Chapter 433- Qin Shihuang Chases out Confucianism
Translator: ryangohsf
Editor: Nora
Just as Shanhai City was preparing for the philosophers’ debate, Xianyang City released the Quru Order.
Qin Shihuang announced that Xianyang City would solely run on Legalism. Moreover, any Confucian followers would have to leave within three days or face arrest.
The moment the news got out, everyone clamored.
The Quru Order had pretty much pushed the battle between Legalism and Confucianism to the forefront.
All the Confucianism followers were furious.
This Quru Order led one to think back to the famous historical event where Qin Shihuang ordered the burning of all books and the burying of all Confucian scholars. Firstly, one had to mention that both these events happened at different times.
One had to start with the story where Qin Shihuang united the six counties.
After which, his changes in administrative and economic matters did not proceed smoothly. Just when he was about the unite the countries, they had a huge debate on whether or not he was going to grant the various lords the title of kings.
The prime minister Wang Wan suggested that he send the lords to the Yan, Qi, and Chu lands to become kings, as such an action was useful in solidifying his rule.
However, Li Si firmly disagreed. He felt that the only reason the Warring States happened was because they gave up power. Only through removing this act could they prevent chaos.
Qin Shihuang agreed with Li Si. He perceived that setting up countries was to make enemies.
Hence, they decided to go with the prefecture ruling system.
Eight years later, in a feast that Qin Shihuang held in the palace, another debate between the old and the new happened.
This event sparked the burning of books.
During the feast, Zhou Qing, who was in charge of the books, started to flatter Qin Shihuang. Professor Chun Yu Yue used Zhou Qing’s words against him and raised up the motion of restoring the old rule of splitting up power.
Qin Shihuang did not react. He gave the suggestion to the various officials to discuss.
Li Si made it clear that he did not agree with this view and retorted, “The battles of before were due to the old rule. Confucianism is behind the times. If we don't stop it, our rule of the land will be broken."
Qin Shihuang agreed with Li Si and ordered to burn all the historical books, apart from the recordings of Qin. He even ordered the burning of medical books and poems from scholars.
Anyone who dared to talk about poems and books were sentenced to death. Learning by oneself was prohibited and those who wanted to learn Legalism had to find an official to be his teacher.
The second year of the book burning, the burying of the Confucianism scholars happened.
The burning of the books did not directly cause this event. Instead, it happened because scholars and Confucian believers insulted Qin Shihuang. After Qin Shihuang obtained all the powers and riches, he greatly feared death. The day he unified the land, he tried hard to search for an immortality pill.
Everyone tried to search for this pill for Qin Shihuang. Based on Qin Laws, anyone who told a lie or people who gave fake medicines would be sentenced to death.
Hou Sheng and Lu Sheng knew that they could not find the medicine. Not only did they escape, they also slandered Qin Shihuang for being arrogant and power hungry.
They also said that immortality was not something Qin Shihuang could reach, and it was not something a small pill could grant you. They got close to the emperor not to create the pill but to spread Confucianism to the world.
When Qin Shihuang heard these words, his embarrassment turned into anger; he felt that they were playing him.
He burned the texts before burying the Confucian scholars alive.
Qin Shihuang ordered the Guards to investigate based on the crime of spreading false rumors about the emperor. He personally found 460 people guilty and buried them alive in Xianyang.
The burying of Confucianism was not actually the burying of the ideology. Instead, it was just the burying of the Confucian scholars.
The act of burning books and burying Confucianism was an act of unifying all thoughts.
After Qin Shihuang united the six countries, he administratively did away with the system of enfeoffment. Culturally, he united the language and made the lesser seal the official language. In economics, he standardized the currency and its weightage.
All these changes were a basic requirement to unify a country, and it was also an element that violence could keep in control.
However, some things were hard for a country to fully enforce, especially at the start of the Qin Dynasty. At that time, the philosophers were still debating, and it was philosophical chaos. If a country wanted unity, they needed to form a common value.
Hence, having a common way in terms of administrative, economic, and cultural methods was not enough. The crucial matter was a common value and way of thinking, only with these could all the plans and actions work out.
The two biggest school of thoughts at that time were Confucianism and Legalism.
Mohism placed more importance on agricultural advancement. Taoism more on researching the heart and values. The Logicians focused on logical thinking.
Confucianism was ancient, while Qin Shihuang unification of China was something new. All the changes he chose to adapt were different and did not align with Confucianism theories. The noble families of the six countries tried to use the Confucian theory of denying oneself and returning to propriety to try to restore the enfeoffment system and regain their lost power.
