Chapter 13 Chapter 12 Zhu Shunshui——Ming Dynasty Survivors Living in Japan

At the end of the Ming Dynasty and the beginning of the Qing Dynasty, some survivors of the Ming Dynasty went into exile in Japan, and some settled down in Japan.They have also made a lot of achievements in spreading Chinese culture and promoting cultural exchanges between China and Japan.Zhu Shunshui was one of the scholars who had the greatest influence on Japanese thought, culture and education at that time. Zhu Shunshui (1600-1682 A.D.), named Zhiyu, styled Luyu, was born in Yuyao, Zhejiang.Because there is a river named after Shun, a virtuous king in ancient legends, in his hometown, he named himself Shun River.He has been eager to learn since he was a child, and he is a scholar of Songjiang Prefecture School in Jiangsu.Although Zhu Shunshui was full of economics, seeing the political corruption in the last years of the Ming Dynasty, he gave up the idea of ​​being an official. In 1644, Qing troops entered the pass and occupied Beijing.Emperor Chongzhen of the Ming Dynasty committed suicide. After King Fu ascended the throne in Nanjing, he repeatedly summoned Zhu Shunshui, but seeing the treacherous minister Ma Shiying in power, he could not give up. Unexpectedly, he was persecuted because of this, so he had to avoid overseas.Afterwards, Zhu Shunshui took part in the struggle against the Qing Dynasty and restored the Ming Dynasty, traveling around the coastal areas of Fujian and Zhejiang, Japan, Annan, and Siam for 15 years, and went through hardships. In 1659, he accompanied Zheng Chenggong, a famous anti-Qing general, in the Northern Expedition, counterattacked the Yangtze River Basin, and fled to Japan after the defeat.This is Zhu Shunshui's seventh trip to the east. Seeing that there is no hope of recovering his eyesight, he lived in exile until his death, living in Japan for more than 20 years.

In 1659, when Zhu Shunshui landed in Nagasaki, the Tokugawa shogunate in Japan implemented a policy of sequestering the country, strictly enforcing a sea ban and not allowing foreigners to enter.Anton, a Confucian official of the Yanagawa clan in Chikugo, respected Zhu Shunshui's moral knowledge for a long time, and worshiped him as his teacher.After Nagasaki town inspector Kurokawa Zhengzhi reported to the Satsuma domain and the shogunate, he made an exception and allowed to stay.At that time, Zhu Shunshui was already a 60-year-old man, wandering alone, with no money in his pocket and unable to make ends meet.Anton kept his promise and saved half of his meager salary to help the teacher.Zhu Shunshui said that he was "uneasy" and declined, but Anton said: "If my life is better than that of my teacher, I will feel even more uneasy." In 1663, Nagasaki was burned, and Zhu Shunshui's house was also burned down. He rushed to Nagasaki to express condolences, and said: "If the teacher is starved to death, what face do I have to live in the world!" Shunshui lamented that talents with outstanding character and learning like Anton Shouyue are rare even in China.The teacher and the student are like-minded, deeply affectionate, and enjoy reading and preaching day and night together.Under Zhu Shunshui's careful teaching, Anton Shouyue became a famous scholar in Japan's Edo period.

In 1664, the grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first general of the Tokugawa shogunate, Tokugawa Mitsuki (also known as Yuanguangqi, the country of Guo), the second generation Mito domain lord, heard that Zhu Shunshui was of high moral character and profound knowledge, and sent a Confucian minister, Xiao Zhaisheng Shun Visited Nagasaki, and formally hired Zhu Shunshui to give lectures in Edo (today's Tokyo) in the second year.Tokugawa Mitsuki was studious and tireless. He treated Zhu Shunshui as a guest-teacher and respectfully asked for his advice. He often asked him for advice or discussed national policy, ritual and music rules and regulations, and cultural and academic issues.Zhu Shunshui also knew everything and talked freely. In 1669, Zhu Shunshui's 70th birthday, Tokugawa Mikaki specially celebrated his birthday in Edo Korakuen, and presented him with a screen with portraits of six Chinese and Japanese sages including Tai Gongwang. In 1679, Zhu Shunshui's 80th birthday, Guangqi came to congratulate him again.Shun Shui never forgets his motherland, he wears Ming Dynasty clothes all his life, sets up incense candles on his birthday to pray to heaven and earth, living in a foreign country, misses his hometown, and weeps bitterly.Guangyu was also deeply moved, so he ordered ancient music to be played to comfort him. In 1682, Zhu Shunshui died in Japan at the age of 83.Mitsuki Tokugawa was very sad, and even declared: "After the death of Mr., I don't think there will be such a scholar in the world anymore." Zhu Shunshui's body was built in a tomb according to Ming Dynasty etiquette, and buried at the foot of Ruilong Mountain, Taitian Township, Hitachi Kuji County, in the family cemetery. (now Hitachi Ota City, Ibaraki Prefecture).And personally inscribed the tombstone: "Mr. Zhu's Tomb of Ming Zhengjun", and his private posthumous posthumous title is Mr. Wen Gong.His relics are preserved in the Mito Shoko Museum for people to look up to.Later, Zhu Shunshui's ancestral hall was built, and his favorite cherry blossoms were planted around. Every death day, sacrifices must be made.

