South of Luoyang City, there is Chongwen Temple.
Cao Rui was surrounded by Gao Tanglong, Cao Zhi and Wu Zhi, and walked slowly into the hall.
Dozens of ministers, celebrities, and great scholars in the hall had already stood in two neat rows, and when they saw the emperor come in, they saluted together.
Cao Rui nodded with a smile and said, "All the literary talents of the Wei Dynasty are gathered here. This is also the original intention of my setting up Chongwen Temple."
"Doctor Gaotang, I don't recognize many of your faces. Come and introduce them to me." Cao Rui turned and looked at Gao Tanglong.
"As you wish." Gao Tanglong took a step forward and stood in front of the emperor's left.
Cao Rui looked at Zheng Cheng who was standing at the front and said with a smile: "There is no need to introduce Master Zheng."
Zheng Cheng also bowed with a smile on his face.
Then, Gao Tanglong led Cao Rui to a middle-aged Confucian scholar who was standing next to Zheng Cheng.
Gao Tanglong said, "Your Majesty, this is Su Lin, the doctor of the Five Classics, Su Xiaoyou. Doctor Su also works in the Imperial College and is very good at the Book of Changes and the Spring and Autumn Annals."
Su Lin bowed and saluted: "I, Chenliu Su Lin, greet your Majesty. I once had the opportunity to see your Majesty giving lectures at the Imperial Academy."
"Dr. Su can be regarded as the Confucian master of the Wei Dynasty." Cao Rui smiled and nodded, then was led by Gao Tanglong to the next person.
Gao Tanglong introduced: "Your Majesty, this is Doctor Yue Xiangle Wenzai, who is good at studying Zuo Zhuan and is also a teacher in the Imperial Academy."
Cao Rui nodded. Although the people Gao Tanglong introduced were all great scholars, they all graduated from the Imperial College. Did Gao Tanglong bring the Imperial College here?
Cao Rui's idea of Chongwen Temple was that it was an institution integrating classics, history and literature, and was to lead the academic and literary style of the Wei Dynasty, not to be another Imperial College.
Fortunately, the next few people were not from the Imperial Academy. The famous scholars who had just paid their respects to the emperor, such as Miao Xi, Zheng Chong, and Xue Xia, were also the best in their talents.
But after a moment, Cao Rui was slightly surprised when he looked at He Yan in front of him.
He Yan took the initiative to bow and saluted, without using Gao Tanglong to introduce himself: "Your Majesty, I am here to study the scriptures in Chongwen Temple."
Cao Rui always felt that He Yan's temperament was a bit "soft", or not as masculine as a traditional man. But Cao Rui still knew He Yan's literary talent, so he nodded as a greeting.
Why did He Yan come to Chongwen Temple to study Buddhist scriptures?
Judging from the positions of the few people just now, Gao Tanglong had invited many famous scholars in Luoyang, most of whom were from the Imperial Academy.
Would Gao Tanglong ask He Yan to come? If it wasn't Gao Tanglong, then it must be Cao Zhi, the Prince of Yongqiu?
Really interesting.
The person standing next to He Yan also took the lead in bowing like He Yan.
When the man raised his head, Cao Rui smiled and said, "I have heard that Xiahou Zhiquan is good at literature. What are you doing here?"
Xiahou Hui replied respectfully: "Your Majesty, I am also here to study sutras at Chongwen Temple."
Xiahou Hui is the sixth son of Xiahou Yuan and the younger brother of Xiahou Ba, the current governor of Liangzhou. The Cao family is so good at literature, and Xiahou Hui was also influenced by it since he was a child and studied with Cao Pi.
A moment later, Cao Rui had already received all the famous scholars present. But in Cao Rui's mind, the image of Wang Su, who had always stood straight, that he had seen at the residence of Prime Minister Wang Lang a few days ago, came to mind.
Studying the sutra is not the same as preaching the sutra.
It is of course a timely move for the doctors of the Imperial College who are proficient in Zheng's philosophy to teach Zheng's philosophy in the Imperial College. It is also a necessary process for cultivating talents.
But Cao Rui wanted Chongwen Temple to have the right to interpret Confucian classics!
If all the people in Chongwen Temple were followers of Zheng's school of thought, then how to interpret the classics would not be in the hands of these people who have read Zheng's school of thought for decades?
Wang Su... It seems that the Confucianism of Chongwenguan should be distinguished from Zhengxue. The academic arguments are not very important. What is important is that the interpretation of these arguments should be attributed to Chongwenguan, not to the Confucianist who has been dead for decades and his disciples.
There is a long way to go.
Although there were nearly thirty people in the hall, each person only said a word or two, so it didn't take much time in total.
When he came to the last person, Gao Tanglong smiled and said, "Your Majesty, this person is General Wei Zhong of Jingzhao Wei Dan."
"I know you." Cao Rui said with a smile: "Zhang Zhi's brush, Zuo Bo's paper and Wei Dan's ink are the three best for scholars to write. In my opinion, calligraphy is also literature!"
Wei Dan bowed and said, "Your Majesty, thank you for your praise. I will do my best to serve Chongwen Temple."
"Okay." Cao Rui nodded in response.
After a while, Cao Rui walked slowly to a low platform in the middle and said in a loud voice: "Today I came to Chongwen Temple and met all the famous scholars. I am also very pleased."
"I have made it clear before that Chongwenguan is about 'respecting Confucianism and valuing learning' and 'putting classics first'. In addition to classics, I also hope that Chongwenguan can start compiling history and organizing the articles of talented scholars in the world."
Cao Rui glanced at everyone in the hall and continued, "During the Jian'an period, Emperor Wu ordered the counties to cultivate literature and appoint school officials to promote education in each county."
