Chapter 73

After setting his ambitious goals, Lin Yanzhao spent the following days shuttling between the academy and the Lin family residence.

The disciples at the academy were also very busy. The students formed groups to study the Spring and Autumn Annals and the Book of Songs, holding lectures every day.

Nowadays, academies aimed at preparing for the imperial examinations rarely held such lectures, but in the early days of the academy, lectures were a frequent occurrence. The lectures at the academy initially resembled the open debates of Buddhist scriptures, but later developed their own style. The famous debate at Ehu Lake between Zhu Xi and Lu Jiuyuan, where they discussed the principles of mind and reason, was renowned throughout the land.

One day, while Lin Yanzhao was reading, Chen Xinggui came and said, "Brother Yanzhao, are you free today?"

Lin Yanzhao smiled and said, "It's Brother Chen. Can't you see I'm reading the Book of Documents?"

Chen Xinggui laughed and said, "Reading all day can be boring. I have a lecture this afternoon. Why don't you come along and meet some good friends?"

Chen Xinggui organized the Spring and Autumn Society, which studied the Spring and Autumn Annals. Since there were many students studying the Spring and Autumn Annals, the headmaster, Lin Yuan, could not teach them all, so he allowed the students to form groups and hold their own lectures, where they could debate and improve their studies.

There were five or six such groups in the academy, with the larger ones having a dozen members and the smaller ones having three or four. At this time, the social circles of the students became apparent. Those with excellent grades were unwilling to associate with those who performed poorly, and they tended to stick together.

Previously, when Chen Xinggui invited Lin Yanzhao, he did not agree because he was studying the Book of Documents, while they were studying the Spring and Autumn Annals, which did not align. Compared to some students who performed poorly and sought connections but were rejected by the groups, Lin Yanzhao was somewhat detached.

Now, Lin Yanzhao used this as an excuse to decline, saying, "Thank you for your kindness, Brother Chen, but the Spring and Autumn Annals are not my main focus. I'm still struggling with the Book of Documents."

Chen Xinggui smiled and said, "I knew you would say that. Today, our lecture will not be about the Five Classics but the Four Books."

The Four Books, Lin Yanzhao thought, although he was currently studying the Five Classics, he still needed to review the Four Books, as the monthly exams covered both. Besides, Chen Xinggui had invited him multiple times, and it would be impolite not to attend. So, he agreed.

The academy's lectures were divided into large and small sessions. For example, Lin Yuan and Lin Liao lectured on the Spring and Autumn Annals and the Book of Songs at the Zhu Zi Pavilion, and anyone could attend, regardless of age or ability, even from other academies, provided they could squeeze in. Chen Xinggui's session, however, was a small gathering, limited to a close circle of people.

This reminded Lin Yanzhao of the poetry societies in "Dream of the Red Chamber," but the academy's groups were of a different nature.

The lecture was held in a pavilion outside the Second Plum Study. This pavilion was a place Lin Yanzhao often visited, with a tree outside that provided shelter from the wind and rain, making it ideal for socializing and reading.

When Lin Yanzhao arrived, he saw that the Spring and Autumn Society had about ten members, but only five were present, including himself, making a total of six. Apart from another outer dormitory student he knew, the others were from the inner and upper dormitories.

Six other scholars he did not recognize were also invited. Lin Yanzhao learned that they were from the Yangzheng Academy, who had come to study together. They had interacted with Chen Xinggui's group before, engaging in debates and forming good relationships.

Upon meeting, the students from both academies bowed to each other and engaged in lively conversation. Lin Yanzhao couldn't help but marvel at how scholars found joy in studying and making friends through literature, as the saying goes, "Literature brings friends, and friends foster virtue."

The students from both academies sat in rows on the east and west sides, with mats on the ground and paper and writing materials in front of them. Before the lecture began, a chairman was elected, who was a scholar from the Yangzheng Academy.

Lin Yanzhao did not expect Chen Xinggui to invite a scholar from another academy, but he realized that since the lecture involved debates, it was better to have a scholar make fair judgments, as the students' judgments might be insufficient.

Lin Yanzhao had heard that the Yangzheng Academy, like the Lianjiang Academy, was a large academy that not only taught students but also scholars, so the lecturers' level should be quite high.

After the chairman was elected, a vice-chairman was chosen from each academy, with the Lianjiang Academy selecting a student from the upper dormitory.

