65438+ 10 month 15
Shortly after Emperor Wu ascended the throne, he ordered the recruitment of talents. An amazing letter of recommendation attracted the attention of Emperor Wu of Han Dynasty, which was written by a young man named Dong Fangshuo. This letter is written like this:
Minister Dong Fangshuo's parents died young and were raised by his brother and sister-in-law. /kloc-started reading and writing at the age of 0/3. After three years, my knowledge of article history is enough. /kloc-learn fencing at 0/5 years old,/kloc-learn poetry books at 0/6 years old, and can recite 220,000 words. 19 years old, learned the art of war from Sun Tzu and Wu Qi, as well as the theory of marching and commanding operations, and recited 220,000 words. In this way, I have been able to recite 440 thousand words. I have always admired Luz (a person's name, a disciple of Confucius) because he never delayed fulfilling his promise. I'm twenty-two years old and I'm nine feet three inches tall. My eyes are like pearls, my teeth are like shells, I'm as brave as Meng Ben, I'm as agile as Qing Ji, I'm as honest as Bao Shu, and I'm as upright as a teenager. I think I can be a minister in Tian Zi.
Dong Fangshuo is both interesting and clever. After he was recruited into the palace, he was often teased in front of Emperor Wu and was regarded as superior. But he has a sense of justice and can say it with humor.
In the imperial court, there are always some officials who love money and lust, so Dong Fangshuo told a story to mock them. He said: "Nothing in the world is as tiny as ants and mosquitoes, but it is meaningful to listen to them arguing with each other. One day, the ant proudly said,' Although we are small, we have the virtue of loyalty and filial piety. We go in and out with the prince's instruments, find dead edible bugs and share them. Not convinced, the fly argued, "You are not as good as us. Whether it is public or private, as long as we hold a banquet, we can enter the room, come to their table, taste their food and drink their drinks. This is our strength. " After listening to their words, the mosquito was very disapproving and said, "None of you are as smart and happy as me. When the candles in the Xianggelan room where those beauties live go out in the middle of the night, we will fly to her tulle, stop on the beauty's body, gather on the beauty's breast, and choose a soft and tender place to take a bite. Have you ever enjoyed such a beautiful thing? " Both ants and flies were ashamed after hearing this, and said unconvinced, "Look at your thin, pointed mouth, which is still so lewd."
He is quite talented in literature, and his masterpiece is the prose Difficult to Answer. This is a self-deprecating work, and the author hypocritically challenges him as a "guest": You can be an official for decades because you are eager to learn, eager to learn and argumentative, and "the official is no more than an assistant minister, but the post is no more than a halberd". Are there any shortcomings in moral behavior? Dong Fangshuo answered the guest's cross-examination, and explained that the humble position is not because he has no talent or moral defects, but the fact is that people with both ability and political integrity have not been reused. Therefore, their humble status is precisely the performance of moral perfection. Answering a guest is a masterpiece of prose fu, which is straightforward and thorough and rich in literary talent. It also opened up a new field of Fu-style literature. Yang Xiong's Street Dance and Ban Gu's Answering a Guest Drama were both developed in the form of Answering a Guest Difficult.
Miraculously
This legend can be found in the Biography of Dong Fangshuo quoted in Volume 473 of Tai Ping Guang Ji. It is said that Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty met this bug on the road, but he didn't know what it was, so he asked Dong Fangshuo. Dong Fangshuo said that this insect is the embodiment of people who died unjustly in prison in the Qin Dynasty. It turns into sadness and will dissolve in wine. This statement is unscientific. "Strange" means "strange".
Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty was fortunate to have a sweet spring. There are insects on the red knife, and the color is red. His head, teeth, ears and nose are all perfect, which is unknown to the viewer. The emperor asked Dong Fangshuo to look at it and said to him, "This insect has a strange name. In the old society, when people were innocent and complained, the sage looked up and sighed,' Curious!' Beggars are angry when they move to heaven, so they are named strange. This place must be Qin's prison. "That is, according to the map. Then he said, "Why do you want to get rid of bugs? "Shuo said," Those who are worried will solve their worries with wine, and those who are worried will solve their worries with wine. "So people put bugs in wine, and soon they will be scattered.
