"Injury to Zhongyong" is a prose written by Wang Anshi, a writer of the Northern Song Dynasty. It tells the story of a child prodigy named "Fang Zhongyong" from Jinxi, Jiangxi, who became an ordinary person because his father did not allow him to study and was used by his father as a tool to make money. Taking Zhongyong as an example, the article warns people that they must never rely solely on talent without learning new knowledge, but must pay attention to acquired education and learning, emphasizing the importance of acquired education and learning to talent.
Original text
Fang Zhongyong, a citizen of Jinxi, was a farmer for generations. In the fifth year of Zhong Yongsheng's reign, he didn't even know the writing utensils, so he suddenly cried out for them. The father was different, so he borrowed something close to him, wrote four sentences, and named him after himself. His poems are based on the idea of ??raising parents and bringing in the family, and they are passed on to the scholars in the township. It refers to those who write poems about things and their literary and scientific aspects are impressive. The people of the town were curious about him, and they invited his father to visit him, or begged him with coins. My father benefited from this, so I pulled Zhongyong around to pay homage to the people in the city and refused to teach him.
I have heard about it for a long time. In the Ming Dynasty, when the ancestors returned home and saw them at the uncle's house, they were twelve or three years old. The poems written cannot be compared to those heard in the past. Seven years later, he returned from Yangzhou and went to his uncle's house to ask about it. Said: "Everyone is gone."
The prince said: Zhongyong’s enlightenment is the result of heaven’s acceptance. The heaven that accepts it is that the wise are far away from the talented people. If he dies for everyone, then he will not be punished by others. The heaven that accepts it is like this, and it is a virtuous person who does not accept it, but it is for everyone; now, the heaven that does not accept it, is for everyone, and the people who do not accept it, it is just for everyone?
Translation
Fang Zhongyong, a commoner in Jinxi County, has been farming for generations. When Zhongyong was five years old, he had never known writing tools (paper, ink, pen, inkstone, etc.). One day he suddenly cried for these things. His father was surprised by this and borrowed a writing tool from a neighbor. Zhongyong immediately wrote four lines of poetry and added his own name. The meaning of this poem is to support parents and establish good relations with people of the same clan. It was circulated to all the scholars in the township to watch. From then on, if he was asked to write poems with designated items, he could finish them immediately. The literary grace and truth of the poems are both worthy of appreciation. The people in the same county were surprised. Gradually, people in the county treated his father as a guest, and some people paid Fang Zhongyong money to write poems for him. His father thought it was profitable, so he took Zhongyong around to visit people in the same county every day and refused to let him study.
I have heard about this for a long time. During the Ming Dynasty, I followed my late father back to my hometown and met Fang Zhongyong at my uncle's house. He was twelve or thirteen years old. Let (him) compose poetry, (the poetry he writes) will not be worthy of his former reputation. Another seven years later, I came back from Yangzhou and went to my uncle's house again. I asked about Fang Zhongyong. My uncle replied: "His talents have completely disappeared and he is completely like an ordinary person."
Wang Anshi said: Zhongyong’s wisdom and wisdom are innate. His innate talents are far superior to those of ordinary talented people. He eventually became an ordinary person because his acquired education did not meet the requirements. People like him, who are born smart and talented, have not received acquired education, and they still want to become ordinary people. Now, those who are not born smart, are ordinary people, and do not receive acquired education, can only become ordinary people. ?
About the author
Wang Anshi (1021-1086), named Jiefu, also known as Banshan layman. He was granted the title Duke of Shu, and later he was granted the title Duke of Jing. The world also calls him "Wang Jinggong". Han nationality, Jiangyou ethnic group, was born in Yanbuling, Linchuan County (now Dengjia Lane, Linchuan District) in the Northern Song Dynasty. In the second year of Qingli (1042), he became a Jinshi. In the third year of Jiayou's reign (1058), he wrote tens of thousands of words and proposed reforms. In the second year of Xining (1069), Emperor Shenzong of the Song Dynasty, he was appointed as the counselor of political affairs and implemented new laws. The next year, he paid homage to Tong Zhongshu's disciple Ping Zhangshi. In the seventh year of Xining (1074), he resigned as prime minister and was reinstated as prime minister the following year. In the ninth year of Xining (1076), he resigned as prime minister again and retreated to Banshan Garden in Jiangning (now Nanjing, Jiangsu). He was granted the title of Duke of Shu, and soon he was granted the title of Jing. Jinggong. Posthumous posthumous title. During his reign, he, together with his sons Wang Yu and Lu Huiqing, commented on the "Book of Songs", "Shangshu" and "Zhouguan", which was called "New Meanings of the Three Classics" at that time. His writing is powerful and upright, and he is one of the "Eight Great Masters of Tang and Song Dynasties"; his poetry is powerful and fresh. Most of his works such as "Zi Shuo" and "Zhongshan Day's Record" have been lost. Today there are "Wang Linchuan Collection" and "Linchuan Collection Supplements", and later generations have compiled "Zhou Guan Xin Yi", "Poetry Meaning Gou Shen", etc.