Chapter 261: Hiding the Art in Medicine, a Great Achievement
"What makes all things different is life, and what they have in common is death. In life, there are the wise and the foolish, the noble and the humble; this is what makes them different; in death, there are the stinking, decaying, and disappearing; this is what they have in common. However, the wise and the foolish, the noble and the humble are not what they can become; and neither are they what they can become. So the living is not what is born, and the dead is not what is dead; the wise is not what is wise, the foolish is not what is foolish, the noble is not what is noble, and the humble is not what is humble.
Yet all things are born and die together, all are wise and foolish, all are noble and humble. Ten years later, they die; a hundred years later, they die. The wise and the virtuous die; the foolish and the evil die. When alive, we are Mo Qiu; when dead, we are rotten bones; when alive, we are Zong Ming; when dead, we are rotten bones. Rotten bones are the same; who knows the difference? Let us focus on life, not on what comes after death.
Yang Zhu looked at Gu Dan and said seriously.
In this whole world, the wise and the foolish, the noble and the humble, are just two ends of life and death. What difference is there?
A benevolent person like Mozi cannot escape, and a cruel person like Emperor Zongming cannot escape either. What is an individual in the universe? Therefore, just pursue happiness in this life, why worry about so many things?
This attitude can be said to be quite negative.
But there was still unwillingness in his eyes, a strong unwillingness. He hoped very much that someone could refute his point of view and convince him.
To put it more mysteriously, Yang Zhu could not find the position of man between heaven and earth.
I don’t know what people should do or what they should do.
When you have seen enough and experienced enough, you will feel that it is enough for a person to live a good life and make himself happy, and there is no need to bother with those empty things.
He is not promoting his own ideas, but exploring them.
Wherever he went, he would find someone to discuss with.
It can be said that he was stuck in a dead end, or that he had a disease of affluence and had nothing to do, so he found some unanswered questions to embarrass himself.
But there is no doubt that seeking answers itself has become a meaning for him.
"I'm afraid I can't give you an answer to this question."
After thinking for a long time, Gu Dan said honestly.
Perhaps there are indeed people who have seen through life and death, and indeed people who have insight into the world, but who can characterize a person? "At different heights, you see things and from different angles."
After a moment of silence, Gu Dan said, "When poverty is the most pressing, a full meal is the meaning of life, and one can say that people live to eat; when food and clothing are more than adequate, seeking fame and fortune is the right path, and one can say that living is for fame; when one has reached the level of a master and nothing in the world can satisfy one any more, worldly pursuits become unbearable, and one has to struggle with their meaning instead."
Gu Dan laughed, "Maybe it's because I didn't stand high enough and saw too little of the scenery. The so-called peak is just a small hill, so I was blinded by the scenery."
"rational."
Yang Zhu nodded, but shrugged his shoulders and said, "Perhaps only the legendary immortals can understand the meaning of being human? But, at a higher level..."
Yang Zhu smiled bitterly, "I can only stop here."
The Grandmaster is the pinnacle of the world, but this pinnacle is still too small compared to the entire world.
With a life span of 120 years, one cannot even travel around the world.
The world in the eyes of the master is just like a blind man touching an elephant, except that he touches more than ordinary people.
How can a frog in a well talk about the world? How can it find its own position? This is a question that is destined to have no answer.
After a brief chat, Yang Zhu said goodbye and left, agreeing to talk again next time.
Watching Yang Zhu go away, Qingpingzi, who had not interrupted him, swallowed a mouthful of tea and said self-deprecatingly: "Look, this is the master who can't find the way forward. If there is no immortal way, you and I will probably be trapped in this vicious circle and will never be able to break free."
Does a man like Yang Zhu have no talent? No, he just has no chance to move forward.
No matter how amazingly talented you are in the world, you can only stop here and cannot make any further progress.
For the rest of the time, I can only make myself uncomfortable and have no support in my heart.
But as an "insider" who knew the news about the immortal way, Qingpingzi did not fall into this vicious circle.
Because he knew that Grandmaster was far from the limit, and had only touched the bottom of the huge monster of the Immortal Path!
If you want to find the meaning, you have to climb to the highest point before asking, right? Otherwise, it would be ridiculous for a little bug to want to know the ultimate mystery of the world.
How lucky and yet how unfortunate the geniuses living in this age of absolute spirituality are.
Fortunately, he reached the top without too many setbacks and hardships. Almost no one could surpass him. Even if he was not the one who had the final say, he was still an important figure who could influence the direction of a country.
Unfortunately, this peak is far from enough, just like a turtle occupying a pond. It can run rampant in the pond, but when it climbs out of the pond and sees the world outside, it will realize how small and humble it is.
The question is, what can we do even if we discover this?
I can only let myself feel depressed and wait for death silently.
Is it better to be brilliant and worry about nothing, or is it better to be muddle-headed and live out your life in peace? The answer may vary from person to person.
But there is no doubt that sober people are not happy.
