Chapter 4: Crossing 4
Wang Shuhui's concern and assistance towards Zhu Youzi's family are directly related to his own growth experiences. During his childhood, Wang Shuhui's mother was chronically ill, and his father worked away from home for many years to support the family, leaving all household responsibilities to Wang Shuhui. When he was in junior high school, his father left home and never returned. He and his mother relied on each other, but within two years, his mother passed away due to grief. With the help of the community organization, he completed high school, went on to university, and finished his studies with the aid of student loans. He was later admitted to a public-funded master's program and eventually stayed on to teach at the university.
Wang Shuhui is neither a supporter of the Ming dynasty nor a proponent of the Qing dynasty. In his view, the merits and demerits of the Ming dynasty are unrelated to its own demise. In a feudal society, the concentration of land and the expansion of the interests of the privileged class, resulting from feudal land ownership, ultimately lead to the complete collapse of any feudal dynasty, regardless of who ascends to the throne. The continuously shrinking national finances are the common cause of this downfall.
Should we seize this opportunity to recreate a new China? This is the question that Wang Shuhui is currently contemplating
From an ideological perspective, under the constraints of Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism, Han civilization has reached a dead end. During the more than two hundred years following the fall of the Ming Dynasty, the Manchu Qing Dynasty, as a minority ethnic regime, continued down this path of stagnation, resulting in no progress whatsoever for Chinese society. Ultimately, the Qing Dynasty came to an end under the invasion of Western powers, which represented advanced civilization.
It can be said that the people of China during the late Ming and early Qing dynasties were the most unfortunate. Even without considering the shocking devastation and destruction caused by the peasant uprisings, or the rampant and indiscriminate slaughter by the Manchu tribes, the simple desire to be a farmer was thwarted by the adverse climatic conditions brought about by the Little Ice Age.
Of course, he is fully aware that the process of realizing the ideal of creating a new China is complex and arduous, and even his personal safety and existence in modern society are threatened. Wang Shuhui feels that in a modern China where industrial civilization has fully developed, his existence is insignificant. However, during the transitional period of the Ming Dynasty, even if he ultimately cannot realize his ideals, the environment for achieving those ideals still exists.
The Qing Dynasty ultimately gained control of the state by employing brutal means, including widespread massacres, which dismantled the privileges of the feudal landlord class. Although the Eight Banners nobility also constituted a privileged class, their scale was relatively small compared to the vast Han landlord class. The significant population reduction resulting from the massacres and the contraction of the privileged class, along with the revenue generated under their brutal rule, ensured the state's financial stability. This was the fundamental reason for the Qing Dynasty's replacement of the Ming Dynasty in ruling China.
The choice is difficult, and Wang Shuhui is not only lost in thought. In his hesitation, Wang Shuhui suddenly sees a passage on his wall, a famous quote from "How the Steel Was Tempered" by Pavel Korchagin: "The most precious thing for a person is life. Life belongs to a person only once. A person's life should be spent in such a way that when he looks back on the past, he will not regret having wasted his years, nor will he feel ashamed of having achieved nothing; thus, at the moment of death, he can say: 'My entire life and all my energy have been devoted to the most magnificent cause in the world—the struggle for the liberation of humanity.'"
Zhu Youzi originally wanted Wang Shuhui to live in their only relatively decent house, but Wang Shuhui did not agree and insisted on living in the garden. Due to his insistence, the father and daughter eventually agreed.
It can be said that the Ming Dynasty ruled the country through a feudal landlord and bureaucratic system that had become pathological and distorted, while the Qing Dynasty ruled through a barbaric and frenzied military aristocracy. In this confrontation, the barbaric and frenzied military aristocracy triumphed over the pathological and distorted feudal landlords
Wang Shuhui believes that the backwardness of the Chinese in terms of civilization began with the exclusive promotion of Confucianism by Dong Zhongshu during the Han Dynasty. This pseudo-Confucian culture, which was utilized and transformed by feudal rulers, has remained stagnant, ultimately leading to a comprehensive stagnation in the development of Han civilization. He feels that to fundamentally change the backward situation of Han civilization, it is necessary to introduce advanced cultures on one hand; however, more importantly, it is akin to traditional Chinese medicine treatment, to revive classical civilization and fundamentally enhance the vitality of Chinese civilization itself.
