Imperial Master of the Ming Dynasty

Weighing the peach in his hand, Jiang Xinghuo said aggressively when Kong Xilu said nothing.

"I heard that you traveled all over the world when you were young and had a lot of experience. I guess you are not a rotten scholar who has read a lot of books but is stupid. The sage said that reading is for the sake of enlightenment. I would like to ask, after you have read so many books, Can’t even the origin of a peach be understood?”

At this moment, Jiang Xinghuo's face could no longer find the warm and jade-like feeling just now.

His eyes were sharp, as if they could penetrate people's hearts, and he looked directly at the old Confucian in front of him coldly.

Kong Xilu only thought that Jiang Xinghuo was using small means to disturb his mind. He didn't care at first, but after thinking about it for a moment, he found it ridiculous.

Nothing can be separated from its origins. A peach, so why worry about whether there is a trap? Just answer it according to Confucian epistemology.

"The color and smell of peach are the so-called 'color'; the shape and size of the peach are the so-called 'shape'. The combination of shape and color is the process of the body." Kong Xilu wanted to continue, but suddenly felt horrified. shock.

That's not the case.

"Why don't you continue?" Jiang Xinghuo took another bite of peach.

Kong Xilu carefully considered the words and said slowly: "Human feelings, mouth, nose, ears, and eyes are the body of things, and things cannot be left behind. Since we can understand things, we can reflexively seek reasons and seek solutions. Self-centeredness.”

This is a standard Neo-Confucian epistemological answer.

Neo-Confucianism believes that external objects are observed through sensory organs, and a cognition is obtained based on factors such as size, color, sound, etc., and in the final analysis, this cognition cannot be separated from the human body's sensory organs.

In other words, the epistemological formula of Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism is:

Existing objects → Perception organs → Obtaining concepts → Obtaining heavenly principles

You said there is something wrong. From the first three steps, there is nothing wrong. From cats and dogs to humans, living creatures with a little intelligence basically understand the world through this model. Because Confucianism lacks microscopes and other further understanding of things. Cognitive means, so this answer, in the eyes of others, is indeed extremely normal.

——But the problem lies in step four.

After obtaining the relevant concepts of things, how can we directly obtain the principles of nature?

This problem is a major BUG in Neo-Confucianism, and no one has been able to fix it. If someone asks, it depends on the understanding.

Of course, Neo-Confucianism does not talk about understanding, and it is not good to always stitch together Buddhist things, so the correct term is "sincerity".

As mentioned before, "sincerity" was extremely amplified by Song Confucians.

Therefore, if you are unable to understand clearly, it is because you are not "sincere" enough. When you are "sincere" enough and single-minded, you will naturally be sincere and aware.

In Jiang Xinghuo's previous life, Wang Yangming wanted to understand bamboo through "sincerity".

"The Great Confucian said: All things must have their appearance and inner essence, and every plant and tree contains the ultimate principle. There are many bamboos in the official office, so Yangming took the bamboo grid and thought deeply about it, but he couldn't understand the principle, so he got sick."

Wang Yangming was very "sincere" and studied bamboo for seven days and seven nights, but failed in the end. However, because he did not have scientific cognitive methods, he walked on another path, which did not require scientific cognitive methods. On the road of self-justification.

It is obvious that the epistemology of Neo-Confucianism is very rough, which is why Kong Xilu was shocked just now.

If the person in front of him was his student or someone else, Kong Xilu could completely fool him with "sincerity", but for Jiang Xinghuo, this was obviously not the case.

But apart from "sincerity", Kong Xilu couldn't find a better way.

It’s not his fault, because you can’t expect Kong Xilu to come up with a solution to a problem that none of the Five Sons of the Northern Song Dynasty solved in a flash of inspiration in prison.

Longchang's enlightenment is, after all, an extremely unlikely event.

To deal with the rough epistemology of Neo-Confucianism, Jiang Xinghuo now has two options.

First, it showcases Wang Yangming’s peak mental skills.

