#精品长文创作季#
This article is about 3200 words.
"The Oil Seller" is one of Ouyang Xiu's masterpieces, and after being selected as a middle school textbook, the last sentence of the article was deleted, which can also be said to be the most incomprehensible sentence of the article, and the finishing touch of the article was deleted.
Why did such an important sentence be deleted?
The author believes that there are two major reasons, but we must start with the background of the author's writing.
Note: There are different opinions on the Internet, and most people have a half-understanding of the article "Oil Seller", and they don't know anything about Ouyang Xiu at that time and Chen Yaozhi in the article, not to mention what is the connection between the two allusions in the last sentence and the previous article. Everyone is plagiarizing each other to spread falsehoods, which makes people outrageous.
1. Creative background: Chen Yaozhi and Ouyang Xiu
1.1 The protagonist Chen Yaozhi
Although Chen Yaozhi, the protagonist of "The Oil Seller", is not famous today, he was a generation of famous ministers at that time.
Chen Yao's father, Chen Xinghua, successively served as the lord of Longcheng, the commander of Liyang County, the commander of Jiyuan County, the prince Zhongyun, the palace Zhongcheng, the Jingdong transfer envoy, the ancestral hall member Wailang, the governor of Suzhou, Honglu Shaoqing, the prefect of Kaifeng, Guangluqing, and the doctor of the left counsel.
Chen Yaosuo, the eldest brother of Chen Yaosuo, the champion of the Duangong Department for two years, was awarded the Guanglu Temple Cheng and the Zhishi Museum, and successively served as the judge of Henan Dongdao, the member of the Ministry of Works, and the transfer envoy of Shengguang South Road and the pacification envoy of Guangnan.
Chen Yaozuo, the second brother of Chen Yaozhi, was a Jinshi and the first in the first year of Duangong, successively served as the lieutenant of Wei County and Zhongmu County, and knew Chaoyi and Zhenyuan counties.
Chen Yaozhi, the word Jiamo, Xianping three Gengzi branch champion, successively served as a supervisor, a general judge, a deputy envoy of regimental training, a doctor of the right counselor, a bachelor of Jixian Academy, Langzhong of the Ministry of Industry, the envoy of the Yongxing Army, the envoy of the Anguo Army, and the envoy of the Wuxin Army.
According to the "History of the Song Dynasty, Chen Yaozuo, Chen Yaosu, Chen Yaosu, and Chen Yao's Biography", Chen Yaozhi "entered and exited the ranks to prohibit soldiers from self-defense. The punishment was terrible, and there were many people who died in battle." "Yao is the least literate among the brothers, but he takes responsibility for himself. Gongli book. Good at shooting, taste money, and run through it. The brothers are noble at the same time, and they are promoted as the Sheng family. ”
Chen Yaozhi has three brothers, two champions and one jinshi, which can be described as a famous family in the world.
1.2 Ouyang Xiu
In 1065 A.D. (the second year of Zhiping), Ouyang Xiu's wife's cousin Xue Zongru was impeached for committing a crime, but Ouyang Xiu did not exonerate him, and urged him to govern according to law. Xue Zongru spread rumors that Ouyang Xiu had an affair with his eldest daughter-in-law Wu Chunyan. Ouyang Xiu's opponent, Jiang Zhiqi, immediately impeached Ouyang Xiu.
Fifty-eight-year-old Ouyang Xiu was subjected to such "rootless slander" and even called for a thorough investigation of the case, and even "hoped to stop after death."
In 1067 A.D. (the fourth year of Zhiping), Song Shenzong deposed Jiang Zhiqi and others, comforted Ouyang Xiu, and asked Ouyang Xiu to ignore the villain's words. After experiencing such a tragic turmoil, Ouyang Xiu, who was in the year of the sixtieth year, repeatedly asked for resignation, and after repeated requests, he finally had to quit the governor's political affairs, and went out of Bozhou with the bachelor of the Guanwen Palace and the book of the Criminal Department.
