Liu Bang was the founding emperor of the Han Dynasty, he was born as a farmer, and his culture and skills were not high, but he was able to rise in the chaotic times, defeat Xiang Yu and other princes, and unify the world.
His success has a lot to do with character, the most important of which is his generosity.
What is generosity? According to the interpretation of Ci Hai, "generosity" means "broad" and "sigh" means "sentimental". Taken together, it means "broad-minded and deep-hearted". Liu Bang's generosity has three specific aspects:
1. Be generous to yourself
Liu Bang is not troubled by his origin and status, and is not discouraged by his own failures and setbacks. He does not care about personal gains and losses, and does not stick to subsections and forms. He is able to put down his stature and face, and he can admit mistakes and correct them.
Before Liu Bang became king, he was sent to escort a group of prisoners to Lishan to repair the tomb.
It's a fatal errand, and nine times out of ten, you won't come back. Therefore, there are people running halfway through, and more and more running.
Liu Bang estimated that when he reached Lishan, he would all escape, and when the time came, he would be killed. So, when the team reached Mount Mangdan, they stopped.
Liu Bang said to the prisoners, "You are all my fellow countrymen and brothers, and I can't watch you go to death." I'll release you today! Run away! Find a safe place to hide! Don't let the people of the Qin Dynasty catch it! After that, he opened the prison car and shackles, and let the prisoners go free.
When the prisoners heard Liu Bang's words, they were moved to tears. They thanked Liu Bang one after another, and expressed their willingness to follow Liu Bang. Liu Bang said: "You go and stay voluntarily, I will not force it." But remember my name and looks, and if we have the opportunity to meet again in the future, we will be brothers! He helped the prisoners pack their bags and gave them some money and food.
In this way, in Dazezhong (northwest of present-day Huaiyang County, Henan Province), Liu Bang released a group of prisoners and befriended a group of loyal subordinates.
As a result, these people became the capital of Liu Bang's army.
2. Be generous to your friends
Liu Bang is sincere, open-minded, generous, good at making friends with all kinds of people, etc., and gives trust and respect. He does not climb high and low, does not envy malice. He was able to know people well and give full play to the talents of his subordinates.
Han Xin was originally a halberd-wielding in the state of Chu, but because he repeatedly proposed military tactics to Xiang Yu and was not adopted, he defected to Liu Bang.
Liu Bang did not reuse Han Xin at first, but only made him a petty official who received guests. Later, after Xiao He's recommendation, Liu Bang discovered Han Xin's talent and made him the captain of Zhisu.
However, Han Xin was not satisfied with it, so he simply ran away.
Xiao He had an eye and knew how powerful Han Xin was, so the story of Xiao He Yuexia chasing Han Xin happened.
Han Xin chased back, Liu Bang understood this time, he took one step and directly sealed Han Xin as a general.
And it turned out that Han Xin did not live up to Liu Bang's trust, defeated the famous general Zhang Wei in the first battle, and contributed an idiom, "Ming Xiu plank road darkness Chen Cang".
In addition to Han Xin, Chen Ping is also an example.
Chen Ping originally mixed with Xiang Yu.
When Sima Biao, the king of Yin, rebelled, Xiang Yu sent Chen Ping, and Chen Ping said two words and used coercion to make Sima Biao repent.
Xiang Yu made him an official and gave him four hundred and eighty taels of gold.
As a result, Liu Bang defeated Sima Bian the Prince of Yin, and Sima Bian surrendered.
Xiang Yu felt that it was a great shame and humiliation, and wanted to kill the general who had suppressed the rebellion before.
Defeated by the despised Liu Bang, Xiang Yu could not stand this stimulation.
Chen Ping was frightened when he saw it, left the official seal and gold, and ran away directly.
Like Han Xin, he fled to Liu Bang with a sword.
Liu Bang's ability to recognize people has improved this time.
He asked Chen Ping, what kind of official are you in Xichu?
Chen Ping said it was the captain.
Liu Bang appointed him a capital lieutenant on the same day.
However, the other generals were stunned.
The great king occasionally encountered a fugitive from Western Chu, and before he could figure out his ins and outs, he made him a capital lieutenant?
What's more, Chen Ping had bad morals and fornicated with his sister-in-law.
Hearing this, Liu Bang's reaction can be called a textbook.
He didn't have any explanation, nor did he ask Chen Ping.
Liu Bang only did one thing: treat Chen Ping more kindly.
There are three deep meanings behind this incident.
