Writing about historical topics is looking back.

Looking back, we must have a historical outlook. The view of history is to look at the people and events of the previous dynasty from what kind of perspective and standpoint.

The previous dynasties were almost all overthrown, and this is the basic relationship between the lower dynasties in our Chinese history. The change of dynasties, to say it easily, is called turning a new page, but the fingers that turn this page are not easy at all, they tear their faces, scold, slash and kill, they are all out of the barrel of a gun, and the common people have to experience countless bloody storms. Our history is a dynastic history, divided into twenty-five natural passages. There is a metaphor that says that Chinese history is a long river, and I would like to add that there are twenty-four dams on this long river. These passages are cut open by the scalpel of politics, and it is the cultural traditions that connect the passages. Politics and culture are divided and cooperated in this way.

From today's point of view, the emperors who attach importance to the connection and inheritance between dynasties are all Ming monarchs. The Yuan Dynasty did not do a good job in this regard, they neglected the connection with the dead Song Dynasty, and even more ignored the bloodline traditions of Chinese culture. In the early years of the Yuan Dynasty, more than half of the magistrates did not even know Chinese, and meetings were held like international conferences, and they had to bring an interpreter. The work of uniting and uplifting the people, mainly through various songs, dances and opera gatherings, also helped the history of Chinese literature, and Yuan opera became the commanding heights of Yuan literature. The dynasties in which song, dance and opera became the main channel of culture were romantic, but fundamentally speaking, those in power were not very familiar with Chinese history. The Qing Dynasty was also run by the Manchus and the Mongols. They have learned lessons, attached great importance to the inheritance and integration of culture, and have done many specific things, one of which is to organize and publish three great books: "Kangxi Dictionary", "Ancient and Modern Books Collection", and "Siku Quanshu". These three kinds of books, in today's words, are all called key cultural projects.

Looking back, in order to move forward better, it is crucial to be sober. Seeking the reverse without a sense of positive will slide from the quagmire of reality into the whirlpool of history.

Stance is the angle from which the observer sees the problem. There is a real-life example, which the editor-in-chief of Pingwa talked about when he was chatting with me. In a small mountain village somewhere in Guizhou, the son of a family was admitted to a key university, completed his doctorate, and stayed in Beijing to work. The son is very filial and often takes his parents to live, but he has to do work repeatedly every time. The villagers asked the old man, "Is Beijing bad?" and replied, "It's good, but it's too remote, and it takes several days to get there." ”

Writing historical essays, blind people touching elephants and sitting in a well and watching the sky will be biased. "The white-headed palace maid is here, sitting idle and talking about Xuanzong", which is too hurtful. Joking, or saying it openly, is okay as entertainment, but it's not appropriate to do it as a serious literary thing.