When later generations talk about the imperial examination system, they often disdain it, and even think that the reason why China fell behind lies in the imperial examination system.
This is putting the cart before the horse. In fact, in this era, the so-called Enlightenment thinkers in Europe are exaggerating about China's imperial examination system, just like China always thinks that the moon in foreign countries is rounder at certain times.
When the aristocratic feudal lords of Europe had to rely on church monks to manage state affairs, and even a big country like France had to rely on a cardinal to serve as prime minister, far in the east, the light of the secular civil service system had already shone. Light up the earth. The cornerstone of the secular civil service system was the imperial examination system.
As a talent selection system, the imperial examination system provides a relatively fair competition for the world's smart people to a certain extent, breaks the monopoly of blood on national power, and allows people at the bottom of society to have a legal and reasonable way to rise. It was the civil servants selected by the imperial examination system who maintained this huge country and kept it dynamic for a long time.
What really made the imperial examination system have the opposite effect was the content of the imperial examination. Ever since the Imperial Examination was reduced to only the Four Books and Five Classics, the negative effects of this system began to outweigh its positive effects.
Therefore, when Yu Guozhen expressed his opinions to Sun Jin, he was not perfunctory, but extremely cautious.
This dialogue, known as the Jinan Question and Answer, had a great impact on the future founding of China, and also laid the fuse for a subsequent great turmoil in China.
"I believe that the soul of China lies in the eight characters in the Book of Changes, which are self-improvement and virtue. This is the Taoist tradition that distinguishes China from Yi and Di. It is Confucianism. These eight characters are also the essence. Because of continuous self-improvement, Master Sun It is precisely because of being virtuous that the Master asked the old man to ask for a nursery to the old farmer. As for the hair, clothes, poems and songs, they are all transformed by these eight characters. Classics and books. Hundreds of schools of thought, all are based on these eight characters. This horoscope comes from!"
Regarding this, Sun Jin nodded slightly and did not find it strange. Yu Guozhen not only relied heavily on Fang Kongzheng, but also became a friend of Fang Yizhi. Naturally, he highly respected the "Book of Changes" and it was not surprising that he had his own opinions.
"The future of China will be under the guidance of this soul. The civil service system, the compulsory military service system, and the compulsory education system are the cornerstones. The civil service system allows specialized people to handle specialized matters and does not inherit power through blood. The compulsory military service system is to be prepared for danger in times of peace. , savage the bodies of the Chinese people, strengthen the bodies of the Chinese people, and cultivate the spirit of fighting against aggression. The compulsory education system allows the people to have the opportunity to choose the future development direction according to their potential, enables people to learn etiquette, enables people to forge ahead, and enables people to master the ability to improve their own lives. skills.¡±
Sun Jin heard this. He couldn't help but applaud and said: "If this can be done, the world will be ruled by great kings, Yao and Shun, but this is it - Jimin, when will you hold the imperial examination? I can't wait to see this prosperous age!"
Yu Guozhen pondered for a moment: "The imperial examination I am talking about is probably not the same thing as the imperial examination Mr. Lu Shan mentioned."
"What's the explanation for this? Are there any other imperial examinations?"
"In my imperial examination, the first test content is no longer limited to the Four Books and Five Classics. It will not be determined by one eight-legged essay. It will test the students' vision, thinking, mathematics, their cultivation, work, and character, and test their potential, Ambition and will. After being elected, one will not immediately become an official, but will become an official. In handling daily affairs, his spirit will be sharpened and his abilities will be improved. If he has not been an official before, he cannot become an official and avoid becoming a subordinate official. The control is to prevent him from being a chief official but not understanding the affairs."
Yu Guozhen was thinking about his words while speaking, and his speaking speed was very slow. At first, Sun Jin was still excited, but as he listened, his face turned serious, and later, he simply became furious.
"Is such an imperial examination an imperial examination?" In the end, he couldn't help but ask: "Those who pass the examination in this way and do not study the results of the sages are all traffickers and pawns. The villain is in power. How can the country's government be kept in chaos?"
