The Ming Dynasty's Five Hundred Years

Chapter 18 Debating the Heavenly Scripture Above the Celestial Palace

Everyone turned their attention to Li Qi, eager to hear how he would respond.

The atmosphere in the hall was lively. Given the customs of the Ming Dynasty, a full-blown fight was possible. Everyone wanted to see if Li Qi would directly and fiercely retort.

Li Qi looked around the hall and saw the expectation, mockery, hostility, and ridicule in everyone's eyes.

Li Qi had long considered what stance he should take when that day finally came.

Ever since he transmigrated, he had been burdened with a deep-seated resentment, a resentment that weighed heavily on the life, death, success, and failure of the Li family. He was extremely cautious and trembling with fear.

He did not visit any relatives or friends after returning to Beijing.

He always adhered to the three rules set forth in Zhu Yuanzhang's edict, never daring to overstep them.

Only after Yang Jing died could he breathe a little easier.

He was gentle, kind, and knew when to advance and retreat. Even the discerning emperor and crown prince praised him for displaying the demeanor of a great Confucian scholar after the great upheaval, deeming him a pillar of the nation.

It was this transformative change that made the emperor willing to entrust such an important matter to him.

Today, he is finally about to achieve complete success.

But that's not him!
Li Qi thought that since the matter of the Duke's Mansion's destruction was about to end, and since the three masterminds behind it were all going to die, he should consider that...

He would vent all the pent-up frustration he had accumulated over the years right here in this hall. He was never a gentle and refined person; he was a jagged rock on a mountain, a raging flood during the rainy season, and a sharp sword that pierced the heart.

He also wanted to indulge himself just this once.

only……

Thinking of the future trials and tribulations of the Ming Dynasty, thinking of the suspicious old emperor sitting high in the Mingtang, thinking of how people in the world respect scholars and Confucianists.

He thought of his unborn child.

It's easy to act impulsively, but it's not a good thing if it brings a storm that breaks the branches.

To display one's brilliance and ambition today and then bring harm to future generations is neither wise nor compassionate!
Li Qi clenched his fist and then slowly relaxed it.

His aura remained as deep as an abyss, and his posture as upright as a pine tree, displaying a composure that remained unchanged even if Mount Tai collapsed before him.

He casually flicked his sleeve, as if he had heard a joke or seen a clown.

"Master Zishan just explained to you ministers what the Holy Way is. It just so happens that I also have some knowledge of the Holy Way. I would like to offer my comments to you ministers in this hall above the nine heavens."

Li Qi's articles had been circulating in the capital for some time, and they were naturally aware of his research into the Daoist teachings and his modest achievements.

"For the Prince Consort to dare utter such words on such a occasion, he must be confident that he can rival Mr. Zishan!"

“Master Zishan is a learned scholar and a world-renowned master. Even if Li Qi has some talent after his enlightenment, how could he possibly surpass him in just a year and a half?”

"After the upheaval in the Duke's mansion, this prince consort's temperament changed drastically. He dares to make such a gesture today, so he must have some confidence."

"Didn't you hear about the four-line teaching on good and evil that circulated the other day? Li Qi has extraordinary talent. Although his political career is limited, his achievements tomorrow are limitless."

In the imperial court, almost everyone was watching the contest between Li Qi and Li Yuanming. Regardless of who won or lost, it would be beneficial to them.

"Since Mr. Zishan has just used the phrase 'since ancient times,' and I happen to be most skilled in history, I will tell you all about the origins and development of Zhu Xi's philosophy over the past hundred years."

"Zhu Xi's philosophy originated from Cheng Yi's Luoyang school, and at that time there were two schools..."

"Until the end of the Song Dynasty, Zhu Xi's teachings were still not accepted by the world and were only passed down in a very small number of families..."

"The teachings of Zhu Xi swept across China, originating from the Mongol conquest of the Central Plains..."

The hall was already silent, with only Li Qi's voice echoing among the pillars. His voice was unhurried, like a spring breeze brushing across the river, warm and gentle, without any urgency to argue.

But the faces of many civil officials in the hall had already darkened. Some history cannot be turned back, or everyone will lose face.

