Arty Records

All the groups finished talking, and finally it was the turn of the last "castration" group.

"Shi Tong, I'm sorry." Fang Sishen looked at the two students who sat in front of him again, and apologized to the group leader, "The other groups chose topics that have been discussed and discussed in class, but you, although you are not the same as " "Tai Shi Gong Shu" is also related, but it extends farther, it has not been mentioned, and the information is not easy to find, I should have discussed it with you in advance, I was negligent."

Shi Tong was full of ambition: "Teacher, what do you think of our written report?"

"It can be seen that it took a lot of work. The records in "Shangshu" and "Zhouli" are actually too difficult for you, and you actually found the translation and read them through. What I meant at the beginning was just to let you know that academic research is not easy. , I didn’t expect you to chew on these ancient documents, your spirit is commendable.”

"That's, you don't know, I haven't slept for several nights..."

Fang Sishen interrupted him: "Where can I find the translation?"

"I found it online."

"What network? Who is the translator? Is it the content of a published book that has been entered, or is it an original online? If it is a published book, have you checked it with the print version? If it is an original online, how can you ensure that it is accurate? Internet searches should There are several different translations, have you compared and screened them?"

Shi Tong was left speechless by a series of questions from Teacher Fang.

"We mentioned in class, what is the first key word in the so-called research?"

Shi Tong was a student who listened carefully, and immediately replied: "True."

"Yes, true. So let me ask you, how do you guarantee the authenticity of the translation?"

It took a lot of effort to find these rare translations, and the teacher suspected that they were fake.Shi Tong said unhappily: "I didn't make it up myself, everyone said so, of course it is true."

"'Everyone says so'—who is 'everyone'? Does an ancient text mean this, and whether the interpretation of a certain word conforms to the original meaning or not, you have to come up with a basis."

"If you want to say that, where can I get evidence? How do I know it's not true?"

Hong Xinyao memorized the report written by Shi Tong with his super mechanical memory. He was sitting next to him with a high level of nervousness, hoping that Fang Shudai would quickly ask himself.Seeing that his partner was unfavorable, he offered to help: "It happened thousands of years ago, who knows if it's true? Then the explanations were written by people, and they turned into ashes long ago. Could it be possible to get into the coffin and ask?" ?”

Fang Sishen heard the meaning of "historical nihilism" and smiled: "This shows the importance of 'research'." However, how to explain this problem to the teenager who has no academic training in front of him?He didn't like to talk in vain, especially not good at improvisation. He always tried to be informative and thoughtful in preparing lessons, but now he had to think and express, trying to use simple and clear words to clarify his understanding of "research".

"Research has never been easy. Especially 'Chinese studies', because the object is the ancient people and events in ancient documents. Even the things that happened around us, there are facts under the appearance, and the truth under the facts. It is often difficult to judge the authenticity , not to mention thousands of years ago? But as long as something happened, there will always be traces. The fragments of "Shangshu" and "Zhouli" we have seen, including the translations and explanations of later generations, may as well be regarded as "historical Traces'. The so-called research can also be understood as using these 'traces' to make reasonable speculations. Therefore, academic truth should first focus on attitude, followed by logic. Try to collect as much data as possible, master the most complete information, and do The most objective and rigorous analysis, seeking the truth with suspicion, is the starting point of all research.”

Seeing that the two students seemed to understand but half understood, they said: "Take this translation as an example, Shi Tong, I ask you to come up with a basis, so that you can come up with reasons that can convince me that these translations are accurate and reliable. If you want to convince me, you must first convince yourself. That is to say, you have to use your brain to check, compare, and distinguish, confirm that it is the best version in the existing translations, and then indicate the source. Or do you think they are all It’s not good enough, it’s better to compare reference books and reference materials by yourself and translate a copy.”

"Then... how long will it take? It's too difficult..."

"So I was taken aback by your title. "Research on the Origin of the Great Summer Palace Punishment" - the term "origin" refers to both the origin and the influence. Are you going to study it from the period of the Three Emperors and Five Emperors to modern times? The eunuch disappeared? This is a project that may not be completed in a lifetime."

When Hong Xinyao was reciting the report, he had already asked Shi Tong, knowing that eunuchs are eunuchs, he interrupted: "If you want to do it yourself, I won't accompany you to study eunuchs for a lifetime!"

Fang Sishen glanced at him, and said: "Really doing learning is a lifetime job, just as the predecessors said, 'You have to sit on the bench for ten years, and the article does not write a single word'. You know that various research institutions of higher learning across the country are full-time How many people in the field of Chinese studies add up?"

