Explanation: In the old days, it was believed that the quality of calligraphy was related to the character of the calligrapher. The characters written with a positive heart would be correct.
Source: "Old Tang Book·Liu Gongquan Biography" by Zhao Ying of the Later Jin Dynasty: "Use the pen with the heart in mind, and the heart will be straight and the pen will be straight."
Pinyin: yòng bǐ zài xīn xīn zhèng bǐ zhèng
Allusion: Mu Zong asked Liu Gongquan how to use his pen. Gongquan replied: "Use your pen with your heart in mind, and if your heart is upright, your pen will be correct."
Interpretation: The original meaning is to talk about calligraphy. You should write carefully. As long as your heart is correct, your writing will be good. In fact, it is a metaphor, saying that the emperor must have a right heart and do things that benefit the country and the people. It can also be extended to be a person and do things with a correct heart and a naturally correct behavior.
Extended information:
Original text:
The word "public power" means "Chengxuan". He was fond of learning when he was young, and he was able to write poems at the age of twelve. At the beginning of the Yuan Dynasty, he was promoted to Jinshi and was released as secretary of the provincial school. Li Ting took the town of Xiazhou and appointed him as secretary-general. Mu Zong ascended the throne and started to perform affairs. The emperor summoned him and said to Gongquan: "I saw your handwriting in the Buddhist temple and I have been thinking about it for a long time." That day, he paid homage to You Shiyi and was appointed as a bachelor of imperial calligraphy. He moved to You Bu Que and was granted the title of Yuan Wai Lang. Mu Zong was a secluded man in politics, so he asked Gongquan how good his pen was, and he replied: "Use your pen with your heart in mind, and if your heart is upright, your pen will be correct." When he changed his appearance, he learned that his pen was admonished. He lived through the three dynasties of Mu, Jing and Wen, and served as a bookkeeper.
Gong Chuo wrote a letter to Prime Minister Li Zong in Taiyuan. Min Yun's younger brother worked hard to resign from the previous dynasty and served as a servant in the previous dynasty. Emperor Wenzong thought about it, summoned his servants again, and moved to admonish the officials. He was born in Shushe in the Russian reform period and served as a bachelor of imperial edicts in Hanlin. The six scholars in the Bian Palace spoke respectfully and frugally in Chinese. The emperor held up his sleeves and said, "Three of these are the ones who wash their hands." The scholars all praised the emperor's frugality, but the official was speechless. The emperor stayed and asked, saying: " The master should advance the virtuous, and should retreat unfaithfully, accept admonitions, and clearly reward and punish him. It is Xiaojieer who wears Huanzhuo's clothes. "At that time, Zhou Qi was in the same position, and he was trembling with fear, and he could not take away his public power.
The emperor said to him: "I know very well that others will not cooperate in admonishment. I use your words as a critic of ministers, but I am given the title of admonishing a senior official." In the third year of Kaicheng's reign, he was transferred to the Minister of Works. Tasting the answer, the emperor asked: "How are the recent foreign discussions?" Gongquan said to him: "Since Guo Min appointed Ying Ning, there have been quite a few opinions on matters." The emperor said: "Min, Ji's father, the Empress Dowager, has no official position. "Since General Jinwu granted the small town of Ping Ning, what is there to discuss?" Gongquan said, "It is appropriate to use Min's virtues to eliminate the town. If you want to discuss favors, I would like to express my gratitude to the two women who entered the palace." "Do you believe it?"
The emperor said: "The two women entered the palace to join the Queen Mother, and they were not sacrifices." Gongquan said: "Why is the suspicion of melon and plum known to everyone?" In the story of the princess, the emperor immediately ordered Zhang Rihua, the envoy of Nan Nei, to send the two daughters back to Min. Public power, loyal words and benefits are all of this kind.
Translation:
Liu Gongquan’s courtesy name is Chengxuan. He has loved studying since he was a child and was able to write poems and poems at the age of twelve. In the early years of Yuanhe, he passed the imperial examination and became a secretary and provincial school secretary. Li Ting guarded Xiazhou and recruited him as secretary-general. When Muzong of the Tang Dynasty came to the throne, Liu Gongquan came to the court to report political affairs. When Muzong summoned him, he said to Liu Gongquan: "I saw your handwriting in the Buddhist temple and missed it for a long time." He was a bachelor's degree scholar in the Imperial Academy, and was later promoted to Youbu Que and Si Feng Yuanwai Lang. Emperor Muzong of the Tang Dynasty, who was not engaged in political affairs, once asked Liu Gongquan how to use the pen to perfection. Liu Gongquan replied: "Using the pen depends on the intention. If the heart is correct, the writing method will be correct." The emperor's face changed, knowing that Liu Gongquan was using the principle of the pen to persuade. admonish. Liu Gongquan experienced the three dynasties of Mu Zong, Jingzong and Wenzong, and served as a clerk in the palace.
His brother Liu Gongchuo, who was serving in Taiyuan, wrote to Prime Minister Li Zongmin: "My brother studied articles and calligraphy painstakingly, and the previous dynasty appointed him as a clerk. This position is not the same as that of a divination clerk. What's the difference? I'm really ashamed of this. Please give him an idle position." So he was promoted to Youji Langzhong. Emperor Wenzong missed him, so he called him to serve as a secretary and was promoted to a doctor of admonishment. Soon he was changed to Zhongshu Sheren and served as a scholar of Hanlin edicts.
Once Wenzong summoned six bachelors in the side hall and talked about Emperor Wen of the Han Dynasty's frugality. Wenzong raised his sleeves and said: "This dress has been washed three times.
"The scholars all praised the emperor's frugal character. Only Liu Gongquan remained silent. The emperor asked him why. He replied: "A monarch should recruit virtuous people, demote unworthy ones, accept advice, and be strict in rewards and punishments.
As for wearing washed clothes, that’s just a small detail. " At that time, Zhou Chi answered correctly and was afraid for him, but the momentum of Liu Gongquan's words did not change. The emperor said to Liu Gongquan: "I have always thought that Shiren is not suitable for admonishment, because you have the demeanor of admonishing an minister when you talk about things. You should be an admonishing doctor. "In the third year of Kaicheng's reign, Liu Gongquan was transferred to the position of Minister of the Ministry of Works.
Liu Gongquan once went to the court to answer questions. The emperor said to him: "What are you talking about outside recently? Liu Gongquan replied: "Since Guo Min was appointed as the military envoy of Xingning, public opinion has been quite positive and negative." The emperor said: "Guo Min is the uncle of the Empress Dowager, and he has no fault in his position. From General Jinwu to a small military envoy to Xingning, what is there to discuss?" Liu Gongquan said: "Based on Guo Min's merits and virtues, it is appropriate to appoint him as the governor."
People are saying that Guo Min got this official position because he dedicated his two daughters to the palace. Is this true? The emperor said: "His two daughters came to the palace to visit the Queen Mother, not to offer gifts." Liu Gongquan said: "How can every household know about this kind of suspicion?" " He took the opportunity to cite the precedent of Wang Gui persuading Taizong to send Princess Lujiang out of the palace (to illustrate the benefits). The emperor immediately sent Zhang Rihua, the envoy to the south, to send Guo Min's two daughters back to Guo Min's house. Liu Gongquan Zhongzhong said that he could correct the situation, and most of them were similar to this incident. .