Collection of books (1705) is Tang Zhen's only work and his most important work. Formerly known as "Horizontal Book", there are only 13 articles at the beginning, signed by Tang Datao. Later, it was gradually increased to 97 articles, renamed "Hidden Book" and signed by Tang Zhen. Tang Zhen said in his book "Hidden Stories" that he wrote this book "for thirty years. After being tired, it can be divided into two parts. Scholars in the first chapter, 50 articles; The man who speaks by words is in the next article, No.1, Hidden Book. Look up at the sky, look down on personnel, stay away from historical sites, be close to the present, and make a trip rooted in the heart, such as seeking politics in its place. " According to the textual research of relevant data, the hidden books and periodicals were engraved in the forty-fourth year of Qing Emperor Kangxi (1705), and were published and engraved by Wang Wenyuan, the son-in-law of Tang Zhen. This is the earliest original print. Since then, there have been 1883 Li engraving and 1905 Deng engraving, both of which are replicas of the original engraving. The new edition was published by Zhonghua Book Company in 1955, the updated edition in 1963 and the fourth printing in 1984. Hidden Book is a collection of essays by Tang Zhen, which imitates Wang Chong's Lun Heng in style. The contents of the book are not quotations, and even different from the Confucian study of chapters and sentences after the Han Dynasty. Instead, aiming at the disadvantages of the times and drawing lessons from the peasant uprising caused by political corruption in the late Ming Dynasty, he put forward a series of political and religious viewpoints and propositions that attacked the autocratic monarchy and advocated the people-oriented progress, aiming at governing the people, abandoning Zhu Cheng Neo-Confucianism, helping the world with practical learning, and ruling the country and leveling the world. There are 97 hidden books, which are divided into two parts, the first part is divided into two parts, and the next part is ***2 1 article, from "distinguishing Confucianism" to "encouraging learning"; The first part *** 29, from "taking good" to "learning from the classics". The second part is also divided into two parts. The second part consists of 24 articles from Shangzhi to Yongzheng. The next part, from "lazy poverty" to "latent existence", consists of 23 articles. This book is mainly a political paper and partly an educational work. There are many articles about education, such as distinguishing Confucianism, advocating Mencius, practicing the law, knowing and doing, being talented, being self-evident, respecting deeds, giving lectures, persuading students, taking good deeds, the Five Classics, being a teacher, being a monarch, being a wise man, teaching children, learning from others, using talents, teaching silkworms, learning to the best, and judging.

The educational thought expounded in the above-mentioned educational articles in Hidden Book is based on its opposition to autocratic monarchy and empty talk about the style of study in Neo-Confucianism in Song and Ming Dynasties, showing a distinct democratic political tendency and a value orientation of respecting individuality and pragmatic style of study. In Qian Shu Education, the educational thoughts discussed mainly include the following aspects: First, the purpose and function of Confucian education are reinterpreted from the viewpoints of "giving full play to one's talents" and "distinguishing right from wrong".

