"Eighty Red Treatises" looks through the fog to see the celery garden

China's history is characterized by a vague character, like a heavy fog. Pen | fun | pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 ｉｎｆｏ

This feature is not new in the early days of all civilizations, as the cost of writing was an issue before the invention of papermaking.

However, after the development of civilization, gradually it was different.

Western civilization focuses on the expression of the whole, and the history of the narrative is detailed. Chinese papermaking was only introduced to Europe in the 12th century, and it was not easy for Europeans to maintain this tradition with parchment, which was not cheap.

In ancient China, from the oracle bone inscription to the wooden script, the cultural tradition of "one word is a thousand gold" was formed. At the end of the Warring States Period, Lü Buwei, the prime minister of the Qin State, asked the guest to write "Lü's Spring and Autumn", and once said that if he could add or subtract a word, he would give a thousand gold, and it was passed on as a beautiful talk.

By the time Cai Lun of the Eastern Han Dynasty improved papermaking, it should not be a problem in terms of cultural records, but the historical records are still very sketchy.

This can be the result of a combination of factors.

The first is the richness of the meaning of Chinese words. Chinese often has multiple meanings and can express a lot of content. Sometimes it is of course endless, but in modern times, it seems that ancient intellectuals wrote books for "insiders", with the meaning of cultural monopoly.

The second is the qualitative characteristics of written descriptions of history. For example, in the Spring and Autumn Period, Cui Zhu "killed his Junguang", and the Taishi family was killed three people without changing a word. By the time Sima Qian wrote the "Historical Records", he set a precedent for beautifying the emperor in the Gaozu Benji. However, the record of Chinese history, with the "Twenty-four History" as the main body, is basically based on facts.

The third is the worship of ancestors, or China's emphasis on tradition, which makes the history brief and concise.

Of course, there are also those who deliberately cover up the facts. For example, the four emperors of Shunkang and Yongqian in the Qing Dynasty, Shunzhi became a monk, Kangxi Tent Hall Night Police, Yongzheng's cause of death, and Qianlong's life experience, all of which can make up countless legends.

The author often looks at the mist on the teacup and thinks: What is Cao Xueqin's life like? Based on the relevant accounts of Cao Xueqin that have survived now, the description of Cao Xueqin can only be regarded as a scale and a half claw.

And through the description of his life situation, do we characterize him as a hermit or a frustrated person?

Shi were intellectuals in the ancient ruling class, born in the Western Zhou Dynasty. Due to the patriarchal system, the eldest son inherited, and the rest of the concubines entered the ranks of scholars.

The Spring and Autumn Period in China was the golden age of scholars. According to Confucius, at that time, "etiquette collapsed and happiness was broken", and there was violent social turmoil. Today, a large number of slave owners went bankrupt, and these people provided the soil for the expansion and activity of the "gentry".

They advised the princes above, such as Su Qin and Zhang Yi; Xia Wu fought for the people in the rivers and lakes, such as the Mo family; Later, as scholars entered all fields of society, they were unified into a variety of types.

After the Qin and Han dynasties, under the unification, the activity space of scholars was compressed, mainly "learning and excellence" and hermits recited for people, and others were divided into three, six, nine and other streams.

Cao Xueqin lived in seclusion in the western suburbs of Baijiatuan after her family was defeated, and lived in poverty.

Based on this, we can consider Cao Xueqin to be a typical hermit living state. The secluded book "Dream of Red Mansions" was recited to future generations, and the famous hermit Hou Ying, who was praised by Li Bai's "Chivalrous Journey", is not far behind.

But from his friend Duncheng once wrote a poem to persuade him: "Persuade the gentleman not to play the diner, and persuade the gentleman not to knock on the door of the rich." Looking at it, Cao Xueqin still has the idea of being a hero in her heart.

In addition, Cao Xueqin is the author of the book "Waste Art Zhai Collection Manuscripts". As can be seen from the preface of the book, it was possible to obtain considerable benefits by using many skills in the book at that time.

However, judging from the existing accounts, Cao Xueqin's living conditions did not improve later. Like most intellectuals in ancient times, he was not good at acquiring and amassing wealth.

The conclusion may be a pity, but Cao Xueqin is still a person trapped by feudal autocracy, and he is the same as Fan Jin in Zhongju in terms of dealing with the future of life.

He was a frustrated man, and although he was nobler and greater than most of his time, his life was still a victim of the old times.

It doesn't matter whether it's good or bad, evaluating a person is nothing more than standing there and looking at it or looking back and forward. Objective, empathetic evaluation is the basic way.

The author does not look at the contempt of ancient times in terms of modernity, but agrees with the exhortation of Cao Xueqin in Duncheng's poem to achieve the shade friendship of "letting nature be lucky".

June 21, 2013 20:55:22