As a poor scholar, just because of his good handwriting, he soon became Kangxi's confidant minister after being recommended-this was the first surprise.
Every time Kangxi went out, he would never forget to take Gao Shiqi with him. They are almost inseparable and talk about everything. They are called monarchs and ministers, and they are the same teachers and friends-this is the second miracle.
Gao Shiqi used money to buy the service personnel around Kangxi, publicly and semi-publicly obtained his daily life and work information, and then fraudulently resold it, but Kangxi let it run amok-this is the third wonder.
Even though Gao Shiqi broke the law and committed a crime, Kangxi was bent on perfection and protection-this is the fourth miracle.
After Kangxi was impeached and dismissed from office, he was still very kind to Gao Shiqi, full of sincere love and care-this is the fifth miracle.
Before Gao Shiqi retired, Kangxi not only promoted him to a higher rank, but also promoted him to a real position a few years after his retirement, which is really rare in history-this is the sixth miracle.
Gao Shiqi's residence became the government's second intelligence station or the government's second office. Kangxi was deaf and blind, but he never cared-this is the seventh wonder.
The evaluation of Gao Shiqi in history is not only mixed, but also mixed-this is another wonder.
one
Gao Shiqi, a native of Jiangcun, was born in Yuyao, Zhejiang and Qiantang River. Kangxi entered imperial academy in the 10th year (167 1), and stayed in imperial academy to serve the imperial palace after the trial, which was favored by Kangxi.
Gao Shiqi can get in touch with Kangxi. The second volume of Exposed Miscellanies, the eighth volume of Xiao Ting Miscellanies, and the Biography of Gao Shiqi in the Qing Dynasty were all recommended by the great scholar Pearl. According to these books, when Gao Shiqi was young, he came to Beijing with a load of bedding to look for opportunities, just like wage earners today. The first job he found was teaching at a janitor's house in the Pearl House. On one occasion, Mingzhu wanted to write some important letters and was eager to send them, but she couldn't find a suitable writer at the moment. Gao Shiqi's master, the doorman, recommended Gao Shiqi. It was when she was eager to hire someone that Pearl agreed without asking. Pearl confessed a few words simply, but Gao Shiqi just ignored them. Pearl was very satisfied, so she left Gao Shiqi and went to her home to be a secretary in charge, that is, a secretary. Later, Pearl recommended Gao Shiqi to Kangxi. Since then, Gao Shiqi has a pleasant journey and a successful career.
Wang's Essay on the Western Expedition has different views on the history of its rise. It is said that there is an official named Zuzeshen. Although he is cunning and violent, he is good at fortune telling. One day, he passed the Guobao Temple and saw Gao Shiqi, who lived in Beijing, setting up a stall in front of the temple to sell words, so he stopped to look at it. He first read Gao Shiqi's handwriting, and then he focused on Gao Shiqi, because he found Gao Shiqi's appearance unusual. After studying for a long time, Zuzeshen couldn't help saying to him: Look at your appearance, you should be either rich or expensive. How can you sit here and sell words for a living? Hearing this, Gao Shiqi couldn't help crying: Thank you for your kind words. I am so poor that I worry about starving to death every day. How dare I dream of being rich? Zuzeshen said: You can't underestimate yourself so much. From the point of view of phase method, you can be a prime minister. Even if there is no position of prime minister, there is also the right of prime minister. Say that finish, Gao Shiqi brought home delicious food to raise up. Soon ZuZeShen will go to other places to be an official. There was a personal servant in the demand chart of college students looking for someone who could write and calculate, so Zuzeshen recommended Gao Shiqi to him. Scholars are generally lofty, and rarely want to be slaves of slaves, but where is the lofty Shi Qi who relies on others? He thought that the Prime Minister's family was a seven-rank official. Besides, Suoetu was a noble family with great momentum, and he could make a living with his trusted slaves. Since then, his luck has changed, and no one knows it, so he readily agrees.
