Chapter 520: Ten Thousand Horses Standing Mute Is Lamentable After All

"Your subject has a method that, without banning the hundred schools, burning the histories, or incinerating the books, can still achieve the effect of unified speech and unified hearts that the Chancellor speaks of!"

Heifu well understood Li Si's reasons for advocating "book burning." Ever since the dispute between feudalism and the commandery-county system, some Confucian scholars and literati had long been clamoring for a return to antiquity. After the Feng and Shan sacrifices at Mount Tai, when they became estranged and disaffected from the court, many used the past to criticize the present and voice their discontent. If left unchecked, allowing rumors and slander to spread unchecked, over time it would indeed shake the foundations of the empire — something the Emperor could not tolerate.

Since the precedent of Shang Yang burning the Songs and Documents to clarify the laws already existed, burning books became the simplest and most convenient method…

But expanding the target from the Songs and Documents to the entirety of the Hundred Schools, and completely banning discussion and teaching, even to the point of extinguishing all private learning under Heaven — that was truly going too far.

In that case, what burned would not only be the Songs, the Documents, Xunzi's Discourse on Heaven, and those Mohist theories that could practically be called physics. Though in the eyes of the Emperor and Li Si these were currently "useless learning," given time, they might yet become the sprouts of science. And later generations' widely beloved books like the Zhuangzi — if they too were indiscriminately thrown into the fire and burned clean, in Heifu's view, it would be a sheer criminal waste of Heaven's gifts.

Although the official erudites' library collections would not be burned, once this knowledge was accessible to only a handful of people and lost its space to circulate among the common people, with its dissemination becoming a crime, it would not be far from total extinction.

Every state must have its own core values, and the government will naturally promote them vigorously.

Thought needs to be unified, but it cannot be too monolithic. The learning of the Hundred Schools created in the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods was like a wild profusion of a hundred flowers blooming together, brilliant purples and vivid reds, nourishing the next two thousand years. To kill it all with one blow and create a cultural rupture in Huaxia would truly be a pity. It would be like a field: though the weeds are all cleared, beneath the flourishing grain, the ecosystem is still fragile.

History has proven countless times that politicizing academic questions, suppressing dissent, venerating only Ruism, and carrying out literary inquisitions can silence opposing voices in the short term, but the lingering harm is endless.

Ten thousand horses standing mute is, after all, a lamentable thing. Only by embracing a hundred rivers can the sea achieve its vastness.

Those who court death will die. Heifu could not save those loose-tongued Confucian scholars, nor did he wish to. He only hoped that the scope would not be broadened, dragging other innocent bystanders into the disaster.

What he did today might offend Li Si, but from Heifu's understanding of the Emperor, perhaps the Emperor would be more pleased to see him express a different opinion…

Hold a public debate with Li Si? There was no need for that. No matter how dazzling and passionate the rhetoric, Heifu knew that the Emperor and the Legalists cared nothing for the distant future. They only looked at the present, only at results!

So Heifu immediately cut straight to the point, seizing every opportunity to speak.

"Your Majesty! I have heard a saying: blocking the people's mouths is more dangerous than blocking a river. When a river is blocked and bursts, many will surely be hurt. Simply banning private learning and burning all its histories is actually futile. Among the common people, there will always be those who pass things on by word of mouth in secret — how can you possibly stop them all?"

Wang Wu, a Fifth-Rank Grand Master close to Li Si, immediately spoke upon hearing this: "Commandery Governor of Jiaodong, are you mocking His Majesty as King Li of Zhou? Mocking the Chancellor as Duke Rong Yi? Do you think this measure will lead to people only exchanging glances on the road, a national revolt, and the Son of Heaven fleeing into exile?"

"If not for Qin Shi Huang holding things down, it really might."

Heifu thought to himself, but aloud he smiled and said: "The Fifth-Rank Grand Master misunderstands. What I mean is that public opinion is like flowing water. We should follow the example of Yu the Great taming the floods: rather than simply blocking it, it is better to both block and channel it, guiding it into the sea!"

Qin Shi Huang stopped Wang Wu, who still wanted to argue fiercely with Heifu, and asked: "How does one both block and channel?"

