Chapter 9 Chapter 8 Appendix: Imperial Learning in the Han Dynasty

This article inherits the manuscript "pai" by Brother Song Xi.The author does not think superficially, and takes the liberty to write. He only collects the historical materials of the Han Dynasty collected by the "Chinese History Research Department" jointly established by Columbia University and Washington University. Time is running out, and reference books are not enough. Sergeant Xu "ke, begging for teachers and friends at home, don't hesitate to rectify! Taixue in the Han Dynasty of our country was founded in the fifth year of Yuanshuo, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty (124 BC).Afterwards, it developed rapidly. By the middle of the Eastern Han Dynasty, there were more than 7000 professors (academic officers and doctors) and more than 30,000 students. Its scale was not much larger than that of any university in the world in the 20th century. one page.But why did such a magnificent national university gradually decline towards the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, and why the legacy of Taixue in the Wei and Jin Dynasties could not be revived?Those who talk about history today, looking back at the historical facts two thousand years ago, are not without regrets.The author has traveled overseas, and the data and time are limited. At the beginning, I dare not say that I will do a systematic study for the Imperial Studies of the Han Dynasty.

Background of the establishment of Taixue In ancient times, my country's higher education was originally "government-run".At the end of the Spring and Autumn Period, when the feudal system began to collapse, private learning flourished.Confucius was the first person who pioneered this trend.Afterwards, various schools of thought emerged, and a hundred schools of thought contended. The Warring States Period was indeed the golden age of private lectures in ancient my country.However, another by-product of private free lectures is that officials criticize the government.After Qin destroyed the Six Kingdoms, the dictator's intolerance of this "democratic style" was actually an inevitable result of the development of centralized politics.

After the first emperor promulgated the ban on holding books, private education became illegal.However, in the central government of the Qin Dynasty, there were still more than 70 "doctors" in various disciplines, and all schools of thought were compatible.Under the direct guidance of the government, the legacy of teaching apprentices and lecturing during the Six Kingdoms period seems to have not been completely abolished.They are just not allowed to form a party to interfere in politics, and the past is not the present.Gu Yanwu said: "Although Qin's punishment has been passed, it hinders the people's righteousness and customs. It is not different from the three kings." (Volume 13) The burning of books by the first emperor did not abolish education. He just suppressed private education and ran the central government alone. It is just an official school directly controlled by the government.

After the rise of the Han Dynasty, the ban on holding books was finally lifted, and the central government "still inherited the Qin system, and all schools of thought, each established a doctor." (Wang Guowei's "An Examination of Doctors in the Han and Wei Dynasties") Liu Bang "used the crown of Confucianism as a vessel" in his early years, and he never worshiped Confucianism.Later, Empress Dou was fond of Huang Lao; whenever the descendants of the Han Dynasty emperors talked about their "Han family law", they always liked to quote their ancestors' tradition of "overlord's way of miscellaneous governance". In particular, political philosophy does not necessarily settle on one thing.In the fourth year of Emperor Huidi (191 BC), after the law of holding books was removed, the studies of hundreds of schools gradually showed signs of waiting for Su.

However, the overall situation in the early Han Dynasty had just been determined, and the central government had made little contribution to academic culture. Although the doctor of the Han Dynasty followed the old system of the Qin Dynasty, and his rank was four hundred stones, his position was not disrespectful. In the modern government, it is nothing more than "consultants" and "counsellors".Shusun Tong did not hear of any important achievements made by Dr. Hanchu.As a doctor, his job is still to recruit students and give lectures privately. At this time, although the encouragement from the government was small, after the four dynasties of Gao, Hui, Wen, and Jing were peaceful and prosperous, it was inevitable that academics would develop day by day.After the Warring States period, the words of Confucius and Mencius became the mainstream of the academic world, and its slogan of respecting the monarch and restraining ministers was quite suitable for the rulers, so Confucianism gradually took the lead.At the time of Wenjing, the doctors of various schools were abolished, and there was no clear text in history, but it is a fact that Confucianism has surpassed all other schools.Emperor Jing established the "Doctor of One Classics", and the situation of Confucianism's dominance took shape. After Emperor Wu came to the throne, he personally promoted virtuous literature several times, and the first concubine was a Confucian student. ) added the "Doctor of the Five Classics", and the situation of Confucian dominance was finally settled.

