Zeng Gong's moral essay

Tang Xiaomin

For a long time, people have mostly believed that Zeng Gong is a "mellow Confucian" with a moral spirit. The so-called "mellow Confucianism" has many meanings, the first of which is to ideologically agree with the principles of Confucianism. Moreover, when the ideological principles of Confucianism are inconsistent with the actual society, it should be better to sacrifice the adaptation to society than to adhere to the Confucian ideological principles. But this adherence to confucian principles does not take the form of a fierce critique of reality. Zeng Gong was exactly like this.

Zeng Gong received an education in Confucian classics since childhood. The ideal politics in his mind is the political blueprint depicted in the Confucian classics, the so-called "ancient system". This political blueprint is inconsistent with the political reality of future generations. Thus, the depiction of the Confucian political blueprint implies a critique of reality. Zeng Gong is like this. He said in the Book of Shangcai Bachelor:

The ancient system is good. The husband and son of heaven respect and the listener of the prime minister, but sometimes, can not be counted and long. However, the counselor followed the prime minister into the play, and the play was completed, and the prime minister retired to the Middle Book, and gai changran. As for the counselors, the words and movements in and out are interspersed, and the fleas are close to each other, and they have not heard of their retreat. In this way, the gain and loss of things, the flea thoughts do not wait for twilight but can be said, the twilight thoughts do not wait to cross the board and can be said, and the non-commandments are extremely discernible. It is advisable to repeat it repeatedly, but it is advisable to be detailed and realistic, although there are evil people and mediocre people, and they must not be confused. Therefore, it is said that the person who becomes this beauty is not the counselor!

There is also a gap in the views of the present counselor, and it is also clear that they cannot be discussed from top to bottom day and night. The forbidden and dwelling, the woman is only er, the house is only the temple people, the mediocre, the evil ones are just er. It is not easy to walk in the middle of the world, when it is discussed! In this way, gong sees the danger of the counselors of the two governments today, but does not see the security of the country and the world.

The "ancient system" mentioned by Zeng Gong is actually the political system of the Han Dynasty. One of the characteristics of the political system of the Han Dynasty was that the chancellor was very powerful. On the one hand, it is "in charge of the heavenly son, assistant ten thousand opportunities", participating in decision-making; on the other hand, "the general leader and hundreds of officials, everything is unified", responsible for the implementation of government decrees. Thus, the Prime Minister is the Son of Heaven "the one who respects and listens." At the same time, the Han Dynasty advisors also played an important role in supervising the Son of Heaven. By the Song Dynasty, the situation was different. The prime minister of the Song Dynasty naturally did not have the same power as the chancellor of the Han Dynasty. And the counselors could not play the role of the Han Dynasty counselors in supervising the Son of Heaven. Zeng Gong nostalgically remembers the "ancient system", which is a euphemistic criticism of the expansion of imperial power in the Song Dynasty.

Another feature of the Han Dynasty was the relative balance of power between the central and local governments. In other words, local officials still have some power. In the Han Dynasty, the county taishou "removed rewards and punishments, and military punishments were all despotic." "That is, it has the right to remove local government officials, to control the military power, and to control local finances." Later, local officials were stripped of these powers. This situation is also what Zeng Gong is worried about. Zeng Gong's "Send Cai Yuan Zhen Sequence" said:

The ancient states are engaged in self-cultivation, and the soldiers also choose what to follow, so the guests and lords are also compatible. If you can't do it, you can go there. In the present state, all are destined for the dynasty, and not only the guards cannot choose the soldiers, nor the soldiers can choose what to follow, and the guests and the hosts will be able to get along! If you can't do it, you can't go away. Therefore, the rule of keeping is to engage in nothing, and the rule of keeping is also bound to do nothing, and to engage in the administration of others.

Obviously, Zeng Gong saw the problem of excessive central power. His views are very insightful.

Historically, true Confucians have adhered to Confucian principles of thought, and even if these mathematical principles do not conform to reality, they do not abandon them to adapt to social reality. Zeng Gong is also like this. He wrote "The Second Life Of Gifts to Li An", in which he wrote:

Li Sheng supplemented the judicial participation of Jiangling Province, and will do it, please give it as a gift. Yu Yue: "Yu Zhisheng, who has gained it in his heart, will ask for external evil with his words?" Li Sheng said: "The learning of life and ansheng is in Sven, and everyone in it laughs and thinks that it is pedantic, and now the words of asking for a son will be solved by the people in the li." Yu heard it and smiled to himself. What is the breadth of the world? Knowing that faith is ancient but not in line with the world, knowing the Tao but not knowing the same customs, this is why yu is trapped in the present and does not know it. What is more of a world than to give? The pedantic nature of this life is especially unconventional, and the small ear of the pedantic is a person who laughs in it. If the rest of the pedantic is great, it will make the life stick to my words, and it will be re-offended, and the mediocrity will stop at laughter!

