Everyone is destined to die. It may be heavier than Mount Tai or lighter than a feather, or it means that there are some people. The meaning of the whole sentence is that although everyone will die, some people's death is heavier than Mount Tai, while some people's death is lighter than a feather. This sentence comes from the reply letter "Report to Ren An" written by Sima Qian, a historian and writer in the Han Dynasty, to his friend Ren An.
Original text of "Report to Ren An"
Taishi's bull horse left Sima Qian, and he paid his respects again. Shaoqing stepped down and said:
The old man gave me the book as an insult, and taught him to be careful. It is the duty of receiving things and recommending talented people to Jinshi, and the spirit is diligent and conscientious. If you want your servant to use the language of ordinary people instead of being acquainted with your master, you will not dare to do so. Even though the servants have given up their duties, they still have a taste of the legacy of their elders. Gu Zi thought that his body was broken and dirty, and when he moved, he saw something strange. He wanted to benefit but lost, so he was depressed and speechless.
As the proverb goes: "Who does it? Who orders it?" Gai Zhongziqi died, and Boya stopped playing the harp for the rest of his life. Why? Scholars are for those who know oneself, women are for those who please oneself. If the servant's quality is already lacking, even though his talents are easy-going and his behavior is erratic, he will not be able to be proud and will only be able to laugh at him and nod his ears. It is appropriate to answer the words of the book: Huidong came from the top, and he was forced to do something cheap. When we met each other, the soldiers didn't have to wait for a moment, and they all got the meaning.
Today, Shaoqing is guilty of an unexpected crime. It involves ten months, forcing the winter season, and the servant is thin from the top of the mountain. The fear of death cannot be taboo. This servant will no longer be able to relax and be angry until dawn, and the person will die long ago. The soul's private hatred is endless. Please be a little stale. It's not an exaggeration to say that Que Ran has not been reported for a long time.
The servant heard: He who cultivates his character is the sign of wisdom; he who loves giving is the sign of benevolence; he who takes the gift is the sign of righteousness; he who shames himself is the sign of courage; he who establishes his name is the sign of his conduct. also. If a scholar possesses these five qualities, he can be entrusted to the world and ranked among the gentlemen. Therefore, do not misfortune because of desire for profit, do not suffer from sorrow because of heartbreak, do not do ugly things because of humiliation, and do not blame others more than castration. There are countless people who have been punished for the rest of their lives. They are not in one life, and they are far away from each other.
In the past, Duke Ling of Wei and Yong Qu were riding together, and Confucius was ready to take the throne; Shang Yang watched him because of the scenery, and Zhao Liang was heartbroken; he was riding with the same son, and Yuan Si's color changed: I have been ashamed of it since ancient times! A man of good talent, a good man, is a good man. When it comes to officialdom, everything is hurtful, especially when it comes to generous people! Although there are few people in the court today, how can I recommend the world's heroes and handsome men while cutting swords and saws! A servant who relies on his ancestors' career must be punished under the chariot boss for twenty years. More than a year has passed.
Therefore, I am self-righteous: I cannot accept loyalty and allegiance. I have a reputation for extraordinary strategies and materials, so I will establish my own master; secondly, I cannot fill in the gaps, recruit talents and talents, and show people in caves; Externally, one cannot prepare an army, attack cities and fight in the field, and have the merit of beheading generals and knocking flags; below, one cannot accumulate long days of hard work, obtain high-ranking officials and generous salaries, and think that they are the favor of the clan. None of the four are successful, they are all in harmony, and have no short and long effects, which can be seen here.
In rural areas, servants are also among the officials who serve in the toilet, accompanying the foreign court in final discussions. If you don't use this time to guide the outline and think about it, you have already lost your form and become a servant who is swept away. In the midst of the antler, you want to crotch your head and raise your eyebrows to discuss right and wrong. Isn't it disrespectful to the imperial court and ashamed of the people of the world? Sigh? ! Sigh! What more can I say about a servant? What more can I say!
And the whole story is not easy to understand. The young servant has unbridled talents and has no reputation as a country tune. Fortunately, the Lord, because of his ancestors, allowed Feng Bo to go in and out of Zhou Wei. The servant thinks that he can look up to the sky while wearing a basin, so he ignores the knowledge of his guests, forgets his family and household affairs, and spends his days and nights using up all his unworthy talents and dedicates himself to his duties, in order to seek the favor of his master. But there is a big mistake in the matter! Hushu and Li Ling both live under the same family, so they can never get along well with each other. It's a different road, but I haven't tasted the joy of holding a glass of wine and receiving the hospitality.
