Kang Youwei and his followers vigorously praised Confucianism as the crystallization of thousands of years of Chinese civilization and education, "All civilizations are related to Confucianism, and if Confucianism can be abandoned, then all civilizations will be wiped out, that is, all races will be wiped out." Propagating Confucianism is China's "national soul" and preaching "Do you want to die in China?" We will be sincere and respectful, and respect Confucius as the master. ”

The Confucian Church and the activities of respecting Confucius in society have been supported and praised by Yuan Shikai.

He praised: "Confucianism is to China what the air is to human beings", "The way of Confucius and Mencius, like the sun and the moon passing through the sky, the rivers and rivers travel the earth, and the teachers of eternity are ancient and always new." He ordered students to resume reading the Bible, stressing that "schools should worship the ancient sages as teachers, and should respect Confucius for their foundation, and for their use."

Visionary people among revolutionaries and progressives resisted this retro style of respecting Confucius. In July 1912, the National Provisional Education Conference was hotly debated over the issue of Zunkong. At the meeting, Cai Yuanpei proposed that "schools should not worship Confucius", because it was not approved because of the general climate at that time.

However, due to the struggle of Cai Yuanpei and others, a compromise was finally reached: "This plan will not be promulgated, but the provision of worshiping Confucius will be deleted from the school management regulations." In this way, the school can worship Kong or not.

However, on September 20, 1912, Yuan Shikai promulgated the "Rectification Ordinance". He ordered to "respect morality" and advocate "etiquette", he said: "China is a nation, and filial piety, loyalty, courtesy, righteousness, and honesty are the great scriptures of humanity. Although the political system has changed, the people have not changed", "I hope that the people of the whole country will abide by the law of etiquette and help each other in times of difficulty." …… The president of this congress is in danger of the current situation, and he is afraid of the abolition of discipline, and every time he thinks of today's great trouble, it is not in the national situation, but in the hearts of the people. There is an opportunity for goodness in the hearts of the people, that is, the country has the principle of basic security. ”

As soon as this order came out, various groups of Zun Kong were established and spread all over the country.

At this time, Yuan Shikai still has to be restrained by all aspects, and he is still afraid of doing things. His respect for Confucius is still relatively disguised, and he does not openly advocate "respecting Confucius and reading the scriptures" in the whole society, but only raises questions from the moral level. However, by 1914, Yuan Shikai thought that his country was already very strong and had no scruples.

On September 25, Yuan Shikai officially issued the "Confessional Sacrifice Order", publicly reinstating the Confucian sacrifice regulations of the former Qing Dynasty. It was expressly decreed that on the day of Confucius's birth, the central and local ceremonies must be held to worship Confucius.

On September 28, Yuan Shikai, escorted by a large group of heavily armed attendants, arrived at the Confucian Temple at half past six in the morning.

He changed into a twelve-chapter dress embroidered with four clusters of flowers, a pleated purple satin skirt underneath, and a flat crown on his head. The attendant officers Zhu Qichao, Zhou Ziqi and the attendant military attache Mi Chang led the salute, "the beans are fragrant, three kneels and nine knocks".

At the same time, the provincial generals and patrol envoys also worshipped Confucius in the provincial capital, which was the first time since the Republic of China. A few days later, he asked the Ministry of Finance to allocate funds to repair the Confucius Temple in Beijing and donated 5,000 yuan in silver to help.

The bereaved elders took the opportunity to issue a petition asking Yuan Shikai to govern. The government designated "Confucianism" as the "state religion" and included it in the "Constitution".

In the early years of the Republic of China, Zunkong's clamor set off a retro countercurrent, which contributed to Yuan Shikai's later restoration of the imperial system, set off a wave of restoration in Chinese history, and caused a bad impact on society.

However, retrogression would not last long, and only a few years later, the slogan "Down with the Confucian Family" was shouted all over the country, and the surging New Culture Movement brought new prosperity to China's ideological circles.

This retro trend of Zun Kong has gradually disappeared, which is a later story.

When it comes to restoration, there is one person who must be introduced,—— Lao Naixuan.

