Chapter 543: Promoting Standard Speech Must Begin with Children

"Within the six directions, all is the Emperor's land; westward to the shifting sands, southward to the northern gates..."

Qin Shi Huang was a man who could never stay idle. On the very first day he arrived in Jimo City, before he could even rest his feet, he was already walking into Jimo's public school under Blackie's guidance, surrounded by a throng of officials.

Before they even drew near, the sound of clear, rhythmic recitation reached their ears. The voices were young but resonant. Though they carried a thick Jiaodong accent, they still made Qin Shi Huang's eyes light up.

"Since arriving in Jiaodong, all I have heard among the common folk are the rustic dialects of Qi. I have rarely heard the refined tongue!"

The Emperor stopped Blackie, who was about to have the students come out to pay their respects, and with lightened steps, he and his officials walked to the entrance of the school hall.

This was a classroom newly built just this year, with bright windows and spotless desks. Inside were over a dozen long tables, each with two rush mats in front. A group of children, ranging from eight to over ten years old, sat kneeling in pairs before the tables, hands obediently on their knees, chests puffed out, loudly reciting the "Odes of Qin" after their instructor, the Commandery Libationer Xiao He...

The same lines, when spoken by these Jiaodong children, carried a different flavor. When they recited, "His merit surpasses the Five Emperors, his grace extends to oxen and steeds. None fail to receive his virtue, each rests secure in their abode," their eyes seemed to shine. It was like Young Pioneers of later ages loudly reciting "Strive to build a great motherland" — innocent, simple children believing what they are taught. This is the power of education.

After the recitation ended, Xiao He, who was teaching, also conveniently "noticed" His Majesty the Emperor in his crown standing behind the door. He hurriedly feigned panic and prostrated himself, leading the children in a flurry of salutes toward Qin Shi Huang, shouting the final line.

"Flourishing for all ages, for a thousand autumns, ten thousand years!"

The older children knew the Emperor had arrived and were awestruck and fearful; the younger ones were ignorant and bewildered, craning their necks and peeking around.

"Good! Very good!"

Qin Shi Huang was extremely pleased. He did not go so far as to amiably shake hands one by one with these children whose faces were red from the harsh winter cold and ask their ages. He merely looked toward Blackie and asked, "These children, are they all from the households of Jiaodong gentry and wealthy families?"

Blackie replied, "Indeed. In Jiaodong, those with assets of one hundred thousand or more must send their children to public school for three years to learn Qin speech and Qin script, instead of having them help with the family livelihood at home. They must also pay a certain tuition."

Assets, meaning family wealth. Although the Qin Dynasty levied taxes per head and per household, for industrialists and merchants, their family wealth was also calculated, and then, from time to time, a harvest of leeks was reaped... no, property taxes were levied reasonably and lawfully.

Thus, assets of one hundred thousand became the standard for high income. In Guanzhong, military nobility with assets of one hundred thousand had sons who were considered "sons of good families," eligible to provide their own warhorses and weapons to enlist as military officers. Blackie had copied this system wholesale to Jiaodong, but adapted it so that the children of wealthy families studied literature, incorporating them into a new education system and mandating entry into "elementary school," while conveniently paying a certain tuition fee.

"Even with tuition, the public schools still cannot cover their expenses. The elementary school disciples provide their own brushes and ink, but paper and textbooks are supplied by the government. Your Majesty, please look, these are the textbooks printed under the orders of the Jiaodong Libationer..."

The earliest applications of printing were in two places: first, for government laws, decrees, and proclamations; and second, in the classroom.

Xiao He approached respectfully and presented a student's textbook. Qin Shi Huang took it and flipped through it. The opening text was the "Odes of Qin," which he had ordered the music officials to compose several years prior — the very passage the children had just been reciting. This was praise for the Emperor's virtue and achievements, politically correct.

Next came Chancellor Li Si's "Cangjie Chapter." Li Si's literary skill was excellent; the "Cangjie Chapter" was catchy and easy to read, making it the best literacy textbook. Qin Shi Huang had ordered Li Si to write this text precisely to promote the Qin script. No problem there.

