During the Tang Dynasty, the world was full of talents. In the "Biography of Tang Caizi" written by Xin Wenfang in the Yuan Dynasty, it is recorded that Wang Bo was six years old and was able to write poems; Li He was seven years old; Wang Wei was nine years old; Li He was seven years old; Li He was able to ciscribe at the age of seven; and Li Bai was ten years old and could understand the Five Classics. These were all prodigies who were famous all over the world at that time, and they all occupied an important position in the history of Chinese literature.
However, when it comes to the first prodigy of the Tang Dynasty, there is another candidate. Who is it? This person's name is Liu Yan.
Speaking of Liu Yan, I think many people have heard of him, he was a famous economist of the Tang Dynasty, active in the political arena of Tang Xuanzong, Suzong and Daizong, as well as the four dynasties of Dezong. The Old Book of Tang records: "At the age of seven, he lifted up a prodigy and conferred on the secretary the provincial orthography. ”
In the traditional Chinese children's book "The Three Character Classic", it is said: "Tang Liu Yan, Fang is seven years old, a prodigy, a canon, although he is young, he is already a man." If you learn from a young child, you can do it, and if you have a good job, so be it. "In the five thousand years of China, Liu Yan is the only prodigy selected for the Three Character Classic, which shows how good this person is.
Liu Yan was born in a family of officials and eunuchs of the Shi clan, and was gifted and intelligent from an early age, and was recommended as a "prodigy" at the age of seven, and his reputation was greatly shocked. At the age of eight, when Tang Xuanzong was sealing Zen in Taishan, Liu Yan wrote a "Book of Eastern Sealing" on a whim, which Tang Xuanzong greatly appreciated after discovering it. When he learned that the author was an eight-year-old child, Xuanzong was very surprised and asked Liu Yanzhong to recite it.
Liu Yan graciously stepped forward and recited aloud the famous "Book of Eastern Seals": "My Emperor Ying Lord, sealing Dongyue, and successfully succeeding in Wu Tian god..." An eight-year-old child can write such a similar article, even now it is inconceivable.
Emperor Xuanzong was full of praise for Liu Yan's performance, and on the spot he personally ordered him to be the secretary of the provincial prince, what kind of official position was this? In short, it is specifically responsible for revising some errors in the collection, which is equivalent to the researchers of today's Museum of Literature and History.
With unique conditions, Liu Yan came into contact with more books and many secret royal books, his knowledge and ability improved by leaps and bounds, and the amount of knowledge reserves became larger and larger.
According to the "Chronicle of Dongming County", when Liu Yan was ten years old, Emperor Xuanzong rode the imperial government building and played a large drum, and Liu Yan was also included in the banquet as a court official. During the banquet, Emperor Xuanzong specially summoned Liu Yan upstairs to test him. Emperor Xuanzong asked, "Liu Yan, you have been an official of orthography, how many words have you corrected?" Liu Yan replied confidently: "I have passed all the words in the world, but the word 'friend' is not correct." This sentence refers to the fact that the upper and lower levels of the imperial court at that time were adulterous and the friends colluded, which was intended to exhort the emperor to know people and make good use of them, to prevent the friends from harming the world. A ten-year-old child can have such an opinion, no wonder the world says that Liu Yan is a child prodigy.
The highlight of Liu Yan's life was in the Anshi Rebellion, when the Tang Dynasty was in ruins, the economy was very depressed, and the financial difficulties were very difficult, Liu Yan took a series of measures to develop production, open source and reduce expenditure, and gradually improve finances. When Liu Yan returned to the dynasty, the emperor made a special trip to Weiqiao to greet him, praising Liu Yan as "Qing, Huang Bu Hou Ye." ”
Unfortunately, Liu Yan's final outcome was rather miserable, he was highly meritorious, incorruptible and jealous, and was wrongfully killed by Tang Dezong. When Liu Yan died, the only possessions copied in the family were two carts of books and a few bags of rice. As a child prodigy, he grew up to be a good official who was honest and incorruptible, and Liu Yan's life made great contributions to the Li Tang royal family.
Later people used to compare Liu Yan with Xiao He and Guan Zhong, which was not insulting his reputation. Now it seems that Liu Yan is not only an example for children to learn, but also a moral model for the officialdom.