Three Kingdoms

When Jiangdong encountered various problems, in Guanzhong, the ongoing Qinglong Temple Theory also encountered some problems. Of course, these problems are basically literary and ideological collisions.

This is also the original intention of Fei Qian to hold the Qinglong Temple lecture.

Only the collision of ideas can produce the sparks of civilization.

But no one thought that the first great ideological collision was not the Six Classics, but the "Filial Piety Classic".

The style of the Han Dynasty seems to be changing quietly.

The "Book of Filial Piety" is said to be Confucius's "last words of the seventy-year-old disciples".

Of course, Master Kong has been away from this world for many years. What did this old man say back then? Well, it is true that only his disciples and descendants can express their conscience and say that Master Kong did say that.

The Classic of Filial Piety, which was passed down by the Han Dynasty, was originally collected by Yan Zhi, a native of Hejian, and presented by his son Yan Zhen. Looking at this surname, you can tell that you are the descendant of that descendant.

Later, the "Book of Filial Piety" was jointly authenticated by Changsun family, Dr. Jiang Weng, Shaofu Houcang, Jian Dafu Yifeng, Anchang Hou Zhang Yu and others, and was stamped with their names, indicating that the scriptures passed down were consistent with the "Jingyue" in their families. The scriptures in the "Book of Filial Piety" are all the same, which can be regarded as a conclusion for this "Jing of Filial Piety", which is similar to the way the connoisseurs of later generations wrote the certificate.

This is the "Jinwen Xiao Jing", with a total of eighteen chapters.

But what’s interesting is that a few years later, King Lu Gong, a well-known demolition household in the Han Dynasty, demolished Confucius’ old house... Well, this shows that "forced demolition" actually has Chinese traditions, and then discovered the current situation among the broken walls. "Shangshu", "Book of Rites", "The Analects of Confucius", "The Classic of Filial Piety" and other books, including dozens of chapters, Kong Anguo knew all about his books. And in the "Book of Filial Piety" that was pulled out, there were actually twenty-two chapters...

Alas? !

Didn't the Zhuan family stamp and sign it before, and it was certified as valid, saying that everyone is the original version, and that everyone "all agrees" that it is the "Book of Filial Piety" in the 18th chapter?

Could it be that this brick family...

Then someone came out with a swollen face and declared: "This...that...are all the same, all the same...hahaha, hehehe, farewell, farewell..."

Anyway, believe it or not, this is the case.

Fortunately, "The Classic of Filial Piety" and "The Classic of Filial Piety" are, uh, only one chapter different from the "Classic of Filial Piety". Dear Brother Yan. Wives serve as concubines, just like ordinary people serving as servants. 』

Other chapters have been slightly merged and font changed.

This difference is actually not a big problem, because during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, some characters would have evolved and changed in the Qin and Han Dynasties, such as "death" and "无", "disease" and "disease", and "女" and "女" "You," wait a minute. Differences in language habits and factors caused by changes in the times are a very normal thing. This does not mean which word in "The Classic of Filial Piety" and "The Classic of Filial Piety" are original. , those are rear-sealed, as long as three, um, four in one, no warranty, so forget it.

Only one chapter is missing!

Boudoir chapter.

Of course, I missed the specific list of those who included Confucius's disciples. When the Zhuan family gathered together at that time, they felt that Confucius would not stare at other people's "boudoir", which was not in line with the identity of Confucius, so they deliberately "avoided taboos". It’s unknown.

But about this matter, later Confucian researchers have also argued that it is probably because "the father is not as good as Yao, but Dan Zhufang; the son is not as good as Shun, but Gu Gu is stubborn; the brother is not as good as Shun, but Xiang Ao; the brother is not as good as Shun, but Xiang Ao; the brother is not as good as Shun, but Xiang Ao The Duke of Zhou was punished by Guan Shu; the ministers who were not as good as Tang and Wu were defeated by Jie and Zhou. ” So the boudoir chapter was deleted.

Otherwise, it won’t look good on my face...

The current debate in Qinglong Temple is not the difference between the ancient and modern Xiao Jing, but the extension, annotation and interpretation of the Xiao Jing. After all, the current discussion is the "correct interpretation".

Among these extensions, annotations and explanations, the most prominent contradiction concerns the aspect of "funeral".

Some people believe that funerals, especially the custom of thick burials, are the mainstream in China because Confucianism emphasizes "filial piety". Especially during the Han Dynasty, the custom of thick burials was particularly popular, and this custom is completely attributed to Confucianism. "filial piety", but in reality...

