1. Asking about the meaning of the poem,
The title of the asking poem is "Giving Medicine Mountain Monk Weiyan (Part 1)"
During the Huichang period of the Tang Dynasty, Li Ao, the governor of Shannan East Road, sent several people to ask Zen Master Yaoshan Weiyan to come to the city to make offerings, but he was always rejected by the Zen Master. One day, Li Ao came to visit in person. Yaoshan was sitting on the futon, holding a scripture in his hand and deliberately ignored him. Li Ao said angrily: "It's better to be famous than to meet!" After saying this, Yaoshan walked out. At this time, Yaoshan said to him indifferently: "How can the prefect have noble ears but low eyes!"?
This sentence made Li Ao was moved by this, so he turned around and bowed, and asked, "What is Tao?" Zen Master Yaoshan stretched out his fingers, pointed up and down, and then asked, "Do you understand?" Li Ao said, "I don't understand." Yaoshan explained: "The clouds are in the blue sky, and the water is in the bottle!"?
Li Ao was enlightened after hearing the enlightenment of Zen Master Yaoshan. It turns out that the truth is on the clouds in the blue sky and in the water in the bottle! The Tao is in every plant and tree, in every mountain and valley, and in everything in the universe. He immediately took up pen and wrote a poem: "I have realized that my body is in the shape of a crane, and there are two scriptures under a thousand pines. I came to ask questions and there are no more words. The clouds are in the blue sky and the water is in the bottle!"?
As long as It’s not too late to understand. After Li Ao came down from the mountain, he immediately took off his armor and returned to the fields. From then on, he lived in seclusion in the mountains and forests without leaving home. The ancients paid attention to the word "fate" when seeking teachers and discussing Taoism. The traditional concept of being good at learning and becoming an official mainly comes from the long-term influence of Confucianism. After all, there are only a few people who can put aside their external affairs and be indifferent to fame and fortune. Perhaps only those who have traveled across the sea to Wushan will have a deeper understanding of the clear water and floating clouds.
2. Li Ao
Li Ao was a Jinshi during the Zhenyuan period of Emperor Dezong of the Tang Dynasty. He served successively as a doctor of Guozi, a compiler of the History Museum, a meritorious examiner, a doctor of the Ministry of Rites, and a scholar of Zhongshu. He holds the positions of governor of Guizhou and envoy of Shannan East Road. He once learned ancient prose from Han Yu and assisted Han Yu in promoting the ancient prose movement. The relationship between the two was that of mentor and friend. Li Ao worshiped Confucianism and rejected Buddhism throughout his life, and believed that Confucius was "the greatest saint" ("Li Wengong Collection: What the Emperor Suggested"). It advocates that people's words and deeds should be based on the Confucian "middle way" as the standard.
1. Li Ao
1. Character introduction
Li Ao (772~841), courtesy name Xi Zhi, was born in Longxi Chengji of Tang Dynasty (now Qin Andong, Gansu) )people. Is he a descendant of Xiliang King Li Hao? Tang Dynasty writer and philosopher.
2. Biographies
Li Ao (áo) has been "diligent in Confucianism, liberal arts and fond of ancient times" since he was a child, and he pays attention to temperament when writing articles. When he was 25 years old, he met Han Yu in Bianzhou. From then on, he followed Han Yu, became diligent, knowledgeable, and talented, and married Han Yu's niece. He and Han Yu often spent time together, discussing literature and theory, writing ancient prose, defending Confucianism and Taoism, opposing Buddhism and Laoism, expressing literary opinions, and actively advocating the ancient prose movement. In the 14th year of Zhenyuan of Dezong (798), Li Aozhong was awarded the rank of Jinshi. He was first appointed as a scholar, and later moved to Jingzhao Prefecture to join the army. In the early years of Yuanhe reign of Emperor Xianzong, he was transferred to Dr. Guozi and compiled by the History Museum. He advocated the view of history management that "it is easy to see the good and bad deeds if one has done meritorious deeds"; and then "it can be passed down to future generations". In the 15th year of Yuanhe reign of Emperor Xianzong of Tang Dynasty (820), Li Ao was appointed as Wailang, a merit examiner and concurrently as a historian. "The Genealogy of the Ancient Sages of Wuzhong" compiled and illustrated by Su Wen
Li Ao has an upright character and has no qualms about making comments. Although the powerful "valued their learning", they "hated their criticism". Therefore, "officials were not allowed to display their official positions." Li Jingjian, the remonstrating official, once "raised Ao to take over the throne". Later, because of Li Jingjian's demotion, Li Ao was demoted to the post of governor of Langzhou. Later, Li Jingjian was reinstated and was called as a doctor in the Ministry of Rites. His ambition to revitalize Chao Gang could not be realized, and he was frustrated and had nowhere to vent his anger, so he went to see Prime Minister Li Fengji, accused him face to face of his fault, and proposed that he should report illness and return to his hometown. Li Fengji did not care about Li Ao's words and deeds, and even asked Li Ao to serve as the governor of Luzhou.
