Chapter 24 Four, must be sick

Chinese civilization should have suffered a serious illness long ago. People are going to get sick, and so is civilization.And strictly speaking, no civilization can remain in good shape for a long time, just as no one can live forever and be healthy forever.On the contrary, once any civilization matures, it will begin to rot, from maturity to overripe, from prosperity to decline.At this time, there are only two kinds of fate and choice: either get sick, or be reborn from the ashes. Fortunately, our nation has chosen the latter. In fact, the Chinese civilization has been able to continue uninterrupted for 3,700 years, becoming the only first-generation civilization in human history that has continued to this day, because we were able to achieve great integration through great turmoil.It's like a person who develops antibodies after being ill, gains immunity, or even a new life, which may not be a bad thing.

The Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties were such a great turmoil. Before that was the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period.The result of the turmoil in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period was the emergence of the First Empire (Qin and Han) and the Han civilization.As a result of the turmoil in the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, the Second Empire (Sui and Tang) and the Tang civilization came into being.Therefore, historians often compare the two: the Wei and Jin Dynasties are equivalent to the Spring and Autumn Period, and the Southern and Northern Dynasties are equivalent to the Warring States Period.

This certainly makes sense.In fact, the two major turmoils were caused by the problems of the former civilization.The Spring and Autumn Period faced the collapse of the Zhou civilization, and the Wei and Jin Dynasties faced the crisis of the Han civilization.The only difference is that Zhou's fault lies in the system, while Han's fault lies in the culture. Therefore, after the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, a new system was born.After the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, a new culture was born.Compared with the Han civilization, the Tang civilization is more open and compatible. Even Confucianism has become a combination of three religions (Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism), although the official thought and mainstream ideology is still Confucianism.

This is the function of the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties. In other words, the crisis of Han civilization is the crisis of Confucianism. Confucianism was not in crisis.When it exists as a folk thought, it is also full of vitality, and Mencius even has an aggressive momentum.This sense of justice and responsibility manifested in the "awe-inspiring spirit" is precisely the most precious thing in Confucianism, and it did not disappear even in the Wei and Jin Dynasties. Just say Zhou Wei (read Ruyi). Zhou Wei was also a celebrity in the Wei and Jin Dynasties, and he had a lot of flamboyance and faults, such as whistling, drinking, uttering wild words, and so on.When he was in trouble, he had received help from Wang Dun, and his relationship with Director Wang was so good that it was very casual.Once, Wang Daozhen pointed to his stomach on his knee and said: What's in it?Zhou Wei replied: It is empty, but one like yours can hold hundreds of them.

However, during Wang Dun's mutiny, Zhou Wei resolutely defended the central government and fought against Wang Dun.After the defeat, he was sent to Wang Ying as an envoy to negotiate with Wang Dun face to face. Wang Dun asked: Why did you fail me? Zhou Wei replied: Your Excellency's military chariot offended the imperial court, and the subordinate officials were ashamed to lead the six armies into battle. I didn't expect that the king's division could not cheer up, so I failed my lord. Wang Dun asked again: "Is there any strength left in the recent battle?" Zhou Wei replied again: I only hate the lack of power, how can I have more?

Of course Wang Dun gritted his teeth when he heard this, so someone persuaded Zhou Wei to flee.But Zhou Wei said: As a minister of the imperial court, how can I live by mediocrity when the country is in crisis?As a result, Zhou Wei was killed by Wang Dun.Before his death, Zhou Wei scolded Wang Dun for his rebellious officials and traitors.Those who were ordered to arrest him cut his mouth with a halberd, and blood flowed down to his feet. Zhou Wei still looked calm, and all the bystanders burst into tears. So, Wang Bin stood up. Wang Bin is the cousin of Wang Dao and Wang Dun, and also a friend of Zhou Wei.Although Zhou Wei didn't think highly of Wang Bin during his lifetime, Wang Bin was still full of respect. Regardless of Wang Dun's obscenity, he went to Zhou Wei's majesty to cry bitterly, and then went to see Wang Dun.

