Chapter 58 Hongli's Classical Chinese Education

Next, Hongli was personally escorted by Emperor Yongzheng to Maoqin Hall to prepare for his apprenticeship under Zhu Shi.

Maoqin Hall, located on the west side of Qianqing Palace, was once the place where Emperor Kangxi studied in his youth.

Ordinarily, the princes studied in the Study Hall. For instance, Hongzhou was currently studying there. However, since Hongshi was older and had completed his foundational education, Yongzheng no longer had him study in the Study Hall. Furthermore, considering Hongshi’s need for moral correction, Yongzheng assigned him a dedicated teacher, Wang Maohong, who instructed him in the third prince’s study hall, guiding him in both scholarship and conduct.

In short, Yongzheng arranged tailored education for his three eldest sons.

However, the fact that Hongli was assigned to study in Maoqin Hall, where Kangxi had once studied, carried special significance.

When Hongli arrived at Maoqin Hall with Yongzheng, they saw Zhu Shi standing outside the hall. His features were sharply defined, his eyes bright and penetrating.

As soon as they entered, Zhu Shi promptly knelt and performed a deep bow, saying, “I pay respects to Your Majesty and Prince Beizi!”

“Rise,” Yongzheng called, and Zhu Shi stood.

Yongzheng then instructed Hongli to perform the apprentice’s bow.

Zhu Shi entered the hall and sat in the grand master’s chair at its center.

Hongli performed the apprenticeship bow with utmost sincerity.

Yongzheng, satisfied, smiled and gave Zhu Shi instructions to educate Hongli strictly.

Zhu Shi acknowledged the order and seated Hongli behind the desk opposite the grand master’s chair he had just occupied.

After Yongzheng departed, Hongli looked at Zhu Shi, wondering how his new teacher would instruct him.

“His Majesty has had me review your recent writings. They are clear and methodical, showing skill akin to a butcher dissecting an ox,” Zhu Shi began.

“Yet, between the lines, you seem to harbor disdain for the Neo-Confucianism of the Song and Ming dynasties, favoring the Han and Tang instead when discussing the sages’ teachings.”

“May I ask if you think the downfall of the previous Ming dynasty was due to scholars’ empty talk about mind and nature, thus you hold no respect for Song-Ming Confucianism?”

Zhu Shi spoke directly, addressing Hongli by name since he was not yet emperor, and their relationship was that of teacher and student, one of the Five Relationships, permitting such familiarity.

Hongli was taken aback. He had not expected Zhu Shi to discern this from his earlier mandated essays and to voice his innermost thoughts so plainly. Could it be that Yongzheng had already instructed Zhu Shi to teach him without reservation?

Unconcealed, Hongli nodded earnestly. “I dare not hide from you, sir. I do hold this belief, especially after studying the historical accounts from Chongzhen’s suicide to Yongli’s execution. I think our Qing dynasty owes half its success to the wisdom and martial prowess of our ancestors, and half to the scholars who, though only concerned with mind and nature, were willing to die for the emperor.”

“Many scholars could not even accomplish that death! After Chongzhen’s suicide, his body was exposed in the capital, yet few ministers mourned him; most officials passed by in silence.”

“Granted, Chongzhen was stubborn and suspicious, alienating his ministers, but is not the rites between ruler and subject the primary virtue advocated by Confucianism?”

“If scholars cannot uphold their own way, how can they expect others to believe in it?”

“I may use this learning to deceive the world, but I cannot deceive myself.”

Since Zhu Shi spoke honestly, Hongli responded in kind. After all, only by speaking truth can one truly learn, though truth often brings pain.

Zhu Shi remained composed, his expression grave. “It is rare that you acknowledge even Chongzhen’s faults, showing you do not shy away from the emperor’s own shortcomings.”

He then fixed his gaze on Hongli. “But what I must tell you is this: the failure of the former Ming, or rather the failure of the Han Chinese emperors like Chongzhen, was not the fault of the scholars!”

“Please, enlighten me, sir,” Hongli said.

He had wanted to retort, “Since Chongzhen is dead, you scholars can easily cast blame upon him,” but remembered he was here to learn, not argue, and held back.

Zhu Shi continued, “Chongzhen’s fault was not his stubborn suspicion, but his failure to uphold ritual propriety. As emperor of all under heaven, he should have guarded, unified, and promoted the rites, educating the people! He should not have allowed officials to behave improperly, scholars to neglect their duties, commoners to lose their manners, men to act unmanly, women to act unbecomingly, monks and Daoists to abandon their roles!”