Lao Naixuan (1843-1921), the word Ji Xuan, the name Yuchu, and the name Rensuo. Native of Tongxiang, Jiaxing Prefecture, Zhejiang Province (also Yangxin, Wuding Prefecture, Shandong Province). Modern Chinese phonologist.

He was one of the main representatives of the ritual sect in the late Qing Dynasty. Lao Naixuan adheres to the principle of "using the righteousness of the old law and the body of the new law", and advocates that all the ethical guidelines that belong to the three outlines and five permanent rules should be included in the new criminal law. His legal thought is the manifestation of Chinese feudal orthodox legal thought in modern Chinese society, with the aim of resisting the reform of China's legal system and maintaining the absolute monarchy.

When the Boxers were in trouble in the year of Gengzi, he made the county magistrate of Wuqiao County, and once wrote to ban the Boxers.

After the founding of the Republic of China, he opposed the democratic republic, and in the winter of Xinhai, he wrote "The Correct Solution of the Republic". In the summer of the following year, he wrote "Continuing the Republic and Correct Solution".

In the third year of the Republic of China, in a retro tide, Lao Naixuan had a premonition that the time was ripe, so he printed his two "masterpieces" into a book, called "Continuing the Reconciliation of the Republic", which was sent all over Beijing and abroad.

Lao Naixuan's republic is explained as follows: when King Xuan of Zhou was too young to govern, the important ministers of the court "he" and "republic" repaired political affairs, so it was called republic. Therefore, the so-called republic is a monarchy rather than a democracy, and it is really incomprehensible for ordinary politicians today to "learn and have no skills" and to add democracy to a republic indiscriminately. Therefore, Lao Mou strongly stated the various reasons why China could not implement democracy. This is his "Republican Solution".

As for the sequel, he boasted that he had foresight and that democracy was inappropriate for China. He thought it was clever to think that although Yuan Shikai was the president, he had the ambition of Yiyin, so he advocated the creation of a constitution called the Constitution of the Republic of China.

Taking the name of the republic is in line with his correct understanding of the republic, and the name of the Chinese state instead of the Republic of China means that the monarchy is to be implemented.

Although it is a monarchy, it is not called an empire, and it is not the same as Japan. Japan is called an empire, and Russia and Germany, although they have monarchies, are not called empires. The same is true of the "State of China"; As for why it is not called the Qing Dynasty but China? It is because Zhonghua is the full name, and the Qing Dynasty is just the name of one family. All this is Lao Naixuan's great miracle.

Lao Naixuan's "masterpiece" aroused the nostalgia of some people, so it also stirred up a lot of waves in the political arena at that time. In addition, since Yuan Shikai became Secretary of State Xu Shichang, all his performance has been retro, which has further fueled this trend of restoration.

In addition to publishing this "masterpiece", Lao Naixuan also wrote a letter to Zhao Erxun, who was hired by Yuan Shikai as the director of the Qing History Museum.

The letter said: "The term of office of the president must expire, and after abdication, it is no different from the people." At that time, the white arowana was suited, there was no self-defense, resentment was accumulated, and it was willing, and it would be difficult to avoid unforeseen disasters. Xiang Cheng knows that he is overlooked, and he must have considered this early. To see the push of the management, I think that it will show that people are not rich in the world's sincerity, and then it is enough to calm the disputes of the deer, and it will show that people will not forget the loyalty of the old master, and then it is enough to rectify the arrogance of Huan. However, at this time, the discussion is to return to the government, and the lord can't judge in person, don't ask for a residence, it is difficult to choose, and there is still no way to surpass Xiangcheng.

