Chapter 0008: Master Guo

Xu Jinlue organized his thoughts and replied: "Zong Sheng (Zengzi) said that he reflects on himself multiple times each day, for example: Have I done my utmost in serving others? Have I been honest and trustworthy in my interactions with friends? Have I reviewed the knowledge imparted by my teacher?"

Thank you, Master!" Xu Jin calmly took a seat

Xu Jin arrived outside the classroom, where the sound of reading was resonating inside. Master Guo, with a serious expression, was pacing between the desks holding a ruler. If any student was caught not concentrating on their studies, he would tap the ruler on the desk, and that unfortunate child would have to obediently extend their little hand to receive a strike from the ruler

Guo Fuzi's eyes lit up; although Xu Jin's explanation is somewhat colloquial, it undoubtedly captures the essence and is easy to understand

Moreover, there are not many peasant families willing to send their children to school to learn to read and write, as it incurs expenses and wastes labor. Wealthy families who can afford the costs look down upon young scholars, preferring instead to spend more money to hire a private tutor at home or simply send their children to a prestigious academy.

The teaching progress of these youths is comparable to that of Xu Jin, as they have only studied the "Analects". However, Xu Jin just took out the "I Ching" to read, which is nothing short of pretentious. It should be noted that the "I Ching" is the foremost of all classics and is the most obscure and difficult to understand.

"The child is indeed teachable!" Guo Baichuan said with satisfaction as he stroked his beard, "You should go back and prepare for your class. I will organize the articles from the county examinations over the years, and after the next semester, you can take them back and study them carefully."

Xu Jin was overjoyed, for the main purpose of his coming to school today was to learn how to write the eight-legged essay, and he hurriedly said: "Thank you, Master!"

This was exactly what he had hoped for, and Xu Jin was naturally overjoyed. He performed a bow and then withdrew.

Master Guo asked again: "Have you memorized the Doctrine of the Mean?"

Master Guo said with delight: "Very well, from today onwards, I shall teach you the art of craftsmanship. By next year, you can register to participate in the county examination and test your skills!"

Um, go in... Oh, wait!

"What a genius!" Guo Fuzi was so excited that his beard trembled a bit. He never expected that his disciple, who seemed incapable of even producing a dull sound, was actually a prodigy. Could it be that he had been pretending to be a fool all along?

It is no wonder that Xu Jin possesses the soul of a modern person, and thus his thoughts naturally differ from those of ancient individuals

Xu Jin also noticed the malice in Guo Fuzis eyes, feeling quite depressed. It must be said that he had no intention of putting on an act; he was simply a bookworm who had memorized the other Four Books and Five Classics thoroughly, except for the Book of Changes, which he had been focusing on reading these days.

Due to the significant age differences and the lack of uniformity in enrollment times, the teaching content also varies. For younger students who have just entered school, the curriculum typically includes literacy materials such as the "Three Character Classic" and "Hundred Family Surnames." Older students, on the other hand, study texts like the "Thousand Character Classic" and arithmetic. Students like Xu Jin have progressed to studying the "Book of Songs" and the "Analects."

Indeed, there were quite a few prodigies during the Ming Dynasty, such as the Grand Scholar Li Dongyang of our dynasty, who was recommended to the provincial academy at the age of 8 and directly became a successful candidate at the age of 15, thus achieving the title of Xiucai at the age of 17 is not particularly extraordinary

The Master said: Is it not a joy to learn and to practice what you have learned? Is it not a pleasure to have friends come from afar...

In an instant, all eyes in the classroom were focused on Xu Jin, and those youths of similar age to Xu Jin even displayed expressions of glee at his expense

Master Guo placed the ruler down on the lectern, his gaze sweeping around the room before settling on Xu Jin. With a serious expression, he said: "Learning is like rowing upstream; not to advance is to drop back. The heart is like a horse running on a plain; it is easy to let go but difficult to rein in. The path of learning lies in continuous effort, and one must not be the slightest bit lax. Xu Jin, although you have been ill for several months, your studies must not be neglected. Recite the Analects once, and if there are any mistakes or omissions, I shall impose a severe penalty!"

