Zheng Xuan listened carefully to everything Guo Jia said, then raised a hand to stroke his beard and slowly replied, "Minister over the Masses Guo, you are mistaken."
Guo Jia raised an eyebrow. "Please enlighten me, sir."
Zheng Xuan said, "Confucianism is the foundation upon which a nation is built. Ever since the Duke of Zhou established rites and music, and Confucius edited and expounded the Six Classics, this way has been passed down for a thousand years. It is the very root of Huaxia."
"It teaches benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness, enabling all people to understand integrity and shame, and the proper relationships between men. Only then can a nation enjoy lasting peace and stability."
"If we abandon Confucianism, we will be like a great building without foundations. How could we establish a nation?"
As soon as Zheng Xuan finished, Guo Jia said, "Your words are sound, sir, but the world today cannot be compared to the past."
"In the days of Emperor Gaozu and Emperors Wen and Jing, our Great Han revered Huang-Lao Learning and governed through nonaction. Yet Huang-Lao Learning was sufficient for governing a nation, but insufficient for strengthening it. Thus, after Emperor Wu ascended the throne, he dismissed the Hundred Schools and honored Confucianism alone, strengthening our Great Han."
"This shows that strengthening a nation requires adapting to local conditions and following the tide of events, rather than remaining forever unchanged."
"His Majesty is wise and wishes to enrich the nation and strengthen its armies to pursue further advances. If we blindly cling to antiquated Confucian teachings, prize empty talk, and fail to develop agriculture, sericulture, waterworks, and machinery, how can we resist our enemies? How can we make the Han Dynasty prosper?"
Guo Jia did not address Zheng Xuan's question directly.
Instead, he