In legends, classical stories such as Pangu opening the world and Shennong tasting a hundred herbs, if you ask about the specific era of occurrence, it is not just out of reach, but already ethereal. Therefore, when we hear ancient legends like this today, we often can't help but ask, "Is there a record in the book?" In fact, it is said that in the era of Emperor Xuanyuan, there was a historian named Cangjie, and his duty was to write down the literature. This is indeed a very long time ago.

In "The Book of Rites, Qu Lishang", it is said that "the history is written". So what is "history"? "White Tiger Pass" explains that the historian "makes" also. That is to say, "history" is equivalent to the "envoy" who instructs others to do something, and the "history" of "history writing" is to designate a special person to hold the pen and stand on the emperor's left and right, and record the emperor's words and actions in a timely manner. "Hanshu Art and Literature Chronicles" said: "The left history is recorded, and the right history is recorded." Because of this, there is the "Book of Shang", which records words, and the "Spring and Autumn", which records behavior and events. If you cite such classics that specifically record words and deeds, in the Yao Shun era, such as "Yao Dian" and "Gao Tao Mo" in the "Book of Shang"; In the Xia and Shang period, there were "Willing Oath" and "Tang Huan" in the "Book of Shang". However, after entering the Ji and Zhou dynasties, which were "old states of Zhou, their lives were renewed", because King Wu of Zhou continued King Wen of Zhou's Hongdae ambition of advocating "innovation", Ji Dan, the Duke of Zhou, formulated new rules from the very beginning: on the one hand, he traced and distinguished the different calendars of summer, Shang and Zhou, and on the other hand, according to the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter, he took this as the starting point of time, and calculated and recorded in detail the specific years when words and deeds had occurred. At the same time, each princely state also set up its own historians and recorded words and deeds, aiming to promote good and suppress evil, with the purpose of leaving a name in history.

Beginning with King Ping of Zhou (reigned 768-720 BC, the first monarch of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, son of King You of Zhou?-720 BC), the prestige of the Ji and Zhou courts gradually declined, and the power of the princes increased. Throughout the country, not only the etiquette is gradually loosened, but the legal system is becoming more and more disorderly, and the social personality and its morality and ethics are becoming more and more perverse and bizarre. Therefore, at the end of the Spring and Autumn Period, there was an old Master Confucius who returned from traveling around the world, while sighing about the loss of the royal road, while saddening the collapse of the ceremony, while sympathizing with Sven falling to the ground, and often lying in silence, mourning that the phoenix did not come; When occasionally or on the street, the indignant unicorn does not know. So, I consulted the musician to try his best to rectify the music of "Ya" and "Song", and proofread Ji Zhou's "Spring and Autumn" according to the history of the Lu Kingdom. The purpose of this is to enumerate the successes and failures of the facts and the successes and failures, so as to think about the key to the merits and demerits; By citing the causes and consequences of life and death, we seek to achieve the fundamental interests of warning words and deeds. Therefore, in "Spring and Autumn", a word of praise is better than adding an official to a knight, and the derogatory words are just like a knife and an axe, and the so-called small words are righteous and the chaotic ministers and thieves are afraid, which can be seen. However, Confucius's "Spring and Autumn", although it is wise and profound, is too euphemistic and short. Zuo Qiu Ming, a contemporary of Confucius, was well versed in the essence of subtle words and righteousness, and was familiar with the content, events, and causes of the Spring and Autumn Period, so he was able to rely on the Spring and Autumn Period to further create a novel style of "biography" that interprets the scriptures.

What is preaching? "Guangya" said: The preacher turns also. The meaning of transmission is to transform the subtle meaning of the classic texts into a more understandable written language, so as to help future generations learn and understand the scriptures. Therefore, "Zuo Chuan" is like the wings of the sage's scriptures, and it is the laurel in the historical biography style.

Entering the Warring States Period, when the Qin State merged with the other seven countries, each country still had its own simple annals, because the position of historian was still retained. And because the brief book of this period mainly records the words and deeds of some famous strategists at that time, it is not strictly recorded in accordance with the order of the chronology. This is the origin of the country-specific "Warring States Policy".