The "doctor" in the time of Emperor Wu not only followed the old system of the Qin Dynasty, but also followed the order of the emperor ("Hanshu? Emperor Wuji").The position of doctor is suddenly prominent.Therefore, Emperor Wu's addition of the Doctor of Five Classics was not only to make up for the two classics that Emperor Jing had not established, but also to make a large-scale arrangement of this long-established doctoral system.The long-decayed Zhujia doctors should be officially abolished at this time. Since the central government first formulated Confucianism as the political philosophy of establishing the country, it was an inevitable reaction for Confucian scholars to seize the opportunity to seize power.Gong Sunhong took the "Spring and Autumn" doctor in Yuan Shuo as "the leader, set off on foot, and for several years until the prime minister was named a marquis" ("Hanshu? Gongsun Hongzhuan"), contrary to the previous example of the Han family who used Liehou as the prime minister , the Confucian Party began to gain power for the first time.Then Dong Zhongshu was promoted by Emperor Wu to be the first in the virtuous literature. This Han Family Taixue, which only advocated Confucianism, was officially established under the advice of the two of them.

Taixue: Confucian "Central Party School" Since the Taixue in the Han Dynasty was founded by Emperor Wu according to the suggestions of Gongsun Hong and Dong Zhongshu, it is absolutely necessary to read Dong's proposal for the establishment of the school - the famous "Dong Zhongshu's strategy".When Emperor Wu personally promoted virtuous literature, Zhong Shu countermeasures said: "I have heard that the sage king governs the world, if you are young, you can learn, and if you are long, you can be talented... A husband who is not good at cultivating scholars but wants to be virtuous, is like not carving jade but looking for literary talent! Therefore, the most important person to support scholars is Taixue. Taixue is the key to the sages; it is also the root of softening. Today, the people of a county and a country are kings and do not respond to the letter. The minister wishes Your Majesty promotes Taixue, installs wise teachers, and trains the people of the world; if you use your talents to the best of your ability, you will be handsome and suitable." ("Hanshu? Biography of Dong Zhongshu")

Emperor Wu accepted his opinion, and in the fifth year of Yuanshuo, at the request of "Prime Minister Hong", he set up fifty "doctoral disciples" for the "Five Classics Doctors", gave them the official status-"members", and set up the Taisheng students to graduate Afterwards, the government distributes the charter of appointment.At the same time, it is the earliest form of Taixue in the Han Dynasty to gather these fifty Taixue students together to teach.Reading Zhongshu's countermeasures, we know that the purpose of the founding of Taixue was to "raise scholars" for the country.However, the style of private lectures in the Western Han Dynasty was originally prosperous.Doctors in the early Han Dynasty already had disciples.Zhongshu himself was a Ph.D. in Xiaojing's time, and the history said that he "recited at the end of the lecture, and his disciples taught each other for a long time, or he never saw him face to face". (Ibid.) A Ph.D. has so many disciples, so why does the "supplier" care about this imperial school with no more than 50 people!

Therefore, Zhongshu's purpose was not only to support scholars for the country, but also to use this new institution to maintain the vested special status of Confucianism and train Confucian national founding talents so that they could become officials with excellent education and grasp political power in the future.These 50 Tai students can be distributed by the government to take up positions after receiving a short-term training. According to the regulations: doctoral students, those who have mastered one art or more in one year of teaching will make up "literary stories".Gaodi can be called a "doctor";At the same time, during their employment, they also enjoy the privilege of "recovery" (no military service, labor service). ("Hanshu? The Biography of Rulin") What an enviable special class this was at the time.It is not difficult to imagine that their professor, the Doctor of Pentateuch, is especially respected.In addition, Emperor Wu restored the school of Guangli prefectures and countries, and the high-achieving students could be promoted to Taixue through the recommendation of the local government. It goes without saying that the teaching policy of the local schools belongs.In this way, the hearts of the scholars will return, and all the heroes of the world will be in the game, so naturally the hundred schools will not be dethroned!