Hence, for the newly unified Qin Dynasty, unifying the way of thinking was an important step. As such, after looking for a few Confucian scholars, his cultural revolution started. His actions were too intense, but the effects were obvious.
Although the Qin Dynasty only lasted for tens of years, all the rulers after them placed unifying the schools of thoughts as their key action.
When Han Wudi chose Confucianism, the unification of ideas finally came into fruition. All the rulers after him basically used Confucian teachings as the core.
The burying of Confucianism during the Qin Dynasty and the respect of Confucianism during the Han Dynasty were similar; they all wanted to unify the thoughts of the people.
In truth, since the Han Dynasty, all the rulers basically used Confucianism in the light and Legalism in the dark. Alternatively, they used Legalism but called it Confucianism. On the surface, they said that they used Confucianism, but in truth they used Legalism values.
The emperors used Legalism methods to rule but Confucian teaching methods to educate the people.
Legalism placed importance on law, strength, and method, so the olden people used this as the emperor's tool to rule over the people. Confucianism focused on respect and mercy; their greatest benefits were forming up a sense of awareness of morals. It promoted that not using violence was good, protecting peace and prosperity.
Qin Shihuang having such a foul name because of the book burning and Confucianism burying were actually the result of exaggeration. In truth, these numbers were actually really small.
In the long history annuals, killing numerous people occurred countless times.
However, this matter had insulted the Confucian believers. Since the Warring States, the Confucian people were a very arrogant bunch, and they felt that if you wanted to rule you had to use Confucianism. As such, when Han Wudi got rid of all the philosophers, it gave the Confucians important power.
After they gained fame, they pushed the blame to Qin Shihuang. Hence, he was said to be a tyrant and was left in notoriety.
Qin Shihuang actually did not relish in killing; his kills were all backed with reason. Stealing money from the country was an act of treason, and one needed to pay with their head.
Although they lost many valuable books, one aspect made people sigh—the killings were a logical course of action.
Hence, after Qin Shihuang moved into Xianyang City and learned of China's five thousand years of history, he learned of how the Confucians insulted him after his death. How could he not be furious?
Hence, the Quru Order was born.
Not killing off all these people, one could say that Qin Shihuang was already merciful.
The Confucian Scholars in Xianyang also knew that. Their predecessors had acted immorally; this was karma.
All of a sudden, many officials and civil servants in each organization of the imperial court tendered their resignations.
However, the wave of resignations did not affect the running of Xianyang City. Only because Qin Shihuang was not alone. He had a bunch of important ministers like Li S along with himi.
One had to say that that was a divine step. Qin Shihuang did not just chase away the Confucianism he hated. He also smoothly gained control of Xianyang, killing two birds with one stone.
After the Confucian Scholars quit, everyone focused on where they would head.
Go to other imperial cities?
Difficult.
Talents already brimmed in each other city, so how could they accept newcomers?
The Confucian believers were only left with two choices.
Firstly, totally go into hiding.
Secondly, join a player territory.
None of the lords in the China region were stupid.
The moment the order was placed, the lords were like sharks that smelled blood; they gathered at Xianyang City.
This was a once in a lifetime opportunity to the players.
Although the Confucian scholars in Xianyang City were not historical people, they had around the same level of use to a territory, especially the officials in the imperial court.
Their experience was vast, and they were highly qualified; they were hard to obtain talents.
To word it more clearly, officials like Zhou Haichen and Xu Zhen in Shanhai City were common in Xianyang City. With one grab, you could obtain a handful of them.
As for those better than them, they were not in small numbers either.
Such talents, how would the lords not be tempted? Even Ouyang Shuo really yearned for them.
Unfortunately, in terms of fighting for the Confucian people from Xianyang City, Ouyang Shuo was destined to face problems. Theoretically, Shanhai City had great terms and should easily win. However, in truth, that was not the case.
Firstly, the enemy of Confucianism, Legalism’s main field, was in Shanhai City. Its representative figure Wei Yang had taken up a role in the Nanjiang Governor-General Manor.
Thinking about this, just that point alone would keep a large portion of them out and make them wary.
Secondly, Baiqi, Wei Ran, as well as Zhang Han, were all from the Qin Country.
Although these few basically did not have any contact with Qin Shihuang, in the eyes of Confucian Scholars, Shanhai City was the same as Xianyang City.
Because of that, Ouyang Shuo took a hit for no reason.
Although Shanhai City's strength was acceptance, that was just Ouyang Shuo's words. They did not personally see any proof, and they would not believe it easily.
This fight to snatch talents was something Shanhai City was destined to lose.