Following that was an excerpt from the "Erudition Chapter" by the Grand Astrologer Humu Jing, covering some general knowledge. But when Qin Shi Huang turned this page, he did not see the "Yuanli Chapter" by the Prefect of the Palace Chariots, Zhao Gao...

In its place was the "Song of the Twenty-Four Solar Terms," which Blackie had commissioned the Agriculturalists to compose!

"Ha ha ha."

Qin Shi Huang was momentarily stunned, then burst into laughter.

Blackie also smiled along but offered no explanation.

In short, elementary school mainly focused on learning to speak the Guanzhong refined tongue and write Qin clerical script, with daily practice mandatory. "Middle school" was a level higher, teaching laws and decrees, with the aim of cultivating Qin officials of Jiaodong native origin to assist the government in local governance.

Middle school did not require family assets of one hundred thousand for entry. Even poor scholars who had self-taught Qin script and speech could enroll as long as they passed the examination. If their grades were excellent and they achieved first place in the entire commandery, they would receive a substantial scholarship.

After this inspection tour, Qin Shi Huang was very satisfied with the Jimo public school. He nodded and declared, "On this eastern tour of mine, among all the commanderies along the route, Jiaodong excels in legal education. The unification of writing must begin with children!"

Before the entourage departed, Blackie beckoned Libationer Xiao He over and assigned him a task.

"Libationer Xiao, after you go back, write an essay."

Back in Pei County, Xiao He had been renowned for his "flawless legal writing." His pen was exceptionally sharp. So after arriving in Jiaodong, besides managing the education bureau, he also served as the personal scribe for Commandery Governor Blackie...

"What should I write?" Xiao He asked respectfully.

Blackie said, "Take the perspective of an elementary school disciple and record the unforgettable audience with His Majesty today. The language must be concise and easy to understand, so it can be added to the textbooks later."

Blackie then roughly outlined the main content of the essay: an ordinary Jiaodong elementary student, told by his instructor that he was about to meet His Majesty the Emperor, was nervous and excited.

Upon meeting the Emperor, whose aura was majestic, the student saw him switch to a kind smile when the disciples recited the "Odes of Qin." The young students saluted His Majesty, and the Emperor helped the students to their feet.

Next, the Emperor Grandfather looked over the students' Qin script writing one by one, a satisfied smile appearing on his face as he repeatedly praised them. Finally, he kindly asked the young student's age and said to Commandery Governor Blackie beside him, "The unification of writing must begin with children..."

"Do you understand?" Blackie, who still had to accompany Qin Shi Huang to the temporary palace, hastily assigned the task to Xiao He.

"This subordinate understands."

Xiao He acknowledged the order, thinking to himself that in the entire process, only that last line was true. But since his superior had spoken, he had to comply. He returned and began chewing on his brush, imagining himself as a young student who had braved the severe cold early in the morning to come to the study hall, and this unforgettable day...

After inspecting the public school, dusk was approaching. Qin Shi Huang was somewhat weary. Upon arriving at the temporary palace converted from the old Qi state's Jimo halls, he ordered the royal cooks to prepare a meal.

Qin Shi Huang also made a request: "The meals lately have had too much fish and meat. I do not care for it. Just use local vegetables to make a soup."

The Emperor had always suffered from minor stomach ailments, which had worsened during the tour. Lately, he had found it difficult to swallow poultry, fish, or meat. The imperial physicians suggested that the Emperor should eat lighter fare and avoid greasy foods.

This greatly troubled the royal cooks. Although the Emperor knew the five grains, he was not very clear on the seasonality of vegetables. In Xianyang, the palace adhered to the rule: "In the mid-autumn month, order the officials to urge the people to harvest and diligently store vegetables" — autumn vegetables stored in cellars for winter, available whenever the Emperor desired. But this was an imperial tour... in the bitter cold of deep winter, where could they find fresh vegetables?

But there was no helping it. Since the Emperor had spoken, the cooks could only grimace and go off to figure out a solution.

