As the saying goes, "A companion is like a companion tiger." "The courtiers will always have to worry about whether the monarch who was smiling at you one second will take your life the next." Throughout the more than 2,000 years of the history of China's feudal dynasty, there are very few people with high authority and good beginnings and ends. The protagonist in today's story is a long-lived old man who has gone through 4 dynasties, when the emperor was worried about his rebellion, he deliberately made it difficult for him to divide the 2 pears equally to more than 900 people in the family, who is he? How did you get through it in the end?
Zhang Gongyi, a native of Shouzhang (present-day Shouzhang Town, Yanggu County, Shandong), was born in 578 AD, and his life experienced four generations of Northern Qi, Northern Zhou, Sui Dynasty, and Tang Dynasty, and in ancient times when the medical level was low, he lived to the age of 99, creating the miracle of the ninth generation living in the same house with more than 900 people, which is a model of family governance in Chinese history.
So the question is, we all know that "three women and one drama" is enough to turn a family upside down, not to mention that more than 900 people live together, how does Zhang Gongyi make everyone get along harmoniously?
At the age of 12, Zhang Gongyi became the head of the family, because there was an ancestral way to govern the family in the Zhang family, that is, to let young people be in charge, because young people were not married and selfless, so that they could do things fairly.
In addition, Zhang Gongyi was originally a particularly talented child, so after he became a family member, he adhered to principles, treated people with "love and generosity", formulated rules and regulations, set up a rule to discipline his children and nephews, subdued people with virtue, and had a "forbearance" in his heart. Therefore, the family and Hemeimei, brothers and brothers and brothers, husbands and wives Shun, aunts and daughters-in-law listen, more than 900 people are happy and harmonious, and it is passed on as beautiful talk.
In 665, Emperor Gaozong of Tang and Wu Zetian led the Wenwu Hundred Officials to Taishan Fengchan together, and when they returned, they passed by Shouzhang (where Zhang Gongyi's family was located), so they drove directly to Zhang Gongyi's house to see if Zhang Gongyi was as harmonious as rumored to be, and more importantly, to see if the other party had the heart to rebel, such a large and united family, in case of rebellion, the consequences would be unimaginable.
When Gaozong and his party arrived at the Zhang family, it was exactly the time for dinner, which was to meet other people's families, and absolutely immediately took out the best meal to entertain the emperor, but Zhang Gongyi did not, the family respectfully welcomed the emperor, and then invited Gaozong to go with him to see the dog to eat, yes, to watch his dog eat dinner.
Although Gaozong was confused, he still followed him, only to see Zhang Gongyi shouting, more than 100 dogs rushed out, the scene was very shocking, but a "strange" scene appeared - no dog opened its mouth to eat. After a while, a lame dog slowly walked over, and when it came to the food bowl, the other dogs began to eat.
Seeing Gaozong's doubtful look, Zhang Gongyi explained: "My family has 100 dogs, but if 1 dog does not come, the remaining 99 will not eat until they arrive." The same is true of our family. Hearing this, Emperor Gaozong suddenly became enlightened and understood Zhang Gongyi's meaning, but he decided to test him again.
Emperor Gaozong ordered someone to bring 2 pears and gave them to Zhang Gongyi, so that he could take them to the family to "divide them equally", which was obviously difficult for Zhang Gongyi, but Zhang Gongyi did not hurry to ask someone to bring the stone mortar, and then slowly mashed the 2 pears, and then poured the juice into the water tank, and finally let everyone drink a cup of pear water, thank the emperor for his great grace, and successfully resolve the crisis.
Emperor Gaozong was very impressed, so he sincerely asked him how to manage a huge family, and Zhang Gongyi replied: "The old man has received family training since childhood, is kind and generous, has no special ability, only treats people sincerely, and only has the word 'forbearance'. He also shared the family's "Hundred Ninja Songs" with Tang Gaozong, who asked for a pen and paper and asked Zhang Gongyi to write a "forbearance" character to him.
In the blink of an eye, more than 1,000 years have passed, but Mr. Zhang Gongyi's method of governing the family still has positive practical significance today and is worth learning from all of us.
Reference: Old Book of Tang