Chapter 40: The Rite of Enlightenment

Sun Shan looked at Teacher Zheng. Dressed in a scholar’s robe, with a few strands of silver in his hair, the man appeared to be around 50 years old. He looked kind and gentle, and his eyes, in particular, were sharp and bright—the unmistakable mark of a learned man.

Teacher Zheng was the first true scholar—the kind involved in the imperial examination system—that Sun Shan had ever seen.

As Sun Shan observed him, Teacher Zheng had already noticed the young boy. He was thin and slight, looking quite short compared to the boy named De-ge beside him.

Smiling, the teacher said, "Good. Your family is the most education-conscious I have ever met. Whether or not one earns a degree is one thing, but at the very least, one should not be illiterate."

Uncle Sun replied, "That’s right. My eldest sister says that if one wants a good future, one must be able to read and write. At the very least, one should be able to read contracts so as not to be cheated."

Teacher Zheng stroked his beard and said approvingly, "Your eldest sister is a woman of vision."

Sun Bomin chimed in, "Teacher, my son has come to enroll today. I leave him in your care."

Teacher Zheng beckoned Sun Shan and De-ge over and said earnestly, "Since you have come to my Zheng Family Academy, you must study hard and be worthy of the tuition your father has paid. For us children of farming families, the chance to study is rare. I hope you will both cherish this opportunity."

Sun Shan looked at Teacher Zheng in surprise. There was no pretense of testing his aptitude, nor any affected inquiry into why he wanted to study. Instead, the teacher spoke plainly: we are children of farmers from poor backgrounds; if you can study, it is because your father earned the money through great hardship. Do not aim for the clouds; be down-to-earth, study hard, and prepare for a good future.

As for the imperial examinations, Teacher Zheng did not mention them at all. Perhaps he knew that for a farm boy, the chances were slim.

Seeing Sun Shan’s bewildered expression, Teacher Zheng, not understanding why the boy was confused, patted his head and said, "Your name is Sun Shan, right? You must study hard from now on, and I will do my best to teach you."

He then patted De-ge’s large head and said kindly, "Sun Dingde, you as well. Do not let your parents’ hopes go to waste."

Sun Shan and De-ge nodded obediently, promising to study hard.

Afterward, Sun Bomin and Uncle Sun paid the one-tael tuition and presented the traditional six gifts of respect. Teacher Zheng immediately proceeded with the initiation ceremony. He straightened the boys' clothes and hats, then smiled and said, "Follow me." Sun Bomin and Uncle Sun stayed behind.

The three of them walked to the schoolhouse, passed through a small door, and reached the innermost room, where a portrait of Confucius, the Greatest Sage and Ancient Teacher, was hung.

Teacher Zheng instructed, "Kneel down. Nine kowtows."

Sun Shan and De-ge knelt on the cushions and performed the kowtow ritual. Satisfied, Teacher Zheng said, "Come with me," and led them back to the reception hall.

Uncle Zheng, having somehow found two cushions, prompted the boys to kneel again. "Good children, repeat after me," he said.

Sun Shan and De-ge nodded.

"First bow: thank the teacher for teaching me to read. Second bow: thank the teacher for teaching me how to be a person. Third bow: never forget the teacher’s kindness and instruction."

Sun Shan and De-ge performed three more kowtows and offered tea to Teacher Zheng. After drinking the tea, the teacher instructed them on the importance of respecting teachers, valuing friendship, diligent practice, and the unity of knowledge and action.

Once the apprenticeship rite was over, it was time for the "Cinnabar Awakening." Teacher Zheng placed a dot of cinnabar between the boys' eyebrows, symbolizing the opening of the gates of wisdom.

The third step was the "Pointing to Wisdom." Teacher Zheng gently tugged Sun Shan’s ears and said, "Listen, listen, listen—use your ears." Then, pointing to Sun Shan’s eyes, he chanted, "See, see, see—use your eyes." The meaning was that a student should listen with their ears and observe with their eyes, taking in the world from all directions to become a clear-sighted, insightful person. He then performed the same ritual for De-ge, offering him the same guidance on character and conduct.