Therefore, Taixue in the time of Emperor Wu, in modern terminology, was actually the "Central Party School" run by the Confucian Party in power at that time. ! Taixue's development After Emperor Wu, it was passed on to Emperor Zhao, and the number of Tai students increased to a hundred; then it was passed on to Emperor Xuan, and the number doubled again.There were thousands of "members" during the Yuan Emperor, and the number of Tai students increased to three thousand during the Cheng Emperor. ("Hanshu? The Biography of the Scholars") Wang Mang's scale grew when he was in power.From the Eastern Han Dynasty, Taixue developed rapidly.In the heyday of the Eastern Han Dynasty, there were "academic officials and doctors, more than seven thousand people" in Gyeonggi. ("Three Kingdoms? Wei Zhi? Wang Lang Biography" quotes "Wei Mingchen Zoushu") Since Emperor Shun, there were more than 30,000 Tai students. ("Book of the Later Han Dynasty? Biography of Scholars")

When Emperor Wudi of the Han Dynasty founded Taixue, the scale was extremely small.The site of the former imperial school seems to be in the city of Chang'an.Later, the number of teachers and students increased, and the city could not accommodate them, so the Taixue moved outside the city.According to the records of "Sanfu Huangtu", the site of the school outside the city is located in "Seven miles northwest of Chang'an", and there is actually "a city and a prison" in it.This is obviously a large-scale Taixue district, just like the small towns in the United States today because of certain universities.At the end of the Western Han Dynasty, Ye Wangmang "built his disciples Shewan District" when he was Zaijie, and its scale can be imagined. After the resurgence of Guangwu, Taixue moved to Luoyang with the capital, and the school site was located in "Luoyang City, outside Kaiyang Gate, Qugongbali". ("Houmo Shu? Guangwu Ji" Li Xian cited Lu Ji's "Luoyang Ji") During Emperor Shun's reign, more construction was carried out, and the school building was added, with 240 rooms built and 1,850 rooms. ("Hou Mo Shu? Biography of Zhai Mou") As for the architectural design of the Taixue in the Eastern Han Dynasty, we do not know, but we can infer from the historical records that there are classrooms and auditoriums (the so-called "Piyong". When Piyong was in the Eastern Han Dynasty, It seems that it is not exclusively for the students of Taiyuan students. Gai, a scholar and scholar, can give lectures. This is not related to this topic, and I will take another exam when I have time.) There are dormitories. Outside the "doctor's dormitory", college students can live together on campus with their mothers and relatives. ("Book of the Later Han Dynasty? The Biography of Lu Gong") Ordinary student residences also seem to be very spacious.Students who are good at activities, stay with guests and stay overnight, make friends and make friends, often to "the room full of guests". ("Book of the Later Han Dynasty? Biography of Qiu Lan") The selection and way out of Tai students In the Han Dynasty, the policy examinations for doctors and the selection of Tai students belonged to Tai Changqing.The fifty "disciples of doctors" established in the fifth year of Yuanshuo were supposed to be delineated from the disciples of ordinary doctors.However, the government's regulations at that time were "too often select people who are over 18 years old and have a good appearance" as "doctoral students".The subsequent selection method is to select outstanding students from the county and country schools, and the local officials will recommend them to enter the Taixue for further study. "Hanshu? Rulin Biography" contains the selection procedure as follows: "County and county officials have good literature, respect their superiors, suspend politics and education, follow the village, and go in and out without conflict. What they have heard, the prime minister and the prime minister belong to the second Thousand stones. Two thousand stones, those who can be observed, often work together with the plan, and the knowledge is too constant. You can get a job like a disciple." ① When Wen Weng was the head of the Shu County, he once "selected the small officials in the county to open up the talented Zhang Shu, etc. More than a dozen people personally ordered them to be dispatched to the capital to receive doctorates. Or to study laws and regulations. Reduce the cost of the Shaofu, take the knife to distribute things in Shu, and arrange the officials to send doctors." ("Han Shu? Xun Li Zhuan") Therefore, the students sent by Wen Weng to the capital to receive various trainings are guaranteed to receive government subsidies from the local government. Although it is an official regulation