Liu Yong, formerly known as Sanbian, was born in Chong 'an, Jianzhou (now Fujian). Its birth year is unknown, either in the 4th year of Yongxi (987) or in the first year of Jingdezhen (1004), so it is difficult to decide which is right. Because it ranks seventh in the family, the world calls it Liu Qi. The boy came from a Confucian family and now lives in Kaifeng, Kyoto. The times and environment have arranged a way out for him, which is nothing more than getting familiar with the books of sages and then chasing fame and fortune in the examination room. However, Liu Yong has the talent of "singing well", so he broke through the shackles of feudal ethics, went to the society, integrated into the people and became a friend of musicians. "Every time a musician in the workshop gets a new tune, he must seek eternal obedience." Liu Yong made friends with many prostitutes in brothels for this purpose, wrote lyrics and composed music for them, and tried his best to be responsive. His ci is quite distinctive in content, with higher artistic attainments and wide spread. There is a saying that "where there is well water to drink, there must be willow words to sing", which became famous in the ruling and opposition circles for a while.
In the social environment at that time, Liu Yong had to embark on the road of imperial examination, but this road was very difficult and bumpy. Wu Zeng's "Notes on Changing Lent" states: "(Song Dynasty) Renzong paid attention to elegance, tried his best to reason, and deeply rejected flashy prose. The first scholar, San Liubian, changed his mind, so he could sing hymns and spread them everywhere. Try to write the word "He Tianchong": "Endure floating names and sing shallowly." When Lin Xuan released the list, he suddenly left behind and said,' Go to shallow wine and sing low, why be vain. "
Let's enjoy his "Crane on the Sky":
On the gold list, I lost hope. How to be a temporary legacy of the Ming Dynasty? If we fail, will we fight wildly? There's no need to talk about mourning. A talented person and a poet are naturally dressed in white. Yanhua alley is a stranger, as Danqing barrier. Fortunately, if you have the right person, you can find a house. And snuggle up to the red and lean on the green, have an affair, and life is smooth sailing. Youth is the pay of the army, so I put up with the superficial name and changed it to shallow singing.
It's really personal Unfortunately, his frustration in the examination room made him angry and arrogant, and he turned to take a cold and arrogant attitude towards fame and fortune. He often pretends to be "self-righteous" and regards fame and office as "floating names", which is not as good as "shallow singing" and "relying on red and green". No wonder Song Renzong was disgusted and deliberately refused him.
There is a similar record in Hu Zai's "Tiao Xi Yu Yin Cong Hua" quoted from Huang Er in Yiyuan Garden: "At that time, someone recommended his talent and said,' Do you have to write lyrics?' Say, "Nature." The master said,' Let's fill in the lyrics! Because I was very depressed, I took my son around the restaurants and didn't make an appointment for re-examination. Claiming to be a cloud: Liu Sanbian wrote lyrics by imperial edict. "
Due to the dissatisfaction and repression of the highest authorities, Liu Yong tried again and again, wandering in Kaifeng, Suzhou and Hangzhou and other metropolises, making a living in the Chu Museum in Qin Lou, and still making music for entertainment, lingering with geisha, which made Liu Yong feel the * * * experience of "we are all unhappy-to the end of the day", thus singing complaints about their abuse and trampling and seeking comfort in life. Among them, musicians use Liu Yong to spread their new music, prostitutes use Liu Yong to increase prices, and Liu Yong is also famous for his fame, which can be described as bringing out the best in each other and charming.
It is said that it was not until the first year (1034) that Liu Yong arrived, so he changed his name to Yong and the word was Qing. Later, I only worked as an official in Zhou Mu Yingyong, as a magistrate in Yuhang County, as a supervisor in Changfeng Salt Field in Guo Chang, as an official in Sizhou and as a diplomat in wasteland, so I also left wasteland. However, his official career is still very slim, erratic and full of bitterness.
According to Wang Bizhi's Notes on Swallows in Lushui, during the reign of Emperor Yangdi, Liu Yong was nearing the end of his life, and there was an old star in the sky, which he considered "auspicious". There was a eunuch named Shi who cherished Liu Yong's talent and felt sorry for him. He also recommended to Renzong, and showed him the word "Drunken Penglai" that Liu Yong was very proud of, in order to win his favor and help his career promotion. There is a sentence between the lines, "Where is the wind?" It coincides with Tongren Sect's mourning for his father's true Sect; There is also a saying that "the liquidity is too strong to turn over." Renzong is too sensitive and thinks that the word "turning over" is ominous. After reading it, he angrily threw the manuscript on the ground.
