Father-Son Debate (Part 2)

In the primordial era, the earliest Dao Path to enlightenment for humankind were martial arts and witchcraft.

Practice martial arts to strengthen your body and face countless challenges in the wilderness.

Warriors could only serve as vanguard soldiers, and the excessively high casualty rate led to a break in leadership, making it impossible for them to lead the remaining people in a sustained manner.

Thus, the most primitive 'shaman' came into being.

The earliest Shaman roamed the land, lobbying among the powerful gods, using their wisdom to negotiate and devise clever schemes to secure the gods' protection for the weak Human Race.

At this time, the Shaman were the leaders of the people. They were the core of the tribe, spreading culture, healing the wounded, divining celestial phenomena, communicating with the gods, and protecting the people. They almost simultaneously served as leaders, teachers, doctors, sorcerers, and so on.

That's how the terms 'witch doctor,' 'Shamanic Historian,' and 'Shamanic Master' came about.

Yun Fang, with impeccable manners and a loud voice, replied, "I have read Human Way Classics, including the * Guoyu *, which states:"

"In ancient times, the people who were intelligent and straightforward, and who were able to be solemn and upright, were intelligent enough to compare themselves with others, wise enough to spread their wisdom far and wide, bright enough to illuminate others, and discerning enough to hear clearly. In such cases, the divine spirits would descend upon them. In men, they were called shamans, and in women, they were called witches."

"This is to establish the proper positions and ranks of the deities, and to prepare sacrificial vessels and clothing for them, so that the descendants of the former sages may have glory and be able to know the names of mountains and rivers, the ancestral masters, the affairs of the ancestral temple, the order of generations, the diligence of reverence, the appropriateness of etiquette, the rules of decorum, the majesty of appearance, the quality of loyalty and trustworthiness, and the purity of sacrificial clothing, and to respect the deities, and thus to offer prayers for them."

"Those who can understand the seasons, the sacrificial offerings, the kinds of jade and silk, the rituals of clothing, the quantities of ritual vessels, the order of the main deities, the positions of the screen and the altar, the places of the gods above and below, and the origins of the clans, and who follow the old traditions in their hearts, shall be the ones who follow them."

"Sages and worthies, though discerning, do not act on their own authority. Therefore, they establish divination to consult the spirits. The virtue of the yarrow stalks is round and divine, while the virtue of the hexagrams is square and wise. They are also used to assist in governance. They are used to demonstrate the existence of spirits and gods and to clarify one's own understanding."

"Therefore, there are officials in charge of Heaven, Earth, Gods, people, and all things, which are called the Five Officials. Each performs his duties in his own order and does not cause confusion among them. This is how the people are able to be loyal and trustworthy, and how the gods are able to be virtuous. The people and the gods have different professions, but they are respectful and not disrespectful. Therefore, the gods bestow blessings upon them, the people enjoy the fruits of their labor, disasters do not befall them, and their needs are never exhausted."

This passage means:

In ancient times, among the Human Race, those who were focused and solemn were able to make the world and all things work in their proper order. Their Sagacity shone far and wide, their eyes were bright enough to see through everything, and their hearing was keen enough to reach all directions. Thus, the gods would come to them. Such people were called shamans for men and witches for women.

There are also differences among these people:

A person who can determine the position of the gods in the sacrificial rites and the order of rank, specify the sacrificial animals, sacrificial vessels and clothing, understand the names and positions of mountains and rivers, the ancestral temple gods, the affairs of the ancestral temple, the order of the times, solemnity and seriousness, proper etiquette, rules of demeanor, outward appearance, loyalty and honesty, clean attire, and who can communicate with the gods, is called a 'blessing'.

Those who understand the growth of the four seasons, the sacrificial animals, the types of jade and silk, the etiquette of clothing, the quantity of sacrificial vessels, the order of rank, the location of sacrifices, the place of altars, the gods above and below, and the origin of surnames, and who can follow the law, are called 'Zong'.

Some people stay behind the scenes. Although sages, virtuous men, and gods are wise, they cannot be arbitrary and domineering. So they use divination to question them and use divination and wisdom to help them understand themselves. Such people are called 'diviners'.

The remaining ones are the Shaman who govern heaven, earth, people, gods, and things. These are the Five Officials, each in charge of different duties, and they do not mix up with each other.

Therefore, in ancient times, people were loyal and trustworthy, and the gods were virtuous. The affairs of the people and the gods were not mixed up, nor were they treated with disrespect or hostility. The gods bestowed blessings, the Altar of Earth and Grain prospered, and the people offered sacrifices to the gods in exchange for the absence of calamities and disasters, and the abundance of resources.

(Note: This summary of the "prayer," "ancestor," and "Five Officials" in shamanism comes from the * Guoyu *, and the summary of "divination" comes from the * Discourse on Balance *. One is from the Zhou Dynasty, and the other is from the Han Dynasty. Both show that Shaman were actually the original bearers of Chinese culture. The traditional Chinese Dao, philosophy, reason, literature, and history were all built by Shaman. Although they gradually declined and were replaced by more advanced schools of thought, the ideas of shamans also permeated the thoughts of the various schools of thought. Daoism, Confucianism, Legalism, and so on were all influenced by these primitive Shaman cultures, forming an important part of the diverse culture of China. It is for this reason that it is said that Human Path originated from the Shaman Path.)

