Bringing the Railway to Daming

Chapter 378: Integrating into the world of artificial intelligence, Imperial University of Peking! [Please subscribe]

Liu Kuan did not directly answer Zhu Biao's question, but instead asked, "Your Highness, can you think of another invention because of the emergence of AI?"

Zhu Biao was a clever man, and immediately asked, "Are you talking about the steam engine?"

"That's right." Liu Kuan nodded. "The advent of the steam engine greatly increased productivity in many industries, including textiles. However, it also caused many artisans and ordinary workers to lose their livelihoods."

"Those who have lost their livelihoods will undoubtedly lose their family income if they cannot find another job. If they are the breadwinners of their families, then unemployment will be a disaster for their families."

"But it is undeniable that the emergence of the steam engine brought about the first industrial revolution; the increase in productivity made the world more materially abundant."

"Once people adapted to the existence of the steam engine, the extra manpower was put into other areas that still needed people, such as management, scientific research, education, etc."

"As a result, humans have developed faster in management, technology, and education, which in turn has driven the further development of human society."

"Of course, there were indeed many conflicts, bloodshed, and even disasters during this period."

"For example, historically, British capitalists, in order to develop the textile industry and make money, launched a 'sheep-eating-people' enclosure movement, forcing farmers off their farms and into textile factories to become oppressed sweatshop workers."

"For example, the advent of the steam engine has caused countless people to lose their jobs, be separated from their families, and even lose their entire families."

“If artificial intelligence in the future can truly lead the Fourth Industrial Revolution, I think it will also bring about a series of similar changes.”

"Whether countries will gain more benefits or suffer more negative impacts depends on how they plan and guide their AI-related industries."

Zhu Biao nodded thoughtfully and walked a little further before asking, "If artificial intelligence is fully integrated into future human society, what will the world be like?"

Liu Kuan smiled and said, "For me, this is also a matter of the future, so I can only speak casually based on my current knowledge."

"Once artificial intelligence fully matures and is integrated into society, it will undoubtedly be combined with various machines, giving rise to a variety of intelligent machines. This will eliminate the need for large numbers of workers in many industries."

"For example, in production, there will be various unmanned factories, and the person who opens the factory can completely control the production of the entire factory by himself through artificial intelligence."

"For example, in transportation, driverless cars will become prevalent. Cars, ships, trains, and even airplanes will no longer need drivers. Instead, AI will be in charge."

"Even most jobs in management, retail, education, logistics and other industries will be taken over by AI. Even in service industries such as catering, some jobs will be replaced by AI."

"Some say that by that time, people will truly be able to meet their basic material needs and will not die of hunger or cold even if they do nothing."

"In this way, people can devote their limited time and energy to pursuing their interests and ideals, and do something more meaningful for themselves and the world."

Zhu Biao imagined it for a moment and said, "It sounds wonderful."

Liu Kuan said, "It's beautiful, but there will inevitably be a group of people who can't keep up with the tide of the times and are crushed under the wheels of technological development, struggling painfully until they are no longer able to make a sound."

Zhu Biao was silent for a moment, then smiled contagiously. He said, "Don't be too pessimistic, brother-in-law. The steam engine is now under our control. Isn't it integrating into Ming society at a relatively gentle pace?"

Liu Kuan said, "That's because we know what impact the steam engine will have on society, what will cause negative impacts, and how to reap its benefits while minimizing harm to the people."

"No one in later generations has the ability to predict what will happen five or six hundred years in the future."

Liu Kuan's words completely silenced Zhu Biao.

They happened to arrive at Taiping Street at this time, and they said goodbye to each other, one returning home and the other returning to the palace.

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a few days later.

Liu Kuan accompanied Li Shuzheng and other officials from the Ministry of Rites to inspect the officially renovated Imperial University of Peking.

Because it required a large area of ​​land, the Imperial University of Peking was located near Mochou Lake in the west of the outer city. It was originally a garden built by officials and gentry of the Southern Song Dynasty, and was later occupied by Mongolian nobles. After the establishment of the Ming Dynasty, the courtyard had been abandoned for a long time and was difficult to repair, so it had always been under the name of the court and was not awarded by Zhu Yuanzhang.

This spring, when he learned that a site was needed to build a university, Old Zhu thought of this garden and, with a wave of his hand, designated it as the site of the Imperial University of Peking.

Although it is not entirely newly built, transforming an abandoned garden into a modern university is still a huge project.

Therefore, with Liu Kuan's many suggestions, the project lasted from spring to autumn, for more than half a year.

At the end of July, the garden was renovated, but the cleaning and inspection work took several more days, and it was not officially completed until the seventh day of August.

When Liu Kuan, Li Shuzheng and a group of other officials from the Ministry of Rites stood outside the gate of Imperial University of Peking, Li Shuzheng and others felt that the style of the gate of Imperial University of Peking was very similar to that of Yingtian Institute of Technology.

