Traveling back to 1977

Chapter 277 Four Great Skills
The so-called "four virtues of a scholar" refers to playing the zither, playing chess, calligraphy, and painting, which were essential skills for the older generation of traditional scholars.

The reason for emphasizing traditional literati is in contrast to "new-style literati." For example, the famous Crescent Moon Poetry School of the Republic of China was mostly composed of new-style literati. Their scholarship did not focus on music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, but rather on knowledge.

Of course, this doesn't mean that all modern literati lacked traditional skills; some were quite adept. For example, Mr. Wen Yiduo was skilled in seal carving. During his time at the Southwest Associated University, when he lacked living expenses, he carved a seal to sell and exchange for money for drinks. However, compared to traditional literati, they were fewer in number, and their overall skill level was slightly lower.

In the earliest times, the skills of scholars were not the "Four Virtues," but the legendary Six Arts, namely "rites, music, archery, charioteering, calligraphy, and mathematics."

Ritual comes first, and numbers last. Among them, "御" refers to driving a chariot, and "书" includes classical texts and calligraphy, reflecting the system of establishing the country based on "ritual" in the pre-Zhou period.

Later, as the rites and music fell into disarray, few people continued to learn them. Driving was replaced by horseback riding, and thus, the art of charioteering disappeared. Eventually, even scholars lost the ability to ride horses, and this art was completely abandoned, along with archery.

So, only 200 million remained out of the original 600 million, a complete financial disaster.

By the Song Dynasty, even two hundred million could not be saved.

During the Tang Dynasty, some people still studied mathematics, but under the ideology that "all other pursuits are inferior, only studying is superior," it was completely abandoned, and all that remained for scholars was "books."

But how could scholars only read books? Thus, many "refined skills" emerged to demonstrate the superiority of scholars.

Previously, "music, chess, calligraphy, and painting" were merely hobbies and pastimes, but they were elevated to a higher level, quickly displacing the "Six Arts" and becoming the "Four Essential Skills" for scholars, occupying the top position among scholars' skills for a long time.

At this point, "book" came to specifically refer to calligraphy.

Until the fall of the Qing Dynasty, many people waved their fists and shouted "complete Westernization." The scholars and intellectuals were suddenly at a loss. Some were furious and cursed, while others supported changing course and learning from the West.

The guqin has become the piano, Go has become chess, calligraphy has become pen calligraphy, and traditional Chinese painting has become oil painting.

However, some people do not align with either approach, using the guise of "open-mindedness" to cleverly replace the "four virtues of a scholar" with other "refined pursuits."

For example, the "Four Great Skills" that were once popular in "South Shanghai and North Tianjin" spread throughout the country and almost turned the non-mainstream into the mainstream.

These "four great skills" are "good handwriting, two sips of Erhuang (a type of Chinese liquor), three ounces of strong liquor, and four rounds of mahjong".

Back in the day, no matter if you were all show and no substance, as long as you mastered these "four great skills," you could join the ranks of "literati," become a guest of high-ranking officials, and a trendsetter in social circles.

The degree to which one is proficient in the "Four Great Skills" determines the seating arrangement of guests and their distance from the core of the social circle.

Master Lu recounted the changes in these "literati pursuits," picked up the small teapot Chen Fan had given him during the New Year, took a sip, exhaled a breath, and laughed, "Back in the day, I also ventured into Shanghai for a few days. At that time, I was young and impetuous. In order to squeeze into the local literary circle, I was persuaded by two unscrupulous fellow villagers from Yunhu to learn these 'Four Great Skills'."

He paused for a moment, then turned to look at Chen Fan, who was listening intently, and laughed, “Of these four skills, I already knew how to write, and I’m not bad at it, so I don’t need to learn it again. It’s just that after meeting those people, I became less proficient in the other three and was ridiculed.”

Chen Fan chuckled. "You can laugh at this?"

"Yes."

Master Lu, however, couldn't stop smiling, showing no sign of being mocked. "Back then, there were a few scholars who liked my calligraphy. I won't mention their names, but they all liked playing mahjong."

One of them, surnamed Hu, always played mahjong at gatherings. When he asked me to meet him, it was at the mahjong table. However, he wasn't very good at mahjong and was always teased by the other two friends. Meanwhile, I would play randomly and often win.

He took his anger out on me, threatening that if I didn't learn mahjong well, I shouldn't see him, and he always said that there was something fishy about mahjong.

The next day, they came to my place again, demanded a calligraphy piece, and took it away, saying that all the money they lost the day was my fault and they had to make up for it.