Whether it is Mo Qiu who saves the world, or Yang Zhu who explores the true meaning of human life, whether positive or negative, the heaven and the earth are there, neither increasing nor decreasing, neither happy nor angry, and with silent contempt, they have consumed generations of heroes.
How tragic! Therefore, Qing Pingzi was determined to pursue the path to immortality at all costs.
Only in this way can one find inner peace, without having to blame the vast and silent universe, or fighting with one's own heart and finding relief.
Gu Dan also understood the problem.
All the masters of this world have lost their direction.
Although he and Qingpingzi knew that there were higher places to climb, the problem was that the mountain had not yet fallen down. So where should they go even if they wanted to climb?
The only thing we can do is to wait silently.
From this point of view, there doesn't seem to be much difference, but there is still hope in their hearts.
And Gu Dan’s hope is undoubtedly greater than anyone else’s.
Even if the immortal never comes, he has no worries about his lifespan. Even if he can never become an immortal, he can just find the way forward on his own, slowly or slowly. He has the capital to take his time.
Perhaps, this is the fundamental reason why his mentality has always been young. The increase in experience has not caused Gu Dan's mentality to age along with his age. It's just that in comparison, his mind has always been quite calm, and he has almost never taken the initiative to do anything.
To put it more appropriately, it is a lack of subjective initiative.
Especially at this time when he could no longer find his enemy and had no new direction.
If Qingmu Huasheng Jue and Xuanhu Jishi had not given him new surprises, Gu Dan would probably not have made any big moves.
For him, the passage of time almost came to a standstill.
Only when he focuses his eyes on others, especially familiar people, can Gu Dan realize that time is passing by unnoticed.
He had probably picked up some of the bad habits common to immortals, such as insensitivity to time.
"I want to go back."
Qingpingzi finished his tea and said, "I am going to continue studying that bone."
He has already obtained the Qingmu Liquid here to replenish himself. Although the Qingmu Liquid itself does not have the real effect of prolonging life, it can replenish oneself to the peak, which is considered a rare treasure in the world and there is only one of its kind.
At least I don’t have to worry about dying suddenly before the deadline due to losses in practice.
"Take care of yourself."
Gu Dan said indifferently.
After so many years, the past grievances between him and Qingpingzi have long become trivial matters not worth mentioning, and now they can treat each other like friends.
The difference is that Gu Dan does not rely on external forces.
And if the immortal doesn't come back in a few years, Qingpingzi will have to take a risk and try the life-extending effect of Dayong's bone.
Although the power of transformation will make people no longer human, it can at least buy themselves a few more decades. What if the immortal returns and finds a solution? Those who see hope also have torment in their hearts.
In the 25th year of the Xia Dynasty, a grand discussion event held in the academies of the world caused a sensation in the entire Xia Dynasty.
For people, they can find new fun in winter after the autumn harvest.
For those officials, they also saw new opportunities.
If Emperor Xia had no opinion on Mohism, why would he have to sit down and discuss it?
Then you must think that Mohism also has its one-sided aspects!
As the most outstanding figure in this event, Xun Ke naturally received a lot of criticism and support.
In particular, the point that human nature is evil has sparked enough debate and discussion, but it has also given the public an opportunity to get involved.
Even farmers who can barely read can cite a few examples to indicate whether they support this view.
After all, you can't expect old farmers in rural villages to talk about Yin and Yang, the Five Elements, and the theories of self-interest and valuing oneself whenever they meet someone, and to talk about them at length, right?
At least, Xun Ke did become famous, and much faster and more quickly than many people thought.
There is one more thing that many people have never thought about.
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That is, although Mohism was nominally the state religion of the Xia Dynasty, it had actually always been very xenophobic.
The xenophobia here does not mean being bad to outsiders, it just means that the Mohists have always treated everyone equally.
Apart from the imperial court and the Mohist school, many people who were talented but could not become officials, and who had some extra money and abilities, had no other place to go.
Either you rush across the single-plank bridge with thousands of troops to compete with others for official positions, or you are extremely harsh on yourself and join the Mohists.
It is not easy to enter the government, and it is even harder to be a Mohist.
So much so that one can only look on and stay away.
But the appearance of Xun Ke gave them hope.
Xun Ke himself was a close disciple of Mozi. Even he felt that the Mohists were too rigid and fierce. So what could be wrong with that?
If one suppresses one's selfish desires to the extreme, one will no longer be like a human being!
Although Xun Ke proposed that human nature is evil and that people are not easy to get along with, at least many people have a second choice.
As a result, many people gathered around Xun Ke to listen to his lectures.
Xun Ke also temporarily resigned from his official position. He had more important things to do, so he decided not to hold this position for the time being.
The change in wind direction was gradual, and the galloping carriage could not turn around instantly.
Mohism does have problems, but the time has not yet come to replace it hastily.
To establish etiquette for the world is not a one-day job. One person's wisdom has its limits. He also needs to learn from Mo Qiu and recruit like-minded people to discuss this matter together.
After all, Xun Ke did not want to overthrow the Mohist school. He had no hatred towards the Mohist school. On the contrary, he was quite kind to them.
