My aunt is Queen Ma

Chapter 102: Getting into the trap
A few words were all it took to end Gongsun Long's conflict with the Ming family? Everyone was curious; what exactly had happened?
Ma Yu replied, "Kong Chuan is very simple."

"I am almost capable of handling Zang San'er, but it is truly difficult. I would like to ask you again."

"It is very difficult to say that Zang San'er is actually wrong, but it is very easy to say that Zang Liang'er is actually right."

"I wonder whether you will choose the easy path or the difficult path?"

He first quoted the original text from the historical record, and then explained:
"To put it simply, Kong Chuan praised Gongsun Long for his eloquence, saying that he could make non-existent things sound like the truth."

"However, non-existence is non-existence."

"What is needed to govern a country is not sophistry, but practical policies for governing the country."

"As a decision-maker, should you believe in sophistry or in good strategy?"

Everyone was somewhat disappointed. That's it?

However, Xi Yingzhen praised, "These are excellent words."

"At that time, it was the Warring States period, and the wars of annexation were becoming increasingly fierce. All the states were seeking to reform and strengthen themselves."

"Gongsun Long is all talk and no action, but he has no strategy to benefit the country."

"At the time, everyone was misled by his sharp words and thought he was very talented."

"Kong Chuan used the simplest language to expose his true colors and also revealed the shortcomings of famous people to the world."

"Therefore, it was quickly abandoned by the nations and soon perished."

He combined Kong Chuan's words with the context of the time, and everyone immediately understood the destructive power of Kong Chuan's words.

Ma Yu couldn't help but feel admiration; it's true that an expert's skill is immediately apparent.

Xi Yingzhen truly deserves to be called a master of Taoism in this era; no wonder he was able to teach a disciple like Daoyan.

“What Master Xi said is very true. Kong Chuan did not argue with Gongsun Long, but directly pointed out his biggest weakness.”

"Defeat it in another way."

"At this point, everyone understood the true nature of the masters and no longer bothered to associate with them."

"This matter is recorded in many historical books, including the Zizhi Tongjian."

"After his true nature was exposed by Kong Chuan, Gongsun Long still shamelessly served as a guest at the residence of Lord Pingyuan of Zhao."

"As one of the Four Lords of the Warring States, it was naturally inappropriate to drive Lord Pingyuan away."

"But not long after, Lord Pingyuan found an opportunity to have Zou Yan debate with Gongsun Long."

"Zou Yan was the great scholar who invented the theory of the Five Elements and their cyclical succession."

"But Zou Yan was very dismissive and directly rejected Lord Pingyuan's proposal."

His reasoning was that debate is about categorizing different things and viewpoints so that they don't get confused.

"A debate is only beneficial if both sides can gain something from it."

"But if one relies on tedious arguments, flowery language, and cunning metaphors to engage in sophistry."

“If it leads people astray, it undermines the great way and renders debate meaningless.”

"These words are similar to those of Kong Chuan, both revealing the essence of Gongsun Long and the School of Names."

"At this point, Gongsun Long could no longer survive, and he disappeared completely from historical records. The School of Names also disappeared not long afterward."

Zou Yan's words were remarkably insightful.

Zhu Biao, Zhu Shuang, and Daoyan all suddenly realized the reason for the demise of the School of Names.

Dao Yan then revealed a thoughtful expression. Ma Yu had been emphasizing words and logic; could it be that he was going to start from this aspect?
At this moment, Zhu Biao said, "Now I finally understand why my cousin's words are always more convincing. So that's why."

Zhu Shuang nodded in deep agreement; Old Ma spoke with great eloquence.

I didn't think much of it before, but I found out the reason today.

Ma Yu simply smiled and didn't respond to their words, but continued:

"Both the Mohists and the School of Names were eloquent and logical."

"However, the Mohists used language to expound the truth, while the School of Names went down the path of sophistry."

"Therefore, the Mohist school became the most prominent school of thought, while the School of Names was abandoned by the world."

Zhu Shuang stroked his chin and asked, "Then why did the Legalists ultimately help the Qin state unify the world, while the Mohists perished?"

Ma Yu paused for a moment and said, "This is a very big topic."

"Simply put, Legalism and the Qin state complemented each other."

"A great idea, at the right time, finds the most suitable testing ground."

"They successfully combined and unleashed a powerful energy."

"As for Emperor Wu of Han's final decision to exclusively promote Confucianism, this was purely a political necessity and had nothing to do with the merits of the doctrine."

“We’ll talk about that later. Let’s talk about reforming Confucianism first.”

Zhu Biao and Zhu Shuang were already familiar with his lecturing style, knowing that he liked to draw on a wide range of sources to prove his point of view from various angles.

This was the first time Xi Yingzhen and Dao Yan had experienced this teaching, and they felt somewhat dazed.

So we were talking about reforming Confucianism, huh? He kept rambling on and on, and we almost forgot what we were originally talking about.

But at this point, Ma Yu was essentially teaching by example.

This gave the master and apprentice a more intuitive understanding of the concept of logical rigor.