Regarding the emergence of the concept of "filial piety", if we talk about the exact time of its birth, the more common view is that it was in the Zhou Dynasty. However, the basic meaning of filial piety was clearly transformed into "doing good to parents" during the Warring States Period and after, through Confucianism. After careful interpretation, "doing good things to parents" finally became the core, or even the only content, of "filial piety".

Then it changed from "good parents" to, or equivalent to "the wind of rich burial", this is interesting.

The trend of lavish burials has begun to take shape as early as in primitive society. Before the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, before Master Confucius was even chirping at his disciples, a large number of people were already having lavish burials. The reason is not necessarily that these people had an early sense of the "good parents" mentioned in the Filial Piety Classic, but because people at that time believed in the immortality of the soul.

Seeking immortality, seeking resurrection, immortality after death, and eternal soul.

This is the main reason for the emergence of thick burials.

Before the Middle Paleolithic Age, it was believed that the souls of ancestors were immortal after death and could still harm or protect their descendants and intervene in human affairs. Under the influence of this concept, the phenomenon of thick burials naturally appeared in funeral customs.

Since it is believed that the soul has consciousness after death, the living will spend a lot of money to bury the dead in exchange for their own spiritual safety, believing that they will be rich and peaceful after death. The living have no shame and the dead are happy. Under the influence of this concept and psychology, thick burials became a social custom at that time and continued to flourish for a long time.

At first, the thick burial was just a "burial".

That is to say, "things die as things live" and "things die as things live". Bury the most beloved and precious items with the deceased together to express grief, and also to believe in the heart that the deceased can still continue to possess them underground. Their cherished utensils, or people and animals, this custom has little to do with "parents" at first.

Because in the early tombs, there were young children and a large number of artifacts were buried with them. Is it possible that this child was buried richly because he had children doing "good deeds to his parents"?

"This is putting the cart before the horse!" ” Guan Ning was talking eloquently and looked around among the people. There was an indescribable certainty in his expression, “Filial piety or unfilial piety is not determined by whether you bury your parents generously or not! 』

"If a son of man does not practice filial piety on a daily basis, but if his parents die, they hold sacrifices and cry, hold a ceremony for ten miles, and pay a lot of money for the funeral, can it be said that he has fulfilled his filial piety?" 』

"If you are born without being able to take care of yourself, then after you die, you will be killed. Can you be called a gentleman?" 』

"Filial piety is more important in the heart than in the name!" Your skin and hair is from your parents! The etiquette of keeping filial piety is to convey sorrow, but some people who are seeking fame will do cruel things, invade and destroy themselves to show their filial piety. This extreme trend of keeping filial piety is a bit too much! 』

"What's more, in the past, when Xiaowen was in the prime of life, Lin Handan was in a miserable state. Gu said to the ministers, "Oh! Use the northern mountain stone as a coffin, cut it with wadding, and paint it in the middle. How can you move it?" They all said, "Good." Only Shi Qianjin said, "If there is something desirable in it, even though Nanshan is imprisoned, there is still a coffin; if there is nothing to desire in it, even if there is no stone coffin, why bother!" Xiaowen then said Goodness will eventually be buried in hegemony. 』

"Look now, there are thieves in every tomb in Chang'an!" 』

"Red Eyebrow and other hundreds of thousands of people entered the pass and burned the palaces, houses and markets of Chang'an. The people were starving and eating each other. Hundreds of thousands of people died. Chang'an was empty and no one could walk in the city. All the tombs in the ancestral temple and garden were excavated, but only Ba Ling and Du Ling were completely discovered! 』

"Isn't a generous burial a filial piety? It's just to gain fame and reputation?" It also attracts thieves and robbers, and even the ancestors find it difficult to sleep peacefully in Jiuquan! Can this be called filial piety? It's so strange! 』

"Now that the classic of filial piety has been treated, we should seek the correct solution!" 』

"From today onwards, the original intention of Confucius and the sages is to be filial and respectful in daily life!" 』

"It is definitely not a matter of filial piety to wait until death and give a generous burial!" 』

Guan Ning's eloquent discussion and eloquent references, coupled with the fact that the fate of the tombs in Chang'an are actually before our eyes, are indeed very convincing if he cites them as examples.

Guan Ning lost his father when he was sixteen years old. His cousins ​​all pitied him for his loneliness and poverty, and expressed their willingness to give him money to pay for his father's funeral. Guan Ning refused to accept it, and instead provided money for his father according to his own financial resources. Send to the end. In the midst of the lavish burial of the Han Dynasty, this is indeed very courageous.

You know, Guan Ning was only sixteen years old at that time!

Guan Ning bluntly stated that the essence of filial piety has nothing to do with a rich burial. He also said that Confucius’s expression of filial piety did not say that a rich burial should be carried out, but that it should comply with "rituals."