Zhu Shunshui advocated practical learning, advocating that "study should have practical merit and practicality", "the way of learning is the most important thing to practice." ("Zhu Shunshui Collection") believes that intellectuals should care about national politics and "can change in folk customs".He opposed Cheng Zhu Neo Confucianism's style of study that blindly studied heart-to-heart talk and empty talk.His practical and practical thinking had a great influence on the ideological circles of the Edo period in Japan, especially the Mito School.He also attached great importance to historiography, and advocated summarizing and absorbing the experience and lessons of the country's rise and fall in history. Under his influence and guidance, Tokugawa Mitsuki opened the Zhangkao Hall in 1672 and called scholars to compile the "History of Japan", which advocated "respecting the king and unification". One of the history editors is An Jijue, a disciple of Zhu Shunshui.Centering on the compilation of the "History of Japan", the Mito School gradually formed, which is characterized by emphasizing respect for kings and despise tyrants, and righteousness.It also had a great influence on the emergence of the idea of ​​​​respecting the king and overthrowing the curtain at the end of the shogunate.

Zhu Shunshui also paid great attention to education, believing that "schools are the lifeblood of all countries", and vigorously promoted the development of Japanese education in the Edo period.He said to Confucian minister Kotaku Shengshun: "Xingguoxue is a national ceremony, but it is even more important in your country. I have high hopes for it." He has given lectures in Japan for more than 20 years, and he always treats his students and those who come to ask for advice. He is full of enthusiasm, answers all questions, and tirelessly teaches.So far, there have been a large number of question and answer transcripts between Zhu Shunshui and people from all walks of life in Japan, from classics and history literature, laws and regulations, self-cultivation, mountains and rivers, farmland sowing, to the laws of the country, the method of learning, the style of bamboo slips, the system of utensils, and things. No matter how big or small, I try my best to give patient explanations and incisive expositions.In the last few years before his death, he was often dizzy and trembling due to old age and frailty, but he still insisted on reviewing articles for students, replying letters, and answering questions.His lectures are pertinent and appealing, often making students feel enlightened after listening.Even some white-haired old people came to listen to the lecture with their sticks, and some father and son went down together.Because of Zhu Shunshui's lectures in Mito and his reputation spread far and wide, even Kaga and other domains also attracted scholars to ask for advice.Japanese scholars and literati respectfully call him "Mr. Zhu" or "Mr. Shunshui".The students he educated and trained came out in large numbers, and many of them became famous scholars in the Edo period.For example, An Jijue, Kuriyama Yuan, Sasao Zongjun, Hitomi Chuan and others once served as the president of Zhangkaoguan's history revision.Shunshui's teaching requirements are strict. For example, An Jijue studied Chinese with him when he was young.To this day, the Tenri Library in Japan still preserves the original manuscript of the homework list made by Zhu Shunshui for An Jijue - "Daily Homework Self-Reporting Book".

Zhu Shunshui is not only a scholar with outstanding talents and knowledge, but also a technician who understands technology and is good at craftsmanship.He actively introduced Chinese scientific knowledge and skills related to engineering design, construction technology, agriculture and horticulture, and medical vaccination to the Japanese people.Zhu Shunshui designed the stone bridge and other scenery of Korakuen in imitation of famous places such as the West Lake in Edo, and became one of the famous gardens in Japan.At the request of Mitsuki Tokugawa, he also wrote "Illustrations of Xuegong", and designed a pattern for carpenters to make a wooden model equivalent to 1/30 of the real thing, and sometimes he even operated it himself.The model of this school palace includes Confucian Temple, Minglun Hall, Zunjing Pavilion, Xueshe, etc. It is very exquisite, and it is still preserved in the Kodokan in Mito.Later, the church in Yushima, Tokyo was built according to this model.Zhu Shunshui also had contacts with some Japanese folk craftsmen, and sometimes he came to guide and teach skills in person, so that some Japanese people mistakenly thought that he was a "painter from Nanjing".

Although Zhu Shunshui vigorously promoted Chinese culture in Japan, he also opposed the Huayi thought that belittled foreign countries.He said that he regards Japan and China as "the same body, and it is not a little different from China."To the Japanese people, "it is like a family of father and son".And to criticize the argument that China is better than foreign countries is "narrow vision".He loves China as well as Japan. After living in Japan for many years and getting along with the Japanese people for a long time, he realized that Japan is a country where "mountains and rivers descend to the gods and talents show off".Sincerely hope that Japan will develop cultural and educational undertakings and become prosperous and strong at an early date.Zhu Shunshui strongly advocated that China and Japan should live on an equal footing, as close as one family, and be friendly from generation to generation.In the letter to Anton to keep the promise, he hoped that Japan would "have good relations with China from generation to generation, like the friendship between Han and Zhao".And realized that his words and deeds also "touch China and Japan's millennium good".

Zhu Shunshui built a friendly bridge of cultural exchanges between China and Japan with his own example and words, and also won the respect of the Chinese and Japanese people.