Tang Zhen pointed out in the article "Distinguishing Confucianism": "The words of sages change at any time, so it is not lost to save them." Confucianism is based on Ming Dow's contribution to the world, and the view that "Confucians don't make contributions" is a distortion of Confucianism. "Confucianism is the most valuable thing, it can set chaos, eliminate violence and protect the people." If things fail and achievements fail, what is the use of Confucianism and its education? He criticized the so-called Confucianism since the Song Dynasty, saying nothing about saints, and "making contributions is ignorance". What is doing work? Tang Zhen believes that soldiers, agriculture, punishment and valley are beneficial to the people, can control chaos, can make the people live and work in peace and contentment, and can "widely help the world", which is a tangible achievement. In view of the disadvantages of Neo-Confucianism in Song and Ming Dynasties, it is pointed out that knowing only "sexual virtue" but not "sexual talent" is ignorance of the true meaning of Confucianism. The so-called "sexual talent" is the talent that shines from the "heart" of moral ontology and acts on objective things through the "cultivation" of "conscience". Where there is fire, there is light, and there is light. The size and brightness of light are different, and people's "sexual talent" is also different, but as far as education is concerned, it is only on "doing our best". He believes: "Sex unifies heaven and earth and prepares everything. You can't relate to heaven and earth, you can't raise everything, and you have a flaw in it, which is your own flaw. " "Sex is a gift, so there is no week. Why can saints live in the Zhou dynasty, but later Confucianism can't live in the whole body? If it is repaired well, it will be repaired for a week. If it is not repaired, it will be broken. " Neo-Confucianism in Song and Ming Dynasties only talks about "perfection", not "perfection", so there is no real merit to be achieved. He said: "Those who are politicians in the future will not achieve anything if they are unclear;" If you don't achieve your goal, you will see more good things and do more mud. It was empty, and in the end it backfired. Why? "In theory, criticizing the theory of mind and nature cultivation of Neo-Confucianism in Song and Ming Dynasties is a wrong educational theory that fails to do what one can, and points out that this educational practice abandons the teaching of benevolence. On the contrary, Yangming's teaching of "to conscience" is "consistent, bright as the sun and the moon, desperate, and the four directions and eight monarchs are clear." "It is found in doers, making people do their own talents and consider things appropriately; Can make full use of adversity, meet villains without losing integrity, believe in snakes and do whatever they want, and protect their merits. This is the real Confucian teaching of "making the best of people" and "distinguishing righteousness from profit". Tang Zhen advocated abolishing Neo-Confucianism in Song and Ming Dynasties and replacing it with Yangming's theory of mind, which challenged the policy of respecting literature and teaching in Neo-Confucianism in the late Ming and early Qing Dynasties and reflected his transformation of Confucianism and its educational values. Secondly, the content of "omniscient and omnipotent" education is put forward, which expands the teaching content of traditional schools from simple book knowledge to the scope of real life production and military knowledge and skills, with the education goal of cultivating "omniscient and omnipotent".

Tang Zhen pointed out in the chapter "All-rounder": "A scholar is good at celibacy, being prepared for danger in times of peace, and being benevolent is enough, but not all-rounder." The so-called "all-rounder" includes benevolence, righteousness and martial arts. Benevolence and righteousness have always been advocated by Confucianism, especially Neo-Confucianism in Song and Ming Dynasties, while soldiers are despised by Confucianism. Tang Zhen said: "A gentleman can learn from others, but he must not be ignorant of soldiers." "If you don't know the soldiers, then the righteousness is useless and the country is broken." He criticized that Neo-Confucianism education in Song and Ming Dynasties only emphasized benevolence and was ashamed to talk about soldiers. As a result, although there are many loyal ministers and dutiful sons, when the country is unfortunate, the "big earthquake" will be captured by "ruthless" and "unjust" people, and the country will be destroyed. From this, he said: "Confucianism is the most important thing, to destroy the violence in the world, to set the chaos in the world, to raise the people in the world, and to protect the people in the world." In the article "Teaching Silkworms", Tang Zhen believes that under three generations, officials don't know how to teach Tian Sang, "wasting endless benefits in the sea, so that the people can't be rich, but they are poor and have no ability to make money." In view of this, he advocated widely teaching people how to plant mulberry, raise silkworm and feed silk reeling, so that "there must be mulberry when there is grain". In the article "Encouraging Learning", he criticized the later Confucian scholars and divided Confucianism into three different ways: literature, service and Taoism. "Learning to be excellent is to be an official, and learning is not thin" has lost the foundation of Confucianism and its knowledge. He repeatedly stressed that the content of education should be extended to real politics, production and life, and should not be limited to moral methods. He pointedly pointed out: "In the past 50 years, as a politician, no one has taken enriching the people as a matter, and no one who speaks has taken enriching the people as a word", which means that "the founding of the country must be rich first", resulting in "the four seas are poor, agriculture is empty, industry is empty, cities are empty, and government is empty". Therefore, he advocated taking "the way of raising children" as the educational content, changing customs and traditions, and making the country and family rich and strong. Thirdly, put forward the idea of respecting teachers and emphasizing morality, and strengthen the education of the Crown Prince.

In the chapter of "Learning from the Law", Tang Zhen praised Yi Yin's Tai Jia and Zhou Weiwang, and put forward the proposition that "the virtue of a gentleman must be learned, and learning must be guaranteed by a teacher". He believes that the quality of a country's politics often depends on the monarch's morality, intelligence and talent, so the education of the crown prince is particularly important. How to teach the prince? Tang Zhen systematically expounded the principles and methods of education in The Prince;

(1) Respecting teachers and attaching importance to teaching, that is, the son of heaven sets an example and respects teachers and attaches importance to teaching. Only by establishing the dignity of teachers can the prince be condescending. In practice, it breaks the tradition that the south faces the master and regards the master as a subordinate minister, and really puts the prince in the position of a student, and "advances and retreats moderately".

