Chapter 509: Guo Jia vs. Zheng Xuan! On the Disadvantages of Confucianism and Legalism!
It was very rare in the past to have four great Confucian scholars gathered together, especially Zheng Xuan, who is undoubtedly the number one Confucian scholar in the world today.

It is no exaggeration to say that almost all the scholars present have read his works, and in later generations they would be the compilers of textbooks.

One can imagine how great his influence is and how high his status in the literary world is.

When the officials present saw Zheng Xuan coming, they all stood up and walked forward to greet him. Even Guo Jia and others took the initiative to step forward to greet him.

Although they are opponents in the debate today, they still have to give Zheng Xuan enough respect and not neglect the proper etiquette.

“Mr. Zheng.”

Guo Jia bowed and saluted Zheng Xuan.

Zheng Xuan nodded slightly and said, “I am old and my legs and feet are not very convenient, so I came a little late. I am sorry to have kept the Grand Tutor and you waiting for a long time.”

Guo Jia smiled and said, “That’s not true, old sir. We just arrived, so we can’t say we’ve been waiting for a long time.”

“I have heard of your name for a long time, and I have read all of your works, which have benefited me a lot.”

Hearing Guo Jia’s compliments, a voice suddenly sounded: “I don’t think so.”

“Since he had read Mr. Zheng’s works, why did Situ Guo abandon Confucianism and advocate new learning?”

“Isn’t this an act of forgetting one’s roots?”

Everyone looked in the direction where the voice came from. The person who spoke was an old man with a stern face.

This person is none other than one of the great Confucian scholars participating in today’s debate, and is known as Hua Xin, the Dragon Chief of the Jian’an Period!

While speaking, he was staring at Guo Jia with burning eyes.

Hua Xin’s words were very sharp. He directly attacked Guo Jia’s recent remarks and openly accused and questioned him.

Zheng Xuan frowned slightly. The debate had not yet begun and Guo Jia had only come to greet him out of courtesy. Hua Xin’s words were indeed a bit aggressive.

But before he could say anything, he saw a scholar with an ugly face behind Guo Jia step forward and speak.

“If Confucianism and Legalism are not promoted, it will be difficult to continue. Situ Guo advocated the new learning in order to make our Han Dynasty strong and prosperous, and he was dedicated to the public.”

“I heard that Mr. Hua was summoned by Cao Cao to Xuchang to help the false emperor. I would like to ask, Mr. Hua, you are eating the salary of the Han Dynasty, but you are also helping the rebellion. What is your purpose?”

“If Situ Guo is ungrateful, how should we evaluate Mr. Hua’s behavior? Please feel free to give me some advice.”

The person who was speaking was Pang Tong.

His attack power was very strong. He came up and bombarded Hua Xin directly with a weird tone, not giving Hua Xin any face at all.

Hua Xin had a dark history. After Sun Ce’s death, he was summoned by Cao Cao.

But later, as the dispute between the two emperors became more and more confusing, he finally chose to leave Xuchang and live in seclusion in the mountains.

But no matter what, he once assisted the false emperor and the traitors, which is an indelible stain.

Hua Xin accused Guo Jia of forgetting his ancestors, so Pang Tong bluntly brought up Hua Xin’s dark history.

“you–!”

Hua Xin’s face darkened instantly. He looked around and saw that everyone was looking at him. He felt anxious. After all, he couldn’t bear such a reputation.

He just threw his sleeves and retorted: “I was deceived by the thief Cao He, so I mistakenly joined the false emperor!”

“That’s interesting.”

Pang Tong laughed and said, “It is often said that reading can make one wise. Sir, you have read so many books by sages, but you cannot distinguish right from wrong?”

“It seems that you still haven’t learned the essence of Confucianism, and you haven’t understood the principles in the books of the sages.”

“Guo Situ has not read as many books as you, but he was able to help the emperor unify the Han Dynasty and wipe out the rebels. If this is the case, what qualifications do you have to teach Guo Situ a lesson?”

“Could it be that you think you have too much morality in your heart and want to sell a few pounds to Guo Situ?”

The sarcasm in Pang Tong’s words was extreme.