to recommend sending students to higher education, Gyeonggi is a region where people gather together. After the Han Dynasty, dignitaries from the political and religious circles often "studied in the capital" and "received a doctorate" when they were young.Emperor Guangwu, the founding emperor of the Eastern Han Dynasty, was one of them.Obviously, these people were not all recommended by the local government, but enrolled with private qualifications.When Wang Mang was in power, he stipulated: "The sons of Yuan scholars should be educated as disciples, and should not be regarded as 'members'." ("Hanshu? Rulin Biography") Therefore, the social composition of the Han Dynasty imperial students was extremely complicated.First, because Taixue was originally the highest institution of learning at that time, and because it was a shortcut on the way to wealth and wealth, scholars from all walks of life flocked to it. Public and privately funded civilian students selected by the local government; there are dandies who eclipse tens of thousands of dollars, and there are poor scholars who are so poor that they "have no quilt and lie in cow clothes" ("Hou Hanshu? Wang Zhangzhuan"); there are righteous men who donate money and help their classmates ("Book of the Later Han Dynasty? Biography of Shen Tu Pan"), there are also hard-working students who work and study part-time, who are in charge of the pounding and pestle, or take care of food for their classmates to support themselves③; there are also Huns students from foreign countries ("Book of the Later Han Dynasty? Rulin Biography ").The achievements of Taixue graduates range from emperors, ministers, Hongru, Shuoyan, down to small officials in prefectures and countries.Among them, students' work and rest conditions include those who study behind closed doors;In short, all the phenomena of student activities in our country's national universities today can be found in the imperial schools of the Han Dynasty, but the imperial schools at that time were more than ten times larger than the current national universities. ④ [Note] This article was written in the 1950s, when the universities on both sides of the strait were very small.Today is another scene. Professors and Departments in Taixue The professors in Taixue were the newly established "Five Classics Doctors" during Emperor Wu's time. After that, all the doctors were "Family Law Professors", and the Five Classics Doctors were divided into 14 schools.Therefore, in the end of the Han Dynasty, the courses in Taixue were also divided into fourteen kinds.Counting the 7,000 doctoral officials in the Eastern Han Dynasty, there should be about 500 doctors of each kind!According to the regulations of the Han Dynasty, there are three methods for the selection and appointment of these doctors: One is the "recommendation" of the public minister.For example, in the second year of Yangshuo, Emperor Cheng said: "Prime Minister Yushi, among them, one thousand stones and two thousand stones, who can be used as a doctor's degree, are impressive!" The certificate stipulates that the candidates should "respect and love in life, not as polite in mourning, master "Yi", "Shangshu", "Book of Filial Piety", and comprehensively record books, explain the profound in a poor way, live in seclusion and enjoy the Tao, and do not seek to be famous. , who has no chronic disease of gold and bruises, does not commune with evil spirits in the 36th genus of the world, and is rewarded by princes and princes in four disciplines, and is a doctor of classics", the following words are recommended by a certain official. ("Han Gong Yi" quoted in "Han Shu? Zhu Fu Zhuan") The second method is for the emperor to "requisition".The first patron of Taixue when it was established, the original "Spring and Autumn" doctor Gong Sunhong's first official title was "Xianliang Zheng as a doctor". ("Hanshu? Gongsun Hongzhuan") There were many cases of expropriation in the later Han Dynasty.However, after Guangwu Zhongxing encouraged integrity, scholars were required to "not seek fame and popularity", so many people "couldn't get well if they complained about their illness".The third method is "policy test".The Han system stipulates that Tai Changqing "selects a doctor, and shows whether he can do it." ("Continued Han Shu? Baiguan Zhi") Doctors selected in such a grand manner are highly honored, so they naturally regard themselves as extraordinary and do not want others to compete with them.In addition to the literati's mutual respect, and "teaching each according to the family law", the sect's views are very deep, so there will be disputes among the various schools in the Imperial Academy. Dispute of Schools When Emperor Wu first established Taixue, the