Li Sheng told Zeng Gong that the people in his hometown thought that they were "broad", so he asked Zeng Gong to give a message to dispel the understanding of the people in his hometown. When Zeng Gong heard this, he couldn't help but "laugh at himself." He thought that Li Sheng's pedantic breadth was only a small one, and that he "knew and believed in the ancient world but did not know that it was in line with the world, and that he knew the Tao but did not know the same customs", which was the real pedantic.

In reality, Zeng Gong also has a "broad" side. In his later years, Zeng Gong was summoned back to Beijing after requesting the imperial court. With his proficiency in historiography, Emperor Shenzong appointed the Shiguan to revise and compile the outline of the history of the Five Dynasties. Zeng Gong accepted the appointment of the imperial court and undertook the task of revising the history of the country. In October of that year, Zeng Gong wrote the "General Order and Summary of Emperor Jin Taizu", vigorously praising the merits of Song Taizu and comparing it with Han Gaozu, thinking that there were more than a dozen places that Liu Bang could not reach, so he could compare with Yao Shun, and Shenzong was displeased after reading it, believing that it should not be better or worse than the ancients. In fact, the full text of the "General Preface to Emperor Jin Taizu" is nearly 2700 words, and the "ten less than" is only more than 300 words. Writing this "ten less than enough" is not the main reason why the Divine Sect is dissatisfied with this article. The real reason that made Shenzong angry was that Zeng Gong praised Taizu like this.

During the Middle and Tang Dynasties, Liu Zongyuan also sang this praise for the former emperor. When Emperor Xianzong ascended the throne, Liu Zongyuan wrote an article called "Zhenfu", which was sung from Gaozu to Dezong and Shunzong, and did not "focus" on Xianzong. Therefore, Xianzong was very dissatisfied. In this regard, Mr. Guo Preheng made an analysis and said, "The article "Zhenfu" is an inappropriate statement. ...... At that time, Emperor Xianzong first succeeded to the throne, and he opposed the measures of "Yongzhen Reform". The knower should sing the praises of the present, not the praises of the previous generations, and especially should not say that "it is not commanded to heaven." Such an article is unattainable in terms of thought; it is foolish in terms of man. Zeng Gong sang the praises of Song Taizu and made the same mistake as Liu Zongyuan.

Before Zeng Gong re-entered the imperial court, he served in other places for many years and did not know much about some of the internal affairs of the imperial court, which also made him less accustomed to reality. For example, Zeng Gong served as the emperor's scribbling system, this writing work was easy for Zeng Gong, but for the emperor's draft, it was far from enough to have the ability to write, and it was also necessary to have the ability to "push the holy will". Without insight into the emperor's secret inner world, it would be useless to write a good article. It may backfire. In the edict drafted for Han Wei, Zeng Gong called Han Wei "pure and straight", he did not know that Shenzong was very disgusted with Han Wei in his heart, and the result was that Shenzong was very angry, criticizing Zeng Gong for "being obedient in grass words" and making Zeng Gong "redeem ten pounds of copper".

Zeng Gong once wrote the "Letter to Du Xianggong", saying: "Gong is difficult and poor and lowly, learning is contrary to the multitude, and doing less is in line with the world", "But he is attentive to the text of the book, in order to seek the preface of the ancients, to be happy within the ring, not to be chaotic in the poor, although it is not enough for xishengde, it is almost worthy of its intentions." "Learning is contrary to the multitude, and doing less is in harmony with the world", this is indeed an important feature of Zeng Gong. But Zeng Gong rarely directly criticizes reality, giving people the impression of profound moral cultivation.