Heifu said: "Your subject will first discuss private learning, then the historical records."

"As the Right Chancellor said, whether Ruism, Mohism, Daoism, or others, all have doctrines of modeling after the former kings. But no man is perfect, let alone a school of thought. Often dregs and essence coexist, and disciples are a mix of fish eyes and pearls. Yet the Ruists teach loyalty to the sovereign — in this there is no fault. Since the time of King Huiwen, the Mohists have entered Qin and contributed many skilled craftsmen and ingenious devices to our great Qin. Though their words of 'universal love and non-aggression' are inadmissible, their doctrine of 'conforming upward' is of great benefit to unifying the realm."

"When I went to Jiaodong to take up my post, there were also Ruist scholars who refused to accept the laws and teachings. So I issued an order: anyone in the commandery wishing to open a private school must first study the statutes and ordinances at the commandery office. Only then would they be granted a private school tally and permitted to establish a school and teach. Those masters were not allowed to teach the history or script of Qi, and had to use textbooks compiled by the government to teach, promoting the idea that all the Huaxia share common ancestors and that Qin and Qi are one body. At the same time, I greatly expanded public schools, rewarding scholars who excelled in examinations with money. After half a year, the public schools flourished day by day and will sooner or later integrate the private schools. Though private learning among the people has not been extinguished, no one dares to use the past to criticize the present or slander the current era anymore."

"Therefore, your subject believes that the Jiaodong approach can be extended to the entire realm. The learning of the Hundred Schools should be screened and differentiated: those violating the law are banned; those without fault are brought under the supervision of the Libationer. There is no need to kill them all with one blow…"

Li Si understood clearly: Heifu was vigorously promoting his "Jiaodong model," actually hoping to turn those measures into national policy!

He could feel this young man's blazing ambition!

"How can one commandery be compared to the entire realm?"

Li Si shook his head: "Your Majesty, my policy is like fire; the Jiaodong Commandery Governor's policy is like water. Fire is fierce — the people see it and fear it, so few die by it. Water is weak and pliant — the people grow familiar with it and toy with it, so many die by it. Thus leniency is difficult. If the ban on private learning is relaxed, sooner or later it will revert to how it was before, with voices calling for a return to antiquity hard to silence. It is more convenient to ban it!"

"Both ministers' words have merit."

Qin Shi Huang, however, remained noncommittal and asked Heifu: "Can the historical records of the Six States also be both blocked and channeled?"

This was a deadly question, but Heifu responded: "Indeed! As the Right Chancellor said, ban the private possession of the historical records of the Six States and the Spring and Autumn period among the people, and collect them all in Xianyang — that is blocking. But the reason for the collection need not be to burn the books. It could be proclaimed that the Great Qin intends to compile a history spanning thousands of years, from ancient times to the present, and therefore is gathering the realm's historical records for examination and cross-reference. Those of ambition may also enter the court to assist in compiling the history — that is channeling!"

"Compiling history?"

Qin Shi Huang frowned, and the assembled ministers looked at each other in bewilderment.

Heifu said: "Exactly. The court will take the lead in compiling the histories of the Five Emperors, Xia, Shang, Zhou, the Spring and Autumn period, and the Six States, threading through past and present and merging them into a single work!"

It was no wonder they had trouble understanding. Sima Qian's grandfather probably had not even been born yet, and China did not yet have a tradition of compiling the history of previous dynasties. The various states only compiled their own annals, such as Lu's Spring and Autumn Annals, Jin's Cheng, Chu's Taowu, and Qin's Qin Records.

There was, however, an exception. Zhang Cang suddenly saw the light and immediately stepped out of line, saying:

"Your Majesty, I once served as Archivist. In the stone chamber of the Censorate, the historical records of the State of Wei were once collected. Because they were written on bamboo and organized by year, they are also called the Bamboo Annals. Unlike the histories of other states, they actually begin recording from the era of the Five Emperors. Thus they contain the Annals of the Five Emperors, Annals of Xia, Annals of Yin, Annals of Zhou, Annals of Jin, and finally the Annals of Wei…"

This historical work of the State of Wei could be considered a model for compiling the history of previous dynasties, and it was also the model for the history compilation Heifu envisioned.

