Chapter 234 Restricts the freedom of enjoyment of scholar-bureaucrats
Lun Wenxu's sudden and premature death was undoubtedly equivalent to the loss of a great general for the conservatives.
For a time, the movement to promote vernacular writing gradually became mainstream.
But this does not mean that after Lun Wenxu, the conservative ideological phenomenon advocating retrospection and admiration for the past will disappear.
Yan Hong still adhered to the banner of Neo-Confucianism and tried his best to encourage more scholar-bureaucrats to participate in activities to maintain the orthodox status of Confucian Neo-Confucianism.
However, Tang Bohu and others also followed Zhu Houzhao's will and tried their best to prevent these literati from maintaining the orthodox status of Neo-Confucianism.
Yan Hong found Huang Fang, the former editor of the Hanlin Academy who had been demoted to a commoner, and persuaded him to continue to maintain the operation of "The Righteous Way of Scholars" with him. However, Huang Fang gave up because of Wen Zhengming's high salary of one hundred taels per month. He participated in the hundreds of lectures he hosted, but rejected Yan Hong's proposal because Yan Hong could only persuade Huang Fang with righteousness, but could not give him a generous salary.
Yan Hong had no choice but to manage "The Scholars' Righteous Way" by himself, but because the "The Scholars' Righteous Way" was really unable to make a profit, in order to maintain operating funds, he had no choice but to take over the private work of Chunlou Dream Club.
Finally, Yan Hong also opened his own monthly magazine "Fragrant Dream of Jade Tower" with the same nature as "Dream Club of Spring Tower". While using "Fragrant Dream of Jade Tower" magazine to spread bad content to make profits, he also used these profits to maintain "The Righteous Way of Scholars". operations.
"Your Majesty, since the tenth year of Zhengde, there have been more and more newspapers and periodicals on the market that write about incest in the house. Do you think it is necessary to take care of it?"
Ma Yongcheng of Dongchang couldn't help but report the matter to Zhu Houzhao. After all, Dongchang also had the power to monitor the development of various industries in the Ming Dynasty, which was equivalent to Zhu Houzhao's eyes among the people.
Zhu Houzhao just nodded at first. Vulgar content is popular and accepted by the public no matter in any era. There are natural dangers, but Zhu Houzhao also knows that it is difficult to ban such things, even in later generations. Neither can be done, let alone the current Ming Dynasty.
But Zhu Houzhao did not decide to ignore it. He still had to think about the significance of whether to ignore it or not.
What Zhu Houzhao was most concerned about was whether the civil servants who had resigned from office posed a threat to his ideal of reforming the Ming Dynasty in terms of public opinion.
then.
Zhu Houzhao continued to ask: "How many newspapers and periodicals appear that slander the imperial court, say not to compete with the people, demand the upright Confucianism and promote Neo-Confucianism, and follow the ancestral system, are they more or less?"
"There are so many! Several more have appeared in the capital recently. Even Gu Lin, the Minister of Justice who had just resigned, was persuaded by Yan Hong and others to leave the country. They also said that they would set up a Confucian literary society and proposed that respecting Confucianism and advocating political principles should be the philosophy of governing the country. .”
When Ma Yongcheng said this, Zhu Houzhao couldn't help but look tense, thinking that it was possible to establish a political party. This was no longer as simple as a simple academic group, and asked again:
"Where did they get the funds? Is it possible that these people, like Lun Wenxu, would sell off their property in order to run "The Scholars"?"
"That's not the case. Many of them are secretly writing vulgar books to make money. Their newspapers and periodicals are not as popular as those of the Attendant's Chamber of Commerce, and they don't have financial backers like you, Your Majesty, so they can only rely on these profits. to maintain In their newspapers and periodicals, although I am a eunuch, I am also very shameless towards their behavior. While he talks loudly about rectifying the situation, he secretly writes about kicking in widows and stealing other people's wives."
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Ma Yongcheng replied.