academic officials established "Ouyang, Gongyang in "Spring and Autumn", and Shi and Meng in "Yi". ("Hanshu? Liu Xin Biography") Other systems of succession to teachers are often excluded from academic officials, causing grievances in the academic circles.In the third year of Ganlu (51 BC), Emperor Xuan "commanded all Confucians to talk about the similarities and differences of the Five Classics, and the crown prince and Taifu Xiao Wangzhi and others made their opinions equal." ("Hanshu? Xuandiji") Finally, Emperor Xuan personally "called the system and made a decision", and added "Liangqiu Yi", "Xiahou Shangshu", and "Guliang Chunqiu". juxtapose it". ("Hanshu? Liu Xin Biography") This time, the debate, chaired by the emperor himself, finally broke the situation dominated by a small number of schools in Taixue.Who knows that one wave is not smooth, and another wave will rise again. After Liu Xiang and Liu Xin's father and son schooled the books, ancient writers emerged suddenly.The leader of this school, Liu Xinnaisi, entered the "Central Party School" and included "Zuoshi Chunqiu", "Guwenjieshu", "Maoshi", and "Yili" among the school officials.The doctors again objected.Emperor Ai ordered Xin to discuss its meaning with the doctors of the Five Classics, but the result was "the doctors may not agree"!This was clearly a silent protest. (Ibid.) At that time, because the doctors of various factions who were established as academic officials were too powerful, the emperor couldn't help them, so he had to release Liu Xin to settle the dispute.Let’s look at Ban Gu’s records: “In the time of Emperor Ai, Liu Xin wanted to publish the Zuoshi, but he did not discuss the righteousness first, but moved too often, relying on his righteousness, and slandered Confucian scholars; Comparing with each other. Emperor Xiao mourned the rebellion of the hearts of the people, so Chu Xin was the prefect of Hanoi, and he attacked the "Zuo Shi" from then on, so he was the most important." ("Hou Han Shu? Jia Da Biography") This is the beginning of the struggle between ancient and modern literary schools in our country.However, after the Han Dynasty and before Kang and Liang, the dispute between these two schools was almost purely academic.But in the last quarter of the Western Han Dynasty, the dispute between the two factions actually had a major political effect, because it was related to the abolition of academic officials, that is, the issue of manipulating the "Central Party School" of the ruling party.Therefore, since Xiaoxuan in the Han Dynasty, my country's academic circles (of course, closely related to politics) are no longer a matter of "removing a hundred schools of thought", but have fallen into factional disputes over the issue of "interpreting scriptures" within Confucianism.This is exactly the same as the dispute over the interpretation of the Bible in the Holy See in the Middle Ages in Europe, and the dispute over the interpretation of "thought" and "ism" in modern centralized countries.However, Liu Xin let go of the "Hanoi prefect" and did not lead to the bloody crimes of today's so-called "distortion of revolutionary philosophy"! After the resurgence of Guangwu, "the doctors of the Five Classics were re-established, and each was taught by family law." There are fourteen schools: "Yi" has Shi, Meng, Liangqiu, and Jing; "Shangshu" has Ouyang, Xiaoxiahou; , Lu, Han; "Li" has Da Dai and Xiao Dai; "Spring and Autumn" has Yan and Yan.Among the doctors, the one with the highest prestige was selected as "Jijiu" (Educator), and Taixue was restored, and Taichangqing sent the second general to lead the "Book of the Later Han Dynasty? The Biography of Scholars").However, Emperor Guangwu himself had no prejudice against the dispute between ancient and modern literary schools.Shangshu Ling Han Xinnai wanted to establish Fei's "Yi" and "Zuo's Spring and Autumn" as a doctor.In the first month of the fourth year of Jianwu, the emperor gathered officials, officials and doctors in Yuntai to discuss the matter.Dr. Fan Sheng objected the most, and Emperor Guangwu said: "Dr. Fan can be flattered." It was not preserved by the first emperor, and it has no reason to stand!" ("Book of the Later Han Dynasty? Fan Sheng Biography") Chen Yuan, a master of ancient literature, heard the news, and wrote a few books, and argued with Fan Sheng for more than ten books.After the death of Emperor Guangwu, he established Zuo's school from Chen Yuanyi.At that time, in Taixue, "all Confucian scholars based on the establishment of "Zuo Shi", discussed and talked about it, and fought for it from several courts down from the ministers." "Zuo Shi" was finally abolished because of too much resistance. ("Book of the Later Han Dynasty? Biography