"It is evident that the ancient Human Path and saints highly praised the way of Shaman Path, and historical records show that Human Path also developed from the Shaman Path. Why then do people today despise Shaman as barbarians?"

"Could it be that you have strayed from the Human Path and sages? Have you forgotten your ancestors, abandoned all rules, and even forgotten where Human Path originated?"

Yun Fang said righteously and sternly.

Although the two sides didn't actually fight, they were unlikely to stop arguing, so Yun Fang appeared somewhat aggressive.

Therefore, when the great shaman Yun Fang spoke of the Father-Son Theory, the faces of the several Perfected Person of Human Path all darkened.

However, being Perfected Person, he only paused for half a second before replying:

"The Shaman has the virtue of saving our ancestors, which is certainly true. However, the Father-Son Theory is utter nonsense. Don't you see how the Jiuli were in chaos in the past, with gods and people mixed together, making them incomparable?"

"When shamans indulge in sustenance, and every household becomes Shamanic Historian, there is no essential substance. The people are impoverished by sacrifices and do not know their blessings. They indulge in excessive offerings, placing the people and gods on equal footing. The people disregard the oaths and have no authority. The gods become familiar with the people and do not restrain their actions. Auspicious creatures do not descend, and there is nothing to offer. Calamities and disasters come one after another, and their spirits cannot be exhausted. Is this not the calamity caused by Shaman?"

This means that the Jiuli tribe, which once revered Shaman, disrupted moral conduct, causing the people and gods to become mixed up and unable to distinguish between name and reality. Every Shaman used the excuse of holding sacrifices to collect offerings, and every family acted as their own Shamanic Historian, with no trust or agreement left between them.

The people suffer from the hardship of offering sacrifices, yet receive no blessings or protection. Sacrifices lack order, and the people and gods are treated as equals. The people disregard oaths and have no reverence. The gods are no longer interested in human practices. Sacrifices are no longer pure, grains are not blessed by the gods, and there is no food to offer. Calamities and disasters frequently occur, and the fate of the Human Race is about to end. Are these things not caused by Shaman?

At this point, the Perfected Person bowed towards the Central Plains and said respectfully, "Fortunately, there was a human emperor, Zhuanxu, who received the mandate and descended to earth. He Southern Official Chong Minister Zhong to oversee the heavens and the gods, and Fire Official Li to oversee the earth and the people, so that things would return to normal and there would be no mutual encroachment or disrespect. This is called Severing Heaven and Earth!"

Then, he turned his head and shouted sternly at Yun Fang:

"Later emperors, like Yao, nurtured the descendants of Chong and Li, and, not forgetting the old ways, restored their authority. This continued into the Xia and Shang dynasties. Thus, the Chong and Li Clan maintained a lineage of Heaven and Earth, each with their own distinct ruler. From then on, the practice of shamanism and offerings ceased, the Heretical and Wild Gods was eradicated, and Human Path flourished! The true lineage of shamanism resides in the Central Plains. You barbarians merely stole the title of shaman; how can you compare?!"

That's a harsh statement.

Yun Fang's expression became somewhat uncomfortable.

The general idea is that Human Path eventually emerged, and Emperor Zhuanxu, who was in charge of these matters, ordered the Southern Minister "Chong" to manage the gatherings of the gods and the Fire Minister "Li" to manage the gatherings of the people, in order to restore the original order and prevent mutual aggression and disrespect. This is what is known as "Severing Heaven and Earth," which aims to cut off the channels of communication between humans and gods and eliminate the influence of Shaman Path on people.

Shaman are intermediaries who connect heaven, earth, gods Human-Ghost. Without the intermediary, it becomes difficult for the two sides to communicate.

When Emperor Yao of later generations re-cultivated the descendants of Chong and Li, he did not forget the work of their ancestors and allowed them to once again take charge of the sacrificial rites. This continued until the Xia and Shang dynasties, when the Chong Clan and Li Clan were in charge of the heavens and the earth, distinguishing the order of sacrifices between the people and the gods. In this way, the practice of Heretical and Wild Gods, which wasted resources and harmed the people, was finally stopped, and the practice of Shaman using the sacrificial rites to profit themselves also ceased.

Therefore, the legitimate lineage of Shaman is that of the Chong Clan and Li Clan. Both of these Shaman served as ministers of the Emperor in the Central Plains, responsible for sacrificial rites for generations. Your lineage of Wushen Mountain merely usurped the title of Shaman. How can you compare to the legitimate lineage of the Central Plains?

The implication is that Wushen Mountain is full of illegitimate and unorthodox witchcraft. While it is true that Human Path originated from Shaman Path, the orthodox Shaman Path does not belong to Wushen Mountain. You are merely the scourge that harmed people and the country in the past, the originators of the disasters.

How could Wushen Mountain, with such a reputation, dare to claim a 'father-son relationship' with the Tang Kingdom?

Upon hearing this, Yun Fang immediately retorted.