(2) Let the prince get in touch with social reality, so as to know how to raise children. In addition to understanding agriculture, we should also look at mulberry, animal husbandry, prison, Ze, nursery, mountain, shop, city and road, so as to know that clothes are hard to come by, cars are hard to come by, pots are hard to come by, fish is hard to come by, vegetables are hard to come by, materials are hard to come by, tools are hard to come by, and businesses, soldiers and workers are hard to come by.

(3) Pay attention to the educational environment, don't live in different houses, eat differently, wear differently, and don't specialize in life. At the same time, contact with maids and eunuchs is forbidden, because women are harmful to health and eunuchs are harmful to politics. These are the two most serious aspects of political corruption in the Ming Dynasty.

(4) Strict requirements, "I am sorry if I have had it." Tang Zhen argues that if the prince does not accept the teacher's instruction, respect the master, respect the minister, do not do what he knows, do not know about poor farming, do not know about material, soil and people's labor, and receive education without practical actions, he should "take the blame for himself." Strict education is a necessary condition for a prince to become the king of a country.

The article "Shi Shuo" pointed out that the prince is expensive, but "the heart is not expensive." "Therefore, the study of the son of heaven is the same as that of scholars, and they dare not learn, so they should be more than scholars." Tang Zhen broke the theory of divine right of monarchical power, set out from the ideal national political purpose, and placed his hopes on Chu Jun's education, which surpassed his predecessors in thought and theory. Fourthly, it points out that the source of governance lies in the political and religious thoughts of bureaucracy, and criticizes the limitations of school education.

This view was put forward in view of Lin Dong-party member's exaggeration of the political role of school education in the late Ming Dynasty. Lindongdang feudal private school

Gu Xiancheng believes that the root of chaos control is to develop schools to teach the world. School education has the function of being an official, and it has the functions of "connecting with the countryside" and "making the people change their appointments". Therefore, they advocate that the opposition should form a broad alliance to promote the academy, thus creating an atmosphere in which schools discuss politics, supervise politics and change society.

Tang Zhen pointed out in Shangzhi that although this view is "kind words", it can't be done. The reason is that "giving lectures is bound to build the party, building the party will forge ahead and retreat, and soliciting assistance will make scholars lose their original heart." Scholars interfere with political thoughts and actions by giving lectures, which can't achieve the objective at all. On the contrary, they can only make "discussion is harmful to governance" and "make people grandiose and lose reality", because the state power is monopolized by the emperor, officials at all levels try their best to safeguard the monarchy, the power of intellectuals is minimal, and the political role of school education is very limited.

In Enriching the People, Tang Zhen pointed out that the reason why people are poor and the state cannot govern is not the ineffectiveness of education, but the stubbornness of corrupt officials. Officials are more greedy than thieves with knives. "husbands can't steal people, but people are poisoned by corrupt officials, and there is no escape between heaven and earth."

The article "Inspection of Work" points out that: "All the officials in the world abandon the officials of the people, and all the things in the world abandon the things of the people. Did you push all the fathers, brothers and children in the world into the ravine and want to cure them? " Therefore, the key to governing the country and enriching the people lies in rectifying bureaucracy and eliminating corrupt officials all over the world. But how to achieve bureaucracy? Tang Zhen did not find any effective measures, but returned to the issue of education. He advocated that through education, all monarchs and officials should be people-oriented, set an example, be greedy and honest, make contributions, and have enough food to feed the people. Obviously, these are also a kind of helpless fantasy.

In a word, Qian Shu's educational thought is largely based on political standpoint and viewpoint, with strong political color. In the above viewpoint, the content and purpose of advocating practical education refers to the limitation of Chen's educational function, and the role of simple democratic political tendency and creating practical education atmosphere in exploring the relationship between education and politics and criticizing the disadvantages of neo-Confucianism education in Song and Ming Dynasties. However, in other chapters, Tang Zhen repeatedly emphasized ethical education, especially in family education, showing a strong tendency of asceticism, male superiority and monarch supremacy, coupled with the limitations of class, failing to see the power of workers, deliberately belittling the role of scholars in discussing politics, and showing negative and pessimistic emotions. If these negative factors are removed, today, Qian Shu's progressive education thought is helpful to inspire people to understand and criticize China's traditional education.