of Chen Yuan") At the time of Emperor Ling at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the great Confucian Lu Zhi asked to set up the doctors of "Mao Shi", "Zuo Shi" and "Zhou Li" again, but he could not be established.At the end of the Han Dynasty, doctorate officials were always maintained by fourteen schools. ("Book of the Later Han Dynasty? The Biography of Lu Zhi") It can be seen that the focus of their debate is still the issue of the abolition of academic officials.It should be noted that the "student officials" in ancient my country and even the "speech officials" in the Qing Dynasty played a political role in the autocratic era of our country, just like newspapers in modern democratic countries.As doctors or censors, most of them are well-informed and insightful people who are good at reflecting public opinion. They have the right to speak in important political decisions, and because they are well-versed in the past and the present, they can argue enough to cover up wrongs. An important political tool, and those who actually control the political power are both external and internal.What's more, they actually took half of the responsibility in the two major policies of "management" and "education" of the country. Knowing this, there is no need to repeat the disputes between scholars and officials in the Eastern Han Dynasty. Metamorphosis of Taixue As mentioned earlier, when Taixue was first established, it was originally intended to create a special political status for Confucianism, and it was a tool for "removing a hundred schools of thought".After more than 200 years of evolution, the form of Confucianism's monologue has been formed, and the goal of dismissing a hundred schools of thought has been fully achieved.Other schools are completely divorced from politics.In the pre-Qin period, the situation where all "hundreds of schools" had the opportunity to participate in politics was completely wiped out.Therefore, those who are close to the history of academic studies say that before the Han and Wu Dynasties was the "Zi Xue Era", and the next two thousand years were the "Confucian Confucian Studies Era".In fact, this is also a specious statement.Although the study of philosophers in the Eastern Han Dynasty declined, Confucianism also changed accordingly.Gai Confucianism is the least "exclusive" philosophy of human beings.It can eat and transform various schools of thought and take them as its own.The confluence of Confucianism and Yin-Yang School in the early Han Dynasty is one example.Later, the so-called "yang Confucianism and yin law", the so-called "overlord's way of miscellaneous governance", and the so-called "regulation of yin and yang" by the Han people are all manifestations of taking Confucianism as the body and using the hundreds of schools as the use.Therefore, in various schools of thought, from the study of "the young and the young, the noble and the humble, follow the law" to the superstition of "burning the furnace to make alchemy", all of them have become "Confucian scholars". On the contrary, in order not to be out of touch with actual political and social life, various theories also read a few words of Confucius and Mencius, put on the crown of Confucianism, and appeared as Confucianists.At the end of the Han Dynasty, Zhang Daoling's generation regarded themselves as followers of Huang Lao and falsely claimed that they misinterpreted Lao Zhuang's learning as Taoism. In fact, they were just the remnants of the origin of the theory of yin and yang, prophecy and weft studied by Confucian scholars.However, Taoism, which is truly "both well-known and erudite, as well as mysterious and historical", mostly hides behind the Confucian signboard.Zhuge Liang, who "killed people with the way of life" at the end of the Han Dynasty, was clearly an out-and-out "Legalist", but he wanted to call himself a Confucian scholar. In addition, after Guangwu Zhongxing encouraged integrity, Confucian scholars regarded eunuchs as shameful, and those who wanted to be famous even did not hesitate to "wear fur in May" and put on an air.Therefore, private lectures were very popular in the Eastern Han Dynasty.They also "each teach with family law", and they are equally academically equal to the doctors of Taixue. "Book of the Later Han Dynasty? Rulin Biography" commented: "If it is the place where the classics were born, it is not far away. The Jinglu is temporarily built, and there are thousands of people who win grain. His senior name is Gao Yi, who opens the door to teach disciples, and he can't write a letter. Tens of thousands of people, all pass on their ancestors according to their ancestors, and there is no miscellaneous miscellaneous; there is even a theory of dividing