Bai Juyi (772-846), courtesy name Letian and Xiangshan Jushi, was a famous poet in the Tang Dynasty and a devout Buddhist believer. His ancestral home is Taiyuan. In the seventh year of Dali (772), Emperor Daizong of the Tang Dynasty, Bai Juyi was born in Dongguo House. Wuzong died in Luoyang in August of the sixth year of Huichang (846) at the age of 75. He was buried at Pipa Peak in Longmen Xiangshan Mountain, Luoyang, and Li Shangyin wrote an epitaph for him. He is the author of seventy-one volumes of "Bai's Changqing Collection".
Bai Juyi's life can be divided into two periods, beginning with his being demoted to Jiangzhou Sima at the age of 44. The early period was a period of benefiting the world, and the later period was a period of taking care of oneself. In the later period, there were more and more leisurely and sentimental poems. He said that he "eliminates all worries and joys on his face, and eliminates all thoughts of right and wrong in his chest." In his early years, he developed Buddhist and Taoist thoughts. Three years later, he was promoted to the governor of Chungju. In the second year of Huichang (842), he became official as Minister of the Ministry of Punishment. In Luoyang, he entertained himself with poetry, wine, Zen, harp and landscape. He often sang with Liu Yuxi and was called "Liu Bai" at that time. In the fourth year of Huichang (844), funds were invested to dig up Longmen Bajie Stone Beach to benefit the boat people.
As a famous poet in the Tang Dynasty and a devout Buddhist believer, Bai Juyi was deeply influenced by the Buddhist thought of contentment and happiness. Under the influence of this kind of thinking, in his middle and later years, he looked down on worldly affairs and lived a leisurely and comfortable semi-official and semi-hidden life. He often spent happy time composing poems and studying Zen.
Bai Juyi's idea of ??contentment and happiness is described in many of his works. In Volume 61 of "Collected Works of Bai Juyi", "Inscriptions and Prefaces to the Praise of Commemorations", he once said to his wife and nephew: "I am lucky enough to live over seventy and reach the official rank." The second grade, being famous in the world, does not benefit others. It is better to depreciate oneself as a gift of praise. When I die, I should wear a coat and give it to a car. There is no need to bury it in a book, to sacrifice with blood, and to invite a wife. There is no Shinto monument to be built for the posthumous title, but it is enough to set up a stone in front of the tomb and engrave a copy of my "Mr. Zuiyin's Biography". "After finishing the sentence, I inscribed on his tomb:
Lots of heaven, happy days, born in heaven and earth. , seventy-five years. His life is like a cloud, and his death is like a piece of cake. Why did you come? Why did you go? My nature remains unchanged, and my shape changes repeatedly. That's it! I can't live without it? Why don't I hate it?
From Bai Juyi's conversation with his wife and nephew and the epitaph he wrote, we can truly understand I felt that Bai Juyi was quite satisfied with his official position and life span. Although he made many contributions to the people every time he served as a local official, he humbly said that he was "useless to others" and should be demoted. This shows his contentment and reflection on his life and career. In a life of contentment and happiness, Bai Juyi was also very frugal and cherished blessings. When he explained the funeral arrangements to his wife, he asked her to be frugal in funeral arrangements and avoid unnecessary waste after his death.
"The Biography of Mr. Zuiyin" is an article describing the pleasures of Bai Juyi's reclusive life in his later years. In the article, Bai Juyi recounted his leisurely and happy life, and expressed his thoughts of contentment and happiness more vividly.
"He is addicted to alcohol, indulges in harp music, and obscene poetry. He often travels with drinkers, harp lovers, and poets. Outside of travel, he lives in the Shi family and is a thorough student of the small, medium, and Mahayana methods. With the monks of Songshan Mountain Ruman is a friend of Kongmen, Wei Chu, a guest from Pingquan, is a friend of landscapes, Liu Mengdeli is a poetry friend of Pengcheng, and Huangfulangzhi of Anding is a drinking friend. Every time they meet, they happily forget to return home for sixty or seventy miles inside and outside Luocheng. If there are springs, rocks, flowers and bamboos in the hills and valleys, those who live in Luochuan and Bobuyi's house, and those who entertain guests with banquets, can't live there. Every time when there is a beautiful scenery, or when there is a snowy morning or a moonlit night, when a good person passes by, I will first brush the wine bag, and then open the poetry box. After the wine is full, I will play the piano and play "Autumn Thoughts" again. If he is in a good mood, he will order the boy to play the song "Neon Clothes and Feather Clothes" with silk and bamboo. If he is very happy, he will also order the little prostitute to sing ten chapters of "Willow Branches" to entertain himself. "< /p>
Bai Juyi often expresses various emotions about life while drinking. He also expressed his feeling of being very satisfied with his own life by comparing with others:
When I was born in the world, my talents and actions are far inferior to those of the ancients; but I am rich in Qianlou, live longer than Yanhui, and have enough food. Boyi, happy to prosper Qiqi, strong and healthy, Wei Shubao, very lucky! What else can you ask for?
