Chapter 2709: I Think of Others, Therefore I Think

"Tao", "cultivation", "people from outside"...

Fei Qian wrote these few words, then stopped writing and shook his head slightly.

This concept of "people outside the country" and so on, actually does not come from Laozi, but from Zhuangzi, but Laozi and Zhuangzi do not separate families.

In fact, both Lao Zhuang and Zhuang are lonely.

Confucius had a large group of disciples and apprentices, and Mozi had a huge army of non-attacking troops. However, there were not so many people around Lao and Zhuang. They were either Lao Niu or just butterflies. So Zhuangzi created four good friends in the Grand Master?

Can someone who is said to be a "person outside the square" really transcend this "square"?

Obviously impossible.

Just like increasing entropy.

The development of human society is intertwined with each other. The further forward, the higher the level of productivity, the more interconnected it is. It is impossible to jump out of the square and truly achieve transcendence.

Even if you return to the mountains and forests and isolate yourself from the world, you still have to rely on others for clothes, food, utensils and utensils. Unless you are the kind of Robinson Crusoe who lives alone on a desert island, most people cannot say that they are truly and completely detached. Arrived outside the square.

This is not to mention those fakes who say they are practicing but in their hearts they are nostalgic for the world of mortals.

If you really want to pursue the outside world, have no need for material things, and only pursue spiritual development, Fei Qian will respect them very much.

But the question now is, among these so-called pursuit of spiritual practice, who are constantly hiding, er, living in seclusion, how many of them really pursue the ideas of Lao and Zhuang, instead of waiting for a price, waiting for the opportunity?

"There must be a way." 』

Fei Qian said softly.

The Taoist priests, or religious figures, that China needs should be both born and engaged in the world, rather than using the name of outsiders to gain privileges and make money...

In fact, this point has never been made clear in the feudal dynasty.

The Chinese people have a "circle" culture.

Speaking of which, this so-called "circle" seems to be very high-end, but in fact it is simply the sequelae of tribes caused by human beings' social needs.

Of course, it is easier for people from the same tribe to talk to each other. For people from another tribe, they are of course laymen, outsiders, or those who don’t know the ropes...

When Fei Qian first promoted the Five Directions God Religion, it was in order to better accommodate the complex divine systems and local beliefs in China. After all, China is so big, and each place has its own customs and various myths and legends. If It's like starting from a certain religion and saying that Allah is the only one and everything else is an evil god. Let's not talk about whether people who are accustomed to the local religious god system will believe it. Just talk about the conflicts that will form. As a result, Fei Potential encountered various unexpected resistances when expanding outward.

Feiqian needs a system that can help, a religious force that can provide support for the expansion of Chinese civilization, rather than a religion that constantly causes various things and then causes conflicts within the region.

Therefore, after the original expansion, it is inevitable to enter the standard.

As the influence of religion expands, the establishment of an overall religious system becomes increasingly urgent.

In the final analysis, religion is for people.

It is people who spread it, people who believe in it, people who worship it, and people who practice it.

Without people, religion doesn't have much meaning. After all, humans don't care or study whether there is any religious system practiced in a group of ants or a group of bees.

Since we are human beings, we cannot escape from human nature.

Wealth, status.

four cardinal vices.

If the suppressed desires of outsiders accidentally burst out, it would be exciting enough, but it could also easily go to extremes.

So, let’s take the exam…

Fei Qian felt that if he was undecided, he would decide by taking an exam.

Or it's called a mule or a horse, pulled out for a ride...

As for the ultimatum system, it is actually not appropriate, because those who pay ultimatum do not have to pay taxes, which creates the soil for the formation of religious big landlords.

As long as you take the exam, there is no need to give an ultimatum.

Just like using exams to select talents, you may not be able to get a good position immediately if you pass the exam. You also have to start from a junior official position.