Li Si was unconvinced: "The scholars of the realm constantly use the histories of previous dynasties and the Six States to mock the court's laws, decrees, and administration. Banning them is still insufficient — how can we compile them? Is this not driving south when one intends to go north?"

Heifu, however, smiled and brought up an unrelated matter: "In the Right Chancellor's eyes, what were the eras of Yao and Shun like?"

Li Si coolly stated his view:

"The schools of Confucius and Mozi both praise Yao and Shun, yet their interpretations differ greatly, even contradicting each other, but both claim to have received the true transmission. From the transition of Yin and Zhou that the Ruists praise to the present is over eight hundred years. From the era of Yu and Xia that the Mohists exalt to the present is two thousand years. Their history can no longer be fully known. As for Yao and Shun of three thousand years ago, they are even more impossible to verify! The Ruists and Mohists say that was an era of ultimate prosperity, but I believe these are all fabricated falsehoods. Those who model themselves on the former kings are either fools or deceivers! Thus this old man does not discuss Yao and Shun! All who model themselves on ancient laws and former kings can be charged with crimes!"

"Yao and Shun are not worthy of emulation — the Right Chancellor's insight is truly profound!"

Heifu raised his thumb: "In my view, this world is not at all a case of the more ancient, the better. In fact, it is the opposite: the further back in antiquity, the worse it is!"

"Ah!?"

Wang Wan, the Left Chancellor, who had originally thought Heifu was supporting him, turned pale with shock. Li Si was also slightly taken aback. Qin Shi Huang, however, had his eyes light up with interest.

After dropping this startling statement, Heifu said:

"When I was in Xianyang, I had the good fortune to read the chapter 'The Five Vermin' in the Han Feizi…"

Li Si glanced at Heifu. This was the Emperor's favorite essay, and whenever Han Fei was mentioned, Qin Shi Huang was often both regretful and pitying, and would also recall that it was Li Si who had sent Han Fei the poison.

As if unaware, Heifu spoke with eloquence: "Master Han says in 'The Five Vermin' that in high antiquity, the people were few and the wild beasts were many. The people could not overcome the wild beasts, insects, and serpents. Then a sage appeared who built nests in the trees to avoid the dangers on the ground. The people rejoiced and made him king of the realm, calling him Youchao — the Nest-Builder."

"At that time, the people ate wild fruits, clams, and mussels, which were rank, foul-smelling, and harmed the stomach and intestines. The people suffered many illnesses and their lifespans were short. Then another sage appeared who bored wood to make fire, using it to roast food and eliminate the rank and foul smells, so that the people had fewer illnesses and longer lives. The people rejoiced and made him king of the realm, calling him Suiren — the Fire-Drill Maker."

"In the time of Youchao and Suiren, people used wood for weapons. By the time of Shennong, they used stone for weapons, felled trees, and began building houses. By the time of Yu the Great, they had learned to smelt and used bronze for weapons, cutting through mountains and channeling rivers. In recent centuries, iron weapons were made. In these years since Your Majesty began governing, the common people have mostly used iron farming tools to plow the fields, which are more durable than bronze tools, requiring half the effort for twice the result."

"If today someone still lived in nests, ate raw meat and drank blood, and drilled wood for fire, they would certainly be considered uncivilized barbarians! If someone harvested grain with a stone sickle, they would also be considered a poor and lowly left-lane dweller."

"Thus Suiren and Youchao are called sages and sage-kings, but compared to the present world, they were no more than beasts standing upright, both foolish and violent, not even equal to today's common folk. In Shennong's era, even the emperor lived in caves and ate coarse greens, not even equal to today's scholars. Looking at it this way, are not the more ancient eras the worse? If we push back ten thousand years, they were practically like birds and beasts!"

After recapitulating Han Fei's theory, Heifu spoke with a voice that rang with conviction, putting forward his own view.

"In short, the way of the world must advance; the present surpasses the past. This is the Dao of natural evolution!"

(End of chapter)