Bai Juyi's life is bounded by being demoted to Jiangzhou Sima at the age of 44, which can be divided into two periods. The early period is the period of helping the world, and the later period is the period of being independent. There are more and more leisurely and sentimental poems in the later period. He said that he was "eliminating the troubles and happiness on the surface and eliminating the right and wrong in his chest", and his Buddhist and Taoist thoughts increased in his early years. Three years later, he was promoted to Zhongzhou Secretariat. In the second year of Huichang (842), he became an official with the minister of punishments. In Luoyang, he entertained himself with poetry, wine, Zen, Qin and landscape, and often sang with Liu Yuxi, calling him "Bai Liu". In the fourth year of Huichang (844), Longmen Bashitan was dug at the expense of boat people.
As a famous poet and devout Buddhist believer in the Tang Dynasty, Bai Juyi was deeply influenced by the Buddhist thought of contentment. Under the influence of this thought, when he reached middle-aged and old age, he looked down on the world, lived a leisurely and semi-official and semi-secluded life, and often spent his happy time writing poems and learning Buddhism.
Bai Juyi's thought of contentment is described in many of his works. In the Anthology of Bai Juyi, Volume 6 1 Inscription of Zhi Ming, he once said to his wife and nephew:
"Fortunately, I lived for more than 70 years, and I am very famous in the world. It is useless to do things, and the gift of praise should be derogatory. When I die, when I gather clothes and ride, I am buried in a halogen book, a blood sacrifice, invited Taichang, and built a tombstone; But it is enough to put a stone in front of the tomb and carve a copy of Mr. Drunken Yin. " Word finished, since its epitaph cloud:
Lotte Lotte was born in heaven and earth for 70 years. His life is nothing, and his death is nothing. Why did you come? Where are you going? I don't move, my body moves repeatedly. It's over! I can't go safely? Why are you tired of love?
From this conversation between Bai Juyi and his wife and nephew and the epitaph he wrote, we can really feel that Bai Juyi is quite satisfied with his official position and life span. Although he made a lot of contributions to the people during each term as a local official, he modestly called himself a "useless man" and should be demoted. This shows his satisfaction and reflection on life and career. In the life of contentment, Bai Juyi is also very frugal and cherishes the blessings. When he told his wife about the funeral, he asked her to save money and avoid unnecessary waste after his death.
The Biography of Mr. Zuiyin is an article describing Bai Juyi's seclusion and enjoyment in his later years. In the article, Bai Juyi described his carefree and happy life, and more vividly showed his thought of contentment.
"Sexual alcoholism, playing the piano, obscene poetry. All the drinkers, musicians and poets swim with them. Besides swimming, I am also interested in explaining my family and learning multiplication in elementary, middle and high schools. I am full of empty friends with Songshan monks, friends of mountains and rivers with Pingquan guests, friends of poetry with Meng, and friends of wine with Anping Huangfulang. Every time we meet, we forget to go back happily. Those who visit temples, hills and valleys with springs, flowers and bamboo between 60 and 70 miles inside and outside Los Angeles can't swim. Those who have wine and piano can't beat it; There are books, singers and dancers. Pretending to be the guardians of Luochuan and Bi Bo, those who call for banquets also go from time to time. Every sunny day, or when the snow falls and the moon shines, people who are good at it will brush wine first and then write poems. Although drunk, but self-help piano, fuck Gong Yin, and then get "Qiu Si". If it's popular, I'll ask the servant to tune the music department to play a song called "Dress in a Dress and Feather". If he was happy, he ordered the little prostitute to sing more than ten chapters of new words in Yang Liuzhi. Put a cup of self-entertainment and get drunk. "
Bai Juyi often sends out various feelings about life after drinking. He also expressed his feeling of being very satisfied with life by comparing with others:
I was born between heaven and earth, far from the ancients. And rich, live in Yan Hui, satisfied with Bo Yi, happy to be honored, healthy and prosperous, lucky! What can I ask?