However, the servant observes his behavior as a distinguished person, he is a filial piety to his parents, trustworthy with his friends, honest in dealing with wealth, righteous in giving to others, he makes concessions and concessions, he is respectful and thrifty to his servants, he always thinks of working hard and sacrificing his life for the country. urgency. Because of his accumulated experience, he thought he had the style of a national scholar. It is extraordinary that my wife and minister risked their lives regardless of their life plans and found it difficult to go to the public house. If something is not done right now, the minister who spared no effort to protect his wife will be blamed for her shortcomings, and the servant will be sincere and heartbroken.
Moreover, Li Lingti had less than five thousand infantry, and he was deep in the land of soldiers and horses, and he was able to visit the royal court. Killed excessively. The captives were not given life-saving treatment, and Chang Xian, the king of Zhanqiu, was horrified, so he marched on all the wise kings on his left and right, raised up the people with bows, and attacked and surrounded them. After fighting for thousands of miles, the arrows are exhausted and the road is exhausted. Reinforcements fail to arrive, and the soldiers are killed and injured in large quantities. However, as soon as the mausoleum called for the army to work, all the soldiers could not stand up. They bowed and shed tears, drank and cried. They even spread their swords in the air and fought for the dead enemy in the north.
Before the mausoleum was lost, envoys came to report it, and the princes and princes of the Han Dynasty all offered wine to celebrate their longevity. A few days later, I heard that the emperor was not satisfied with the meal and listened to the court. The minister was worried and didn't know where to go. The servant did not realize that he was humble, but when he saw his master mourning in misery, he sincerely wanted to imitate his foolishness in spending money. He thought that Li Lingsu and the scholar-bureaucrats were not willing to share, and he could kill people. Even a famous general in ancient times could not do it. . Although he was defeated, he observed his intentions and wanted to get what he deserved and repay the Han.
There is nothing that can be done about it, and the result of its destruction is enough to cause violence in the world. The servant wanted to present it, but there was no way out, so he summoned him to ask questions. He used this pointer to deduce the merits of the mausoleum. The master of the Ming Dynasty did not know the truth, so he thought that he was a servant of the second master, and he was lobbying for Li Ling, so he acted accordingly. The loyalty of fists and fists can never lead to self-improvement. Because of the false accusation, the soldiers followed the officials' discussion.
The family is poor, bribes and bribes are not enough to redeem themselves, there is no way to save friends, and no words are spoken to people who are close to the left and right. His body is not made of wood or stone, he is alone with the officials, in the deep secluded prison, who can accuse him! This is what the young minister has seen with his own eyes. Isn't it different from the servant's behavior? Li Ling was born and died, and his family's name is respected, but the servant is still alive. In Jamsil, the whole world is watching and laughing. Sad husband! Sad husband! Things are not easy as ordinary people say.
The ancestors of the servants were not capable of dissecting the talismans and elixirs. The literature, history and chronology were almost between divination and blessings. If a servant is ordered to submit to the law and be punished, how can he be different from an ant if one of the nine oxen dies? But the world does not compare with those who can die. It is thought that the intellect is extremely sinful, and if it is not avoided, the death will occur. Why? It is because of the self-establishment. Human beings are destined to die. It may be heavier than Mount Tai or lighter than a feather, depending on how it is used.
Your Majesty, the first is not to be humiliated, the second is not to humiliate the body, the second is not to humiliate the reason and appearance, the third is not to humiliate the words, the third is to be humiliated physically, the third is to be easy to obey and humiliated, the third is to be humiliated by being blocked by Musuo, and being humiliated by Chu. Secondly, hair removal, gold and iron were humiliated, secondly, skin was destroyed, limbs were cut off and humiliated, and the worst was torture! It is said that "the punishment is not as good as that of a doctor." This means that scholars must be strict in their integrity. The fierce tiger is in the deep mountains, and the beasts are frightened. It is also in the pit and trap, wagging its tail and begging for food, gradually accumulating power.
Former scholars have painted the ground as a prison, which cannot be invaded; they have cut wood as officials. Now I have my hands and feet, I have received the wooden rope, my skin has been exposed, I have received the basket, and I have been secluded in the circular wall. At this time, if you see the jailer, you will shoot him in the face, and if you look at the slaves, you will be wary. What is it? To accumulate power and power. And even then, those who do not humiliate their words, so-called strong appearance and ears, are noble enough!