"There is nothing outside the heart, and there is no reason outside the heart."

Perceptual organs are all redundant, which means that "the heart is the ruler of the body. Although the eyes see, they are the heart; although the ears are listening, they are the heart; although the mouth and limbs move, they move because they speak. ", heart", it is all your "heart" that plays a role, and it is a way to solve the BUG directly from the source.

Change the epistemological process to the psychological version:

Inner Physiology→Get Heavenly Reason

As for what kind of heavenly principles you get, there was still a systematic system in Wang Yangming's era. With the origin of Xinxue, in the middle and late Ming Dynasty, to put it harshly, it all relied on inner processing, so the "Crazy Zen School" of Xinxue More and more, more and more outrageous.

Second, it proposes "the three qualities of matter" and strictly distinguishes the ontological world and the phenomenal world in philosophical concepts.

"The qualities of the three properties of matter" is an extremely important philosophical concept, and it is also the prerequisite for breaking through the epistemology of Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism and highlighting the subject points of physics in this era.

Or in other words, it is precisely because of the huge bug in the epistemology of Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism in the part of "acquiring concepts→obtaining heavenly principles" that Jiang Xinghuo can fill this bug with "the qualities of the three natures of matter", thus forcefully Shengdi opened up a battlefield space for science from the realm of Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism.

Of course, if there are only "three qualities of matter", it is just a patch on Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism.

Jiang Xinghuo's purpose is obviously more than that.

Seeing that Jiang Xinghuo hadn't spoken for a long time, Kong Xilu hesitated for a moment.

Of course he was aware of the shortcomings in Neo-Confucian epistemology, which could not be solved by "sincerity" alone. The most critical moment of the confrontation had come, and it would be a lie to say that Kong Xilu didn't feel the slightest bit uneasy in his heart.

""Zhu Zi Yu Lei" says: When Ercheng talked about investigating things, he said that he should examine them from the objects, which is also called extreme physics. Or he said that when examining things, he should not pay attention to external objects, especially within his body. It means that "there are things" How about the saying "there must be something"? He said: External objects are also objects. The study of objects should be based on Yichuan's theory. It is not easy. When dealing with it, you must see the essence of it. How to distinguish the inside and outside is a peach, and it is also possible to recognize it. .”

"Click."

Jiang Xinghuo bit the peach and just looked at Kong Xilu quietly. Kong Xilu couldn't speak anymore.

"You're absolutely right, but how do you 'body' this peach? Is it enough to just look at the size, shape, color, and smell of the peach? If so, what's the natural principle inside the peach? What?"

Looking at Kong Xilu who was silent, Jiang Xinghuo joked:

"You won't pretend to be an expert by not speaking up if you don't understand your own body, and let me rely on my sincerity to realize it, right? If I can't understand it, it's because I'm not good at it. Anyway, you understand and you just don't say it. This can't be the trick. Right? No?"

Kong Xilu persisted for so long and finally broke through.

A trace of embarrassment flashed across his face: "You are not sincere and you are joking about speaking to the saint. How can you show respect?"

"Hahahaha, interesting, interesting!"

Jiang Xinghuo laughed heartily, and it took him a long time to stop.

Jiang Xinghuo shook his head and sighed: "It sounds grand, but I never thought that after Confucius, people would only have this level. How are they different from charlatans?"

Kong Xilu took a deep breath, tried his best to remain calm and replied: "Tell me, how did you get rid of this peach?"

Jiang Xinghuo dusted off his green shirt and said, "But you asked me first."

Kong Xilu was at a loss for words. He was indeed the one who raised this issue first. It extended from "exhausting theory" to "reflexivity and sincerity" and then to the specific method of "exhausting reason". This is the main line of today's debate on the classics with a very clear line.

But Kong Xilu never expected that Jiang Xinghuo would actually find another academic Achilles’ heel. Strictly speaking, this was Kong Xilu’s cognitive blind spot, just like a big hole in the road that couldn’t be filled. I just laid out a few wooden boards and made do. After walking back and forth for a long time, I thought the big pit no longer existed. Because everyone used to go there in such a muddle, so when Kong Xilu was debating the scriptures, he subconsciously thought that there was no problem here. of.