"Traders and lackeys are not villains, farmers and craftsmen are not villains, but at least half of the Gonggun princes in power are villains." Yu Guozhen smiled and said: "Mr. Lu Shan, this is the difference between me and Dong Lin. Dong Lin Lin felt that they were innately superior to others and had read the books of sages, so he believed that you had great responsibilities in the world and were responsible for the rise and fall of the world. As for the traffickers, soldiers, farmers and craftsmen, as long as they did not read the books of sages, they would just stick to you. Act. But I believe that the people are the cornerstone of the country, whether Donglin or the eunuchs, they all come from the people, so we must not forget our roots."
By this point, the two of them were no longer talking about each other, and a fierce dispute was inevitable. This was something Yu Guozhen expected. He did not expect that he could convince Sun Jin. In other words, he could convince Sun Jin, but he could not convince the class that Sun Jin represented. This conversation means that he publicly announced to the old literati represented by Sun Jin that??Under the new Chinese system in the future, their glory will no longer exist.
"Jimin, you are the enemy of the world's officials, and you will be blamed by thousands of people. If you insist on going your own way, even if you build your country, it will not last long. Good medicine tastes bitter, and good words go against your heart. You must Think twice!" Although there was a quarrel, Sun Jin still made a last-ditch effort when he left: "Be careful, be careful!"
"Mr. Lu Shan, I must have had some advice from Shi Daolin before coming here. Shi Daolin went to Qinzhou in person and reportedly met Chen Wozi. Mr. Lushan, Fang Mi is a true Confucian, and Chen Wozi is a semi-confucian." Confucianism, as for Shi Dao Lin, there is no difference from eunuchs."
Yu Guozhen¡¯s comment was really harsh, and he also made a real fuss, so he said this.
Yu Guozhen secretly ordered Shi Kefa to go to Qinzhou to participate in the last consultative meeting. Although Yu Guozhen despised this figure who left a great reputation in history, although he despised his ability and looked down on his character, he did not despise his integrity. Therefore, President Yu Guozhen wanted to give him a chance, hoping that he could, like Fang Yizhi, contribute to the combination of Confucianism and practical learning that he called "New Confucianism."
In Yu Guozhen¡¯s view, a thousand words are not as good as a real look. As a result, Shi Kefa¡¯s hasty trip to Qinzhou, apart from deepening his resentment towards Yu Guozhen, did not touch him too much. Obviously, Yu Guozhen's plan failed.
In this case, Yu Guozhen has nothing to regret. The opportunity has been given. If he failed to grasp it, that is Shi Kefa's own business. Yu Guozhen is a leader, a guide, but not a nanny. He stepped forward when China was in crisis. He has made such a career by relying on his foresight of history. What he has to consider is always China's long-term plan for hundreds of years, not the short-term livelihood of one person or even hundreds of thousands of people.
Sun Jin was sent away. Yu Guozhen rested for two more days in Jinan Mansion. Just as he was preparing to go to Texas again, a piece of news came that made him completely forget about Sun Jin's arrival.
??Jianlu Mobilization!
It was August 15th, the 19th year of Chongzhen. It was the Mid-Autumn Festival, and it was also the time when the Red Scarf Army of Emperor Zhu, the great ancestor of the Ming Dynasty, baked moon cakes to "kill the Tatars on August 15th". The mobilized Jianlu began to march towards Shanhaiguan. At this moment, Dorgon used his brother Azig, who had experienced hundreds of battles and had great combat experience, as the forward. The governor's 40,000 cavalry quickly went south, and he personally led an army of 160,000 from all ethnic groups as the central army, which followed. In addition, Dorgon also mobilized the tributary countries of Korea and Mongolia. The Korean supervising country recruited 150,000 troops, of which 50,000 were for support. They accompanied Dorgon on his southern expedition and were actually used as hostages. The other 100,000 were to assist Duduo and Daishan in guarding Liaodong. Enlist 60,000 Mongolian troops. With Abatai as the commander, Zhang Bei and Xuanfu entered the pass.
