: Textbook-Level Dimensional Reduction Attack

Liang Shanbo placed his hand on Zhu Yingtai's sleeve, but only pressed it lightly for a moment before letting go.

Zhu Yingtai turned her head and looked at Liang Shanbo.

Liang Shanbo smiled slightly at her and said in a low voice, "Brother, please sit down and let me speak."

His voice was gentle and calm, like a bowl of water, without any ripples.

Zhu Yingtai, however, saw a certainty in his eyes, a certainty of complete confidence.

A thought struck her, and she nodded, settling down comfortably.

Liang Shanbo straightened his clothes, placed his hand on the cushion, and calmly got up.

Today he wore a grayish-white long robe with a cross-collar and right-fastening design. The fabric was rough, the color dull, and it had faded somewhat after washing. He had a dark blue turban wrapped around his head, a simple cloth belt around his waist, and he wore a pair of hemp shoes.

His clothes were quite shabby compared to those of his classmates in the lecture hall, who wore fine clothes and jade pendants. Yet his demeanor was as composed as if he were wearing the most luxurious clothes.

The moment he stood up, all eyes in the hall fell on him.

Wang Shu's gaze sharpened slightly, and he thought to himself, "It's him! Yesterday, he memorized everything he read in front of the teacher and answered all the teacher's questions flawlessly!"

A hint of interest immediately flashed in Gu Jun's eyes.

Wang Shu and Gu Jun, both of Meng Wenlang's close disciples, had already learned from Meng Wenlang about Liang Shanbo's test the previous day.

Liang Shanbo first bowed to Jia Boyang, then circled around the people in the hall, and then spoke.

His voice was clear and gentle, neither too loud nor too soft, neither too fast nor too slow, like a stream flowing calmly over a rocky beach.

"Just now, Brother Jia used Yan Hui as an example to say that self-cultivation and practical application can be separated. Brother Jia's statement is based on the Analects, Yong Ye chapter, which is indeed true. Yan Hui lived in a humble alley, ate simple food and drank from a gourd, and never held office, yet Confucius praised him as 'How virtuous is Hui!' If we only look at this chapter, Brother Jia's argument seems irrefutable."

He paused slightly as he said this.

The hall was silent. Everyone was waiting for his next words.

Liang Shanbo's gaze swept calmly over the crowd, then he slowly said, "However, when reading the classics, one should not just take a chapter or a sentence, but should read the whole book. If one only takes a chapter or a sentence, it is taking things out of context."

He looked at Jia Boyang: "Brother Jia, do you know how Confucius evaluated Yan Hui in another place?"

Jia Boyang frowned and asked, "Which place?"

Liang Shanbo said, "In the Analects, in the chapter 'Gongye Chang,' Confucius asked Zigong to compare himself with Yan Hui. Zigong said, 'How dare I compare myself to Hui? Hui can understand ten things from one, while I can only understand two.' Confucius said, 'You are not as good as him. Neither you nor I are as good as him.' This is praising Yan Hui's intelligence."

But within the same passage, there is another. The Master said, “If the Way is not practiced, I will take a raft and float on the sea. Who will follow me? Will it be You?” Zilu, upon hearing this, was delighted. The Master said, “You is more courageous than I am, but he has no discernment.”

Jia Boyang couldn't help but interrupt, "These two passages are about Zigong and Zilu, what do they have to do with Yan Hui?"

Liang Shanbo smiled slightly: "Brother Jia, don't be in a hurry. What I have to say is yet to come."

He continued, "In the Analects, 'Advanced Chapter,' Confucius said, 'Hui is not one who helps me, yet he never dislikes anything I say.' This means that Yan Hui never disliked or questioned anything Confucius said."

At first glance, this seems like praise for Yan Hui. But upon closer examination, why did Confucius say that Yan Hui was "not one to help me"? Because true teaching and learning require disciples to raise questions and engage in debate. Yan Hui never questioned, so Confucius said, "He is not someone who can help me."

Liang Shanbo raised his voice slightly: "In the same chapter, 'Advanced,' there is another passage where Ji Kangzi asks, 'Which of your disciples is the most studious?' Confucius replies, 'There was Yan Hui who was studious, but unfortunately he died young. Now he is gone.' Confucius's praise of Yan Hui's studiousness is extremely high."