Liu Bang, the ancestor of the Han Dynasty, finally established the Han Empire after many years of war and eradicated Win Qin and Xiang Yu. At the beginning of the Han Dynasty, Lu Jia (c. 240-170 BC, a native of Chu in the early Han Dynasty, a thinker, politician, and diplomat of the Western Han Dynasty) inspected this history and independently completed the Spring and Autumn Period of the Chu and Han Dynasties. Subsequently, Sima Tan (the father of Sima Qian, a native of Xiayang, Feng Yi, Taishi Ling, Taishi Ling, Taishi Gongzuo, Feng Yi, Xiayang, about 165-110 BC) was a family heirloom who wrote the annals of history in the court, and his son Sima Qian inherited his father's will and devoted himself to screening the achievements of emperors and generals in previous dynasties. If we only talk about the textual style of the "Records of the Historians", such as the historical figures recorded in it, if we compare it with the "Shangshu Yaodian", we must not say that all of them are sages and great virtues; In addition, if it is compared with Confucius's "Spring and Autumn", it is impossible to call it exquisite. Obviously, Sima Qian imitated the method of "Ji" in "Lü's Spring and Autumn Period", and named the books that recorded the emperor as "Benji"; This is not only an outline, but also suitable for scaling. Therefore, in the "Historical Records", the "Benji" is used to describe the emperors, the "family" is used to write about the princes, and the "biography" depicts the elite heroes who participated in the struggle for political power, others such as the "Eight Books" explain the policies and systems, and the "Ten Tables" list the chronological officials. Although all this is significantly different from previous history books, the chronological sequence of events is handled in an orderly manner. A comprehensive evaluation of the "Historical Records" shows that it has the advantage of recording and seeking truth from facts, without concealing and evading secrets; and have a knowledgeable and upright ability, and have the ability to be eloquent; In addition, although he is good at hunting and exploring the secluded, he has the shortcomings of deviance; Although the stylistic level has its own regulations, there are deficiencies in disorder. In this regard, Ban Biao (3-54 A.D., the father of the Shupi Fufeng Anling people, Bangu Ban Zhao, and Banchao) has a detailed evaluation and discussion in his "Historical Records".

During the Eastern Han Dynasty, Ban Gu compiled the Book of Han, which not only inherited the family business, but also absorbed the experience of previous historians, especially Sima Qian's "Historical Records", which seemed to help him achieve half of his success. Looking at the style of the Book of Han, the content of the "Ten Chronicles" covers a wide range of topics, especially the "preface" and "praise" are magnificent. On the whole, the literary quality is polite, and elegant and upright, which is quite the legacy of classical scriptures and letters. As for the world's evaluation of the Book of Han, it is not only an elegant and upright model of respecting Confucius and revering the scriptures, but also the expansion and innovation of the catalogue regulations, but it is suspected that it has the false sin of "bereaving the beauty of relatives" and the fatal flaw of "bribing and writing". Zhong Changtong (a philosopher and political commentator in the late Eastern Han Dynasty, a native of Gaoping, Shanyang County, 179-220 A.D.) has already explained in detail in his "Changyan" (this book).

Tracing the development trajectory of the historical biography style, it is not difficult to see that the "Zuo Chuan" completely relies on the "Spring and Autumn" penmanship in the record of words and deeds, and only adds branches and leaves in a few places; However, the disadvantage lies in the simplicity of the text, especially the background of many characters' clans is not explained in detail, which makes it impossible to know, especially for a while. Since the beginning of the "Historical Records", from the present chronicle to the biography, all the ancestors and family backgrounds of the characters have begun to be classified and introduced in detail, which is not only clear at a glance, but also easy to read and understand, and has become a pioneer model of the biography style.

