Two posts, a private letter written by Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty to Crown Prince Li Zhi when he went to Korea. This letter fully expresses Tang Taizong's love for his son and shows the delicate side of this great emperor as a father.
Original text of the work
Twice written by Li Shimin of Tang Dynasty
Twice I got Da Nei 1 book, but I didn’t see slave 2 table 3, ye ye 4 taboo 5 yu heng 6 Death, a short time later, I suddenly received a handwritten letter from a slave, reporting my wife's 7 troubles. I was relieved for a moment, and I wanted to be reborn as if I was dead. Today is over, but my head is windy, and the letter will be reported immediately. If there are few illnesses, they will be reported one by one. Today I got news from Liaodong 8 and sent me a written statement. I remember that the slave wanted to die, but I don’t know how to make him return it. Yeah yeah, edict 10.
Annotated translation
Word annotation
1. Da Nei: The imperial palace in the Tang Dynasty was called "Da Nei", and the semantic scope was uncertain, sometimes including the prince. East Palace, Forbidden Garden, etc. sometimes only refer to the palace where the emperor lives.
2. Nu: The abbreviation of parents’ nickname for their children, Li Zhi, the nickname is Zhinu
3. Table: A memorial from a minister to the monarch
4 .Yeye: father
5. Taboo: worry
6. Heng: often
7. Niangzi: a general term for a girl or woman
< p>8. Liaodong news: It is an important military matter with a high level of confidentiality. Liaodong refers to Goguryeo, a country in the early Tang Dynasty that occupied three provinces in present-day East China and the North Korean Peninsula.9. Letters: important letters
10. Imperial decrees: special words for the emperor
Vernacular translation
I have received the imperial edict twice I have sent documents from within, but I still haven’t seen your letter from Zhinu. Dad, I'm worried sick. I just suddenly got a handwritten letter from you, Zhinu, saying that my wife is sick. My worries and fears disappeared immediately, as if I had come back from the dead. From now on, if you have a headache, write to me immediately. Dad, if I get sick, I will write to you one by one. I got news from Liaodong (battlefield) today and will give you a copy. I miss you so much, I don’t know when I can go back, that’s all I have to say. Dad, edict.
Creative background
Born to Empress Li Zhi, the eldest grandson of Li Zhi. After the empress passed away, she and her sister Princess Li Mingda of Jinyang were taken and raised by Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty. Therefore, Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty The brother and sister love and care for each other in every possible way.
In the 19th year of Zhenguan (645), Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty went to Goguryeo. When he separated from his son Li Zhi in Dingzhou, the father and son agreed that in order to keep abreast of each other's daily life, Li Zhi would often write letters of greetings. (Feiyi delivers the daily report), and Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty will reply immediately after receiving the letter (delivering the imperial edict). But once, Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty received two memorials from Da Nei, but he still didn't see a letter from his son, so he was extremely anxious. Later, after getting a letter from Li Zhi, he immediately wrote back to express his worries to his son. He also informed him of the situation on the Liaodong battlefield. This letter was posted twice.
Appreciation of works
Tang Taizong was a relatively outgoing emperor, and his relationship with Zhenguan officials has always been praised. This "Two Posts" also reveals the delicate relationship between him and Li Zhi and his son.
At the beginning of this article, I wrote that I was very worried because I had not received a letter from my son for a long time. The words "Afraid of eternal death" vividly portrays a father's worry about the safety of his beloved son. It is also a natural expression of the author's feelings. In the second chapter, he writes about his peace of mind after receiving the letter. The phrase "anxiety suddenly relieved" shows the change in the author's heart from worry and anxiety to peace of mind. From the lines, you can feel the author's heart-broken feeling at the moment of receiving the letter. The subsequent "rebirth from death" deepened this emotional change. After the author calmed down, he naturally began to care for his children as a father, telling his son to write a letter immediately if he was sick. It can be seen that the shadow of not receiving letters for a long time has not completely dissipated in the author's heart. It can be seen from this point that this is a very ordinary letter from home. Everywhere in the letter, a father's care for his distant son is reflected.
The fact that the author is Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty makes this letter even more unique and attracts more attention. Su Shi, a litterateur of the Song Dynasty, once commented in his "Tie to Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty" that "Taizong was so generous and violent that when it came to his wife and children, there was a saying of 'avoiding the death of both desires and desires', which is bound to the lover." It can be said that this article is colloquial. The letter completely faded away the majestic glory of Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty, but at the same time, it vividly reflected the glory of Tang Taizong's fatherly love for his beloved son Li Zhi. This is also the most precious and shining part of this post.
The calligraphy of Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty is well-known in ancient and modern times for his smooth running script. His cursive calligraphy works, in addition to the "Hot Spring Inscription" and "Jinci Inscription", which can be regarded as imperial masterpieces, are also short pieces that he picks up at random, and they are mostly written with freshness, energy and grace.
The two posts are made of rulers written by Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty. Although the writings on the posts are written by random hands, the stipples and strokes are distinct, the strokes are clear, and the characters are laid out in a mirrored manner. To a certain extent, it embodies the so-called fresh interest of Taizong's calligraphy study by Wang Xizhi. It turns out that in ordinary times, Taizong was so fascinated by Wang Xizhi's calligraphy that he imitated it with all his heart, especially "Lanting Preface" written by Wang Xizhi. He was even more fascinated. Sometimes when he got interested, he would write it in the middle of the night I will put on my clothes and light the lamp, get up and write diligently. It is precisely because of this that his running script is deeply admired by Wang Xizhi for its natural flowing charm and the beauty of mist and dew.
About the author
Li Shimin, Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty, was born in Chengji, Longxi. He was the second son of Tang Emperor Li Yuan and Queen Dou, and the second emperor of the Tang Dynasty. He made great military exploits during the establishment and unification of the Tang Dynasty. After becoming emperor, he actively listened to the opinions of his ministers, governed the world with culture, expanded territory, accepted advice with an open mind, and practiced economy at home. And enabled the people to recuperate and recuperate, finally brought about a situation of peace and prosperity in society, created the famous Zhenguan rule in Chinese history, and laid an important foundation for the subsequent prosperity of the Tang Dynasty for more than a hundred years.
On July 10, 649 AD (the twenty-third year of Zhenguan), Li Shimin, Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty, died of illness in Hanfeng Hall at the age of fifty-two. He reigned for twenty-three years, and the temple was named Taizong. Buried in Zhaoling. Li Shimin loved literature and calligraphy, and his calligraphy treasures have been handed down from generation to generation.