"do not know."

"One hundred thousand."

"what?!"

"Among these people, there are many who have studied one thing, one person, or one book all their lives."

Hearing this, Hong Xinyao curled his lips: "Isn't this sick!" He blurted out, only to realize that he was too disobedient, and hurried to remedy it, "Teacher Fang, I'm not talking about you, I'm talking about them, that..." The more you describe it, the darker it becomes. ,forget it. I'm done here.

Fang Sishen didn't think much of it, and said lightly: "Everyone has his own ambition, and he enjoys it."

Shi Tong stammered: "Teacher Fang, I, I don't want to spend my whole life... studying eunuchs!"

Fang Sishen smiled and said: "What I mean is that the study of Chinese culture itself is extensive and profound, and requires professionals to do it, but the spirit of research is everywhere. If you don't really like it, you don't plan to use it as a career and career. Classmates, it is not likely that you will definitely go to the National Academy to be a scholar in the future. You don’t need to be obsessed with the results, the important thing is to experience its spirit. Even if you work in other fields in the future, you will definitely use this spirit.”

Shi Tong almost burst into tears: "Then teacher, can I change the title? Change it to 'the earliest castration in the history of Great Xia' or something like that."

Fang Sishen nodded: "Yes, at the initial stage, the more specific the problem, the better. Your topic is already more specific, but it can still be divided into multiple levels and angles. What is the background of the earliest castration in history? The direct cause And what are the underlying reasons? Who are the promulgators, executors, and other participants? What is the specific method of operation? Who is the target? What are the consequences and impacts?…”

Shi Tong held his head and moaned: "Teacher..."

"I suggest that you might as well choose one of the most interesting and specific questions, check the information carefully, and write your own experience. It should be a good small paper."

Shi Tong coyly said: "Actually, I am most interested in the 'operation method'..."

Hong Xinyao gave a weird smile: "No, no, I'm more interested than you, so you have to leave this to me, and you have to leave everything to me!"

His partner has long been accustomed to succumbing to Young Master Hong's despotic power, and said in a low voice, "Then...then you write this, and I'll make the second section, 'Who are the famous people who suffered castration', which happens to be what the teacher said 'Question." Xin said that by then, I would have to write both articles, and you should copy a copy to hand over.

Fang Sishen turned a page of the report: "How Much Do You Know about Celebrities' Castrations in Great Xia History? Shi Tong, you are very good at picking titles."

"Hey... Thank you teacher for your praise."

"But have you found out that this topic also has the problem of being too broad."

Shi Tong was eager to express himself, and quickly argued: "Well, now I know. At first I thought that since Tai Shigong offended Emperor Xiaowu and was castrated, there must be many other celebrities who had the same experience. In fact, I just wanted to find Looking for someone of his contemporaries, but I always feel that the title is not grand enough, so..."

"According to what you say, you must at least read the former Han part of "Taishi Gongshu", "Former Hanshu" and "Zizhi Tongjian" once."

"I think it's still too difficult... Teacher, what do you think should be done?"

Fang Sishen murmured: "The topic of celebrities being castrated, someone should have summed it up, but I didn't pay attention to the articles about it. Have you searched online?"

"I've looked for them, and they're all slaves, prisoners of war, and the like, but there are no decent celebrities."

"Based on the fact that Tai Shigong was subjected to castration, you speculate that castration may have been relatively common at that time. According to current data, most of the people subjected to castration were low-status slaves and prisoners of war, and no officials or scholars with high status like Tai Shigong were found. Then , this "no" is very intriguing and worth exploring, indicating that he may be a special case, or there are hidden secrets..."

Shi Tong suddenly realized: "Teacher, I understand! I know how to get started!" He was so excited that he slapped his thigh.

Fang Sishen put the report in his hand into a folder: "Since this is the case, it can be seen that this part was also prepared by the team leader Shi Tong. May I ask Hong Xinyao, as a member of this team, what part of the specific task did you undertake?"

Teacher Fang attacked suddenly when his guard was lax, and the two students were shocked.

Hong Xinyao hurriedly replied: "I, I... I assisted him."

Shi Tong also hurriedly said: "He, he is helping me."

Fang Sishen looked into Shi Tong's eyes alone: ​​"What did he help you with? Which point of view, which document, which paragraph of text?"

Shi Tong lowered his head, staring at the tip of his shoe without speaking.

Hong Xinyao succeeded in sophistry before, so he repeated the plan: "What I provide is material assistance! Material assistance! This is also a kind of division of labor, right, Teacher Fang?"

