Chapter 96

Lin Yanzhao looked at Lin Jing with a face full of委屈 (grievance).

Lin Jing smiled and said, "I was a bit harsh. I heard you've only been studying classics for half a year, right?"

Lin Yanzhao quickly nodded.

Lin Jing said, "In just half a year, your writing is already on par with others who have studied for three to four years."

"Really?" Lin Yanzhao was excited.

Lin Jing nodded and said, "I'm being honest. Your essay has a solid structure, which is commendable. However, if you were to take it to the next year's child examination, it would still be far from enough. It's only slightly better than those who have never participated in the county examination."

Lin Jing was being honest, but Lin Yanzhao was不服气 (unconvinced). If his level is still not enough by then, he could just use the ultimate weapon of copying books. Since he has memorized all the topics of the eight-part essay, if he guesses the questions correctly, it won't be considered cheating. The examiners would only blame themselves for setting such easy questions, and he wouldn't be disqualified, though his ranking wouldn't be high.

After all, guessing correctly is also a skill, showing that you have worked hard. Of course, he also needs to prevent the examiners from setting tricky questions, which would be disastrous.

To help himself, Lin Yanzhao humbly said, "Master, I have come to seek your guidance on how to study."

Lin Jing countered, "How to study? Do you remember the poem I gave you last time?"

Lin Yanzhao immediately recited, "Last night, the spring water rose by the river, and the large warship became as light as a feather. All the efforts to push it were in vain, but now it sails freely in the middle of the stream."

Lin Jing smiled and said, "Good that you remember. Studying is like pushing a boat; when the water is full, it will naturally move. If your skills are not yet at the level of penetrating the wood to the third degree, you are just pushing the boat on land. Do you know the shortcomings of your essay?"

Lin Yanzhao thought, "Don't play riddles with me, just speak directly." He then said, "Please, Master, instruct me."

Lin Jing spread the test paper on the desk and said, "From your essay, the first two sentences of the introduction are quite good, thoroughly breaking down the topic. You have put in a lot of effort in the classics. However, after the introduction, it's all empty words, repetitive phrases, and clichés. I can see that you have memorized a lot of model essays."

Lin Yanzhao was sweating profusely. "Do you have to be so perceptive, seeing through my weaknesses at a glance?" He could only admit, "Master, you have keen insight."

Lin Jing did not blame Lin Yanzhao and said, "I didn't say you were wrong. You should still study the model essays, as they are written by famous eight-part essay writers. You need to learn their structure and style. However, many articles before the Jiajing era were overly obscure and lengthy, using difficult words to decorate simple ideas and strange characters to cover up mediocre writing. They were acceptable at the time, but now they are not considered good works."

"Then, how can I make my eight-part essay a good one?"

Lin Jing recited, "To understand the principles clearly, one must trace back to the Six Classics and thoroughly study the teachings of the Song and Yuan scholars; to use appropriate words, one must adhere to the topic and draw from the books of the Three Dynasties and the Han and Tang dynasties; to have a vigorous style, one must be imbued with the principles of righteousness and deeply immerse oneself in the ancient prose of the Zhou, Qin, Han, Tang, and Song dynasties."

"These are the three aspects of principle, word, and style. I said your introduction is good, and in terms of principle, you have made some progress in studying the Cheng-Zhu annotations, which is a thorough study of the Song scholars. However, your words are hollow, and your writing lacks depth, which is due to your focus on the eight-part essay. You have no foundation in the aspects of word and style."

Lin Yanzhao nodded. Lin Jing's words made it clear that to understand principles, one should read the Six Classics and the Cheng-Zhu annotations. For words and style, one should draw from the Qin, Han, Tang, and Song dynasties, such as the "Guoyu" (Discourses of the States), "Lisao" (Encountering Sorrow), and the prose of the Eight Great Masters of the Tang and Song.

He had only read the Four Books and Five Classics with the Cheng-Zhu annotations.

Lin Yanzhao said, "Master, this means I should emulate the pre-Qin scholars and draw from the works of the Tang and Song masters!"

"Exactly. After memorizing the model essays, your writing lacks vigor and depth. To write a brilliant eight-part essay, you need to read ancient prose, which is detailed and robust, and broad in perspective. Only then can your writing be exquisite."

Lin Yanzhao recalled the two bookshelves that Lin Liao had shown him, telling him that these were the books he read before becoming a scholar. This shows that the scholarly atmosphere in the Ming dynasty was not limited to the Four Books and Five Classics.

In his previous life, he had heard a joke about a Qing dynasty scholar who, upon seeing a young boy reading "Shiji" (Records of the Grand Historian), asked, "What are you reading?" The boy replied, "Shiji." The scholar asked, "Who wrote it?" The boy said, "Sima Qian." The scholar then asked, "Which imperial examination did he pass?" The boy replied, "He was from the Han dynasty and did not pass any imperial examination." The old scholar read a few sentences and said, "The writing is mediocre, not worth reading, a waste of time," and then threw the book away.

