Taking stock of "farewell" in ancient classics
When I was reading ancient poems when I was young, I was often moved by the scenes of farewell in them. I often recited Li Bai's poem silently in my heart: "The wandering clouds are like a child, and the setting sun is about old friends." "I waved my hand and went away," and "The Peach Blossom Pond is a thousand feet deep, and it is not as deep as Wang Lun's love for me."
As I grow older, I gradually discover the pain of separation. , there is another kind, where you don't hear the "creeping of Xiaoxiao class horses" and don't see the "Peach Blossom Pond Water". There are only a few ordinary words and an instruction. Looking back, it feels even more sad and thrilling.
"Historical Records: The Family of Confucius" records such a parting: Confucius went to Zhou to learn etiquette and met Laozi there; when parting, Laozi came to see him off and said to Confucius: "I heard that wealthy people give gifts when they say goodbye; benevolent people leave with a few words. I am not rich, so I will steal the name of a benevolent person and send you a few words: 'Do you know that you are smart and wise? , and have insight into the world, but why are they close to death? Is it because I am knowledgeable and eloquent, but it brings danger to myself? Why is it because I love to expose the sins of others. I want to say that as a son, you should not show your existence in front of your parents; as a minister, you should not show your existence in front of the king."
Although "Historical Records" does not record what Confucius said after hearing this. , What was he thinking in his mind? He just said that after Confucius returned to the state of Lu, the number of students was increasing day by day. But following the path of Confucius, I seemed to hear an echo in the Analects: Changju and Jie were plowing in the fields, and Zilu went to ask for help. Who knew that these two people just didn't give directions, and even made sarcastic remarks? The world is turbulent, who can change it? Instead of following Confucius in the dusty world, it would be better to live in seclusion and farm with us. After hearing this, Confucius felt sad and said: "Birds and beasts cannot live together in the same group. I don't get along with the people of the world. Who else can I deal with? If there is a way in the world, why should I, Confucius, bother to change the world?" < /p>
Every time I read this, I feel "awed" in my heart. Confucius was ambitious and humble, allowing the "gods and gods" around him to ridicule and ridicule him. Not only did Confucius not get angry, he also tried to be inspired by them and praised these "hermits" in front of his students with good intentions. As Jesus said: "No prophet is disrespected except in his own country and in his own family." (Matthew 13:57) And if you think about it carefully, what are the intentions of those people who are "constantly depressed and unruly"? They turn a blind eye to the turbulent waves; once someone rises up to do good, has the courage to sacrifice himself and even his family's blood, and inject clean water into the troubled world, they immediately sneer and ridicule, and their "wisdom" is precisely when they mock conscience and kind people, Not to mention it seems "unfathomable".
Every time I think about this, my mind is hard to calm down. Thinking about these years, I went to the river alone to collect scenery, and all the ordinary people I met made me feel moved. However, only those who were "constantly depressed and unruly", their cynicism, and even covert frame-ups, made me feel chilling and sad. Anger never aroused any other emotion in me, nor did it give me the slightest bit of enlightenment. At times like this, I often recite Confucius' words silently in my heart: "Birds and beasts should not flock together." Only then do I know there is a profound meaning in this.
But in fact Lao Tzu is not like that; I suspect that starting from Zhuangzi, many Taoists and hermits in later generations have not received the true inheritance of Lao Tzu. Judging from the history books, Laozi sent Confucius away like brothers sending each other off, cherishing and cherishing each other, with personal intentions and feelings, as it is said in the "Tao De Jing": "The virtues are thicker than those of an innocent son." But who knows that "outside the Changting Pavilion" ", beside the ancient road", brothers from generation to generation send each other off, old friends say goodbye, what kind of friendship and feelings are entrusted in this. For example, Li Bai's poem says: "I send my sorrowful heart to the bright moon and follow you until the end of the night."
In the modern world, when acquaintances are scattered and people are lonely and helpless, people often travel to history books. Find a soulmate. In this way, I walked into the bamboo forest of the Wei and Jin Dynasties and traveled with the "Seven Sages" for three years until I experienced their tragic fate. Among the "Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove", the ancestor and confidant I admire the most is Ji Kang and Ji Shuye. According to the "Book of Jin" records: Kang Zaogu was a man of extraordinary talents. People thought that Long Zhang was graceful and natural in nature. Read a lot of books, always like Lao Zhuang. But it was exactly this kind of Mr. Ji Shuye who was "not Tang Wu but weak Zhou Kong, who was more famous than taught and allowed nature". Later, he resolutely returned to the dark reality on the road of life and realized what Confucius said, the highest ideal of a benevolent person. The ideal personality is "killing and benevolence". I think it's more about fate than personal will or ambition.