The final step was the presentation of books, signifying that the pupils had officially entered the school and begun their educational journey. Teacher Zheng presented each boy with a copy of the *Three Character Classic*. "Study hard and strive for improvement every day," he said gently.

Sun Shan took the hand-copied book from Teacher Zheng and said solemnly, "Thank you, Teacher. We will study hard."

After the initiation, Teacher Zheng invited Sun Bomin and Uncle Sun to sit, and asked Uncle Zheng to show the boys around the school.

"If you have any questions, feel free to ask," Teacher Zheng said.

Uncle Sun had no questions; he had been through this three times already and felt no particular excitement. Sun Bomin, however, was exceptionally thrilled. The ceremony had been so solemn that he had barely been able to breathe. Seeing his son kowtowing to the teacher made him feel as if his life had been elevated, and he looked forward to Sun Shan’s education with even greater anticipation.

Sun Bomin spoke hesitantly, not daring to raise his voice, "Teacher, what other books will they need?" Seeing that the teacher had only presented one, he assumed it was not enough.

Teacher Zheng was familiar with this question. "Do you intend for your children to sit for the imperial exams, or is it just for literacy? Will they only study for a few years before finding work outside?"

Sun Bomin replied without hesitation, "Teacher, I just want Shan to learn to read and, ideally, how to do accounts, so he can find a job that isn't too physically demanding."

Teacher Zheng nodded with understanding, showing no sign of disappointment. "If they are not sitting for the exams, the curriculum will be much lighter, and they will need fewer books. As we progress, I will let you know when it is time to buy more. It won't be many books, and they won't be expensive. You may rest assured."

Sun Bomin and Uncle Sun thanked him, and Teacher Zheng continued to chat with them about daily life and farming.

Meanwhile, Uncle Zheng had led Sun Shan and De-ge out to the courtyard. The house was divided into a front and back courtyard, separated by a gate. There were three rooms in the front and five in the back.

"You two will study in the front courtyard," Uncle Zheng said. "The back is where the teacher lives; you are not permitted to cross over." Pointing to the three front rooms, he added, "These are the classrooms where you will study."

Sun Shan pretended not to know and asked innocently, "Uncle Zheng, how many students are there?"

Uncle Zheng replied patiently, "The school has three classes. The senior class is for those finishing their final year; there are three students there now. The intermediate class is for those who have studied for a year; there are eight. As for the junior class, we have three—you two, plus one who enrolled yesterday."

Sun Shan’s eyes widened in feigned surprise. "Uncle Zheng, so that means we have fourteen students in total?"

*Is this for real?* he thought. *Is the student body really that pitifully small? Only fourteen people?*

Uncle Zheng looked surprised as well. "My, you’re a clever one, to be able to calculate that!" He patted Sun Shan’s head affectionately.

Sun Shan was speechless. He was already six years old; if he couldn't add three plus eight plus three, he might as well have been a mute.

Beside him, De-ge boasted, "Shan is great at math! Especially with copper coins—he’s so clear about it that even the peddler can’t outsmart him."

Sun Shan had plenty of pocket money. Whenever a peddler came to the village to sell his wares, Sun Shan would take De-ge to buy things, picking out whatever they liked. The women of the village would crowd around the peddler, and sometimes the business was so brisk that the peddler couldn't keep up or would make mistakes. Sun Shan, unable to stand it, would step in to settle the accounts for him.

De-ge, seeing this, had looked at Sun Shan with stars in his eyes, admiring him to no end. He often stuck to Sun Shan like glue. Sun Shan, however, secretly believed that the only reason De-ge hung out with a "dull stick" like himself was because he coveted his pocket money, especially since Sun Shan would often buy him a treat whenever he bought one for himself.