when Tao Yuanming got the news, he had to start at once, although he looked down upon such a person who gave orders in the name of his boss. Unexpectedly, his secretary stopped Tao Yuanming and said, "This official should pay great attention to the details, dress neatly and be humble, otherwise, he will speak ill of you in front of his boss."
Tao Yuanming, who has always been upright and lofty, couldn't bear it any longer. He said with a sigh, "I would rather starve to death than bow down to such a poor man because of the official salary of five dou meters." He immediately wrote a letter of resignation and left the county magistrate's post for more than 8 days, and never worked as an official again.
After retiring from the officialdom, Tao Yuanming cultivated land in his hometown and lived a self-sufficient pastoral life. In rural life, he found his home and wrote many beautiful rural poems. He wrote about the carefree life of farmers: "It's warm in the distant village, and smoke in the Yiyi Market". He wrote about his feelings of labor: "Picking chrysanthemums under the east fence, and seeing Nanshan leisurely". He also wrote about the hardships of farmers' labor: "Planting beans under the Nanshan Mountain, the grass is full of bean seedlings" and "If you don't talk about the hardships in spring, you are often afraid of being pregnant".
Story 23, Study Tour and Beginner
Tao Yuanming paid attention to physical exercise since he was a child. He heard chickens dancing every day and practiced a good skill, especially fencing.
The village where Tao Yuanming lives is called Shangjingli, and the courtyard of his house is named "Garden House". Tao Yuanming lived in a garden house with his mother since childhood. When he was a teenager, Tao Yuanming studied while farming. Work if you have a job in the field, and study hard if you don't.
in 371 ad, when Tao Yuanming was 19 years old, his uncle Tao kui gave Tao Yuanming a sum of money and told him to go to the capital to study and seek an official position. Tao Kui joined the army under Fu Huan Wen at that time. He often took care of the orphans and widows of the Taoists, so as to be worthy of his dead brother.
Jiankang, the capital of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, is now Nanjing. Tao Yuanming's study in Beijing really increased his knowledge and saw the incompetence of the court and the darkness of society. The powerful fu is overbearing and does whatever he wants. He was defeated three times in the Northern Expedition, and in order to save face, he beat the emperor's doctrine. Send people to spread rumors in the capital, saying that the current emperor is impotent and his three sons are concubines and waiters. With such rumors, Huan Wen marched into Beijing, abolished the emperor Sima Yi as Hercynian, and three princes were strangled with whips and hung on trees. Sima Yi, who was abolished as the Duke of Haixi, gave birth to another child with his concubine, and had to be strangled and buried with his own hands to prove that Fu Huan Wen said that he was right about impotence before he could escape. Huan Wen also framed those who opposed him as traitors. Sometimes hundreds of people are tied by ropes, implicated together, how long is a mile, old and young, and taken to the execution ground to be beheaded together. Tao Yuanming witnessed this tragic scene with his own eyes.
The concept of family status in Beijing is very heavy. As long as you are a noble family, you can be a big official at a young age. Officials don't care, they indulge in drinking and debauchery every day.
when Tao Yuanming arrived in Beijing, he also saw the decadent drinking atmosphere at that time. Scholars and celebrities, dissatisfied with the rule of darkness, had to vent their anger and consume themselves by drinking. They gathered to drink heavily, shut the door, stripped naked, with long hair, crab claws in one hand and wine glasses in the other, and talked loudly. Those who are late climb in through the dog hole. Don't talk about the etiquette of the monarch and the minister, don't talk about the rules of father and son, and casually tease the geisha, which is ridiculous and unspeakable. Tao Yuanming, who has been familiar with Confucian classics since childhood, is very uncomfortable and difficult to find a confidant.
People in Beijing regard Tao Yuanming as an old peasant. He is discriminated against everywhere and looks down on him. So he lived in Beijing for a period of time and then went to Zhejiang and northern Jiangsu to study.
