Wu He, a Miao Confucian scholar and educator in the Ming Dynasty, was a native of Zhenxi, Jishou, Western Hunan. He once traveled to Jiangxi with the great thinker Wang Yangming and became his famous disciple. He was upright and unwilling to pursue an official career. He refused to take office and insisted on setting up a library and running schools in the countryside.
Wu He is the first generation of Han cultural intellectuals of the Miao people since the Tang and Song Dynasties. Later generations built a temple and monument for him and opened "Yuanxi Academy" to commemorate him. There are several poems that have been handed down to the world.
The first Xiangxi celebrity recorded in "Qianzhou Hall Chronicles·Characters·Confucianism" was Wu He. He is a famous Miao Confucian scholar in the Ming Dynasty, the first ethnic educator and scholar in western Hunan, the first generation of Han cultural intellectuals of the Miao people in western Hunan since the Tang and Song Dynasties, and a pioneer in Miao education in western Hunan.
Wu He was born in Qianzhou, an ancient city in western Hunan. Qianzhou belongs to the Shili Basin and is surrounded by mountains, with green pines and cypresses and green trees. Its mountains are like nine turtles looking for their mothers. There are two rivers, Wanrong River and Tianxing River, surrounding the island, forming three continents lying across it, shaped like the Qian Gua, which is called Qianzhou.
According to "Qianzhou Hall Records":
Qianzhou is surrounded by mountains and surrounded by Wuxi River. In the front is the majestic fort of Ganziping, in the back is the majestic magpie of Ludong, on the left is the wonder of Qingjiang Zhenxi, and on the right is the dangerous high rock of Tianmen, which is called a key place for fortification.
Wu He is a very individual, tasteful and contributory Miao scholar and educator. The persistence, stubbornness and rational pursuit spirit flowing in his blood are embarrassing and enough to leave a lasting impression on people. A profound revelation of life.
First of all, Wu He’s rational following spirit is admirable. According to "Luxi Chronicles": "Hechang learned from Wang Yangming."
In his early years, Wu He followed Wang Yangming, the famous Confucian master of the Ming Dynasty in my country, who was known as the "Almighty Confucian", and worshiped Wang Yangming's philosophical thoughts.
Wang Yangming is the most famous thinker, philosopher, calligrapher and military strategist in the Ming Dynasty of my country. "It is easy to break thieves in the mountains, but it is difficult to break thieves in the heart", "There is no reason outside the heart, there is nothing outside the heart, there is nothing outside the heart", "There is no good or disgusting body, there are good and malicious actions, knowing good and evil is conscience, and doing good To eliminate evil is to check things." "Therefore, even if you are an ordinary person, if you are willing to learn and make your mind pure and pure, you can also become a saint." "A gentleman's learning is only to pursue what is right." and philosophical ideas have always been used by the world.
In 1504, Wang Yangming was demoted to Guizhou and served as Longchang Yi Cheng because he offended the eunuch Liu Jin. On his way to his appointment, Wang Yangming first went to Changsha, Hunan to give lectures, attracting a large number of intellectuals to attend lectures at Yuelu Academy, and influenced Hunan culture with his thoughts.
When Wang Yangming passed through Chenzhou Prefecture, he was invited by the Chenzhou County Sheriff to give lectures at the "Songyunxuan" of Huxi Academy. Wu He was extremely envious after hearing about it, so he went to Chenzhou and eventually became Wang Yangming's disciple, "receiving the inheritance of Taoism".
"Qianzhou Hall·Characters·Confucianism" records:
Wu He was a Confucian in Dongxiang, Qianzhou. He was happy to be self-sufficient. When he heard Mr. Wang Yangming's lectures on Huxi, he was envious of him. He went on a tour with his studies, met Dong Daofu and other sages in Chenzhou, and gained the knowledge of conscience...
Later, Wu He and Zhejiang Qian Dehong of Yuyao and Wang Ji of Shanyin, Jiangsu both became one of Wang Yangming's disciples.
