Introduction: Sima Qian's "History of History" is a model work of combining literature and history, it is not only a great general history of the Chronicle, but also an outstanding biographical literary work. Mr. Lu Xun, in the Outline of the History of Chinese Literature, referred to Sima Qian and Sima Xiang as "Fu Mo Ruo Sima Xiang, Wen Mo Ruo Sima Qian", fully affirming Sima Qian's literary talent. For the great work of "Shi Ji", Lu Xun even praised it as "the great singing of historians, the departure of no rhyme", "the masterpiece of historians" praised the "History" as a history book, and the "Departure of No Rhyme" praised the "History" as a literary work.
Lu Xun's Outline of the History of Chinese Literature
The "Biography of the Prince of Wei" is one of the most wonderful chapters in the Seventy Columns, and the Ming Dynasty scholar Mao Kun once lamented that Xin Lingjun was a proud man in the chest of Taishi Gong, so this biography is also Taishi Gong's proud text. This article starts from this "proud text", and through the analysis of its narrative method, see how Sima Qian shaped Xin Lingjun, a "proud man in his chest".
The most intuitive difference between the "Biography of The Prince of Wei" and the other three transmissions is in the title of the lord, the other three traditions are called the lord by Meng Yujun, Pingyuan Jun, and Chun Shenjun, but the "Biography of the Prince of Wei" is called "Gongzi" throughout the text. From this, it is not difficult to see Sima Qian's preference for Xin Lingjun. In addition, in the "Biography of the Duke of Wei", Sima Qian also created a nearly perfect ideal Warring States Prince through narrative structure, mutual view method and foil method closely integrated with the Wei state movement.
Sima Qian wax figure
I. The narrative structure of the Biography of The Prince of Wei
Xin Lingjun, like Meng Yijun, Pingyuan Jun, and Chunshen Jun, was known as the princes of "Yangshi", and the Biography of the Prince of Wei was also based on the theme of "Yangshi" like the other three traditions. Although the theme is the same, the narrative structure of "The Biography of Wei Gongzi Lie" is significantly different from the other three biographies.
At the beginning of the "Biography of the Duke of Wei", Sima Qian first explained the attitude of Xin Lingjun as a "corporal who is benevolent and corporal, who is humble and courteous, and does not dare to be proud of his wealth and pride", and then associates it with the national fortunes of the State of Wei: When it was, the princes were virtuous and multi-guest, and did not dare to increase their troops to wei for more than ten years.
The prince is unscrupulous corporal
The Biography of The Meng Yu Juns says that Meng Yujun "fell to the world", the Biography of the Pingyuan Junyu Qing lie said that the Pingyuan Jun "poured out to the soldiers", and the "Chunshen Junlie Biography" said that Chun Shenjun "fought for corporals, attracted guests, in order to overthrow each other, and assist the country to hold power" (the plain Chunshen Erjun's language is actually called the four princes), although they also raised soldiers like Xin Lingjun, but at the time of narration, Sima Qian did not combine their actions with the fortunes of the country.
After Xin Lingjun stole the charm to save Zhao, he knew that the King of Wei would not forgive himself, so he ordered the generals to return to the State of Wei, while himself and his disciples remained in the State of Zhao. At this time, Sima Qian also linked the national fortunes of Xin Lingjun and the state of Wei: the prince stayed in Zhao for ten years and did not return; the prince of Qin Wen was in Zhao, and sent troops to eastern Wei day and night. Under the persuasion of Mao Gong and Xue Gong, Xin Lingjun returned to Wei to save Wei, and the King of Wei gave him the seal of the general above. Subsequently, the difficulties of the State of Wei were solved, and Shi Zai: The prince made envoys inform the princes. The princes heard of the prince's generals, and each sent generals to save Wei.
Later, the King of Wei was caught up in the plot of the Qin state, and after Xin Lingjun was dismissed from the throne, he fell ill and eventually died of illness. When the State of Qin learned of the death of Xin Lingjun, he immediately "made Meng Xiao attack Wei, pull out twenty cities, and initially set up Eastern County." Later, Qin slightly encroached on Wei, and at the age of eighteen, he captured the King of Wei and tu Da Liang." It can be seen that the death of Xin Lingjun meant the decline of the Wei state.