It's time to go to Gao Shiqi. The slave quickly took bribes and was so nervous that he had to find someone to discuss countermeasures. Everyone advised him to hold on and not admit it even if he was killed. Gao Shiqi said to him: Your master has always regarded you as a bosom friend. A man should be honest and loyal. How dare you cheat him? All you have to do is cry bitterly and say that you have been possessed for a while and failed to live up to your master's cultivation, and you will certainly get his forgiveness. If you don't admit it, I'm afraid you will be tortured to death; If you can't stand the torture and don't admit it, you can only be buried alive. The slave listened to the truth and did so, and he was forgiven by Soto. A few days later, the more Mr. Tu Tu thought about it, the more strange it became: the deepest shortcoming of human nature is that he never admits his mistake, but there must be a reason why this boy admits his mistake so readily. Q, Gao Shiqi gave him the idea. Tu Tu's name is Gao Shiqi. After meeting and talking, he found that Gao Shiqi was considerate and good at writing, so he left him and became a staff member. After a while, Kangxi wanted to find a scholar as a consultant, but Suo Tuotu hesitated to recommend Gao Shiqi. Just when Zuze came to see him, he said to Suoetu, I think this person's face will be a very important person in the future. The slave quickly echoed and said, "This master is very honest and will not live up to his master's great kindness. The last time he taught me to confess, I knew he was a good man. " . In this way, the VIP recommended Gao Shiqi to Kangxi. In less than a year, Gao Shiqi came to power.
Judging from these records, it seems that Gao Shiqi was born in a humble family, and he did not become famous. He was able to enter the official career and was known by Kangxi. It's all karma. It was recommended by others. There is no doubt about it. It doesn't matter whether the referee is a pearl or a demand map. However, judging from the miscellaneous notes and other books, which were written in the second year of Yongzheng (1724), its records seem to be more credible, because after all, it was recorded by people at that time, and this kind of oral record is naturally more credible than the words written by later generations relying on indirect information. Of course, words deliberately forged under the pressure of the situation or other factors should be another matter. In addition, judging from the different attitudes of Mingzhu and Soto towards Gao Shiqi, Gao Shiqi is more likely to be recommended by Soto.
It may be exaggerated to say that Gao Shiqi came to power after working beside Kangxi for less than a year, but it is true that he will soon become a celebrity in front of Kangxi.
This can't help but mention the institution of South Study Room.
The south study room was originally Kangxi's own study room. In the sixteenth year of Kangxi (1677) 10, Kangxi said to Zhu and others: I read and write all the time, but there is no learned person around me. If I have a question, I can't discuss it. You can choose one or two people with good knowledge from the existing Hanlin. They are always around and pay attention to literature and meaning. In order to facilitate their work, we arranged for them to stay in the university. Besides, people with good writing like Gao Shiqi also choose one or two to come in. Soon, Kangxi ordered Brinton and Gao Shiqi to work in the southern study.
From Kangxi's above-mentioned speech, we can know that Gao Shiqi was appreciated by Kangxi because of his beautiful handwriting, and personally invited him into the south study. On the surface, Kangxi added an official to the south study room, mainly explaining classics and history, reciting poems and writing poems, and copying literature and classics. It belongs to the nature of the emperor's literary attendants, but the actual situation is not entirely the case. Zhao Yi said: There is no military department in fashion, and all the imperial edicts written belong to the minister of the South Study, but they are not specialized in painting, calligraphy and poetry. Land is kind and power is respected more and more. That is to say, the officials in the Southern Study Room also have a very important duty, that is, to draft imperial edicts and write imperial edicts according to the will of the emperor, which is actually transplanting part of the power of the Cabinet to the Southern Study Room.
Kangxi had a close relationship with officials in the South Study Room. In addition to close contact at work, Kangxi often enjoyed flowers and fished with all the teachers of the law, and analyzed the classics, just like fellow teachers and friends (Volume 1 of Xiao Ting's Continued Record). One year, Wutai Mountain presented a fungus called smallpox to the palace. Kangxi thought it was delicious and rare, so he specially sent people to the south study room to let them know about the famous mountains and customs (Volume II of I Talk about Red North). It is more common to reward officials in the south study room with fruits, tea, wine and other items.
