Farewell to Xinting, Three Sentences of Pure Conversation

It's already early autumn.

Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai have been at Wansong Academy for four months.

Two months have passed since Liang Shanbo became Meng Wenlang's disciple.

During those two months, he often went with Wang Shu and Gu Jun to Songzha on the back mountain to listen to Meng Wenlang's lectures. Meng Wenlang's lectures were extensive, and he remembered them vividly.

After reading the Records of the Grand Historian and the Book of Han, he began to delve into various military books.

After breakfast that day, the three brothers, as usual, crossed the fields and walked along the winding mountain path towards Songzha.

The fields in autumn are different from those in summer. The foxtail grass and plantain have begun to turn yellow, the dandelion fluff balls are sparse from the wind, and occasionally a few grass insects chirp in the grass, their calls soft and sometimes high, sometimes low.

The mountain path in autumn is different from that in summer. The moss in the crevices of the bluestone has turned dark brown.

The pine forest lining the mountain path had pine needles that were a deeper color, and the aroma of pine resin was stronger than in summer, with a mellow yet slightly bitter taste.

We've arrived at Songzha.

After Wang Shu knocked on the door, the three of them pushed it open and entered.

Meng Wenlang remained seated on the bamboo mat by the window.

After the three of them knelt down, Meng Wenlang looked at Liang Shanbo and said, "Shanbo."

Liang Shanbo replied, "Disciple is here."

Meng Wenlang said slowly, "When you study history, you focus on practical chapters like 'Biographies of Merchants' and 'Book of Rivers and Canals'; when you practice archery, you are building a foundation for your physique. Shanbo, your mind is on practical work."

Before Liang Shanbo could respond, he continued, "Recently, you've been reading military books like 'Six Secret Teachings' and 'Sun Tzu' because you believe that military strategy is an important aspect of practical application in governance. You're reading these books to learn how to be a practical military strategist."

Liang Shanbo readily agreed, "What you say is true, sir."

Meng Wenlang nodded: "You value practical work, which is excellent. You study history, practice archery, explore water conservancy and commerce, and read military books—everything you do is preparation for the future. I see all of this and am very pleased."

He abruptly changed the subject, his tone becoming serious: "However, today I insist on having a serious discussion with you!"

He suddenly took out a scroll of manuscripts, which was the very scroll that Liang Shanbo had memorized when he entered the academy for the examination. It contained five highly academic essays, including "On Xinting".

Immediately, Meng Wenlang had Liang Shanbo, Wang Shu, and Gu Jun read through "On Xinting," then asked Liang Shanbo, "You memorized this 'On Xinting' perfectly on your first day at the academy. Today I ask you: What did I hate most when I wrote this?"

Liang Shanbo replied, "The scholars and officials weeping at Xinting are merely imitating the cries of prisoners from Chu, yet no one is rising up in protest."

Meng Wenlang then asked, "And who do you admire most?"

Liang Shanbo said, "Bian He, Goujian, Zu Ti, Tao Kan, Wen Qiao, and other pragmatists."

Meng Wenlang nodded, pushed the manuscript aside, and changed the subject: "Zu Ti struck the oar in the middle of the river, what a heroic spirit! But where did the provisions and troops come from? It relied on the operation of the court in the rear, and on the fact that the Jiangzuo aristocratic families did not stab him in the back."

Zu Ti rowed the boat across the river, while Wang Dao coordinated and balanced the various factions in Jiankang, thus supporting him in the "rear."

Historical records often only remember Wang Dao as a leader of philosophical discussions, rarely mentioning how his discussions stabilized the situation and enabled many capable individuals to succeed. Of course, Wang Dao wasn't without his own motives, but in matters of success, actions speak louder than intentions; he facilitated Zu Ti's achievements.

At this point, Meng Wenlang smiled and said, "Don't you find it strange? I wrote 'Xin Ting Lun' to criticize the trend of empty talk, but today I'm going to tell you that Wang Dao was also an empty talker, but he helped Zu Ti."

In my essay "On Xinting," I criticize the trend of indulging in empty talk, discussing fate, and weeping in vain. However, I did not write "empty talk should be abolished." These two meanings are slightly different, yet vastly different.

Indulging in idle talk deserves criticism. But "idle talk" itself is not entirely bad.

The interactions among the powerful clans of Jiangdong relied not on written documents, but on the wit and banter of intellectual discussions, the poetic exchanges at banquets, and the sharp exchanges during gatherings. If you wanted to gain a foothold in the court and have people willing to listen to you, you had to master this art. This wasn't the enemy of scholarship, but rather the artful maneuvering of aristocratic politics.

Shanbo, your reading of the *Records of the Grand Historian* and the *Book of Han* is introspection; your debates at Jiazhai are outward exploration. Pure conversation is a higher level of debate: not about winning or losing in the moment, but about using words to connect with people, influence them, and advance things.

Meng Wenlang’s voice was calm and powerful: “I will divide the discussion into three levels.”

Inferior conversation is merely a contest of skill and cleverness.

