On the third day came the second session: the argumentative essay.
After a day's rest, Wei Nisheng felt quite refreshed.
After all, the verse composition exam the day before had been neither too long nor too short, leaving him plenty of spare time.
Yet that seemed like a sliver of ease offered before the suffering to come.
Today, for instance, the essay tested his insight.
It was not about reciting books or writing poetry. He would be given a historical episode or figure and asked to offer his own interpretation.
The quality of his writing depended not on how many books he had memorized, but on how deeply he had thought.
So Wei Nisheng took the examination paper and unfolded it. The prompt came into view.
[Discuss: Guan Zhong served Duke Huan as chief minister, established his hegemony over the feudal lords, and brought order to all under heaven. To this day, the people enjoy the benefits of his work.
Yet Confucius said, "How small was Guan Zhong's capacity!" Discuss.]
Guan Zhong... As Wei Nisheng studied the prompt, the first words that flashed through his mind were:
[Honor the king and repel the barbarians; unite the feudal lords nine times and bring order to all under heaven.]
Guan Zhong had been the foremost chief minister of the Spring and Autumn period, assisting Duke Huan of Qi in uniting the feudal lords nine times and bringing order to all under heaven.
Even Confucius had been forced to acknowledge, "Without Guan Zhong, we would be wearing our hair loose and fastening our robes on the left."
Yet that same Confucius had also said, "How small was Guan Zhong's capacity!"
Guan Zhong's capacity had been small.
Why had it been small?
Because Guan Zhong had not understood ritual propriety?
Because Guan Zhong had