"If you put a piece of white cloth in oil stains, it is no longer clean, it can no longer be called spotless, and it can no longer be called a 'white cloth'!"

From the Tang and Song dynasties to the present Ming dynasty, the customs of the Han people have changed so much. Compared with the Tang and Song people, aren't we more like the Yuan people?

I was puzzled at first, but later I realized it was because the Mongol Yuan dynasty had ruled the world for ninety-seven years.

Li Qi's voice was soft, but it struck everyone's hearts heavily. Li Yuanming sensed something was wrong. He didn't expect Li Qi to not discuss philosophy with him, but instead to directly undermine the cause by smearing Neo-Confucianism.

He interrupted Li Qi sharply, "Li Qi, are you attacking the sage? Have you not heard that the former Song Dynasty perished precisely because it did not respect the way of the sage? How dare you spout nonsense here and corrupt the righteous path of the world!"

"Mr. Zishan, please don't be anxious."

Li Qi remained unhurried and composed, saying, "Has there ever been a saint in this world who achieved enlightenment without experiencing hardships and difficulties?"
Even Confucius, in his past, traveled to various states but could not serve a sage ruler, and even found himself in dire straits between Chen and Cai.

My purpose in discussing history here is not to attack the two sages Cheng Yi and Zhu Xi, but rather to criticize their unworthy descendants.

When Your Majesty established the Ming Dynasty, you said you would restore the glory of the Han Dynasty and revive the systems of the Tang and Song Dynasties. But now that the Ming Dynasty has been established, it is still deeply influenced by those filthy things. Is this not an extremely tragic thing?

Everyone knew that Li Qi's words were directed at Li Yuanming, implying that Li Yuanming was an unworthy descendant who was entirely devoted to flattering the teachings of the Yuan dynasty.

"In the Yuan capital's prison, Wen Gong wrote the Song of Righteousness and then calmly faced death. He was the last backbone of the Song people, while those whose bones were broken rewrote the classics and knelt at the feet of the barbarians. If Zhu Xi knew that his teachings would flourish as a result, he would probably weep."

The moment that last sentence was uttered, everyone felt a chill run down their spines. Why bring up Wen Tianxiang? With him as a foil, those Han Confucian scholars who still harbored feelings for the former Yuan dynasty seemed even more like potential villains.

Li Qi's words, one by one, resonated deeply with everyone.

Confucius said, "To achieve benevolence," and Mencius said, "To uphold righteousness." Only by fulfilling righteousness can one attain benevolence. What have we learned from reading the books of sages and worthies? From now on, we can be free from shame.

Can Mr. Zishan be without guilt?

Li Qi's leisurely voice resounded. He did not question loudly, but there was endless scenery and the demeanor of a sage.

It seems like...

It was as if the Duke Wen had landed behind him, raised his hand and placed it on his shoulder, exuding a righteous and awe-inspiring aura!
Everyone knows that Li Qi has profound knowledge; otherwise, he wouldn't be able to write those articles so effortlessly.

But today...

Debating scriptures is not about debating scriptures.

It is not about reasoning.

This sword strike was aimed at a vital point, not to force Li Yuanming to his death, but to drive him into a desperate situation.

This is an unsolvable problem. If you put ink on a piece of white paper and say it's white, no one will believe you.

Li Yuanming had never encountered an opponent like Li Qi before, who always managed to strike at the weakest point.

Li Qi stopped looking at Li Yuanming and instead glanced at Zhan Hui, the Minister of Personnel, who was standing in front of the assembled officials.

Given the current situation, Zhan Hui, can you still stand firm?
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Neo-Confucianism is the theory that transformed Confucianism from a doctrine into a religion. Neo-Confucian scholars established a strict hierarchical order based on age, status, and gender through a series of normative Confucian rituals.

In this order, the most basic unit of the state and society is the clan. In order to adapt to this social system, Neo-Confucian scholars found that it was necessary to eliminate the system of private property and transform it into clan-based public ownership.

However, such extremely conservative theories clashed sharply with the relaxed and free reality of the Song Dynasty, and Neo-Confucianism was excluded from the mainstream of society until the Mongols entered the Central Plains! — "Confucianism and the Mongols in the Song and Yuan Dynasties"

(End of this chapter)