"I understand." Zhu Houzhao nodded and asked Ma Yongcheng to send Wang Hua, the chief minister of the cabinet.
As soon as Wang Hua arrived, Zhu Houzhao asked Ma Yongcheng to talk about what Dongchang had investigated about the rampant vulgar newspapers in the market, and said:
"Wang Qing, this is not a trivial matter. Although people are free to express their opinions, we cannot ignore it. If these vulgar contents spread and are seen by young children of the Ming Dynasty, won't they harm our young children of the Ming Dynasty? Your physical and mental health! As the chief minister of the cabinet, you should take care of it!”
Wang Hua did not expect that Emperor Zhu Houzhao suddenly became concerned about the physical and mental health of children all over the world, but he had nothing to object to. After all, as a decent scholar, Wang Hua himself could not accept too many vulgar newspapers and periodicals appearing in the market.
"I understand, your Majesty, please tell me!" Wang Hua replied.
"I will decree that the Hanlin Academy compiles the "Regulations on the Protection of Children in the Ming Dynasty"!
Children are the hope for the long-term peace and stability of the Ming Dynasty, and are related to the future of the Ming Dynasty. However, I have repeatedly heard that there are still high-ranking officials raising prostitutes and young girls. Now there are even publications openly promoting this! How can you ignore it? !
In addition, there are also the proliferation of vulgar publications. There will be more and more literate children in our Ming Dynasty. If the children in our Ming Dynasty are allowed to see these vulgar contents, will it not destroy the future atmosphere of our Ming Dynasty? There is no wise king. I have no wise minister!
Therefore, I must establish laws in this area!
In addition, the Ministry of Rites was the first to issue a decree prohibiting the dissemination of vulgar publications. The distribution of vulgar publications was prohibited. In severe cases, the scholars who published the publications could be revoked and fined a huge sum of money! If the Ministry of Etiquette cannot manage it well, I will ask Dongchang to come! ”
Zhu Houzhao said in a stern tone.
According to the outline of the constitution established by Zhu Houzhao when he summoned ministers, only His Majesty the Emperor has legislative power. However, the Ming Dynasty does not yet have a professional legislative body or even specialized legal talents. Therefore, Zhu Houzhao rarely implements his legislative power.
But now Emperor Zhu Houzhao, in order to attack the gentry for publishing vulgar publications in the name of protecting children, and indirectly to attack the Confucian disciples who opposed his political ideas, had no choice but to first formulate laws on the protection of children in the Ming Dynasty. Wang Hua did not expect that His Majesty would suddenly be so angry, and it was about the rights of young children. He did not even expect that His Majesty the Emperor would suddenly become concerned about the physical and mental health of young children in the world. He couldn't help but wonder, could it be because His Majesty has become a father? , have you started to pay more attention to this aspect?
However, Wang Hua also knew that playing with young children and even taking it for fun has been a popular thing among scholar-bureaucrats since ancient times. No one even regarded it as a sin regardless of gender.
Therefore, if Emperor Zhu Houzhao hadn't suddenly mentioned it today, he, Wang Hua, wouldn't have realized that he wanted to take care of it.
But no matter what, since the emperor had made the decree, Wang Hua had to obey it. Moreover, the emperor had already said that if the Ministry of Rites did not care, he would let Dongchang take charge. In order to prevent Dongchang from interfering in the government affairs again, he hurriedly agreed. Come down: "Your Majesty, don't worry, I will immediately ask the Ministry of Rites to establish rules and control this vulgar publication in the world!"
"Well, let's do it as soon as possible. I don't want more children in my country to be poisoned by these vulgar contents!"
Zhu Houzhao nodded.
then.
Wang Hua immediately summoned Ouyang Dan, the Minister of Rites, and relayed the instructions of Emperor Zhu Houzhao to Ouyang Dan.