Fang Sishen shook his head solemnly: "Elective Chinese Studies is first of all a course. The division of labor and cooperation you mentioned has completely deviated from the content and requirements of the course and will not be considered. Hong Xinyao, if you don't like it, you don't have to take this course. If You are not good at it, just do your best. It doesn’t matter if you don’t do well, as we have said, as an elective course in middle school, the most important thing is to experience a little research spirit: respect for evidence, stress logic, and pursue the truth. You shirk responsibility like this, trying to I'm sorry, I can't give you points for the special report part."

Fang's bookish tone was not serious, but when Hong Xinyao heard the phrase "shirk responsibility, fool around and deceive", he seemed to have never received such severe criticism in his life. surged out.

Fang Sishen continued: "But you can use the winter vacation to make up a copy, but I will deduct 20% of your due marks as a punishment for delaying homework."

Hong Xinyao clenched his fists: Punishment?Why are you punishing me?What right do you have to punish me?

"Student Shi Tong, although you independently completed the task that should have been completed by the whole team, as the team leader, you failed to fulfill your coordination and assignment duties, and you covered up and indulged the team members. I will also deduct 20% of your due points. As a punishment, do you have any objections?"

Shi Tong was extremely ashamed: "I, I have no objection."

Hong Xinyao raised his head and said loudly, "I have an opinion!"

Following his words, the get out of class bell rang, and the students rushed out.

"Let's go to the classroom and talk." Fang Sishen said, greeting the students who left, and carrying the chairs in.Shi Tong picked up his chair and followed behind: "Teacher Fang, I, that, I..."

"You go first."

Shi Tongru received the amnesty, immediately packed his schoolbag and left.

All the students couldn't wait for the last elective course, and they scattered like birds and beasts in a blink of an eye.Hong Xinyao waved to the few people waiting for him, telling them to retreat first, walked into the classroom, leaned against the edge of the podium, with a mocking sneer on the corner of his mouth.

Fang Sishen came out again, took his chair in and set it up.There was no one else in the classroom, so I asked calmly, "Tell me, what's your opinion?"

Ever since Hong Xinyao knew Fang Sishen's negative gossip, he had a prejudice in his heart, and when he thought of Fang Shudai, he felt hypocritical.This morning, whether it is an open-minded and generous tolerance, or a strict and fair criticism, in his eyes, no matter how you look at it, it is all hypocritical.Enduring until this moment, actually holding back a cavity of resentment.

He took out his mobile phone, pressed a few keys, and handed it over: "I have something, I want to show Teacher Fang."

He uses the latest and most expensive ultra-thin widescreen model on the market. Fang Sishen's knowledge in this area is blank and he has never seen it before.Because of his good eyesight, he didn't answer the phone. He leaned forward slightly to read the text on the screen clearly, and a blurred white light flashed in his mind.

"I saw these things by accident. I guess, the students and the teachers don't know about it? I don't understand all the fake truths you tell me, but at least I didn't make it up out of nothing. , I have never spread rumors to slander others, at most I am a little lazy. Even our team leader personally admitted that I assisted him. What evidence do you have against me? Ah, 'shirk responsibility, fool around and deceive' - Teacher Fang , I would like to ask you, which eye of yours saw me 'fooled and deceived'?!"

After contemplating this set of arguments for a while, Hong Xinyao saw Fang Shudai's face getting paler and paler, and Hong Xinyao felt unspeakably happy: "I don't ask you to cheat, you can give Shi Tong as many points as you want. I'm in the same group as him, and as much as he gets, of course I get as much, right, Teacher Fang? Otherwise, I don't know when I shake my hand, these things will appear on the forum on the campus network, or posted on the academic affairs office On the bulletin board..."

Fang Sishen's mind began to buzz.For him, the harm has passed, and even if he sees those verbal criticisms and open spears and dark arrows again, he will only feel ugly and not panic.However, at this moment, such a person puts forward to himself in such a way that the time, place, person, and situation are all too wrong.That strong sense of disobedience made him sick to his stomach.

The initial shock gradually calmed down, and a burst of anger welled up in my heart.

These students, these young boys and girls, forged a teacher-student relationship by chance, and he was willing to use the greatest kindness to speculate on them and tolerate them.Don't like to study, make jokes, joking around, like to show off, narrow-minded, even fighting, being selfish and snobbish...all are acceptable and can be changed.What is unacceptable is turning black and white, confusing right and wrong, not correcting mistakes, and taking pride in evil.

Fang Sishen looked coldly at the complacent young man opposite him: "It's your freedom to do what you want. I don't know a student with a wicked mind like you."