Chen Fan blinked, wondering to himself, "Is there something fishy going on in this mahjong game? And the surname is Hu? Could it be Hu Shi?"

Master Lu took another sip of tea, put down the teapot, and continued, "One book, two yellows. These two yellows were originally the main singing style of Huiju Opera. Later, when Huiju Opera entered Beijing, it merged with Xipi of Han Opera and became Peking Opera. Later, some people used two yellows to refer to Peking Opera."

At that time, almost everyone in Shanghai loved opera, including high-ranking officials and nobles. Not only that, they also liked to invite literati to "listen in" to show their elegance.

Therefore, "two mouths and two yellows" means that one must understand and be skilled in opera. If one can also sing a few excerpts with proper rhythm and clear pronunciation, one will be regarded as refined by others. In this way, the two yellows became an essential skill for flattering literati.

A few ounces of strong liquor goes without saying; from ancient times to the present, no gathering of literati has been complete without drinking. However, there are certain rules to drinking among literati. They cannot simply down the bottle in one gulp, nor can they force others to drink. Instead, they play drinking games.

Master Lu picked up a teacup to demonstrate, “When literati drink, they must have rules and refinement. In Shanghai dialect, they must have ‘style.’ They must be thoroughly familiar with all kinds of drinking games and be able to use them freely. In addition, after taking a sip of wine, they must be able to say the type, vintage, various advantages and disadvantages, and even the brand of the wine.”

Scholars should drink in moderation, displaying both boldness and restraint, knowing when to stop, getting drunk with method, and being wild with style. Such a "drinker" is most popular at drinking parties.

After taking a sip of tea from the teapot, Master Lu wiped his mouth, let out a soft breath, and said with a sigh, "I was only in my early twenties back then, in the prime of my youth. I couldn't stand being looked down upon, so I spent a lot of money to hire a few people who frequented social circles to learn how to play mahjong and how to drink. I also hired a young actor to learn how to sing opera."

He drifted along like this for over a year, writing and selling his work for money, receiving rewards from dignitaries, being promoted by a writer surnamed Hu, and even selling a few nonsensical articles in several newspapers and magazines.

Over time, he became a "literary figure" in Shanghai, indulging in youthful recklessness, traveling and drinking to excess, only to find that, apart from earning a few silver dollars, he had wasted his time.

Chen Fan stood to the side, smiling silently.

In Shanghai during the Republic of China era, you could eat, drink, and have fun for over a year, hire a private tutor, and still make a few silver dollars. What can I say except that I envy your wealth?

After a while, Master Lu composed himself, turned to look at Chen Fan, and said seriously, "Are you wondering why I listed these 'Four Great Skills' alongside the 'Four Virtues of a Scholar' and 'Epigraphy' as one of my three most treasured skills?"

Chen Fan's eyes darted around, unsure how to respond.

If we consider his true thoughts, it's certainly not surprising at all.

The "Four Great Skills" may seem like unconventional abilities, but upon closer examination, each one is quite remarkable.

Leaving aside "calligraphy" and "erhuang," which can be considered another inheritance of "music" and "calligraphy" among the "Six Arts," even drinking and playing mahjong have seen professional players in later generations who made their fortunes through these skills.

Putting aside other things, a national first-class wine taster is a highly sought-after talent by major wineries. Mahjong is no exception; it was later listed as a "national treasure," though this was said in jest, it has since gone abroad and become popular worldwide.

Moreover, the mahjong table is full of "wisdom". To win, you must "deceive the player before you", "keep an eye on the player after you", and "squeeze the player opposite you". It tests a person's memory and overall planning skills. To lose, you must be observant and "predict the future".

After a few rounds of mahjong, a person's eyesight, mental acuity, and even their familiarity with interpersonal relationships are basically revealed.

So even if you're just "playing around," you might still have a bright future.

As someone who has worked on the front lines of business, Chen Fan understands the significance of these "skills" best. Whether it's "a few ounces of old wine" or "four rounds of mahjong," they are actually powerful tools in social situations!
Seeing that Chen Fan remained silent, Master Lu didn't take it to heart. He simply looked at him, lowered his voice, and said seriously, "You have quite a few skills, but whether it's veterinarian, broadcaster, writer, or even calligraphy, traditional Chinese medicine, and martial arts, they are all just simple 'techniques.' What does that mean? Skills like playing the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting can cultivate one's character, and other skills can help others and oneself, but none of them can 'connect' you with others."

Chen Fan, who already understood, immediately grasped his meaning and said softly, "Human relationships and social customs?"