What Wang Shuhui finds most regrettable is that, in reality, Han civilization itself is extremely advanced. As early as the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, advanced ideological and cultural developments had already provided multiple pathways for the growth of Han civilization. From a macro perspective, during the late Song and late Ming dynasties, propelled by advanced productive forces, Han civilization had two opportunities to embark on new paths and gain rebirth. However, both of these opportunities were extinguished by the invasions of northern barbarians. The political and economic systems of the Ming dynasty had developed to the brink of social evolution, yet under the severe climate changes and the destruction caused by a distorted privileged class, ultimately, the process of social evolution in China was interrupted by the invasions of barbarians.
Wang Shuhui passed through the light gate in the garden and returned to the modern era, arriving back at his home to begin contemplating the events of the past few days
It is certain that time travel has occurred, albeit rather unfortunate and related to books, as it has transported one to the late Ming Dynasty. In Wang Shuhui's view, the transition between the Ming and Qing Dynasties was quite tumultuous. According to the data he is aware of, during the years from the late Ming to the early Qing, particularly in the context of the Little Ice Age and its severe climatic changes, China's population suffered a decline of over 80 million due to the devastation wrought by peasant armies and the massacres by the Manchus. It was not until the Kangxi era, when the Little Ice Age came to an end and high-yield crops such as corn and sweet potatoes were promoted in China, that the population decline finally ceased. According to the data he is aware of, during the years from the late Ming to the early Qing, particularly in the context of the Little Ice Age and its severe climatic changes, China's population suffered a decline of over 80 million due to the devastation wrought by peasant armies and the massacres by the Manchus. It was not until the Kangxi era, when the Little Ice Age came to an end and high-yield crops such as corn and sweet potatoes were promoted in China, that the population decline finally ceased
After finishing the tea, Wang Shuhui handed two large bundles filled with clothes to Zhu Youzi and her father. Originally, Zhu Youzi wanted to maintain a bit of dignity in front of her elder, but Wang Shuhui said, "If you don't dress warmly, your lung disease will relapse," prompting the father and daughter to obediently accept the clothing, bedding, and other daily necessities.
Under difficult conditions, Wang Shuhui has developed a resilient character. He believes in self-reliance, which reflects his attitude towards life. As a university professor, Wang Shuhui has always lived alone. He teaches sociology and enjoys reading. In his spare time, he entertains himself online and has a keen interest in historical issues. Outside of work, he also enjoys outdoor camping and has participated in many explorations and adventures. Wang Shuhui possesses a calm demeanor in the face of change, which explains why he can interact with ancient people with composure after traveling back in time.
Wang Shuhe and Tu Shuhui have always found it strange that the Chinese have not learned from the historical lessons of the Five Barbarians' chaos and the Mongol conquest. The Westerners have also developed amidst the destruction by barbarians, but they have clearly learned their lessons. "Civilization must eliminate barbarism, or barbarism will eliminate civilization." The Westerners' understanding of the laws of the jungle and the fundamental principles governing the world has evidently been ahead of the Chinese by several hundred years.
Wang Shuhui, being a modern individual, finds it quite challenging to fully comprehend the mindset of ancient people who lived in different environments and cultural contexts.
In the past, Wang Shuhui's ideas were merely theoretical discussions, but under the conditions of the existence of the crossing gate, during the late Ming Dynasty—a period that was complex and harsh yet filled with opportunities—transforming and promoting the progress of Chinese society became a possibility, which greatly excited Wang Shuhui, who had lived a life of mediocrity.
Although Zhu Weiwen's behavior was somewhat strange and her attitude was no longer as open and confident as before, there was a different nuance in Zhu Youzi's gaze. However, Wang Shuhui did not pay much attention to it. He taught Zhu Weiwen how to use the iron stove, how to adjust the ventilation switch of the stove pipe, how to use the items he brought, and explained what the food was and how to eat it. After that, he left the room and ran to the garden.