This passage is the center of the poet's thought of contentment. As a talented poet in the Tang Dynasty, Bai Juyi humbly claimed that his talent was far less than that of the ancients. He compared with different people in history in terms of wealth, longevity, food and clothing, happiness and health. I think I'm better than them in all these aspects. He first compared his wealth with that of Qian Lou, and thought that he was much richer than Qian Lou. Qian Lou was a sage and Taoist priest of Qi in the Spring and Autumn Period. Qi Huangong attached great importance to his Taoist academic theory. Qi Huangong prepared a large sum of money and invited Qian Lou to be an official in the DPRK, but he refused to accept it. Later, when King Lu heard about it, he sent someone to ask him to be the prime minister of Lu and gave him a salary of 3,000 points. Qian Lou remains unmoved by senior officials.
After Qian Lou's death, his good friend Confucius' great-great-grandfather went to the memorial service and saw Qian Lou's body under a broken window, wearing an old robe covered with a rotten straw mat and white cloth. Because this white cloth is short, the cover will show its feet and its head. I couldn't help feeling sorry for this, so I said, "Turn the cloth over and you can cover Mr. Qian Lou's whole body."
Unexpectedly, the lady replied: "If you pour more than enough, if you pour less than enough, your husband will not pour when he is alive, but will pour when he dies, which is against your last wish." Zeng Shen felt that Mrs. Qian Lou was very reasonable. She was deeply ashamed and cried even more sadly.
Bai Juyi thought that Qian Lou was so poor that he didn't even have a piece of white cloth to cover his body completely after his death. Compared with Qian Lou, he considers himself the richest man.
Secondly, Bai Juyi thinks that compared with Yan Yuan, he is a man with a long life. Yan Yuan was a native of Lu in the Spring and Autumn Period. One of Confucius' disciples is thirty years younger than Confucius. History records: "Twenty-nine times, my hair turned white." Around the age of forty, he died, and he was called the restoration. Yan Yuan is very talented. He can smell ten things, even Zi Gong, who has extraordinary intelligence, can't compare with him. However, in life, Yan Yuan lived a humble life. Confucius said, "One scoop of food and one scoop of drink, in a mean alley, people can't bear to worry, so they won't change their interest when they go back." Food and shelter are very simple. According to Han Shi Zhuan, Confucius once asked him why he didn't come out to be an official. Yan Yuan said, "Fifty mu of land abroad is full of porridge, while 40 mu of land at home is full of numbness, and the drums are full of fun. I have learned enough to enjoy myself, but I don't want to be an official. May poverty be as rich as wealth, meanness as expensive, no courage and no prestige, and no trouble in life. " Poverty is like wealth, indicating contentment without desire; Cheap as expensive, showing courtesy; Be brave and strong, respect others and deserve others. And you can choose what you say, and you will have no worries all your life. Yan Yuan is so contented.
Yan Yuan is one of the poorest and most diligent disciples of Confucius. He was humble and polite, and was highly valued by Confucius. He was regarded as the heir of Confucius, but unfortunately he died young at the age of forty.
Thirdly, Bai Juyi has no worries about food and clothing than Bo Yi, and thinks that he has at least no worries about food and clothing. Boyi and Shu Qi were two sons of Shang Dynasty. Dissatisfied with Shang Zhouwang's tyrannical rule, they went to Zhou Wuwang, but dissatisfied with Zhou Wuwang's revolution, refused to be an official, refused to eat Zhou Su and starved to death in shouyangshan. They were famous aristocrats in ancient times, but in the end they starved to death because they didn't have enough to eat. Compared with them, Bai Juyi feels that he is a happy person who has no worries about food and clothing.
Fourth, Bai Juyi is happier than Rong Qi and thinks he is a happier person than he is. Rong Qiqi was the happiest person in the Spring and Autumn Period. Once, Confucius saw Rong Qiqi walking outside the suburb of Yan, wearing a deerskin coat and a rope around his waist, playing the piano and singing at the same time. Confucius said, "Sir is so happy, why?" Rong Qiqi replied: "I am happy for many things: only when people are the noblest can I be born as a human being." This is the first thing to be happy about: the difference between men and women is that men are superior to women, so the world regards men as noble, and I am a man, which is the second thing to be happy about: in a person's life, some are stillbirths and some are premature deaths. Confucius said, "Good! What a man who can comfort himself! "
Bai Juyi thinks that he has all the happiness of Rongqi period, which is more fun than him. He often enjoys the pleasure of life by drinking, writing poems and meditation, which is much happier than him.
