Chapter 11 4. A chrysanthemum inkstone condenses the friendship of reformers

The current affairs school located on Gongyuan Street, from morning to night, is full of traffic in front of the door, and the crown is like a cloud. Futai Taiwanese students often come to the school to teach. Officials and scholars who pass by Changsha and businessmen who care about state affairs come here Come to visit, it should be a quiet place to study, but in fact it has become the center of political activities, which is exactly in line with the wish of Liang Qichao, the head teacher of Chinese.He presided over the current affairs school, not to make it a pure academy for reading and lectures, but to use it as an important position for propagating reform ideas and discovering and cultivating reform talents.His teaching method is different. There is not much time for formal lectures, and speeches are his main content.For each student, he mainly inspires thinking and spreads new knowledge by reviewing his notes.Liang Qichao is only twenty-six years old this year, full of enthusiasm and energy.He asked the students to hand in a note every five days.There is no limit to the content of the notes, ranging from comments on the court's actions to records of trivial matters around you.He carefully reviewed each note of each student, often hundreds or even thousands of words, and his comments were often longer than the notes themselves.He skillfully guided the contents of his notes to the major theme of the Reformation.Last night, a student from Shaoyang named Cai Genyin handed in a note on rebuilding the navy, and Liang Qichao greatly appreciated it after reading it.

Cai Genyin, courtesy name Songpo, was born in a poor family but was exceptionally intelligent.At the age of thirteen, Jiang Biao, who was studying politics, went to Shaoyang to preside over the annual examination. Cai Genyin's history and essays were surprisingly excellent. Don't bury your head in the examination papers, fame does not lie in the imperial examination.Two months ago, he took the exam for Current Affairs Academy and ranked third in the senior class.Liang Qichao believed that Cai Genyin was a great talent, and he deliberately cultivated him.He wrote a 3,500-word commentary on Cai Genyin's notes in one night, more than double the notes.It was almost dawn before I put down my pen and lay down on the bed with my clothes on.The servant woke him up at breakfast, and after less than an hour's sleep, he fully recovered.After breakfast, he called Cai Genyin to his lesson preparation room and bedroom.

Cai Genyin was small and thin, not as tall as Liang Qichao's ears, but his demeanor was dignified, without the usual sense of shyness of underage children, which made people feel that he had an endowment that was both intelligent and steady.Liang Qichao liked this young student very much, and warmly greeted him to sit down, and said: "Your notebook is very well written, but there are also many inadequacies. I wrote a long comment for you. Go back and read it carefully." If you have different opinions, feel free to argue with me. "The Doctrine of the Mean" advocates erudite interrogation, prudent thinking and discernment, and it also says that discernment should be enlightened. This style of study should be implemented in current affairs schools. There must be debates between teachers and students. If you argue more, you will be open-minded."

Cai Genyin took the notebook handed over by Liang Qichao, and said: "I will definitely study Mr. Liang's corrections carefully. If there is anything I don't understand, I will come back to ask him for advice. Today I want to take this opportunity to ask him for some advice." Question, okay?" Liang Qichao said: "Of course, you can say it!" Cai Genyin flashed his dark eyes and said: "Confucius advocated great unification, because great unification can kill people, but now the imperial court wants officials to supervise their governors, prefectures, prefectures, and prefectures. May I ask Mr. Liang, is this right?" Is it contrary to Confucius?"

Liang Qichao said: "You are right in asking this question. The reason why all countries in ancient and modern times are strong is that many small countries have merged into a big country. The United States, Britain, Italy, Osmarga, Japan, and Switzerland are all like this. Confucius unified The righteousness is precisely for this purpose. In the countries of Thailand and the West, all major affairs are handled by the government, such as naval and army negotiations, and other local affairs are left to the localities to take care of themselves, and the government does not interfere. This is the best way. But China On the contrary, when a major event is like the navy, the northern and southern oceans have their own affairs, and a small robbery case has to be sent to the court for trial. Wan Wan Guo, the loss of national power is nothing more than this. The imperial court has no choice but to blame the governors and counties, hoping that each province and county can govern themselves."