"Your Majesty is so kind! This is the first time I have seen a law specifically formulated for the rights and interests of children of the common people. Although the laws of the Ming Dynasty and other laws also involve regulations related to the protection of young children, now there is a law specifically formulated to protect the world. This is the first time in history that a young child is born. It can be said that the sage is in his dynasty and all the people in the world are blessed!
Please rest assured, Shoukui, your subordinates will immediately ask the Ministry of Rites to issue an order banning the publication of vulgar publications, and ask the local government to severely crack down on these vulgar publications that are not good for the physical and mental health of young children in the Ming Dynasty! ”
Because of this incident, Ouyang Dan, the Minister of Rites, lamented that it was normal for Zhu Houzhao to be benevolent and wise, because few kings would really care about the rights of common people and children.
"Your Majesty has specially made a law to protect the children of the world. I am afraid that those who play with children among the scholar-bureaucrats will be punished! In this way, won't the dignitaries and gentry of the world be very dissatisfied? Moreover, once your Majesty's law is established, it will also Restrain yourself," Wang Hua said with a smile.
"That's why I say that Your Majesty is kind. Now that our country is peaceful and the people are at peace, the arrogance and extravagance has become more and more serious. Your Majesty's control is also for good governance!"
As Ouyang Dan spoke, he asked Wang Hua: "Dare I ask Shou Kui, is it good to be here?"
"I don't have it, but Wang Qiong does. He just bought a thirteen-year-old girl and brought it into the house. He said he wanted to learn the ways of the Western Regions and perform some kind of circumcision," Wang Hua said.
……
As soon as Zhu Houzhao issued the decree, the officials of the Hanlin Academy began to get busy. Kang Hai, the Minister of Academic Affairs and the President of the Hanlin Academy, was the president, preparing to formulate laws to protect the young children of the Ming Dynasty. Zhu Houzhao's special decree must include In addition, there is a law prohibiting Ming women from binding their feet.
"Your Majesty, it is a folk custom for women to bind their feet. Now that the imperial court has banned it, will it make the people dissatisfied?"
Kang Hai had to ask.
"But at least, the imperial court cannot support foot-binding! Just because of the foot fetish of scholar-bureaucrats, girls have to suffer the pain of foot-binding since childhood. You and I both have mothers, sisters and other fathers, how can we let them suffer such torture! So this law is Stand! ”
Kang Hai could not refute the emperor Zhu Houzhao, and even felt that the emperor was benevolent. He also hoped to eliminate this bad habit through the emperor's forced order.
On the basis of the laws of the Ming Dynasty, the Hanlin Academy established the "Regulations on the Protection of Young Children of the Ming Dynasty" in accordance with the decree of Emperor Zhu Houzhao.
It can be regarded as another pioneering work of the Zhengde Dynasty to liberate human rights after the outline of the Constitution prohibited slavery.
But after all, the Ming Dynasty was still a society mainly ruled by backward Confucianism. This kind of law that safeguarded the interests of the common people was actually against the interests of the powerful gentry.
Although according to Confucianism, there are also sayings such as the old and the old, the young and the young, and the young, and although Zhu Yuanzhang also formulated relevant laws and regulations to protect the common people and children in the world when formulating the Ming Law, the scholar-bureaucrats basically would not It is the consensus of society that officials who obey the rules will not be punished, so no matter how they play, the scholar-officials will not be punished. They will only be punished when they are suspected of threatening the imperial power.
But now, Zhu Houzhao really wants to restrict the freedom of enjoyment of the scholar-officials for the rights and interests of children in the world. He will not let some of them play with children, and will even punish them for it. He will not even let them promote vulgar content. Naturally, they will be punished. The dissatisfaction of the scholar-bureaucrats.
"The fall of Qin was actually due to the burning of documents and torture, deceit first and then benevolence and righteousness, and starting with tyranny for the world. And now the court is also using severe punishment and harsh laws to control the people of the world. It is really an act of tyranny!"
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Therefore, Yan Hong made such comments on current politics in his "The Scholars and the Right Way".
(End of chapter)