Chapter 6: The Spirit of Literature and Martial Arts Competing with the World (Part 2)

In the memories left by Han Gang's previous life, there are numerous collections of works by famous authors—though the details are sparse, there is a table of contents. Among them, poetry occupies only a small portion. In addition, there are essays, memorials, biographies, records, and discussions, as well as rhapsodies, letters, and other literary forms, not limited to just poetry. If one truly wishes to pose as a literary master, one must engage with various literary forms. It is not sufficient to merely compose a couple of lines of poetry while being unable to write rhapsodies, memorials, or biographies.

In addition to these, Han Gang also observed the theory of the transformation from quantitative change to qualitative change from the fragments and sentences of Zhang Zai noted in his writings, although Zhang Zai referred to it as "gradual transformation" and "notable change." There is also the embryonic form of dialectics related to the unity of opposites—"one object, two bodies... this is what the heavens refer to."

Even if one gains a bit of fame by exchanging two poems, when invited to a banquet, should one attend or not? At such gatherings, poetry is required to enliven the atmosphere; can a plagiarist compose fitting verses on the spot at the banquet?

In addition to the Jinshi degree, the court also established examinations for subjects such as Mingjing to select talents. Han Gang's understanding of the classics is quite good, and the difficulty of the Mingjing examination is not high, as there is a saying: "Thirty is considered old for Mingjing, while fifty is still young for Jinshi"—passing the Mingjing examination at thirty is already considered late, while passing the Jinshi examination at fifty is still regarded as young. With the foundation left by his predecessors still intact, Han Gang believes that as long as he works hard for a few years, obtaining a Mingjing degree will certainly be much easier than achieving a Jinshi degree.

Han Gang suddenly laughed at himself, saying that in the end, he still had to rely on his own teacher. Having once taken Zhang Zai as his mentor was indeed a stroke of luck. Regardless of the era, being born to a renowned teacher and having classmates to support one another certainly makes it much easier to gain fame than for others. At this moment, Zhang Zai was his greatest support, and it was only natural for Han Gang to delve deeper into Zhang Zai's theories. For this reason, a significant portion of Han Gang's energy in recent times has been devoted to organizing and reviewing the notes he took while listening to lectures beside Zhang Zai.

Han Gang's teacher, Zhang Zai, could also have been one of them. At that time, Zhang Zai had submitted a memorial to Fan Zhongyan, intending to recover the Qingtang and Tubo regions as a diversionary force against the Dangxiang people. Later, due to Fan Zhongyan's advice, Zhang Zai abandoned military pursuits to pursue a literary career and began teaching. However, he never forgot the study of military strategy and tactics in teaching his disciples. Among the various Confucian schools in the present-day Song Dynasty, Zhang Zai's Guanzhong school, abbreviated as Guanxue, places the greatest emphasis on military strategy.

More than twenty years ago, Li Yuanhao raised the banner of rebellion against the Song Dynasty, and the Tangut cavalry roamed freely in the northwest. At that time, the Northern Song Dynasty had not heard the sound of drums and gongs for over thirty years, and there was no one in the court who could be of use. Renowned ministers such as Fan Zhongyan and Han Qi gradually came from the court to the northwest, stabilizing the situation in Shaanxi. During this period, many talented individuals from the Guanshi region were recommended and entered the court as officials. How many low-ranking soldiers in the army seized the opportunity to rise and achieve great success. During this period, many talented individuals from the Guanshi region were recommended and entered the court as officials. How many low-ranking soldiers in the army seized the opportunity to rise and achieve great success

This is another way of expressing "the absoluteness of motion"

Although Zhang Zai's statements can be described as convoluted and not as straightforward as later interpretations, Han Gang does not dismiss them. This is because Zhang Zai's theory of qi shares many commonalities with the philosophical theories upheld by Han Gang. With a different phrasing, one could even integrate later natural science theories such as atomism, elemental theory, and dialectics into this framework. Moreover, these theories, which belong to the realm of natural philosophy, have been validated by countless individuals over thousands of years, demonstrating a rigor that far exceeds that of qi theory, and they can also be experimentally verified—thus aligning with the Confucian teaching of investigating things to attain knowledge. With a different phrasing, one could even integrate later natural science theories such as atomism, elemental theory, and dialectics into this framework. Moreover, these theories, which belong to the realm of natural philosophy, have been validated by countless individuals over thousands of years, demonstrating a rigor that far exceeds that of qi theory, and they can also be experimentally verified—thus aligning with the Confucian teaching of investigating things to attain knowledge.