After Wang Yangming was transferred to Luling County in Jiangxi Province in 1509, Wu He followed him thousands of miles away and studied under Wang Yangming twice.
Wu He learned from Wang Yangming as his teacher, but in accordance with his upright character, he chose to refuse an official position. From then on, he was not happy with his official career and devoted himself to pursuing the Taoism.
It is said that when Wu He was in Jiangxi, he discussed scriptures and Taoism with a monk friend who knew Wang Yangming very well. One day, a monk friend gave him five things: dates, pears, salt, ginger, and watermelon.
Wu felt very strange. Later, he finally realized the "Zen opportunity" and understood that the monks were telling him to "leave me in Jiangxi as soon as possible".
Wu He followed Wang Yangming thousands of miles, which was a manifestation of a student's desire for knowledge and fame. It was also a historical projection of the pursuit of advanced culture in the remote and isolated Xiangxi at that time. Following advanced civilization should always be the unchanging concept of generations in Xiangxi. What is commendable is that Wu He's rational way of following can be said to be the highest level.
Furthermore, Wu He's idea of ??"teaching without distinction" is even more commendable. After Wu He left Wang Yangming and returned to western Hunan, he used what he had learned to set up schools and schools in Shangluo, Simaxi, Sanchaping and Aoyufeng in Jishou to "teach his rural disciples".
Wu He ran the school regardless of poverty or wealth. "Although the shepherds and their sons were all taught by him," that is to say, both shepherd boys and farmers received his teachings, so they were deeply respected by the villagers.
"I hope my students will be in the cold for ten years and the flowers and trees will be beautiful." This can be used as a vivid portrayal of Wu He's infatuated education.
Wu He eventually became ill due to overwork after running a school for many years. He died at home and was buried in the east of Jishou City.
During the Xianfeng period of the Qing Dynasty, in order to commemorate this Miao educator, later generations raised their own funds, and Xiang Huiting, a Miao educator from Jishou, presided over the construction of Wu Gong Temple in Aoyu Peak, Jishou City to worship Wu He. A statue of Wu He was erected, Wu He's achievements were engraved on the stone wall, and "Xiaoxi Academy" was opened.
At the same time, the Wenchang Pavilion with cornices and brackets was built, and the stone ao from the cave at the foot of Aoyu Peak was moved to the top of the peak to set up a pond for support, which means "to be the best, and to be lucky". From then on, the sound of books was heard here day and night, and it became the cradle of Miao culture and education.
Some people say that "Tongxi Academy" was not built by future generations to commemorate Wu He, but was founded by Wu He himself.
Wu He used his wisdom and foresight to guide the path of cultural education in western Hunan. In front of the gate of "Tongxi Academy" there was a couplet written by Wu He to encourage learning:
Reading Fa books is afraid of punishment, reading military books is afraid of war, reading Confucian books is not afraid of punishment and war;
Plowing Yao fields worries about water, plowing Shun fields worries about drought, plowing inkstone fields worries about floods and droughts."
This inspired countless students in western Hunan to pursue fame diligently, so that Tongxi Academy later became a place for scholars to study and lecture.
It is said that the academy’s education funds have never been funded, and they mostly rely on squire donations, academy managers to lend interest, and purchase school fields.
However, even in this situation. Next, the education in the academy is still normal, especially the way to assess students is very particular. In addition to the "teaching exam" by the mountain leader, the children have to go to Qianzhou to take an exam called "monthly class" every month. Those with the best cumulative scores Those who are ranked as scholars can take the local examination of a higher level.
Children will be fed and housed in the hospital, and the hospital will issue "tuition money" and other subsidies will be given to students from poor families. .
This method allows the children of Miao rural areas in western Hunan to obtain the right to equal education in an era of inequality, which is of great benefit to the prosperity of Miao rural culture and the cultivation of Miao rural talents.