Su Xun
"Su Laoquan, after winning seventeen, began to work hard and read books." This is a story in the "Three Character Classic" that was widely circulated among Chinese people in the past. It is about the youth of Su Xun, a great writer in the Northern Song Dynasty and the author of "Theory of Six Kingdoms".
It is said that when Su Xun was young, he did not study hard and spent his days in a muddle. He often raced horses and traveled with a group of "foolish friends". . After studying for more than a year, I thought I was ready, so I went to take the Jinshi exam, but I failed. This made him realize that learning is not easy, and you have to work hard to get results. From then on, he declined guests and studied behind closed doors, working day and night without letting go of the scroll. After studying so hard for five or six years, my literary talent finally improved greatly, and I could write thousands of words in an instant as if I was inspired.
In the first year of Renzong Jiayou's reign, he led Su Shi and Su Che to Bianjing to pay a visit to Ouyang Xiu, a Hanlin scholar. Ouyang Xiu admired his "Book of Quan", "Lun of Heng", "Several Strategies" and other articles, and thought they were comparable to those of Jia Yi and Liu Xiang, so he recommended them to the court. At that time, officials and officials rushed to recite it, and its reputation became very popular. In the third year of Jiayou's reign, Renzong summoned him to take the examination in Sherenyuan, but he refused to answer the call because he was ill. In the fifth year of Jiayou's reign (52 years old), he was appointed as Secretary and Provincial Secretary.
I took the Adult College Entrance Examination at the age of 27 and started formal studies. Now I am determined to take the postgraduate entrance examination in the School of History. Every time I learn something painful, I use Su Xun to encourage myself. I also hope that those friends who are older and have poor foundation but are ambitious will not give up on themselves.
Qi Baishi
This famous art master in the modern Chinese painting world also started late and had a poor foundation. Qi Baishi grew up in a poor family and had been farming for generations. He only attended a private school with his grandfather before he was 12 years old. He cut firewood, herded cattle, farmed, and did all kinds of work. He learned carpentry at the age of 12 and carving at the age of 15 to earn money to support his family. He only started to learn painting formally when he was 27 years old. At this time, no one, not even him, would have thought that he would become a master and receive a series of honors in the future.
It's hard to say when Qi Baishi could be called "Cheng". I think he was already famous when he was a young and middle-aged man, but what is certain is that he began to make bold breakthroughs after the age of 56. He became famous after changing his painting style.
In 1949, he was elected as a member of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles and a member of the All-China Artists Association. In 1952, he was appointed as honorary professor of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, chairman of the Chinese Artists Association, research librarian of the Central Museum of Literature and History, chairman of the Beijing Chinese Painting Research Association, and honorary president of the Beijing Chinese Painting Academy. He was elected as a deputy to the first National People's Congress. In 1953, he was awarded the title of "People's Artist" by the Central Ministry of Culture. In 1955, he was awarded the honorary certificate of "Corresponding Academician" by the German Democratic Republic and the Chinese Academy of Arts and Sciences. In 1956, he won the 1955 International Peace Prize from the World Peace Council. In 1957, he served as the honorary president of the Chinese Painting Academy in Beijing and passed away on September 16 of the same year. He died at the age of 95.
Huang Zhong
Huang Zhong appeared late in the Three Kingdoms and became famous very late, but I think he might have been a little famous when he was young, but It is true that he became famous after following Liu Bei when he got old, especially in the battle of Dingjun Mountain, where he killed the famous general Xia Houyuan and shocked the world. His ability to be named the rear general by Liu Bei may also have a lot to do with this battle.
