Chapter 494: Twelve Conversations

After consulting with Genghis Khan's envoys, Qiu decided to set out in the spring of 1221. Qiu Chuji spent another winter in Beijing, boarding on the eighth day of February, and arriving at Genghis Khan's old camp on the Mobei grassland on the first day of April. Genghis Khan's youngest brother, Timurg, remained here. Timur provided 100 horses and oxen each for the mound. Bidding farewell to Timuq, Qiu Chuji crossed the Mongolian mainland from the steppe of the north east, and arrived at the city of Samalgan on the 18th day of the 11th lunar month in 1221. In early March 1222, he crossed the Amu Darya River (the border between present-day Uzbekistan and Afghanistan) under the protection of Genghis Khan's general Borshu, and reached Genghis Khan's residence on the third day of April.

Qiu Chuji traveled from Beijing to Genghis Khan's station, which lasted 14 months and traveled more than 10,000 miles. There is a poem that praises: "For the people, thousands of miles away, peace and immortals." "Journey to the West in Changchun" records 12 conversations between Genghis Khan and Qiu Chuji.

Genghis Khan's 12 conversations with Qiu Chuji are roughly as follows:

The first conversation was on the fifth day of the fourth month of the lunar calendar in 1222. "Shangyue, give sitting, eating, ask the real person from afar, what is the elixir of longevity? The teacher said: There is a way of hygiene, but there is no elixir of life. Genghis Khan was very pleased, and after giving him a seat, he ordered someone to serve food. Genghis Khan asked bluntly: "The real person came from afar, what elixir did he bring me?" Qiu Chuji replied frankly: "There is a way to strengthen the body, but there is no elixir of longevity. It also contains: "Shang Jiaqi is honest, and sets up two accounts in the east of the royal palace to live in Yan." "Genghis Khan praised Qiu's honesty and ordered people to eat where he lived, but what? The teacher said: Those who cultivate the Tao in the mountains and wilderness only have a quiet place. Orders are followed. The next day, Genghis Khan sent his attendants to live in the tent at the mound to convey Genghis Khan's words: "Is it okay for a real person to go to Genghis Khan's imperial tent every day to dine with the Great Khan?" Qiu Chuji called himself "Shanye", and he said: "I am a cultivator and like to be quiet, but since the emperor said it, then do what the emperor wants." "Six days before and after this meeting.

The third conversation was on the fifteenth day of the ninth month of the lunar calendar in 1222. "The teacher has said something, that is, the Taishi is translated in Mongolian, which is quite comfortable." Qiu Chuji spoke in the Central Plains, which was translated into Mongolian by Taishi Ahai, and Genghis Khan was deeply inspired by it.

The fourth conversation was held on the ninth day of the tenth month of the lunar calendar in 1222. "Early in the night, call the teacher again to discuss the Tao, and go to Dayue." That night, Genghis Khan summoned Qiu again to talk about it, and Genghis Khan was very happy to hear it.

The fifth conversation was held on the twenty-third day of the tenth month of the lunar calendar in 1222. "He also announced that the teacher was in the army, and the ceremony was the same as before. On the warm face to listen, so that the left and right recorded, still in Chinese characters. Genghis Khan invited Qiu Chuji to his palace tent again, and respected Qiu Chuji as he did when they met. Genghis Khan quietly listened to Qiu's sermon, still letting the attendants on the left and right record it in Chinese characters. For the next eight days, Qiu Chuji and Genghis Khan traveled all the way east, and their residences were not fixed. On the first day of November, Qiu Chuji and Genghis Khan broke up.

The sixth conversation was held on the sixth day of the eleventh month of the lunar calendar in 1222. This meeting was invited by Taishi Ahai to the residence of Qiu Chuji at the order of Genghis Khan. Ahai relayed the words of Djith Khan: "How about not going left and right? The teacher said: No. Genghis Khan didn't let Qiu Chuji's disciples follow, and Qiu Chuji said yes. At the same time, Qiu Chuji also asked Ah Hai to convey his thoughts. Qiu Chuji likes to be quiet, he doesn't want to live in Genghis Khan's army, first, there are many people in Genghis Khan's army, and second, Genghis Khan always rewards him with property. Genghis Khan agreed to the opportunity.