Therefore, the foolish discussion agreed to return to power for ten years, to show the world, and still in the name of European and American presidents, to do the things of Zhou Zhao republic, Fuwei jade food, nothing to lose, the so-called closed-door son of heaven, it is better to open the door and save the degree. After returning to power, Xi was the king, and the president abdicated, and the people who returned to Qi were different. The reverence of the title, only the first class of the Son of Heaven, must be far away, and the guards are strict, so that there will be no accidents. ……

"And the president has no heirloom, and the prince has the honor of replacement, if so, Xiang Cheng is safe and the royal family is also safe, and the world is safe because of it. …… It is known as the history of the first dynasty, in order to repay the grace of the first dynasty, and it is said that it is okay to say this, so the person who repays the grace of the first dynasty is especially better than the history of the ten thousand. ……”

Why did Lao Naixuan write this letter to Zhao Erxun? It turned out that he had met Zhao Erxun in Qingdao not long ago. The two know each other very well, Zhao Erxun has just arrived in Qingdao from Beijing.

When they were talking, Zhao Erxun said something inadvertently: "Soon the sun and the moon will shine again." ”

He felt that the opportunity could not be missed, so when Zhao Erxun returned to Beijing from Qingdao, Lao Naixuan wrote this letter to him.

In addition to writing the above letter to Zhao Erxun, Lao Naixuan also wrote a letter to Yuan's son and daughter, Zhou Fu, the widow of the governor of Liangjiang during the Qing Dynasty. Zhou Fu worked with Yuan Shikai in Tianjin, and his son Zhou Xuexi served as Yuan Shikai's chief financial officer.

In a letter from Lao to Zhou Fu, he said: "Zhao Cishuai (Zhao Erxun Zi Shan) came to the island from Beijing, and said that Xiangcheng said to himself, what he did today, so he protected the royal family, and he did not bear the intention of the previous dynasty at the beginning.

If this is true, the heart of Xiangcheng is also good. When he was clumsy as the second marshal of the two dissolutes, he asked if he could submit it on his behalf, Xiang Cheng, and the second marshal, so he was asked to bring it into the capital. ……

"Fu Si I have a tired calendar, En Shen is heavy, lonely and loyal, so far I have never forgotten my dreams, I have fatherly friendship in Xiangcheng, and I know the elegance of promotion; Nearly and conclude the silk diar, close to the heart, if a word, as heavy as Jiuding. Can you convey the wild words to Cong Ting? If the lotus is selected and seen in practice, it is not unique to the previous dynasty, so it is a city of Xiang, and it is also equivalent to the nine abysses and the nine heavens of the ascension. ”

In addition to Zhao Erxun and Zhou Fu, Lao Naixuan also wrote a third letter to Secretary of State Xu Shichang, which said: "...... My father was not only responsible for the previous dynasty, but also had close friendship with Xiangcheng, and this policy was carried out, and there was nothing to lose. ……

"On the occasion of remembering himself and Geng, the boxers sprouted, and during his tenure in Wuqiao, the younger brother took the Yihe Quan as a tributary of the White Lotus Sect, and published the 'Yihe Fist Sect Source Flow Examination' distributed everywhere, and made a general plan, repeatedly promoted to the official, and the provincial Taiwan Division, such as deaf ears, caused a monstrous disaster (referring to the fact that Rong Lu, the governor of Zhili, did not adopt his article Chen).

"When Xiang Cheng served as Dongfu, the road passed through Lianzhen, and the younger brother went to greet and send, and presented the original manuscript in front of the publication, Xiang Cheng was a large Jiana, and everything was done after arriving in the east. When the coalition army arrived in Beijing, the eastern province was preserved, and its grandeur and courage in taking good things are admirable.

"This summer in Qingdao, I was given a handwritten letter, and there are: the change of the former Gengzi, the deacon is not afraid of hard work, and the correct theory is to save the disaster of life, which is Xiang Cheng's use of his brother's words to take effect, and he has not forgotten it so far. Stealing what the younger brother said today, it is particularly important, if the lotus obeys, its effect is more macro, than Gengzi is more than ten thousand. ”

People always yearn for the good. A healthy, good society will motivate and attract people to strive to follow the right path, to earn a living through their normal and legitimate activities, to make a profit for themselves, to support their families, and to live.

But in a bad, deformed society, especially in a society where the individual is authoritarian, and the powerful say what is what. It can induce speculation and shortcuts. To find out what to be different, to do something to please those in power, to try to take shortcuts, and even to fantasize about one step to the sky.