After Li Ao arrived in Luzhou, there was a severe drought and tens of thousands of people fled. Officials and historians rushed to buy up fields and houses in large numbers to obtain huge profits. Families that have gone bankrupt still have to pay taxes as usual. Li Ao ordered that "land be used for rent" and no concealment be allowed. Confiscated more than 10,000 coins from wealthy families so that poor people can live in peace. In the early years of Emperor Wenzong's reign in the Tang Dynasty, Li Ao entered the court and served as an admonishing official and the author of imperial edicts. In the third year (829), he was changed to Shushe. Soon, he was appointed governor of Zhengzhou. Later, he was appointed as the governor of Guizhou, the censor Zhongcheng, the defense envoy of Guiguandu, the governor of Tanzhou, and the observation history of Hunan. In the eighth year of Yamato (834), he was recruited as the Minister of the Ministry of Justice, and later became the Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs. Emperor Wuzong of the Tang Dynasty died in the first year of Huichang (841). His posthumous title is Wen, and he is known as Li Wengong in the world. Li Ao was a student of Han Yu, so his literary thoughts were deeply influenced by Han Yu. He actively assisted Han Yu in promoting the ancient prose movement. He advocates paying equal attention to the essence, theory and writing of the article, and "writing to convey the Tao" is the core of his literary subject. His articles are as famous as Han Yu. He is the author of 104 articles in "Collection of Li Wengong".
3. Writings
"Buddha Zhai Lun"
"Lai Nan Lu"
Ancient poem: A gift to the eminent monk Weiyan of Yaoshan ( One)
Li Ao
The body shape is like a crane, and two scriptures are written under a thousand pines;
Fang Yun’s Zen painting of Li Ao is like a crane shape
I came to ask and Wuyu said, the clouds are in the blue sky and the water is in the bottle.
I have chosen to live in seclusion and enjoy the wildness, with no farewell or welcome all year round;
Sometimes I go straight to the top of the solitary peak, and the clouds roar under the moon.
4. Thoughts
He once explained Han Yu's concept of "Tao" and emphasized that literature can clarify Tao.
He also advocated anti-Buddhism and "restoration of nature", carried out the idea of ??"the destiny of nature is called nature" in "The Doctrine of the Mean", advocated the theory of good nature, emotions and evil, and believed that the fundamental way to become a saint is to restore nature. The method of restoring one's nature is to "listen to, listen to, speak and act according to the rituals" and achieve "forgetting one's addictions and desires and returning to the way of life".
Li Ao worshiped Confucianism and rejected Buddhism throughout his life, believing that Confucius was "the greatest saint." It advocates that people's words and deeds should be based on the Confucian "middle way" as the standard, saying: "Those who speak in the middle are the writings of sages; those who rely on the middle are the writings of sages; those who are close to the middle are the writings of sages; those who are close to the middle are the writings of sages; Those who turn their backs on it are just mediocre writers."
5. Outstanding Contribution
Li Ao's greatest contribution to Confucianism is his attempt to reconstruct the Confucian theory of mind. The three chapters of "Fu Xing Shu" combine Laozi and Taoist theory of restoration, setting the precedent for scholars in the Song Dynasty to talk about the nature of mind. Methods and paths, the next article encourages people to make efforts in self-cultivation.