Chapter 6 Chapter Three: The Rise of Private Schools and the Controversy of Schools of Thought in the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods

During the Western Zhou Dynasty, the rule of slave-owners and aristocrats began to falter, and the official schools of slave-owners and aristocrats also gradually declined. In the formerly solemn and sacred Piyong and Pangong Palaces, students did not care about studying and only knew about wandering and playing.In the Spring and Autumn Period, the factors of feudal economy continued to develop, Zhou Tianzi gradually lost the status of "co-lord", some of the nobles gradually transformed into feudal landlords, the scholar class rose, and the aristocratic official schools declined, replaced by private officials. Free lectures have opened up a new situation in ancient Chinese school education.

"Shi" is a new social class in the Spring and Autumn Period.Among the scholar class, there are literati, warriors, and those capable of writing and fighting. "Scholar" was originally dissociated from the slave-owner aristocrats, some belonged to the common class, and some belonged to the emerging landlord class.When King Ping of Zhou moved his capital from Hao (southwest of Xi'an City, Shaanxi Province) to Luoyi (Luoyang City, Henan Province), some cultural officials in the palace were scattered to various places.In the Zhou royal family, there were many incidents of competing for the throne.The Sima family, who was in charge of Zhou history for generations, was exiled to the state of Jin, and later scattered to the states of Wei, Zhao, and Qin.There are also some cultural officials and craftsmen who fled to all directions with the ancient books, culture, ritual vessels, and musical instruments that were originally hidden in the palace. The "Analects of Confucius Weizi" records the situation that the officials in charge of rites and music in the court of Zhou Tiangong left one after another: the great musician Zhi went to Qi State; the second musician went to Chu State; the third musician Liao went to Cai State; the fourth musician Que went to Qin State Uncle Fang, who played the drum, lived on the bank of the Yellow River; Wu, who played the small drum, lived on the edge of the Han River;Because these cultural officials lost their hereditary duties and drifted into the society, they became the first batch of scholars in history who only made a living by selling knowledge and culture.At this time, a group of "gentlemen" appeared in the Zou and Lu areas, wearing e-crowns and belts, and often appeared in the aristocratic social entertainment (zuozuo) and when holding crowns, weddings, funerals, sacrifices and other ceremonies.They are familiar with the "six arts" knowledge and various etiquette, known as "Master Confucianism", and some of them gradually lead apprentices to teach and transform into private teachers.

Scholars are an emerging class with strong vitality. The rulers of various vassal states started from the need to consolidate their ruling power and rushed to "recruit talents".Scholars have greater freedom of action and become the object of competition among the rulers, so the style of supporting and employing scholars has arisen.For example, Duke Huan of Qi "raised eighty wandering scholars", and later became the head of the Five Overlords in the Spring and Autumn Period.This shows that the re-use of travellers played a role in the establishment of Duke Huan's hegemony.At the end of the Spring and Autumn Period, the private sects competed with the public courts, and the public courts supported scholars, and the private sects also competed to support scholars.The so-called public office refers to the monarchs of the vassal states.The so-called private door refers to the door of the rich and powerful officials of various vassal states.For example, Ji Zhaozi, the ruling official of the Lu State, was powerful and powerful. He "raised disciples of Confucius" and discussed with Confucius' students how to develop his own power and weaken the power of the Lu State monarch.In the Warring States period, the style of raising scholars reached its climax.Monarchs such as Duke Mu of Qin, Marquis Wen of Wei, King Qi Wei, King Qi Xuan, King Liang Hui, and King Yan Zhao all once "respected the virtuous and empowered" to attract talents.Qing ministers are like Lord Mengchang (Tian Wen) of Qi State, Lord Pingyuan (Zhao Sheng) of Zhao State, Lord Chunshen (Huang Xie) of Chu State, Lord Xinling (Wei Wuji) of Wei State and Lu Buwei, Prime Minister of Qin State, etc., who support scholars. All in thousands.They are respectful and polite to soldiers.For example, Mr. Xinling made friends with the hermit Hou Ying. Hou Ying was a gatekeeper of Yimen in Daliang (the capital of Wei State, now Kaifeng City, Henan Province). From welcoming Hou Ying, and personally holding the bridle for Hou Ying.Mr. Pingyuan had a guest (i.e., the adopter) who was lame, and Mr. Pingyuan's concubine laughed when he saw it upstairs. The lame man was very angry and asked to leave.They do this not because they are "rich and kind", but because of urgent class needs.At that time, public opinion had already used the gathering and dispersal of "scholars" to measure the political rise and fall of a country, and the rulers of all countries were very sensitive to this situation.That's why some people said: "Those who win scholars survive, those who lose scholars perish." It shows that although the scholar class at that time had no power and power, it was able to dominate the world with a new strength.This shows that "shi" has become a real social force.They are the first generation of intellectuals and teachers in China.

The prevalence of cultivating scholars further promoted the development of private schools.Scholars have become a kind of profession, and their social status is very high. Many people use this as a shortcut to career, so they scramble to learn to be a scholar, and they enroll in school one after another, hoping that one day they will be able to "learn and become an official" and learn to do it. official.It can be said that the rise of private schools in the late Spring and Autumn Period and the contention of a hundred schools of thought in the Warring States Period grew on this soil.Under such conditions, private schools should quickly spread to various places.For example, Deng Xi of Zheng State set up a private school, and he taught "Bamboo Punishment" written by himself, which specially taught people to "learn litigation" in litigation.Bo Fengzi of the state of Zheng also started a private school at the same time as Deng Xi.Shaozhengmao of Lu State and Confucius set up private schools in Lu State at the same time. It is said that Shaozhengmao’s private school was also very famous, and once attracted students from Confucius’ private school, and there was a situation of private school competition.At the end of the Spring and Autumn period, private schools flourished day by day, and the private schools of Confucianism and Mohism became the "Xianxue" at that time, that is, the famous private schools.