Hua Xin was so angry that he trembled all over. He glared at Pang Tong and said, “You bastard! How dare you humiliate me like this!”

As he said this, he was about to reach for the sword at his waist.

Because Pang Tong’s words were so humiliating, it was like he was pointing at his nose and scolding him. This was intolerable!
“Zi Yu!”

Zheng Xuan spoke in a deep voice, pulling Hua Xin back from his anger. With so many people watching, Hua Xin’s performance was really ungraceful.

Hua Xin stared at Pang Tong hatefully, and finally chose to tolerate it.

Pang Tong won this battle.

Everyone present looked at Pang Tong in surprise. No one had expected that this ugly scholar could be so sharp-tongued.

Just a few words were enough to provoke a great scholar to the point of drawing his sword. This debating skill is truly profound.

Pang Tong smiled arrogantly and raised his chin.

At the same time, he glanced at Sima Yi.

Sima Yi had a blank expression on his face and did not look away.

Guo Jia was very impressed with Pang Tong in his heart, but on the surface he said, “Shi Yuan, don’t be rude.”

Then he said to Hua Xin: “We were rude just now, I hope you don’t take it to heart.”

Hua Xin had a dark face and said nothing.

Zheng Xuan then said, “Since everyone is here, let’s take our seats… Didn’t Your Majesty come to watch today?”

He did not see the emperor’s canopy in the venue.

Guo Jia said: “Your Majesty has many state affairs to deal with and has no time to spare, but everything we said in the debate today will be recorded, and Your Majesty will personally review it afterwards.”

“That’s good.”

Zheng Xuan nodded. There was naturally a reason why he asked this.

Because he knew one thing clearly in his mind – today, rather than debating with Guo Jia and others, he was actually debating with the emperor.

Abandoning Confucianism and advocating new learning was actually the emperor’s intention, and he supported it behind the scenes.

Therefore, if the emperor has no idea what is being debated and only focuses on the result, then it will be useless even if they win the debate.

Soon, both sides sat down on the stage together.

The entire debate venue fell silent.

Everyone is looking forward to and speculating about who each side will send to attend the first debate.

The outcome of the first game is very important. Pang Tong just had the upper hand over Hua Xin in momentum and gained the upper hand, which is beneficial to the Imperial College.

Therefore, Zheng Xuan’s side could not lose the first debate.

Hua Xin took the initiative to say: “Brother, let me have the first debate. I want to have a good debate with that sharp-tongued boy!”

Zheng Xuan and Hua Xin were brothers from the same school.

Both of them have studied under Chen Qiu.

Hua Xin was very angry now. Pang Tong had just seized on his dirty tricks and accused him, which was really a rogue move. But in a direct debate, he was confident that he could win against Pang Tong!

Pang Tong also felt Hua Xin’s gaze, and after a contemptuous smile, he was about to stand up to fight, but Guo Jia raised his hand to motion for him to sit down.

“What’s wrong, Guo Situ?”

Pang Tong was stunned, but saw that Guo Jia looked serious.

So he looked across.

Then he was surprised to find that Zheng Xuan actually stood up slowly and said, “Who is willing to debate with me?”

There was silence.

Zheng Xuan actually chose to be the first to appear!
Debating is very exhausting.

Zheng Xuan is old, and everyone thought that he would appear at the last minute, but they didn’t expect him to appear in the first game!
Zhuge Liang frowned, thought for a moment and wanted to stand up to accept the invitation, but Guo Jia stood up before him.

“Let me do it.”

Guo Jia said in a low voice, gave Zhuge Liang a reassuring look, and then bowed to Zheng Xuan and said, “I am not talented, but I am willing to debate with you, sir.”

Zheng Xuan was not surprised and nodded, “Please.”

Guo Jia did not hesitate at all. His aura changed completely and his eyes became sharper. He said directly, “What I want to discuss with you today is the drawbacks of Confucianism.”

“Since Emperor Xiaowu ascended the throne, he abolished all schools of thought and promoted the Six Classics. Confucianism then became the orthodox school of thought and held a prominent position in the court and among the people.”

