Wuyue culture cannot be separated. During the long historical period in the past, Wu and Yue belonged to one family. For thousands of years, they lived in the same area with no geographical barriers. They all used the same language, had the same living habits, and belonged to the same race and descent. They are the same, of course it is difficult to distinguish them from each other. They also belong to the same race and have the same bloodline, so it is of course difficult to distinguish them from each other. The only exception is that in politics there are often divisions and reunions, that's all. Of course, due to thousands of years of political disputes, large-scale population movements have often occurred (such as the fall of the Western Jin Dynasty, when northern families and refugees moved southward; the fall of the Northern Song Dynasty, a similar situation), and at this time, certain "foreign cultures" will be brought. Such as "Central Plains Culture", "Qilu Culture", etc. As a result of interaction and integration, the cultural connotation will be richer. It may be called a mixed culture, which is actually "Jiangnan Culture".
The first issue - the Wuyue era at the end of the Spring and Autumn Period. According to historical records, the State of Wu was founded by Taibo at the end of the Shang Dynasty in the 12th century BC. However, there are no records of the activities of the State of Wu in the history books in the following hundreds of years. Until after the 6th century BC. The exact date of Wu Guocai can be found. By the time of King Helu of Wu from 514 to 496 BC, the state of Wu was assisted by Chu minister Wu Zixu and Qi state Sun Wuzi, and defeated Chu Qi and became a hegemon in the south. In the future, he would also send his army northward to dominate the Central Plains.
As for the history of Yue, more detailed records were only available in the 6th century BC. At that time, the Chu State adopted the policy of "alliance with Vietnam to control Wu", causing Wu and Yue to attack each other. At that time, the famous King Helu of Wu was injured and died in a battle against Yue. On his deathbed, he asked his son Fucha to take revenge. Fu Chai lived up to his father's orders and conquered the Yue King Gou Jian one day, and then sent his army north to fight for hegemony in the Central Plains. Next, Gou Jian, the king of Yue, "suffered hardships and was determined to take revenge". After "ten years of gathering and ten years of lessons", he finally destroyed the Wu Kingdom. Forced Fu Chai to commit suicide. Gou Jian, King of Yue, also dominated the Central Plains. This touching history has wonderful records in history books. At this time, a series of heroes and beauties appeared on the historical stage of Wu and Yue, including Helu, Fucha, Wu Zixu, Sun Wuzi, Goujian, Wen Zhong, Fan Li, Xishi, etc. This piece of history is still well-known today, more than two years later.
As for culture, the most representative classic work that appeared during this period was "The Art of War". Sun Wuzi was a native of Qi, and was recommended to King Helu of Wu by Wu Zixu. Wu Zixu and Sun Wuzi assisted Helu and Fucha, father and son, for two generations. They won every battle and dominated the Central Plains, bringing the power of Wu to its peak. Later, Wu Zixu was unjustly killed by Fu Chai, and Sun Wuzi also disappeared. There is no clear explanation in the history books. After losing its famous generals, Wu was also destroyed by Yue King Goujian in 473 BC. "The Art of War" was completed 2,500 years ago and is a globally recognized sacred text on military science. Is this considered part of Wuyue culture? Sun Wu himself was from Qi, which is today's Shandong. However, "Sun Tzu's Art of War" was experimented in Wu and Yue. Therefore, it may be said to be a "mixed culture"! also. There is another important figure, his words and deeds. This person had a strong influence on later generations, and this person was Fan Li, the prime minister of King Goujian of Yue. Without Fan Li's assistance, Gou Jian might not be able to avenge Fu Chai. But after the Wu was destroyed, Fan Li disappeared far away and went to Shandong to do business. He settled in Tao, Shandong, and later generations called him Tao Zhugong. Before Fan Li left, he wrote to another minister, Wen Zhong, thinking that Gou Jian "can deal with adversity, but not wealth", and advised Wen Zhong to retire together. His literary talent persisted, and he was eventually killed by Gou Jian. At that time, Fan Li created a good model that had a great influence on later generations, that is, "retiring after one's achievements". Li Bai, the great poet of the Tang Dynasty, said: "I have observed that since ancient times, sages and sages have always failed in their success." The examples he cited were the unfortunate experiences of brothers Wu Zixu, Qu Yuan, Li Si, Lu Ji, and Lu Yun. Until modern times, Zeng Guofan, a famous official of the ZTE in the Qing Dynasty, disbanded his troops and returned to farming after pacifying the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, setting another example of "retiring after one's achievements"? In terms of place of origin, Fan Li is from Henan, so maybe it should be said to be a mixed culture.
The second issue - the Three Kingdoms period.
At that time, Soochow was really full of talents, both in politics and military affairs. They had very outstanding performance, showing a very high cultural level. Famous figures at that time, such as Sun Quan, Zhou Yu, Lu Su, Zhuge Jin, Lu Meng, Lu Xun, Lu Kang, and Lu Jiyun, plus the prime ministers Zhang Zhao, Gu Yong, etc., are all famous figures in Chinese history. Among them, the following are the military achievements of the famous generals Lu Xun and Lu Hang, the literary achievements of the brothers Lu Ji and Lu Hang, and the outstanding political performance of Prime Minister Gu Yong, which have a profound impact on future generations. . Not all of these people are natives of Wuyue. It can be said to be the prototype of Jiangnan culture.
