The remaining people also gave Mr. Zhu apprenticeship gifts in order of age.
When he saw the jade pen given by Bai Xiaowen, Mr. Zhu scolded Bai Xiaowen, but he could not hide the joy in his eyes.
The ancients loved pens, inks, paper and inkstones. Although he was always simple and did not like to buy any valuables, he did not allow others to give him gifts. However, Bai Xiaowen was his nephew, so this gift was different. Besides, it was also a apprenticeship ceremony, so he could not refuse it.
The reason is not contrary to one's own character.
"Here are some jade cicadas from my room, just for you."
Mr. Zhu presented a jade cicada to each of the four apprentices. The cicada does not know the spring and autumn. It hibernates in the summer, hibernates and transforms, and sings loudly. It was a blockbuster. He also cut a clump of new bamboo from the academy and gave it to them. The bamboo is the year old tree.
The three friends of Han, who would rather break than bend, have the spirit of a gentleman, and also have the metaphor of rising steadily.
Zishui County is rich in jade, and ordinary jade materials are not very valuable.
At this time, Master Zhubai brought a red silk rope and said with a smile: "You are young, so I gave you the jade cicada. Hang it around your neck, and you can pray for blessings."
This jade cicada has two small holes drilled into its compound eyes, making it look like a pendant.
Several people strung red silk ropes and hung the jade cicada pendant around their necks, which was warm and cool.
Then Mr. Zhu led them to a room. There were three portraits hanging on the wall. The one in the middle, Bai Gui, had been seen by Xu Xiucai. It was a portrait of the sage Confucius. He was a little uncomfortable with the portraits on the left and right.
Got it.
"On the left is a portrait of Zhu Xi, and on the right is a portrait of Mr. Hengqu. In my early years, I studied at Guanzhong Academy and became a disciple of Mr. He Fuzhai. Mr. He Ruilin (He Ruilin) studied under the great scholar Li Tongge of Guanzhong, Mr. Li.
One of the Three Righteous Learnings..."
Mr. Zhu showed a nostalgic look and said slowly.
He studied at Guanzhong Academy like Yu Keyou. After the Eight-Power Allied Forces invaded China, the Queen Mother of the West and Emperor Guangxu went to Xi'an in 1900. They were forced to kneel down in the rain to greet them. Therefore, they gave up their career and returned to their hometown to teach.
.
Mr. Yu Kejia recorded in "My Youth": "Most of his disciples were from the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China and those who influenced modern times; the famous universities in Qin Province in the late Qing Dynasty were Lantian Niu Zhaolian, Xingping Zhang Yuanxun, Ma Jianyuan, Pucheng Miyan,
Sun Naikun, a scholar from Shandong Zichuan University, and others all came from the school. The Zhengyi Academy he founded was famous at that time, with an endless stream of foreign scholars. It taught tens of thousands of disciples both inside and outside the province, and it was worthy of being called a master of Neo-Confucianism.
There are two major families of scholars in Guanzhong; one is Mr. Miyuan He Fuzhai, Ruilin, who is the leader of the Neo-Confucianists, and the other is Mr. Liu Guyu of Xianyang, Guangjin, who is the leader of the Confucianists. Mr. He studied the sect of Zhu Xi and practiced it diligently, as if he were moral and ethical.
It’s in Shi Xuan’s mind.”
(Niu Zhaolian is the prototype of Mr. Zhu, and Zishui County is also Lantian County.)
The four tutors did not dare to speak out and looked respectful.
What Mr. Zhu is talking about now is the context of Guan Studies. He passed it on from He Ruilin, and He Ruilin passed it on from Li Tongge, and more than ten generations later it was Mr. Hengqu Zhang Zai, so this context is the orthodoxy of Guan Studies.
When Bai Gui heard that he was talking about Zhang Zai, his heart moved. He looked carefully and found that Mr. Hengqu, the portrait on the right, had the famous four sentences of Hengqu written in regular script on the portrait.
"Establish a heart for heaven and earth,
To establish a destiny for the sake of the people,
To carry on the unique learning to the saints,
Create peace for all generations.”