But Jiang Xinghuo happened to be the one who walked to the pit and opened the wooden board, and then asked Kong Xilu how he was going to get through.

Without the board of "sincerity", Kong Xilu didn't know how to get over the pitfall of "obtaining concepts → obtaining heavenly principles".

"Even if I ask you, can you answer it?"

How could Jiang Xinghuo be easily fooled by his aggressive tactics? He only said:

"What if you can answer it, and what if you can't answer it?"

Kong Xilu glanced at him with a complicated expression, then regained his composure and said slowly: "If you can really answer the question and have a practical method of cognition, then it will be real for Confucian scholars all over the world. There is nothing wrong with being reflexive and sincere, but it is not easy to be sincere. If there is an easier way, it is naturally better."

Still talking hard.

But all Jiang Xinghuo needed was his words to avoid denying his credit afterwards.

Huang Xin, Li Zhigang, and Ji Gang, who had been listening nervously, were also waiting for Jiang Xinghuo's answer.

"Is there really an answer?" Ji Gang was a little hesitant.

Although Commander Ji's previous academic performance was not ideal, it did not mean that he was a person who studied to death. When he was in school, Ji Gang also had doubts about the epistemology of Neo-Confucianism, but he was criticized by his teacher for being "not sincere enough". "I was fooled in the past. Now that I think about it carefully, I was young and ignorant, and was fooled by others.

"should have."

Just now Ji Gang revealed the word "Annan" to him. Li Zhigang's mood was ups and downs. There was no need for Ji Gang to lie to him. Since Emperor Yongle did not give up on him, even if he was thrown to Annan, it also meant that there was still room for change in his career. What's more, What's more, Jiang Xinghuo didn't give up on him. Li Zhigang knew very well how important Annan was in Jiang Xinghuo's layout, so he immediately became much closer to Ji Gang.

Speaking back to the present, Li Zhigang had also listened to Jiang Xinghuo's lectures, so he naturally had an understanding of Jiang Xinghuo's abilities. Since Jiang Xinghuo was so sworn in, it was impossible to say that he really had it.

What's more, Jiang Xinghuo is a banished immortal who came to the world and is unable to do what others can do. It is really ordinary. Not to mention far away, praying for rain and solving Tai Chi with contradictions, how can ordinary people do this?

So if someone else said that he had a way to solve the major flaws in Neo-Confucian epistemology, Li Zhigang would definitely sneer at it, but if this person was Jiang Xinghuo, Li Zhigang would naturally believe it.

Huang Xin didn't quite believe it. After all, in his opinion, this problem was unsolvable.

Amid everyone's expectations, Jiang Xinghuo spoke.

"The so-called 'body' is nothing more than two parts. One, how to 'body', that is, how to perceive; second, what is a 'thing', that is, how things should be defined. Let's not talk about how to 'body' first. After all, this is a human matter, but you don’t even know how to define a ‘thing’ like a peach, don’t you feel ashamed?”

When Kong Xilu heard this, his lips moved slightly, as if he wanted to explain, but in the end he was just unconvinced.

"In your opinion, how should we define the 'thing' of a peach?"

Obviously, if Jiang Xinghuo only talks about being awesome but cannot show anything real, it is impossible for Kong Xilu to be convinced.

Anyone can give advice. The question is whether they can come up with solutions.

Jiang Xinghuo added: "How to define it depends on how many properties an 'object' has in your eyes?"

"Color, smell, shape, size. That's all."

There was a trace of amusement in Jiang Xinghuo's expression.

Kong Xilu said in a deep voice: "Could it be that you have other definitions?"

"Of course there is."

Jiang Xinghuo didn't tease him, handed the peach to Ji Gang, wiped the peach fluff and juice on his hand with a handkerchief, and said slowly.