The imperial examination system in later generations often became a bad government that many people ridiculed, but it is undeniable that the imperial examination system ensured that the Chinese feudal dynasty would have officials available for a long time, and would not be monopolized and controlled by large gentry families.

Isn't this the same as "people from outside the country"?

The inheritance model of Chinese cultivators is actually somewhat similar to the discipleship system before the Han Dynasty. One master has a lot of disciples, and then they are all brothers. One sect excludes another sect, and one mountain top fights another. Then when the mountains got bigger, they started to cause trouble, such as the three Zhang Jiao brothers, the Zhang Lu Five Fighters Sect, and a large group of people from later generations such as White Lotus, Maitreya, etc. These people have completely betrayed Lao and Zhuang, using the name of religion to seek their own interests, causing all kinds of harm and no benefit.

If there is an examination system and the central court regulates the standards of practice, on the one hand, this clique-based preaching model will undergo some fundamental changes, just like officials will break away from the noble families. On the other hand, On the one hand, it will also reduce the soil for the birth of some cults. Religious figures without official "certification" will naturally have no soil for preaching.

Of course, this will also have disadvantages, but just like the imperial examination also has disadvantages, it can only be said that things must be looked at from both sides, measured and used. Before the best method is found, the existing plan is naturally the best. strategy.

"Zuo Yuanfang..." Fei Qian looked at his handwriting and smiled slightly, "Let's see if you can be of great use..."

Fei Qian left this matter to Zuo Ci, but it didn't mean that Fei Qian could be lazy. He also needs to think, generally form his own ideas, and then collide with, merge with, or revise the ideas provided by Zuo Ci and others.

A person without his own subjective thoughts is easily influenced by others, and this is not just in terms of religion...

But now, we need to organize the sutra collection ceremony first, and we can't be arrested because of Qiao Bing. Zuo Ci didn't even take over, which led to an anticlimax.

……(￣o￣).zZ……

With Zuo Ci as the backbone, many things can be carried out.

Let’s not talk about Qiao Bing’s character and temperament, but just talking about the preparations he made in order to learn the scriptures, he can indeed be called a talent.

In fact, basically speaking, the Dajiao Ceremony has more or less taken the form of the Dajiao of later generations.

People are forced to come out, and the Dajiao ceremony is also forced out.

The Dajiao appeared in the Tang Dynasty and was recorded in the history books by Emperor Suzong of the Tang Dynasty. It was the first "Luotian Dajiao". Suzong of the Tang Dynasty was the successor of Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, and Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty took his position through various means...

Just like Tang Taizong obtained the throne through means, and then needed a brand-new religious system to rectify his name, Buddhism was to Tang Taizong what Taoism was to Tang Xuanzong and Tang Suzong.

The so-called "big" refers to the world of Luotian, which is all-encompassing, and the so-called "Jiao" means sacrifice, with three animals being offered as offerings.

Of course, at the moment, there is no so-called "Luo Tian", only "Five Directions". After holding such a big ceremony, some people will indeed be able to improve their health. It seems like a blessing from the gods in the big ceremony, but in fact, it is just that the people who participated in the big ceremony received additional benefits. Just food.

You must know that in the feudal dynasty, most poor people basically struggled on the hunger line every day, not the so-called food and clothing line, let alone the well-off line.

Therefore, the Dajiao ceremony is simply to treat guests to a meal. This "guest", of course, refers to all kinds of gods and goddesses. Another word is called "offering".

For people who have never had experience in large-scale events, how to organize and how to run it well is a big problem. Organizational science in later generations is a discipline, and in the feudal dynasty, this may be what some people rely on. Exclusive "secrets" for survival. There were even people who gained the emperor's favor because they presented the "Luotian Dajiao" agenda.

Zuo Ci did not make too many changes to the process formulated by Qiao Bing. He only made some minor changes to indicate the change of host. The rest was still generally carried out in accordance with the procedures formulated by Qiao Bing. Burning incense, Opening altars, praying, raising flags, making announcements, making obscenities, inviting saints, bestowing sutras, lowering flags, sending saints, fixing prescriptions, bestowing blessings, etc.