It's just that he believed there were ways to make people live better - and the Mohists were unwilling to make changes, so the conflict arose, that's all.
He neither wanted to betray the Mohist school nor his master, but just to give his own answer for people of the world to judge and choose.
It is a pity to succeed, but there is nothing to regret about failure.
The first people to show their support for Xun Ke were precisely the wealthy and powerful families who had already grown up.
Today, business in the Xia Dynasty is very prosperous, but since ancient times, the policy of emphasizing agriculture and suppressing commerce has never been interrupted.
Among the ten principles of Mohism, there are three that are detrimental to business: anti-pleasure, frugal spending, and frugal burials! Anti-pleasure means that people should not indulge in enjoyment, frugal spending means not being extravagant and just having enough to use, and frugal burials are even more hateful. Even burials must be simple. If you can't live a good life during life, you can't enjoy a glorious life after death! No matter which of these three principles is really implemented, it will be a blow to business itself.
Moreover, with the Mohists as an example, many wealthy people would not dare to enjoy extravagance even for the sake of their own reputation - the Mohists did not forbid it, but if you are too extravagant, you will know whether you can withstand the test when the Mohists come to investigate.
The moral standard of Mohism is really too high.
As a result, many businessmen went to foreign countries but did not dare to buy too many treasures that could only be appreciated. This in itself was a huge blow to the top businesses.
He could earn a hundred dollars, but because of the existence and influence of the Mohist School, he could only earn seventy or even fifty dollars at most. This was almost an irreconcilable feud.
However, in the past, no one was qualified or capable of challenging the Mohist school.
Who are you to dare to say that the Ten Principles left by the saints are wrong?
But the appearance of Xun Ke gave many people hope.
They are insignificant and have little influence, so naturally they dare not touch the saint's glory and the invincible golden body.
But as a disciple of a saint, he should at least get some credit, right? Moreover, they are not saying that Mo Qiu was wrong, but that the current Mohist school is wrong.
Times have changed, do you understand?
The Xia Dynasty has been around for 25 years, and Dayue has died, but the Mohists are still the same old stuff! It’s not the saints who are wrong, but the Mohists today who don’t know how to adapt! If we push it back to slash-and-burn farming, wasn’t the person who invented slash-and-burn farming a saint? Is it suitable for the current situation? ! A grand event at the Tianxia Academy was like a huge stone that hit this country that had been peaceful and stable for a long time, causing a huge wave.
The person who set off this storm was Xun Ke, and the thousands of splashes of water all fell on the Mohist school.
Since the Mohists are unwilling to correct themselves and evolve, it is no wonder that others are competing with them for the right to speak.
The people's hearts and minds were on the Mohist school back then, but look at where they are today. How long can they tolerate you?
These struggles and changes in direction are difficult to discern at first glance.
But some obvious things did happen.
Many private schools and academies sprang up like mushrooms after a rain in the Xia Dynasty.
Because Xun Ke said that human nature is evil, but people can be guided to do good through education.
Supporting with words does not count as support. Only when it is put into practice can it be considered as true recognition.
Moreover, many private schools and academies set up by wealthy families would overtly or covertly have teachers instill some unfavorable aspects of Mohism - they did not dare to make up stories, they were just the same old problems.
Before the fall of Mohism, many people were willing to trip up the Mohist school at all costs. Even if they failed, they could still train more of their own people. They did not require them to resolutely oppose the Mohist school, as long as they stopped treating the Mohist school and Mohists as something glorious, it would be considered a success.
The turmoil stirred up by this event has far-reaching impact.
In the 30th year of the Xia Dynasty, the Emperor of Xia sent someone to invite Xun Ke to return to the court to take up a post, but was rejected.
In the 32nd year of the Xia Dynasty, the Emperor of Xia again invited Xun Ke to return to the court to serve, but he declined again.
In the 34th year of the Xia Dynasty, the medical book compiled by Gu Dan and doctors from various countries was finally completed, which took eleven years.
Gu Dan named it "Shennong's Herbal Classic".
After more than ten years of hard work, this masterpiece, which can be said to be a collection of the classics of medical books in the world, is more than just simple prescriptions and methods of curing diseases and saving lives.
While compiling the medical book, Gu Dan took the opportunity to sort out in detail what he had learned, his understanding of the human body, and the key points of the path from an ordinary person to a martial arts master. He eventually turned it into several copies and left them in "Shennong's Herbal Classic", hiding his skills in medicine.
With so many years of accumulation and the foresight of the grand master himself, the method left by Gu Dan is more incisive and far-sighted than the "Creation and Mysterious Art" which indirectly caused the grand master's disaster.
If any future generation really reads "Shennong's Herbal Classic" carefully and understands its meaning, he will find a way for ordinary people to become masters hidden in it.
When he finally finished this matter, Gu Dan felt a lot more relaxed.
This is truly a case of saving the world and teaching people how to fish.
Even if dynasties change, as long as people are still alive, "Shennong's Herbal Classic" can still be effective.
"In this case, it can be considered a great achievement, right?"
(End of this chapter)