AWB Chapter 26 The Hall Was Shocked
Chapter 26 The Hall Was Shocked
At the grand court assembly that day, the King of Qin sat on his dragon throne, looking down upon his ministers with majestic solemnity. In his hand he held a thin, white object, which aroused the curiosity of the crowd. The ministers cast questioning glances, and one couldn't help but ask, "Your Majesty, what is this?"
The King of Qin smiled slightly and handed the white object to the eunuch beside him, gesturing for them to pass it around for the ministers to see. The ministers took the object and examined it carefully, but remained puzzled. At this moment, Li Si, with his keen insight, stepped forward, respectfully bowed to the King of Qin, and explained, "This is paper, which can be used for writing."
Upon hearing this answer, a murmur of discussion arose in the hall. Some ministers expressed doubt, wondering how such a thin and flimsy object could possibly be used for writing. However, the King of Qin smiled and nodded, indicating his approval of Li Si's statement. He then personally picked up a brush, dipped it in ink, and wrote several large characters on the paper.
Upon seeing this, the courtiers were all astonished. They realized that this new writing material had enormous potential to replace traditional writing tools such as bamboo slips and wooden tablets. Therefore, they began to show great interest in paper, and inquired of the King of Qin about its cost and the feasibility of its widespread use.
Yesterday, the King of Qin explained the papermaking process to important figures such as Wang Wan and Li Si. Upon hearing the ministers' questions, Wang Wan patiently answered them, explaining that papermaking was newly invented and the technology was not yet fully mature, but it could be used first, and the craftsmen given more time. He assured them that large-scale production would be possible in the future. He further emphasized that the advent of paper would greatly facilitate writing and cultural dissemination, and would be of great significance to the development of the Qin Dynasty.
As Wang Wan explained, the ministers gained a deeper understanding of paper, and they all expressed their willingness to support the King of Qin in promoting its use. A lively discussion about paper unfolded in the hall, with ministers sharing their opinions and offering many valuable suggestions and suggestions. Finally, the King of Qin decided to establish a special agency to be responsible for the production and promotion of paper.
At this grand court assembly, the King of Qin successfully demonstrated the allure of paper. He announced that paper would initially be used for writing memorials and other court documents, and would be rolled out throughout the entire Qin state once the court officials had become accustomed to it. Upon hearing this news, the ministers began to whisper among themselves. Some ministers agreed, believing that writing memorials on paper was more convenient and faster; while others worried that paper was more easily damaged and lost than bamboo slips.
At this moment, an elderly minister stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, although this measure is conducive to improving efficiency, paper is expensive and may increase the court's expenditures."
The King of Qin smiled slightly and replied, "It's alright. I have already ordered people to study the method of papermaking, and the cost will surely decrease in the future."
Seeing that the King of Qin had already made up his mind, those ministers who had objections could only remain silent.
After the court session ended, several Confucian scholars gathered together. One of them said, "I don't know where the King of Qin obtained this object. For us Confucian scholars, it is truly a calamity!" Another person asked, "Brother Chunyu, why do you say that?"
The man replied, “Shusun Tong, can’t you see this? The Great Qin is trying to cut off the livelihood of us Confucian scholars! Just think about it, if paper were widely used, and all the knowledge in books were copied onto paper, bound into books, and sold, it would certainly be more convenient and cheaper than bamboo slips. In that case, wouldn’t everyone be able to read? Wouldn’t we Confucian scholars be no different from country bumpkins?”
Shusun Tong looked at the other man and asked, "Brother Kong, what are your thoughts?" The man pondered for a moment and then said, "Chunyu Yue's words are not without reason, but I think you all need not worry too much." Chunyu Yue asked, "What do you mean, Brother Kong?" The man said, "My ancestors were descendants of Confucius, and we have a vast collection of books. You are all disciples of Confucianism, and your knowledge and understanding are far beyond what ordinary villagers can match. Moreover, no matter how convenient paper is, without people to copy it and a lack of sufficient rare copies, relying solely on the few books stored in the Qin King's palace is simply not enough to give ordinary villagers the opportunity to read. Therefore, I suggest you all just observe and wait."
Upon hearing this, Chunyu Yue and Shusun Tong exchanged a glance, both showing delight. Shusun Tong pondered for a moment before saying, "Brother Kong's words have enlightened us." Chunyu Yue also nodded and said, "Brother Kong truly lives up to his reputation as a descendant of Confucius; his profound knowledge is beyond our reach." The group then engaged in another round of mutual humility.
Seeing Chunyu Yue and the other Confucian scholars gathered together, the Legalists huddled together and said, "Now these pedantic Confucian scholars are probably getting anxious too, haha!" Li Si sneered and said, "The Confucian school has always controlled the dissemination of knowledge by monopolizing the classics. Now that paper has been invented, their advantage will vanish."
“We should take this opportunity to promote the popularization of the law,” one person suggested. “In the past, there were many laws, making it difficult to popularize them. Now we can copy the laws onto paper and distribute them to the people.” “That’s a great idea!” another person agreed. “In this way, the people will know and abide by the law, and the country will be stable.” Everyone agreed and decided to put this matter into practice.
Unlike the Confucian and Legalist schools, the Mohists held a cautiously optimistic view of the advent of paper. They believed that while the invention of paper was a great technological innovation, it could also bring some negative consequences. For example, using paper to record secrets posed a risk of leakage.
To address this, the Mohists proposed several solutions. They wanted to research and improve papermaking techniques to make it smoother and lighter. Furthermore, the Mohists advocated strengthening security measures, such as encrypted text and special inks, to ensure the safety of important information. After discussion among several Mohists, they decided to submit a memorial to the King of Qin outlining the potential problems with paper and proposed solutions. After a brief discussion, they each went to write their memorials.
Meanwhile, several Daoist scholars were discussing the issue of paper. Upon hearing this, the Daoist master smiled slightly. He believed this was a manifestation of the workings of the universe, that everything has two sides. Paper can disseminate knowledge, but it can also cause problems; it can bring convenience, but it can also bring challenges. The key lies in how to use it to its advantage and avoid its harm. Therefore, the Daoist scholars also wrote a memorial, outlining their view of the role of paper in order to achieve a state of non-action (wuwei).
While the various schools of thought were arguing endlessly about the invention of paper, a mysterious figure quietly left Xianyang. This figure was Zhao Gao. When Zhao Gao received orders to find a man named Xu Fu, he was completely bewildered. Then, upon hearing that Xu Fu had found the immortal mountain, Zhao Gao smiled knowingly, believing that the king was placing great importance on him and showing him trust. Without hesitation, Zhao Gao packed a few clothes, took some silver, and left Xianyang to find Xu Fu.