In each link, there are also prescribed movements and music, similar to the queue performances of later generations...

Of course, in Taoism, it means stepping on the Yu step and stepping on the Gangdou.

With that said, there seems to be nothing strange about it?

But don’t forget, this is Dahan. Let alone a procession-style performance, just a marching queue can make the people who lack entertainment cheer and tremble with excitement.

Since we want the people to participate in such activities, of course the most important thing is to provide adequate notification. Of course, it's impossible to notify people by posting notices or sending small officials to knock on doors door to door. If you really do this, how much will the price of the gods drop?

The people must come to "offer" voluntarily and willingly, so before the whole ceremony, there must be a parade.

The Taoist priests wore five-color robes and followed the five-color flags representing the gods of the five directions. They looked solemn and lined up neatly. They were holding various magical instruments in their hands, such as whisks, copper bowls, or copper bowls. Bells, or prayer flags, start all the way from the Wufang Dojo, out of Chang'an City, then pass through the Weishui Bridge, bypass Changling, Anling and other mausoleums, and then return to Chang'an.

This walk takes only one day.

have lunch?

Are you kidding me? Apart from the emperor, who in the Han Dynasty would dare to blatantly decide what to eat at noon? Even the Qiaoqi and others, or the children of aristocratic families, would eat a snack as a substitute, and never dared to say that they wanted to eat three meals. Therefore, Taoist priests would eat morning preserves before going out in the morning, and only eat late preserves after returning to the dojo in the evening.

Need to pee on the road?

There was no water to drink along the way, the fatigue of non-stop walking, and the crisp autumn air and dry climate meant that not many people had the urge to urinate.

It was indeed tiring to do this, but no Taoist priest said that he was working too hard and wanted to lie down and put down his work.

On the one hand, because of the Qiao merger, all the Taoist priests in the Wufang Dojo were naturally trembling with fear. Of course they would not miss the opportunity to perform after finally getting it. On the other hand, this time they were traveling to the streets. They could walk in the streets where only officials were allowed to go on weekdays. They can only walk on the central official road, and those officials who are usually arrogant need to give way when they see them, instead of them giving way...

In the imperial examination room in Chang'an, the top three high school students each time were paraded through the streets, or praised, which was a once-in-a-lifetime honor for the candidates. The same is true for these Taoist priests, who may only go once in their lives. Needless to say, if there is no next sutra-retrieving ceremony or a similar Jiao celebration, these Taoist priests may not have a second chance to walk on this central official road. Therefore, even if these Taoist priests work hard, they will not be able to walk on it. All without complaint.

Before each lane, the queue will pause briefly in front of the incense tables arranged in the lane. On the one hand, it is to reorganize the queue and reorganize the formation that has become somewhat loose and out of shape during the march. On the other hand, it is also for the sake of the lane. To "bless", under the guidance of the Taoist priest, the sutras will be recited at the archway of the inner square or at the gate, then two talismans will be pasted, and some water will be sprinkled. At this time, flags of five colors will be displayed. The flags moved in unison, and the momentum was so great that the people near the square gate couldn't help but lie down on the ground to worship the majesty of the five gods.

But after leaving the main gate of Lifang and walking on the street, the solemnity turned to lively. Both sides of the wide Chang'an Street were crowded with men, women and children watching the excitement. If it weren't for the soldiers and patrols dispatched by the Hussars to maintain order, these ordinary people watching the excitement would have blocked all the roads.

The common people were basically unaware of the turmoil within the Wufang Taoist Temple and the official circles of Chang'an. They also did not know that such a grand ceremony and celebration was actually planned hard by Qiao Bing, and then Zuo Ci I picked up a bargain and used it to make wedding clothes for Zuo Ci in vain.