But Brother Jia, please note that Confucius spoke of "being fond of learning," not "achieving mastery." Yan Hui was fond of learning, yet he died young, so in reality, he did not complete his studies in his lifetime.

He paused for a moment after saying this, allowing everyone to process his words.

Then, his voice suddenly became solemn and earnest: "Brother Jia uses Yan Hui as an example, saying that Yan Hui never held office, yet still cultivated himself, thus proving that self-cultivation and practical application can be separated. But has Brother Jia considered whether Yan Hui's lifelong refusal to serve was due to his 'unwillingness' to serve, or because he 'didn't have time' to serve?"

Upon hearing this, everyone in the hall was taken aback.

Jia Boyang's expression changed.

Liang Shanbo didn't give him time to think and continued, "Yan Hui died in his prime. He lived in a humble alley, eating simple food and drinking from a gourd. Was it because he didn't want to serve in the government? No. It was because he died before he had the opportunity to serve. If he had lived to be fifty or sixty, with his learning and virtue, would he have remained unserving for his entire life?"

Confucius traveled throughout the states for fourteen years, constantly on the move, seeking opportunities to implement benevolent governance. His disciples took up official positions one after another: Zilu served in Wei, Zigong in both Lu and Wei, and Ran You served the Ji family. Yan Hui, as Confucius's most favored disciple, would not remain content with a simple life, coldly watching his fellow disciples wander among the states.

Liang Shanbo's voice grew stronger: "Therefore, Brother Jia's use of Yan to prove that self-cultivation and practical application can be separated is precisely using the wrong example."

Yan Hui wasn't "unwilling" to apply his knowledge; he simply "didn't have the time" to do so. His self-cultivation was precisely for the purpose of one day being able to apply it. His self-cultivation and application of knowledge were inherently aligned in their goals; it was just that fate didn't give him the opportunity to do so.

His gaze slowly swept over everyone in the hall, and then he said, "The debates you all just had, whether it was Brother Sun's theory of 'root and branch,' Brother Gu's theory of 'two sides of the same coin,' Brother Yu's theory of 'sequentiality,' or Brother Jia's theory of 'divisibility,' all revolved around one question—what exactly is the relationship between self-cultivation and practical application?"

He offered his perspective: "I believe that self-cultivation and practical application are neither fundamental nor secondary, nor sequential, nor are they separate or inseparable. Self-cultivation and practical application are related as 'essence' and 'function.' Self-cultivation is the essence, and practical application is the function. Where there is essence, there is function; where there is function, there is essence. Essence and function are interdependent, manifest and subtle are inseparable!"

The Book of Changes (Zhouyi) says: "That which is above form is called the Way; that which is below form is called the instrument." Self-cultivation is the Way; application is the instrument. The Way cannot be separated from the instrument, and the instrument cannot be separated from the Way. The Way without the instrument is empty; the instrument without the Way is blind.

Confucius never taught his disciples to simply shut themselves away and cultivate themselves. He taught Zilu courage, but warned him, "You are braver than I am, but you have no talent for it." He taught Zigong eloquence, but warned him, "Zigong, do you think I am someone who has learned a lot and knows everything?" He taught Ran You the arts, but when Ran You amassed wealth for the Ji family, he angrily rebuked him, "He is not my disciple. You young men may beat the drums and attack him."

Confucius taught his disciples self-cultivation, and each person's path to self-cultivation was designed to address potential deviations they might make when applying their knowledge in the future. Zilu was stubborn, so Confucius taught him gentleness; Zigong was eloquent, so Confucius taught him composure; Ran You was timid, so Confucius taught him courage and perseverance.

This doesn't mean cultivating oneself before applying one's knowledge; rather, it means that during the process of self-cultivation, the direction, methods, and potential pitfalls of applying one's knowledge are all taken into account.

He stopped and his gaze swept over the crowd once more.

The hall fell silent. Everyone was stunned by his words.

Sun Yuangui was dumbfounded.

Yu Yanzhi frowned, his lips moving as if he were silently reciting Liang Shanbo's words, trying to find a flaw in them, but he couldn't.

Gu Jun sat quietly, tilting his head slightly, his gaze fixed on Liang Shanbo, his expression carrying a solemn air, as if he were re-evaluating this poorly dressed new classmate.