Though it was a joke, it's no wonder that the eight-part essay system was criticized so harshly in later generations.

However, the scholars of the Ming dynasty were different. The literary style of the Ming dynasty first promoted the "Tai Ge Ti" (Pavilion Style) of the Three Yangs. Later, the "Qian Hou Qi Zi" (Seven Sons Before and After) raised the banner of复古 (revival), with figures like Li Mengyang, He Jingming, and Li Panlong advocating "Wen Bi Qin Han" (Literature must be from the Qin and Han) and "Shi Bi Sheng Tang" (Poetry must be from the Tang).

After Li Panlong's death, Wang Shizhen, one of the "Hou Qi Zi" (Seven Sons After), became the leader of the literary world. His status can be compared to Jin Yong in martial arts, Qiong Yao in romance, and San Shao in web novels.

Wang Shizhen's influence was so great that whenever he published a collection of essays, contemporary scholars would plagiarize his work. A talented man named Ai Nanying in the Tianqi era sarcastically said, "Young scholars don't need to read books or write essays; they just need to have the four collections of the 'Qian Hou Qi Zi' on their shelves. Whenever they need to write, they can quickly cut and paste, and an essay is done."

Wang Shizhen's literary style represented the direction of the Ming dynasty's literati, and the revivalist trend also influenced the imperial examinations. Before the Jiajing era, scholars who only studied the Four Books and Five Classics and model essays were not sufficient; even if they passed, they wouldn't get a high ranking.

Lin Jing nodded and said, "Look carefully at the essays that passed the imperial examinations after the Jiajing era. They all have the flavor of the Qin and Han. Your principles are already clear, but you lack the aspects of word and style, making your writing like a skeleton without flesh, dry and tasteless. You should now emulate the Qin and Han and draw from the Tang and Song. Only with a wealth of knowledge can your writing be brilliant."

Lin Yanzhao found Lin Jing's words very reasonable and asked, "Then, what should I read first to improve my word and style?"

This was also a point of contention. The "Qian Hou Qi Zi" advocated "Wen Bi Qin Han" and rejected reading books after the Dali era. However, many disagreed, as this would place the works of Han Yu, Su Dongpo, and Wang Anshi in an awkward position. The "Tang Song Pai" (Tang and Song School) was another literary school, with famous figures like Wang Shenzhong, Tang Shunzhi, and Gui Youguang, who opposed the "Qian Hou Qi Zi" and believed that Tang and Song literature also had its merits.

Lin Yanzhao needed to establish his own literary style, at least in the aspects of word and style in the eight-part essay. Whether to emulate the Qin and Han or draw from the Tang and Song was a choice he needed to make.

Lin Jing said, "You can start with the 'Eight Great Masters of the Tang and Song' anthology. The best representatives of the Six Classics and history are the famous scholars Han Yu, Ouyang Xiu, Zeng Gong, and Su Shi. Compared to the obscure and difficult pre-Qin literature, Tang and Song literature is more accessible. Start with the easier and then move to the harder, beginning with this book."

"Understood."

Lin Jing took a stack of "Eight Great Masters of the Tang and Song" from the bookshelf and gave it to Lin Yanzhao. Lin Yanzhao saw that it was written by Mao Kun, the grandfather of Mao Yuanyi, a military strategist, and a staunch member of the Tang and Song School.

The fame of the "Eight Great Masters of the Tang and Song" that we know today is largely due to this anthology.

Lin Yanzhao solemnly accepted it.

Lin Jing then said, "A teacher can lead you to the door, but the practice is up to you. Diligent study and hard work are essential. I cannot help you with that; only you can put in the effort."

"Studying requires great determination and perseverance. If you don't understand a sentence, don't move on to the next one until you fully grasp it. If you don't understand it today, read it again tomorrow. Don't switch books or chapters easily. If you don't understand it this year, read it again next year. You must have the determination to wear down a stone with water. Some people read many books but are like digging many wells without finding water. It's better to focus on one classic. You should be cautious about this."

Lin Yanzhao happily accepted the advice.

Lin Jing added, "Go home today and read the 'Eight Great Masters of the Tang and Song' for two days, then review the classics for two more days. You have made some progress in the classics, but it's not enough to compete with those who have studied them deeply. You need to carefully study and not give up. With time, you will see results."

"Come back to me in five days, and I will help you resolve your doubts and assess your progress. From now on, unless I tell you otherwise, you should follow this method of study, regardless of the weather. Do you understand?"

Lin Yanzhao said, "I will follow your instructions, Master."

PS: This Wednesday, the ranking for the Jiangjiang vote is second. I'm very happy with this ranking, thank you for everyone's votes. There's nothing I can do to repay you, so I will work hard and update more to thank everyone. If you enjoy reading, please give me a recommendation vote!

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