Wang Dun asked: Why is your face so ugly? Wang Bin said: I just cried for Boren (Zhou Wei). Wang Dun said: He wanted to die by himself, and besides, people would look down on you. Wang Bin replied defiantly: Boren is a loyal elder, and he is your relative and friend. Who is not sad when innocent victims are killed!On the contrary, it's you, brother, who commits troubles, frames Zhongliang, and plots wrongdoing, and I'm afraid it will bring disaster to the whole family.Our royal family is in big trouble! Wang Bin burst into tears, and Wang Dun was furious when he heard this.He said: You kid is so arrogant and perverted, do you think I dare not kill you?

Wang Dao, who was next to him, quickly smoothed things over and persuaded Wang Bin to bow down and apologize. Wang Bin said: My feet hurt and I can't kneel down. Wang Dun said: Which hurts more, kneeling or beheading? Wang Bin ignored it, showing no signs of fear. This is truly awe-inspiring. The performance of Zhou Wei and Wang Bin, in the Wei and Jin Dynasties, demeanor is called elegance, and in Confucian ethics, it is called integrity. It can be seen that Wei and Jin demeanor and Confucian ethics do not necessarily conflict, and there are even similarities.But in any case, people must have a little spirit.This spirit is respected and awe-inspiring.In fact, before Zhou Wei was murdered, Wang Dun would cover his face with a fan whenever he saw him, or slap his fan desperately.

Confucianism can precisely cultivate this spirit.In fact, the contribution of Confucianism to Han civilization is to provide core values ​​and a set of operable behavioral norms, such as benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom and trustworthiness.Whether these values ​​and moral norms are necessary and can be inherited is naturally a matter of long-term consideration.However, at that time, it undoubtedly guaranteed the stability of society and the stability of people's hearts. This is what Confucianism is all about.At least, with such concepts as the consensus of the whole people, a unified empire will have a unified thought, and it will not only be able to realize the same text in books, but also realize the same behavior.Therefore, although the history of the Han Dynasty was cut off by Wang Mang, the civilization of the Han Dynasty not only did not break, but went to the world.

Confucian ethics is not belief, it is better than belief. However, Confucianism is not a belief after all.Faith can be unreasonable, because faith is an unwavering belief in the existence of the supernatural and super-worldly (please refer to the preface to the Chinese History "The Will of Civilization and the Position of China"), so either firmly believe it or ignore it , nothing to discuss. In contrast, Confucianism is purely secular.Although Confucianism also talks about the mandate of heaven, the will of Confucius and Mencius is actually the will of the people, while Dong Zhongshu's heaven is not only not supernatural, but also united with people.So Confucianism is not a religion.It can become a tool to maintain dynastic rule, not by faith, but by authority.Once Wang Gang gets rid of the knot, Confucianism will lose its authority, and the spiritual pillar of the Han nation will also collapse.

This is exactly the case in the Wei and Jin Dynasties.Whether it is the emperor or the ethics, no one is the boss, and no one has authority.After Emperor Jianwen Sima Yu passed away, the eleven-year-old Emperor Xiaowu succeeded to the throne, and there was still no funeral at sunset.The people around said: Your majesty, it's time for Yili to cry.Emperor Xiaowu said: "Cry if you want to cry, how can you set a time?" The ceremony is broken and the joy is broken! Collapse is not necessarily a good thing, just as Confucianism has its own reasons for its dominance.In fact, it was precisely because the dominant Confucianism lost its authority that our nation ushered in another great emancipation of the mind and great cultural prosperity. Moreover, there was the great emancipation of the mind (Wei and Jin Dynasties) first, and then the great cultural prosperity (Sui and Tang Dynasties). Is it possible not to have the exclusive thought and the exclusive thought? certainly.If it was a city-state era with a small country and few people, it would not exist; if it was a modern country with a sound rule of law, it would not be necessary.A unified empire established by agricultural nations cannot live without political and ideological authority.Once lost, people's hearts will be scattered, the country will be divided, and it will become a mess. The Three Kingdoms and the Two Jins, the Sixteen Kingdoms and the Northern and Southern Dynasties are proofs. However, there is such a catastrophe, but it should be celebrated.Because the facts have proved that the civil and martial arts of the previous empire have come to an end, and there is no vitality anymore.Otherwise, how could a mere Dong Zhuo disintegrate the good Han Dynasty? It is not difficult to imagine that without everything that happened later, our civilization would probably only age slowly, wither, decay, decay bit by bit, and finally rot, or be completely destroyed by foreign barbarians, just like Rome. This is the law of life in civilization, unless you can shut down and restart. The Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties was such an opportunity. But who can refresh the page?