Tao Yuanming studied abroad for three years, and then returned to Shangjingli Village. He has matured and his eyes are brighter. Tao Yuanming later wrote this experience of studying abroad as a poem in Nine Poems of Imitating the Ancient:
When I was young, I was strong and experienced, and I swam alone with my sword;
who is closer to words and deeds? Zhangye to Youzhou.
Hunger is the first thing to eat, and thirst is easy to flow.
I don't know anyone, but I see the ancient hills.
There are two high graves on the roadside, Boya and Zhuangzhou.
it's hard to get this man again, so what do I want?
this poem is popular, vivid and profound, and the dead have asked him to write it alive. Tao Yuanming returned to his pastoral home and spent three years working and studying. In 376 AD, he moved to Xunyang County and became a teacher. After teaching for several years, Tao Yuanming's literary genius was revealed. His famous work "Leisure Fu" was copied by friends, and it was about his first love for a woman when he was studying abroad.
At that time, Wang Ningzhi, the secretariat of Jiangzhou, read Tao Yuanming's Leisure Fu and appreciated it very much, so he decided to hire Tao Yuanming as another driver to offer a drink.
Wang Ningzhi is the son of Wang Xizhi, a famous calligrapher in the Eastern Jin Dynasty. His handwriting is very good and influenced by my father's inheritance. Wang Ningzhi is only an official, regardless of things, and advocates "governing by doing nothing". I am obsessed with alchemy and chanting, and practice the "Five Doors of Rice". Not only do you practice at home, but you also set up a Taoist room in the official office. In the Taoist room, you can practice alchemy and recite spells, and worship ghosts on the streets.
In 38 AD, 29-year-old Tao Yuanming was introduced to the Taoist temple in Wang Ningzhi. Wang Ningzhi said to Tao Yuanming, "After reading the essay" Leisure Fu "you wrote, I admire you very much, so you can put on official clothes, and tomorrow you can take charge of politics. It is not difficult to be an official, as long as you know how to govern by doing nothing. "
Tao Yuanming's farewell drinking ceremony should be in charge of a state's weapons supervision, local public security, money and grain storage and adjustment, household land tax, farmland water conservancy, military uniform supply and so on. He has to manage everything, but he can't manage anything. Let's say hukou land tax. At that time, taxes were collected on a per capita basis. Due to years of war, the population dropped sharply. The wealthy family concealed the population and did not report it. Tao Yuanming took people down to check the household registration, but he ran into difficulties everywhere and couldn't find anything. Wang Ningzhi practices every day, worshipping gods and ghosts without any intention of asking. Tao Yuanming read Confucian books, knowing the truth of loyalty to the country and great help to the people. The reality made him very disappointed.
One day, Tao Yuanming saw the mansion yard full of wood. When he inquired, he knew that Wang Ningzhi had misappropriated the funds for strengthening the Yangtze River dam and wanted to build a Taoist temple in the secretariat mansion. On hearing this, Tao Yuanming immediately ran to the Taoist temple in Wang Ningzhi and interrupted his practice, saying,
"It is absolutely impossible to use the money and grain for strengthening the Yangtze River embankment to build Taoist temples! Once there is a flood in the flood season, life will be ruined! "
Wang Ningzhi turned up his eyelids and glared at him, saying, "I watch the sky at night. This year is a dry year, and the Yangtze River won't produce water. I'm also going to give you the task of building a Taoist temple. "
when Tao Yuanming heard this, he broke out in a cold sweat. He excused himself from Wang Ningzhi, returned to his residence, took off his official hat and official clothes, rolled up his luggage and went home.
after returning home, Tao Yuanming became a teacher again.
This year was really a drought, and Jiangzhou people escaped. A few months later, Wang Ningzhi sent someone to ask Tao Yuanming to be the master book. The official was bigger than the wine offering, and Tao Yuanming didn't go anyway.
