Speaking of the ancients, I sometimes really admire them. I think they are very powerful and have the spirit of craftsmen. Take today's event as an example. It is said that ancient people had no money to write books. But now, let's see how many classic works are circulating in the world. Now, let's look at everyone. No one has the money to work for you, so I admire this behavior of the ancients. Then some people will ask why the ancients did this? Why did the ancients create so many free masterpieces? Let's look at this problem and analyze it.
In ancient times, the manuscript fee was called "run pen". Only outstanding people in writing, writing and poetry are invited to write articles, and they are paid. Of course, some people asked senior officials to write articles, but in ancient times, most senior officials were Confucian scholars, and their level was really high. Generally speaking, however, most ancient writers were unpaid for writing articles, poems and plays.
Then why do you still like to write books and poems at your own expense?
There are two kinds of books published by individuals and countries.
I. Personal publishing
One is a speech. Confucian "meritorious service, moral integrity, moral integrity" is immortal, and moral integrity is the most important. First of all, the first two items are not easy to do. Secondly, even if the first two goals are achieved, they will eventually be reflected in the text, which can be passed down from generation to generation and have a far-reaching impact. Although they are dead, they are still alive.
The second is to sum up personal achievements. Regardless of success or failure, summarizing personal articles is a summary of one's reading career. For example, Zeng Guofan's poems and letters.
The third is to give instructions. From a large number of books, choose the right books to guide beginners to learn. For example, Wen Xin Diao Long and Wen Wen Guan Gong. Books that guide how to take the science exam also belong to this category.
The fourth is political purpose. For example, Sima Guang's History as a Mirror aims to summarize the laws of the rise and fall of dynasties for the reference of emperors.
Second, the certificate
The most important thing is to show the strength of the country. As the saying goes, books are only written for great events, such as Yongle Dadian and Sikuquanshu. According to the convention, summarize the gains and losses of previous works, such as Twenty-four History. In fact, strictly speaking, this is a state act, but since it is mainly the responsibility of editors, it can also be a personal-led publishing act.