Seeing that they had no further questions, Ma Yu continued:

"We just talked about the various schools of thought in ancient China, so now let's talk about Buddhism."

Dao Yan's ears immediately perked up. Ma Yu's analysis of the various schools of thought was both unconventional and insightful.

So what kind of understanding does he have of Buddhism?

This is something to look forward to!

"Let's first talk about the environment in which Buddhism originated..."

Buddhism originated in ancient India, where Hinduism was originally practiced...

"The caste system divided the people there into four classes: Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras..."

"Rank is innate and cannot be changed throughout life."

Ma Yu first gave a general introduction to the characteristics of Hinduism, emphasizing the caste system.

Zhu Shuang interjected, "This is quite similar to the Nine-Rank System."

Ma Yu shook his head and said, "It's not the same. The Nine-Rank System is not absolute."

Even during the Eastern Jin Dynasty, the peak of aristocratic politics, a large number of people from the lower classes still rose to high positions.

"Although such people are rare, they do exist."

"Some people also believe that the caste system is similar to the Yuan Dynasty's division of people into four classes."

"This is also a case of applying something based on a superficial understanding."

“The caste system is a class system. The Brahmins and Kshatriyas are the nobles, and there are no poor people among them.”

“The Vaishyas and Shudras are the lowest class; there are absolutely no nobles among them.”

"There are insurmountable gaps between each of them, gaps that cannot be changed generation after generation."

"The four classes of Mongolia are a classification of groups, not related to class."

"The first class in the four-class system was the Mongols, and in fact, the lives of the Mongol people were also very miserable."

"A large number of Mongols were reduced to slavery."

"The Han people were divided into three or four classes, but powerful and wealthy people could still emerge from the Han population."

"Moreover, the Mongols divided the Han Chinese in the north into the third class and the Han Chinese in the south into the fourth class, and even called them the Southerners."

"Their real purpose is to divide the Han people."

“Once the Han people are divided, they will no longer be able to unite and resist their rule.”

"This is the true intention behind the Yuan Dynasty's division of society into four classes, which is completely different from the caste system."

Zhu Shuang nodded: "I see."

Since this issue has been brought up, Ma Yu couldn't help but say a few more words:
"The world is vast, and there are many ethnic groups, each with its own unique history and culture."

"Many things that happened in their history may never have happened in our history."

"However, we are always accustomed to looking for similar things in history to learn from experience."

"This was originally an advantage, but many people, when studying foreign civilizations, also like to look for similarities in Chinese history."

“When there are no similarities, they may even distort Chinese history.”

"They impose on us things that are unique to civilizations outside our own."

"If this continues, many people will be unable to correctly understand Chinese civilization."

"It is necessary to tell the world this so that they can learn from it."

He said this to Zhu Biao.

Zhu Biao had never seen anything like it before.

But then he remembered that he had subconsciously thought the caste system was similar to the nine-rank system or the four-class system.

He immediately understood that what Ma Yu was talking about was bound to happen. Moreover, after listening to so many of Ma Yu's lectures, he also knew that the Ming Dynasty must strengthen its exchanges with various civilizations outside its borders.

If many people interpret extraterrestrial civilizations in this way, it will indeed be a troublesome matter.

So he nodded and said, "Alright, I will discuss this matter with my father and find a suitable solution."

Xi Yingzhen and Daoyan also felt that Ma Yu's words made sense.

But both master and apprentice were speechless.

Wasn't this about the birth of Buddhism? How did we get off-topic again?

Is this how you usually communicate?
Even after instructing Zhu Biao, Ma Yu remained uneasy.

This kind of situation was too common in my past life. For example, the Western concept of the right of the first night was something that some people wanted to bring to China.

Ma Yu was speechless about these people.

We understand that you want good things, but you also fight over poop and pee. Are you just stupid or evil?
In this lifetime, we must try our best to avoid this situation from occurring.

When we make contact with extraterrestrial civilizations in the future, we must tell everyone this idea.

Be confident, and stop bringing just anything into your home.

There are some things that we don't have, and we don't want.

With this thought in mind, Ma Yu gave Dao Yan an apologetic smile before continuing:

"Let's continue talking about the birth of Buddhism."

"Although Shakyamuni was a prince of a small country, he was still subject to the caste system and could not use his talents."

"It was in distress that he attained enlightenment and founded Buddhist thought."

"Therefore, many Buddhist ideas were actually proposed in response to Hinduism."

"For example, the concept of equality for all people was likely proposed in order to resist the caste system."

"Take the reincarnation system for example."

"In order to enslave the lower classes, Hinduism stipulated in its doctrines that..."

"If commoners serve nobles well, they can be reborn as upper-class people in their next life."

"Buddhism likely drew upon this idea and proposed the concept of reincarnation."

"Buddhism simply links good deeds with reincarnation, so that accumulating good deeds will lead to being reborn into a good family in the next life."

"It is fundamentally different from the Hindu practice of enslaving the people."

Ma Yu couldn't help but let her thoughts wander a bit more:

"Initially, Chinese civilization did not have the concept of reincarnation or the concept of the underworld."