This passage is the center of the poet's contentment thought. As a talented poet in the Tang Dynasty, Bai Juyi humbly claimed that his talent was far inferior to that of the ancients. He compared them with different people in history in terms of wealth, longevity, food and clothing, happiness, health and other aspects. Think that you are better than them in these aspects. He first compared himself with Qian Lou in terms of wealth, thinking that he was much richer than Qian Lou. Qian Lou was a sage and Taoist in the Qi State during the Spring and Autumn Period. His Taoist academic theories were valued by the Marquis of Qi. The Marquis of Qi paid a large sum of money to invite Qian Lou to serve as an official in the imperial court and appointed him as a minister, but he refused. Later, when the king of Lu heard about it, he sent someone to ask him to be the prime minister of Lu and gave him a salary of three thousand grains. However, Qian Lou was still unmoved by the high salary and salary of the high official.
After Qian Lou’s death, his friend Zeng Shen, a disciple of Confucius, went to pay homage and saw Qian Lou’s body lying under a broken window, wearing an old robe, a rotten straw mat, and covered with white cloth. With. Because the white cloth is short, the feet are exposed when the head is covered, and the head is exposed when the feet are covered. She couldn't help feeling sad about it, so she said, "If you tilt the cloth over, you can cover Mr. Qian Lou's whole body."
Unexpectedly, Mrs. Qian Lou replied: "It's more than enough to tilt it, but it's not as good as that." If the justice is not enough, if the husband is born without leaning, and if he dies, it will go against the husband's wishes during his lifetime." Zeng Shen thought that Mrs. Qian Lou's words were very reasonable and felt deeply ashamed, so he cried even more sadly.
Bai Juyi believed that Qian Lou's family was so poor that they did not even have a white cloth to completely cover his body after his death. He believed that compared with Qian Lou, he was the richest man.
Secondly, Bai Juyi believes that if he is compared with Yan Yuan, he will be a long-lived person. Yan Yuan, whose given name was Hui and whose courtesy name was Ziyuan, was a native of Lu in the Spring and Autumn Period. Confucius's disciples were thirty years younger than Confucius. Historical records: "He was twenty-nine years old, and all his hair was white." He died at about forty years old, and was known as Fusheng. Yan Yuan is very talented. He could hear one thing and know ten things. Even Zigong, who was extremely intelligent, did not dare to compete with him. In terms of life, Yan Yuan lived a very simple life. Confucius said of him: "With a basket of food and a ladle of drink, in a back alley, people can't bear the worries, and they won't change their happiness when they return." The food and accommodation are very simple. It is recorded in Han Shi Wai Zhuan that Confucius once asked him why he did not become an official. Yan Yuan said: "There are fifty acres of land outside Guo, enough to make sour porridge, and forty acres of land inside Guo, enough to make silk, hemp, drums and harps." Enough to entertain myself, what I have learned from the Master is enough to enjoy myself, but I don’t want to be an official. I want to be poor like rich, humble like noble, powerful without courage, associate with scholars, and have no troubles in my life. "Being poor like rich means being content without having anything." Desire; being as humble as noble means being humble and courteous; being powerful without courage means showing respect without losing sight of others. And you can choose what you say, and you will be free from troubles throughout your life. This is how Yan Yuan lives in poverty and enjoys life.
Yan Yuan was the most humble and studious person among Confucius's disciples. He was courteous and courteous, and was highly valued by Confucius. He was considered the successor of Confucius, but unfortunately he died early at the age of forty.
Thirdly, Bai Juyi also compared food and clothing with Boyi, thinking that at least he did not have to worry about food and clothing. Boyi and Shuqi were the two sons of Lord Guzhu of the Shang Dynasty. They were dissatisfied with the tyrannical rule of King Zhou of Shang and defected to King Wu of Zhou. However, they were also dissatisfied with King Wu's revolution and refused to serve as officials. They refused to eat Zhou millet and starved to death at the foot of Shouyang Mountain. They were famous noble people in ancient times, but in the end they starved to death because they had no food to eat. Compared with them, Bai Juyi felt that he was a happy person who had no worries about food and clothing.
Fourthly, Bai Juyi also compared happiness with Rong Qiqi, thinking that he was a happier person than him. Rong Qiqi was the happiest person in the Spring and Autumn Period. Once, Confucius saw Rong Qiqi walking on the outskirts of Yongyi, wearing a deerskin coat and a rope belt around his waist, playing the piano and singing. Confucius asked: "Sir, why are you so happy?" Rong Qiqi replied: "I am happy about many things: nature nurtures all things, and only human beings are the most noble. I can be born as a human. This is the first thing worthy of happiness. : The difference between men and women is that men are superior to women, so people in the world regard men as noble. As a man, this is the second happy thing: in a person's life, some are stillborn before they are born, and some die in infancy. "I have lived to be ninety years old. This is the third thing worth being happy about." Confucius said: "Okay! What a person who can comfort himself!"