Emperor Hui of Han (Liu Ying, 210-188 BC, the second emperor of the Western Han Dynasty, son of Liu Bang, Gaozu of the Han Dynasty, and Empress Lü) died of cowardice, and was followed by the regent of Empress Lü. In view of this period of history, the "Later Lu Benji" in the "Historical Records" and the "Gao Hou Ji" in the "Book of Han" both obviously violate the recording rules of classical history books. Why? Because since Fuxi and even Empress Lu, I have never heard of a woman being an emperor. A special situation like Empress Lu in the Han Dynasty should not have been an example for later generations to follow, let alone recorded in the annals of history and commended. In "Shangshu • Pastoral Oath", King Wu of Zhou once had such an oath: "The chicken has no morning; The morning of the rooster is the only way to find home. (Meaning: The hen is not in the morning; The hen Si Chen, the family is ruined. ）。 In addition, the "Legend of Gu Liang and the Ninth Year of the Emperor of Xu" records that when the Duke of Qihuan of Kwai Qiu met with the princes, he made an oath to "not let women and state affairs" (prohibiting women from interfering in state affairs). There was also a story of King Qin Zhao because he was young, so that the Empress Dowager Xuan was in charge. There is no doubt that the political dictatorship of the Western Han Dynasty and Lu is conclusive; In this regard, it is equally unreasonable to say that it is a temporary replacement or a stage regent, let alone a monument. At the end of the Western Han Dynasty, because the "Historical Records" and "Book of Han" included Empress Lu in the ranks of emperors, Zhang Heng, who was engaged in historical records, may have been influenced by it, and advocated that the queen Wang Zhengjun of Emperor Yuan of the Han Dynasty should also be included in the history books. This is simply an even more ridiculous thing. Because Emperor Hui's son Liu Hong, although he is a fake queen's son, he is always the heir of Emperor Hui. As for his son Liu Ying, although he is young, he is the successor of Emperor Ping of Han. Therefore, Liu Hong and Liu Ying should be included in this book, how can there be a reason to put Empress Lu and Emperor Yuan into this book?

The history books that record the Eastern Han Dynasty began with Liu Zhen (AD?). - About 126 years, also known as Liu Bao, a native of Caiyang County, Nanyang County, and a historian of the Eastern Han Dynasty), Li You (a historian of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the character Boren, the Guanghan Dynasty, and the people of the Han Dynasty, it is said that Sima Xiangru is like the wind of the Yangtze clouds, and the history of the Bailantai Ling) and others; Subsequently, Yuan Shansong (also known as Yuan Song, Eastern Jin Dynasty, Chenjun, Yangxiaren) wrote the Book of the Later Han Dynasty and Zhang Ying (Eastern Jin Dynasty literati) wrote the Later Han Southern Chronicles, all of which were biased and disorderly; In addition, the "Later Han Dynasty" by Xue Ying (an official of Wu during the Three Kingdoms period) and the "Book of the Later Han" by Xie Cheng (a famous historian during the Three Kingdoms period) are crude and fallacious and mostly untrustworthy. During this period, the Book of the Later Han Dynasty, such as Sima Biao's Book of the Continuation of the Han Dynasty, was detailed and compact, while the Book of the Later Han Dynasty, written by Hua Qiao (a scholar of the Western Jin Dynasty in the Gaotang Dynasty of the Shujun Plain in ?-293 AD, was said to have the style of moving and consolidating the rules and records when the historian changed the Dongguan Hanji to the Book of the Later Han Dynasty). Their works should be the top masterpieces that record the history of the Eastern Han Dynasty.

During the period of the Three Kingdoms, the writings that recorded the historical sites of Wei, Shu and Wu were up and down. For example, Sun Sheng's "Wei's Spring and Autumn", Yu Feng's "Wei Luo", Yu Fu's "Jiangbiao Biography", Zhang Bo's "Wu Lu", etc., some of the words are too radical and difficult to verify and verify; Some of the content is broad and the central point cannot be found. Only Chen Shou (233-297 A.D., a famous historian of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms and Western Jin Dynasty) wrote the "Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms", which is very harmonious and harmonious from the description of the text to the argument and reasoning. Xun Miao and Zhang Hua of the Jin Dynasty both compared the "Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms" with the "Historical Records" and "Book of Han", which is not an exaggeration.

After entering the Jin Dynasty, he set up the post of writer Lang, specializing in the compilation of historical books. Lu Ji's "Jin Ji", although it is the beginning of the history of the Jin Dynasty, is incomplete; Wang Shaozhi (380-435 A.D., the Eastern Jin Dynasty minister) wrote a history of the Jin Dynasty, but there was no ending. Moreover, the "Jin Dynasty" by Gan Bao (a writer and historian who moved to Haining in the Eastern Jin Dynasty after the ancestral home of Xincai in ?-351 AD) is indeed orderly in terms of cutting and approval; Sun Sheng's "Jinyang Autumn" is not only concise, but also focused.