For these people, having something lively to watch may be the happiest thing for them, and it is also all they care about. As for which hen is the one that laid the egg or the melon, it doesn’t seem to matter at all. .

The pilgrims were also among these common people. They were patrolled and protected by soldiers, and they were able to stand in front of the cross streets of Chang'an without being pushed or trampled by the people. When the queue of gods from the five directions arrived in front of them, although it was not yet a formal teaching of the scriptures, these scripture seekers were already so excited that they could only kneel down and kowtow to express their agitation.

Deglanzi kowtowed on the stone slab with his forehead, which was already dripping with blood. However, under this situation, no one would feel that Deglanzi and the others were in any pain, and even looked at them with envy. Even though their forehead skin was broken and blood flowed to their faces, they still told how lucky they were.

The queue of gods from the five directions slowly continued to move forward.

Deglanzi stood up slowly, and then wiped the blood on his forehead with his sleeve. It's just a broken skin on my forehead. It looks like there's a lot of blood now, but it will stop in a while.

"I...I won't go back..." Deglanzi whispered.

"Yes, after taking the scriptures, we can go back... eh?" ” Only then did the people around Deglanzi react, “Prince, what did you just say? Should I go back... or..."

"No return. ” Deglanzi clenched his fists, as if this would give him more courage, “I want to study in Chang’an. You can take the scriptures back first..."

Deglanzi took a long breath, and then repeated, "I won't go back yet, I want to learn these things from the Han people, these...not just this scripture..." Deglanqi paused and followed his gaze. The tail of the queue of gods from the five directions, "Do you know?" Every day here, I feel that we wasted so much there before...it was a waste of time! There are so many things about the Han people that I need to learn... Only by learning can I truly understand! Otherwise, what you take back will be just a scripture! These things of the Han people are the true scriptures among the true scriptures! 』

The people around Deglanzi looked at each other, and then said in unison, "Then we will accompany you too!" 』

"No! You have to go back. You have obtained the scriptures and must go back! ” Deglanzi turned around and looked at his friends from the snow area who had followed him all the way out, “I’m actually very ashamed...I stayed, but I asked you to walk back hard...”

Deglanzi reached out and grabbed his partner's sleeve, "But only if you go back can you tell the people in the snowy area... about the true scriptures, everything about the Han people, and everything we have seen... , this sky is very big, this land is very big..."

"Only then can we bring more people out!" Come out! Deglanzi's eyes were a little wet. He didn't know whether it was because he was still excited about the queue of gods from the five directions outside, or because his current mood was aroused again, "We over there... need these so much... just like the mill." . It’s not that we don’t have mills, but how many people have one? Not a single tribe has one! Grinding wheat and highland barley requires leading oxen and horses for dozens of miles! And here, in Chang'an? After leaving the square gate, you can find a restaurant within five hundred steps at most, and you can have a grocery store, and you can buy everything! The Bible is a mill, a good mill! If I go back, at most it will be like bringing back a mill! But is this one mill enough for us? We need more! More! 』

"So I want to stay," Deglanzi's voice was excited, but his face was firm, "I not only want to bring a mill, I also want to learn how to build one, two, or more mills!" After you go back, you must also tell our people to come to Chang'an, learn the knowledge of the Han people together, and bring more mills to your hometown together! 』

"But...Prince, you...in this case...you..." The friends looked around and seemed to be still a little hesitant.

That's right, Deglanzi came to Chang'an at first. Although he said it was for the scriptures, he was actually for the restoration of his tribe. Or should the word restoration be inappropriate, to restore it again?

Deglanzi's tribe was defeated in the battle in the snow area.

Deglanzi could not find hope in the snowy area, so he came to Chang'an desperately. On the one hand, if he could seek scriptures, he would become a Taoist missionary for the Han people. At least no one would dare to do it easily in the snowy area. Your own life will be more secure. On the other hand, if you can get the support of the Han people, you can revitalize your tribe...

But now, DeGlanzi has changed his mind.