Chapter 372: How did a perfectly fine Chinese studies forum turn into Ye Xuan's personal classroom!

The next day, after Ye Xuan finished his breakfast leisurely, he went with President Wang, who had come to welcome him, to the lecture hall where the forum was being held.

As soon as he reached the entrance, he heard a continuous stream of arguments coming from inside the hall.

"What 'repaying injury with kindness'? 'Let the ruler be a ruler, the subject a subject, the father a father, the son a son'—isn't this just the traditional 'goody-two-shoes'? Confucianism is the reason for the weakness of our Chinese studies!"

As soon as Ye Xuan walked into the room, he saw that the hall was already shrouded in a heated atmosphere.

Even though everyone was still slightly restrained, there was already a sense of confrontation in their words.

Ye Xuan didn't care; he found the seat with his nameplate and sat down, only to hear several people continuing their debate.

He saw a middle-aged man with an upright air and a serious expression between his brows saying.

"This Confucian set is just used to fool people.

First, they fool the scholars, and then they fool the common people.

We should promote our Legalist school's strict laws and prohibitions."

This person appeared to be the representative of the Legalist school. As Ye Xuan was secretly sighing, he heard another voice ring out immediately.

"But the law is too rigid. It's easy to hurt others, and conversely, it's easy to hurt oneself.

Just like Chen Sheng and Wu Guang; back then, because of the heavy rain, they were late and were to be punished with death.

If they didn't rebel, it was a dead end; if they rebelled, there was at least a glimmer of survival.

Who wouldn't want to rebel?!

That is why Chen Sheng and Wu Guang became the vanguard army against the Six States! This is the flaw of Legalism being overly harsh!

In my opinion, we should support the Taoist school's 'governing by doing nothing'!"

"Nonsense! If a country adopts 'governing by doing nothing,' isn't that just inaction?

We should follow the Mohist school; all social contradictions are nothing more than the strong bullying the weak, the rich bullying the poor..."

At this moment, everyone's discussion was escalating more and more.

It had almost reached the stage of personal attacks.

"You Mohists advocate loving everyone.

But how can you possibly love your neighbor's child just as you love your brother's child?! Loving your brother's child just as you love your own child—you can't do it!

What you can do is nothing more than 'treat the aged of your own family as aged, and the young of your own family as young.'

You love your own parents, so you can think of loving others' parents; you love your own children, so you can think of loving others' children!"

This was clearly the Confucian representative criticizing the Mohist rhetoric.

As soon as the voice fell, he heard the Mohist representative refute without showing any weakness.

"Does learning your Confucian school mean emphasizing that love has levels?

What difference is there between one child and another?

If a child falls into a river, does your Confucian school ask what relationship the child has with me? Whose child is this? And then decide whether to save them or not?

By the time you decide, the child is already beyond saving. At this time, what is needed is equal love!"

"That's not called universal love; that's compassion. If you see someone dying and don't save them, how can you be a person? Aren't you a beast?"

"You Confucianists are simply using clever words and an ingratiating appearance!"

"Hypocritical Mohist school! Clearly, the Mohist school advocates diligence and thrift, but look at your outfit? Tsk tsk, how do you have the face to talk about me?"

"Stop arguing, actually it's all just a difference between 'name' and 'substance'..."

"School of Names, shut your mouth!"

……

Seeing that these representatives of the Confucian, Mohist, Taoist, and Legalist schools, who were usually respected masters and experts, were now arguing until their faces were red like children, President Wang on the side couldn't sit still either.

"Everyone, stop arguing for a moment; if you have something to say, say it slowly."

"Please don't resort to violence; we are just here to discuss."

"Mr. Wang, please don't take off your shoe; calm down, calm down!"

……

By the end, seeing everyone arguing more and more intensely, President Wang was so anxious that sweat broke out on his head, yet he still couldn't get everyone to quiet down.

"In previous years, I haven't seen everyone so excited?! Why are they arguing so fiercely this year?"

While muttering to himself, President Wang's movements stopped abruptly.

He suddenly vaguely realized the reason for everyone's behavior.

Good heavens!

The representatives of each school were frantically showing off their own doctrines—aren't they just like peacocks spreading their tails?!

This is probably all for Ye Xuan on the side!

The content of Ye Xuan and the School of Names from yesterday had long since spread throughout the entire Jiuhua Shanzhuang, and the representatives of each school had long been eager to move, wishing they could debate with Ye Xuan for three days and three nights.

But there was only one Ye Xuan, while there were hundreds of representatives from various schools participating in this Chinese studies forum!

In this way, the representatives of each school had coincidentally come up with a good idea.

They must show the most essential parts of their own doctrines in front of Ye Xuan!

Under this idea, and the fact that each school was already unconvinced by the others, could this debate not be heated and intense?!

After thinking it through in his mind, President Wang looked eagerly at Ye Xuan on the side.

"Mr. Ye, could you do me a favor?"

His old bones couldn't persuade everyone; he had to rely on Ye Xuan.

Understanding President Wang's subconscious, Ye Xuan couldn't help but laugh.

Nodding, he took the microphone handed over by President Wang and said in a deep voice.

"Everyone, quiet."

The steady, calm voice was like a thunderclap in a clear sky, exploding in everyone's hearts.

Those who had been arguing intensely all felt a jolt in their hearts, and the arguments in everyone's mouths suddenly quieted down.

At this moment, everyone's gaze turned to Ye Xuan, who was standing on the stage.

Ye Xuan's expression was calm as he said lightly.

"The doctrines of the Hundred Schools of Thought each have their own strengths and complement each other.

The thoughts of the Hundred Schools are not completely opposed, nor are they completely unrelated."

Noting the Confucian and Mohist representatives who had been discussing most heatedly, Ye Xuan's calm voice followed.

0 ······Seeking flowers· 0

"The Mohist and Confucian schools seem to be opposed.

The Mohist school emphasizes 'universal love and non-aggression'; the Confucian school emphasizes 'love with gradations.'

But the essence of both is the same: benevolence. Only by learning to love oneself can one extend that love to others.

This is also the Confucian 'cultivate oneself, regulate the family, govern the state, and bring peace to the world,' and it is also the Mohist 'if the world loves each other, there will be order; if they hate each other, there will be chaos.'"

As soon as the voice came out, the Confucian representative and the Mohist representative looked at each other, clearly unable to refute.

At the same time, the way the two of them looked at Ye Xuan became equally fervent.

The Confucian representative began to mutter "cultivate oneself, regulate the family, govern the state, and bring peace to the world," his eyes becoming brighter and brighter.

The Mohist representative also repeated the two words "universal love" over and over again, clearly lost in thought.

Not only the two of them, but everyone who had participated in the discussion was looking at Ye Xuan with burning eyes, and Ye Xuan continued to speak slowly.

"The Confucian and Mohist schools have commonalities, not to mention the other Hundred Schools of Thought?!"

....... 0

The Confucian school emphasizes 'the movement of heaven is full of power; the superior man makes himself strong and untiring.' Knowing it cannot be done but doing it anyway, having no 'must' and no 'must not.'

It tells us what to do.

And the Taoist school emphasizes 'following the Dao of nature' and 'governing by doing nothing.'

It tells us what not to do.

Seemingly opposed doctrines are actually mutually complementary and mutually reinforcing!

The Hundred Schools of Thought—if they only debate to win or lose, that is truly a useless debate." ===== CHAPTER 375 =====