The lecture then began, with the chairman explaining the purpose of the session.

The chairman said, "In ancient times, learning was about putting words into practice. Today, learning is often about worldly affairs. The lack of trust in learning is not the fault of learning but of the learners. I hope everyone will discuss what they practice, and if they do not practice it, they should not discuss it!"

After explaining the purpose, the chairman asked the students to select a passage from the classics to debate.

The students from both academies discussed among themselves and then communicated with the vice-chairman and chairman. They finally chose the 14th chapter of the Analects, "Xianwen."

Lin Yanzhao was somewhat enlightened. In the academy, lectures were conducted in a sequential manner, like splitting bamboo, from the first chapter to the last. However, students who had already learned a chapter often wanted to skip ahead and focus on the parts they found difficult.

The lecture sessions were different. Students could choose their own topics, allowing them to focus on their weak areas. The ancients had quite effective methods of study.

The 14th chapter of the Analects, "Xianwen," was not something Lin Yanzhao was very familiar with. The chairman took out a copy of the Analects, turned to the "Xianwen" chapter, and began to analyze its meaning.

The students listened attentively. After the lecture on the "Xianwen" chapter, Lin Yanzhao followed the lecturer's line of thought, which helped him organize his thoughts and resolve any confusion. The chairman's level was comparable to Lin Liao's, and Lin Yanzhao felt that attending this lecture was very worthwhile.

After the chairman finished, the students from both academies wrote down their insights and read them aloud. They did not read every sentence of every chapter but focused on their main insights.

Then, the students debated any differences in their understanding or any perceived errors. Generally, the students would resolve these debates themselves, but sometimes, when they could not reach a consensus, the chairman would make a final judgment.

The debates were very effective, especially for the students from the Yangzheng Academy, as they had different teachers and thus different interpretations, leading to many insightful discussions.

During the debates, Lin Yanzhao raised several of his own questions. Some were corrected by others, and one was particularly challenging, so the chairman personally explained it in detail, praising Lin Yanzhao for his deep understanding of the text.

The chairman's praise made many of the students look at Lin Yanzhao with newfound respect, especially the outer dormitory student who knew Lin Yanzhao's background and was amazed.

After the "Xianwen" chapter, the students discussed and chose a section from the "Teng Wen Gong" chapter of the Mencius to study next.

The debates concluded, and Lin Yanzhao felt he had gained a lot.

These two chapters were ones he had studied and memorized, and with his excellent memory, he did not need to take notes. He remembered most of the discussions, whether they were correct or incorrect.

After the lecture, the Lianjiang Academy provided a meal for the students from the Yangzheng Academy. After eating, they dispersed, and Chen Xinggui gave the chairman from the Yangzheng Academy a silver coin as a token of appreciation. Lin Yanzhao now understood Chen Xinggui's strategy.

After this session, not only Lin Yanzhao but all the students felt they had gained a lot. The efficiency of these lectures was much higher than the typical classroom lectures.

Afterward, Chen Xinggui said to Lin Yanzhao, "Brother Yanzhao, how was it? Did this lecture help you?"

Lin Yanzhao nodded and said, "Of course, but the lecture sessions are very time-consuming. After everyone has spoken and debated, an entire afternoon is gone, and only two chapters have been covered."

Chen Xinggui said, "That's true. The participants must be of similar academic level, but having more people has the advantage of pooling ideas."

Lin Yanzhao said, "A group of ten or fewer is ideal."

Chen Xinggui smiled and said, "I understand. Today, Brother Yanzhao truly impressed me. Even the lecturer from the Yangzheng Academy praised your deep understanding. In the future, we will need your help to support our Spring and Autumn Society."

Chen Xinggui's words were polite, but if Lin Yanzhao took them too seriously, it would be presumptuous. Lin Yanzhao quickly said, "Brother Chen, you flatter me. I was able to participate in this lecture thanks to you."

Chen Xinggui laughed and said, "Then, I hope you will join our lectures more often, especially when we are not discussing the Spring and Autumn Annals."

Lin Yanzhao felt a bit embarrassed but also admired Chen Xinggui's skill in building relationships. He said, "I will do my best."

After dinner, Lin Yanzhao read for a while in the study and then returned to his dormitory.

On the way, he heard a noise from behind the bamboo grove. He walked over and saw a person sitting on the wall, with two others crouching below.

Lin Yanzhao thought, "Not again, are there thieves in the academy?" xh211

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