The first layer of deep meaning made Chen Ping feel at ease.
Liu Bang knew Chen Ping's needs, he wanted fame, and at the same time he wanted to be recognized by the king.
Although the moral character is not good, fornicating with the sister-in-law, selling officials, but so what?
Liu Bang knew that in troubled times, good people were useless, Chen Ping was talented enough, and Liu Bang wanted to keep him.
Therefore, the more everyone whispered behind their backs, Liu Bang valued Chen Ping.
On the one hand, it is to dispel Chen Ping's doubts and give advice to himself with peace of mind, on the other hand, it is to let Chen Ping be grateful to Dade and die for himself.
The second layer of deep meaning gave the Han army confidence.
Liu Bang wants everyone to see that Chen Ping has talent, and he escaped Xiang Yu and chose us.
All along, when facing Xiang Yu, Liu Bang has always been inferior and afraid.
In fact, not only himself, but the entire Han army, because Xiang Yu is too strong.
As a result, Chen Ping, Xiang Yu's important adviser, abandoned Chu Tou Han and let Liu Bang win back a game in face.
In doing so, Liu Bang wants to tell everyone that we are stronger than Xiang Yu and give everyone confidence.
The third layer of deep meaning tempted those who hesitated in Chu Jun.
Chen Ping, a person with bad morality, I want it, what are you still hesitating?
I Liu Bang is generous, regardless of previous suspicions, no matter what mistakes I have made before, only you have the ability, I welcome it very much.
Not only that, the treatment I gave was quite good, and it was definitely not a loss to come to me.
Liu Bang deeply grasped the needs of the generals—he wanted merit, but he wanted life even more.
This operation made Liu Bang and Xiang Yu form a sharp contrast.
Xiang Yu was cruel, jealous of meritorious people, and killed at will.
Liu Bang was generous, treated meritorious people with kindness, and respected courtesy.
People's hearts are back, in fact, this is it.
3. Be generous to the enemy
Liu Bang was generous not only to himself and his friends, but also to his enemies. He does not forget old graces and old grievances.
After the founding of the Western Han Dynasty, Zhang Liang once advised Liu Bang.
"I've heard some news recently that everyone is ready to rebel."
Liu Bang was stunned at once: "The world has been stabilized, why should it be opposed?" ”
Zhang Liang: "Your Majesty turned out to be just a commoner, relying on their allegiance to gain the world. Now, you have become the emperor of heaven, and all you have sealed are your relatives and old friends, and all you have killed are your enemies. Those government officials, discussing their merits, believed that even if the whole country was divided into a feudal state, it could not be completed. ”
"I am afraid that these generals will never be rewarded again, and I am afraid that over time, when you remember the mistakes they made by chance in the past, you will rise up to kill." The army was unstable, so they got together and plotted to mutiny. ”
Liu Bang was very worried: "Then what to do?" ”
Zhang Liang gave him an idea: "Who do you hate and hate the most in your life, and everyone knows?" ”
Liu Bang: "Yongya! He has old grudges with me, and he constantly bullies and insults me, and I have long wanted to kill him, just because he has made a lot of merit, and I can't bear it. ”
Zhang Liang: "Please seal the teeth immediately, and the conspiracies of others will naturally subside." ”
Liu Bang then set up a banquet and made Yongya the Marquis of Shifang. Then he ordered the prime minister and the inspector (imperial history) to quickly evaluate the merits of each general, which was used as a basis for dividing the seal.
Sure enough, after the banquet, the generals were all happy and said to each other: "Yongya has been made a marquis, what are our problems."
Epilogue:
It can be seen that the reason why Liu Bang was able to become the lord of the world from a small pavilion master was largely due to his generosity.
He was able to know people well and do their jobs, recruit talents, divide land and titles to meritorious figures, and share the benefits of the world. As Ji Shiqi said in the "Records of History": "(Liu Bang) descended the city to marquis his generals, and when he received bribes, he divided his soldiers, and he shared his benefits with the world, and the heroes and talents were happy to use it." ”
Liu Bang's generosity won him the support and admiration of the world.
Reading Liu Bang's generosity, we can draw some inspiration and lessons from it.
At the bottom of today's society, we may not have the same opportunities and conditions as Liu Bang, but we can have the same mentality and character as Liu Bang.
We can be sincere and tolerant of our friends, regardless of petty matters and selfish interests; When we have the right, we can let go of hatred and give the enemy a way to live.
Only in this way can we survive at the bottom of society and find the possibility of changing our destiny.