And "Strange Tales from a Lonely Studio" (Volume 140) and "Sikuquanshu" by Ceng Yun: "Written by He Guangyuan. Dong Fangshuo's argument about strange insects (for example, the novel has been lost. For this article, see Taiping Guangji, page 473) is attached. " The "novel" mentioned here is the novel compiled by Yin Yun of Nanliang. Although it has long been lost, you can see the edited version. In addition to Lu Xun and Yu Jiaxi, Zhou Lengga also has a compilation. In Zhou Lengga's book, the story of "strange" was originally from Shuoba, and the original note was "The Legend of the New Moon". I guess it refers to "Biography of Dong Fangshuo": Liang Wudi is fortunate in Ganquan Palace. There are insects at the equator, red, and the leader's teeth, ears and nose are all available, which is unknown to the viewer. The emperor showed the new moon and said to him, "This is very strange. During the Qin Dynasty, prisoners were innocent, and many people were worried and resentful. Xian looked up and sighed,' what a strange thing! Beggars get angry when they move heaven, hence the name' Qi'. This place must be Qin's prison. "That is, according to the map, Guo Qin was imprisoned. He asked again, "Why do you want to exterminate insects? "Shuo said," Those who are worried will drown their sorrows by drinking. "So people put bugs in wine, and after a while, the fruit will be scattered. (Yin Yun's 60th novel, Shanghai Ancient Books Publishing House, first edition 1984) This "strange" story is one of the best stories in Dong Fangshuo, which may be to persuade Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty to be benevolent and not to kill innocent people indiscriminately, causing people's antipathy.
It can be seen that its editor Yin Yun is really good. Zhou Lengga quoted Shi Nan and others in the Preface to Yin Yun's Novels, saying that he was "free and easy, regardless of details". Judging from this sketch, Yin Yun still has a rare imagination and superb irony to write so brilliantly. Perhaps, because of this, it has appeared in other books many times. At present, I only collect these five versions: 1. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty was lucky to have a sweet spring and a bug at the equator ... The emperor showed it to Dong Fangshuo and said, "This bug has a strange name. It was innocent in the past ... This place must be the prison of Qin." Just believe it according to the picture. ..... put the worm in the wine, and it will soon disperse. ("Tai Ping Guang Ji" Volume 473, novel) 2. Another Biography of Dong Fangshuo said: Liang Wudi is fortunate in Ganquan, and Osaka Road in Changping has insect covers, such as red liver. Shuo said, "You must be in Qin prison. If you are worried about your husband, you can solve your worries with wine. " Is to put bugs in wine to kill elk. Give a hundred silks. The same is true after the car is filled with wine. ("Taiping Yu Lan" Volume 818, Cloth and Silk Department 5) 3. Another biography of Dong Fangshuo said: Liang Wudi is lucky for spring, there are insects in Sakamoto Road in Changping, red as liver, and the leader has a glib tongue. Pioneer will repay him, superiors will see it, but they don't know it. When it is in the car, it will let him watch it. The new moon said: this is called strange gas, and it must be in Qin prison. (Yiwenji, Volume 72, Food Department, Taiping Yulan, Volume 845 and Food Department III are also quoted, with slightly different words) 4. County annals: Changping Sakamoto, North Wuli, Xianyang County, Yongzhou. Fortunately, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty had a spring, and the road was full of insects and red as liver. When asked about Dong Fangshuo, Shuo said: "Qin prison is also unfair. I can smell the wine and get rid of my troubles. " If you pour it with wine, the fruit will be sold. (Taiping Yu Lan, Volume 53, Part 18, Osaka) 5. "The Journey of Guangwu" said: Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty was fortunate in Ganquan Palace, with a worm in his path and a red-eyed nose. The audience was ignorant, so the emperor showed it to Dong Fangshuo and said to him, "This Qin Dynasty is innocent, and all people are worried about death. Salt looked up and sighed, so clear. This must be the prison of Qin. " The new moon also said, "Those who are worried will drown their sorrows by drinking, and they will also drown their sorrows by drinking." So put the bug in the wine and it will disperse in a minute. ("Taiping Yu Lan" Volume 944 "Insect Chapter 1") Among them, the first kind of novels have little difference in words. The second and third kinds are both from Dong Fangshuo Biezhuan, but they are different: the former says that there are insects covering the land, while the latter does not mention the word "covering the land"; The former says "husband is worried" and the latter says "husband is worried". The fourth kind of county annals is probably the county annals of Sima in Jin Dynasty. In this way, the book's record of "strangeness" is much earlier than "Different Garden". I don't know who wrote the fifth edition of Guang Wu Ji Xing. The text is more important than the above. There is an article "Different Diseases of Monks in Jiangzhou" in Volume 220 of Taiping Guangji, which