And Xi Bo, Bo Ye, is detained in Youli; Li Si, Xiang Ye, has five punishments; Huaiyin, Wang Ye, He received weapons from Chen; Peng Yue and Zhang Ao were orphaned in the south and imprisoned to pay for their crimes; Jianghou executed Zhu Lu, devoting power to the fifth uncle and imprisoned him in the invitation room; Wei Qi, a general, was dressed in ocher and was in Guan Sanmu; Ji Bu was The Zhu family clamped down on the slaves; Guan Fu was humiliated in his room. These people are all princes, generals, and ministers, and are heard in neighboring countries. Their crimes are so outrageous that they cannot be punished and commit suicide in the dust.
The past and the present are integrated, how can we not be humiliated? From this point of view, courage and timidity are the power; strength and weakness are the form. The trial is over, why is it so strange? The lady could not have cut off the rope and ink early, so that it would be a little late. As for the whip, she wanted to lead the knot, which is not the case! The reason why the ancients imposed heavy punishment on the doctor was probably because of this also. Madams are always greedy for life and hate death. They miss their parents and care for their wives. If they are passionate about justice and reason, they will have no choice but to do so.
My servant is unfortunate. He lost his parents early, has no brothers, and is single and isolated. How can Shaoqing regard his servant as his wife? And a brave man does not have to sacrifice integrity, and a timid man admires righteousness. How can I not be reluctant! Although he is cowardly and wants to survive, he still knows how to survive. How can he suffer the humiliation of being drowned in a tired prison? Even if the husband Zang gets his maids and concubines, he can still lead to death, but the servant has no choice? So he endures and lives, secluded in the dung. Those who refuse to say goodbye have endless selfish desires, are despicable, and their literary talent will not be expressed in future generations.
In ancient times, people were rich and famous but could not be remembered. Only those who were suave and suave were praised. King Gai Wen was detained and performed "The Book of Changes"; Zhongnieu wrote "Spring and Autumn"; Qu Yuan was exiled and wrote "Li Sao"; Zuoqiu was blind and wrote "Guoyu"; Sun Tzu Binjiao revised the "Art of War"; Bu Wei Qian Shu, "Lu Lan", a historical biography; Han Fei was imprisoned in Qin, "Speaking of Difficulties" and "Lonely Anger"; three hundred poems in "Poetry" are the works of the great sages out of anger. These people are all depressed and unable to find their way, so they talk about the past and think about the future.
It’s like Zuo Qiu has no eyes, and the grandson has broken his foot, so he can no longer use it. He retreats to discuss writing strategies to relieve his anger, and thinks about the empty writing to see for himself. The servants are not inferior, and they rely on the words of incompetence to collect the world and let go of the old news, briefly examine their actions, review their successes and failures, and record their successes and failures. Second, there are eight chapters in the book, thirty chapters in the family, seventy biographies, and one hundred and thirty chapters.
I also want to study the relationship between heaven and man, understand the changes in ancient and modern times, and form a family story. If the initial creation is not completed, it will suffer this disaster. It is a pity that it will not succeed, so it will be punished without any regrets. If I sincerely write this book, hide it in a famous mountain, and pass it on to people throughout the city, I will pay for the humiliation. Even if I am killed thousands of times, I will have no regrets! However, this is the way for the wise, but it is difficult for the common people to say it!
And it is not easy to live under the burden, and there are many slanderous comments. When a servant encounters this misfortune with his spoken language, he laughs for the villagers and insults his ancestors, how can he return to his parents' tomb on the hillside? Even though he has been tired for hundreds of years, his ears are still stained! Therefore, his intestines turn nine times a day, and he lives there. Then if something suddenly dies, you don’t know where it is going when it comes out. Every time I think of this shame, sweat breaks out on my back and my clothes are stained! I am a servant of my boudoir, why would I rather lead myself to hide in a cave? Therefore, I follow the secular life and rise and fall with the times, so as to understand the madness and confusion.
