Chapter 91: Behind the Calendar

What is the calendar?

It is a child of astronomy and mathematics.

Anyone who is proficient in the calendar is a mathematician.

Ancient mathematics was developed because they had to solve a mathematical problem that had not been solved, that is, the astronomical calendar.

The development of the two is inseparable.

Mathematics is the foundation and foundation of science.

Zhu Qizhen didn't know how to change Daming's thinking. Add the scientific factor. Now that I think about it, astronomy was not the most scientific study in ancient times.

Because you have to confirm.

No matter how good you calculate, the stars in the sky are wrong if they don't move as you predicted. Moreover, the development of Western science actually began with astronomy.

Therefore, for Zhu Qizhen, the large-scale revision of the calendar is not intended at all in the matter of the calendar itself.

Yes, Zhu Qizhen needs a better calendar to guide agricultural production. But an agrarian society is not the same as an industrial one.

From an agrarian society to an industrial society, one of the many differences is that the particles of time are getting smaller and smaller. In modern times, it's not even a minute.

But in ancient agricultural production, it was almost a little worse, in fact, there was no problem.

And as Belling said, the "Chronological Calendar" may not be able to face the flower of ancient astronomy and the problem of solar eclipses. However, the most basic division of the four hours, the twenty-four solar terms and seventy-two marquis are no problem.

This is also the reason why the ministers are very tolerant of the "Calendar of Time".

It has really affected agricultural production, and there is no need for Zhu Qizhen to say, the ministers below have proposed to revise the calendar. After all, the people regard food as the sky, and agriculture is the foundation of the country, which is not a joke.

Since there are such great benefits, how can Zhu Qizhen not dare to make up his mind.

Although building observatories everywhere and continuously observing data is a matter of manpower and material resources, this consumption is much worse than fighting a war, repairing water conservancy, and so on.

Zhu Qizhen has always been willing to spend money on business.

Zhu Qizhen said loudly: "If you want to measure the four seas and rebuild a calendar like the previous dynasty, how much do you think it will cost?" ”

Belin never expected Zhu Qizhen to ask like this, but when he opened his mouth, he still couldn't answer, and said: "The minister doesn't know, the minister hasn't counted." It's just that the minister knows that Qin Tianjian doesn't have enough manpower. ”

When Zhu Qizhen heard this, he smiled lightly in his heart, and he also knew that Belin couldn't give a number for a while, but he had an estimate in his heart, and felt that 100,000 taels a year would probably not be used.

In fact, the so-called Four Seas Survey, that is, a few observatories in foreign countries, probably costs money, and the rest of the domestic observatories can be thrown to the local authorities at all.

Now the Ming Dynasty also has an observatory in the north and south of Beijing, if Zhu Qizhen has an edict to let all provinces and provincial capitals build an observatory, and then from Beijing

I sent someone to preside over it, and I want to come to the local government to have financial support.

Among the other observatories in various places, Zhu Qizhen decided to have one in Jiugang, one in Ryukyu, and one in Nuergandusi, and perhaps one in Tibet and one in Luchuan.

These are the only things that cost money.

After all, these places are all subject countries of the Ming Dynasty, but the Ming Dynasty did not really control them.

Even Zhu Qizhen felt in his heart that it was also a good way to slowly establish the political presence of the Ming Dynasty among the subject countries by building an observatory.

It's just that after listening to Belin's words, he realized that he thought too beautifully.

Zhu Qizhen frowned and said, "Is there a big gap?" ”

Belin said: "At that time, the previous dynasty set up 27 observatories, and the minister thought that this dynasty lacked the Western Regions, and if he wanted to surpass the previous dynasty, he should send more manpower to ensure that the calendar was accurate above the chronological calendar. Therefore, the minister thought that the people of the two Jingqin Heavenly Prisons would never be able to do this. ”

Zhu Qizhen likes Bei Lin more and more in his heart, because Bei Lin is a truth-teller, and after Zhu Qizhen ascended the throne, few people told him the truth. Except for Bei Lin, probably no one dared to say in front of Zhu Qizhen that there was a lack of such a thing as the Western Regions in this dynasty. Zhu Qizhen was not angry, but asked seriously: "There are quite a few people in the two Jingqin Heavenly Prisons, why can't they be?" ”

Zhu Qizhen said that there are quite a few people in the two Jingqin Heavenly Prisons, which is not a lie.