Throughout the weekend, Fang Sishen fell into a great depression.

From time to time, that young and even immature face, as well as the overly ostentatious evil expression on that face, flashed before his eyes.The strong positive-to-negative contrast made him feel an indescribably deep anger and deep sorrow.

A few days later, I received a call from the Academic Affairs Office of the National High School.According to the school schedule, the elective courses will end one week before the final exam, and the wind gathering will start on the third day of the winter vacation, which is next Friday.Fang Sishen thought it was a notice to inform him of his dismissal, but he only told Caifeng the time, place and precautions to set off.Thinking of negotiating with a student like Hong Xinyao, it will inevitably break down in the end, so it is better to resign as soon as possible.However, he has always been unwilling to let me down. It is too irresponsible for other students to give up a class halfway.So it was just a thought, and I decided to talk about it when I really had to.

The winter vacation of the university is earlier than that of the middle school, and the few days of waiting for the departure, the campus is getting deserted day by day.When I came out of the cafeteria that day, I saw another group of people rushing away with their luggage and backpacks on their backs. The coldness of the deep winter was transpired by the high mood of returning home, and the scalding temperature could be felt from far away.

Fang Sishen stood on the steps, as if missing something.

Yesterday I received a call from my father, who was very gentle and easy, asking if he would go home for the New Year.He didn't actually think it through, but subconsciously replied in a negative way: "I won't go back." When he remembered to explain the reason in detail, he had already hung up the phone silently.

Maybe... I should go and explain it in person.We are going to leave tomorrow, and when we come back from Hejin, it will be New Year's Eve. The new tutor said before that he will come back from the nursing home during the Spring Festival, and he should take this opportunity to meet up quickly—it is indeed too busy to leave and go home for the New Year.

Thinking this way, when I came back to my senses, I had already reached the school gate.After standing still for a while, I walked to the station and got on the bus bound for the School of Humanities.There are only seven stops between the National Institute of Humanities and Beijing Normal University, and the straight-line distance is five kilometers.Sitting in the car, Fang Sishen recalled that it took three and a half years to go back and forth for the five kilometers from home to school.

He knew that his father must not be at home at this time, and he also knew that he should call first to make an appointment, but he stubbornly refused to dial that number.

When the bus arrived at the stop, he walked slowly into the school gate and walked towards the office building.He has lived on this campus for nearly six years and attended school for four years.This place cut his short life of only 24 years to pieces, sometimes even he himself could not understand, how could those fragments of experience with different styles belong to the same person?

Fearing that if someone he knew would recognize him and entangle him, Fang Sishen put on his hood and walked forward with his head down.In this campus, even with his eyes closed, he will not get lost.The passage of time is so elusive. In the past, it was like a dream from another generation to meet relatives, settle down, and study here.However, the life in Manggandao before the age of 15 has become another dreamland of misty misty mountains and misty past lives.

Fang Sishen stood under the big pagoda tree in front of the office building.The predecessor of the National Institute of Higher Humanities was a royal palace in the former Qing Dynasty. The so-called office building was originally the main hall of the Lama Temple where the prince worshiped the Buddha. It is majestic and majestic with red bricks and green tiles.The big pagoda tree that Fang Sishen was leaning on had a history of 200 years. Although it had no leaves in the deep winter, the curving trunk and curly branches were enough to cover his tracks.

He thought: If you are waiting, talk about it; if you are not waiting, go back.Then I saw two people coming out of the gate side by side.The elder walked ahead, while the younger held a stack of books and handouts, half a step behind, but it did not affect their conversation at all.A few steps behind, followed by three or five young students.

Fang Sishen thought he was wrong.The two got closer and closer, quarreling and laughing at Yanyan.It was clearly his father Fang Duzhi and senior brother Gao Chengcheng.

"dad."

"Xiaosi?" Fang Duzhi was surprised, but more happy, his eyes narrowed with a smile, "Xiaosi, are you waiting for me?"

He stopped, and the group of people behind him also stopped far away, not to disturb him.

Fang Sishen was expressionless, and greeted Gao Chengcheng who was following his father: "Brother, hello."

"Ah, Xiao Fang, you, hello." Gao Chengcheng was a little flustered.

"Brother said he found a part-time job, so it turned out to be here."

"Yes, ah, no, no."

Fang Sishen didn't ask any more questions, but pursed his lips tightly and looked at the two people in front of him.

Fang Duzhi laughed, and came over to pull him: "Xiaosi, be honest, so you know each other!"

"Dad, stop pretending." Fang Sishen shook off his hand, "I'll bet you that I'll never go home. I bet you know he knows me."