Leaving aside the cooks ransacking Jimo City for fresh vegetables, on the other side, Qin Shi Huang continued discussing the day's observations with his officials.

In the Emperor's view, compared to those Confucian scholars who read the words of Confucius, yearned for the Three Dynasties and the governance of the Duke of Zhou, and constantly used the past to criticize the present, the students cultivated by the public schools, full of reverence for the Great Qin, were the "good scholars" Qin Shi Huang wanted. Embracing the idea that excellence in learning leads to officialdom, they were obedient to the authorities and would ultimately become proper, rule-abiding officials.

"Jiaodong's policy of legal education can be emulated by all the commanderies under heaven!"

Qin Shi Huang decreed the court's educational policy, deciding to establish a "Commandery Libationer" in each commandery, modeled on Jiaodong, to promote the Jiaodong model. He wanted to grasp both beard and eyebrows at once: confiscating hidden books, curbing private academies, and vigorously promoting public schools would form an interlocking three-step strategy, with the ultimate goal being the unification of public opinion and the hearts of the people!

This was something Qin Shi Huang constantly dwelled on. Atop Mount Tai, he had made a wager with Heaven itself!

The Emperor also thought that, a year or so later, after the Chancellor and Grand Astrologer had compiled the "National History," public school disciples, in addition to studying laws and decrees, could understand that the present dynasty had far surpassed the benighted and barbaric Three Dynasties of Xia, Shang, and Zhou, and was the most advanced since ancient times. Then the court's public education would be even more perfect...

At that moment, the royal cooks finally finished preparing the meal and presented it. The large cauldron still simmered with steaming meat as usual. Besides the common Eight Delicacies meat dishes of court banquets and the sea fish that had appeared at almost every meal since arriving in Jiaodong, in response to Qin Shi Huang's request to "eat vegetarian," there was an additional soup that Qin Shi Huang had never seen before...

In this era, the vessel for serving soup was a pot, hence the saying "a pot of broth in a bamboo basket."

It was brought to Qin Shi Huang's table. When the lid of the bronze pot was lifted, steam billowed upward. The Emperor looked and saw a clear distinction of green and white inside:

Milky-white, soft lumps lay in the soup, looking somewhat endearing, making one want to pick up a piece and try it. There were also some green leaves, cooked very soft. The broth, made from meat bones and thickened with starch, was a little viscous and richly aromatic. Served before him on this cold winter day, it greatly stimulated the appetite...

Though he very much wanted to try it, Qin Shi Huang was extremely suspicious and cautious with his meals. Every time, someone would taste it first, and then it would be tested with a silver needle. This time was no exception.

He pointed at the soup and asked, "What is this?"

The royal cook hurriedly prostrated himself and said, "Your Majesty, this is a local product of Jiaodong. Your servants have already cooked and tasted it before daring to prepare this soup."

Having said this, he raised his head and added, somewhat helplessly, "This is the only fresh vegetable we could find at this time of year..."

Qin Shi Huang frowned, skeptical and doubtful.

Blackie stepped forward at this moment and said, "Your Majesty, the two ingredients in this soup are indeed local products of Jiaodong."

He pointed at a pot of soup that had also been placed before him and said, "This white thing is 'tofu,' recently invented by the farming households. This green thing is an excellent variety of bok choy selectively bred in the vegetable gardens of farms outside the city—it withstands the cold of winter better than mallow and tastes even finer. This soup became all the rage in Jimo as early as autumn, and the locals even gave it a lovely name. Would Your Majesty like to hear it?"

"Oh? What name is that?"

After the attendants tested it for poison and confirmed it was safe, Qin Shi Huang's misgivings gradually faded, and he was already about to try it with his spoon.

Heifu grinned. Getting the emperor to eat this thing was also a bit of mischievous pleasure stemming from a story he had heard in his past life. He bowed with clasped hands and said:

"It is called 'Jadeite and White Jade Soup'!"

PS: Chapter 2 in the afternoon

(End of chapter)