Tracing back to the source, the "Spring and Autumn Period", which originally reflected the Ji and Zhou periods, has some relatively clear classic examples in both scriptures and transmissions, which can be used as the criterion for this article style. Since the "Historical Records" and "Hanshu", there is no fixed paradigm. In the Eastern Jin Dynasty, starting from the compilation of the Jin Dynasty by Deng Cang (a historian from Changsha, Hunan Province whose year of birth and death is unknown), he resumed the self-restraint of formulating examples, and began to put aside the extravagant and expanded broad style of Han and Wei historical books, and then adopted the classic and capable and subtle style of the Yin and Zhou dynasties. It can be seen that the scholars who lived in the south of the Yangtze River at that time had already understood the wonderful use of classical scriptures. Therefore, when Sun Sheng (the year of birth and death is unknown, Anguo Taiyuan Zhongdu, a historian and a celebrity official in the middle of the Eastern Jin Dynasty) began to compile history, he began to establish rules first, and it was completely based on Deng Cang.

There is no doubt that all the works and texts that go down in history must be familiar with the style of the hundred schools of thought, so that they can not go astray. The reason why the excellent works can be passed down through the ages is that they reveal the signs of the rise and fall of the world, and become a warning reference for future generations to prevent trouble. Therefore, the history of each dynasty, no matter what its form, will be as present and alive as the sun and the moon; The heroic talents and their kingly careers will be as vast and long-lasting as heaven and earth.

At the beginning of the founding of the Han Dynasty, the position of historian was quite honorable. At that time, the main records of words and deeds of the vassal states and their states and counties had to be regularly collected to the central Taishi Mansion. Subsequently, the historians of the imperial court used this to gain insight into the trends of local forces and provide timely decision-making information for the emperor and generals. In addition, the imperial historian must also consult the cultural and historical materials in the collection, and verify the remnants of ancient times, so as to learn from the past and learn from the present. Therefore, in terms of the use of words and written content of historical records, the scriptures and classics that have been handed down should be the criterion, and as for the depth of the admonition and admonition in the history books, it is even more necessary to follow and reach the knowledge level of the sages and sages. Therefore, as a Taishi official, it is only after the above-mentioned experience and knowledge reserves that it is possible to record words and deeds truthfully, and then it is possible to have the level of ability to judge right and wrong, so as to abandon and prevent the flood of false and untruthful words.

The history books that record the world of the king and the country use "biographies" to write characters and "chronicles" to state events. His Chinese writing must not be generalized, and its content must be true and conclusive. However, as time goes on, the truth becomes more and more obscure; If there are more and more incidents involved, the path of the beginning and end will inevitably become more and more chaotic and contentious. For example, in a historical event, where several people have different division of labor, if everyone is recorded and the background of the event is clearly explained, there will inevitably be duplication and redundancy; If it is limited to one person, it will be incomplete. How to achieve such a contradiction between the whole and the part or between the part and the part is just right is both the difficulty and the key to how to deal with it in the history books. Zhang Heng of the Eastern Han Dynasty once pointed out that there were many mistakes and mistakes in the "Historical Records" and "Hanshu", and Fu Xuan of the Jin Dynasty also criticized the cumbersome and cumbersome deficiencies in the "Dongguan Hanji", which were actually caused by the failure to deal with the above key issues.

In historical books, why is there the problem of "the older the age, the more pseudo-learning"? As it was said in "The Legend of the Ram: The First Year of the Hidden Emperor": "Rumors are different." (Anecdotal things often vary.) Similarly, in "Xunzi Feixiang", it is said: "If the preacher is long, he will discuss the strategy, and if he is close, he will discuss it in detail." (The key information, the longer the rumor, the simpler, the closer the more detailed.) Based on this, it is not difficult to conclude that if history books can become the history of letters, the key lies in preferring shortage to abundance. However, worldly habits follow the trend, and human nature often likes the new and hates the old, especially when something strange appears, the world usually rushes to it, and not many people will think twice about it. Therefore, whatever is widely rumored must become more and more strange the longer it circulates and spreads; Wherever distant things are recorded, the more detailed and more inexplicable they are. As a result, with the passage of time, the so-called forgery of books is because people are generally keen to bring forth the new, especially eager to be different, so they often eliminate the facts recognized in the past history books, and instead specifically dismiss the many controversial issues between them, and exaggerate them. The purpose is nothing more than to pursue and be satisfied with what other books do not have, and only to be self-respecting. Such a mentality and false rumors, so that the bad atmosphere of writing books and theories that are spread by false rumors and eventually all kinds of fallacies are not only moths and silverfish in the literary and artistic edifice, but also a traitorous public enemy of cultural undertakings.