Bai Juyi thought Rong Qi. He has all the happiness that he had in his period, and he has more fun than him. He drinks, writes poems, and meditates on Zen. He can often enjoy the joy of life from interacting with poetry friends. He is much happier than him.
Wei Shubao was a famous scholar in the Jin Dynasty and a famous handsome man at that time. Regarding his beauty, the "Book of Jin" uses words such as "bright pearl" and "jade-run" to describe him. He does not show his emotions and anger, in short, he is an expressionless beauty. Wei Shubao has been an outstanding figure since he was a child. He was riding a sheep cart on the streets of Luoyang. From a distance, he looked like a white jade statue. People at that time called him "Bi Ren". The residents of Luoyang came out in droves to watch the Xiaobi people. As an adult, Wei Shubao looks even more handsome and free-spirited. Everywhere he goes, many people follow him and want to catch a glimpse of his elegance. However, despite his young age, he was often plagued by diseases and suffered from severe pain. So sick that it can be described as haggard, inviting, and cold.
Bai Juyi does not compare with him, but only with his health. He thought that compared with Wei Shubao, he was truly a healthy person.
Bai Juyi shows that he is superior to others in many aspects by comparing himself with those who are inferior to him in many aspects, so that he can feel contented with the life he has.
In "The Biography of Mr. Zuiyin", Bai Juyi also wrote a poem "Yong Huai", which expresses the thought of "singing to wine, how much life is like. For example, the dew in the morning will make the day more bitter". Poetry and Stone:
Hold the piano and enjoy the music, drink like Liu Lingda.
Look at the green mountains and let the white hair grow on your head.
I don’t know how many years of life I will have in heaven and earth?
From now on to the rest of my life, I will only have idle days and months.
This poem is an expression of Bai Juyi’s attitude towards life. The poet believes that time flies like an arrow and life is bitter and empty. People should try their best to live as relaxed and leisurely a life as possible in their limited life. This is not to say that Bai Juyi's thoughts are very negative, but to advise people to be content and happy and not to live up to the short life time.
Zi Juyi also wrote a poem called "Dazai's Happy Journey" to express his contented life. The poem goes:
Dazai, Dazai, Bai Letian, branched out to Dongdu for thirteen years.
In the seventies, the full crown has already been hung, half of the salary and half of the car are hanging.
Some may accompany tourists on spring outings, or sit in meditation at night with mountain monks.
For two years, I forgot to ask about family matters. There are many courtyards and kitchens with little smoke.
The cook complained in the morning that he had run out of salt and rice, and the maid complained in the evening that he had nothing to wear.
My wife and children are displeased and my nephew is bored, but I am drunk and lying in a state of contentment.
Let's make a living with you, and deal with the poor income first.
First, ten acres of garden in Nanfang were sold, and then five hectares of land in Dongdu were sold.
Then he sold the house he lived in and seemed to get two or three thousand yuan.
Half of it is for you to pay for food and clothing, and half of it is for me to pay for wine and meat.
I am seventy-one years old now, and my eyesight is dizzy and my head is dazzled by the wind.
But I am afraid that the money will not be used up, so I will go to the night spring first.
It is not evil even if you have not returned yet, and you will eat well when you are hungry, drink happily and sleep peacefully.
Death and life are all indispensable, dazai dazai Bai LoTian.
Bai Juyi reviewed his life experience in this poem: He was in Luoyang, the eastern capital, for thirteen years. At the age of seventy, he no longer served as an official, but he could still earn a salary. In this kind of secluded life, I can enjoy spring outings with tourists, and I can also discuss Buddhism with mountain monks at will. Indulging in this leisurely and happy life, I actually forgot to take care of things at home for a long time. Grass has grown in the yard, and there is rarely even a fire in the kitchen for cooking. Chefs often told him that there was no salt and rice, and maids and servants complained to him that their clothes were torn. His wife, servants, nephews, and nephews were all unhappy with his indifference to family affairs, but the poet himself was intoxicated.
Although his family is worried about their livelihood, Bai Juyi has already made plans for the future. Because he has a lot of property, he plans to sell ten acres of garden first, then five acres of land, and then sell the house where he lives. After selling these property, it will be enough to support his family and himself in the future. Bai Juyi thought that he was seventy-one years old and his eyesight was dim, so he might have passed away before the money was used up. Therefore, there is no need to worry about livelihood at all, and you can enjoy "hungry meals, happy drinks and a sound sleep".
From this poem, we can see that Bai Juyi is truly content with his life. Although his family is already worried about food and clothing, he still does not worry about the embarrassment of life.
In short, the thought of contentment and constant happiness was the main thought of Bai Juyi in his middle and later years. This kind of thinking not only enabled him to look at the world with a normal mind after experiencing the ups and downs of his career, but also enabled him to avoid disasters in that dark era of government, so that he could finish his life peacefully and leisurely.