Some scholars believe that the above-mentioned events should take place in the third year of Liu Yong's Selected Works of Sleeping (1043). Zhang Shunmin's "Painting Record" said: "Liu Sanbian used the word' Ren Temple', and the official department did not let the official go." Because the official career is not smooth, I am blocked again and again and sink for a long time. Liu Yong died in Huang You and Runzhou (now Zhenjiang, Jiangsu) in five or six years (1053 or 1054).
Since the Northern Song Dynasty, people have different opinions on his ci. According to Wang Zhuo's Bi Ji Man Zhi, the literati who praised Liu Ci at that time said, "Li Sao has been lonely for a thousand years, and Qi's family has fallen into desolate songs"; The Song literati who criticized Liu Ci the most said that he was "poisoned by Liu Yong's wild fox saliva". So, is there such complexity in his words?
At that time, the elites, including Emperor Injong and Yan Shu, all criticized Liu Yong for "eulogizing lewdness". Feudal orthodox Neo-Confucianism accused him of indulging in the temptation of urban prosperity after being frustrated in the examination hall, pursuing only a dissolute life and creating some obscene songs. Since then, some scholars who pretend to be lofty have often denounced "Liu Jian's Qing Qu custom". In a word, taxi drivers who have always prided themselves on elegance hold a negative attitude towards the content and style of Liu Ci. At most, Liu Ci is original in art, which promotes the development of slow ci and has a certain position in the history of literature, that's all. For example, Chen's "Jie Zhi Zhai Ti" volume 21 said: "Its style of words is not high, but its melody is harmonious and graceful, with appropriate meaning, balanced weather and exhaustive description, which is especially suitable for traveling."
In modern times, many people still think that Liu Yong is a prodigal son of the declining scholar-bureaucrat class. His main energy was spent in the bohemian life of "leaning on the red and leaning on the green", and at the same time, he created a large number of "obscene words" with decadent ideas and low taste. Like other literati, he treats prostitutes with a playful attitude, and his description is full of pornographic things. For example, Zheng Zhenduo's Illustrated History of China Literature accuses Liu Yong of "indulging in brothels and singing for them with lyrics" and "his life can really be said to be spent in' shallow singing'. Most of his lyrics are written in' shallow singing', and most of his soul is written in a brothel that leans on red and green. Most of his themes are love, and most of his lyrics are written for prostitutes and young women, or represent young women and prostitutes. "
However, some scholars have positive comments on Liu Yong's works and personality. It is pointed out that prostitutes were not treated as human beings at all in feudal society, but in Song Dynasty, there were many prostitutes' homes, and it was common for literati to treat prostitutes as playthings and commodities, and to buy, sell, give and even punish them at will. Jia, a gentle official, Dongpo, is no exception. But Liu Yong's ci did not despise them, but expressed sympathy for them and gave them the status they deserved. He was among prostitutes and musicians and established a deep friendship with them. He writes songs for them and works hard. In fact, he became their right-hand man to make a living, which is completely different from ordinary playboy buying a smiling face and having fun in a brothel.
Liu Yong described the ideals and demands of prostitutes and expressed their depressed mood. Among them, he expressed deep sympathy for the plight of prostitutes. For example, when describing the situation of insulted prostitutes in "The Return of Yan", "the intestines are knotted and tears are streaming down her face." When describing prostitutes' skills, they also use the brushwork of appreciation and praise, such as praising their singing and dancing skills in Magnolia. When talking about their relationship with prostitutes, most of them are sincere and have no artificial attitude. For example, in the mausoleum, "since ancient times, feelings have been hurt and separated, and the autumn festival has been neglected." In a large number of works about prostitutes, they also show the feeling of treating prostitutes as confidants, such as "* * * has the friendship of sea and mountains" in "Fairy Song"; In Twelve o'clock in the Autumn Night, "I am willing to tell heaven and never leave"; In "butterfly lovers", "The clothes are getting wider and wider, but I don't regret it, I am thin for Iraq". Liu Yong regards prostitutes as confidants, so she is also loved by them. According to legend, Liu Yong "on the day of death, there was nothing left at home, and the group of prostitutes were buried together"; "Every birthday is buried, which is called hanging willow seven". ("Yu Fang Sheng Lan" Volume 11)
Needless to say, there are also some descriptions of love affairs in Liu Yong's ci works with prostitutes as the theme, and even some sentences are almost pornographic. However, such a work does not occupy a large proportion in Liu Ci; Secondly, when describing prostitutes, they still put prostitutes in the same position as themselves, which is different from other literati who play with prostitutes. Therefore, his ci has received good social effects, especially in the lower classes. In fact, among the literati, some people quite appreciate Liu Yong. For example, in Ye Mengde's "Summer Tales", Su Dongpo often plays the cloud: "The mountain rubs Wei Yun and Qin Xueshi, and the flowers reflect the willows." Treat Liu Yong and Qin Shaoyou equally. As mentioned earlier, some people compare Liu Ci to Li Sao, while others compare Liu Ci to Du Fu's poems.