Xu Jin was about to take a step when Wang called him back, saying: "Jin, tomorrow is the first day of the month, remember to submit the tuition fee."

Since the Han and Tang dynasties, the practice of filial piety has become a custom, especially during the Ming dynasty, where the rules surrounding filial piety became even more numerous. During the mourning period, one is prohibited from engaging in any entertainment activities, from having marital relations, from participating in the imperial examination, and even officials are compelled to resign and return home to observe the mourning period.

The so-called craftsmanship refers to the writing of the eight-legged essay, which is the centerpiece of the imperial examination. Whether one can succeed in the examination hinges on the eight-legged essay, while other forms of poetry and essays are of secondary importance

Xu Jin is only fourteen years old this year. If he can pass the examination for the title of Xiucai within three years, he will be only seventeen at that time. A Xiucai at the age of sixteen or seventeen would barely be considered a prodigy in the Ming Dynasty

Master Guo smiled and said: "Work hard, gain some experience next year, and strive to pass the scholar examination within three years!"

The old scholar's name is Guo Baichuan, styled Dongliu, and he self-styled as the Southeast Mountain Man. He resides in the southeastern corner of Guojiazhuang. Since the private school is of a private nature, the government does not provide teaching facilities, so the old scholar has converted a room in his home into a classroom

Master Guo's expression softened slightly as he asked: "Zengzi said: 'I examine myself three times a day. Have I been unfaithful in my dealings with others? Have I been untrustworthy in my interactions with friends? Have I transmitted knowledge without practicing it?' How should this be interpreted?"

Master Guo could not help but glance at Xu Jin once more. He was very familiar with this disciple; although diligent in his studies, he was rather dull and introverted, even struggling to articulate his thoughts. Yet today, he responded with remarkable fluency, and what was even more impressive was his calm and composed demeanor, which was a stark contrast to his usual self. Truly, it was a marvel.

There are approximately fifteen or sixteen students in the classroom, with a wide age range, from toddlers of three or four years old, dragging their noses, to adolescents like Xu Jin, who are around fourteen or fifteen years old

Guo Baichuan hopes that Xu Jin can pass the scholar examination within three years, unaware that Xu Jin's own goal is to pass the examination next year. Naturally, Xu Jin would not express this in front of the teacher, lest he be perceived as arrogant and conceited. Therefore, he respectfully replied: "Thank you, Master, for your encouragement; the student will strive to improve!"

Xu Jinxing sat down at his seat and took out the "I Ching" from the Five Classics to begin reciting. Upon seeing this, Master Guo couldn't help but furrow his brows, yet he said nothing.

The Master has always despised the behavior of aspiring for lofty ideals while lacking understanding, as well as the ostentatious pretense of knowledge. This young man, Xu Jin, actually dared to read the "I Ching" in front of the Master, which is simply inviting trouble for himself

Under normal circumstances, children are expected to observe a three-year mourning period for their parents. Xu Jin lost his father at the age of 10 and his mother at 11. This year marks the completion of his mourning period, so there should be no issue for him to participate in the imperial examination.

Master's wife! Xu Jin bowed in the manner of ancient people to show respect, valuing the teacher and the way, truly a humble servant.

Mr. Guo is approximately fifty years old, with a thin and elongated face, and a long beard on his chin. He appears to be a stern and humorless old-fashioned man, and the character of a bookworm is likely influenced to some extent by him

Xu Jin followed Guo Baichuan to the adjacent休息间. The latter took a sip of tea and did not immediately answer Xu Jin's previous question. Instead, he said casually: "Recite the 'Great Learning' for me!"

Master Guo nearly spat out a mouthful of tea, and with a serious expression said: "Is that true? Recite the 'Doctrine of the Mean' for me!"

Xu Jin, taking advantage of having just gained the favor of Master Guo, approached him after a class and said: "Master, recently I have been reading the 'Doctrine of the Mean,' and there is a line that states: 'The way is not followed; I know this. The knowledgeable surpass it, while the foolish fall short.' How should this be interpreted?"