"In my opinion, everything can be defined as three qualities."

"The first one is the ontology."

“The so-called ontology refers to the material characteristics that are inherent in the object itself and are not subject to human will, such as the volume, extension, shape, movement, stillness, and number of the object. Regardless of the state of the object, These properties can never be separated from the object. No matter how the object changes or changes, these properties are still maintained by the object. These are the natural and inherent characteristics of the object. They are possessed by the object itself and can be grasped by human thinking. , can be defined by human language, but cannot be influenced by human consciousness. No matter you call this thing a peach or a pear, its own ontological characteristics will not change in any way."

Kong Xilu's eyes were staring straight at the peach in Ji Gang's hand, lost in thought.

"Ontology. It cannot be influenced by human consciousness."

Jiang Xinghuo's words continued.

"The second one is substance."

"National Master, let me ask you a question. I can understand the entity. What is the entity?"

At this time, Ji Gang, who was holding the peach, couldn't help but interrupt. The pain of the scumbag was really unbearable. If he didn't ask this question clearly, he would feel like there were ten thousand ants crawling in his heart.

Jiang Xinghuo considered: "Entity, you can understand it as the party that perceives the ontology of things. We just said that ontology is the nature of things. When the ontology characteristics of things are recognized by people or other cognitive objects, concepts are formed. , this idea formed in the mind of the cognitive object is the idea of ​​entity.”

After explaining clearly the problem of Ji Gang, Jiang Xinghuo added: "The so-called entityness refers to a person's recognition, evaluation and recognition of the characteristics of the object after the inherent characteristics of the object itself are accepted by the perception ability of people or other perceptual objects. Judgment does not refer to what exists in the object, but to an objective ability of the object. Although this property of the object is unique to the object, different people have different perceptions and their conclusions will be different. This is This kind of property is generally called a unique attribute. For example, the color, temperature, etc. of an object will cause people to think that the object has different properties due to different people's color perception abilities."

Li Zhigang blurted out: "Just like this peach, some people think the color is bright, and some people think the color is dim. Are they all concepts generated by the ontology of the peach reflected in the mind of the human entity? The peach is still the same peach, but different people have different opinions. , this is substantiality!”

The atmosphere gradually became heated, and Huang Xin expressed his opinion for the first time.

"The ontology is not changed by any human factors, but the entity is based on the ontology of the object and is changed by the influence of human factors?"

Jiang Xinghuo nodded slightly: "That's right."

From the perspective of dialectical metaphysics, this property of an object is the reaction formed when the object is "stored" in the human perceptual system. It is the definition of the inherent characteristics of the object formed by the human perceptual system. When this property is understood by people, The concepts formed after cognition are human concepts.

"Wonderful, wonderful!"

Huang Xin clicked his tongue and said in surprise: "I never thought that although you were a troublemaker, you were one of the greatest traitors in the world. You were very rigorous in your studies. This ontology and substance are really the only exquisite definitions I have seen in my life. Come to think of it, With such a rigorous and accurate definition, you can really figure out the method of 'physical objects', I have to admit that I just underestimated you in my heart!"

Jiang Xinghuo did not respond to this comment, whether it was praise or criticism.

Kong Xilu remained silent.

There was only the last glimmer of hope left in his heart.

Jiang Xinghuo's eyes became sharp: "Third, existence!"

"The so-called existence refers to two or more objects. The ontological existence of one object affects other objects, and then affects the properties of the substantiality. In other words, it is the special structure of the ontology that changes the inside of the object. The ontology of another object enables it to act on the senses of human beings to perceive the object in a different way than before, for example, the sun has the ability to make candles white, and fire has the ability to melt lead.”

After Ji Gang digested it for a while, he understood what Jiang Xinghuo meant.

"The peach is still in my hand. Now I have eaten more than half of it, but there is still a part that looks intact. This is the reality reflected in my eyes by the ontology of an object. And if I photograph the peach on the wall , will definitely become pulpy, because of the existence of the ontology of the wall, the interaction between the two affects the ontology of the peach, and then changes the reality of the peach in my eyes. This is the meaning of existence."