Gao Shiqi went to the south study twice, once from the 16th to 27th year of Kangxi, and once from the 33rd to 36th year of Kangxi, which lasted for 14 or 15 years. This period of time is not only the most difficult day for Gao Shiqi, but also the most fulfilling and glorious one for him. According to various documents, Gao Shiqi went out early and returned late every day during his work in the South Study Room. Once there is a task in hand, or Kangxi asks him to discuss things or problems, it is common to go home late at night. Sometimes it's too late to get off work, and martial law has long been imposed on the road. Kangxi ordered the guards to escort him home. During this period, Kangxi always took Gao Shiqi abroad, and he and Gao Shiqi seemed inseparable for a moment. It can be seen that the relationship between them is so special and intimate; To outsiders, it is self-evident how beautiful Gao Shiqi is.
Kangxi could not live without Gao Shiqi. It is hard to believe that Gao Shiqi's work is so important that others can't replace it. There must be other reasons. Let's take a look at some anecdotes left by Gao Shiqi during his several southern tours.
One year, Kangxi made a southern tour to Lingyin Temple in Hangzhou. Seeing that the emperor was in a good mood, the abbot led the monks to kneel before Kangxi and begged him to write a plaque for Lingyin Temple. Kangxi always likes dancing and writing, so naturally he won't refuse this strong request from monks. But that day, he was so excited that he wrote the word rain on the traditional Chinese characters too big with a wave of his hand, and the three mouths side by side in the middle and the witch below could hardly write it. When Gao Shiqi saw this, he immediately understood that Kangxi was in trouble, so he quickly wrote down the word Lin Er-er on his palm, then pretended to go up and grind ink, quietly spread out his palm, and deliberately showed it to Kangxi. With this clever reminder, Kangxi also made a mistake and wrote the word "Erh Lin". Lingyin Temple also has an alias Lin Temple, which is how it came about. Later, although Hangzhou people didn't buy it, they still privately called this temple Lingyin Temple, but this plaque inscribed by Kangxi is still hanging above the gate of Lingyin Temple.
Jinshan is located on the bank of the Yangtze River near Zhenjiang City. The mountains, water and sky are magnificent and have the reputation of being the first in the south of the Yangtze River. On one occasion, Kangxi came to visit Jinshan Temple, climbed high and overlooked, and did not return to the river to meet the water and the sky. He is very happy. Monks in the temple know that the emperor has a hobby of writing poems and leaving messages everywhere, so they earnestly hope that the emperor can leave a piece of Mo Bao, just like their counterparts in Lingyin Temple. Because this inscription was an off-agenda requirement, the entourage didn't communicate well with the local authorities in advance, so Kangxi thought for a long time and couldn't decide what to write. See Kangxi embarrassed, Gao Shiqi immediately handed me a piece of paper, Kangxi opened it on see, turned out to be Jiang Tianyi color four words. A word reminded the dreamer that Kangxi immediately wrote these four words on the rice paper. It is said that Kangxi was very happy after being reminded in time by Gao Shiqi, so he was particularly refreshed when he wrote four words of Jiang Tianyi. As a result, compared with other inscriptions, these four words are particularly energetic (Volume 8 of Xiao Ting Miscellanies says that Kangxi's inscription is Jiang Tianyi).
On another occasion, Kangxi climbed Mount Tai and stood in the middle of a slant hall with the University Pearl and Gao Shiqi. When Kangxi was in a good mood, he smiled and asked two close ministers around him: How are we today? Pearl answered: Three Official Bodhisattvas. Gao Shiqi immediately knelt before Kangxi and shouted, "Brilliant! Pearl was surprised and ashamed, and the sweat on her forehead was scared out. Why is this happening? It turned out that after Gao Shiqi discovered it, Pearl soon remembered: "A perfect match with heaven" comes from The Doctrine of the Mean, one of the four books. The upper and lower sentences are "compatible with the richness of the land, and the long history has no borders". Together, they mean: broad and profound, which can match the earth that carries everything; Tall and bright, worthy of the sky that covers everything; For a long time, it can be as boundless as the world where everything is created. Just as the name of the pearl is Gao, the emperor is also commonly known as the son of heaven and, naturally, it is a pun and has far-reaching significance. Pearl is ignorant and has no self-knowledge. She is not only equal to the emperor, but also calls herself a bodhisattva. After listening to Gao Shiqi's clever answer, he will naturally feel ashamed and jumpy.