Qin Tianjian is a five-grade official, and there are eunuchs, eunuchs, five-official officials, five-official priests, five-official supervisors, and doctors, and so on, adding up to thirty or forty people, plus some small officials, the number is not many.

Moreover, the Ming Dynasty actually has a special rule for the official position of Qin Tianjian, that is, the officials of Qin Tianjian never serve outside, and there is no such thing as a minister.

After nine years of the exam, it's just a matter of adding money. has been to die for the royal family.

There are even times when there are a little more people than the staffing level.

Belin sighed and said, "The number of Heavenly Prisoners in the two capitals is too large to use, because there are too many children of the family. A lot of the work is done by a few people. ”

"Most of them are just corpses in their places, and even if these few people do things, most of them are just proficient in the "Great Unification Calendar" and the "Hijri Calendar."

"It's okay for them to tinker, but they really have to measure on a large scale to see if they may be up to the task."

Zhu Qizhen actually had a prediction about this.

Daming's control over Qin Tianjian is very strict, which is also what Zhu Qizhen found out after reading Jin Yiwei's investigation report on Qin Tianjian's involvement in the solar eclipse case.

Because astronomical matters have a lot of political significance, many people use astronomical things to confuse people's hearts. Externally, it is forbidden to practice astronomy, but internally, it is also necessary to control the astronomical calendar, and the control is strict.

This is also the source of the peculiarity of the officials of the Qin Heavenly Prison.

Under such strict control, it is natural to form a father-son inheritance. Even the children of Qin Tianjian are not allowed to conduct scientific examinations

Target.

In such a situation, it would be hellish what kind of great astronomer can be made.

It's just that Zhu Qizhen didn't expect that the matter would be so serious.

In Bei Lin's words, Zhu Qizhen obviously knew one thing, that is, Huang Jianzheng's business level was not good, probably Qin Tianjian's routine operation.

Zhu Qizhen asked, "In your opinion, what should I do?" ”

Belin thought for a while and said: "And today there is no longer a master who is proficient in astronomy, and there are only yin and yang people from all over the world." ”

Zhu Qizhen listened to the yin and yang people, and couldn't react for a while, and said secretly: "Is it intersex?" Fortunately, Zhu Qizhen didn't speak, and Belin also solved Zhu Qizhen's confusion.

Belin said: "Although the folk practice of astronomy is forbidden, weddings and funerals still need to be done on a certain day, so there are many yin and yang people in every province in the world, and they specialize in their professions. ”

"It's just that there are certainly high-ranking people among them, but most of them are also indiscriminate, and I'm afraid there aren't many who can use them."

Zhu Qizhen said: "Could it be that Qin Tianjian has no other way to recruit people?" ”

Belin thought for a while and said, "It seems that there is another one, that is, among the students, there is a private astronomy, and the staff is punished with a hundred, and it is used for listening to Qintian." ”

Zhu Qizhen heard this, and said secretly in his heart: "In this way, it is strange that Qin Tianjian can have any good talents." ”

Astronomical families were not allowed to participate in the imperial examinations, and the assignment of Tai students to the Qin Heavenly Prison was seen as a punishment. Zhu Qizhen thought with his toes, how low the status of this Qin Tianjian was in the Ming court.

Zhu Qizhen immediately thought of his previous plan and said, "In the south of the capital to set up a new water conservancy college, you should go and be a professor." Specialized students can be selected from the Water Conservancy College to enter the Qin Tianjian. ”

Belin said: "Your Majesty's heart, of course, is good, but the minister is careful that no one will learn it at that time." ”

Zhu Qizhen pondered for a while and said, "I understand that I will do it slowly if I abolish the two articles that the astronomical family is not allowed to participate in the imperial examination and that the officials of the Qin Heavenly Prison are not allowed to move out. ”

"The Ming Dynasty has been established for more than 70 years, and today under the peace, we can't always use the calendar of the previous dynasty, although it is called "Datong", which is the foundation, people of knowledge, who does not know?"

Therefore, the revision of the calendar is a major event of the imperial court. I have decided to build a calendar for the "Calendar of Time" of the Far Dynasties, and I will leave this matter to you. ”

Belin was overjoyed, and immediately fell to the ground, with a cry in her tone, and said: "Even if the minister is broken, he must cultivate this calendar for His Majesty." ”

For a student of astronomy, the crowning achievement is to create a calendar with his own hands. The same is true for Belin.

However, without official support, most of the things that have been repaired have not been accomplished, and instead of being successful, they will be a disaster.

At this moment, Zhu Qizhen's promise gave Belin the key.