“At that time, the world was at peace, and Confucianism advocated great unification and the etiquette of rulers, ministers, and fathers and sons, which bound people’s hearts and stabilized the Han Dynasty.”

“It is also because of this that the Han Dynasty’s administration had moral standards, and the selection of officials also emphasized Confucianism. Confucianism flourished, making indelible contributions to the prosperity of the Han Dynasty.”

Guo Jia first spoke eloquently, explaining the history and past of Confucianism in the Han Dynasty, which made many people nod secretly.

But he then changed the subject and said, “However, times have changed, the Han Dynasty has gradually declined, and the Confucianism that was once flourishing is now criticized.”

Everyone’s heart trembled, knowing that Guo Jia was about to begin his explanation.

“The first drawback of Confucianism is its rigidity. Over time, its interpretation has become increasingly rigid. Countless Confucian scholars have spent their entire lives studying the classics, immersed in the tedious textual research of the classics, while neglecting the practical application of the classics.”

“In the court, officials often argue over the interpretation of a classic, which delays government affairs. When faced with real problems such as land annexation and harassment by refugees, they still refer to ancient classics, not knowing that the world has changed and the old ways are no longer able to cope with new crises.”

“Secondly, Confucianism makes it impossible for scholars from humble backgrounds to succeed.”

“The aristocratic families used Confucianism as a cover to monopolize the power of promotion. The system of recommendation was originally for selecting talents, but because of Confucianism, it became a stepping stone for the children of the aristocratic families to advance their careers.”

“It is not uncommon to see a family with three dukes in four generations. Talented people from humble families, though they have great potential, are excluded from the court. Most of the people in the court are mediocre, but they take high positions by relying on their family background, which leads to the deterioration of state power and political corruption.”

“Moreover, in terms of foreign policy and military strategy, the Confucian concept of benevolence and righteousness became a hindrance. The Han dynasty adhered to the principle of “peace is the most precious”, and when faced with disturbances from the surrounding nomadic tribes, it often hesitated.”

“Generals were overly concerned with the justice of the king’s army, which often hampered military operations. When the Xiongnu invaded the border, the Han army often lost opportunities to fight because the generals were entangled in the benevolence and justice of war. Moreover, the education of Confucianism caused the people to gradually lose their martial spirit, and when they encountered foreign invasions, it was difficult to formulate effective strategies to resist the enemy.”

“From the rise of Confucianism during Emperor Xiaowu’s reign to its use in later generations to the misfortune of the country, it was not the fault of Confucianism itself, but rather the fact that its inheritance and application became extreme and rigid, and it lost the vitality to keep pace with the times.”

“The times are like a giant ship moving forward. If one cannot adapt to changes, even the most excellent learning can become a hindrance to the country.”

“Therefore, Confucianism is in decline and should be replaced by new learning. This is an inevitable thing to do.”

Guo Jia’s words were powerful and resounding.

His expression was one of incomparable determination.

From a child of a poor family to the current Minister of the Han Dynasty and the head of the civil servants, he has never changed his original ideals.

He wants to personally open a glimmer of hope for the poor scholars in the world!
All the poor scholars present looked at Guo Jia’s thin but upright back, and many of them had tears in their eyes.

Over the hundreds of years, dynasties have come and gone, families have risen and fallen, and it has not been uncommon for children from poor families to rise to high positions.

But without exception, after they reached high positions, they all became members of aristocratic families.

And now Guo Jia, who is the head of the civil officials and the emperor’s favorite who is second only to the emperor, stands up to speak for the children from poor families at the bottom of society!

“Guo Situ… is truly a real man!”

Guo Youzhi raised his hand to wipe away his tears and said in a trembling voice that his admiration for Guo Jia had reached an unprecedented level.

Fei Yi standing by also had a look of admiration on his face.

There was absolutely no need for Guo Jia to do this, but he still chose to do so and made enemies with all the aristocratic families in the world.

“Ah.”

Zheng Xuan listened carefully to what Guo Jia said, then raised his hand to stroke his beard and slowly replied: “What Situ Guo said is wrong.”

Guo Jia raised his eyebrows and said, “Please enlighten me, sir.”