Now that Shaoqing is teaching to promote talented people, is this contrary to the selfishness of his servants? Now, although he wants to polish himself, he uses rhetoric to decorate himself, which is useless, does not believe in the common people, and is enough to insult the ears. The important thing is that the day of death and right and wrong are determined. The book cannot be read carefully, so it is outdated and crude. Goodbye. Notes on "Bao Ren An Shu"
1. Taishi Gong: Taishi Gong does not call himself a public official, nor is he a public official. In the Han Dynasty, there was only the post of Taishi Ling, and it is impossible for ancient people to write letters claiming to be a public official. Qian Mu believed that the original name of "Historical Records" was "Tai Shi Gong". Oxen and horse walking: Qianci, meaning to run like oxen and horses. Go means "servant". These twelve characters are not found in the "Biography of Sima Qian" in the Book of Han Dynasty. According to the supplement in "Selected Works", it means that Sima Qian lived like a cow or a horse for the sake of "Historical Records".
2. 曩(nǎng): the past.
3. Wang: complain.
4. A layman: a worldly person
5. A slave: a metaphor for low talent. Stop, the same as "tired". Slave, bad horse.
6. Hear from the side: Hear from the side. Still saying "Fu Wen" is a word of self-effacement.
7. Disfigured body: Refers to the body being mutilated due to palace punishment, and mixed with eunuchs and lowly servants.
8. Zhong Ziqi and Boya: people from Chu in the Spring and Autumn Period. Boya was good at drums and harp, and he was a close friend of Zhong Ziqi.
After Zhong Ziqi's death, Boya broke the qin and lost its strings, and never played the qin again for the rest of his life. The matter can be found in "Lu's Spring and Autumn Annals: Original Flavor Chapter".
9. Sui and He: Suihou’s pearl and He’s jade were precious treasures during the Warring States Period.
10. You and Yi: Xu You and Boyi were both regarded as men of noble character in the early Western Zhou Dynasty.
11. Point: stain.
12. Coming from Huidong: In March of the fourth year of Taishi (93 BC), Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty visited Mount Tai in the east. In April, he went to Mount Buqi on the seaside, and returned to Chang'an in May. Sima Qian drove away.
13. Zu Zu: Same as "sudden", looking in a hurry.
14. Jidong: the third month of winter, that is, December. According to Han law, prisoners were executed in December every year.
15. Bo: Same as "force". Yong: Place name. In the south of Fengxiang County, Shaanxi today, there are five altars for worshiping the Five Emperors. According to the "Book of Han·Wudi Ji": "In the winter of the fourth year of Taishi in December, I went to Yongxing and went to the five-level temple."
Translation of "Bao Ren An Shu"
Like cattle and horses Ma Qian, the busy servant of Taishi Company, bows respectfully twice and replies to your letter, Shaoqing:
I thank you for writing me a letter not long ago, teaching me how to treat people with caution, so as to recommend talents and talents. It is your responsibility to recommend talents, and your affection and attitude are very sincere and sincere, as if you are complaining that I have not followed your teachings, but followed the opinions of worldly people. I wouldn't dare do that. Although I am mediocre and incompetent, I have also heard of the customs left by my virtuous and talented predecessors. It’s just that I thought my body had been damaged and I was in a dirty environment. Every time I took action, I was criticized. I wanted to make things better, but in the end I was harmed. Therefore, I was alone and depressed and could not tell anyone.
As the saying goes: "Who do you do it for, and who do you teach to listen?" After Zhong Ziqi died, Boya stopped playing the piano for the rest of his life. Why is this? A wise man likes to be used by someone who understands him, and a woman dresses up for someone who loves her. For a person like me, whose body has been damaged, although my talent is as rare as the Suihou Pearl and He's Bi, and my character is as noble as Xu You and Boyi, after all, I cannot use these to make myself proud. It will just make people laugh at me. Take the insult.
The letter should have been answered in time. It happened that I was traveling east as an attendant of the Emperor. Later, I was forced by trivial matters. The days I met with you were few and I was in such a hurry that I had no time to write in detail. Express your feelings. Now you have suffered an unexpected crime. In another month, December is approaching, and the date for me to accompany the emperor to Yong County is also approaching. I am afraid that something unfortunate will happen to you suddenly, which will make me unable to live for the rest of my life. If I express my resentment to you, my departed soul will leave endless regrets forever. Please allow me to give you a brief summary of my opinion. I haven’t replied to you after a long time, I hope you don’t blame me.