"That's right. Commander Ji is smart." Jiang Xinghuo complimented Ji Gang casually.

Ji Gang felt a sore nose. For many years, no one had ever praised me for being smart since I was in school.

Is it because I'm stupid? It must be because the previous husband was not good enough!

If I had met a gentleman like Jiang Xinghuo earlier, wouldn’t I have passed the Jinshi exam earlier?

As for me, a scholar, begging the King of Yan to rebel with him to fight for his future, did I almost lose my head and body several times on the battlefield?

Putting aside what Ji Gang was thinking, Jiang Xinghuo just looked at Kong Xilu with a smile and asked.

"Do you think my definition of the three properties of objects is accurate?"

No matter how reluctant Kong Xilu was at this time, he had to admit that Jiang Xinghuo's definition of the properties of objects was extremely sophisticated, with every detail correct.

And the most important thing is that Jiang Xinghuo explained it too clearly.

The nature of the object itself is the ontology; the human perception of the object is the entity; the ontology of one object affects the ontology of another object, and then changes the entity, which is the existence.

Such a clear, precise and concise definition even made Kong Xilu feel beautiful.

Yes, an indescribable beauty.

It was as if it was the ultimate principle of the universe, and no matter how hard Kong Xilu looked for the fault, he could not find it.

In the face of Jiang Xinghuo's definition of epistemology, Kong Xilu suddenly felt that the definition of Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism was the disgusting pile of thatch in the imperial prison. On the surface, it looked clean and orderly, but underneath it was revealed , has already turned black and yellow.

"All the shapes and colors in my body are nothing more than objects, and each has its own characteristics."

"The eyes are concerned with color, the ears are concerned with sounds, the mouth and nose are concerned with odors, and if they are connected to external objects and cannot escape, they must have a reason."

"If you know its essence and cannot leave it behind, then you will have the order of the world."

The murmurs in Kong Xilu's mouth became smaller and smaller, until finally he smiled sadly.

"It would be ridiculous if such a 'physical object' could be 'inherited'."

Until now, Kong Xilu still felt a little like he was in a dream.

But he finally figured it out. He had been studying Neo-Confucianism for decades and was an invincible debater in the world. This time, he failed because he had not read enough books, his research was not deep enough, and his debating skills were not sophisticated enough.

But the problem is that he has never learned from Neo-Confucianism how to solve this problem.

This is equivalent to going beyond the scope.

But if you lose, you lose.

Although Kong Xilu was shaken, some white stars kept flashing in front of his eyes, and the vestibule and cervical vertebrae of his mind were constantly swelling, he still stood up shakily holding on to the table.

Kong Xilu straightened his clothes, and only after confirming that he had not violated "property" did he bow deeply to Jiang Xinghuo.

"One missed move, I will admit defeat."

Whether he was lying to himself or whether his thoughts were deeply ingrained, Kong Xilu adhered to his "gentleman's way" throughout his life.

Huang Xin and Li Zhigang were both in some kind of indescribable shock.

Kong Xilu, a Confucian of his generation, was unrivaled in the world in debating scriptures for decades.

Now, he actually lost to Jiang Xinghuo?

It's not that they haven't thought about this possibility, but when this possibility actually becomes a reality, people can't help but feel a little confused and disbelieving.

Moreover, Kong Xilu really seemed convinced that he had lost.

Jiang Xinghuo did not use any sophistry skills, but used real and groundbreaking definitions to solve the definition of the properties of objects in the important philosophical proposition of epistemology.

The nature of objects, that is, "objects", is the prerequisite for the cognitive process of "objects". Without "objects", "natural principles" cannot be obtained. In other words, Jiang Xinghuo solved a crucial fundamental problem. The problem has filled half of the big hole that Neo-Confucianism has been unable to fill and can only cover up with "sincerity".