"During the Huangchu period, the late emperor restored the Imperial Academy and re-established a temple for Confucius in Lu County."
"Now that I have set up Chongwen Temple, I have selected three people to be in charge."
Cao Rui pointed to the three people standing in the front row below him and said: "Gao Tanglong, the chief priest of Chongwen Temple, is responsible for compiling the history of Han Dynasty; Cao Zhi, the deputy chief priest of Yongqiu, is responsible for translating the Five Classics; Wu Zhi, the deputy chief priest, is responsible for compiling the literary articles of the world."
Cao Rui laughed and said, "These three are my trusted ministers. Whether Chongwenguan is run well or not, it is not enough to rely on these three people alone." "You all should be sincere in your work!" Cao Rui said slowly, "If you do a good job in literary affairs, I think you can also be conferred a title."
Sure enough, no matter how many empty words you say, they are not as touching as the word "title".
……
After leaving Chongwen Temple, Cao Rui specifically called Cao Zhi back to the palace with him.
On the way, Cao Rui asked bluntly: "What do you think of Zheng Xue, uncle?"
"Zhengxue?" Cao Zhi frowned and asked, "I don't quite understand what your majesty means. Nowadays, all scholars study Zhengxue, and it has become a trend for decades."
"Then I'll ask it another way." Cao Rui said, "Does the emperor think Zheng Xuedu is right?"
Cao Zhi replied: "Even if Zheng's teachings are good, how can they be all right? As far as I know, Kong Wenju, Wang Zhongxuan, Bing Genju and others have questioned Zheng's teachings."
If Cao Zhi also said so, then it is reasonable to think that what Wang Su said a few days ago, that Zheng's school of thought was not entirely correct.
Cao Rui asked: "If there is something wrong with Zheng's school of thought, can my uncle come up with a new kind of classics for me?"
New Confucianism? Cao Zhi was a little stunned. Didn't he translate the Five Classics into vernacular Chinese according to the emperor's request? How could he create a new Confucianism?
Cao Zhi asked hesitantly, "What does your majesty want to do? I really don't understand."
"Well," Cao Rui said in a low voice, "I would like to ask my uncle a question. Since the Han Dynasty, there have been so many annotations to the Five Classics. How can everyone be as pedantic as Zheng Xuan and learn all the ancient and modern classics?"
“Can we have a standard version of annotations for each of the Five Classics? Once we have mastered the Five Classics and understood the annotations, that would probably be enough!”
Cao Zhi frowned and said, "Then we don't need to learn the prophecies and divinations before?"
"Uncle, do you think studying prophecies and divination is useful?" Cao Rui asked in return.
Cao Zhi replied: "I think it is of little use."
"That's right." Cao Rui continued, "I would like to ask my uncle again, why does the court want students to learn the Five Classics? Is it for them to become doctors?"
Cao Zhi thought for a moment and said, "That's not the case. If your majesty means that the students who study the Five Classics in the Imperial Academy will eventually become officials."
"This is what I want to say." Cao Rui said slowly: "Although the Five Classics are profound, learning so many versions is of little use. At most, you can study until you are in your twenties and then go out to be selected as an official."
"Uncle, I think this matter can be done in two steps."
Cao Rui explained: "The first step is what the emperor's uncle is doing now, translating the Five Classics into vernacular Chinese."
"If this more understandable version of the Five Classics is promoted, the annotations of Zheng Xuan, Ma Rong, Jia Kui and others can be simplified and the essential parts can be selected to form one annotation."
Cao Rui looked into Cao Zhi's eyes and said, "I think that studying the classics is just a means for the country to select talents."
"As long as it is the words of the saints in the Five Classics, there is no need to worry about the differences in the details. Those who can understand and master the Five Classics are definitely not stupid, and they are enough for grassroots officials."
"Does the emperor understand what I said?"
Cao Zhi nodded thoughtfully, then smiled slightly: "I understand what your majesty means."
"The court teaches classics in order to select suitable people to serve as officials and herdsmen for the Wei Dynasty. As for the subtleties of classics, it doesn't matter whether you follow the annotations of Zheng Xuan, Ma Rong, or Jia Kui, as long as they are useful to the court."
"Moreover, it would be best if it were somewhat different from Zheng's school of thought and could become the classics of the imperial court and the classics of the Wei Dynasty."
“Hahahaha.” Cao Rui laughed, “I just like talking to the emperor’s uncle. He can understand everything at a glance.”
Cao Zhi was silent for a few moments before he said, "I heard recently that Your Majesty has been to the Imperial Academy twice to give lectures. It seems that you care a lot about the students there."
Cao Rui nodded and said, "This first batch of students of the Imperial College was selected by me personally from various counties and kingdoms. I naturally have high hopes for them."
"I promise to give a lecture at the Imperial College once a quarter, hoping that the students will understand my intentions and become talented people to serve the country."
Cao Zhi asked again: "My high-ranking scholar told me that maybe students from the Imperial College can also become imperial guards?"
Cao Rui nodded: "That's right."
Cao Zhi then said: "In this case, Your Majesty might as well give the Imperial College another title!"
"What's the name?" Cao Rui asked.
Cao Zhi smiled and said, "Your Majesty can award a plaque to the Imperial College, or you can serve as a doctor of the Imperial College yourself."
"As the saying goes, 'Heaven, Earth, the Emperor, Parents, and Teachers', if all the students of the Imperial College are your Majesty's students, then what does your Majesty have to worry about?"
Cao Rui looked at Cao Zhi suspiciously, wondering how he came up with this idea. The principal of the Great Wei Royal Academy?
Cao Rui said slowly: "I know your uncle's suggestion. Let's discuss it later."
...(End of chapter)