Regarding what is the "ritual" that is consistent with filial piety, Guan Ning said that the most important things are "respect" and "nurturing". "Nurture" is the external expression of filial piety, while "respect" is the prerequisite in the heart and the fundamental guarantee for the realization of filial piety. Nurturing can only be called filial piety if it is shown outwardly with respect in the heart. Filial piety is the combination of the heart of respect and the act of nurturing.

"Nurturing" without "respecting" cannot be called "filial piety" either. First one should have respect, and then consider whether filial piety can be truly implemented.

Guan Ning lashed out at today's secular trend, "life is not a matter of nourishment, death is worship of mourning." This is not "filial piety" at all, but a person seeking fame and reputation. He uses the death of his parents to smear himself, gain fame, and coerce others to do the same. This has led to the deformation of the entire social customs and is extremely indignant towards this phenomenon.

One stone stirs up a thousand waves.

Because what Guan Ning claimed is indeed the pain of the moment!

In fact, nowadays, many Han people have returned to poverty due to illness or death, including not only children from poor families, but also many ordinary people.

If you don’t give a dignified burial, it would be unfilial!

This is almost the way of thinking of keyboard warriors in the Han Dynasty. If there is not someone as determined as Guan Ning, it is easy to be forced to pay a grand burial amidst the gossip of the crowd and the gossip of the neighbors. If you sell your house or land, you have to pay the price. For example, "gratitude and filial piety fees", "Golden Avenue Money", if you don't add some fragrance to bathe in the SPA, and if you don't spend a fortune, you are simply not a human being!

But in fact, such a custom actually benefits a small number of people.

The most important thing is the profits made by officials at the middle and lower levels.

The emperor promoted Confucianism and emphasized filial piety for the sake of governance, while local officials promoted filial piety for political achievements. Then the middle- and lower-level officials almost used chicken feathers as arrows. The filial piety they advocated for generous burials was not really for the sake of political performance. The so-called "filial piety" is for "profit"!

These officials and rural tycoons colluded and took advantage of the Han Dynasty people's strong sense of face, just like banquets in food life and weddings in marriage, to amass wealth.

To put it simply, a rich burial is not important to the dead, but to the living...

In fact, the trend of thick burials in the Han Dynasty originated from the extravagant behavior of the ruling class, especially princes, relatives and eunuchs. These people are often both political beneficiaries and economically wealthy, with the ability to transcend etiquette and practice luxury. The reason why the practice of thick burials continues to be banned is closely related to the political and economic status and extravagant behavior of these people.

In fact, there are many true Confucian scholars, most of whom strongly oppose the trend of thick burials.

People like Guan Ning basically advocated rituals in the burial system, and paid more attention to "careful pursuit of the end." They emphasized that mourning should be the main focus, and opposed the superficial form of lavish burials. They also had strong opinions on the behavior of lavish burials that exceeded the rites. critical attitude.

The opposition to thick burials and the promotion of frugality was actually mentioned more than once in the Han Dynasty court. There were even special edicts issued to local places, requiring various places to resist thick burials and promote thin burials.

Just like Emperor Wen of the Han Dynasty mentioned by Guan Ning, he was a typical emperor who advocated frugality and promoted thin burials. Before Emperor Wen died, he specifically issued an edict on thin burials, clearly requiring simplicity in funerals.

Emperor Wen's sparse burial in the mausoleum has been passed down as a legend throughout the history of ancient Chinese funerals, and has also become a famous example of emperor's frugality.

Well, actually this is just a misunderstanding.

Because later generations also dug up a lot of treasures in Ba Ling. It's just that the Red Eyebrow Army, Dong Zhuo, Li Guo and others thought that there was really nothing in Ba Ling, or they felt that the benefits from digging Ba Ling were obviously not as good as digging other...

By the Jin Dynasty, the legend of Ba Ling and thin burials was broken. Perhaps the fat experience packs had been used up at that time, so the "thin" ones had to be opened. At the end of the Western Jin Dynasty, thousands of hungry households such as Yin Huan and Jie Wu in Chang'an "stolenly sent Han Ba, Du Erling", and gained a lot. treasure".

In the Eastern Han Dynasty, Emperor Guangwu's imperial edict also advocated thin burials. It is worth noting that in the edict of thin burials, Emperor Guangwu not only did not feel the conflict between filial sons and thin burials, but instead believed that thin burials were an act that filial sons should implement.