As for the other half, it is how to "body", that is, how to understand the process of things.

So, how do we understand things?

Naturally, we have to use science.

Ji Gang said to Kong Xilu: "You old master, please remember the good intentions of the imperial master. There are only a few of us in the prison at the moment. It would be more honorable for you to lose. If it hadn't been for the imperial army, I would have asked someone to invite you." 'Come here, in front of thousands of people, debate the scriptures and lose to the imperial master. I'm really afraid that you won't be able to get off the stage and will vomit three liters of blood and risk your life on the stage."

At this time, Kong Xilu could only smile bitterly.

It’s not that I agree with it, but that losers have nothing to argue with.

If you lose, whatever you say is wrong.

Jiang Xinghuo waved his hand and stopped Ji Gang's words.

I have to admit that Kong Xilu is indeed very strong. If Kong Xilu hadn't made the mistake of thinking blindly, Jiang Xinghuo would have been able to draw with him at best today.

But a win is a win. Of course, Jiang Xinghuo could not help but feel a little joy and pride in his heart at the moment, but he knew that he had more important things.

After all, defeating Kong Xilu is certainly worthy of happiness, but defeating Kong Xilu himself has never been his goal.

If you use the word "weird meaning", it is to put it in a harsh way. It's an old man, so what if you win the argument with him? What’s the point of debating scripture itself?

Of course there is meaning.

Kong Xilu is a well-deserved leader of Confucianism in the world in terms of status, knowledge, and qualifications. After defeating him, the world's ideological revolution will be able to remove a roadblock and have the direction to a new road.

Yes, Jiang Xinghuo never intended to contribute to Cheng Zhu Neo-Confucianism.

This time, he won't be a decorator. He will directly dig holes and build two new houses by himself.

One room is for "Science" and the other is for "Practical Learning". There is a sign called "New Learning" at the door of the house.

As for how to build these two new houses, that is the next big thing for Jiang Xinghuo.

That is to distinguish between the "noumenal world" and the "phenomenal world".

And if Jiang Xinghuo can successfully distinguish the room [Noumenal Realm], he can stuff all modern "science" into it.

After successfully distinguishing the room of [Phenomenal Realm], Jiang Xinghuo can use practical learning to fight neo-Confucianism in this room without worrying about affecting the young science.

The reason why I chose Practical Studies is that after all, Ming Confucianism inherited from Song Confucianism. Since Jiang Xinghuo could not dominate all the Confucian scholars in the world and had to use these intellectuals to work as officials, then at the philosophical level, the framework of Confucianism had to be used.

To be honest, in ancient times, if you directly spread science, you would not be arrested by the government, but you would be regarded as a fool. Moreover, science cannot explain most philosophical problems, and science alone cannot replace Neo-Confucianism.

As the saying goes, the only thing that can defeat magic is another kind of magic.

Fortunately, Confucianism in the Southern Song Dynasty is not just a branch of Neo-Confucianism, but has three branches: Neo-Confucianism, Xinxue, and Practical Science. Neo-Confucianism is the enemy and has no choice, and an idealistic thing like Xinxue is naturally incompatible with materialistic science. Jiang Xinghuo It can be disseminated and used as a tool to disrupt Neo-Confucianism, but it can never be used as its own knowledge.

Therefore, Jiang Xinghuo chose practical learning, which is the learning of meritorious work inherited from Ye Shi’s Yongjia School and Chen Liang’s Yongkang School. The meritocracy advocated “being pragmatic rather than unrealistic” and testing the truth through practice, which couldn’t be more consistent.

To put it bluntly, practical learning is just an academic framework. Jiang Xinghuo can delete and modify the things in this framework by himself.

Jiang Xinghuo could put in the things he had developed by himself such as "Using Contradiction to Solve Tai Chi", "Knowing and Doing Between Knowledge and Action, Circulation Without Reason, and Conscience", "Transcendental Theory of Human Nature", and "Three Natures of Matter". Things that are inappropriate can also be deleted.