Needless to say, even if it is a literary and historical classic recorded in real time or recorded at the same time, why is there a problem of falsehood? Just give an example and it will be obvious in no time. In "The Legend of the Ram: The First Year of Dinggong", in response to Confucius's revision of the Spring and Autumn Period, when it comes to the surviving monarchs of the same era, there are "many words of determination and mourning." (Approximate original meaning: I don't know the fault of Lu Dinggong and Lu Aigong.) ) defects; This is not only the so-called "limitations of the background environment", but also the understanding and respect that must be felt at any time for some people's sophistication or environmental interests. However, in real life, for some characters or events that are still powerful and prestigious, in terms of how to grasp the scale of recording, it is actually the same as the secular norm of people's feelings: first, they are accustomed to disliking poverty and happiness, and are keen to climb the dragon and attach the phoenix. The second is that they are accustomed to despising the poor and destitute, and enthusiastically spurning the failed and downtrodden talents, even if they are both virtuous and artistic, and their personality is exceptionally pure and noble, they still cannot escape the human experience of being ridiculed, ridiculed, and even abused and insulted. From ancient times to the present, yin and yang are against each other, and the seasons are cold and warm; Good and bad morality, fickle human nature. All of this is a self-admitted, and it should belong to a social phenomenon that is not strange. Therefore, the reason why there is a perfunctory tendency in real-time recording and synchronous recording, and even the problem of obvious distortion of facts, is not so much an insurmountable chasm, but rather a colored glasses from the beginning.

From the above, it can be seen that the longer the time passes, the more false and untrue it is, and the closer the time, the more true it is, but there are also distortions and fallacies. According to the facts, in the writing of history books, it should be Zuo Qiu Ming who really achieves righteousness and reasoning and thorough analysis, and it is Confucius who truly respects the virtuous and avoids secrets and speaks in a small way. Therefore, in the "Preface to the Biography of the Zuo Family in the Spring and Autumn Period", Du Pre will have "King Zhong Nisu, Qiu Ming Suchen." Praise. The style of history is to advocate flaws and not hide Yu, and to adhere to the punishment of evil and promote goodness, and the talent of good history is elegant and jealous of evil. Like a farmer's crop, weeds are eradicated at any time. Only in this way is the rule that will never change for thousands of generations. As for how to achieve the simple and appropriate methods, how to master the essentials of distinguishing the true from the false, the false and the real, how to quickly sort out the myriad of skills, and how to find the basis for distinguishing right from wrong, etc., as long as the outline of the historical biography is truly clear, it will be easily solved.

The vertical and horizontal comparison shows that the historian's mission of writing and biography for an era is like watching and copying a portrait, once it is spread in all directions or passed down through thousands of generations, whether it is plausible or vivid, it is completely left to others to express their own opinions, and it must have their own strengths and weaknesses. However, looking at the merits of Bingwen and Zhangzhang, and looking at the deeds of dancing and writing, it will not be like writing historical biography, although he has made great efforts to make great achievements in the world, but it is inevitable to take care of one and lose the other, and he cannot be perfect. Therefore, although Sima Qian and Ban Gu are already geniuses who are proficient in historiography, their works are still inevitably criticized and condemned by later generations. Therefore, if you are not cautious, but willful and reckless, whether it is the work or the writer's life, it must be in danger.

All in all: go down in history from Xuanyuan, chronicle the first week of the narrative. The change of dynasties is like a rotation, and the life and death of the son of man are like lights out; Success or defeat is left to the sky, and praise and disapproval of good and evil remain in the world. Righteousness and resignation look at Qiu Ming strictly, and Nanshi Donghu is impartial. How many things rise and fall in the world, right and wrong.