is also quoted in the book. The full text is as follows: Yonghui, a monk in Jiangzhou choked on food. A few years later, he told his disciple Yun: "When I can't breathe, I can open my chest and throat to see what is there and want to know its roots." Finally, I said it and died. Disciple opened his eyes as he said, and there was something on his chest, which looked like a fish, with two ends, and I knew it was the flesh scale of the whole body. Disciples come to the bowl and jump. The play is caused by various flavors. Although you don't eat it, it will turn into water soon. In addition, all poisons are destroyed with the sale. In midsummer, the blue was ripe, the temple was full of indigo, and a monk went. Because of the lack of indigo, the insects were afraid, ran around the bowl and suddenly turned into water. It is said that indigo hydrotherapy is used to treat asphyxial diseases. Yonghui is the title of Tang Gaozong Li Zhi (650 years in the first year of Yonghui). This book is quoted by Guangji and must be a work of the Tang Dynasty. Judging from this "Jiangzhou Abnormal Monk", the writing style is not smooth. The plot that only indigo can change in Jiangzhou monks' chests is similar to the plot that wine can eliminate strangeness. Maybe this book is dedicated to treating diseases with potions. Now, on the basis of the earliest county annals, let's see how the story of "strangeness" changed later: the county annals say: Ping Ban, North Wuli, Xianyang County, Yongzhou, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty was lucky for spring, and the road was moth-eaten and red as liver. When asked about Dong Fangshuo, Shuo said: "Qin prison is also unfair. I can smell the wine and get rid of my troubles. " If you pour it with wine, the fruit will be sold. ("Taiping Yu Lan", Volume 53, Part 18, Osaka) The name of "Qi" can't be seen from here, so naturally there is no description of it. The effect of satirical art is greatly reduced, and I wonder if the original text really doesn't exist. Chang Ping Ban can't be found in Yin Yun's novels or Guang Wu Xing Ji. The details of "insects are everywhere and red as liver" were simplified or rewritten by Yin Yun's novels and Guangwu Jixing: Yin Yun's novels only said "insects are red", and later Guangwu Jixing said "insects are red" and thought that "strange" was only red in the head and "red as liver". Details such as "Gaidi", "Red as Liver" and "Changping Class" can be found in Dong Fangshuo Biezhuan quoted in Volume 53 of Magnolia in Taiping. Accordingly, the approximate creation time of Dong Fangshuo Biezhuan can be guessed at least: it must be after Nanliang, because the "strange" story in the book belongs to the "collection cost". "Zhou Lengjia Edited Notes" Article 58 of the second volume of Yin Yun's novels: "Sui Shu's Classics and Records of Dong Fangshuo Biography in Eight Volumes"; I checked the old Tang Dynasty book Twenty-six Chronicles (electronic version), and there are eight volumes of Biography of Dong Fangshuo. If this is the Biography of Dong Fangshuo, it is probably written by Sui people. Although Dong Fangshuo Biezhuan integrated two books, it failed to achieve "treasure" and abandoned Yin Yun's original theory of "sighing at the sky", and he really didn't understand art. What's worse, the words "wine can relieve anxiety" in Continued Records of Counties and Counties, as well as Yin Yun's adaptation and expansion of "those who are worried can relieve their anxiety with wine", were actually in Dong Fangshuo Biezhuan. "Continue to say" is the book of Jin, not far from the Three Kingdoms. The phrase "Du Kang is the only one I can solve my worries" is still ringing in my ears. Even if Sima Biao didn't mean it, Yin Yun changed this poem to "The Man with Bitterness", which was wordy and boring, but it was unnecessary. Generally speaking, Yin Yun's adaptation is the best, with higher conception, better writing style and greatly enhanced interest. Think about it, how interesting and sympathetic a bug with red eyes, ears, nose, mouth and teeth is! Moreover, this is also a very "reasonable" bug: the whole body is red, which is obviously formed by blood coagulation, implying that the emperor is murderous (not necessarily Qin Shihuang); With eyes and ears, you can see and hear (as if all you hear are atrocities); If you have a mouth and teeth, you can sigh, talk (except "strange", you can know the depth of resentment) and drink. However, the book Biography of Dong Fangshuo simplifies "the leader's teeth and ears know everything" to "the leader's mouth and teeth know everything". Although the word "mouth" is added, it is redundant: if the mouth does not exist, why can the teeth be attached? Maybe that's not what the original text says. The ending way of "drinking and selling oneself" in the annals of the county is simple, memorable and romantic. "Taking insects into wine" in Yin Yun's novels is really a snake's foot, making it look like soaking medicinal liquor, but it would be foolish to use it in Dong Fangshuo Biezhuan. In the Biography of Dong Fangshuo, there is also originality, that is, the ending is "giving a hundred silks and new moons, and then returning to the car to hold wine, for this reason", which is a bit interesting.