This characteristic of Zeng Gong is a reflection of the development and changes of the times. The Tang and Song dynasties were an important period of social change in ancient China, and its important manifestation was the strengthening of imperial power, in which Confucianism adapted to social changes and changed itself. One of the important manifestations is the construction of one's own inner moral world, at the cost of weakening the critique of social reality. This kind of Confucianism is completely different from the attitude of the Han Dynasty intellectuals to the desperate struggle against the evil forces of the imperial court, and it is also obviously different from Han Yu and Liu Zongyuan in the Middle and Tang Dynasties. Han Yu was able to match his words and deeds, "loyal to the wrath of the lord of the prisoners, and bravely conquer the commander of the three armies", practicing Confucian thought with his own actions. Song Ming's science is different from this. They lacked Han Yu's courage. The main thing is to enhance their self-cultivation. For example, "Mr. Zhang Hengqu's Behavior" records Zhang Zai's deeds: "All day long sitting in a dangerous room, compendium left and right, reading down, thinking on the back, knowing what you have, or sitting up in the middle of the night, taking a candle and a book." His mind and thoughts did not begin to rest, nor did he taste to forget. Cheng Hao's poem: "Idle and calm, sleeping in the east window of the sun has been red." All things are self-sufficient in contemplation, and the four hours are happy with people. Daotong Heaven and Earth are tangible, thinking into the perversion of the wind and clouds. Rich and noble are not lascivious, poor and lowly, and boys are proud to come here. "They can be described as typical of Song Ru. Because the Confucians of the Han and Tang Dynasties shouldered social responsibilities and historical missions, they had sympathy for the people's sufferings, and there were many grievances in their hearts, so it was difficult to have the feeling of "idleness and unease". Although Song Ru also cared about social politics, he lacked the necessary courage. Zeng Gong's thoughts and mentality can be said to reflect the transition from Han and Liu to Song Ming.com. Zeng Gong still has dissatisfaction with social politics in his heart, mocking himself for being "broad" and saying, "The world is broad, what is more than to give?" It is a manifestation of social and political dissatisfaction. But this discontent has been greatly weakened. Although he had not yet "cultivated" to the realm of the Southern Song Dynasty theorists, he had already started this cultivation. Therefore, theoreticians such as Zhu Xi were dissatisfied with Han Yu and had a high opinion of Zeng Gong. Zhu Xi's "Annals of Mr. Nanfeng" Yun: "To read the Zeng's book, I did not hesitate to cover up the waste book and sigh, He Shizhi Gong Qianye! Since Meng and Han, the author's prosperity has not been as good as Si. He who is more important than the world, how can he be a fool! The world or the disciples think that they know it, so the knowledge is shallow. Zhu Xi had such a high evaluation of Zeng Gong, precisely because Zeng Gong's thought was close to science.

In some cases, Zeng Gong was also able to "think openly" and persuade others to think openly. For example, Zeng Gong's "Preface to Sending Zhou Tun Tian", on the one hand, said that after Zhi Shi retired, "the disciples are scattered, the guests go to the place, the people who go along with their desires are insufficient, the crowds of people are not good friends, they live together and travel alone, and they are scattered between the poor and poor in the mountains and forests", and life is very unsatisfactory. On the other hand, it was said

After retirement, "although it is not as respectful as it is, it can be entrusted to the snake and be idle; it is not cherished, and it can be suffocated and relieved of thinness." If you don't go deep into the mountains and valleys, is it not enough to change its position of order; if you do not live in its glory, will you suffer from its humiliation? Such an article is to do "thought work" for a retired colleague and adapt him to reality: retirement also has the benefits of retirement.

Among the eight masters of the Tang and Song dynasties, Han Yu, Liu Zongyuan, Ouyang Xiu, Su Shi and Wang Anshi, these five people were all multi-talented, and they were also writers, thinkers, and politicians. Zeng Gong is not very good, he is mainly an essayist.

The main content of Zeng Gong's writing is closely related to his life experience. Roughly 39 years old can enter the army and the first boundary, divided into two periods before and after. The content of the early articles is diverse, and the later period is mainly based on application texts. The articles with greater influence in the early period include "The Book of Sending Ouyang Sheren", which was composed at the age of 29, the "Mochi Record" composed at the age of 30, and the "Yihuang County School Record" composed at the age of 31.

"Sending Ouyang Sheren Book" is a letter from Zeng Gong to express his gratitude to Ouyang Xiu. This article is very skillfully written. At the beginning of the article, when Ouyang Xiu wrote an inscription written by his grandfather Zeng Zhiyao, "repeated recitation, feeling and shame", but then did not directly write his gratitude to Ouyang Xiu, but from "repeated recitation, feeling and shame and shame" led to a large discussion, talking about the similarities and differences between mingzhi and historical legends. He also pointed out that "the decline of the world" and "the beginning of the inscription is untrue", and believed that the reason for this is because "the trust is not human, the book is not fair and is", thus highlighting the important value of the tombstone inscription written by Ouyang Xiu, and paving the way for the following praise of the merits of Ouyang Xiu's inscription.

The "Ink Pond Record" starts from the legendary Ink Pond of Wang Xizhi, praises Xizhi's calligraphy, points out that Wang Xizhi's calligraphy achievements are "also self-sufficient with energy, not tiancheng also", and from the study of calligraphy, "if you want to deepen morality", you also need to work hard to sharpen the truth. The article is small and big. From the ink pool to life.