In the same year, during the period of Zhibozhou, Ouyang Xiu wrote this "Oil Seller":
Oilman
Chen Kangsu is good at shooting, unparalleled in the world, and the public is also self-conscious. Taste shooting in the family garden, there are oil sellers who stand with their burdens relieved, and they don't go for a long time. I saw that his target was eight or nine times out of ten, but it was slightly jawed.
Kang Su asked: "Do you know how to shoot?" Weng said: "There is no him, but he is familiar with it." Kang Su said angrily: "Er'an dares to shoot lightly!" Weng said: "I know it with my oil." "He took a gourd and put it on the ground, and covered his mouth with money, and drained it with a ladle, and entered it through the hole of the money, and the money was not wet. Because he said: "I don't have him, but I know it." Kang Su laughed and dismissed him.
What is the difference between this and Zhuang Sheng's so-called unraveling oxen and cutting wheels?
2. Analysis of the first two paragraphs of "The Oil Seller" (excluding the last sentence).
"The Oil Seller" is based on the true story of Ouyang Xiu, a generation of famous ministers, Chen Yaozhi. The first two paragraphs are based on the true story, slightly expanded and described.
In the first paragraph, Chen Yao's archery and oil sellers watch archery, setting up suspense.
At the beginning of the article, Chen Yaozhi explained in very concise language that he was good at archery, and his "self-restraint", "good archery", and "unparalleled in the world" highlighted his proficiency in archery skills;
The oil seller "relieved his burden" and "didn't go for a long time", indicating that he was attracted by Chen Yao's archery and wanted to see what was going on. Seeing Chen Yao's archery "eight out of ten", he just nodded slightly. The descriptions of the demeanor of "eye" and "slight jaw" are accurate and expressive. It not only expresses his affirmation of Chen Yaozhi's skilled archery skills, but also writes that he is still dissatisfied with his quiet expression.
In the quiet narration, the author initially reveals the different attitudes of these two people with different identities and statuses towards archery technology, which constitutes a contradiction and creates suspense.
In the second paragraph of the article, it is written that the oil seller drains oil from the money hole, telling the truth that practice makes perfect.
At the beginning, through the two sets of dialogues between Chen Yaozhi and the oil seller, "You also know how to shoot, I don't shoot well?" Chen Yaozhi asked questions for two decades in a row, appearing domineering and revealing a contemptuous attitude towards the oil seller. The oil seller's answer was indifferent: "There is no other, but he is familiar", and his tone was calm, showing the calmness and confidence of the oil seller.
The oil seller's expression and tone angered Chen Yaozhi, and Chen angrily rebuked the oil seller for "Er An dares to shoot lightly", but the old man was still calm and calm, and replied in a calm tone, "I know it with my oil." Then the author used the verbs "take", "place", "cover", "drink", and "drain", which were orderly and very concise, and described the process of draining the oil from the oil seller very accurately, showing his calm and calm attitude. With such a high level of skill and skill, he still does not exaggerate and say, "I have no other than my hands." ”
The second paragraph explains in one sentence the change in Chen Yao's attitude and the end of the matter. The word "laugh" is also expressive, and there is no need to add more pen and ink, which shows that Chen Yaozhi has been inspired by the actions of the oil seller and is sincerely convinced.
"Laugh and send it away", this kind of disposal is also in line with Chen Yaozhi's identity.
The meaning of the first two paragraphs is very simple and easy to understand, using the superb skills and low-key and modest attitude of the oil seller to contrast Chen Yaozhi's "eight out of ten" is not superb archery skills and arrogant attitude, pointing out the truth that practice makes perfect.
3. Analysis of "The Oil Seller" throughout
The last sentence of the article, "What is the difference between this and Zhuang Sheng's so-called unraveling oxen and wheel cutters?" is the finishing touch of the whole text, which profoundly and unexpectedly points out Ouyang Xiu's attitude.
This sentence contains two important allusions.