The seventh conversation was held on the twenty-eighth day of the twelfth lunar month in 1222. The emperor asked about the thunder, and said: The mountains and fields hear that the people do not bathe in the river in summer, do not wear clothes, do not make felt, and the wild cocoons are forbidden to be picked, and they are afraid of the sky, which is not the way of Fengtian. Taste and hear about the sin of 2,000, no more than the unfilial person, God thinks it is a warning. Today, I heard that the national customs are not filial to their parents, and the emperor can take advantage of the virtue and can quit his people. Shangyue, said: The gods are words, which is in line with my heart. Genghis Khan asked about the thunder, and Qiu Chuji said: "I heard that the Mongols do not bathe in the river in summer, do not wash clothes, do not wash felt, and are not allowed to eat mushrooms in the field, for fear of angering the heavens, this is not the way to respect the heavens." There are thousands of crimes in the world, but the biggest sin is unfilial piety. I have also heard that many people in Mongolia do not honor their parents, and that the emperor can use your influence to prohibit these unlawful acts. Genghis Khan said happily: "The words of the gods are exactly what I want." "At this meeting, Genghis Khan summoned his sons, kings, and ministers as well, and told them to take to heart Qiu's words.

The eighth conversation was on the seventh day of the second lunar month in 1223. "When the teacher entered the meeting, he said: The mountains and fields are away from the sea, and they will return to the mountains in about three years, and they will return to the mountains in three years." When Qiu Chuji saw Genghis Khan, he said, "When I left my Taoist temple, I said that I would return in three years, and now it has been three years, please let me go back and fulfill my wish." "Shang said: I have gone to the east, can I be on the same road?" Genghis Khan said, "I am traveling eastward, shall we walk together?" Qiu's quiet, unassuming, and low-key personality was shown again, and he politely rejected Genghis Khan.

The ninth conversation was held on the eighth day of the second lunar month in 1223. Genghis Khan fell off his horse while hunting, and Qiu Chuji advised him to "go out hunting less", and Genghis Khan's reply was: "But the gods persuaded me to speak, and I will follow it in the future." "I will listen to all your advice to me.

The tenth conversation was on the twenty-fourth day of the second lunar month in 1223. "Resign from the dynasty again", Qiu Chuji once again asked Genghis Khan to leave.

The eleventh conversation was on the seventh day of the third month in 1223. "Again, if you give cattle and horses and other things, the teacher will not accept them." Qiu Chuji asked Genghis Khan for his resignation for the third time, and Genghis Khan had to agree. Genghis Khan rewarded the Qiu Chuji with oxen and horses, and the Qiu Chuji did not want anything. Genghis Khan gave Qiu Chuji a holy decree to exempt Qiu Chuji's master and apprentice from all taxes and servitude, and Qiu Chuji gladly accepted.

The twelfth conversation was on the tenth day of the third month in 1223. "Resignation from the dynasty", Qiu Chuji left Genghis Khan and returned home.

Qiu Chuji said a lot to Genghis Khan, but it can be summed up in only three aspects: one is the principle of governing the country - stop killing, the second is the key to strengthening the body - pure heart, and the third is the law of teaching the people - practicing filial piety. The core of these three aspects is "stop killing". "Yuan History? The Biography of Qiu Chuji contains: "Fist to stop killing as persuasion" to persuade Genghis Khan not to kill with sincerity. Again: "Taizu is marching westward, attacking and fighting every day, and those who want to go down every day must care about not killing people." And the way to treat is to respect God and love the people. "Genghis Khan's expedition to the west, every day for the front-line war, Qiu Chuji always advised Genghis Khan: Anyone who wants to unify the world will not take killing people as a hobby. When Genghis Khan asked about the strategy of governing the country, Qiu Chuji's answer was: Respecting God and loving the people is the first priority.