Wang Shu remained standing, his hands behind his back, his face calm as still water. But his gaze upon Liang Shanbo was deep and profound, as if he were looking at a mountain that had suddenly risen from the ground, unsure how to gauge its height.

Zhu Yingtai knelt behind her desk, looking up at Liang Shanbo's profile.

Her heart was beating a little fast.

She felt she had done a good job when she spoke, refuting Yu Yanzhi's argument about "sequence" and pushing Gu Jun's argument about "two sides of the same coin" a step further. She thought she had reached the pinnacle of her argument on this topic.

But after hearing Liang Shanbo's words, she realized that she was still far from being good enough.

The essence and function are inseparable, the manifest and the subtle are not two! These eight words are so apt and so insightful in explaining the relationship between self-cultivation and practical application.

She looked up at Liang Shanbo's profile, observing his composed demeanor, and a surge of admiration welled up within her.

This is her sworn brother Liang!

Liang Shanbo hadn't finished speaking.

He paused, then continued, "Mencius said, 'When poor, one should cultivate one's own virtue; when successful, one should benefit all under heaven.' This saying is often used to prove that self-cultivation and practical application can be separated. When poor, one should cultivate one's own virtue; when successful, one should benefit all under heaven."

But I would like to ask you all a question: Is the "goodness" of self-cultivation and the "helping others" of universal salvation truly separate and follow one another?

He shook his head: "No. Mencius's words refer to the different ways scholars should act in different situations, not that self-cultivation and practical application can be separated."

To cultivate oneself in solitude means to remain steadfast in one's principles even in poverty, continuing to cultivate oneself and do what one can. This in itself is a form of practical application. To benefit all under heaven means to extend this steadfastness to the world when one is successful. This, too, is a continuation of self-cultivation.

Poverty and prosperity are differences in circumstances; kindness and charity are differences in degree. But whether poor or prosperous, whether kind or charitable, self-cultivation and practical application have never been separate.

His gaze deepened: "The Great Learning begins by saying, 'The way of great learning consists in manifesting one's bright virtue, in loving the people, and in abiding in perfect goodness.' Manifesting one's bright virtue is self-cultivation, loving the people is applying one's knowledge, and abiding in perfect goodness is the common goal of both. These three are not three stages or three steps, but three aspects of the same thing. Manifesting one's bright virtue already includes loving the people, and loving the people is an expansion of manifesting one's bright virtue."

Just like a lamp, when it burns, it illuminates its surroundings; this illumination is the lamp's light. If the lamp doesn't burn, how can it emit light? If the lamp emits light, it is because it is burning. Burning and light arise simultaneously, manifesting as one. Where is there a sequence between the two? Where is there a beginning and an end?

He bowed to the people in the court and said calmly, "These are just my humble opinions; please correct me if I'm wrong."

After saying this, he lifted his robe and calmly knelt back down on the quilt.

The hall was completely silent!

How can I avoid being silent?

Liang Shanbo's debate was a textbook example of a devastatingly powerful attack!

He first dissected the counterexample proposed by Jia Boyang, and then put forward a new theory: "Substance and function are inseparable, and the manifest and the subtle are not two separate things."

Actually, he originally thought of Cheng Yi's "essence and function originate from the same source, and the manifest and the subtle are inseparable" from the Northern Song Dynasty, but this statement did not fit the context of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. "essence and function are identical, and the manifest and the subtle are not two" fits the context, as the Eastern Jin Dynasty was the golden age of the convergence of Prajna philosophy and metaphysics.

He then reconstructed the classics, using "Confucian teaching according to aptitude" as evidence, and explained Confucian education as a practice of "the unity of essence and function".

He ultimately achieved transcendence using the metaphor of "lamp and light".

If Zhu Yingtai, Jia Boyang, and others were excellent debaters in this debate, then Liang Shanbo was a thinker whose level of thinking far surpassed his peers!

Liang Shanbo did not dwell on debating skills, but directly reconstructed the problem itself, transforming a linear question of "which comes first and which comes later, which is fundamental and which is secondary" into a philosophical ontological question of "the unity of substance and function, and the indivisibility of the manifest and the subtle"!