Zeng Gong's later articles are mostly application texts. Representative works such as the "Preface to the Catalogue of Warring States Policies", the article concisely and clearly describes the process of proofreading the "Warring States Policy", and expounds the Confucian ideas on the relationship between Tao and Law. He clearly put forward the ideological view that "the Dharma, so the adaptation, does not have to be the same, the Taoist, so the foundation is also established, and it is indispensable to be one." "Yuezhou Zhao Gong Disaster Relief Record" can be said to be a concise and informative disaster relief work report. Such an article is very much needed by the officialdom. Therefore, it has also been well received. Mao Kunyun: "The disaster relief workers are familiar with this article, and they are in exile in the local area. Qianlong's "Imperial Selection of Tang and Song Wen Alcohol" also said: "Zhao Chen's method of disaster relief is perfect, and Gong's record is detailed and clear, and it is a necessary book for the case of Si Mu's ministers." ”

Zeng Gong's article not only has direct practical value, but also has significance for the imperial examination. Sun Chun's "Selected Writings of Zeng Nanfeng in Shan Xiaoge" commented on the "Mochi Ji" Yun: "There is a book of the army, 'self-help with energy', all of which are also in this title; because of the right military study book, and encourage people to 'deepen morality', there is nothing in this title." Both the issue of this question, but also the supplement of the book mentioned nothing, between the scales, the clouds and xia changeable, familiar with this can not be embarrassed pen. The so-called "familiar with this can not be embarrassed", that is, learning Zeng Gong's kind of articles can greatly broaden the way of thinking. This is especially needed for the test. Of course, writing in ordinary times also needs to broaden your thinking.

Some of Zeng Gong's articles are also very powerful and imposing. Nguyen Trung raised the question of the multiplicity of Zeng Gong's writing style. He also gave some examples, such as the "Sacrifice to the King Pingfu Text" written by Xi Ning ten years later: "Woo Pingfu! The decisive rivers are not enough to eloquently speak for the son, and the dream of swallowing clouds is not enough to remember the son's knowledge. Even if the paper is a text, a thousand words are written, and the wandering is wanton, such as inexhaustible, mysterious and mysterious trance, and mo is also a system, it is enough to look up to the ancient and modern, and the class is outstanding. ”...... This year, Zeng Gong was fifty-nine years old, which was really the end of his life.

Zeng Gong's majestic and imposing writing is not only found in the above description, but also in his narrative and arguments. You may wish to look at the opening chapter of his "Reading the Biography of Jia Yi": "Yu read the book of three generations and two Han Dynasties, as for the mysterious purpose of the strange words, the brilliance is clear, and the insight reaches the heart, such as ascending to the highest to look at the living flow of the Yangtze River, and suddenly shocked by its strength." Therefore, the deceitful words tempt them and cannot move, the obscene words are forced and cannot be taken care of, and the examination is not white and black and cannot be confused, the vast expanse, the bouchery, although it is thousands of years away, and if it will be in my heart, the person who covers himself with his wealth is deep and the one who has gained it is many. This is Zeng Gong's self-described reading experience, describing his interest in the "strange words and mysteries", describing the so-called mentality of looking at the mighty yangtze river when describing the feeling of reading, and having a special understanding of the magnificent momentum of the Yangtze River. ...... The momentum of the article is also naturally manifested in the analogy.

Ouyang Xiu once said of Zeng Gongshi: "I first saw Zengzi, and the same was true at the beginning of the article. Kunlun pours down the Yellow River, and the rivers are flooded. "Kunlun pours the Yellow River, and the rivers are overflowing" should refer to Zeng Gong's article.

Zeng Gong's writing style is also diverse, but when later generations evaluate Zeng Gong, they seem not to pay much attention to this, and this is also for a reason. One reason lies in the classicization of the Tang and Song dynasties. Originally, the eight literary artists of the Tang and Song dynasties also had their own characteristics of diversity, but in the process of circulation, the people who compiled the anthology of articles of the Eight Greats of the Tang and Song Dynasties mostly focused on the most distinctive aspect of their styles, so that the Eight Writers of the Tang and Song Dynasties each showed their own characteristics and formed a whole with their own characteristics. For example, Bei Qiong's "Preface to the Six Families of the Tang and Song Dynasties" says: "Gai Han Zhiqi, Liu Zhijun, Ouyang Zhizhi, Zeng Zhiyan, Wang Zhijie, and Su Zhibo each have their own bodies, in order to become a family's words." Chen Zao's "Title Six Gentlemen's Ancient Texts" also said: "The ancient literature declined in Tokyo, to Tang Han and Liu Zesheng, and did not return to decline, until the current dynasty Ouyang revived." ...... Such as the essence of Han and ancient, the difference between willow and ancient, Liuyi thick and ancient, Henan simple and ancient, Nanfeng dense and ancient, Houshan strange and ancient, are all can be looked up to and learned, set and participate in it. ”