This time, Jianlu men were almost completely mobilized, and all Jianlu men who could be used as soldiers, aged fourteen or above and under sixty years old, joined the army. The total number reached 160,000, of which 100,000 were transferred to the pass. Sixty thousand people stayed behind. The Han people and other ethnic groups who had taken refuge in Jianlu also recruited 100,000 troops. There are 400,000 civilian coolies, and all the men are employed. The situation of the Xian Kingdom and the Mongolian tribes is also similar.
At this point, even the most stupid people understand that this is a battle in which the Manchu and Qing dynasties are betting on their national destiny. If they win, the Manchu and Qing will gain the upper hand in the north. Yu Guozhen¡¯s China can only manage the south in a short period of time, and the competition between the two sides will turn into a sustained one. Late. Defeated, the Manchus retreated outside the pass and were no longer able to go south. They could only watch the Chinese encroaching on them and destroy the Manchus in a short period of time!
Comparing the strength of the two sides, the Manchu and Wu Sangui coalition forces have 400,000 troops. Yu Guozhen currently has 30,000 troops, but there are 100,000 Chinese troops that have been mobilized, and there are also 100,000 armed militiamen in Shandong. Four hundred thousand versus two hundred thousand, a battle of this scale, even in the history of war, is the kind of decisive battle that determines the general trend of the world!
On August 18, Azige¡¯s 40,000 cavalry passed through Jinzhou.
At the same time, Tian Boguang and Gu Jiaming's troops began to storm Wu Sangui's military camp outside Cangzhou City. Wu Sangui's hostage tactics were no longer useful. Under the fierce artillery attack, Wu Sangui had to evacuate Cangzhou City and retreat to Qingxian County.
On August 20, Azig passed Shanhaiguan. When the army entered the most powerful pass in the world, Azig slashed his face with a knife and declared that if he could not kill Yu Guozhen, he would never return to the pass.
On August 21, Tian Boguang and Gu Jiaming, who had taken a break in Cangzhou, were supplemented by 50,000 armed militiamen from Shandong, and began to move northward, approaching Qingxian. Wu Sangui's cavalry met the Chinese Army dragoons led by brothers Li Qingshan and Li Mingshan thirty miles south of Qingxian County. After a fierce battle between the two sides, Wu Sangui withdrew from Qingxian County and retreated to Jinghai.
On August 23, Qingdao Port welcomed the second batch of Chinese Army soldiers heading north, a total of 20,000 people, who immediately rushed to Jinan by train. The "People's Livelihood Express" of that day described this scene in great detail: The Chinese army was majestic, with ten military columns in a row, and various kinds of ordnance.The accumulation is like a mountain. The twice-daily trains from Qingdaokou to Jinan Prefecture, which were originally running normally, had to be suspended to avoid military aircraft.
This newspaper was delivered to Azige by Wu Sangui on August 25, and Azige sent troops to Kaiping Zhongwei. On September 1st, Dorgon, who had already arrived in Jinzhou, also saw this newspaper and ordered the three armies to step up distribution.
On August 28, Wu Sangui held firm at Jinghai for several days before retreating to Tianjin Guard. At this point, after he sneak attacked Tianjin Guard, the Chinese army withdrew from the occupied territory and all was recovered. When Gu Jiaming led his troops from the east of the canal to the south bank of the canal, he found that Wu Sangui was heavily guarded, so he detoured to Dagukou, intending to build a dock here to prepare for the navy's landing. On the north bank of the Wei River, he met the arriving Azig troops' vanguard. , the two sides fought fiercely, and the Azige tribe lost more than a thousand men and horses, while Gu Jiaming had few soldiers and could only retreat to the south bank.
At this point, the battle has returned to Tianjin Wei, where this battle began. (To be continued)
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