I have heard this saying: How a person cultivates his moral character is the evidence to judge his wisdom; whether a person is charitable and charitable is the starting point to judge his benevolence and righteousness; how a person makes choices is a sign of understanding his morality. "How a person faces shame is the criterion to determine whether he is brave; what kind of reputation a person has established is the ultimate goal of his character." If a person with lofty ideals has these five qualities, he can stand in the society and rank among the gentlemen.
Therefore, there is no disaster more tragic than greed for profit, no sorrow more painful than spiritual trauma, no behavior more ugly than insulting ancestors, and no shame more serious than suffering castration. The social status of people who have been castrated is incomparable. This is not the case in today's world. This can be traced back to a long time ago.
From the time when Wei Linggong and the eunuch Yongqu were riding in the same carriage, Confucius felt ashamed, so he left Weiguo and went to Chenguo. Shang Yang was summoned by Qin Xiaogong on the recommendation of his favorite minister Jing Jian, and the sage Zhao Liang This was chilling; the eunuch Zhao Tongzi sat with Emperor Wen of Han Dynasty in his car, and Yuan Si's expression changed greatly. Since ancient times, people have despised eunuchs.
A person with ordinary talents will feel humiliated once the matter involves an eunuch, let alone a generous and strong man with lofty ideals. Although the court lacks talents, how can a person be tortured with saws? Who is here to recommend the heroes and talents of the world? It has been more than twenty years since I was able to serve in the capital based on the leftover work left by my ancestors.
I often think like this: I cannot be loyal to the emperor and serve the emperor sincerely, so as to be praised for my unique strategies and talents, and thus gain the emperor's trust; secondly, I cannot help the emperor pick up the omissions and make up for the shortcomings. Recruiting talented people, recommending capable people, and discovering wise men who live in seclusion in the mountains; externally, they cannot be prepared in the army and attack cities in the field to establish the merits of beheading generals and seizing flags; from the most secondary aspect, they cannot be used every time Accumulate merit day by day, obtain high-ranking officials and generous salaries, and bring glory to the clan and friends.
None of these four aspects has achieved results. I can only deliberately cater to the emperor's wishes in order to preserve my status. I have not made any small achievements, which can be seen from these aspects. In the past, I had also been in the ranks of the lower officials and expressed some insignificant opinions in the court.
I didn't take advantage of this opportunity to uphold the principles of discipline, and I tried my best to think about it. Now I am physically disabled and have become a slave to clean up the filth. I am among the humble people. I still want to hold my head high and raise my eyebrows and comment on right and wrong. Isn't it despising the court and humiliating the gentlemen of the world? Alas! Alas! What can a person like me say? What should I say?
Moreover, it is not easy for ordinary people to understand the cause and effect of things. I did not have outstanding and unruly talents when I was young, and I did not receive praise from the village when I became an adult. Fortunately, the emperor, because my father was a Taishi Ling, gave me the opportunity to contribute my meager talents and go out of the palace. I thought that I couldn't look at the sky with a basin on my head, so I cut off the contact with guests, forgot about family affairs, and spent day and night thinking about devoting all my meager talents and abilities to serve in order to gain the emperor's trust. and favor.
However, things went against the wishes too much and were not what was originally expected. Li Ling and I were both officials in the court and had never had much contact with each other. We pursued and opposed different goals. We had never toasted and drank together and expressed friendly feelings to each other. But when I observe Li Ling's behavior, he is indeed an unusual person with integrity: he serves his parents with filial piety, keeps his word with his friends, is very honest when it comes to money, takes and gives things in accordance with etiquette, and can distinguish between elders and younger ones. , humble and courteous, respectful and humble, always considerate of the country's emergencies at all costs.
I think he has the character of a national scholar. It is rare for a minister to rush to the country's crisis out of fear of death and regardless of his life's considerations. Now, whenever he acts inappropriately, those ministers who only care about their own lives and the interests of their wives, children, and others will stir up trouble, exaggerate their faults, and get others into trouble. I really feel sad from the bottom of my heart.
Moreover, the soldiers led by Li Ling were less than 5,000. They went deep into the enemy's military strongholds and reached the court of Chanyu. They were like hanging bait from the tiger's mouth, challenging the powerful Hu soldiers from all sides, facing hundreds of millions of enemy soldiers. , fought continuously with Chanyu for more than ten days, killing more enemies than his own troops, so that the enemies could not even save lives and heal the wounded. The Xiongnu rulers were all shocked and horrified, so they recruited the wise kings of the left and right, and dispatched all the people who could shoot bows and arrows. The whole country attacked Li Ling and surrounded him. Li Ling fought thousands of miles and ran out of arrows. The way forward and retreat was cut off. Reinforcements could not come, and the soldiers were killed and wounded in piles.