The third period - the Eastern Jin Dynasty, since Emperor Yuan of Jin established the Eastern Jin Dynasty in Jiangzuo. The ministers around him, such as Director Wang and others, are all from northern families. However, Wu Yue in the south was used as the main base to resist the foreign tribes in the north. It is a remarkable achievement to completely preserve and promote Chinese traditional culture. For example, at that time, the famous scholar Xie An, who was "living high in Dongshan", lived in Shangyu next to Shaoxing. A famous scholar who retired to the mountains and forests, once he came out of the mountains, he was able to fight a vigorous battle of Feishui and save half of the country in the southeast. It is really admirable. Another example is the calligraphy achievements of the father and son Wang Xizhi and Wang Xianzhi, the calligraphy sages, which can be said to be unparalleled in ancient and modern times. As for the achievements of the Xie Lingyun family in poetry, they all occupy a considerable position in the history of Chinese literature, and even Li Bai deeply admires them. It can be seen that the sons of Wang and Xie are not only good at fighting the Feishui battle, but also have a literary and romantic side. Their ancestral home is not in Wuyue, but they grew up or were born in Wuyue. Their brilliant achievements may be said to be typical of "Jiangnan culture". The so-called "Wei and Jin Dynasties" means that Jiangnan culture has shone brightly in Chinese history
The fourth period - the Wuyue period when the Five Dynasties ended the Tang Dynasty. As mentioned before, the Yue State established by Qian Mu at the end of the Tang Dynasty maintained its name until the Qian Mu era, when it peacefully submitted to Song Taizu, and its descendants could enjoy eternal blessings, ending in a comedy.
The fifth issue - the Southern Song Dynasty. If we count from the Northern Song Dynasty, then there is a historical celebrity named Fan Wenzhenggong (Fan Zhongyan) who was born in Suzhou and cannot be ignored. Fan Zhongyan was not only a great politician and military strategist. He is also a great writer. Try reading his "Yueyang Tower". His literary talent is enough to shake your soul. In particular, his work "The Proud Fisherman" (The scenery under the fortress is strange in autumn) is enough to make him an immortal figure in the history of Chinese literature.
Lu You of the Southern Song Dynasty was another great poet. He is from Shaoxing and is a true representative of "Jiangnan culture". However, he has been an official in Shu for a long time and loves the local customs of Shu. Therefore, he titled his poem "Jiannan Poetry Draft". This may be said to be a "mixed culture", right? Lu You's famous work: "When you die, you know that everything will be in vain, but you will not see the same sadness as all the nine states. The king's army will set the day of the Central Plains in the north, and don't forget to tell Nai Weng when making family sacrifices."
Another poem by Lu You better expresses his complicated feelings about returning home from Western Shu. He lived in Shu for a long time, but later he was suddenly ordered to return to Beijing. Where is "京"? In his hometown Lin'an (Hangzhou). At this time, he felt a little uneasy. On the one hand, he was reluctant to leave Chengdu, where he had lived for a long time. On the other hand, he had been away from his hometown for a long time. He was really "a young man who left home and returned home". He was afraid that he would not recognize many relatives and friends when he returned. Let's take a look at this song "Nanxiangzi": I send my dream to Wu Cao, and the journey to the river is long. I want to see the cables being tied up in Fangzhou at the beginning, the setting sun, and the scattered smoke and trees recognizing Wuchang. Worry needs to be sprinkled with fresh frost, which was once the imperial robe dyed with royal fragrance. It’s desolate to be reunited with the old and young in my hometown, but I’m afraid that a foreign country is better than my hometown! This poem depicts the psychology in detail, "the whole poem has a beautiful artistic conception, picturesque scenery, euphemism, clearness, and infinite sadness." Today. Many people among the "second generation from other provinces" living in Taiwan also feel this way.
Lin Tong (Mr. Lin Hejing), another great poet in the Southern Song Dynasty, was born in Hangzhou. He has lived in seclusion in the lonely mountain of West Lake for a long time, staying with nature and not caring about worldly affairs. "The wife plums and cranes" has been passed down as a beautiful story through the ages. His words are graceful, elegant, and distant in style. It can be said that "the writing is just like the person". His poem "Song of Love" blends the infinite resentment of the farewell woman into the scenery of Daqiran. It is really graceful. This is the most touching aspect of "Jiangnan Culture".
Issue 6 - Modern and Modern Times.
As mentioned before, in terms of political revolution and ideological and cultural innovation in modern times, the South was the locomotive, driving the Chinese people forward and creating a new era that shocked the world, and Jiangnan played an almost critical role in it. Yes, just look at the changes in Shanghai, Suzhou, and Hangzhou over the past hundred years.
Suzhou and Hangzhou refer to Suzhou and Hangzhou, representing the south of the Yangtze River and are praised by the Chinese people.
Guowei and Lu Xun. Wang Guowei was from Haining, Zhejiang Province, and Lu Xun was from Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province. They were both from Wuyue. Wang Guowei was not only a master of history, but also a master of literary criticism. His research on oracle bone inscriptions has achieved outstanding results. In terms of literary criticism, although he only has a thin "Human Words", it is an immortal masterpiece. Lu Xun was a fearless warrior who would "scream" loudly to awaken China's sleeping soul and would never shrink back.
Jiangnan culture forms a very important part of Chinese history and culture. If someone could sort out the information belonging to Wu and Yue from the vast ancient Chinese classics such as the Twenty-Four Histories, the content would be very impressive.