Great Song Dynasty Writer

Chapter 97 There is only one path to the future
As dawn broke, the thin mist lingered.

Dozens of new students stood solemnly in the square in front of the Confucius Temple. The ground paved with blue bricks gleamed with a damp sheen. Ancient cypress trees stood tall on both sides, their branches twisting and turning like dragons. Occasionally, dewdrops would fall from the branches and leaves, making a soft sound.

In the fourth year of the Qingli era, the Song Dynasty established the position of professor in the prefectural school. The professor was the chief official in charge of the prefectural school and was responsible for "instructing students in the classics and moral conduct, examining students, and enforcing school rules." Therefore, the entrance ceremony for new students was also the responsibility of the professor.

Professor Jiang Zicheng, dressed in a blue official robe, wearing a blue square scarf, and holding a locust wood tablet, slowly walked up the steps.

He was followed by several state school officials, all dressed in formal attire, their steps steady.

"Arrange your clothes properly—" a deacon chanted loudly.

Upon hearing this, everyone immediately straightened their robes, adjusted their Confucian caps, and adopted a solemn expression.

Before his transmigration, Lu Beigu, a native of Shandong, had a strong aversion to worshipping Confucius when he was in middle school. At that time, the economy was developing rapidly, society was becoming atomized, and the identification with clan, organizational structure, and traditional moral concepts was gradually fading. He felt that these things were outdated.

But things change when you grow up.

Lu Beigu discovered that throughout history, both ancient and modern, society is more likely to be stagnant. In such circumstances, mutually supportive clan relationships, stable income and social status, and commonly accepted moral customs are all very important to individuals.

And to be honest, some of the things Confucius said were absolutely right!
As thoughts raced through his mind, Lu Beigu lowered his head slightly and noticed that the hem of his clothes was a little wrinkled, so he reached out and smoothed it out.

Su Zhe, standing to the right, was already standing ramrod straight, his hands clasped in front of his abdomen, his posture as dignified as a pine tree.

Professor Jiang led the group through the gate of the Confucius Temple. The three-bay, four-pillar stone archway stood majestically, with cloud and dragon patterns carved on the pillars, lifelike, as if it were about to take off at any moment.

The three characters "Lingxing Gate" carved on the lintel are particularly powerful and vigorous.

The practice of calling the main gate of the Confucius Temple the Lingxing Gate began in the early Tang Dynasty. The Song Dynasty followed the Tang system, and the Lingxing Gate gradually became a standard feature of ritual buildings such as the Confucius Temple and altars. As the "gateway to the Way," this gate guided scholars to respect Confucius, study the classics, and maintain moral order.

"When you pass through this gate, you should have a sense of awe," Professor Jiang said calmly.

Everyone held their breath and passed through the Lingxing Gate one by one.

Behind the gate, the Pan Pond lies like a crescent moon, with several red carp swimming leisurely among the lotus flowers, shattering the sunlight on the pond.

The Book of Songs, Ode to Lu, records, "The Marquis of Lu stopped and drank wine at the Pan Pool." The Pan Pool originated from the Pan Palace built by Duke Xi of Lu in Qufu during the Zhou Dynasty. After the Han Dynasty, it became a standard feature of local official schools, serving both sacrificial and teaching functions. It is usually shaped like half a wall, implying the idea that "learning has no end."

The "Entering the School Ceremony" refers to the new students crossing the Pan Bridge to enter the school, symbolizing their entry into the academic hall. The carp in the pond under the bridge represent the expectation of "fish leaping over the dragon gate".

After passing the Pan Pool, there are nine steps of blue stone steps, at the end of which is the Dacheng Hall—a double-eaved hip roof with towering chimeras, and the vermilion doors are wide open, with candlelight flickering inside.

Upon entering the hall, the scent of agarwood wafted towards him, causing Lu Beigu's pupils to contract slightly. It took him a moment to adjust to the dim light before he could clearly see the scene inside.

The central shrine houses the "Supreme Sage and Teacher Confucius," its gilded wooden tablet gleaming warmly in the candlelight. On either side are the tablets of the twelve philosophers of Confucius's school, including Yan Hui and Zeng Shen, arranged neatly. On the altar are seasonal fresh fruits and sacrificial offerings.

Professor Jiang stood at the front, holding a tablet, and recited the prayer in elegant, classical language, his voice rising and falling in a rhythmic, melodious tone, like reciting an ancient poem.

"Our late teacher's virtue matches that of Heaven and Earth, and his teachings transcend the ages."

When the phrase "the holy virtue shines brightly" was recited, a gentle breeze suddenly swept by outside the hall, rustling the cypress leaves as if in response.

Then came the three offerings ceremony. Professor Jiang personally held the cup and performed the first offering, slowly pouring the wine into the bronze vessel. Next, a teacher from the state school performed the second offering, and finally, a highly respected old scholar performed the final offering.

Each time an offering was made, everyone solemnly bowed and paid their respects. After the three offerings were completed, Professor Jiang turned to face the students and said in a deep voice, "Today's ceremony to honor Confucius is not merely a formality, but to enable you to understand the way of the sages and the essence of learning!"

"The way of learning begins with respecting teachers and valuing the Way, followed by cultivating oneself and understanding virtue, and only then can one talk about governing the country and bringing peace to the world!"

"I hope you will all remember this."

Everyone responded in unison, "We will follow your teachings!"

After the ritual, the short state school freshman orientation ceremony was considered complete.

The group exited the Dacheng Hall one by one. Lu Beigu walked behind and glanced back into the hall. In the wisps of incense smoke, it seemed as if the spirit of their late teacher was still watching over them, the young students.

"May I pass the exam and become a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) soon," he thought to himself.

Lu Beigu thought about it carefully. The ideal situation would be for him to stay in the state school for more than two months and then pass the state examination to become a Juren.

Because the provincial examinations were held uniformly across the Song Dynasty on the 15th of August, lasting for three days.

The teachers at the examination institute began "locking down" the institute after entering on August 5th, which meant closing the examination rooms and isolating the examiners to prevent cheating. The rankings could not be announced until September after the scores were graded and verified.

Those who were qualified to go to Beijing to take the provincial examination of the Ministry of Rites were required to arrive in the capital before October 25th and submit their application and family statement.

However, idealistically speaking, the reality is that Lu Beigu's foundation in the imperial examinations is too weak!

Even though Lu Beigu relied on his exceptional learning ability, diligent attitude, and Zhao Bian's guidance, the combination of these three factors allowed him to make rapid progress in the county school's rankings and achieve first place in this year's Hejiang County Examination.

But in the state school, everyone there was a top performer in the county examinations over the years!

Objectively speaking, Lu Beigu's academic ability is currently insufficient to rank him among the top in the entire state school.

He only had a little over two months left.

If you want to create a miracle and catch up with next year's "Millennium Dragon and Tiger List", there is only one way forward.

That means performing well at this welcoming gathering and ranking in the top five, so that you can be selected by Li Tian, ​​the "famous teacher of Sichuan" who you would never normally encounter, and in the subsequent dormitory assignment exam, you must at least get into the middle dormitory.

Neither of these two steps can fail.

Only in this way is there a glimmer of hope.

"Study until you drop, or you'll die!"

He took a deep breath, then turned around and followed the group towards the gathering area behind the Confucius Temple.

Unlike the overall solemnity of the Confucius Temple, this place is a hidden paradise.

The pavilions, surrounded by winding streams, are nestled among the green bamboos. Along the banks of the stream, there are many blue stone tables and chairs, each set with snacks, incense, tea, writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones.

(End of this chapter)