Later, in the twelfth year of Yongping of Emperor Ming of the Han Dynasty, the second year of Jianchu of Emperor Zhang, the eleventh year of Yongyuan of Emperor He, the first year of Yongchu of Emperor An, and the fifth year of Yuanchu, edicts were issued prohibiting elaborate burials.

However, just like Emperor Wen was buried sparingly and the mausoleum was still full of treasures, the traditional skills of the Han officials were still vividly displayed.

Of course, there may also be governance considerations, such as Shang Yang's "Five People's Strategies"...

Guan Ning's remarks, of course, also received considerable counterattack.

After all, there are still many people who are unwilling, especially those with vested interests.

After all, only when people are poor and busy making a living every day, they won't think about it. Otherwise, they will have to put up a street light pole or something at every turn. How terrible!

Among those who opposed Guan Ning, naturally they also found weapons to fight accordingly.

Just like a castle is always easiest to break from the inside, the only thing used to defeat magic is magic, and the only thing used to refute Confucian classics is naturally Confucian classics...

After Guan Ning declared his own ideas and elaborated on the thin burial from Confucius to Emperor Guangwu, some people loudly opposed it...

"That's not true! A generous burial is a close relationship! As the saying goes, if everyone loves his relatives and grows up, the world will be peaceful! How can one give up eating because of choking? 』

"As the saying goes, father and son are related, monarch and ministers are righteous, husband and wife are distinguished, elders and young are orderly, and friends have trust. This is the way of filial piety and brotherhood. When you enter, you will be filial, and when you go out, you will be brotherly. It is great for those who serve relatives. To be generous and sincere is to be sincere, how can you deny it? 』

"Being close is the foundation of everything." The most important thing for a filial son is to respect his relatives; the most important thing to respect his relatives is to support him in the world. As a daughter of the world, she should be respected to the highest extent; if she is raised by the world, she should be raised to the highest level. This is the essence of the scriptures, the first of moral ethics, and the principle of heaven and earth. How can we be lazy under the false pretense? 』

For a time, the rebuttals were overwhelming.

Among these remarks, most people adopted the words of another sage.

That is Mencius.

Confucius and Mencius are not separated from each other...

Mencius not only expressed the need for benevolent government, but also expressed the importance of filial piety, and he did so himself. When Mencius' mother passed away, Mencius sent his disciple Chong Yu to ask craftsmen to make a coffin, and ordered the coffin to be made well so that his mother could be buried properly.

Chong Yu thought that Mencius's requirements for the coffin were too high and too extravagant, and asked Mencius if it was necessary to raise the standard so high and make it so exquisite?

Mencius said, "In ancient times, the coffin and coffin were immodest." In medieval times, the coffin was seven inches long and was called coffin. Since the emperor reached the common people, it was not just to appreciate beauty, but then to fully realize it in people's hearts. I have to think of it as a pleasure; if I don’t have money, I don’t think of it as a pleasure. If you get it, you will have wealth. People in ancient times used it. Why can't I do the same? 』

In Mencius' view, if the ancients could use thick coffins and heavy coffins, he could also use them, and only in this way can his descendants do their best. Besides, he also had money, why couldn't he give his mother a generous burial?

To put it simply, if you have money, you will be willful!

So speaking of it, was Mencius wrong?

In fact, there is nothing wrong with it.

But the problem is that later disciples and disciples expanded Mencius' words and made them one-sided.

Mencius was rich, but not everyone was rich.

Just like those who eat minced meat in later generations, they will sigh, "Why don't young people go to factories?", uh, wrong, "How can young people not be buried with lavish funerals?"

But once the rulers are aloof and do not understand the actual situation, and this kind of argument begins to fill the superstructure, they will go from theory to theory, never understand why this is the case, and will not care about how to change it, but just stand on their own. When interests are considered, huge social problems will naturally arise.

Just like in the Han Dynasty, although there are people like Guan Ning who advocate thin burials, there are also more people who want thick burials, and even thick burials are still the mainstream attitude. As a result, in many counties, families still become poor due to funerals. When an old person dies, the whole family becomes bankrupt.

If you don't carry out a grand burial, you will be scolded and criticized directly or indirectly by the Han keyboard warriors. Especially the manor owners, local powerful people, and merchants who can benefit from such behavior will spare no effort to advocate grand burials and even instruct a certain person. These hired workers, wanderers and libertines, preached rich burials in black and white, and ridiculed and abused the people who had poor burials.

Under such circumstances, many poor people, once they are old and feel that their time is running out, they go up the mountain to commit suicide!

Because of this, he is considered missing!

It’s not death!

And when these people of the Han Dynasty cannot afford to die, how much of the so-called "loyalty and filial piety" in Confucian classics can they still have towards the Han Dynasty?