Xi Shu, a native of Jixiang Township (now Pengxi County), Suining County, Sichuan Province, was a scholar of Hongzhi for three years (1490). He used to be the magistrate of Tan County, Shandong Province, and made outstanding achievements in calming people's hearts, building water conservancy projects, running schools and promoting education. When Xi Shu left office, the people of Yongxian built a memorial hall for him. In his sixteenth year in Hongzhi (1503), he really made a sensation in politics.
In the sixteenth year of Hongzhi (1503), a major earthquake occurred in Yunnan, which caused disasters in many areas of Yunnan to varying degrees. The court ordered Fan Ying, assistant minister of Nanjing punishments, to make a patrol. After arriving in Yunnan, Fan Ying arbitrarily thought that natural disasters originated from the neglect of political affairs by local officials without careful investigation. In order to gain a reputation of being clean and fair, and get a rapid promotion, Fan Ying illegally criticized local officials for their poor disaster relief and dismissed 1700 incompetent civil and military officials. Fan Ying got a reward as she wished, but it caused a bad influence in the whole officialdom.
At that time, Xi Shu was a member of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and he expressed his true thoughts about the disaster. He believes that natural disasters such as earthquakes are not man-made, and local officials should not be held accountable. If local officials fail to provide disaster relief, they can be punished as appropriate. However, the responsibility for poor disaster relief cannot be entirely attributed to the local authorities, and the real responsibility should be borne by the imperial court. The imperial court is the head of the country. In case of natural disasters, manpower, material resources and financial resources should be mobilized in time for rescue. Local governments are hurt by natural disasters and have no ability to save themselves. Without the support of the imperial court, local disasters will become more and more serious.
Fan Ying only saw the local tragedy, and concluded that the local officials were ineffective, but in fact, they avoided the importance. In fact, in the imperial court, there are many relatives and officials who intercept the relief property allocated by the state to local governments, resulting in a serious shortage of materials delivered to local governments. No matter how competent local officials are, they can't help the disaster. As the saying goes, a clever woman can't cook without rice, and it's crazy to blame all the local officials.
Removing local officials without punishing the moths that harm the country in the imperial court is a temporary solution, not a permanent cure. The emperor at that time was Xiao Zong, and Liu Jian, Li Dongyang and Xie Qian were cabinet ministers. Xiaozong loved the people like a son all his life and hated corrupt officials. Only after listening to Fan Ying's lecture would he agree to his request. Filial piety also knows that royalty has many evils, but there is no better way to deal with them, so we can only choose to warn them. Liu Jian, Li Dongyang, Xie Qian and other senior officials also think that this matter should not be rushed, otherwise the political situation will be turbulent. Xi Shu's suggestion was not adopted and he was not persecuted politically, which highlighted the neutrality of the court.
Xi Shu was later promoted to Henan inspector. After Wu Zong ascended the throne, he also heard that Liu Jin ravaged the court. He was very sympathetic to the deposed Liu Jian, Li Dongyang, and others, as well as Dai and Wang Yangming who were beaten by the court, and he hated Liu Jin even more. Because of the lesson, Xi Shu did not fight for inaction, but chose to concentrate on political affairs. One or two years after Wang Yangming was demoted, Xi Shu was promoted from Henan to Guizhou, where he served as a student assistant.
Entering a higher school is the abbreviation of prefect academic administration, and it is a senior local chief executive established in ancient times to be responsible for cultural education. Confucianism promotion department was established in the early Ming Dynasty. In the first year of Emperor Taizong's orthodoxy (1436), he sent an imperial censor to Beijing to inspect the imperial censor, and appointed the 13th Chief Secretary as the provincial judge, assistant minister and official of the court, which was called the way of supervision. Xi Shu was promoted from inspector to assistant inspector. They are all in charge of culture and education, so they are familiar with it.
He understands that the improvement of local education level is mainly through running schools and hiring famous teachers to give lectures. Guizhou is an economically underdeveloped place, which can be described as a backcountry. Naturally, it is not easy to attract the phoenix. Famous Confucian scholars either give lectures in Beijing or in their hometown. There have never been any great scholars in Guizhou, so there are no superior teachers. Xi Shu is lucky because a great scholar, Wang Yangming, is making trouble in Guizhou.