The allusion of "Ku Ding Solving Cows" comes from "Zhuangzi Health Master", Ku Ding talks about his own skills in solving cows, "The ministers are good for the Tao, and they are also skilled in their skills." When the first minister unravels the ox, all he sees is the ox. Three years later, I haven't seen all the cows. And "there is a room for the other section, and there is no thickness for the blade; ”
The cooking of the cow here is not only technical practice makes perfect, but has long been beyond the scope of "technology", "cooking", "knife", "cow" three in one, this can "not taste the whole cow". This is far beyond the level of "practice makes perfect" of oil sellers.
The allusion to "the wheel cutter" comes from the last paragraph of "Zhuangzi Tiandao", and the dialogue between Lun Bian and Qi Huan Gong says, "The minister also looks at it as the minister's matter." Chop the wheel, Xu is willing but not, and the disease is bitter and does not enter. It is not slow or sick, it is obtained in the hand and should be in the heart, the mouth cannot speak, and there are a number of things in the meantime. The minister cannot be the son of the minister, and the son of the minister cannot be subject to the minister, but he is seventy years old and old. The ancients are dead if they can't be passed on, but the readers of the kings are the bad wretched husbands of the ancients!"
The reason why Lun Bian said that the sage books are dross is to say the law by example. The highest skill, or "Heavenly Dao", is ineffable. The laws of nature need to be comprehended by oneself, and language and words can only distort and distort the truth, so the books of the saints are all dross.
The allusion to Lunbian is close to the theme of the first two paragraphs of the article.
So, what theme does "The Oil Seller" want to express throughout the article?
3.1 Do not know what to do
The first theme to be expressed in "The Oil Seller" is "What you get on paper is shallow, and you never know that you have to do it".
This is actually the summary of Lunbian and the old man who sells oil.
Although reading books can quickly understand things, after all, it is only understood through other people's narratives, and there will be no personal experience and insight. In order to truly and thoroughly understand the truth of things, in addition to reading, we need more practical actions.
Therefore, one of the tricks to grasp the laws of "Heavenly Dao" is to combine reading with practice. The "Book of the Saints" can only be dross if it is not combined with practice.
3.2 Technology is in art, and art is in the way
The second theme to be expressed in "The Oil Seller" is "the unity of nature and man". Or "technology is in art, art is in the way".
The story of Ku Ding's solution to the cow is about the fact that Ku Ding's skills have far exceeded the ordinary "skills" and are already in the category of "Tao", so Wen Huijun realized, "Good! ”
After listening to Ku Ding's words, Wen Huijun realized that the secret of health preservation lies in the "unity of heaven and man" and the law of everything itself.
Reasons for deleting the last sentence
From the above, it is not difficult to understand why the last sentence of the article was deleted from the middle school textbook.
It is not at all the distorted interpretation that some experts and editors say that Ouyang Xiu's reading is useless, and that he emphasizes literature over martial arts, let alone because of the idealism of Zhuangzi.
First, it is because the sublimation of the last sentence is too high, and the realm of middle school students cannot be understood.
From the phrase "practice makes perfect" to "the unity of heaven and man", the difference between the realm is thousands of miles. "Practice makes perfect" is not useless, it is the most basic part of the idea of "the unity of heaven and man".
Second, although Lun Bian's "theory of the uselessness of what the sages say" is reasonable, it may not be explained from the perspective of the understanding of middle school students.
When he wrote "The Oil Seller", Ouyang Xiu was already sixty years old, a generation of Wenzong for a long time, he was the most important leader of the ancient literature movement after Han Yu, and his understanding of the sage books was much higher than ordinary people, so the combination of reading and practice he proposed was the only way to understand the way of heaven. Just reading and dying to study can only be a small success, and it is not even reasonable. This article has nothing to do with his political career.
"The Oil Seller" uses a comparison between Chen Yaozhi, a famous minister of a generation, and the oil seller in the market, which is also to illustrate the importance of practice.
Fig.1 Present-day Bozhou
Fig.2 Cooking
Fig.3 Wheel flattening