They believe that by relying on subjective will, they can defeat or overcome all their desires, including the fear of death. Wang Anshi and Sima Guang are both practitioners. They live very simple lives, have a strong sense of truth and will never compromise in politics.

Attitude.

Zhang Yue does not believe that we must respect the laws of development of things. People cannot defeat everything by relying on subjective will. Sometimes they have to admit their own weakness, stupidity and ignorance.

For example, when it comes to reform, if you use the method of building a tree to build trust, no matter what the public opinion is, most people will accept it or not, and it will be carried out forcefully.

Everything is about execution. It is wrong not to listen to feedback and make appropriate adjustments to the reform.

Regardless of whether Wang Anshi was all-out promoting the reform or Sima Guang was all-out abolishing the reform, the fundamental point lies in this.

In addition, Zhang Yue also clearly opposed the theory of nothingness. Here he drew on Zhang Zai's point of view. There is no theory of nothingness in the world, only the theory of the known and the unknowable, that is, secludedness and clarity.

When reading the Tao Te Ching, many people will be obsessed with the theory of nothingness, and eventually they will approach emptiness and leave the practice.

Falling into a state of "doing nothing".

His debate with Wang Anshi was certainly suspected of involving private goods.

But as a prime minister, you must establish and establish your own orthodoxy to govern the world.

Back then, I listened to what you said and I did it, but now I should implement it in the world according to my wishes.

This is a fight that never gives in.

The defense letters between Wang Anshi and Zhang Yue were all brought to Bianjing through their families. During this period, their families mostly stayed at the home of Shen Jichang, a Taixue lecturer.

Shen Jichang was Wang Anshi's sister-in-law and supported Wang Anshi politically.

So Shen Jichang read the correspondence between the two, lectured at Taixue on Connotation of Zhang Yue, and publicly supported Wang Anshi.

So a storm broke out in Taixue over how to segment the Tao Te Ching.

The Tai students debated whether to support Zhang Yue or Wang Anshi.

Both Zhang Yue and Wang Anshi had a large number of followers in Taixue.

In the end, it turned into two factions of Tai students attacking each other.

Ps: Some of the Tao Te Ching views in this chapter come from Yang Lihua, a professor of philosophy at Peking University.
Chapter completed!