I can only regret that back in the day, while idly flipping through the biography of Zhu Xi on the train, I did not delve deeply into the details. I skipped over the chapters on Neo-Confucianism and instead paid much attention to the gossip about Zhu Xi taking in nuns and stripping his daughter-in-law. This is what is called "money cannot buy foresight"; Han Gang now truly regrets his past decisions.

The human heart is treacherous, and this is especially true for literati. Jiang Yan was ridiculed as having exhausted his talent merely because his writing had slightly declined. If a poet's talent fluctuates greatly, and only a few good poems are presented, is it possible that they would not be accused of plagiarism?

Very well, this statement is essentially the theory of the indestructibility of matter—whether in death or in life, the physical body does not disappear with death—hence it is referred to as "death but not extinction"

In recent days, Han Gang has been setting up a schedule in his spare time, establishing a timeline for himself, and planning to spend half a year to compile a new theory encompassed within the study of Qi. For the creation of a new theory, this timeframe is not long; it can be considered quite short, but it is sufficient for Han Gang. His intention is not to create a new academic discipline to replace the study of Qi, but rather to use the theories he has already understood to address the shortcomings of Qi. At the same time, he aims to leave room for progress, allowing for gradual improvements in the future. His intention is not to create a new academic discipline to replace the study of Qi, but rather to use the theories he has already understood to address the shortcomings of Qi. At the same time, he aims to leave room for progress, allowing for gradual improvements in the future.

Note: Zhang Zai was revered by Zhu Xi as one of the Five Sons of Li Xue, alongside his cousin Cheng Hao, Cheng Yi, their teacher Zhou Dunyi, and his close friend Shao Yong. However, the system of Qi that Zhang Zai established is more aligned with materialism, which is in stark contrast to the relatively idealistic Li Xue. This represents the struggle for the Daoist lineage among various schools during the Northern Song Dynasty, where not only were rival schools eradicated, but there was also an attempt to appropriate their ideas. In the Northern Song, the academic disputes were akin to warfare, a matter of life and death. This represents the struggle for the Daoist lineage among various schools during the Northern Song Dynasty, where not only were rival schools eradicated, but there was also an attempt to appropriate their ideas. In the Northern Song, the academic disputes were akin to warfare, a matter of life and death

The air masses are vast and ethereal, rising and falling, never ceasing.

In this era, the social activities of literati primarily revolve around attending poetry gatherings. Han Gang recalls having participated in such events seven or eight times. At these gatherings, composing poetry requires adherence to rhyme schemes and thematic constraints, with poems needing to reflect the emotions and scenes at hand, rather than being whimsical and unfocused. Han Gang does not believe he possesses the ability to craft a fine poem simply by being restricted to a specific rhyme while observing the scenery and objects around him. Additionally, there are instances of collaborative verses, where several individuals take turns contributing lines, adhering to the rhyme scheme, to create an extended poem together. Han Gang does not consider himself capable of achieving the level of skill required to produce a good poem under such constraints. Such collaborative poetry is not only present in Han Gang's memories but is also frequently mentioned in ancient novels such as Dream of the Red Chamber.

"Void is Qi." "Qi, as a substance, disperses into the formless, fitting into my body. When gathered, it takes on form, yet does not lose my essence." "The great void cannot exist without Qi; Qi cannot fail to gather into myriad things; myriad things cannot help but disperse into the great void."

Zhang Zai lectured at the county school in Jingzhao Prefecture three years ago. Two years ago, he served as the military judge in Weizhou, assisting the military governor Cai Ting in managing military affairs. In his spare time, he also taught his disciples. Last year, he was invited to gather students for lectures at Luyeti Pavilion in Wugong County. Perhaps in the Central Plains, Master Hengqu's reputation is not yet significant, but in Guanshi, he is highly respected, and the scholars of Guanshi are drawn to him.

Calming his mind, Han Gang immersed himself in his work, diligently researching. Once he achieved some results, whether through correspondence or direct meetings, as long as the new theory could pique Zhang Zai's interest, his reputation in the scholarly circles of Guanzhong would be firmly established as the first step.