With academic origins, that is, with "orthodoxy" instead of rootless duckweed, it will be much easier for the world to accept it. It is far less difficult to promote than creating a philosophy out of thin air.

It is not even an exaggeration to say that since the Ming Dynasty could choose Neo-Confucianism as its official culture, it could theoretically choose Jiang Xinghuo's practical learning as its official culture. After all, in the history of Jiang Xinghuo's previous life, during the years when Xu Jie was in power, Xinxue could be It almost became the new official culture of the Ming Dynasty.

In this way, the new science includes the "science" of the ontological world and the "practical science" of the phenomenal world, and can ensure that the two do not interfere with each other, creating a vast land for the development of modern science.

However, this is the next main mission, but today there is a small side mission.

Just when Kong Xilu felt that Jiang Xinghuo should return the favor and end the debate, Jiang Xinghuo suddenly said.

"Old Master Kong, today I will show you a new path. Are you willing to take a few steps to see it?"

"new road?"

Kong Xilu had some doubts in his eyes.

"I just talked about the three properties of ontology, reality, and existence of things, and these are just the 'things' in the 'body'. Do you think you can't continue along this path and figure out how to do it?" Body'?"

"Of course I have thought about it"

Kong Xilu was honest: "But it's nothing more than looking at objects and pondering them. The sages did this. Other than that, is there any other way?"

Jiang Xinghuo smiled: "How fine can the human eye see? It's just focusing on a certain place to make the changes more obvious."

After a pause, he continued: "The most complex thing in the world is its appearance, and the simplest appearance often contains the truth. Therefore, if people want to understand everything in the world, they first need to find the simplest point."

Kong Xilu frowned slightly, as if he still didn't fully understand.

Jiang Xinghuo was not surprised. He continued to talk to himself: "When I was in prison, I opened a literacy class. There was a student named Xiaowu who was tall and thin. He was a streetwalker in the market. I entrusted him with a job to grind mirrors for others. When he was released from prison, I entrusted him with a job. Now that he has done it well, I am afraid that Master Kong will have to stay in prison for a while. If he is idle and bored, he can study it by himself."

After saying that, Jiang Xinghuo waved, and Wang Bin brought over an object contained in a square box.

When I opened the square box, I saw that it was a microscope with polished crystal lenses.

How to "get sand → get glass" just like Neo-Confucianism's "get concepts → get heavenly principles", Jiang Xinghuo still has to recall and study, but, although Jiang Xinghuo is poor, the people around him are quite rich, Crystal Zheng He brought the stone back from Nanyang and gave it to him without spending any money.

Therefore, there is absolutely no problem in using a hand-milled high-cost microscope as a test product and giving it to important people to popularize scientific epistemological methods.

With the definition of the "three properties of matter" and the specific observation methods of the microscope, the "body" thing has not been fully understood by Neo-Confucianism, but Jiang Xinghuo's new study has finally understood it. This is a serious orthodoxy dispute, and victory can naturally be achieved. Attract more believers.

Handing the crystal microscope and the accompanying instructions to Kong Xilu, Jiang Xinghuo said:

"Buddha sees eighty-four thousand insects in a bowl of water. Master Confucius would study the skin of this peach first, so as not to have to rely on 'sincerity' every day, which is really tiring. This thing is different from people. It has noumenal nature. One day If your heart is not sincere, it will not affect your body."

The instructions on the paper were very simple, and Kong Xilu understood it at a glance.

He doubtfully took this new gadget that could "recognize objects" without relying on "sincerity".

"It goes against the teachings of the saints."

Kong Xilu muttered, using tweezers to tear off a small piece of peach skin and put it under the crystal microscope.

Then, he pointed his eyes at the mirror, and in the next moment, his whole person seemed to be petrified.

A door to a new world opened to him.

Behind the gate is a method of "physical objects" that Neo-Confucianism has never taught.

"Mr. Kong?" Huang Xin saw that something was wrong with him and asked in a tentative voice.

"do not bother me!"