Especially in his Song of the Sea, Liu Yong, as the supervisor of Xiaofeng Salt Field, can describe his hard work, poor life and tragic fate from the standpoint of salt producers, criticize the cruel exploitation of them by the government, and shout loudly: "Why bother the people of the sea!" It is really commendable to ask for a change in the relevant salt monopoly system, showing the deep concern and sincere sympathy of an upright local official for the people. In China's ancient poetry, it is an outstanding realistic work with distinctive people's character.
It is generally believed that Liu Yong turned to ridicule the pursuit of fame and fortune disapprovingly because of his lack of talent and repeated setbacks in the examination room. More than once, his ci revealed his criticism of fame and fortune, saying that "seeking wealth is hardly a long-term strategy" and thinking that "talented poets are really beautiful in white", thus he was quite indifferent and contemptuous of "fame and fortune", and gradually saw through the world of mortals, refused to pursue official career, and specialized in lyrics and composition. When he was still in Xijiang month so self-deprecating:
Different brocade is born in the abdomen, and the tail of the pen sprays the Yangtze River. It's hard for people to pay for the silk words in the longitudinal education films, and I don't care to weigh them with others.
I am rich in Dont Ask For Help, and people need to ask me for articles. Romantic talents occupy the field of ci, which is really a white skirt.
Some scholars also put forward different views, arguing that the above self-mockery is only a few complaints when his career is frustrated, not a resistance to the fame of the imperial examination. The word "He Tianchong" quoted before also shows a feeling of self-mockery and self-explanation after backwardness. Behind the pretense of being broad-minded, it is not difficult to see its deep regret and potential hope for becoming the "leader" of the list in the future. Liu Yong is not as cold as he claims to be. On the contrary, in order to get an official position, he will spare no effort to establish relationships, enter through the back door and even turn to the geisha who make friends with him. The story of "Green Mud Lotus" records such a thing: Sun He, who had contact with Liu Yong in his early years, was appointed as the governor of Hangzhou. Liu Yong wanted to recommend him to meet him, but the government was "very strict" and never invited him. So he wrote the word "looking at the tide of the sea", praising the prosperity and beauty of Hangzhou, and vaguely revealing the elegance and infinite future of local officials. After writing, he took it to the famous prostitute Chuchu and pleaded, "I want to see Sun Taishou, but I hate that there is nothing I can do. I want to sing with my lips in front of the sun. If I asked who wrote this word, I would say it was Liu Yong. " Sure enough, Sun Taishou was very happy after listening to Chuchu's song, and finally met Liu Yong. From then on, Liu Yong's dissolute life began to converge, and his crazy and strange feelings gradually faded. After careful preparation and the help of old friends, he was admitted to the Jinshi and became a small official in various parts of Zhejiang.
There are also many scholars who hold a compromise attitude. It is believed that the main content of Liu Yong's ci reflects the grief and dissatisfaction of some intellectuals in feudal society after their talents were unsatisfied and their careers were down and out, and expresses their indifference to fame and fortune, but it does not have the lofty ideal of Tao Yuanming not colluding with the ruling class, nor does it have the rebellious spirit of despising dignitaries as Li Bai did. At the same time, from the perspective of a frustrated scholar, Liu Yong described the lives of oppressed prostitutes and the lower classes in society and expressed some sympathy for them, which has certain social significance and made a breakthrough in the traditional topic of Ci. However, his ci also showed the vulgar and decadent side of feudal intellectuals, and he wrote some works to praise and flatter the supreme ruler, and his ideological tendency was quite complicated. In short, both love stories and travel notes are deeply branded with Liu Yong's life experience. They sang the joys and sorrows of life, pursuit and boredom with their own unique frankness.
It seems that Liu Yong's works and personality are originally a complex synthesis, and it is impossible to make a concise evaluation. The problem is that scholars' views are so diverse, even diametrically opposed, which adds to the charm of this mystery.