Cai Genyin nodded and said: "Mr. Liang is saying that this is the court's helpless method. I understand. I also want to ask another question. Confucius ridiculed the Shiqing system, thinking that it led to the failure of civil rights and monarchy. It was abolished after the Qin Dynasty. Shiqing implemented the system of elections, and the two powers were slightly extended. This is the credit of Confucius, but there are endless disadvantages. If Yizhi adopts the system of Western and Western parliaments, it may be perfect. May I ask Mr. Liang, is this the case?" Liang Qichao said with a smile: "What you said is reasonable, but not entirely correct. First of all, it is wrong to say that Confucius ridiculed the election of the ruler of the world and extended the power of the monarchy and the people's rights, but there were disadvantages. Every system must be comprehensively implemented. It can only be practiced, and only one or two can not be used. The election system of Confucius, as soon as the Six Classics of the school came out, the legacy rules can be clearly seen. Later generations only use his elections, not his schools. Government, how can we get talents? As for the law of the House of Representatives, there is no need to ask the West for advice. Confucius already knew what it meant and said it repeatedly. Seeing it in the "Spring and Autumn Annals" is unbearable. You can refer to the "Spring and Autumn Annals" Read it well."

Cai Genyin said: "I understand Mr. Liang's advice. There is one more thing I would like to ask. The book "Spring and Autumn" is not a book of reformation, but a book of use. If you regard his book as a book of reformation, you regard him as a book. For those who changed the system, Confucius could not escape the crime of overstepping. Confucius revised "Spring and Autumn" because he had to do it in view of the troubled times. Therefore, Confucius said, "The only one who knows me is the "Spring and Autumn", and the one who sins against me is only the "Spring and Autumn" ?Those who know me are those who know that it is a system for use rather than reform, who know their painstaking efforts as a last resort, and are not for their own use. Those who sin against me are those who are guilty of reform rather than system, and for their own use. Mr. Liang, Is the students' understanding of "Spring and Autumn" correct or not?"

Liang Qichao thought for a while and said: "Your argument is specious. There are four kinds of systems mentioned in "Spring and Autumn": one is the old system of Zhou Dynasty, the other is the system of three generations, the other is the old system used by other countries at that time, and the other is the Confucian self-made system. Take the ridicule of Shiqing you mentioned just now. There are three generations of Yiyin and Yinzhi, who are Shiqing. Zhou has Yin, Liu, etc., which are Zhou Shiqing. There were Sanhuan and Zheng Youqimu, who were ministers of various countries at that time. As for ridiculing Shiqing and presiding over elections, it was a system reformed by Confucius. Judging from this example alone, it cannot be said that Confucius was not the one who reformed the system. According to your understanding, It seems that changing the system is a crime. This is an extremely conservative concept. There is nothing that cannot be changed in any system. The Thai and Western people change the system from time to time, so they are strong and prosperous, while the Chinese never change their systems, so they are weak. , If you want to live in the world thousands of years later with Chi Chi's old law, you will not be able to enjoy a single day of peace. Restructuring according to the time is exactly the merit of Confucius and the essence of the book "Spring and Autumn". You can read Mr. Nan Hai's "Confucius Restructuring"."

The teacher and the student were talking very excitedly, the servant came in and reported: "Master Xuetai is here to visit." Liang Qichao got up and said: "Songpo, the questions you asked today are very interesting. Confucius said that learning without thinking is useless. Learning to think deeply is a good way to obtain true knowledge. Let's stop here today! Do you have any questions?" If you have any questions, feel free to come and discuss with me.” "Thank you, Mr. Liang." Cai Genyin respectfully bowed to the teacher he admired the most, and went out with a notebook in his hand.

Jiang Biao was transferred to Beijing to take a walk in Zhang Jing of the General Administration, and he came to the School of Current Affairs to say goodbye to everyone.Xiong Xiling, Tan Sitong, Tang Caichang and others accompanied him into the gate, and happened to run into Liang Qichao, and they walked into Liang Qichao's lesson preparation room together. Jiang Biao looked at Liang Qichao affectionately and said: "Mr. Zhuo Ru, I really don't want to leave Changsha, you and the Current Affairs School. These few months are the most memorable years in my thirty-seven years of career."