Master Lu immediately smiled, nodded slightly, and said with a smile, "This child is teachable."

He leaned back in his chair and said softly, "After I returned from Shanghai, I put all those skills that cost me a lot of money and effort out of my mind and focused on my studies from then on, deciding not to look at or think about them anymore."

Unexpectedly, six months later, my eldest brother came home to visit and asked about my experiences in Shanghai. After listening, he told me to pick those things up again, without explaining why, but simply telling me to slowly come to understand them.

At this point, he turned to look at Chen Fan and smiled, "In this respect, you are much more clever than me."

Chen Fan smiled sheepishly and remained silent.

Master Lu continued, "My eldest brother has a high reputation in the family. Even if I don't understand, I have to listen to him and continue to study wine tasting and mahjong."

At this point, he suddenly stood up, slowly walked into the small room inside, and came out a moment later with several books in his hand, which he handed to Chen Fan. “These are the books he found for me back then. Use these books to practice your calligraphy these few days. After you finish copying them, return them to me and I will get you new ones.”

When Chen Fan took the books, he found they were all about winemaking and wine tasting.

Master Lu sat down, leaning on the table, and said solemnly, "The first book is 'The Six Essentials of Wine,' which was compiled by Yang Wanshu, a famous scholar from Ningbo, during the Jiaqing and Daoguang periods of the Qing Dynasty. The Yang family was a family of winemakers with considerable wealth and a deep understanding of wine. He referenced the winemaking records of 39 ancient books, including 'Lüshi Chunqiu,' Su Shi's 'Wine Classic,' Zhu Yizhong's 'Zhongshan Wine Classic,' 'Beishan Wine Classic,' and Dou Ge's 'Wine Manual,' combined with his own winemaking techniques, and innovated. He completed this book in the second year of Daoguang and passed it down through the family."

Besides this book, there are many other books referenced in "The Six Essentials of Wine", as well as numerous wine books compiled during the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, such as "The Materia Medica of Qu" from the Yuan dynasty, "The Essentials of Diet and Nutrition" by Hu Sihui, the Imperial Physician in charge of food and drink, "The New Book on Longevity and Elderly Care" by Zou Xuan, "The Complete Collection of Essential Matters for Home Use" by an anonymous author, "The Eight Treatises on Nourishing Life" on health preservation and dietary therapy written by Gao Lian of the Ming dynasty, and "Six Rules on Wine Administration" by Wu Bin of the Qing dynasty, etc.

From winemaking recipes and tasting guidelines to medicinal wine recipes and drinking techniques, my elder brother found almost everything related to alcohol.

He paused for a moment, then turned to look at Chen Fan. "However, there is one book that surpasses the 'Six Essential Wine Classics,' and can be considered the 'Comprehensive Guide to Wine Affairs.'"

Chen Fan looked at the four books in his hand, held up the bottom one, and asked, "Is this the 'Sheng Yin Bian'?"

(The Republican-era edition of "Sheng Yin Bian")
I didn't hear Master Lu mention this book earlier, so I just guessed.

Master Lu nodded with a smile, "That's exactly it."

He then explained, “The ‘Sheng Yin Bian’ was compiled by Lang Tingji in the Qing Dynasty. Lang Tingji’s pen name was ‘Bei Xuan’. He did not like drinking, but he liked to watch people drink. He compiled this book with two meanings: first, people should not be addicted to alcohol, but should be better at drinking; second, it means that reading this book is also better than drinking alcohol.”

He stared intently at Chen Fan. “You are still young, so you should remember the meaning of ‘The Book of Drinking’. If you cannot understand its meaning and put it into practice, I advise you to stay away from alcohol. Even if it spoils the fun, you should drink with caution. Otherwise, it will not only spoil the fun, but also cause harm.”

Chen Fan nodded vigorously, "I understand the principle that drunkenness leads to mistakes."

Master Lu smiled and nodded slightly, then continued, “The ‘Compendium of Victorious Drinks’ is divided into eighteen sections: auspicious time, scenic place, famous people, anecdotes, virtue, efficacy, writings, government decrees, manufacturing, production, names, utensils, admonitions, flaws, elegant words, miscellaneous notes, positive metaphors, and metaphors. It can be said to be a comprehensive collection of wine-related matters.”

If you can memorize this book, you'll be able to offer some insightful opinions on drinking with anyone, without losing face. This is also the difference between how scholars and commoners drink.

Chen Fan smiled, pursing his lips. "I understand."