"In ancient mythology, the soul of a dead person would go to Mount Tai."

"Therefore, the Great Emperor of the Eastern Peak was the earliest deity to rule the world of death, and his status in the mythological system is very high."

Everyone nodded again, and even Xi Yingzhen felt that she had benefited greatly.

Although he was a highly respected Taoist master, his research focused more on the meaning of scriptures and he only had a superficial understanding of history.

After listening to Ma Yu's analysis, I realized the root cause of many problems.

This also gave him a deeper understanding of Taoism.

He also deeply admired Ma Yu.

At the same time, I am also very curious: who trained such a talented person?
Why have I never heard of it?
Daoyan felt the same way. He was well-versed in the three teachings, but he knew little about these historical developments.

Today I feel like I've suddenly gained a clear understanding.

At the same time, there is also a greater expectation for the reform and transformation of Confucianism.

Judging by this level of knowledge, he might actually have come prepared.

Ma Yu continued, "The biggest challenge Buddhism faced after its emergence was Hinduism."

"They want to compete with Hinduism for the right to speak."

"This requires them to be more rigorous and logical in their thinking."

"This is why everyone thinks monks are good at arguing."

"Han Yu was demoted to Lingnan for opposing the welcoming of the Buddha's relics."

"But after he arrived in Lingnan, he became friends with a monk named Da Dian."

"So much so that many people mistakenly believed that Han Yu had bowed to Buddhism."

His explanation for this was that education and culture were not thriving in Lingnan, and he could not find anyone to discuss the classics with after he arrived there.

“The mad monk was the only person in the area who could debate with him.”

"Not only Han Yu, but many famous literati had a monk friend."

"The fundamental reason is that monks are good at arguing, and frequent communication with them can train one's thinking."

"But a monk's eloquence is not a gift, but rather something he has cultivated through rigorous logical training."

"Confucianism and Taoism, which do not emphasize logic, are no match for Mohism."

"When faced with Buddhism, which emphasizes logical thinking, it is equally powerless to fight back."

"Of course, Buddhism's dominance over Confucianism and Taoism is not only due to its greater emphasis on logic, but also because it has its merits in terms of thought."

"As we mentioned earlier, the ideas of the Hundred Schools of Thought were formed based on the inherent cultural system of China."

"The advantages are that it is secular and pragmatic, and can assume social functions."

"The drawback is that it cannot transcend itself and propose more profound and ambitious goals."

"Buddhism is different; it was born to rebel against Hinduism."

"Therefore, Buddhism put forward profound and magnificent goals, such as the equality of all sentient beings."

"And because it is a religion, it also provides ultimate care for believers."

"People suffer greatly and need spiritual comfort, and religion plays such a role."

"Buddhism uses the concepts of accumulating good deeds, reincarnation, and the Pure Land to construct a grand world that transcends reality for all people."

"To give ultimate care to all believers."

"When this grand and benevolent idea entered China..."

"This is a 'dimensional reduction' attack on Confucianism, which emphasizes etiquette and classifies people into different classes."

"Of course, Buddhism also has its shortcomings. Its biggest shortcoming is the lack of social function."

"Humans constitute society and need various functions to maintain the order of this society."

"In this respect, Buddhism has made little progress and has even lagged behind."

"For example, after becoming a monk, one does not engage in production, which causes great damage to the economy and also affects family harmony."

"This is why Buddhism defeated Confucianism, Taoism, and other schools of thought in terms of ideology."

"But the reason why the Chinese dynasties throughout history have continued to govern the country is that they have adopted Confucianism, Legalism and Taoism."

"Later, the great Buddhist masters of China also used Chinese thought to transform Buddhism, which led to the Mahayana Buddhism we know today."

"However, its shortcomings in this regard have never been effectively remedied."

"This is also the fundamental reason why Buddhism was completely suppressed after the rise of Neo-Confucianism and the School of Mind."

Because Neo-Confucianism and the School of Mind not only surpassed Buddhism in their ideas, but they also had a system for governing the country.

Everyone suddenly realized the truth and gained a clearer understanding of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism.

At the same time, he also had some ideas about how Ma Yu could divide and reform Confucianism.

That is, to propose a set of ideas that are more advanced than those of Neo-Confucianism and the School of Mind.

We also need to crush them in terms of language and logic.

but……

Dao Yan believed he could do the latter, but he had no clue about the former.

The Neo-Confucianism and the School of Mind have already formed by combining the strengths of many schools of thought, including Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism.

Even if he were arrogant, he wouldn't believe he could come up with a better system of thought.

So……

He looked at Ma Yu and said in a somewhat urgent tone:

"Does Young Master Ma have any better ideas regarding ideology?"

Xi Yingzhen also opened her eyes, looking at Ma Yu expectantly.

He had seen through life and death and was prepared to face it.

In this situation, he didn't believe there was anything in the world that he couldn't let go of.

But now, after hearing Ma Yu's words...

He felt his blood boiling.

He felt he would die with regrets if he didn't get involved and make some contribution.

(End of this chapter)