However, when Li Ling raised his arms and encouraged morale, the soldiers all stood up. With tears in their eyes and their faces covered with blood, they held back their tears, drew their empty bowstrings, and risked their lives. The white light gleams on the blade, heading north to kill the enemy. Before Li Ling's army was defeated, an envoy brought good news to the court. The princes and ministers of the court all raised their glasses to congratulate the emperor. A few days later, the memorial letter came that Li Ling was defeated. For this reason, the emperor was not eating sweet food and was not happy with the handling of government affairs. The ministers were all worried, scared, and didn't know what to do.
Privately, I did not consider my own lowliness. Seeing that the emperor was sad and heartbroken, I really wanted to use all my foolish loyalty. I think that Li Ling has always shared the joys and sorrows with the soldiers, and his actions in exchange for the soldiers' desperate service are probably not surpassed by even the famous generals in ancient times. Although he was trapped in a heavy siege and was defeated and surrendered, his intention was to find an opportunity to serve the Han Dynasty. The matter had reached a point of no return, but his achievements in destroying and defeating the enemy were enough to show his true intentions to the world.
In my heart, I planned to state the above opinions to the emperor, but I did not get a proper opportunity. The emperor summoned me and asked me for my opinions. I will discuss Li Ling's merits based on these opinions, hoping to comfort him. The emperor's mind blocks those attacks and false accusations. I did not fully explain what I meant. The sage monarch did not understand deeply and thought that I was attacking the general of the Second Division and defended Li Ling, so he handed me over to the prison officer for punishment. Despite my piety and loyalty, I never had a chance to state my case and defend myself. I was falsely accused, and the emperor finally agreed with the judge's verdict.
My family is poor, and my meager money is not enough to atone for my sins. None of my friends came forward to rescue me, and the ministers close to the emperor refused to say a word on my behalf. My flesh and blood body is not wood or stone, but I am with the law enforcement officials and deeply closed in a prison. Who can I tell my inner pain? This is what Shaoqing has seen with his own eyes. Isn't that what he did?
After Li Ling surrendered, he ruined the reputation of his family, and I was then placed in the silkworm room, and even more ridiculed by the people of the world. It's sad! It's sad! These things Things are not easily explained to the layman one by one.
My ancestors did not have the merit of dissecting the Talisman Book. They were in charge of literature, history and celestial history, and their status was close to that of diviners and shamans. They were originally teased by the emperor and kept as livestock. They were What the world despises. If I am killed in obedience to the law, it will be like losing a hair on the body of a nine-year-old cow. What is the difference between me and an ant? People in the world will not compare my death with those who can be martyred. They will only think that I am incompetent and guilty. , cannot avoid the death penalty, and finally leads to death! Why is this happening? This is the profession and status I have always been engaged in, which makes people think so.
Although everyone dies, some people’s death is heavier than Mount Tai, while some people’s death is lighter than a feather. This is because they rely on different things for survival! The most important thing for a person is It is not to insult the ancestors, the second is not to be insulted by oneself, the third is not to be insulted by other people's faces, the third is not to be insulted by other people's words, the third is not to be insulted by being tied to the ground, the third is to be humiliated by wearing prison uniform, and the third is not to be insulted by others' words. They were humiliated by wearing shackles and handcuffs, being whipped with sticks, then they were humiliated by having their heads shaved and wearing shackles around their necks, they were humiliated by having their skin destroyed and limbs amputated, and the lowest level was corruption, which was extremely humiliating.
An ancient book says, "A doctor cannot be punished by punishment." This means that scholars must respect their moral integrity and must encourage themselves. The tiger lives in the deep mountains, and all beasts are frightened. When it falls into traps and fences, it has no choice but to wag its tail and beg for food. This is how people gradually tame it through the continuous use of force and restraint. Therefore, when a scholar sees a painted area as a prison, he will never enter it, and when faced with a fake jailer made of wood, he will never answer him. This is because he has already made up his mind and has a clear attitude in advance.
Now my hands and feet are crossed, chained with wooden shackles and tied with ropes, my skin and flesh exposed, beaten and whipped in prison. At this time, when you see the jailer, you kowtow and touch the ground; when you see the prisoner, you gasp in fear. Why is this? It is caused by the prestige and prohibition of the jailer. Things have reached this point. If we talk about not being insulted, it is what people often call shameless. What is worthy of honor?