Tao Yuanming's story
Story 3 Tao Yuanming was married three times in his life. The first two wives died young, and the third wife, Zhai Shi, was a little younger than him and accompanied him all his life. Tao Yuanming's marriage was unfortunate, and he was twice hit by the loss of his wife in middle age. Tao Yuanming's marriage is also happy. His three wives are all virtuous and have deep feelings.
in 376 ad, Tao Yuanming got married and got married at the age of 25. After marriage, he left the Garden House and moved to Xunyang County. First, he taught, and then he went to Jiangzhou Secretariat Wang Ningzhi to offer a drink offering without saying goodbye. Tao Yuanming came home and knew that his wife was pregnant. Mother and good wife are afraid that he will be distracted in officialdom and want to hide it for a period of time.
As the ancients said, "There are three things that are unfilial, and nothing is great." Tao Yuanming is naturally happy to be a father when he turns 3. Who knows that his wife was in labor, and the child in his stomach just stretched out a leg. At that time, the conditions were helpless and he watched the adults and children die. After the funeral for his wife, Tao Yuanming was desperate.
In 385 AD, 34-year-old Tao Yuanming became the groom's official again. In the second year of marriage, the eldest son Ashu was born, and the newborn brought great joy to the Taos. Two years later, the second son, A Xuan, was born. A Xuangang can run, and his wife gave birth to twins, named Ayong and Antonie. Tao Yuanming loves his precious sons, especially the twins. When he was studying at night, he couldn't restrain his inner happiness. He crept to the bed and studied the baby's little face in the dim light, like two pieces of red jade, which looked exactly the same. With a special happiness, he got into his wife's bed.
in 392 ad, Tao Yuanming's second wife got consumption, vomited blood, and died. Tao Yuanming was very sad to know that his wife was overworked for her family. I gave birth to four children in six years, busy with the livelihood of a family of seven people, old and young.
After his wife died, the burden of family fell on Tao Yuanming's mother. When I come back from teaching every day, I see four ignorant children in a mess. These four children are enough for the mother to look after. Who will do the housework? I can't do without a housewife at home.
Mrs. Meng discussed with her uncle Tao Kui and proposed a marriage to Tao Yuanming, and waited until the next spring to get married.
Tao Yuanming's third wife's surname is Zhai, who is a junior to Tao Yuanming, virtuous and capable. First of all, I served my mother-in-law well, and the relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law was harmonious. Dedicated to raising the four children left by Tao Yuanming's ex-wife. After her renovation, the family is in good order and happy. Tao Yuanming just needs to teach, and when he goes home to read and write, the children will not be noisy around. Mrs. Zhai has a good posture and is very capable in farm work. Whenever the farm is busy, she works with Tao Yuanming when transplanting rice or harvesting, and she works more neatly than Tao Yuanming.
After two years of marriage, Zhai gave birth to a little son named A Tong for Tao Yuanming. As Mrs Zhai can bear hardships and stand hard work, the life of the Taos is getting better and better. The crops in the field are bumper every year, and the food can't be eaten. Every year, we have to brew some wine to drink. Whenever new wine is made, Mrs. Zhai gives Tao Yuanming a big bowl at the tip. As long as there is wine at home, Mrs Zhai prepares wine for Tao Yuanming at every meal. Tao Yuanming feels that drinking is a very comfortable thing. Drinking a little is comfortable, drinking a lot is comfortable, and drinking too much will make him drunk.
When Tao Yuanming lived at home, children in Doby drank and drank themselves, forgetting the heart of fame and fortune. Of course, he has his moments of depression. Sometimes I feel old, and sometimes I want to die. Especially his two wives, who died one after another at a young age, had a great impact on him. In the Eastern Jin Dynasty, the average life expectancy of people was less than 5 years old, and many princes and nobles died in their thirties and forties. Tao Yuanming is 45 years old, and he thinks that he will fall down someday. Tao Yuanming doesn't believe in life. He thinks that life and death are natural laws and irresistible. This year, he wrote three elegies for himself. The first song is:
Where there is life, there must be death, and sooner or later, there must be death.
We were the same people yesterday evening, but now we are in the ghost book.
where is the spirit scattered? It's withered and empty.
a charming child cries for her father, and a good friend caresses me and cries.
it's a sense of security if you don't know the gains and losses!
after a thousand years, who knows the honor and disgrace?
but when I am alive, I can't drink enough.