the royal court, making friends in private, complicating their rules, and seeking caves on cliffs, so as to unite the family." These scholars who teach privately are full of disciples. Congregation, "description" (registration) under the sect reaches more than 10,000 people. ⑤ Therefore, in terms of scale, Taixue, which has 14 doctoral schools, 7,000 professors, and 30,000 students, was not considered too "big" at the time. Taixue in the Han Dynasty reached its peak by Emperor Shun of the Eastern Han Dynasty, but at that time Taixue was no longer the highest institution of Confucianism. In fact, it was just a solid university controlled by some privileged Confucian scholars using government power. Comparison between Tai Xue and Private School Since the private schools in the Eastern Han Dynasty were so developed, the students and professors in them often learned from the imperial schools.In terms of profound academic attainments and high-spirited moral cultivation, these private professors are far beyond the comparison of the privileged 14 Ph.D.s of Taixue.The prestige of doctors is declining day by day, but the prestige of "youshi" is growing day by day.They occasionally travel to the capital and criticize the government, not only "the students of the imperial court compete to envy their style", but also think that "officials can be reused", and the public and officials are also "under the festival"! Under such circumstances, the students in Taixue who want to study in real life feel that there are not enough research subjects in Taixue, and their academic level is not high enough.Let's look at the study of Zheng Xuan, one of the most outstanding imperial students in the Eastern Han Dynasty. "Book of the Later Han Dynasty? The Biography of Zheng Xuan" said: "Xuan... made Taixue and received his career. He was a teacher of Jingzhao and the fifth Yuan. "Arithmetic"." But Zheng Xuan felt that the education in Taixue could not satisfy his thirst for knowledge, so he "received "Zhou Guan", "Book of Rites", "Zuoshi Chunqiu", "Han Poems", " "Guwen Shangshu".The result was still dissatisfied, and "those who have no questions in Shandong will enter the pass from the west, and because of Lu Zhi in Zhuojun, they will help Fengma Rong".Rong Su is so proud that such outstanding students competed until "three years without seeing each other", which shows the grand occasion of private lectures at that time.After Kang Cheng (Zheng Xuan's character) finished his studies and returned to the east, he set up tents to give lectures, and hundreds of thousands of students followed him.When he died of illness at the age of seventy-four, he was ordered to be buried lightly, but "those who have been employed from the county guard and below will go to meet more than a thousand people"!It can be seen that the academic status of private schools at this time is not comparable to that of imperial schools. The original purpose of the establishment of Taixue, explained in modern terms, was originally to study the "ism" and "ideology" of the Confucian Party.By the middle of the Eastern Han Dynasty, it was a foregone conclusion that the world would return to Confucianism.The same "isms" and "ideas" are discussed in the huge private universities and in the party schools.However, what private people talk about is far more, more extensive, and more profound than the subjects discussed by Taixue, so Taixue lost its academic leadership, but it still retains its exclusive privileges and honors in politics. To be despised by the Shilin who was extremely virtuous at the time was an inevitable end.The family ruled Sinology, and it is said that the private school of the Eastern Han Dynasty started from Guangwu's inspiring integrity, and then Cao Cao, who "there is no orphan in the world, I don't know how many people are emperors and how many people are kings", has nothing to say in politics, but he usurped it for himself His selfish desires tried his best to destroy the 200-year-old morality of the Eastern Han Dynasty. Under the scholarly atmosphere of the Eastern Han Dynasty, doctors with high academic positions sometimes had to disregard their knowledge and serve as imperial literati for the emperor who was ignorant and incompetent but wanted to "sit and talk"6. Willing to be a "primary student of Mao Zedong Thought" is just as boring.Therefore, at that time, many aspiring scholars preferred to teach privately rather than apply for a doctorate ("Book of the Later Han? Rulin Biography"), which is quite the same as today's situation. The proximate cause of the decline of Taixue Since Taixue lost its academic leadership, it was regarded by scholars as a yamen for profit and wealth.The rank ratio of a doctor of Taixue is four hundred