Moreover, like Xibo Jichang, who is the leader of the princes, He was imprisoned in Youli; Li Si, who was the prime minister, also suffered five punishments; Huaiyin Hou Han Xin was named king, but was tortured in Chendi; Peng Yue and Zhang Ao were falsely accused of having ambitions to become emperor and were arrested. He was imprisoned and convicted; Zhou Bo, the Marquis of Jiang, once killed Zhu Lu, and for a time had more power than the five hegemons of the Spring and Autumn Period, and was also imprisoned in the confession room; Dou Ying, the Marquis of Wei, was a general and also wore a red prison uniform, with his hands Instruments of torture were put on his body, legs, and neck; Ji Bu tied his neck with an iron ring and sold himself as a slave to the Zhu family; Guan Fu was detained in his room and suffered humiliation.
The status of these people has reached the status of princes, generals and ministers, and their reputation has spread to neighboring countries. When they commit crimes and the law is brought against them, they cannot commit suicide. In society, it is the same in ancient and modern times, where is there anyone who is not humiliated? According to this, bravery or cowardice is caused by the situation; strength or weakness is also determined by the situation. This is indeed the case. Is it any wonder? Besides, people cannot commit suicide early to escape the law. But when they are tortured, beaten with sticks and tortured, they only think of preserving their moral integrity. This desire is not too far away from reality. ? The reason why the ancients were cautious in using torture on doctors was for this reason.
It is human nature that no one is greedy for life and afraid of death. They all miss their parents and worry about their wives and children. As for those who are outraged by justice, this is certainly not the case. There are compelling circumstances here. Now I am very unfortunate. I lost my parents early, and I have no brothers to love each other. I am alone and isolated from the world. Young Master, what do you think I do to my wife, family and children?
Besides, a brave person may not necessarily be brave. To die for the sake of honor and integrity, how can a coward not encourage himself if he admires righteousness? Although I am cowardly and weak and want to live in this world, I can also distinguish between life and death. How can I indulge in prison life? And endure humiliation? Besides, slaves and concubines know how to commit suicide, let alone when I have reached such a last resort!
The reason why I endured humiliation and survived, but refused to die in a filthy prison The reason is that I regret that some of my inner aspirations were not achieved. If I died mediocrely, my article would not be revealed in future generations.
In ancient times, there were countless people who were wealthy but whose names were never passed down. Only those who were outstanding and extraordinary were famous in the world. Xibo Jichang was detained and expanded the "Book of Changes"; Confucius was embarrassed and wrote the "Spring and Autumn"; Qu Yuan was exiled and wrote "Li Sao"; Zuo Qiuming lost his eyesight and wrote "Guoyu".
Sun Bin had his kneecaps amputated before he wrote "The Art of War"; Lu Buwei was demoted to Shu, and "Lu's Spring and Autumn Annals" was circulated in later generations; Han Fei was imprisoned in Qin and wrote "Shuo Nan" , "Lonely Anger" and "Poetry", three hundred chapters, most of which were written by sages to express their anger. These are the places where people are emotionally depressed and confused, and cannot realize their ideals, so they record past deeds so that people in the future can understand their aspirations.
Just like Zuo Qiuming lost his eyesight, Sun Bin broke his feet and could not be reused in his life, so he retired and wrote books to express their grievances, thinking of surviving to engage in writing to express his thoughts. .
Privately, I am overestimating my abilities. Recently, I have been using my poor vocabulary to collect historical rumors that have been lost in the world, roughly verifying the facts, summarizing the facts, and deducing the reasons for their success and failure. Starting from the Yellow Emperor and going down to the present day, he wrote ten chapters, twelve chapters, eight books, thirty chapters of family, seventy biographies, and one hundred and thirty chapters. He also wanted to explore the relationship between heaven and human affairs. The relationship runs through the ups and downs of the past and present, and becomes a family story.
I just encountered this disaster before I finished writing it. I regretted that the book could not be completed, so I accepted the cruelest punishment without daring to show my anger.
Now that I have really finished writing this book, I plan to hide it in a famous mountain, pass it on to people who can pass it on, and then let it spread into the city. Then, I will have compensated for the insult I suffered before, even if it cost me thousands of years. After being insulted thousands of times, what regrets do you have! However, these can only be told to knowledgeable people, but it is difficult to explain clearly to secular people!