He couldn't help but be fascinated. Zhang Zai, Mr. Hengqu, was one of the five sons of the Northern Song Dynasty. The other five sons were Zhou Dunyi, Shao Yong, Cheng Hao and Cheng Yi. Except for Zhang Zai, the other four were all Neo-Confucianists. Although Shao Yong
He was a Taoist, but he was also one of the founders of Neo-Confucianism in the Song Dynasty.
Although he is not qualified to claim to have inherited the tradition of Guan Xue, he studied under Mr. Zhu, a great scholar of Guan Xue. At least he would not make people laugh if he said these four lines about Hengqu.
"The tradition of Confucianism was inherited from Mencius by Mr. Lianxi (Zhou Dunyi), Mr. Mingdao (Cheng Hao), and Mr. Yichuan (Cheng Yi). Our academy originally did not read the Five Classics, nor the books of Confucius and Mencius, nor Lian, Luo, etc.
Guan and Fujian studies are not taught."
Mr. Zhu said slowly.
Lian refers to Mr. Zhou Dunyi of Lianxi; Luo refers to the Ercheng brothers; Guan refers to Mr. Zhang Zai of Hengqu; Min refers to Zhu Xi’s Fujian studies.
"But... Nowadays, the disadvantages of the times are becoming more and more apparent. Mr. Yun Tai (Ruan Yuan) founded the Execution Jingshe in Gushan, West Lake, Hangzhou. "The Jingshe is the name of the place where Han students and disciples live; the exegesis of scriptures does not forget the old work, but also learns new knowledge.
.””
"The Jingjing Jingshe founded by Mr. Yun Tai worships Han studies and despises Neo-Confucianism. It honors Xu Shen and Zheng Xuan but not Cheng Hao, Cheng Yi and Zhu Xi of the Song Dynasty. It advocates practical learning, classics and history, political affairs, astronomy, geography, etc...."
"So the academy has also added some practical courses. If you are interested, you can also learn a few things. However, things should be prioritized. You should pass the county examination first before talking about anything else..."
Mr. Zhu led them to worship three portraits, and then said with a smile.
The four nodded.
Now that the apprenticeship ceremony was over, the master's wife also prepared lunch in the dining room. There were a few side dishes, which were less meaty and fishy. Most of them were wild vegetables from the mountains. The rice was also made of grain and grits porridge, with some pearl rice in it.
"Eat it!"
Mr. Zhu was the first to use his chopsticks, and then several people at the table started using their chopsticks.
In fact, there is a cook in Bailu Academy, but the master's wife, Zhu Bai, is a busy master. Although the food cooked by the cook is slightly better than that in the back house, it is not to suit Mr. Zhu's appetite and tends to be bland.
.
There are a lot of students in the academy, so we can't make it difficult for other students just for the sake of my husband.
"I have already packed up two houses in the back house. You two will live together in one. From now on, you will eat at my place." Zhu Bai didn't serve the table. She waited until the group had almost eaten.
He walked over on his little feet and cleared the table.
"Then...thank you, eldest sister."
Bai Jiaxuan did not refuse. The reason why he sent a few children to Bailu Academy was for the same reason. Although the accommodation fee in the county was not expensive, it was undoubtedly better to stay in the academy to witness and be close to Zhu. Zhu Bai said
It was exactly what he wanted.
Seeing that Mr. Zhu had no intention of refuting, he took out three or four silver ingots from his bag, estimated to be more than a dozen taels, and stuffed them into Zhu Bai's hands. "They are all family property anyway, and the family is just waiting for these few."
The kids are promising, sister, don’t refuse, otherwise it won’t be easy for the kids to stay here for a long time, and you see that the clear soup you and your brother-in-law are eating is watery. These kids are half-grown, so they need to eat something good.
…”
He said that the food served to the guests was simple. Mrs. Zhu Bai smiled and ignored him, but she also took back the hand that was given out.
If other people say that the food is poor, it is offending.
But Bai Jiaxuan and she are biological siblings. They have helped and supported her over the years. No matter how many times they have interacted with her, they have never mentioned the simple food. The food on this table is better than what they usually eat. If you think about it carefully, you will know that it is an excuse for her to accept it.
silver.
If Bai Xiaowen was the only one left, she would not accept the money no matter what. But there were three other people, and they were considered family property, so it was quite appropriate.
Once you become developed, it is extremely normal for you to give back to your hometown.