Hongli found this new perspective intriguing.

Though not well-versed in Ming history, he knew the late Ming was freer and more open than the early reign, less repressive.

Men dressing as women, wearing makeup, prominent officials openly taking famous courtesans as wives, and scholars mingling with eunuchs without shame were all commonplace.

Therefore, Hongli resolved to listen attentively to Zhu Shi’s interpretation of the Ming’s downfall.

Every ruling class seeks to learn from the failures of the previous dynasty.

Zhu Shi and his peers were no exception, and he had much to impart to Hongli.

Yongzheng had indeed authorized Zhu Shi to speak candidly with Hongli.

Zhu Shi elaborated, “Emperor Chongzhen took pride in his checks and balances, but neglected to discipline the court. He spared the corrupt nobles who cruelly exploited the people, yet ruthlessly punished loyal officials over minor faults.”

“Even the royal Tang prince, who sought to aid the throne with sincere loyalty, was confined.”

“Thus, rites crumbled, people degenerated, and eventually ministers abandoned their duties and commoners their righteousness.”

“You mentioned few mourned Chongzhen after his suicide because his ministers were already disrespectful.”

Hearing Zhu Shi’s focus on the maintenance of ritual order, Hongli asked, “So, in your view, sir, the emperor’s foremost duty is to uphold ritual propriety?”

“Precisely! The monarch wields supreme power and is the sage’s heir; he must uphold ritual and law!”

“If the emperor fails in this, even if ministers and people try to observe rites, the collapse of rites and music and the chaos of the realm cannot be prevented.”

Zhu Shi smiled, pleased with Hongli’s grasp.

Hongli pressed further, “If so, is the ritual defined by the Son of Heaven?”

Zhu Shi nodded, “Naturally.”

“Then, to uphold his rites, can the emperor punish those who disobey, even to the extent of execution and posthumous humiliation?”

Hongli inquired.

Zhu Shi again nodded with a smile, “No degree of strictness in maintaining ritual order is excessive!”

“True scholarship is not mere lecturing but serving the world. To serve the world, one must interpret principles through ritual and extend ritual into the households of commoners, so that all, high and low, conform to propriety.”

Hongli understood: under the name of ritualizing common households, this advocated strengthening central authority, unifying thought, and tightening control over families and individuals.

Since Gu Yanwu’s proclamation that “the rise and fall of the world concerns every man,” Han scholars believed common people shared responsibility for maintaining ritual order, requiring ritual control to extend downward to the grassroots.

It seemed that the Ming’s fall had taught Qing elites the greatest lesson: to further seize freedoms from all, even penetrating thought control into every household and daily behavior.

Hongli was uncertain whether this was right or wrong, for the late Ming indeed had more freedom and openness than his early Qing.

Yet he suspected that Qianlong’s later tightening of thought control stemmed from such Confucian teachings as Zhu Shi’s.

“Hu Yi of the Northern Song said, ‘Understand essence and apply practical use,’ and modern scholar Li Shugu said, ‘Able to accomplish real affairs, useful to the world.’ Thus, ritual is the essence, seeking practical merit; learning is real learning, practiced as a career; governance is practical merit.”

“For a ruler, should the pursuit of practical merit determine the rituals of the realm?”

Having read many classics, Hongli quoted these sayings and questioned Zhu Shi further.

Zhu Shi smiled contentedly. For a twelve-year-old prince to cite sages and actively question showed true diligence.

He responded earnestly, “Sages are born to govern the world; no merit exists without morality, nor morality without merit. A ruler sets rites seeking real merit—that is establishing virtue!”

“I will first teach you the studies of Gu, Huang, Wang, and Yan, so you may understand what practical merit to pursue.”

Hongli nodded, surprised that Zhu Shi supported strengthening control to enable the emperor to achieve greater accomplishments.

He withheld judgment, curious about how scholars like Zhu Shi would react when they themselves became increasingly restricted by imperial rule.

After the lesson, Yongzheng summoned Zhu Shi and asked, “How is the Fourth Prince’s progress?”

“Your Majesty’s grace is boundless. I am honored to be his teacher. The Fourth Prince is extraordinarily gifted, diligent, and, most importantly, thoughtful. Without arrogance, I believe he will achieve much in the future.”

Yongzheng was somewhat surprised but, after a moment’s silence, smiled and said, “Then teach him well. He must understand that for our Great Qing to be recognized by the world, great achievements are indispensable.”

“Your servant will obey the order!”