(Recommended reading: Meng Ke, who later became the sub-sage Mencius, said to Zhuangzi, "The biggest mistake of Confucian theory is that it compulsorily organizes people into a whole, and names this whole the state." He gave an explanation of the origin of the state, citing arguments.

Then he said, "...... How can Confucianism make people compulsorily organized into a whole? The country has been coming from a long time, and Confucianism governs the country from the perspective of the state, and Confucianism inherits the Zhou system and manages the country according to the Zhou system and Zhou rites. The Great Zhou Dynasty has been prosperous for hundreds of years, that is, since the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, it has collapsed......

Confucian theory is based on the Zhou system and Zhou rites, which continued the prosperity of the Great Zhou for hundreds of years. So! Confucianism is a historical witness, how can it be said to be wrong? ”

After listening to Meng Ke's defense, Tian Gongzi Tian Ju couldn't help nodding his head and agreed with Meng Ke's point of view. And then! Restraining the smile on his face, he looked towards Zhuangzi.

The guards standing behind Meng Ke listened to Meng Ke's defense and agreed with it, and they all felt that what Zhuangzi just said was nonsense.

How is it that Confucianism "compulsorily organizes people into a whole, and names this whole the state"? The state has existed and has existed for a long time. If we do not manage the country from the perspective and position of the state, then from which angle should we manage the country?

Several guards also looked at Zhuangzi, waiting to see Zhuangzi's joke.

Zhuangzi didn't think so, first looked at Tian Gongzi, then at Meng Ke, and then at the guards behind Meng Ke. Then he turned his head to look at Rong'er and Sister Qing'er, and saw that Rong'er and Sister Qing'er were both anxious about him, he shook his head and laughed self-deprecatingly, and then looked at Meng Ke opposite, Meng Caizi in Tian Gongzi's eyes.

He nodded to Meng Ke first, and then said: "It is precisely because Confucianism inherited the Zhou system and Zhou rites, so!" It is wrong! Imagine! If the weekly system and weekly rites were so perfect, would our Great Zhou be reduced to the point it is now? The etiquette collapsed, the princes were divided, and the Zhou room was weak, wasn't it?

Confucianism and theories are just repairing the old system and old rituals!

It's like a tool that has been used, but it's broken and can't be used anymore, and no matter how you fix it, it won't last long.

If it's broken, it's repaired, it's repaired, it's repaired, it's repaired, and so on. Since it can't be used, why don't we get a new one?

For example, the use of bronze tools, bronze tools replaced stone tools, became the mainstream of the times, and led to the progress of history. But now that we have entered the Iron Age, why should we still be obsessed with bronze and reject iron, saying that the era of iron smelting has not yet arrived, and the smelting technology is not yet mature?

Meng Dacai? You said? Isn't that the truth? Tian Gongzi? You said? Isn't that the truth? And you guys! (Turning to the guard behind Meng Ke) You say, is this the truth? Confucian theory is the restored Zhou system and Zhou ceremony, isn't it? No matter how good or perfect your repair is, it won't last long! ”

Zhuangzi said, looking at the few guards behind Meng Ke and smiling. Seeing that Meng Ke's face was ugly, he took his gaze back and turned his head to look at Rong'er and Sister Qing'er.

Rong'er and Sister Qing'er nodded at him and expressed their support for him! He smiled smugly again, and then looked at Tian Gongzi and Meng Ke.

Meng Ke saw Zhuangzi looking over, lowered his head, and for a while, he didn't know what to say. Zhuangzi is not wrong, Confucianism inherited the Zhou system and Zhou rites. Modern Confucianism, since the beginning of Confucius, has been trying to repair and improve the Zhou system and Zhou etiquette.

Repair and improvement are also a kind of innovation? Is it more reliable than the hundred schools of thought that came out of thin air?

"And I ask you? If we don't follow the weekly system and weekly etiquette, can we still be detached from reality and reality? Tian Gongzi saw that Meng Ke couldn't answer for a while, so he said roundly.

"As long as the Great Zhou Dynasty exists for one day, and there is Zhou Tianzi, we must all follow the Zhou system and Zhou etiquette!"

Zhuangzi shook his head and smiled: "That's on the surface! And in reality, no one follows at all. Each prince has its own policy, and acts as it is conducive to their development. Reform is the trend of the times. And the weekly system and weekly etiquette are just excuses used to restrain and clean up others.

Before waging war, the kings of the vassal states would make a fuss about the Zhou system and Zhou rituals, looking for an excuse for 'the division is famous'.

When princes and kings punish other people's sins, they can also find a reason from the Zhou system and Zhou etiquette; When officials clean up the people, they will also find reasons from the weekly system and weekly rituals; Grievances between people, too, will find a reason to clean up and pinch each other. This reason comes from the Zhou system and Zhou etiquette......"

Meng Ke saw that Zhuangzi was talking again, and interrupted: "The world needs the law, and the Zhou system and Zhou rites are the laws, the people's behavior scale. The Zhou system and Zhou rites did not come out of thin air, it followed the Shang system, and the system of the Shang Dynasty came because of the Xia Dynasty. The system of the Xia Dynasty was inherited from the system of the previous dynasty, and the system of the previous dynasty was inherited from the ancients.

The systems and etiquette followed in the world have been passed down from generation to generation, and they have all changed on the basis of inheritance. That is, repair! Reuse! Repair and reuse, and so on.

Confucian theory is to follow the Zhou system and Zhou rites, and it is a new system after restoration and improvement, which is inherited, adapts to the needs of the development of the times, and conforms to the ...... of the times."

Meng Ke talked about the big truth, one by one, Zhuangzi couldn't help nodding when he heard it.

Tian Gongzi listened and laughed with satisfaction.

The guards behind Meng Ke listened and began to admire again.

When Rong'er heard this, she also felt that it made sense.

Yang Qing'er listened, and frowned.

She grew up under the education of Taoist ideology since she was a child, and all she received was Taoist thought. She felt that what Meng Ke said seemed to have a little truth, but she felt that there was still a problem, but she couldn't find the problem.

After Meng Ke finished speaking, Zhuangzi was no longer polite, and took it and said: "What you said sounds reasonable, but I have already said before, you Confucians, you have made fundamental mistakes, and everything you said is wrong to work in vain!" ”

"You?" Meng Ke immediately wanted to argue, but Zhuangzi stopped: "I said first, you Confucians are from the standpoint of managing the country and the people.

So! Confucianism made a fundamental mistake. ”

"That?" Meng Ke asked rhetorically: "If you don't manage the country and the people from the foothold of managing the country, what angle and position do you stand on?" From the king's point of view, from the standpoint? ”

Zhuangzi shook his head and said: "We must stand on the position of the people, stand on the position of the people, and stand on the perspective and position of individual people to manage the country and the people." Because! A nation is a group of individual people......"

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