of "Zhuzi" for this.
epilogue
In general, Zhu Xi's life was filled with a thirst for knowledge and a quest for truth. He has not only achieved academic excellence, but also accumulated rich experience in educational practice.
Zhu Xi's outlook on life and values embody the moral ideals and wisdom of Confucianism, and his ideas have had an important impact on the development of traditional Chinese culture.