Wei Baoshu was a famous figure in Jin Dynasty and a famous handsome man at that time. Regarding his beauty, the Book of Jin described him with words such as "Zhu" and "Yu Run". He is a deadpan jade man. Wei was charming since he was a child, sitting in a sheep shop in Luoyang Street, looking from a distance, like a statue carved with white jade, people called it "Jade Man". Luoyang residents came out of the city and stood on both sides of the street to watch Xiaobi people. As an adult, Wei looks more handsome and free and easy. Wherever he goes, many people follow him and look at him, hoping to catch a glimpse of him. However, at a young age, he was often troubled by illness and suffering. Sick to describe, attractive, cold.
Bai Juyi is healthier than others. He thinks that compared with Wei, he is really a healthy person.
Bai Juyi shows that he is superior to others in many aspects by comparing with others who are inferior to him in many aspects, so that he is satisfied with his life.
In the Biography of Mr. Drunken One, Bai Juyi also wrote a poem "Chanting for the Huai", which expressed the kind of "drinking is a song, and life is geometric. For example, morning dew is more bitter to go to Japan. " Poetry stone:
Embrace the piano, enjoy the music and indulge in Liu Lingda.
Looking at the green hills, you will be white-haired.
I don't know how many years it will take to get to heaven and earth.
Since then, I have been idle for the sun and the moon.
This poem is a confession of Bai Juyi's attitude towards life. The poet thinks that time flies and life is short and impermanent. People should try to live a relaxed and leisurely life in a limited life. This is not to say that Bai Juyi's thoughts are negative, but to persuade people to be satisfied and not to live up to the short life time.
The self-styled Yi also wrote a poem "Happy Days" to express his contented life. Poetry cloud:
Great! Great! Bai Letian! Divide the East for thirteen years.
It was not until the seventies that the crown was hung, and the car was hung first.
Or have fun with tourists in spring, or meditate with monks at night.
I forgot to ask about family affairs for two years, but there is more grass and less smoke in the door.
The children told me that the salt and rice were used up, and the maid told me the clothes to wear at dusk.
My wife is not happy that my nephew is bored, and I am lying drunk.
Get up and live with you, and get rid of the thin property first.
First, sell ten acres of vegetable gardens in the south, and then sell five hectares of fields in Du Dong.
Then I sold the house at the same time, as if I won two or three thousand dollars.
Half eat and dress with you, and half drink and eat meat with me.
I am seventy-one, my eyes are dim and my head is dizzy.
But I'm afraid I can't run out of money, so I go to Yequan first.
It's good not to come back alive. Sleep well when you are hungry.
There is nothing wrong with life and death, which is a great event for Bai Letian.
In this poem, Bai Juyi recalled his own life experience: he divided Luoyang into the capital for thirteen years, and stopped being an official at the age of seventy, but he still got a salary. In this isolated life, you can enjoy a spring outing with tourists or discuss Buddhism with monks at will. Indulge in this leisurely and happy life, I have forgotten to ask about my family's affairs for a long time. The yard is covered with grass, and the kitchen rarely even makes a fire to cook. Chefs often tell him that there is no salt and rice, and maids and servants tell him that their clothes are worn out. Wives, servants, nephews and nephews are all dissatisfied with their practice of not asking about family affairs, while the poet himself is a drunken Tao Ran.
Although family members are worried about their livelihood, Bai Juyi has long planned for the future. Because he has a lot of property, he is going to sell ten acres of garden first, then five acres of fields, and then sell the house where his family lives. After selling these properties, it will be enough to support your family and your future life. Bai Juyi thinks he is seventy-one, and his eyes are dim. Maybe he died before the money ran out. So you don't have to worry about your livelihood at all and enjoy "hunger, food, happiness and sleep".
It can be seen from this poem that Bai Juyi is really satisfied with his life. Although the family is already well fed and clothed, he is still not worried about the embarrassment of life.
In a word, contentment is Bai Juyi's main thought in his middle and old age. This thought not only enabled him to look at the world with a normal heart after the ups and downs of his official career, but also enabled him to experience a long-term disaster in that dark era of political affairs, thus completing his life safely and calmly.