According to historical records, Ji Kang "traveled around mountains and rivers trying to collect herbs" and followed the hermit Sun Deng to travel in the Jijun Mountains for three years. Sun Deng was often taciturn, until when he was leaving, Ji Kang asked again: "Mr. I'm about to leave, do you still have nothing to say to me?" At this time, Sun Deng said: "Do you know fire? Fire is born with light, and it emits light without its light, which is the result of burning. People are born with talents and don't use their talents, and using talents is the result of life. Therefore, shining brightly depends on getting fuel to keep shining; using talents depends on recognizing the reality, so as to save your life. If you want to return to the real world, it will be difficult to avoid disaster! Do you really want nothing?" Who knows that the words came true: Ji Kang finally did not listen to Master Sun Deng's advice, returned to reality, and was brutally killed. Before his death, Ji Kang wrote "Poetry of Youang Anger" and said: "I used to be ashamed of being under the willow tree, but now I am ashamed of being under the willow tree.
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Every time I read the "Book of Jin": "Kang Jiang punished Dongshi, and three thousand students from the Imperial Academy asked him to be their teachers, and they gave him permission. Kang Gu looked at the shadow of the sun and played the piano. "The peerless song "Guangling San" shocked the world and made ghosts and gods weep; the mountains and rivers changed color; the dark dynasty collapsed in an instant.
"Poetry" says: "The high mountains stand still, and the scenery stops. "Zhuzi Yulei" also quoted what the predecessors said: "If heaven did not give birth to Zhongni, eternity would be as long as night." "Many scholars and literati in later generations disagreed, and mocked and mocked like "Changju and Jiedrong". They said: Is Confucius that great? What's more, where do you put the ancestors whom Confucius admired? < /p>
And I think that it is not an exaggeration for later generations to praise Confucius in this way, and it comes from the heart; the true meaning is not to say how great Confucius is personally, but to admire his ancestor Confucius for "telling without doing." , but with his own efforts and one life, he preserved the civilization of the previous dynasty and inherited the spirit and "the most important principles of virtue" of the previous kings. All of this will undoubtedly illuminate the eternal night.
Just as without Confucius, The long night is unimaginable; without Ji Kang, the Wei and Jin Dynasties would have been dark. If we compare each generation to a room and a mountain, the dark room and the mountain are illuminated by these desperate souls; and they are. What can be ignited is not so much the "firewood" in the mountains, but the hard work of one's own efforts. According to the "Book of Jin": "In the Wei and Jin Dynasties, there were many famous people in the world, but there were few famous people. "At that time, Sima Yi launched a bloody coup, Sima Zhao conspired to seize power, and the storm was dark. At this time, why did Mr. Shu Ye say goodbye to the hermit Sun Deng and return to the crisis-ridden real world alone? I think what Mr. Shu Ye heard in his ears was Sun Deng. There may be another calling in the heart for Deng's advice. For example, "Poetry of Youang" says: "Glorious Ganoderma lucidum blooms three times a year. What can I do if I can't achieve my ambition?" "
Looking back on those days, when I read Sun Deng's parting words, I felt indignant: Ji Kang was a great hero, why did he feel as ashamed as a primary school student in front of Sun Deng? But Sun Deng didn't open his mouth easily, and when he opened his mouth, he "revealed the truth with one word" , so unfathomable...
Just when I was depressed and confused, I had a dream at night: I dreamed of a bonfire lit in a cave, and a disheveled ancestor said to a young man in white next to him. : "Do you know fire? "At this time, the flames had overflowed outside the cave and ignited the dark clouds; at dawn, the fire clouds were rolling in the sky, shining brightly...
Wake up and realize: It turns out that if you look at it once and for all, Sun Deng said it. Yes, Ji Kang was really talented and knowledgeable, like a flame "born with light, but not using its light", and ultimately lost his life. However, did he know the fire? Looking at it from a distance of 1,800 years, I saw the blazing fire. The burning heavenly fire illuminates the eternal night.