Zheng Xuan said: “Confucianism is the foundation of the country. Since Duke Zhou created rituals and music, and Confucius edited and expounded the Six Classics, this doctrine has been passed down for thousands of years and is the foundation of China.”

“It teaches benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom and trustworthiness, so that the people will know shame and understand human relations, and the country can maintain long-term stability.”

“If we abandon Confucianism, it would be like building a building without a foundation. How can we build a country?”

As soon as Zheng Xuan finished speaking, Guo Jia said, “Although your words are good, the world today is not the same as it was in the past.”

“When Emperor Gaozu and Emperor Wen and Emperor Jing were in power, our Han Dynasty advocated the teachings of Huang-Lao and ruled by inaction. However, the teachings of Huang-Lao were more than enough for governing a country, but not enough for strengthening it. Therefore, after Emperor Wu ascended the throne, he abolished all schools of thought and respected Confucianism alone to strengthen our Han Dynasty.”

“From this we can see that a strong country should adapt to local conditions and follow the general trend, rather than remain unchanged.”

“Your Majesty is wise and wants to enrich the country and strengthen the army in order to make progress. If you just stick to Confucianism and empty talk without devoting yourself to the development of agriculture, water conservancy and machinery, how can you resist the enemy? How can you make the Han Dynasty prosperous?”

Guo Jia did not address Zheng Xuan’s question head-on.

Instead, he cited the example of the Han Dynasty’s rejection of Huang-Lao teachings and adoption of Confucianism to demonstrate the importance of the new school of thought.

Zheng Xuan said calmly, “Agriculture, water conservancy, and machinery are important tasks, but they are secondary. The essence of Confucianism lies in rectifying people’s hearts and improving customs. If people are upright, the country will be governed, and if customs are pure, the world will be at peace.”

“If everyone has a benevolent and righteous heart, how can the country not be strong? Moreover, the way to govern a country is to govern with virtue, not to conquer people with force. If a country is governed with virtue, the people will be loyal to it, and this is the strategy for long-term stability.”

“Guo Situ, your ideas of reforming the country and promoting new learning are beneficial to strengthening the country, but the foundation of Confucianism cannot be abandoned.”

“In the past, Duke Huan of Qi united the nine states, unified the world, and achieved hegemony. Was it just because of Guan Zhong’s reforms?”

“It is even more important to rely on the Confucian principle of ‘respecting the king and expelling the barbarians’! This principle will win the hearts of all the princes in the world, and Qi will be able to command the heroes! If we abandon propriety and morality and only rely on force and political schemes, how can we win the hearts of the people?”

Guo Jia frowned deeply and remained silent in thought.

Seeing this, Zheng Xuan continued, “Qin ruled the country with the legalist approach, with strict laws and harsh punishments. In a short period of time, the country became rich and powerful, sweeping across the six kingdoms and unifying the world.”

“But Qin abandoned the Confucian idea of ​​’benevolent government’, imposed heavy taxes and numerous corvee services, and the people suffered terribly. Eventually Chen Sheng and Wu Guang rose up in rebellion, and the Qin Dynasty fell in the second generation.”

“It can be seen that without the foundation of benevolence, righteousness and morality advocated by Confucianism, even if a country rises with powerful military force and technology, it will not last long.”

“Look at the reign of Emperor Wen and Emperor Jing.” Zheng Xuan’s eyes were sharp and his tone was emphasized. “Minister Guo said that Emperor Xiaowu abandoned the teachings of Huang-Lao and used Confucianism to govern the country, which made the Han Dynasty strong. In fact, it is not true.”

“During the reigns of Emperors Xiaowen and Jing, although they promoted the teachings of Huang-Lao, reduced taxes and levies, and gave the people a rest, they also used Confucian ideas of moral governance to educate the people.”

“It is because of this that the people were able to rest and recuperate, the social atmosphere was simple, and the country gradually prospered. This is a clear proof of governing the country with Confucianism as the connotation and appropriate policies.”

“But Situ Guo insisted on abandoning Confucianism and promoting new learning, which is really a move that puts the cart before the horse. If we only focus on technological development and ignore the moral education of the people, people’s hearts will be unstable, and how can there be a peaceful and prosperous era?”

(End of this chapter)