The two sides engaged in a heated debate, starting by tearing each other apart over the analysis of Human Path versus Shaman Path.

Zhu Fengdan looked annoyed as she watched the two sides hurling insults at each other.

Although the writing is full of allusions and ornate language, and first-time readers might find both authors to be exceptionally talented, it was rather uninteresting for Zhu Fengdan.

Such a dispute...

Wushen Mountain and the Tang Kingdom have clashed countless times, but no matter how many times they argue, it's all in vain.

How could a dispute over the Dao Lineage possibly lead to a conclusion?

Why not just take matters into your own hands and beat them up?

But...

The other party has a handwritten letter from a high-ranking official of the second rank...

In the Tang Kingdom, even official positions were based on a nine-rank system. There was a special method in the Human Path that used the dynasty's fortune as a guide; once you reached a certain rank, you could be promoted to the same rank.

For example, this Minister of Personnel is a second-rank official, so his cultivation level will naturally rise to the second rank as well.

Although it is only temporary and weaker than a regular second-grade item, it is a genuine second-grade item without any falsehood.

When they step down, these cultivations will naturally fade away, leaving them to the next successor.

This is simply an unbelievable method; it requires no cultivation and carries no burden whatsoever.

Once you are appointed to a certain official position and granted an imperial edict with the emperor's seal and scroll, you will immediately possess the rank and all the Divine Ability required for that position.

Of course, these Divine Ability and ranks belong to the official position, not to the official himself. They will disappear once he leaves office, and there are also restrictions on the length of his term.

The principle is actually similar to Shen Shuibi's formation; the official position is a Gundam, and the official is the pilot of the Gundam.

Anyone can pilot a Gundam and unleash its abilities, but the differences will vary depending on the piloting skills.

These measures have led to a peculiar phenomenon in the Tang Kingdom: the total number of high-end combat forces remains unchanged, but the personnel are constantly being replaced.

Therefore, Zhu Fengdan looked down on these Tang Kingdom came and went.

However, besides these ordinary people, there are also some truly powerful individuals who have cultivated their way up through their own abilities.

Some of them also hold official positions in the government, and usually only use the Divine Ability and abilities of their positions, but in reality, their true cultivation level may be much stronger than their official titles.

Others, such as martial arts masters, reclusive scholars from the countryside, and imperial guards, should not be underestimated.

However... these third-rank individuals in front of us, except for that Daoist Earth Immortal, all got their ranks through official positions.

The two Army Protector, holding the Subordinate Third Rank, were in charge of the palace guards and were likely confidants of the emperor.

There was also a leading Left Assistant Minister of Personnel of Personnel, who was the one who read the handwritten letter just now. He Subordinate Third Rank official, serving as a subordinate of the Minister of Personnel and the Vice Minister, and was in charge of matters such as finances and grain in the Ministry of Personnel.

As for that Daoist Earth Immortal, he is a genuine Rank 3 cultivator. I don't know how he got involved. Will the Daoist sect and the Tang Kingdom continue to complement each other as before?

Even though the Daoist grotto-heavens of Mount Luofu have been destroyed, what is the Daoist sect thinking? Or did the Daoist sect actually intervene when they severed the lineage of Mount Luofu?

Why? Just because of the Sun Moon True Lead Cauldron? That's unnecessary. Doesn't the Daoist sect have any other second-grade Law Treasure? They can just exchange them with her later, right?

As Zhu Fengdan watched their verbal sparring, she pondered the hidden agenda behind it all.

Later on, even the bickering stopped.

After about several Chen, the quotations and references were finished, and it was time to get down to business.

The two parties sat upright in place, no longer speaking, while the surrounding Daoist energy surged, conveying information that was almost infinite for ordinary people.

This is a language that transcends language. As long as one can perceive the existence of the 'Tao,' the essence of Tao can convey incredible information in this way.

This is what we call 'Discussing the Dao'.

Since one or two words cannot convince the other party, a more persuasive approach is to Discussing the Dao.

These Daoist principles can even precisely reveal a future, a future derived through deduction.

The Discussing the Dao involves calculating and deducing through endless Daoist principles to determine who is 'correct'.

To put it bluntly, it's a matter of each of us sticking to our own version of events, each with our own valid points. So why not present all the details of how we arrived at our conclusions? Everyone can see the reasoning process of each side, just like a formula laid out in the open. It will be immediately clear whose reasoning is more convincing.

Such Discussing the Dao generally do not result in a decisive victory or defeat, because they are ultimately based on probability. The future is uncertain. Even if one side has a 90% chance of winning, there is still a 10% uncertainty factor. Therefore, they can only be used to distinguish between high and low, but it is difficult to determine a winner or loser.

However, the amount of information presented in the Discussing the Dao is so vast that it would overwhelm anyone below the fourth rank, so it can only be used for communication and exchange among these high-level cultivators.

This discussion lasted for a full four Chen.

Zhu Fengdan sat idly waiting, watching Yun Fang fight four opponents by himself.

Suddenly, he stood up and looked into the distance.

Is that... the Hundred Forests Kingdom?

Is this commotion caused by my disciple performing a ritual?