shi, and he can be a high-ranking official if he is released from outside or inside.Gongqing's "recommendations" for doctors are often "not based on facts" ("Hou Mo Shu? Yang Zhen Biography"), which is despised by real scholars, and even more envied by those who have not been selected and their "recommendators".Ban Gu's "Ode to the Eastern Capital" said: "Within the four seas, schools are like forests, and there are many schools with Xuxu." In the Eastern Han Dynasty with such a strong academic atmosphere, it is no wonder that some people wanted to abolish Taixue and promote Yong. Furthermore, the style of study of Taixue itself is also in decline.The history said that "all the doctors try A and B subjects, compete for the best, and even tell each other; there are even those who bribe the Lantai lacquer scriptures to match their private writings." ("Book of the Later Han Dynasty? Biography of Lv Qiang") This kind of school for the sake of profit and wealth has a limited range of subjects, professors are not top-grade, and the selection of students is full of nobles. "Heroes of the world" have no chance to compete freely. As a result, sages and sages are everywhere, "Kindling a villain, far away from a virtuous minister, and the Han Dynasty has declined since then." Zhuge's famous saying, I believe it has signs. ⑦] At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Taixue was no longer the way for the country to raise talents, so the real talents and honors came out of mutual respect among scholars in the scholar forest.Therefore, between the Han and Wei Dynasties, speech organs such as "Yuedan Commentary" appeared.Scholars who are well-known all over the country are not doctors in the court, but famous scholars in the field who "plow Nanyang".This trend started. During the Wei and Jin Dynasties, when the rulers punished the mistakes of the previous generations, their system of supporting scholars no longer relied on Taixue, but instead adopted the system of "Nine Ranks of Zhongzheng" among scholars.Until the nine-rank system reappeared, a fair, reasonable and universal examination system was formally established, and it has been so far. Today we look back at the history of the rise and fall of Taixue in the Han Dynasty. Of course, Taixue was not incapable of raising scholars, but because the ruling authorities lacked knowledge, the system that could have developed greatly lost its academic nature and lost its way of free competition for "heroes in the world"; Involve Taixue in the political vortex, turn it into a situation controlled by a few people, create privileges for a few people, and fail.History books are enough to support the government, reviewing the present and thinking about the past, readers of history can not be sympathetic! Notes: ① "Hanshu? The Final Military Biography": "... In the eighteenth year, he was selected as a doctor's disciple and sent to the government." Yan Shigu's note said: "The doctor's disciple belongs to Taichang. Those who are sent will be sent by the county to the capital .” ② "Book of the Later Han Dynasty? Emperor Xiaozhi Ji": "From the general to the six hundred stones, all the children are sent to accept the job." ③Er Kuan was selected by the county and country to receive a doctorate. He was poor and had no children, and he was raised as a disciple. See "Han Shu? Er Kuan Biography".Tai student Gong Shamu, guest servant, Pingchong, see "Book of the Later Han Dynasty? Wu You Biography". ④ Emperor Guangwu, the founding emperor of the Eastern Han Dynasty, and Zheng Xuan, the great scholar of the Eastern Han Dynasty, all came from Taixue.There has been a student movement in the Taixue of the Western Han Dynasty, see "Han Painting? Bao Xuan".The post-Han study trend was even worse, see "Book of the Post-Han? Biography of Danggu". ⑤ Such as Cai Xuan, the history said that he taught the "Five Classics", "the number of disciples recorded by 16,000 people", see "Later Han Painting? Biography of Cai Xuan". ⑥ "Book of the Later Han Dynasty? The Biography of the Confucianists" contains that Emperor Ming once gathered the Confucians to "sit upright and talk by themselves". "Zhang Di Ji" also contains Zhang Di personally determined the similarities and differences of the Five Classics. ⑦The author here only discusses the word "system", and it is not true that Taixue has made no achievements at all.How brilliant was the performance of Taixue students at the end of the Han Dynasty when the party was imprisoned, because Taixue is a university with more than 20,000 young people after all. *Originally published in "History of Chinese Universities in Past Dynasties", Taipei, edited and printed by the Chinese Culture Publishing Committee, reprinted in August 1958.