Xu Jin felt somewhat embarrassed, as it turned out to be a reminder to pay the tuition fees, and he nodded, saying: "The child has saved up!"

A group of young people cast complex glances, as the master was known for his strictness and rarely praised his disciples. Just now, he unexpectedly remarked that Xu Jin had answered quite well

Xu Jinyi recited the "Great Learning" from the Four Books, word for word without missing a single character

"Except for the Book of Changes from the Five Classics, all the disciples have memorized everything!" Xu Jinyu stated with an unwavering determination to astonish.

Thus, more than ten students shook their heads and swayed, each reading their own material, with the contents being different and not interfering with one another

After finishing the morning reading, the students took a brief rest before starting the first class. The rowdy children immediately returned to their seats in an orderly manner, and with a light cough, Master Guo entered holding a ruler.

The child is much better, thank you for your concern, Madam Xu! Xu Jing respectfully said, fortunately, he inherited the memory of a bookworm; otherwise, it would be difficult to address anyone properly.

Do not be misled by the fact that the old scholar runs a private school; however, life is not affluent. A family of five or six lives in three tiled rooms, and they must allocate one room to serve as a classroom

Wang nodded and looked at Xu Jin, smiling as he said: "I heard last month that Brother Jin was quite ill, but it seems you have recovered well now"

Xu Jin effortlessly recited the "Doctrine of the Mean," which left Master Guo feeling unsettled. He then deliberately selected several passages from the Four Books for examination, yet Xu Jin answered them all, providing unique insights that were quite remarkable.

Guo Baichuan had spent his entire life attempting to pass the examination for a xiucai but had never succeeded. If he could cultivate a prodigy, it would undoubtedly be a matter of great pride, serving as a unique way to fulfill his own regrets. Thus, it is no wonder that he was so excited.

As Xu Jing entered the courtyard of the old scholar, he saw a woman hanging out clothes to dry. She appeared to be around forty to fifty years old, dressed in a simple hemp dress, and was none other than the wife of the old scholar, Wang.

The "Doctrine of the Mean" is one of the Four Books, primarily discussing the cultivation of human nature in Confucianism and teaching the principles of conduct in life. It is a mandatory subject in the imperial examination. Of course, if one is only taking the preliminary examination, it is not necessary to thoroughly read all the Four Books and Five Classics; being well-versed in the Four Books is sufficient to cope with it. However, one should not be completely ignorant of the remaining Five Classics.

"Master!" Xu Jin called out, and only then did Master Guo notice Xu Jin, who had been standing at the door for a while. He slightly nodded to indicate for him to come in

Therefore, the number of students that Lao Tongsheng has recruited is not many, only about ten or so, and the tuition barely suffices for his livelihood. For this reason, Xu Jin does not feel resentful towards Wang's urging for the payment of tuition fees; he simply feels somewhat embarrassed. Although the monthly tuition is only ten wen, he truly cannot afford to pay it at the moment

"Hmm, not bad, please take a seat!" Master Guo said, stroking his beard.

"Yes, Master!" Xu Jin stood up to pay his respects, then closed the book and began to recite the Analects loudly.

Master Guo stroked his beard for a moment and suddenly asked, "Xu Jin, your mourning period has come to an end, hasn't it?"

Several boys of the same age perked up their ears, waiting to catch Xu Jin making a mistake. It is known that the master's rule is to strike the ruler once for each mistake made in recitation. There was once an unfortunate fellow who was struck twenty-eight times, and his palm took several days to recover from the swelling. However, these boys soon became disappointed, as Xu Jin recited the Analects in one breath, and not a single word was incorrect.

A few days ago, Xu Jin went to the town to find a broker (intermediary), preparing to sell the rice fields at home, but so far there have been no buyers to take over.

Master Guo cast a thoughtful glance at Xu Jin and said calmly, "Come with me for a moment!"

Xu Jin nodded and replied: "It's full!"