A self-consistent system must proceed step by step; it cannot be achieved overnight. At the same time, this presents an opportunity to gradually enhance one's reputation. The gradually increasing reputation can bring about the desired positions of power. The elevation of power, in turn, can promote the dissemination of theories. Academia and power mutually reinforce each other. Without the support of authority, the spread of a theory would require decades or even centuries of effort. The elevation of power can, in turn, promote the dissemination of theories. Academia and power mutually reinforce each other. Without the support of authority, the spread of a theory would require decades or even centuries of effort.

Unless the court can change the selection of scholars from poetry and prose to the examination of classical texts, Han Gang has no hope of becoming a Jinshi. Nevertheless, Han Gang has never entertained the thought of plagiarizing poetry and prose from later generations. Without a solid foundation, one should not deceive others; one may deceive for a moment, but cannot deceive for a lifetime. Poetry and prose are a collective term; it is not sufficient to merely copy a couple of lines from inferior poetry.

Moreover, according to Han Gang, those scholars who pass the provincial examination are referred to as Gongsheng, and they may also be called Juren. However, unlike the Juren of later generations, this is not a lifelong qualification but rather a one-time eligibility. If one passes the provincial examination and then fails to pass the Jinshi examination in the capital, they must participate in the provincial examination again and pass it if they wish to take the Jinshi examination three years later; otherwise, they will not have the qualification of Gongsheng and will not be able to go to the capital.

You may find an excuse to say that you will no longer write poetry, but in the future, there will certainly be requests for you to write autobiographies, epitaphs, and chronicles. Outsiders may disregard it, but can friends and family really turn a blind eye? How then should one deceive in such situations? In fact, without some genuine substance, who can manage to deceive for decades?

Zhang Zai's view of the natural world posits that the essence of the universe is centered around qi, from which all things in heaven and earth are born. By replacing "qi" with matter and "tai xu" with the universe, it becomes evident that the theoretical foundation of Zhang Zai's philosophy is materialistic

"Gathered, it is my body; dispersed, it is still my body. To know death yet not perish, one may speak of nature."

A step ahead of the times is genius, but a step further is madness. Han Gang did not challenge the arrogance of the entire society; he is not Don Quixote. His goal is merely to protect his own and his family's position, nothing more, and he is not greedy. This alone is what he will not waver from for anything.

Han Gang had a limited understanding of history, but he was aware of the status of Neo-Confucianism in historical context. The founders of Neo-Confucianism, Cheng Hao and Cheng Yi, were indeed the cousins of his own teacher—he had even met Cheng Yi last year, who was a middle-aged man wrapped in a serious and rigid demeanor, exuding an air that was quite off-putting. His critical and harsh gaze made every student of Zhang Zai feel apprehensive, fearing that any slight misstep would bring disgrace to their teacher. However, even during the Southern Song Dynasty under Zhu Xi, Neo-Confucianism did not dominate entirely and was even prohibited at times due to political reasons

There are only one or two excellent pieces, while the rest of the poetry is rather mediocre. The performance at the poetry meeting was even difficult to behold, and such a disparity raises suspicions. If the original level was around eighty points, achieving a perfect score could still be considered progress. However, if the original standard was only twenty or thirty points, who would believe that one could score a hundred?

Even if he does not wish to participate in the examination, Han Gang still has the option of being recommended for an official position, which is also a source of his confidence. The frequent military conflicts in the northwest have created a much higher demand for talent compared to other regions. Han Gang is currently practicing archery, also in hopes of achieving fame. As long as he possesses literary talent surpassing that of martial artists and martial prowess exceeding that of scholars, combined with his own intellect and eloquence, it is truly not difficult to secure a prominent position.

Packaging the natural science theories of later generations into the study of Qi is a very interesting idea, and Han Gang believes there is a strong possibility of success. Once successful, not only will Zhang Zai's name be etched in history for more than just a simple four-line proclamation, but his theory of Qi will also be passed down through the ages. Moreover, the power and status that Han Gang has long dreamed of will also follow.

Moreover, being able to compose poetry does not equate to being able to hold an official position. Throughout history, there have been very few prominent ministers with literary fame. Li Bai and Du Fu lived their entire lives in poverty; why should one strive to add their name to the list? Furthermore, there are multiple paths to becoming an official, not solely through the imperial examination. Although the number of successful candidates from Shaanxi has traditionally been low, the number of officials from the region is not insignificant, indicating that passing the imperial examination is not the only requirement.