The first thing that caught everyone's attention was the two ten-foot-tall human sculptures standing in front of the school gate. Both looked tall and thin. The one on the west side gave people a sense of integrity and elegance, while the one on the east side gave people a sense of solemnity and rigor.

The stone platforms under the two sculptures are engraved with introductory texts. The one on the west is Zengzi, who was a disciple of Confucius and compiled "The Great Learning". He later became one of the second sages of Confucianism.

The reason why we chose to erect a statue of Zengzi in front of the Imperial University of Peking instead of someone else is not only because of the name of the "Great Learning" he wrote, but also because the main ideas expounded in the "Great Learning" are indeed the essence of Confucian thought.

For example, "The Great Learning" proposed the "three principles" of manifesting the bright virtue, loving the people, and resting in the highest good, as well as the "eight items" of investigating things, seeking knowledge, sincerity, rectifying the mind, cultivating oneself, regulating the family, governing the state, and pacifying the world. Even in later generations, it is an ideological pursuit worthy of praise.

In addition, Zengzi's identity will not overshadow the prototype of another statue alongside him - Mozi.

During the Warring States period when a hundred schools of thought were contending, Confucianism and Mohism were both the leading schools of thought. However, Mohism did not produce any great talents later, and encountered the Han Dynasty's "abolishing all schools of thought and respecting Confucianism alone", so Mohism declined and was eventually lost in history.

Imperial University of Peking was to be built into a comprehensive university, which would serve as prototypes for the liberal arts, science, and engineering disciplines of later generations. Since Zengzi was chosen as the celebrity sculpture of Confucianism, it was natural to introduce a historical celebrity who could represent science and engineering, so Mozi was chosen.

However, neither Liu Kuan nor the officials of the Ministry of Rites had any intention of spreading Mohist thought at the Imperial University of Peking. In the future, when introducing Mozi, the Ming Dynasty would deliberately downplay his thoughts and focus on his achievements in science and engineering.

That is to say, Mozi was made into a pioneer in exploring the way of science.

Between the two statues is a sculpture of an open book that is as tall as a person.

On the two open title pages, one side records the first chapter of "The Great Learning" "The Way of the Great Learning", and the other side records the definition of "science".

Three meters to the south of this group of sculptures, there is a steep mountain-shaped stone tablet, also ten meters high, with four large red characters "Imperial University of Peking" engraved on it.

Going north from these two groups of sculptures is the main gate of Imperial University of Peking - an archway made of white marble with four large black characters "Imperial University of Peking" carved horizontally on it.

There is a couplet on both sides:

If you want to overcome difficulties, you must seek the axe from books; if you want to reach the top, you must find the ladder from practice.

Unlike the Yingtian Institute of Technology, the Imperial University of Peking did not have an iron gate. Instead, it had a cement road that could accommodate two carriages, with six-foot-wide blue brick sidewalks on both sides leading directly into the campus.

The campus is shaded by ancient trees, with pavilions and towers left over from the Song Dynasty visible, as well as three-story teaching buildings and laboratory buildings built this year. Although these buildings are tall, their exteriors are decorated in a style similar to that of the Song Dynasty, so they do not appear abrupt.

After dismounting, Li Shuzheng smiled and said, "This garden originally only had 500 to 600 acres, but after the renovation and expansion, it now has over 1,000 acres, nearly doubled in size."

"Such a large academy is truly unprecedented. When Imperial University officially opens, I believe we will also be able to leave our mark in history."

Liu Kuan smiled and thought: What's a thousand acres? Which university with a little fame in later generations covers an area of ​​thousands of acres?

If it is an agricultural or forestry university, it will cover tens of thousands of acres.

Of course, considering that the outer city of the capital is at our feet and the new site of the Imperial College is only forty or fifty acres, one thousand acres is indeed quite large.

The other accompanying officials from the Ministry of Rites responded with a few words, and the group entered the campus.

The main buildings of Imperial University of Peking are six three-story teaching buildings, each floor has four ordinary classrooms or two large classrooms.

There are a total of 48 ordinary classrooms and 12 large classrooms, which can easily accommodate students for theoretical classes at the same time.

Considering that not all students in the university attend classes at the same time, and some students take experimental classes, physical education classes, art classes, etc., although the Imperial University of Peking was newly established, it was enough to accommodate 10,000 students!

Behind these teaching buildings are two experimental buildings with three floors above ground and one floor underground.

As for the administrative offices, student dormitories, and faculty dormitories, they were renovated from houses that previously existed in the garden. Teacher dormitories are guaranteed to accommodate one person per room, while student dormitories accommodate four people per room.

In addition, the school has a playground, a shooting range (for practicing archery), a polo field, and a small lake for swimming and boating.

After taking a long walk, Liu Kuan felt quite satisfied.

Li Shuzheng also had a satisfied smile on his face at first, but when he finally sat down in a large room used by administrative staff, he showed a worried look again.

Seeing this, Liu Kuan asked, "Why does Minister Li look like that? Does he think something is wrong with the renovation of this campus?"

　Second update.

　　Good night~
　　
　　
　
(End of this chapter)