Dongfang Shuo has left a lot of legends and stories in history. However, most of these legends and stories are not true, but later generations borrowed the name of Dongfang Shuo and deduced a lot of legends. However, why did future generations not borrow other people's names to interpret, but borrowed the name of Dongfang Shuo to interpret? In fact, this already shows how deeply the life of Dongfang Shuo has left a deep impression on the world.
(Oriental Shuo stills)
So, what is the real Oriental Shuo in history?
The main reason why Dongfang Shuo was placed by Sima Qian in the "Funny Column Biography" was that in the eyes of Emperor Wu of Han, Dongfang Shuo was actually just a person who used it to relieve boredom and amusing. However, Dongfang Shuo definitely did not like himself as a funny and boring character. Why?
Let's first take a look at how Emperor Wudi of Han used Dongfang Shuo.
Dongfang Shuo was conscripted through self-recommendation when Emperor Wu of Han succeeded to the throne and issued an edict to "recruit the world to raise Fang Zheng xian liang literary talents". Dongfang Shuo's cover letter was very special, when Dongfang Shuo was 22 years old, he said that he read 220,000 words of poetry and 220,000 words of soldiers. In addition, he also said that he was "nine feet and three inches long, his eyes were like hanging beads, his teeth were like shells, he was brave like Meng Ben, Jie Ruo Qingjie, Lian Ruo Bao Was uncle, and xin ruo was tail sheng.". Dongfang Shuo used more than three thousand pieces of bamboo to write the letter, and Emperor Wudi of Han watched it for two months before reading it. After reading it, "Shangweizhi" felt that Dongfang Shuo was extraordinary, so he asked him to go to the bus office and wait for the summons.
Dongfang Shuo's self-recommendation letter, from the perspective of Dongfang Shuo, actually wanted to show Emperor Wu of Han a beautiful man who was literate and proficient in all kinds of things. He must have thought that Emperor Wu of Han's three views were very positive, and he must have liked this image. However, Emperor Wudi of Han saw something from the other side, and felt that this Oriental Shuo was a bit funny, from the number of "22" to a series of comparative sentences, it was a funny person.
(Stills of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty)
However, Emperor Wudi of Han also found it a bit funny and did not attract special attention. So, put Dongfang Shuo in the bus office, he forgot.
Dongfang Shuo stayed in the bus office, and he always felt that it was not a taste. The bus office's salary is low, and there is not enough food to eat, which is too far away from the achievement of the cause. At the same time, from the fact that Emperor Wudi of Han liked people like dwarfs, Dongfang Shuo seemed to understand that what Emperor Wudi of Han needed was obviously not the kind of beautiful man who was full of economy, wen tao, demeanor, and Yushu Linfeng, but people who needed fun and fun. Therefore, he frightened the dwarfs and told them that Emperor Wudi of Han intended to kill them. When the dwarfs cried and begged Emperor Wu of Han not to kill them, so that Emperor Wu of Han was surprised and summoned Dongfang Shuo, Dongfang Shuo said, "Zhu Ru is more than three feet long, and he is given a bag of millet and two hundred and forty dollars." The minister shuo was more than nine feet long, and he was also given a bag of millet and two hundred and forty dollars. Zhu Ru was full of hunger and death, and His subjects were hungry and wanted to die" such a reason, showing his funny and funny side in front of Emperor Wu of Han. Emperor Wu of Han therefore asked Dongfang Shuo to wait at the Golden Horse Gate. Although it is still not reused, it is already close to Emperor Wu of Han.
Dongfang Shuo really received the official position of Emperor Wu of Han when emperor Wu of Han was playing. Once, Emperor Wu of Han played a game of shooting. At that time, Emperor Wudi of Han hid a gecko in a bowl for people to guess. At that time, many people could not guess, and Dongfang Shuo found the opportunity to say that he had studied "Yi" and could guess. Emperor Wu of Han asked him to give it a try. Dongfang Shuo put the yarrow into a lot of gua elephants, and after some calculation, said: "The subject thinks that the dragon has no horns, so it is said that the snake has feet, and the veins of the pods are good and the walls are good, and they are not shougong, that is, lizards." Because he guessed it, Emperor Wudi of Han was very happy and rewarded him with a lot of gold, silver and jade.
(Guo Sheren stills)
In fact, Dongfang Shuo played this guessing game, and I think it had nothing to do with his use of yarrow to swing the elephant, but should be more of a psychological analysis. After all, someone had already guessed many times before, and Dongfang Shuo already had a spectrum in his heart. And when he was guessing, we can see from his words that he did not directly say the result, but used the method of elimination. When he was excluded, he must have been constantly observing the expression and reaction of Emperor Wu of Han. Eventually keep getting closer to the goal and finally speaking out the goal. At the same time, his expression method also makes the process of guessing things vivid and interesting, so it is loved by Emperor Wu of Han.
After Dongfang Shuo mastered the skill of shooting, he gave full play to his own strengths, invincible in guessing things, and finally defeated another Guo Sheren, who was deeply favored by Emperor Wu of Han. As a result, Dongfang Shuo eventually obtained the official position of Chang Shilang.
After that, Dongfang Shuo took the fun to the extreme, and used this to effectively dissuade Emperor Wu of Han from building the Shanglin Garden. At the same time, he also served as a psychologist for Emperor Wu of Han and gave him some comfort. Dongfang Shuo rose to the rank of One Thousand Stone Taizhong Doctor.
However, Dongfang Shuo does not seem to like his use of "funny" to become an official. When he was about to die, Zheng'er gave Emperor Wu of Han a recital. At that time, Emperor Wu of Han was astonished and said, "How kind is The Oriental Shuo now?" "This means that dongfang Shuo has become so righteous when he speaks?" Because of the Eight Classics of Zheng'er, Emperor Wu of Han did not take his advice.
Sima Qian commented on this incident in the "Records of History": "When a bird dies, its song will also mourn; when a man dies, his words will be good." In fact, it is not that Dongfang Shuo does not want to issue "kind words", it is that Emperor Wudi of Han does not need such "kind words", which is also the sadness of the ministers in the dynastic society!
(Reference: Chronicle of History)