When I was in Beijing, Xi Shu listened to Wang Yangming's lectures and appreciated his talent very much. Now that Wang Yangming has been relegated to Longchangyi, he can be invited to be a Confucian lecturer. What worries me is that Wang Yangming criticized Zhu's knowledge and praised Lu Jiuyuan even more. However, the four books and five classics in Ming Dynasty are all Zhu's annotations, and Yangming's thought seems to be contrary to the educational principles of the country. In order to truly understand Yang Ming's thoughts, Xi Shu also visited Wang Yangming in Longchang many times.
In terms of age and political time, Xi Shu is the predecessor of Wang Yangming. Xi Shu personally visited Wang Yangming in Longchang and talked with Wang Yangming as a colleague. At this time, Wang Yangming has lost his fighting spirit and Kan Kan's speech when he gave lectures in Beijing, but he is more calm, wise and refined. After a brief greeting, the two began to talk about the content and methods of teaching.
The main purpose of this book is to understand the depth and breadth of Wang Yangming's scholarship, so the similarities and differences of Zhu Luzhi's theory are put forward first. When Wang Yangming was young, he studied Zhou Dunyi, Cheng Er, Lu Jiuyuan, Zhu and others in Song Confucianism. Just because of Zhu's annotation of the Four Books and Five Classics, Wang Yangming could not understand the difference between Zhu and Lu. After Longchang's enlightenment, Wang Yangming began to really abandon Zhu and go to Lu Jiuyuan. Wang Yangming didn't answer Xi Shu's question directly, but told him his feelings: "As a sage, I am self-sufficient, and I want nothing outside."
Influenced by Zhu's scholarship for many years, he was very surprised at Wang Yangming's views and did not continue to talk. Zhu's understanding of "learning from others" emphasizes the study of the meaning of foreign things, while Wang Yangming seeks justice from the heart. Xi Shu returned to Guiyang and used the Four Books and Five Classics like Wang Yangming, just as Wang Yangming said. In your mind, not everyone can become a saint, and no one can surpass Zhu to become a saint.
In order to find out, Xi Shu came to Longchang for advice. This time, Wang Yangming told Xi Shu the story of Dayu and Hou Ji, and used it to explain his experience. Dayu and Hou Ji are both saints who benefit the people, but they use different means and methods. Dayu saved the people from the flood, and Hou Ji taught them how to grow crops to save them from hunger. They also combine the benefits for the people with their own careers, that is to say, Dayu's flood control is for the benefit of the people, and Hou Ji's crops are for the benefit of the people. Both of them have the heart to benefit the people, but the means are different. It can be seen that the heart of Yu is the heart of Yu and the heart of Ji is the heart of Ji.
After listening to Wang Yangming, Xi Shu still didn't understand Wang Yangming's feelings. Wang Yangming's thinking is very clear, constantly quoting classics, and his words are amazing. He is really a teacher. After several conversations with Yangming, Xi Shu found that he did not fall into his own epiphany, but could clearly distinguish the way of sage. Both Confucius and Mencius in the pre-Qin period and Zhou Dunyi, Er Cheng, Lu Jiuyuan, Zhu and Wang Yangming in Song Confucianism can point out their advantages and disadvantages, thus forming their own opinions. What is particularly gratifying is that Wang Yangming is familiar with Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism and can be inserted into it, which is refreshing.
After several heart-to-heart talks, Xi Shu finally had an epiphany and said, "I have seen the knowledge of saints again today. Zhu Luzhi's learning has its own advantages and disadvantages, so there is no need to argue. If you want to be a saint, you just need to seek it from your own heart. " At this time, Xi Shu has decided to hire Wang Yangming as a teacher in Guizhou universities and reached a gentleman's agreement with Wang Yangming. After Xi Shu returned to Guiyang, he and Mao Yingkui, deputy inspector, renovated the Fucheng Civilization Academy, also known as Guiyang Academy.
They recruited many outstanding students in this province and personally led them to treat Wang Yangming with teacher's courtesy. Giving lectures in Guizhou, Wang Yangming is freer and bolder. In Beijing, although Wang Yangming's lectures are innovative, he has to take into account many scholars and politicians. In Guiyang Academy, however, Wang Yangming can freely shuttle between Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism and freely deny the previous generation of scholars. Wang Yangming should not only let students know what the study of saints is, but also let them challenge authority and learn to be saints.
