Chapter 36 6. Who will answer China

Those who can answer the questions of history are scholars, and only scholars. Scholars are the protagonists on the Warring States stage, just like the masters of the previous era, the Western Zhou Dynasty was the king, the Eastern Zhou Dynasty was the Marquis, and the middle and late Spring and Autumn Period was the doctor.Therefore, the romantic figures who impressed us deeply include King Wu and Duke Zhou, Qi Huan and Jin Wen in the middle, and Zichan and Zhao Yang in the later. They are the representatives of those eras. The history of the Warring States Period was written by scholars.

What is a taxi? Scholars in the Spring and Autumn Period were the lowest class of nobles.The first three classes are the Son of Heaven, princes, and officials.After the Qin and Han Dynasties, it was the highest level of civilians.The last three levels are agriculture, industry and commerce. So, what is a Sengoku taxi? Spiritual nobility. The so-called spiritual aristocracy means being aristocratic only in the spiritual or spiritual realm.The fundamental reason is that scholars have no real estate and no right to rule.Without matter, there is only spirit.Becoming a spiritual noble is a matter of time.

However, since it is a nobleman, it should have the rights and obligations of the nobleman, and also have logos, such as the black crown that reflects the power of participation, the leather crown that reflects the right to join the army, and the crown that reflects the right to sacrifice (jue reads like a bird).This is a symbol of power and identity recognition.Therefore, Zilu would rather die than take off his hat. This is the aristocratic spirit. There is aristocratic spirit, there is a gentleman's demeanor.Therefore, although the Spring and Autumn Period was corrupt, it was not morally degenerate.

However, after entering the Warring States period, the rights and obligations of soldiers were gone, only a sword remained.This is what they got when they held the crown ceremony, and it is also the identity and symbol of the nobility.Therefore, when Sima Qian recorded Qin Shihuang's coming-of-age ceremony, he specially wrote the word "with a sword".Similarly, although Feng and Han Xin are penniless, they never leave their swords.The sword is the weapon of the nobility, the weapon of the gentleman, and the weapon of the king.Most heroes use swords, and this is the reason. The sword means identity and upbringing.Generally speaking, scholars can receive a relatively good education.Their educational conditions may not be the best, but their learning enthusiasm may be the highest.Because they have status but no status, obligations but no position, career but no property.The only way out is to serve the more senior nobles in exchange for salaries or food fields (fields that can share food and taxes).

This is something that must be done. Therefore, the first priority of scholars is to "cultivate one's morality".Once you have recovered, you can go out to work.Among them, helping the doctor manage the fiefs is called "Qijia"; assisting the princes in governing the state is called "governing the country"; assisting the emperor to stabilize the world is called "Ping Tianxia".Taken together, they are Xiu, Qi, Zhi, and Ping. However, no matter in regulating the family or governing the country, the scholars are servants, while the princes and doctors are the bosses.However, the bosses and servants in the Spring and Autumn Period were related by blood, and scholars generally had hereditary positions and fixed jobs, or were supported by the state like the state of Qi in Guan Zhong's era.Warring States warriors must find work by themselves.They have an employment relationship with princes and doctors.That being the case, it is up to the scholars whether to help, or to be accomplices, accomplices, or helpers.On the contrary, in order to ensure that they have a good meal and even be able to make a fortune, they are likely to give up their principles and follow what they like, regardless of the long-term and only focus on the immediate.People in the Warring States were eager for quick success and instant benefits, and the social atmosphere deteriorated sharply. This is one of the reasons.

Fortunately, there is another side to things. On the other hand, the role of scholars in international affairs and political life has become more and more important.This is also the difference between the Warring States Period and the Spring and Autumn Period.Especially for those heavyweight scholars, if they serve a certain country, the country will prosper, and if they leave the country, the country will be in trouble internally and externally. As the saying goes, "Entering Chu Chu is heavy, leaving Qi Qi is light, serving Zhao Zhao, rebelling against Wei Wei and hurting", it is simply a nuclear weapon.

This forced the princes and ministers of all countries to bow down and be courteous to the virtuous and corporal, so that respecting the virtuous and virtuous became the norm in the world.They even don't hesitate to cut down on food and clothing to support scholars.Most of the annual income of Tian Chengzi, who is in charge of the state of Qi, is used to support scholars.Mr. Mengchang has three thousand diners, and he eats the same meals as his master every day.If the diners expressed doubts, Mr. Mengchang had to carry the plate to verify his authenticity.The humility of the dignitaries to the scholars is the most important here.

On the contrary, scholars don't have to look at the faces of powerful people at all, and can even look at them proudly.Once, Tian Zifang, a scholar of the state of Wei, met Prince Chi (later Wuhou of Wei) on a narrow road.The prince hurriedly gave way to the car, and got out of the car to salute, but Tian Zifang did not answer.Tian Zifang said: "If a prince looks down on a person, he loses his country; if a doctor looks down on a person, he loses his family."We scholars, if our opinions are not accepted and our speeches are not accepted, we can change our country.Abandoning the powerful and ignorant is like throwing away a straw sandal, what a big deal!

Prince Wei listened to it, but he could only be obedient. There is no doubt that this attitude of princes, princes and ministers was forced out by cruel international competition and power struggle, but it unintentionally liberated the productivity of spiritual civilization.We know that the most desired living conditions and mental state of the intelligentsia are, first, no worries about food and clothing, and second, freedom of speech.With these two, the source of thought will flow fully, and the fruits of civilization will blossom everywhere. Warring States did both. In fact, although many intellectuals in the Warring States were supported by the monarch or the doctor, they did not have to bear the responsibility and were not subject to any restrictions.They write books when they want to talk about it, talk about it when they want to talk, make suggestions when they want to make suggestions, talk about things when they want to sit and talk, and even walk away if they want to leave.No one lost their liberty, and no one was convicted for their words.

This is even more true for those who are not supported. Thus, the two hundred years of the Warring States Period became an era full of contradictions: the people were in dire straits, and the scholars were highly respected; the society was turbulent, and academics flourished unprecedentedly; morality generally declined, and thought was fully free.The darkest and most painful era of turmoil in Chinese history turned into a golden age of ideology and culture, but this golden age begins with Confucius in the late Spring and Autumn Period. Is it strange? Not surprisingly. In fact, it is precisely because of social upheavals, world chaos, moral decline, and lack of consensus that where China is headed has become a problem.Similarly, the answer to the question is only possible because of the rise of an elite class that transcends borders and clans, and there is no unified power that can restrain public opinion.

Therefore, Confucianism represented literati, Mohism represented warriors, Taoism represented hermits, and Legalism represented counselors. They all expressed their opinions and tried to influence the course of history.It was the freest and most active force at the time.Because of freedom, it is a hundred schools of thought; because it is active, it must contend. The great debate of the century has begun. Let's see how they shine their swords!

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