It is worth noting that the reason why Sima Qian closely linked the Xin Lingjun and the Wei state fortune was not simply to highlight the personal influence of the Xin Lingjun, but also to highlight the fact that the xinling jun's adopters were for the sake of great righteousness and national interests. Hou Wei, Zhu Hai, Xue Gong, and Mao Gong, who played a key role in the process of Xinlingjun's ben zhao and return to Wei, all of them contributed to Xinlingjun from the perspective of great righteousness and national interests.
II. The Narrative Technique of "The Biography of Prince Wei"
(1) Mutual viewing method
The method of mutual seeing is a narrative technique pioneered by Sima Qian, and the emergence of this method is closely related to the style of the Ji Chuan body. In the chronicle, each event appears only once in the timeline, but in the chronicle, the same event may appear in multiple biographies, so Sima Qian created the method of "one detailing the other and complementing each other". In its specific application, the method of mutual seeing is also interfered with by the subjective intentions of the author, such as the theme of the Four Princes' Biography as "Raising Soldiers", and some events unrelated to this theme are placed in his biography.
The Xin Lingjun in the Biography of the Duke of Wei was almost perfect, and although he had some indecisive moments, he quickly adopted the most correct approach under the persuasion of the doormen. However, in fact, Xin Lingjun had directly led to the death of Wei Qi, the chancellor of the State of Wei, due to indecision, but this incident was not recorded in the Biography of the Prince of Wei.
The Biography of Fan Sui Cai Zelie says: (Wei Qi) wants to go to Chu because of the letter lingjun. Xin Lingjun heard it, feared Qin, hesitated and refused to see it... Wei Qi heard that it was difficult to see lingjun at the beginning, and he was angry and killed himself. It is said that Wei Qi wanted to defect to Xin Lingjun, but Xin Lingjun hesitated to receive Wei Qi because he was afraid of offending the Qin state, and Wei Qi kissed his neck and committed suicide in anger when he learned of this situation. The appearance of such an event in the "Biography of the Duke of Wei" undoubtedly damages the ideal image of Xin Lingjun, but if it is not indicated that it is recorded and has the spirit of the historian's record of "not vain beauty, not concealing evil", Sima Qian used the method of mutual seeing to put it in his biography.
In addition, the incident in which Pingyuan Jun fell into the Battle of Changping for coveting small profits was also included in the "Biography of the White King". However, at the end of the Biography of the Plains Junlie, Sima Qian still mentioned this matter.
Hirahara-kun Images
(2) Foil method
The foil method is an ancient rhetorical technique, which can also be regarded as a narrative technique in narrative works, which is divided into positive contrast and reverse contrast, and the main use of the "Biography of Wei Gongzi Lie" is the contrast. In the Biography of the Princes of Wei, Sima Qian first used the King of Wei to contrast the Xin Lingjun, and then the Pingyuan Jun to the Xin Lingjun.
The Biography of The Prince of Wei contains:
Gongzi and Wei Wangbo, and the Northern Realm passed on the banner, saying "Zhao Kou to, and into the boundary". King Shibo of Wei wanted to summon his ministers. Gongzi Zhi Wang said: "Zhao Wang Tian hunted ears, not for Kou Ye." "The same thing goes on. Wang is afraid, and his heart is not in Bo. Ju Qing, Fu came from the north to spread the rumor: "King Zhao hunted ears, not for Kou Ye." ”
It is said that when Xin Lingjun and The King of Wei heard the news of the attack of the Zhao Kingdom when they were playing chess, the King of Wei was panicked, and the King of Xin Lingjun was calm and calm, because there were already secret agents who informed the King of Zhao of his movements. Here, on the surface, the "fear" of the King of Wei reflects the calmness of the Xin Lingjun, but in fact, the mediocrity of the King of Wei reflects the extraordinary of the Xin Lingjun.
Xin Lingjun playing chess film and television image
In addition, Sima Qian also reflected the knowledge and love of Xin Lingjun through Pingyuan Jun's disdain for Xue Gong and Mao Gong. Xue Gong and Mao Gong were hermits in the territory of the Zhao Kingdom, and Ping Yuanjun, who had thousands of guests, not only knew nothing about them, but also joked that Xin Lingjun was a "delusional person" after learning that Xin Lingjun was traveling with them. It is not difficult to see from this that Pingyuan Jun does not have the vision of talent, and his adopters are only decorating the façade, while Xin Lingjun has the vision of knowledge and talent, and is also a true lover.