In Longgang Academy, Wang Yangming put forward his own teaching rules for many students. When discussing knowledge, teachers and students can speak freely, but in teaching, teachers are strict with students. Wang Yangming asked students to break through themselves from four aspects: determination, diligence, reform and responsibility for goodness.
First, in terms of determination. Whether students are determined and determined is what Wang Yangming is most concerned about. As the saying goes, "Where there is a will, there is a way. Cross the rubicon, one hundred and twenty Qin Guan will eventually be Chu; Hard-working people live up to expectations, and more than three thousand armor can swallow Wu. " When Xiang Yu first met Qin Shihuang, he said, "You can take his place." Finally, after the Battle of Julu, he entered Hangu Pass and destroyed the State of Qin. Although Gou Jian, the king of Yue, was defeated by Fu Cha, the king of Wu, he was ambitious for revenge. He did not hesitate to work hard and share weal and woe with the people. After ten years of accumulation, he finally annexed Wu.
If you set an ambition, you will have a goal in life, which is an incentive for yourself. If you don't have an ambition, it's like "a boat without a rudder, a horse without a title, drifting and escaping, what will happen in the end." Since we want to be determined, we must set up lofty aspirations. Don't set yourself no pressure ambition, ordinary ambition can't play a role in urging yourself. As a student, it is not impossible to learn to be a saint. Wang Yangming, for example, has made an ambition to become a saint since he was a child.
Second, in terms of diligence. When you set your ambition, you should take practical actions in time to accomplish your goal. If we just take this ambition as a slogan and don't do it, it will be in vain. People will encounter many difficulties in the process of realizing their ambitions. Some people give up and become undisputed losers; Some people persist, become brave people, and realize their lofty aspirations.
Being smart and alert is a gift, but hard work is acquired. Talent needs continuous diligence to keep its advantage, otherwise it will be like Zhong Yong. Conscious smart people often use many skills to achieve the same goal, instead of following the teaching plan made by the teacher. Those good scholars with average qualifications but hard work will practice repeatedly according to the plan set by the teacher and finally find the answer. In the initial competition, smart people may have an advantage over mediocre people, but after a certain period of accumulation, they will be evenly matched. Diligence is good training, and persistence in learning can make you a saint.
Third, in terms of reform. Admitting a mistake is half corrected. There are two problems here: correcting mistakes. Many people have failed, and they don't know what's wrong with them. This is what they don't know. There is another situation where this person clearly knows that he has made a mistake, but refuses to admit it. This is called not correcting mistakes. Correcting mistakes means admitting mistakes, which requires some courage.
The reason why we call it "the prodigal son never changes his money" is precisely to praise the value of actively correcting mistakes. No one makes mistakes all his life, even saints make mistakes. The reason why saints are saints is precisely because they are good at actively correcting their own mistakes and inspiring others with their own words. Doing something wrong is not a shame, but a process of self-improvement. Wang Yangming deliberately proposed reforms precisely to improve students' personal cultivation.
Fourth, in terms of responsibility for goodness. In fact, complaining is to euphemistically tell each other's shortcomings and let them accept them sincerely. This is a test of one's communicative art, and also a test of one's moral cultivation. Many honest people always treat their friends directly, including telling some shortcomings of their friends, which makes everyone unhappy. Although what the honest man said was reasonable, he failed to persuade his friends to correct their shortcomings.
Those who bravely point out their shortcomings can be regarded as friends and their most reliable friends. If I were such a person, there would be no embarrassing scenes. Unfortunately, many people in society pay great attention to their own face and don't want others to point out their shortcomings in person. In order to make the other person correct his shortcomings, sometimes you should pay attention to art, make the other person lose face by euphemistic means, and sincerely accept your kind persuasion.
Wang Yangming's teaching theory attaches great importance to students' quality. Although there are only four articles mentioned above, they contain Wang Yangming's good intentions. Wang Yangming hopes that students will aim high and become sages; We must learn something and persevere; Learn to be clear-headed and enhance self-cultivation; Be good at correcting and euphemistically honing. In fact, besides being strict with students, Wang Yangming is also strict with teachers. He doesn't want to portray himself as a strict old-fashioned gentleman, but wants to be an interesting and wise person.