Huang Zhong had been serving Liu Biao of Jingzhou when he was young. He was appointed by Liu Biao as Zhonglang General and stationed in You County, Changsha (today's You County, Zhuzhou, Hunan, Huwen's hometown) with Liu Biao's nephew Liu Pan in 208 AD. In 1999, Cao Cao occupied Jingzhou and temporarily appointed him as General Pi. He was stationed at the same place and belonged to Han Xuan, the prefect of Changsha. In 209 AD, Liu Bei attacked various counties in Jingzhou and occupied Changsha, Lingling, Guiyang, Wuling and other places. Huang Zhong surrendered to Liu Bei. In 211 AD (age 64), Huang Zhong followed Liu Bei to Sichuan and fought in Yizhou. He performed outstandingly and won the three armies bravely. After pacifying Yizhou, Liu Bei named him the general against the captives. In 219 AD (72 years old), Liu Bei attacked Dingjun Mountain in Hanzhong. Huang Zhong killed Wei's experienced guard Xiahou Yuan in one battle. Cao's army was defeated miserably, and Huang Zhong became famous ever since. Later Huang Zhong was promoted to the general of Zhengxi. In 219 AD, Liu Bei established himself as the King of Hanzhong and appointed Huang Zhong as his general. In 220 AD, Huang Zhong died of illness at the age of 73 and was posthumously named Ganghou.
Wu Chengen
Wu Chengen has actually been famous in his hometown since he was a child. He was diligent and studious when he was a child, and he could remember ten lines at a glance.
He is good at painting and calligraphy. He likes to write lyrics and music. He is also proficient in Go. He also likes to collect calligraphy and painting stickers of famous people. As a boy, he became famous in his hometown for his outstanding literary talent. However, his famous work "Journey to the West" was written very late.
He was born into a family where an academic official became a businessman, and his family was poor. Wu Cheng'en was extremely smart since he was a child. "Huai'an Prefecture Chronicles" records that he was "sensitive and intelligent, well-versed in books, and wrote poems and essays." However, he failed in the scientific examination, and he was not recognized as "Sui Gong Sheng" until middle age. Later, he lived in Nanjing, and for a long time he relied on selling literature to support his family. In his later years, he was appointed as the magistrate of Changxing County due to his poor family. He could not stand the darkness of the officialdom, so he resigned angrily and died in poverty. After the age of 30, he had already "filled his chest" with the anecdotes he was searching for, and he had plans to create. When he was about 50 years old, he wrote the first dozen chapters of "Journey to the West", but then stopped for many years for some reasons. It was not until he resigned and returned to his hometown in his later years that he was able to officially write "Journey to the West". Wu Chengen, who lived in poverty all his life, worked hard to complete the famous "Journey to the West" at home and abroad. He passed away in about the tenth year of Wanli (82 years old) with a mixture of sadness and joy.
It is said that Wu Chengen officially wrote "Journey to the West" at the age of 12. For those of you who are older and have failed in academia, politics, or business, you may consider writing a novel, and maybe you can become a great master.
Jiang Shang
Because it is so long ago, Jiang Shang’s birth and death dates are unreliable. Legend has it that he lived to be 100 years old. This is a legend after all. But it is definitely okay to say that Jiang Taigong was a late bloomer. It's very representative and legendary, but maybe not many people have such luck. Of course, your own strength is also crucial.
When Jiang Shang was young, he slaughtered cattle and sold meat in Chaoge, the Shang capital (now Qixian County, Henan Province), and then went to Mengjin (now northeastern Mengjin County, Henan Province) to do a liquor business. Although he was poor, he had great ambitions, studied hard, and tirelessly studied and explored ways to govern and rejuvenate the country, hoping that one day he would be able to make great achievements and serve the country. It was not until his later years that he finally got the opportunity to display his talents. While assisting King Wen of Zhou, Jiang Shang formulated a series of correct domestic and foreign policies to strengthen Zhou and destroy Shang. After the death of King Wen of Zhou Dynasty, King Wu Jifa succeeded to the throne and worshiped Jiang Shang as his national master, respectfully calling him Master Shangfu. Jiang Shang continued to assist the Zhou Dynasty in government affairs. In the eleventh year of King Wu's reign, King Wu raised his troops to attack Zhou and won a great victory in Muye. After the founding of the Zhou Dynasty, Jiang Shang was granted the title of Qi due to his meritorious service in destroying the Shang Dynasty, and his capital was Yingqiu (today's north of Linzi City, Linzi City).
There is an old saying in China: "Tai Gong met King Wen at the age of eighty." Probably an exaggeration. But I remember reading there that Jiang Shang was worshiped as a national master at the age of 72, which is more credible. Whether it is meeting King Wen at eighty or worshiping Prime Minister at seventy, it is enough to encourage each of us.