Liu Bei: My younger brother is a deity.

Chapter 47 Poetry Has No Baseness

After Liu Quan finished speaking, the room fell silent.

Lu Zhi sat behind his desk, his beard trembling slightly.

He was trying his best to suppress the urge to laugh out loud.

The teacher felt even more pleased than if his disciple had shone so brightly.

At the same time, he was also shocked.

"How many books has Yuan Gu actually read? And where did he get those books from?"

"Today's discourse, drawing on the Analects, Mencius, the Book of Rites, and the Shuowen Jiezi, is so effortless that it would be impossible without extensive reading."

In those days, knowledge was precious, and books were kept in the libraries of aristocratic families.

That was the wealth accumulated little by little by several generations, more valuable than farmland, mansions, or gold and silver jewelry.

As for ordinary people—wanting to read?

Are you kidding me!

Moreover, what good is it for ordinary people to get books?

Do you understand it?

A single casual remark from Confucius can be interpreted in several or even dozens of ways, and a single copy of the Analects can make you wish you were dead.

This is the chasm between ordinary people and even powerful families in this era, and the aristocratic families.

There is only one way to bridge this "gap".

The world is in complete chaos!

That's why the Yellow Turban Rebellion received so much support from powerful local warlords.

Who doesn't want to improve?

Furthermore, Cai Yong, Qiao Xuan, Yang Ci, Ma Ridi, and others in the arena shared similar doubts as Lu Zhi.

How could the son of a local tyrant in the frontier have read so many books?

Was it taught by Zigan?

This child has only been a disciple of Zigan for less than two years, right?

Could it be that Youzhou has produced a person even more talented than Kong Wenju?

Meanwhile, Kong Rong was pondering, trying to find the flaw in Liu Quan's argument.

But he failed.

Liu Quan's theory was refined and perfected by countless Confucian scholars in later generations; how could it not even be self-consistent?

Wang Yun thought to himself, "If I am to be appointed as an official with a salary of 2,000 shi (a unit of grain), I can recruit Kong Wenju and Liu Yuangu as my subordinates. If there is only one position... I'll choose Liu Yuangu. At least he looks pleasing to the eye."

Wang Yun really disliked people like Kong Rong and Gongsun Zan, whose personalities were flamboyant and arrogant.

How can a grown man be without a bit of shrewdness?!

Cai Yong coughed lightly and finally spoke.

"Truly a promising young man."

As soon as he said this, he suddenly remembered what Lu Zigan had said that day: "Never underestimate a young man's potential..."

By the way, those words were also spoken by the young man in front of me.

Cai Yong's heart stirred. He glanced at Liu Quan, then glanced at him again, and began to ponder.

Qiao Xuan heard his old friend say something, and then suddenly there was nothing more to say.

To avoid an awkward situation, they began to comment on what Liu Quan had said.

It's called a critique, but it's really just saying things like, "Hmm, what you said makes sense!" or "Great, that's a very original explanation!"

All praise.

Kong Rong was slightly displeased.

From childhood to adulthood, he had never lost to his peers in academics, but this time he was actually outdone by someone younger than him!

His eyes darted around, and he suddenly spoke up: "Yuan Gu, there is something I don't understand and would like to ask you about."

Liu Quan bowed slightly: "Brother Wenju, please speak."

Kong Rong cleared his throat, a hint of mockery appearing on his face:

"I have heard that Yuan Gu recently wrote a poem called 'Ode to a Knight-Errant' which is being circulated in Luoyang, but it is written in five-character lines."

"Yuan Gu, a five-character poem, originated from the common people. Its words and meanings are vulgar and colloquial. Ultimately, it is a song for the streets and alleys and cannot be regarded as a refined art form."

"Since the Book of Songs, four-character poems have been an elegant and proper form. Why abandon elegance and follow the common style?"

The several bigwigs in the hall frowned slightly.

Although five-character poems are not as elegant as four-character poems, they are not without their merits. For example, Ban Gu's "Ode to History", Zhang Heng's "Song of the Same Voice", and Xin Yannian's "Imperial Guard" are all five-character poems.

Several big names have heard of Liu Quan's "Xia Ke Xing" and consider it an unprecedented masterpiece.