In front of students, many teachers will hide their nature and always want to establish a certain prestige in front of students. Wang Yangming is a thinker who advocates nature and freedom. He will not deliberately package himself, but show his true self to the students. If students are blinded by many false things from their school days, it will be difficult to see through life when they step into society. Masters who apply what they have learned tell their legends with a sense of responsibility, instead of inventing some great plots for utilitarian purposes.
On one occasion, Wang Yangming revisited his long-lost "Yangming Cave" with his students. He felt it and wrote a poem "Summer Tour in Yangming Cave, Happy Life, Collection, Occasionally Using Tang Yun":
The ancient cave traveled freely to Japan, and the prime minister in the mountain won the seal.
Every time I lose food, I have a good reason to pay for it.
The high cliffs in the clouds are slightly midsummer, and the cold slide between the stones has already contained autumn.
His country was full of friends in his later years, and his soul dream still needs to reach his head.
Wang Yangming did not convey utilitarian things to students, but sang the interest of "the prime minister in the mountains wins the Hou". Confucius and Mencius have never made great achievements in their official career, but they have not lost the respect of the two saints. Learning from the ancients, yearning for sages, expressing feelings for mountains and rivers, and shuttling dreams are all natural things in life. Instead of pursuing something deliberately, it is better to learn from nature and wait for the next trajectory of life.
In Guizhou Academy, Wang Yangming strongly advocated the macro theory of "unity of knowledge and action". What Zhu proposed was that the prophet should follow the knowledge and practice of the prophet and separation. In fact, knowing and doing are originally separated, indicating that the prophet acted late or was a prophet. The prophet's behavior is to emphasize theory to guide practice, and the prophet emphasizes gaining true knowledge from practice. In real life, the theory of prophetic behavior has far-reaching influence. Xu Ai, Wang Yangming's sister-in-law, once asked Wang Yangming about "the unity of knowledge and action". He pointed out that many people in the world know that fathers are kind to their sons and brothers love their brothers, but they can't be filial. Xu Ai thinks that knowing and doing are two different things and cannot be combined into one.
Wang Yangming pointed out that knowing and doing are one, but they are separated by selfish desires. He further explained: "sages teach people to know and do precisely because they want people to restore their noumenon." Therefore, "University" pointed out that true knowledge is for people to see, saying that' good sex is like evil stench'. When you see prostitution, you know it, and prostitution returns. I saw good when I was lascivious, but I didn't want to be good when I saw it. Smelling the stench belongs to knowing, and the stench belongs to doing. It is evil to smell the stench, but it is evil not to smell it. For example, some people know filial piety, and some people know filial piety. Only when this person has fulfilled filial piety can he say that he knows filial piety and knows filial piety. This is the ontology of knowing and doing. "
Xu Ai also raised the question of why the ancients divided knowledge into two parts. Wang Yangming further explained: "the taste of knowledge is the idea of doing things and the effort to understand things;" Knowing is the beginning of doing, and doing what you know is the success; I can pay attention. " In reality, there are two kinds of people who have different understandings of knowing and doing. Some people act rashly without serious thinking, which leads to many serious consequences, so they put forward that the prophet should act before he acts, focusing on the cognition of truth; Some people just pay attention to thinking hard and don't really want to test their ideas with practice, so they put forward the view that understanding first and emphasizing practice.
Whether the prophet acted later or knew it first, there was a certain deviation. Once knowing and doing are separated, there will be a disconnect between knowing and doing, which will lead to many social problems. The Ming Dynasty advocated Zhu's motto, which led many people to talk about benevolence and morality, but they were thieves and prostitutes at heart, but they did evil for the officials. Many officials are full of loyalty to the monarch and patriotism and filial piety to their parents, but secretly they are doing things that betray their country and seek glory and abuse their parents. In order to solve social problems, Wang Yangming boldly put forward the theory of "unity of knowledge and action".
Facing the double crisis of politics and morality in Ming Dynasty, Wang Yangming deliberately combined moral ethics with national politics and put forward his own brand-new theory of "integration of knowledge and action". He hopes that through this brand-new theory, officials and people can be consistent with their actions and achieve consistency. If everyone can do it, then all people in society are sincere people with unrestrained personality and no need to pretend. Unfortunately, under the temptation of utility, many people have to disguise themselves and pursue their own desires.