Master Lu nodded slowly as he watched him, then leaned back in his chair, took a sip of water, his smile suddenly vanished, and he said softly,
"Originally, I didn't plan to tell you these things so early, after all, you are still young and it's too early for you to learn these things. However, I think Captain Xiao's old brother must be someone of extraordinary background."

Then he turned to look at Chen Fan, "And he seems to be very interested in you. He has been observing you for several days now, and he probably intends to promote you."

I see you are quick-witted and learn everything fast, and you're not too blunt in your social interactions. However, you don't quite understand how to deal with high-ranking officials and dignitaries. If you follow him, you'll be fine dealing with ordinary people, but when dealing with important figures, you might lose your composure and be easily looked down upon.

He paused for a moment, then explained softly, “At any time, people are divided into different classes. It’s not about who is noble or lowly, but rather that when there is a difference in position, there will naturally be a distance between them.”

Even in the new society, many influential people are close to workers and peasants, but after a while, a distance grows between them. The only thing that can somewhat bridge this distance is knowledge.

Therefore, those who could become guests of high-ranking officials and nobles back then were mostly scholars, not ordinary farmers or shopkeepers.

He looked directly at Chen Fan and said, "Life is inherently without anger; anger arises naturally when there is discord. I know you are not the kind of person who curries favor with the powerful and wealthy, otherwise you wouldn't have stayed in Lujiawan all this time, instead of striving for higher positions."

However, if you don't curry favor with them, some influential people will think you look down on them. Even if you don't get angry with them, they will get angry with you. Even with your benefactors protecting you, being "dependent on others" will inevitably make you feel awkward.

He suddenly chuckled, raised his head and said, "At this time, the 'Four Great Skills' will come in handy. Whether he's just showing off his refined tastes or enjoys drinking and socializing, you can still have a go at him. As long as you can make him happy, whether you advance or retreat is entirely up to you."

Today I'll teach you some things about "Three Ounces of Old Wine" first. After you finish reading these books, I'll give you new ones.

Next, I'll teach you 'Two-Hit Mahjong' and 'Four-Round Mahjong.' I hope you can learn as much of these less-than-sophisticated skills as possible before you leave."

Upon hearing this, Chen Fan stood up with the book in his hands and bowed respectfully, just as he had when he first learned to read from Fourth Master. "Thank you for your care and guidance, Fourth Master. I will always remember it."

Master Lu smiled with satisfaction, pointed at him and said, "What I like most about you is that you have the drive of a young man, yet you also know when to advance and retreat, and you understand the bigger picture."

He then waved his hand, "I've finished speaking, you can go do your thing."

Chen Fan didn't leave, but grinned and said, "Fourth Master, you just mentioned a book that records the secret recipe for medicinal wine, but I don't see it in here. I was just planning to try brewing my own wine these next few days, what do you think...?"

Master Lu's face immediately fell, and he stood up helplessly, saying, "I was just saying that you know how to behave and have a sense of propriety, but you're already asking for things before you've even left the house. You're such a little monkey."

Chen Fan followed him excitedly, "Yes, yes, little monkey, it's just right to brew a pot of monkey wine. I'll invite you to taste it later."

Master Lu glanced back at him, then flicked his sleeve in an annoyed tone, "Wait."

When he turned around, he burst out laughing. As he walked inside, he said, "You know, even if you didn't learn these 'Four Great Skills,' you would never have suffered any humiliation anywhere. I wasted my time worrying."

Chen Fan stood guard outside the door without going in, but chuckled softly, "It wasn't all for nothing. Once I've learned your 'Four Great Skills,' I'll brew you a few pots of fine wine, and then we'll drink and sing opera together. Or, when we can play mahjong again, we'll invite Captain Xiao along and play a few rounds with you."

He continued indignantly, "Captain Xiao is really something. Why did he have to call that old man Lin here for no reason? He just caused trouble for no reason. We'll set up a trap and win him a month's worth of work points. Once he loses all his money, he won't have the energy to cause any more trouble..."

Before he could finish speaking, Master Lu stepped out, threw a book at his chest, and shouted with laughter, "You think you can beat him? Get out of here!"

Chen Fan quickly packed up his books, put them in his sketchbook bag, waved, and turned to leave. "Don't worry, I'll study hard. Also, I'll report to Doctor Lu tomorrow..."

The first two chapters have been revised again. Every few days, a notification pops up saying which chapter has been edited, but I don't even know what was changed. I'm too lazy to go back and check now, so I'll just leave it at that. If there are any plot points that don't connect, feel free to comment, and I'll correct them when I see them. o(╥﹏╥)o
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(End of this chapter)