Kong Rong's use of the phrase "songs of the streets and alleys" to belittle five-character poems is somewhat excessive.

Wang Yun also gave Kong Rong a disdainful look, and his contempt for the fellow grew even stronger.

However, no one spoke up for Liu Quan.

They also wanted to see how much this young man actually knew about poetry and prose, beyond classical studies.

"Brother Wenju," Liu Quan spoke up, his sharp tongue revealing his talent, "there is no distinction between base and vulgar poetry, only between talented people."

Wang Yun almost clapped and cheered.

He had a strong personality and liked this straightforwardness of seeking revenge, which made him feel even better about Liu Quan.

Kong Rong's face flushed red as he retorted, "Yuan Gu, you are mistaken. Different poetic styles reveal their respective merits. Four-character poems are solemn and elegant, while five-character poems are colloquial and simple. This is a consensus among all, not just Wenju's opinion."

Liu Quan couldn't help but shake his head and said, "The quality of a poem does not lie in its four- or five-character lines, but in the presence or absence of words. If there are genuine feelings and insights, even colloquialisms can be passed down through generations; if it is just empty moaning and piling up of fancy words, even if every word comes from the 'Odes' or 'Hymns,' it is nothing more than the work of a craftsman. Brother Wenju, judging the quality of a poem by its form is putting the trivial before the essential and focusing on the form rather than the essence."

Kong Rong opened his mouth, but for a moment he couldn't find any words to refute him, and his face darkened.

He has lived in praise since childhood.

Even after arriving in Luoyang, he made quite a few enemies due to his personality.

But those people, who were less talented and eloquent than him, became stepping stones for his fame.

He didn't want to become a stepping stone for the young man in front of him, like those other people.

His eyes darted around, and he said, "Since Yuan Gu admires five-character poems so much, why don't we ask Master Cai to give us a topic, and then we can have a poetry duel?"

Kong Rong's voice carried a hint of provocation, "I'll compose a four-character poem, you compose a five-character poem. We'll compose poems on the spot, and then the esteemed elders will judge our merits. Let's see who is truly despicable and base."

The atmosphere in the hall suddenly became tense.

The elderly gentlemen looked at each other, some wanting to speak up and dissuade them, while others waited with great interest to see what would happen.

Cai Yong sat in the main seat, his gaze shifting back and forth between Kong Rong and Liu Quan, and stroked his beard.

"Alright," Cai Yong said, "Now that it's the dead of winter, you may..."

His mischievous nature resurfaced, and he abruptly changed the subject, saying, "Let's each compose a poem on the theme of 'Spring Day'."

"A limited time is allotted for one incense stick. Wenju composed a four-character poem, and Yuangu composed a five-character poem. This old man and all the seniors present will jointly critique them."

A burst of laughter erupted in the room.

"Bojie, oh Bojie!" Qiao Xuan pointed at him and shook his head, "You're not young anymore, yet you still act like a naughty child."

Cai Yong laughed and said, "I may be old, but I'm not young at heart."

Then he summoned a young boy and lit an incense stick.

Wisps of smoke rose and filled the hall.

Kong Rong stood up, put his hands behind his back, and paced around the hall.

He was confident.

Four-character poems are his specialty. He started reciting the Book of Songs when he was five years old, and by the age of ten he could imitate the Odes and Hymns to compose four-character poems. Over the years, he has composed at least a hundred poems.

He couldn't believe he would lose to a wild boy from Youzhou.

"Got it."

Kong Rong stopped and turned to face the people in the hall.

Everyone held their breath, waiting for his masterpiece.

Kong Rong smiled confidently, cleared his throat, and recited aloud:

"The spring sun shines brightly, and orioles sing. The gentle breeze ceases, and all things are radiant. I think of the ancients, how carefree and leisurely they were. In the warm spring sun, they roamed and wandered."

It consists of eight lines of four characters each, with neat rhymes and elegant diction.

It is derived from the Book of Songs, yet retains its own unique charm.

Someone in the hall nodded slightly, Qiao Xuan stroked his beard and hummed in agreement, and Yang Ci also showed a hint of approval.

Kong Rong's poetic talent was indeed undeniable.

After reciting the poem, Kong Rong smiled slightly and looked at Liu Quan: "Yuan Gu, it's your turn."