Notes| Why did Sima Guang write "Training and Thrift"? Its "deliberate" has a deep meaning

Sima Guang, a famous minister and historian of the Song Dynasty, was honest and frugal all his life, walked in a straight path, was strict with himself, and his family, and once wrote "Training and Thrifty Demonstration" to warn his son Sima Kang to be frugal and self-disciplined, and not to pursue a luxurious life.

Frugality can establish a reputation, and extravagance will be self-defeating

In "Training frugality and showing kang", Sima Guang said that frugality is a common feature of all kinds of good morals, and luxury is the greatest evil. Why did he write "Discipline and Thrift"? In the era when Sima Guang lived, social customs and habits became increasingly extravagant and corrupt, and people competed to talk about pomp and pageantry, and extravagance prevailed. In order to enable future generations to avoid being affected and eroded by the bad social atmosphere, Sima Guang specially wrote the family training of "Training and Thrifting and Showing Kang" for his son Sima Kang, in order to educate his son and future generations to inherit and carry forward the frugal family style and never be extravagant and corrupt.

In "Training and Thrifting to Show Kang", Sima Guang first wrote that when he was young, he did not like Hua jing, paid attention to frugality, appeared and spoke, and spoke in a sincere language. Then he wrote that the customs of recent times tended to be extravagant and extravagant, paying attention to pomp and circumstance, which was very different from that of the early Song Dynasty, and praised the frugal words and deeds of Li Wenjing (that is, Li Xun), Lu Gong (i.e., Lu Zongdao), and Zhang Wenjie (i.e., Zhang Zhibai), pointing out that the frugality of the great sages had its far-sightedness, not the ability of extravagant mediocre people. Further quoting the words of the Imperial Grandson in the Spring and Autumn Period, theoretically explaining the inevitable consequences caused by "frugality" and "extravagance", the article goes deeper. Finally, the examples of 6 ancient people and the people of this dynasty are cited consecutively, and the comparison is based on the positive and negative facts, which illustrates a profound truth: frugality can establish a name, and luxury will be self-defeating. At the end, it ends with a "precept" and points out the theme. The whole text is thorough, reasonable, and far-reaching, and the repeated use of contrasts not only enhances the persuasiveness of the article, but also gives people inspiration.

Sima Guang (1019–1086), courtesy name Junshi (君實), was a native of Shushui Township, Xia County, Shaanxi (present-day Xia County, Shanxi), known as Mr. Shushui . Northern Song Dynasty politician, historian, and writer. He was honest and frugal, upright and straight, strict with himself, and with his family.

From frugality to luxury, from luxury to frugality

Diligence and thrift are the traditional virtues of the Chinese nation, and they are also the fine qualities of those who serve officials and politicians. Zhang Zhibai was a famous incorruptible minister during the Northern Song Dynasty, and the history books record that he "often took the fullness as a precept, although he was noble, his purity was like a cold soldier", which was very rare in the Northern Song Dynasty, when extravagance prevailed. In this regard, Sima Guang deliberately listed Zhang Zhibai's deeds in the "Training and Thrifty Demonstration of Kang" and encouraged his son to learn from him.

The commodity economy of the Northern Song Dynasty flourished, the rulers gave preferential treatment to officials, and the scholars were keen on singing and dancing, poetry, wine, and feasting, and the extravagance was repeatedly prohibited. Zhang Zhibai, as the prime minister, held a high position, and Feng Lu was more generous than ordinary officials, but he was honest and frugal like a low-status reader, not bound by extravagance, and not complicit with the world.

People close to him advised him: "You are rich now, but your life is still as frugal as ever." Although you have always been honest and frugal, outsiders often ridicule you for superficially imitating the diligent and frugal behavior of Gongsun Hong of the Han Dynasty, but in fact it is a vain name. It's better to change your style a little bit and be in line with most people. ”

Zhang Zhibai sighed and said, "With my Feng Lu today, how difficult is it for the whole family to live a life of fine clothes and jade?" But the world often goes from simplicity to luxury, and it is difficult to return from luxury to simplicity. Although I have many servants now, how long can I live, and how long can I live? Once there is no fenglu today, but the family has become accustomed to a luxurious life, can not adapt to the life of poverty, will definitely cause greater losses. Where can I guarantee that when I become an official, when I am deposed, when I am alive, when I die, it will be like this! ”

Zhang Zhibai was physically weak, and Song Renzong visited him at the palace and saw that his family was very simple, and even his wife only wore coarse cloth clothes, and Emperor Renzong greatly appreciated his simplicity. After his death, the nickname "Wenjie" is the best portrayal of his incorruptibility and thriftiness. Zhang Zhibai's story warns us that from frugality to luxury, from luxury to frugality, we should think deeply and not be tempted by the luxurious life in front of us.

The people of the way saw his tolerance, although they did not know it, they all knew that he was a son of Sima Shi

Countless facts in history have repeatedly proved that hard work will lead to good results, and arrogance and lasciviousness will suffer disasters. Therefore, Sima Guang's attitude toward material life is lamentable, he is in a high position, but he is pure and self-disciplined, self-denial and self-denial.

Man's material outlook is often his values, which best reflect his personality realm and the direction of doing things. During Sima Guang's period, when the economy was prosperous and the world was at peace, the scholars and masters were addicted to pleasure and competed for pride in luxury, while Sima Guang could keep his head calm and think of danger in times of peace, and this family admonition was both a commandment and a prudent character that expressed himself not to be in the same stream as the world.

According to the "Biography of Sima Kang of the Song Dynasty", when Sima Kang became an adult, he was prudent and frugal, and was a clean and honest official, and "the people who passed saw his tolerance, although they did not know it, they all knew that he was Sima Shiziye" (司馬氏子也)." It can be seen that Sima Guang's words and deeds are taught by example, and the younger generations have heard and seen it, imperceptibly, and all have their frugal and incorruptible style.

Everyone loves his son, but compared with Sima Guang's frugal beauty and innocent heirloom, some people's godson view is so short-sighted, they only know how to accumulate material wealth for their descendants, but they do not know how to add nourishment to their spirit. At present, many "second generation officials" and "second generation rich people" are looking at people with contemptuous words and deeds, among which there is not only the cause of the lack of family education, but also the parents themselves are not correct and difficult to set an example. How can such a momentary wealth be long-lasting?

[The writer is a professor at the Department of Philosophy of the Central Party School (National School of Administration) and president of the Chinese Practical Studies Association]