佛祖統紀 52.74

52.74

Emperor Wu of the Han discussed the establishment of the Bright Hall. He dispatched envoys with comfortable carriages and rush-wrapped wheels to summon Master Shen of Lu, and established Erudites for the Five Classics. Prince Gong of Lu demolished the old residence of Confucius and recovered from within the wall the hidden ancient-script writings of Yu, Xia, Shang, and Zhou, the Analects, and the Classic of Filial Piety, all written in tadpole characters. Emperor Xuan issued an imperial decree for the Confucian scholars to discuss the agreements and divergences among the Five Classics. Emperor Cheng dispatched the Internuncio Chen Nong to seek out lost books throughout the realm. An imperial decree ordered Liu Xin to oversee the Five Classics and classify the various masters into the nine lineages. Emperor Ming visited the Biyong Academy in person, venerating and supporting the Three Elders and the Five Experienced Men. The Emperor himself delivered lectures; the Confucian scholars held their classics and raised difficult questions, while onlookers and listeners were counted in the hundreds of millions. From the Crown Prince, feudal princes, sons and younger brothers of meritorious ministers, to imperial in-laws, none failed to receive the classics. The officers of the Qimen and Yulin Imperial Guards all became proficient in the Classic of Filial Piety. The Xiongnu likewise dispatched their sons to enter the academy. Emperor Zhang ordered the collation of the Five Classics, the various masters, traditions, and records in the Eastern Library. Emperor Ling ordered the Confucian scholars to rectify the characters of the Five Classics and carve them in stone at the Imperial Academy.