Tao Yuanming's poems are as clear as words. Although the sentences are shallow and meaningful, they are plain and sensible, as dry as real, natural and interesting.
In the Eastern Jin Dynasty, it was very valuable to be able to see life and death thoroughly like Tao Yuanming, and to put forward the proposition that "where there is life, there must be death". Unlike some people who practice alchemy and recite incantations, they fantasize about immortality.
Tao Yuanming realized that once a person dies, it's all settled, especially with the passage of time, who can judge the merits and demerits, the gains and losses of honor and disgrace! Why don't you drink a few more drinks while you're alive? In the Western Jin Dynasty, Hans Zhang once said, "It is better to have a glass of wine immediately than to make me famous.". Tao Yuanming seems to feel the same way. In the last two sentences of this poem: "But when I hate being alive, I can't drink enough." Although it is almost humorous, it is also heartfelt. The second song in Three Elegy Poems is:
In the past, there was no wine to drink, but now it is empty.
floating ants are born in spring mash, when can we taste it better!
before the food case overtook me, my parents cried beside me.
if you want to speak without sound, you want to see without light.
I used to sleep in Gaotang, but now I live in Huangcao Township.
once you go out, return to night is still young.
This poem is about the situation when a person dies, from his funeral to his funeral home. Immediately after the last article, when I was alive, I wanted to drink and my cup was always empty. Nowadays, on the memorial table, wine cups and dishes are full. You can't drink if you want, and you can't eat if you want. My relatives cried while holding the coffin, and my mouth was silent and my eyes were dull. Once out, buried in the wild, buried underground, dark, farewell to this world.
The third song of "Three Elegy Poems" is:
How vast the weeds are, the poplars are also rustling.
in the middle of September, severe frost sent me out of the outer suburbs.
no one lives on all sides, and the high grave is a banana.
the horse sings to the sky, and the wind is self-depressed.
once the secluded room is closed, it will never be seen again for a thousand years.
once the Millennium is over, there is nothing a wise man can do.
people are always sent away, and each goes home.
relatives or Yu sad, others have also sung.
what is the way to die?
This poem describes the whole process of funeral and burial, especially undertaker. The environment and atmosphere of the cemetery are vividly written, and undertaker's performance is also reasonable. Finally, he said, "What is the way to die?" It means that there is nothing to say after death. Entrusting the body to nature and turning it into a cup of soil at the foot of the mountain, no one can do anything about this fate, whether it is dignitaries or ordinary people. Tao Yuanming's open-mindedness is unprecedented.
Story 5: Tao Yuanming resigned from his post and returned to his hometown, leading a life of "devoting his own resources". His wife, Zhai Shi, is like-minded with him. She is happy and humble. "Her husband plows in the front, and her wife hoes in the back." * * * is closely related to working and maintaining life, and is increasingly close to the working people. At the beginning of returning to the field, life was ok. "There are more than ten acres of square houses, eight or nine grass houses, the back eaves of Liu Yin, and the front of peaches and plums." Yuan Ming loves chrysanthemums, and chrysanthemums are planted all over the house. "Picking chrysanthemums under the east fence, leisurely seeing Nanshan" ("From Miscellaneous Poems") has been well-known so far. He is addicted to alcohol, and he will get drunk if he drinks it. When friends visit, no matter how high or low, as long as there is wine at home, they will drink it with them. He gets drunk first. He said to the guest, "I'm so drunk that I can go." In the fourth year of Yixi, he lived in underground Beijing (now at the foot of Yujing Mountain in the west of Xingzi County) and moved to Lili (now in Lilitao Village, Xingzi Hot Spring), making life more difficult. If there is a bumper harvest, you can also "enjoy drinking spring wine and picking vegetables in my garden" In case of a disaster year, "you will be hungry in summer and sleep in cold nights". At the end of Yixi, an old farmer knocked at the door early in the morning, brought wine to drink with him, and advised him to become an official: "Under the ragged eaves, it is not enough to live high. I will live in Shang Tong (regardless of right and wrong).