In the Jiangnan area, Taibo and Zhongyong are respected, especially Taibo. They are all ancient people who lived more than 3,000 years ago. But to this day, people still remember their stories.
In the late Shang Dynasty, at the foot of Qishan Mountain in the northwest, a group of people named Ji gradually became prosperous. This was the origin of the Zhou Dynasty. There was a leader who was posthumously called Taiwang by his descendants. He was getting old and had to consider the matter of succession. He has three sons, named Taibo, Zhongyong and Jili. Ji Li has a child named Chang, who has been outstanding since he was a child. The king thought that he would be able to do great things in the future and wanted to pass the power on to the child. Chang was King Wen of Zhou, the father of King Wu of Zhou who later overthrew the Shang Dynasty.
According to the etiquette at that time, it could only be passed on to the eldest son. When the eldest son was gone, arrangements could be made for the next generation. In order to satisfy his father's wish, Tai Bo discussed it with his younger brother Zhong Yong. The two decided to leave their hometown without telling their father. So the two brothers arrived in what is now Jiangnan.
The way Tabor and the others "give up the king" is remarkable. Historically it has been highly praised. Confucius said to his students, "Taibo is the most virtuous person." In history, in order to fight for the throne, there were too many incidents where father and son killed each other, and brothers fought with swords and guns. The story of eating a bear's paw is a well-known one. In the seventh century BC, the son of King Cheng of Chu led troops to force the palace. King Chu Cheng begged his son to let him eat bear paws again. Bear paws take a long time to stew. The son was afraid that his father would delay the process, so he immediately ordered his men to strangle King Cheng to death. King Cheng of Chu was not a mediocre person. He was not afraid of the nine princes and Duke Huan of Qi who dominated the world. He also annexed more than a dozen small countries and expanded the territory of Chu. But he died in the hands of his son. As for Duke Huan of Qi, his process of receiving power was not glorious either. When his father died, he and his brother respectively received the news and rushed back from abroad. On the way, the car he was riding in was shot at, and he spread the news that he was seriously injured. He deceived the other party, arrived at the capital first, and occupied a large position. Later, his brother was also killed.
Lu Guimeng, a poet of the Tang Dynasty, wrote, "Recently, father and son are competing for the world, and I don't believe that there is any chance of giving way to the worthy in the world." These are the things he speaks of, and it is Tabor he praises.
Taibo and Zhongyong arrived in the south of the Yangtze River, in today's Suzhou and Wuxi areas. Taibo was 42 years old that year. At that time, the Taihu Lake Basin was regarded as a barbarian land, a barbaric and backward place. Whether in terms of social organizational form or production level, they are far different from the Central Plains civilization in the Yellow River Basin. After Taibo and the others went there, they "tattooed and cut off their hair" to express their determination to naturalize the local ethnic group. It can also be seen on soldiers). They integrated into the local people, taught them planting and breeding, and combined with local conditions, planted mulberry, raised silkworms, and raised livestock. They brought people with them to build farmland. He also led them to dig the "Bodu River" (or Bodu Port). The river is more than 80 miles long. This is the first artificially dug river in Chinese history, and it is also a waterway still in use today. Later, many people gradually gathered together, embraced Tai Bo as their leader, and established "Gou Wu" (also called "Gou Wu Kingdom" in books). This is the beginning of "Wu". After the establishment of the Zhou Dynasty, King Wu of Zhou found their descendants and named them the Kingdom of Wu.
Since then, the Taihu Lake Basin has caught up with the development pace of the Central Plains. Of course, later generations will respect Taibo as the pioneer of Jiangnan civilization and the ancestor of Wu culture.
As the eldest son, it was natural for Tai Bo to inherit the throne. With his virtuousness and virtue, it is entirely possible that he will do well in the future. But he did not stay, but went away with his brother. First, he did not want to go against his father's wishes, filial piety. Second, possible conflicts of flesh and blood are avoided. Love and affection. Third, take the overall situation into consideration and reward the underachievers. Xian, wisdom. In that era of fighting for power and disregarding the feelings of flesh and blood, it was very commendable. Therefore Confucius called him the supreme virtue.
There were many sages in ancient China. They see through the world, roaring in the mountains and forests, or reciting poems after drinking. They attach great importance to personal cultivation, reclusiveness and self-love. Tabor was different from them in that he and his brother did not withdraw from the world and pursue personal self-liberation. They ran from the civilized land to the barbarian land, "tattooed and cut off their hair", followed the local customs, first transformed themselves into common people, and then educated the common people. They practice it and teach people to live and survive better.
Things in the world are always developing unbalancedly. There are always some areas that are advanced and some areas that are lagging behind. Some nations are advanced and some are backward. This has always been the case. The key to the problem is how to view this gap and how to take advantage of it. The Tabor brothers did not use their civilization and skills to enslave these relatively backward people, did not use these people as slaves to build their own manors, did not train them into armored cavalry, drove them to create an empire, and did not let them Build yourself palaces, mausoleums, and pyramids. What he led them to do was to build fields, breed crops, and dig rivers. It is the way of survival for all living beings.
It is the greatest virtue for a person not to love power and position and to give up the inheritance rights he deserves. A person who has mastered knowledge and talents, does not seek personal gain, and saves the people in the world, this is even more virtuous. What Tai Bo and his brother Zhong Yong gave up were rights guaranteed by the legal system at that time, rights that were allowed and even encouraged by society. What kind of spirit is this? This should be the best quality of human beings, being selfless and forgetting one's own interests.
Taibo was 91 years old when he died and was buried in what is now Plum Village. He spent nearly fifty years on the land of Jiangnan, and he rested on this land forever.
The events of Taibo and Zhongyong happened more than 3,200 years ago. All dynasties have revered them very much. During the Eastern Han Dynasty, the first "Taibo Temple" in Wudi was built in Suzhou. It is located in the city, about one mile away from Changmen. The temple has been destroyed and restored several times. What you see now is the Ming Dynasty building. It underwent another major renovation in 2009. To the south is the Zhide Bridge, and in the Zhide Hall there are statues of Tai Bo and Zhong Yong. There are also imperial steles inscribed by Kangxi and Qianlong in the temple. Wuxi also has Taibo Temple next to Jichang Garden at the foot of Huishan Mountain. According to legend, Taibo and Zhongyong first arrived at Wuxi Meicun and then established their capital in Suzhou today. There is Taibo Tomb in Meicun, which was also built during the Eastern Han Dynasty. I heard that there are still many monuments and relics left in Plum Village, but unfortunately I have not visited them.
Outside the south gate of Wuxi, there is a bridge called Qingming Bridge. It spans the canal. It is very high and well built. I used to work out of town. Every time I went home to visit my relatives, I would always go to the bridge to stay with my family. Not far from the bridge is the Bodu River. The clear water is always flowing. We stood on the Qingming Bridge and looked at the busy ships and boats coming and going. Few would have thought that the water in this river has been flowing for 3,200 years!
I suddenly remembered that there are four strong and upright characters carved on a stone wall in Yuantouzhu, a scenic spot in Taihu Lake, "Including Wu and Yue". That was written by Bao Xuchen in the former Qing Dynasty. Including Wu Yue, these four words are used to describe Taihu Lake. Wouldn't they be equally appropriate and appropriate for the Tabor brothers? Both Taibo and Taihu are so broad-minded, so tolerant, so natural and so friendly.
So permanent and forever!
2019.11.24 ?In Suzhou