When an emperor plans to govern a country, learning should be the first priority.
This sentence is very meaningful.
Since he specialized in the history of the Jiajing Dynasty, Xu Yan's understanding of this Daojun Emperor can be said to be comprehensive.
There are not many poems written by Jiajing, and even fewer that have been handed down, but this Ming emperor still left behind several good poems.
One of the poems was written by Emperor Jiajing when he was giving a lecture on the Great Learning at the Imperial Lecture Hall.
The full poem is:
When an emperor plans to govern a country, learning should be the first priority.
He is the ruler of the people below and receives the support from Heaven above.
To achieve good governance, there is a foundation, and the foundation should be transformed into self-leveling.
What a ruler studies has a certain order.
Be sincere in your heart and your intentions, and your resolve will not waver.
Now that I have determined my will, how can I go astray in the face of reason?
Cultivate your body and mind, and govern your family and country the same way.
The country's governance is bright and clear, and all nations are in harmony with it.
Read the Classic of Emperor Yao and think about the chapter of King Wen of Qi.
All nations begin to cultivate themselves, and I have sincere thoughts about this.
The Jingyan is a lecture given by ministers to the emperor. Although this model was formally institutionalized in the Song Dynasty, it really reached its peak in the Ming Dynasty.
The teaching method of imperial lectures in the Ming Dynasty was established during the reign of Emperor Yingzong.
Yingzong ascended the throne at a young age, and the Three Yangs were deeply concerned about the young emperor's education, personally formulating the rituals for imperial lectures. Lectures were held three times a month on the 2nd, 12th, and 22nd of each month, with the emperor in Wenhua Hall, though these lectures were suspended during winter and summer.
In addition to the three required lectures on the classics every month, there are also daily lectures, also known as small lectures or small lectures on the classics.
The Ming people attached great importance to the Imperial Lectures, believing that "If the Imperial Lectures were not abandoned for one day, then the sage's learning and virtue would advance by one day; if they were not abandoned for one month, then the sage's learning and virtue would advance by one month. When a person's mind and spirit are enriched, they are naturally more alert. The Imperial Lectures are a place for the ruler to broaden his mind and inspire his spirit."
Emperors were human, and as humans, they were prone to laziness. Over time, they would lose interest in attending lectures. Their excuses were myriad, ranging from poor health to extreme weather, and they would avoid lectures whenever possible.
This is when the censors come into play. They will issue a warning: "The emperor's most important event should be lectures, and the most important lecture should be held during the imperial lectures."
In short, occupying the moral high ground prompted the king to accept the imperial lecture.
Generally speaking, wise and enlightened rulers all approved of the Jingyan teaching method, with the most typical example being Emperor Hongzhi.
In comparison, the impression left by Emperor Jiajing in history is not very good. For example, he was called Emperor Daojun and did not attend court for twenty years.
In fact, at the beginning of his reign, Emperor Jiajing was very diligent and studious.
As a relative of the emperor, he urgently needed to prove himself through etiquette and laws.
Regular imperial lectures were crucial in creating the image of a diligent monarch, not to mention the basic tasks of handling state affairs.
It can be said that before the 15th year of Jiajing, the emperor was still very competent.
The Jiajing Emperor stopped attending court in his middle and late years for a variety of reasons. The most important turning point came in the 21st year of the Jiajing Emperor's reign, when the Emperor was nearly strangled to death by a palace maid in his sleep while in the Yikun Palace.
The Jiajing Emperor, still haunted by his narrow escape, decided to move out of the Forbidden City and into the Western Gardens. Thus began his 20-year life of avoiding court.
This poem, "Thoughts on the Imperial Lecture on the Great Learning," was certainly composed during the early years of the Jiajing Emperor's reign. At that time, he was still a model of diligence and love of learning, setting an example for scholars throughout the world as a ruler and father.
The ruling foundation of the Ming Dynasty had two points, one of which was filial piety.
As the saying goes, a holy dynasty governs the world with filial piety.
The second is to study.
Emperor Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang established the household registration system, dividing the people of the country into civilian households, military households, artisan households, and musician households. Sons were required to follow in the footsteps of their fathers.
But it is "A dragon gives birth to a dragon, a phoenix gives birth to a phoenix, and a mouse's son can dig holes."
If this continues for a long time, class stratification will inevitably occur.
Then the imperial examination system is the only way to adjust the balance and enable ordinary people to change their own destiny.
The Four Books and Five Classics are very complicated, and eight-legged essays are difficult to write, but it is precisely because of this that ordinary people have hope.
Those dandy young men from wealthy families, living a life of luxury, surrounded by beautiful wives and concubines, naturally wouldn't want to do such hard work. If they were lucky, they could even get a government job, or at the very least, become a student at the Imperial Academy.
If studying were easy, these playboys would probably extinguish the only hope of ordinary people.
Although the imperial examination system had its limitations, it was the most reasonable selection method at the time.
In the morning, he is a farmer, and in the evening, he ascends the emperor's hall.
No one cared about my hard study for ten years, but I became famous overnight.
This is the same principle.
If the emperor wanted to promote learning, he naturally had to set an example himself, just as the Ming Dynasty emphasized agriculture and the emperor would personally farm the land.
In the eyes of Emperor Jiajing, "studying" is as important as "farming".
That is why he wrote the poem "When an emperor plans to govern, learning should be the first priority."
In comparison, doing business can be considered the last resort.
Emperor Jiajing asked Eunuch Wang to convey a message to Xu Yan, "When the emperor plans to govern, learning should be the first priority." This was to warn him to be diligent in learning and take the right path of imperial examinations.
It can be said that this pointed out the future direction for Xu Yan.
In Xu Xiaolangjun's opinion, Emperor Jiajing's words are really important!
Although the emperor did not give him a promotion, he did give him a promise. He was just saying, "Study hard and take the exam well. If you pass the exam and become a Jinshi, I will give you a position of honor."
It is easy to say that Jian is in the emperor's heart, but it is difficult to actually do it.
The emperor was busy with all kinds of affairs, so it was difficult for him to remember a boy who had no official status.
But Xu Yan did it.
Presenting auspicious signs not only helped Governor Zhu Wan, Prefect Ma Shanyuan, County Magistrate Zhao Ruohai and others to be promoted, but also made Emperor Jiajing remember Xu Yan.
Once the seeds are planted in your heart, they will surely sprout and grow in the future. There is no need to worry at all.
Emperor Jiajing did not openly reward Xu Yan, but now it seems that he was protecting him.
As the saying goes, a blessing in disguise.
If Xu Yan were to take the imperial examination, he would have to protect his reputation.
Scholars are the most pedantic. The so-called upright people despise anyone who gets to the top by flattery.
First, during the Chenghua Dynasty, officials were boycotted by the upright censors, and later, Prime Minister Yan Song was impeached by the remonstrators with tears and blood.
Therefore, offering auspiciousness is also a double-edged sword.
Xu Yan did not come forward himself, but went through the Zhejiang officialdom, which was extremely covert.
Emperor Jiajing was also well aware of the ins and outs of this matter and paid great attention to protecting Xu Yan. He did not issue an imperial decree to reward Xu Yan lavishly.
In this way, Xu Yan not only sold favors to the officials in Zhejiang, but also preserved Zhu Wan's position and became the most popular young man in the heart of Emperor Jian. It was really killing three birds with one stone.
At first, Xu Yan didn't expect such a good result, but now it seems that his original choice was absolutely correct.
Xu Yan vaguely felt that his arrival had gradually changed the course of history, and the butterfly effect was gradually emerging. As for where the Ming Dynasty would go, only time would tell!
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