Gao Shiqi is not a first-class calligrapher, but his calligraphy is beautiful. It is certain that Kangxi likes the documents and classics he copied. In the early Qing dynasty, printing was not developed, and documents issued by the court and the government could not be printed and copied as they are now, but were distributed by manual copying. After Gao Shiqi entered the palace for a long time, his main job was copying and writing. He writes well and works hard, so the emperor will naturally like him. Besides, Gao Shiqi is also a good painter, especially his landscape paintings, which are elegant and exquisite.
Kangxi once said to his attendants: when I was just studying, the internal reference supervisor gave me four books as essays; Only by being curious can we know the path of learning. When I first saw the poems of the ancients, I could know their times at a glance, but I felt different. After a while, I can do it. Scholars have no meritorious military service, so I treat them with kindness, and if they learn well, they will become officials (Biography of Gao Shiqi, Draft of the Qing Dynasty). Gao Shiqi, ten years older than Kangxi, undoubtedly became the guide for Kangxi to enter the sea of learning.
In addition, Gao Shiqi was studious, well-read, devoted to research and diligent in writing all his life. His works are included in Sikuquanshu, including Chronicle of Zuo Zhuan, Textual Research on Place Names in the Spring and Autumn Period and Supplement to Three-body Tang Poetry. There are five books listed in the four major inventories, such as The Language of Pilgrim's Road and Notes of Saibei. Other works include reading notes, Yuan Xi Ji and Jin Jing's manuscripts.
Gao Shiqi's works are composed of three parts: poetry anthology, account of Kangxi's activities and academic works, which are rich in variety and dazzling. Among them, academic works are divided into two categories, one is Zuo Zhuan in the Spring and Autumn Period, and the other is Tang poetry. Gao Shiqi's academic works are highly appraised in the Catalogue of Sikuquanshu. After the founding of New China, Zhonghua Book Company published the school-based Chronicle of Zuo Zhuan, which shows that its academic value has been recognized by contemporary historians.
Gao Shiqi is also a first-class connoisseur and collector of calligraphy and painting. People who collected in the early Qing dynasty all had the saying of three villages. The so-called "Three Villages" means that three collectors each have a village in the font size, namely Tang Village of Liang Qingbiao, Lushan Village of Angel and Jiangcun Village of Gao Shiqi. Liangtang Village and Anlu Village are famous for their rich and exquisite collections, and Gaojiang Village is famous for its superb appreciation level. The sound price of all the works that have been appreciated by its eyes has increased tenfold. Such skills are amazing.
Gao Shiqi's knowledge is not profound, but it is indeed extensive; Although it can't be called everyone, it is worthy of the title of saint. Kangxi was a man with wide interests and a strong thirst for knowledge. He has studied for decades, and his learning content is all-encompassing and very extensive. He wants to learn astronomy, geography, Confucian classics, poetry, history, mathematics and modern western natural science, and he has indeed made great efforts in all aspects. Finally, although he has more than he can chew, he often dabbles in it, but if he doesn't talk about it in the learning process.
Gao Shiqi not only kept his office hours in close contact with Kangxi, but also tried to understand what Kangxi did after work, who he met and what he said. He was particularly interested in what books Kangxi read eight hours later. Therefore, when going out from home every day, Gao Shiqi will fill a bag of golden beans. At work, he will find Kangxi's personal eunuch and inquire about Kangxi's daily life and work information in detail. Every time the eunuch provides a valuable piece of information, Gao Shiqi will give him a golden bean, and he will give it when he says, and often there will be no bag of golden beans left when he goes to work at night.
Because Gao Shiqi knew all about Kangxi's emotions, likes and dislikes, and knew all about Kangxi's words and deeds, including carefully previewing the books that Kangxi had read in advance. No matter what Kangxi asked him, even some obscure books, Gao Shiqi could answer them one by one, which deeply attracted me. Kangxi admired Gao's profound knowledge and felt that they could talk about too many topics. Therefore, Volume 11 of Two Notes on Lang Qian says: Among courtiers, liberal arts can be compared with Taoism, while Mohist is amazing.