After hearing Yuanzhi's advice, Yunxi suddenly felt normal. Yes, the reason why Yunxi felt abnormal before was that no one advised him because he went to meet so many monks and Taoist priests.
Zhu Yuanzhang was so powerful back then, and ministers tirelessly advised Zhu Yuanzhang not to get close to the monks, not to mention that the emperor who had just succeeded to the throne had far less prestige than Zhu Yuanzhang.
However, after hearing Yuanzhi's words, Yunxi was still full of complaints. Yunxi wanted to tell him and all other officials of the Ming Dynasty that religion is a weapon. Except for a very precocious nation like the Han people, religion is a weapon.
Religion is a more effective weapon than the sword.
Even for the Han people, although religion is not as effective as swords, it is still a very effective weapon. Didn’t you see that when the Eight-Nation Allied Forces invaded China, how many religious leaders took the initiative to help the Eight-Nation Allied Forces? Obedient people are honest and do not mess with anyone.
Only the religious people will take the initiative to help the invaders.
Even a precocious nation like the Han people will still have devout believers, not to mention the existence of many church schools. And among the True God believers in the northwest, how many of the original Han people became Hui people after believing in the True God religion?
?
Not to mention that in the late Qing Dynasty, how many missionaries secretly did espionage work in the name of preaching? Especially the Puritan churches from the United States were an important driving force in secretly destroying Chinese culture and destroying the Chinese people's self-confidence.
It is said that Song Ziwen, the younger brother of sisters Soong Ching Ling and Soong Meiling, who believed in Christianity since he was a child, disdained the Chinese language. He only read reports in China in English, and he only spoke English when talking to people who also studied abroad in England and America.
Therefore, before the concept of the nation-state is deeply rooted in the hearts of the people, there is no harm in adding a little local faith to the hearts of the people across the country. At the end of the Ming Dynasty, when the European countries had not yet invaded China, how many Chinese people believed in Catholicism?
If the country's religions do not occupy the position of religious belief, foreign religions will. If Yunxi had the ability to popularize the views of the nation-state, he would definitely popularize it, but now that he does not have the conditions, he can only retreat.
Next.
Of course, if the religious atmosphere is too strong, it will hinder the development of the country. Britain, Germany, and the United States all became powerful countries after they carried out the religious reform. However, Spain and Portugal, which had not carried out the religious reform, were the first to colonize overseas, but they gradually declined.
However, given the pragmatism of Chinese people, it is basically impossible for the religious atmosphere to be too strong.
And religion does not affect scientific inventions. Newton has always been a devout believer, didn’t he also create the modern scientific system? Einstein was also a devout Jew. Most scientific inventions in the world were discovered or created by believers.
.
Yunxi didn't know whether Zhu Yuanzhang realized the importance of occupying the position of religious belief. Yunxi didn't ask him when Zhu Yuanzhang was still alive.
However, Zhu Yuanzhang ordered the establishment of City God temples in all prefectures and counties across the country, and conferred the title of City God in the capital as King Xianyou of the Supervision Department, the first grade, and the City God of each prefecture as Wei Linggong, the City God of the Supervision Bureau, the second grade, and the City God of the Prefecture.
The god is the City God Xianyouhou of the Supervisor Si Min, who is in the third rank. The god of the city god in each county is the City God Xianyou Bo of the Supervisor Si Min, who is the fourth rank.
In this way, a religious system has been established in every prefecture and county in the country. Coupled with the ubiquitous Tutu Temple in China, relying on the City God Temple-Tudi Temple secondary level, a religious system covering the whole country has been established to prevent new religions from foreign countries from being introduced.
invaded.
Of course, the above are all high-sounding principles. As for the direct purpose, the reason why Yunxi insists on getting Buddhists and Taoists to recognize Zhu Yuanzhang as the reincarnation of someone is to use the influence of Buddhism and Taoism to consolidate the foundation of the Ming Dynasty among the people.
It’s hard to say how effective it will be in China, but it’s better than doing nothing at all.
If the purpose is more clear, Yunxi's main purpose is to consolidate his own rule. For Yunxi, he will consider any method that can consolidate the rule of the Ming Dynasty. At the same time, Yunxi believes that this is not harmful to China, so he will implement it.
Use Confucianism to win over the upper class and constantly reform Confucianism; use local officials to directly manage and use Buddhism and Taoism to softly control the lower class people. This is Yunxi's basic attitude.
But these things are not easy to talk to the civil servants below. They cannot understand them. Even many modern people who have experienced the huge influence of religion find them absurd, let alone these ancient scholars who have little experience.
Therefore, Yunxi said: "Former censor, I know that sacred learning is the right way, and I will never favor Buddhism and Taoism and abandon Confucianism."
"I just made arrangements with them because Emperor Taizu worshiped Buddhism and Taoism in order to appease Emperor Taizu's spirit in heaven."
Then Yunxi immediately announced his resignation from the court without waiting for Yuanzhi or others to say anything, and he quickly left from behind, leaving only many civil servants who looked helpless or unwilling.
But Yunxi had to deal with political affairs, so he also had to deal with the exhortations. Although the exhortations could be left unpublished, the four auxiliary officials had to be seen.
Therefore, although Yunxi hid in the harem, he still could not escape the fate of being remonstrated. Zhang Wen and Guo Zhen did not remonstrate, but Bao Zhao, Chen Xingshan, and Zhuo Jing also came to remonstrate before they started to deal with the problem.
Yunxi sighed and decided to tell the truth to the three of them. Yunxi said: "Three beloved ministers, Yushi Yuanzhi said that 'Buddhism and Taoism are only believed by foolish people and foolish women'. This is true. But throughout the world,
How many people are there who are not stupid people or stupid women?”
"In the whole world, there are people who can be regarded as sensible people, that is, people who have studied in social studies. How many of these people account for the people of the Ming Dynasty? How many of the other people are not fools?"
"When I govern our Ming Dynasty, I will never abandon Confucianism. The world must be governed by Confucianism!" Yunxi first reassured several civil servants present, and then continued: "But these ignorant people cannot understand the truth and are easily succumbed to evil cults.
Isn’t it true that the White Lotus Rebellion in San Qin last year was caused by ignorant people being bewitched by a cult?”
"Instead of letting them be bewitched by cults, it is better to let them believe in Buddhism and Taoism."
"But I will never establish a Buddhist or Taoist kingdom on earth. To govern the country, we must rely on civil and military officials."
Yunxi expressed his thoughts more directly. It depends on whether these civil servants sit on the side of Ming Dynasty or Confucianism.
The three civil servants present were not stupid. Of course they heard what Yunxi meant, so the three civil servants immediately fell silent. Although they were civil servants and Confucian believers, they were now officials of the Ming Dynasty, and Yunxi treated them with great courtesy.
Although it is not as good as Zhuge Liang's, it is still a deep friendship.
Even if according to the standard of "a good bird chooses the tree to roost", if Yunxi places such great importance on them, they have no reason not to support Yunxi.
So among the three, Chen Xingshan sighed and went back to work. The purest Chen Xingshan was the first to be freed.
Then Zhuo Jing hesitated for a while, and then went back to work. Finally, Bao Zhao bowed and said to Yunxi: "I hope your Majesty will not forget what he said today, and will not abandon the holy knowledge." Then he went to work.
Yunxi also took a breath, he was also very scared.
After finishing the memorial in the afternoon, it was time to summon all the Buddhist and Taoist experts. After sending the five officials out, Yunxi first called all the Buddhist people.