Liang Qichao also said emotionally: "During the time I came to Changsha, I have been taken care of by Master Xuetai, and my gratitude is beyond words." Xiong Xiling also said: "The School of Current Affairs is able to thrive today thanks to the strong support of Jiang Xuetai, Chen Futai and others." Jiang Biao said: "The reform cause has just begun. You are all only in your twenties. You are truly young talents. The great cause of revitalizing the Qing Dynasty rests on you." Xiong Xiling said: "We are still young and don't care about world affairs. Your Excellency is in his prime, and his family members are rich. If you go to the capital to be an important post, you will definitely make greater contributions to the cause of reform." Jiang Biao said with a smile: "Let's contribute to the country together!" The servants brought in fragrant tea, and everyone chatted while drinking tea.Jiang Biao saw a large chrysanthemum inkstone with a length of more than one foot and a width of more than six inches on Liang Qichao's table. He held it up with both hands, but saw a chrysanthemum as big as a hydrangea clearly appeared in the light gray stone inkstone, and the flowers were in full bloom. , the petals are delicate, and he blurted out praise: "What a rare chrysanthemum stone!" Flipping through the back, I saw an inkstone inscription written with red lacquer on it: "Konghua has no truth, and I use the verses to build up the trust of the public. I will give you the inkstone from the Buddha dust, and the two stones will be handed over to me to testify." There is a line of small characters behind the inscription: "Tan Sitong and Ding Youdong are in Changsha Current Affairs School." Jiang Biao laughed and said, "It turns out that this chrysanthemum inkstone is so unusual that it connects the three reformers today." Tang Cai often said: "Zhuo Ru writes every day, but there is no good inkstone. Just recently, a friend of mine visited a rare and good chrysanthemum stone, so he begged an old craftsman who had carved chrysanthemum stones for sixty years to carve this stone inkstone. Fusheng knows, let me write a few words and put them on it, as a testimony of the friendship between the two of you with a stone." Tan Sitong said: "The inscription has been written, but there is no good masonry to engrave it." Jiang Biao hurriedly said: "How can I find an ordinary masonry, this matter must be mine." Liang Qichao was surprised: "Master Jiang knows this skill?" Jiang Biaoxi said: "I am worried that I will not be able to squeeze into the list of the three sons of the reformation. God has given me a good opportunity. After three or five hundred years, later generations will see this chrysanthemum inkstone and know that someone in Jiang had a relationship with the famous Fusheng, Zhuo For example, Buddha dust has been a friend." In a word, the three of them were greatly moved.Liang Qichao hurriedly opened the drawer, found a few large and small carving knives and said: "Although this knife is not very good, it is barely usable. My lord, show off your skills." "As long as the knife is sharp, nothing else matters." Jiang Biao chose a small one, tested the edge with his fingers, nodded and said, "Just this one!" After speaking, he picked up the inkstone and put it on the robe. Xiong Xiling panicked and said: "Don't get your clothes dirty, I'll go find an apron." After a while, Xiong Xiling borrowed a clean cloth apron from the kitchen and helped Jiang Biao fasten it.Jiang Biao sandwiched the inkstone between his legs, and began to engrave it following Tan Sitong's handwriting. Jiang Biao learned seal seal from his father since he was a child, and he has a good skill in swordsmanship.I saw him playing the sword, and the lime suddenly rose. In less than half an hour, all the red lacquer on the back of the inkstone disappeared, and replaced it with a piece of inscribed inscriptions of moderate depth and thickness. Everyone applauded.Jiang Biao stopped his knife, looked up and down, and carved four characters on the lower left side of the inkstone back: Jiang Biao engraved. "Good!" Xiong Xiling praised, "The stone is excellent, the inscriptions are excellent, and the knife work is excellent. It can be called the three outstanding inkstones!" Everyone laughed.Jiang Biao put the chrysanthemum inkstone on the desk, untied his apron and said, "This is my farewell. There are still many places to go, so I won't sit down. I will meet later." Everyone said: "On the day my lord departs, we will all come to the pier to see him off." The crowd surrounded Jiang Biao to the gate, bidding farewell to each other.Just as he was about to turn around and go back to the house, Liang Qichao suddenly saw a familiar face.He was very pleasantly surprised and strode over.