They gather at Waguan Temple or in someone's garden, exchanging a few witty remarks and quoting a few allusions. Their debates are so sharp that no one can refute them, and the whole room bursts into laughter, at which point they consider themselves clever. This kind of idle talk is just a game, utterly useless to the country and its people. The people I criticize in my "Xinting Lun" are mainly this kind of people.

The art of refined conversation is about knowing when to advance and retreat in social interactions.

In the interactions of powerful clans and aristocratic families, the etiquette and conversation at banquets required a grasp of metaphysics and skillful use of language. One needed to know when to quote Zhuangzi, when to quote the Book of Changes, and when to quote a line from the Book of Songs without appearing forced. This kind of refined conversation was a tool, a stepping stone to advancement. If one couldn't handle such conversations with ease, who would confide in them?

The finest conversation is one that takes the opportunity to discuss important matters.

While seemingly discussing the *Zhuangzi*, Wang Dao was actually trying to awaken a colleague from their obsession with a particular political matter; while seemingly discussing the *Laozi*, he was actually trying to understand the positions and sentiments of those present. Wang Dao was adept at this; his philosophical discussions were not the goal, but a means. He used these discussions to win over people's hearts and minds, stabilize the situation, and allow Zu Ti to focus on the front lines without worrying about the rear.

Liang Shanbo, Wang Shu, and Gu Jun all listened attentively.

Meng Wenlang continued, "That day at Jiazhai, I lectured on 'Zhuangzi: The Human World,' and I talked about three kinds of deviations: escapism, emptiness, and conformity."

There are three kinds of flaws in philosophical discussions. Those who seek to escape the world use philosophical discussions as a means of escapism; those who seek emptiness use philosophical discussions as a toy; and those who conform to the world use philosophical discussions as a ladder to climb up to the powerful and wealthy.

But there is a fourth type of person: those who use empty talk as a tool, and take hard work as the foundation!

Meng Wenlang gazed at Liang Shanbo, his tone solemn: "Shanbo, your ability to debate with Wang Shu shows that you are eloquent. But idle talk is different from debate. Debate is about determining who is superior, while idle talk is about winning people's hearts."

If you enter officialdom in the future, you will mostly be dealing with the sons of powerful and aristocratic families. They grow up in intellectual circles, and if you don't understand these circles, you won't be able to enter their circles; if you can't enter their circles, no matter how good your ideas are, you won't find anyone willing to listen.

Zu Ti, Tao Kan, and Wen Qiao were all pragmatists. But have you ever considered that Zu Ti came from the Zu clan of Fanyang, Tao Kan, though from a humble background, had military achievements, and Wen Qiao came from the Wen clan of Taiyuan? They either had military merits or came from prominent families.

"Shanbo, you have neither military merit nor family background, so you cannot only learn Zu Ti's heroic spirit of striking the oar midstream; you must also learn Wang Dao's skill in winning people's hearts."

Liang Shanbo nodded seriously.

Meng Wenlang continued, "I'm asking you to use Wang Dao's methods to do what Zu Ti did. If you only learn from Zu Ti, full of enthusiasm but without anyone to stabilize the rear for you, you'll be a lone army. If you only learn from Wang Dao, skilled in maneuvering but forgetting what you originally wanted to do, you'll be just a talker. So you must be good at talking, but your talking is so that you don't become a talker."

Meng Wenlang paused for a moment, allowing Liang Shanbo, Wang Shu, and Gu Jun to silently ponder his words.

Then, he suddenly took out a piece of paper, held it with both hands, and handed it to Liang Shanbo: "Shanbo, I have three sentences for you."

Liang Shanbo took the paper with both hands, looked down, and saw that it read:

"Those who cannot enter through philosophical discussions will not be allowed to enter."

One must be pragmatic and diligent; without pragmatism, one cannot stand firm.

Entering the courtyard through the gate, one must not mistake the gate for the courtyard.

Wang Shu and Gu Jun both curiously came over to take a look.

Liang Shanbo looked at these three sentences, recited them silently in his heart several times, and then looked up at Meng Wenlang.

Meng Wenlang said earnestly, "Shanbo, you said 'essence and function are inseparable' four months ago. Today I will return those four words to you."

Talking is the means, doing is the essence. The means is the method, the essence is the goal. The means should be flexible, the goal should be firm. If the means become the goal, it is lost; if the goal has no means, it is in vain.

You will hone your skills in handling affairs in the future. If you can master it, you will gain true understanding; if not, it will remain merely the knowledge of a scholar in his study.

Liang Shanbo benefited greatly from this lesson.

In his previous life, when talking about the empty talk of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, the most common evaluation was nothing more than "empty talk ruins the country".

Even Meng Wenlang himself fiercely criticized pure conversation in his "Xin Ting Lun".

In this lesson, Meng Wenlang told him that in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, philosophical discussions were not the enemy of scholarship, but rather a shrewd way of dealing with aristocratic politics. Without understanding philosophical discussions, one could not enter that circle; without entering the circle, there was no stage to showcase practical abilities.

Actually, he already had this idea. But Meng Wenlang's class made his thoughts clearer.

He also remembered his teacher's final warning: Enter the courtyard through the gate, but do not mistake the gate for the courtyard!

However, understanding is one thing, doing it is another.

The road ahead is long, so we must persevere and learn as we go.