Besides, it is a shame to be insulted. The situation is not easy to live in. People with humble status are often slandered and discussed. I encountered this catastrophe because I said a few words too much. I was humiliated and ridiculed by my fellow villagers and friends, and I insulted my ancestors. How could I have the dignity to pay homage to my parents' graves again? Even after a hundred generations, The dirt and shame will be even deeper! Therefore, my intestines turn around many times a day. Sitting at home, my mind is in a daze, as if I have lost something. When I go out, I don’t know where to go.
Whenever I think of this shameful thing, cold sweat breaks out from my back and wets my clothes. I have become a eunuch, how can I retire and live in seclusion in the mountains and caves? So I have to follow the trend and follow the situation to show my wildness and confusion. Now Shaoqing is actually teaching me to promote the virtuous and become scholars. Isn’t this contrary to my own wishes? Now, although I want to polish myself up and use beautiful words to excuse myself, it is not beneficial, because the secular world No one would believe it, it would only make me look for humiliation.
To put it simply, right and wrong can only be determined after a person dies. Letters cannot fully express my feelings, they only briefly state my ignorant and superficial opinions. Bow twice respectfully.
Appreciation of "Report to Ren An"
"Report to Ren An" is the first long and lyrical letter in the history of Chinese classical literature, with extremely rich content. Sima Qian explained to Ren An why he could not do as required in the letter, why he offended Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty by defending Li Ling, why he was willing to be humiliated and willing to accept castration, and what beliefs supported his tenacious survival after the castration. The creative background of "A Letter to Ren An"
This article is a reply letter written by Sima Qian to Ren An. Ren An was a friend of Sima Qian. He once wrote to Sima Qian in prison, asking him to use his position as Zhongshu Ling to "promote talented scholars." Sima Qian replied to him this letter.
In the letter, the author stated his misfortunes with anger and full of emotion, and expressed his painful feelings of having to live in humiliation and live in humiliation in order to write "Historical Records".
In the first paragraph, first explain the content of Ren An’s letter, and then apologize for the late reply. The second paragraph explains that due to being castrated, he is no longer among the scholar-bureaucrats and cannot participate in court discussions. The third paragraph explains the reason why he was tortured by castration. The fourth paragraph states the reason why he did not commit suicide after suffering extreme humiliation. The fifth paragraph further explains the reason why he endured and survived after being tortured, in order to complete "Historical Records".
In the sixth paragraph, he once again expresses his deep and humiliating resentment to Ren An, and states his views on the rest of his life. The full text has a rigorous structure, well-organized levels, and echoes before and after; reasoning and narrative are integrated, clear and penetrating; the language is rich and vivid, and the sentences may be long or short, interspersed with parallelism and couplets, making the article more emotional. The article is poignant and poignant, and the writing is full of emotions. It is not only a rare literary work, but also has extremely important historical value. Introduction to the author of "Bao Ren An Shu"
Sima Qian, a historian, writer and thinker of the Western Han Dynasty. The courtesy name is Zichang, a native of Xia Yang (now south of Hancheng, Shaanxi Province), or Longmen (now Hejin, Shanxi Province). Sima Tan's son. In his early years, he studied under Kong Anguo and Dong Zhongshu, traveling around various places, learning about customs and collecting rumors. When he was first appointed as a doctor, he was envoy to the southwest.
In the third year of Yuanfeng (108 BC), he was appointed as Taishi Ling, inherited his father's business, and wrote history. Later, he was castrated for defending Li Ling's defeat. He worked hard to complete his historical books and created China's first biographical general history, "Shi Ji" (originally known as "Tai Shi Gong Shu").
References: 1. Xu Zhongyu and Jin Qihua. Selections of ancient Chinese literary works (1). Shanghai: East China Normal University Press
2. Li Zhishun. Detailed annotations and translations of ancient poems and essays required for high school Chinese. Shanghai: Shanghai Dictionary Publishing House
3. Wang Junqiao. Dynamic complete solution to textbooks·High school Chinese. Changchun: Northeast Normal University Press
4. Xiaoshu. The swan song of the historian——Sima Qian. Beijing: China Pictorial Publishing House
5. Chen Zhenpeng and Zhang Peiheng. Dictionary of Appreciation of Ancient Chinese Literature (Part 1). Shanghai: Shanghai Dictionary Publishing House