The Tests of Confucious

The Tests of Confucius

In the year 1279 there lived a small poor family by the family name of Yu. You would think that because they were near the halls of Confucius in the great city of Hangzhou that they would be rich, but no. They were Chinese farmers who worked day and night in the fields near their petite house. It was obvious they were poor because of the clothes that farmers wore. They had a glorious dream to become the greatest, and most majestic philosophers like Confucius. One problem, they did not have the money to even go to to school let alone obtain the grueling tests of Confucius. Not only did it cost a lot to take the tests but the chance of passing were next to nothing. Now let's take a look at the Yu family and their hardship of getting through life.

Lee Yu was a young boy by the age of twelve. He had brown hair and wore old rugged clothes that were all torn up. As he strolled through the streets of his town he felt a wave of jealousy as he saw people wearing clothes with a large amount of beauty. He knew the rich mostly wore clothes weaved with silk and that made him envious. He saw people sipping shark fin soup while he only had the bland taste of plain old rice. It was one of the foods that separated him from the rich. He walked by the fields where the people would watch the grand soccer matches. Finally he got to his miniscule house where his mother and father were standing in the kitchen cooking the last bit of the rice for their dinner that night.

“Have you got the money yet?” said Lee. His mother Lin looked at him and he knew that it was a bad time to ask. He walked back outside and felt the warm breeze across his face as he thought about his family's struggle through life. He thought that maybe if he could create something, an invention of some sort like paper or gunpowder. Maybe he could save his family from being poor. He could not sleep that night. He kept on thinking about things but all of them were already invented in China. Then he had an idea, an idea that he thought would change everything once and for all.

That next day he went down to the main government building in Hangzhou. In the grand entrance of the building he saw where people took the tests of Confucius in small rooms with a tiny desk in a corner. He thought to himself why would his parents want to be stuck in a room for hours on end and for what a small chance of even passing. Then he realized that it was not his dream and he kept walking in.

Lee thought that he would be able to speak to the emperor but he was mistaken. Instead he barely got into the building before he was tossed out by the man who was manning the Confucius exams.

“Please sir let me stay, I must talk to the emperor,” pleaded Lee.

“You may not speak to him because he is out on business,” said the man.

After hearing this Lee turned around and walked away. He started to walk out of the building and all of a sudden he heard that the last emperor had been killed and that the Mongols had taken over the Song dynasty. He ran home past the soccer fields and the grand restaurants. Once he got home his parents were very excited because they finally had raised enough money for the exams. He had to tell his parents that the Mongols had taken over China. That meant that there would be a good chance that they would not allow Confucianism in China.

He felt cold like he was battling society and society had won. In his mind he overheard chaos saying that he would always be a street rat. That he would never have his voice heard. Then he remembered what their hero had said.

“When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don't adjust the goals, adjust the action steps.”

They were the words of Confucius and then he knew what had to be said.

“Mother and Father I went to the place where the tests are taken and I heard that the Mongols had killed the last emperor,” he said, “it is only a matter of time before they take over China.” They both started to get upset.

They were saying things like “will we ever catch a break” and “do you think that they will keep Confucianism going because it is one of the largest philosophies in China?” That last question was soon answered by none other than Lee himself.

“I heard that the Mongols were planning to use Taoism and Buddhism in the place of Confucianism,” said Lee.

“In a way it makes since because the odds of even passing the tests is near impossible,” said Pao (Lee’s Father).

“On the other hand they would be taking away not only our dream but one of the greatest philosophies in China,” said Lin.

“Also the Mongols may not know this, but Confucianism was the middle ground between Taoism and Legalism within Ancient China,” said Lee.

The Yu family talked about this and after a long time they decided that it would be best to get some food with the money that they raised in order to take the tests of Confucius. As they walked into the restaurant down the street the worst had been confirmed. In fact Confucianism was not going to be practiced by the Mongols during the upcoming Yuan Dynasty. It was believed that they had not thought that certain relationships were not so important to them. After they heard the news they went inside to order their food. They had bought fish with rice on the side and as they sat down they all started to talk.

“Do you think that we will take over Mongol rule soon or do you think they will rule for a long time?” asked Pao.

“I think that we will be strong and fight against them,” said Lee.

“I think we will live by Taoism and be peaceful under their rule,” said Lin.

They kept eating the warm flaky, buttery, smooth salmon and the nice large hearty scoop of rice with a dash of salty soy sauce right on top. This was the food typically eaten by the middle class, but they had just got a large amount of money. It was because they had worked really hard. Then they walked home with stomachs full but they still were anxious to know what is their future in Mongol ruled China...