Recently, Li Shuo, a ghost in history and the author of "Jian Shang", has a new work "The Wanderer of History" produced by Century Wenjing. As Li Shuo's first academic anthology, this is a journey of his thoughts, but also an academic autobiography, in his pen, the lights of history are so subversive of imagination.
The portrayal and interpretation of human nature is Li Shuo's unswerving exploration in his academic career of more than 20 years. In his paintings, emperors, nobles, scholars, military officers, and even "liars" all travel through history and are reduced to living people, who are happy, excited, worried, fearful, sometimes hiding their emotions, and sometimes trying to cover them up. Ge Jianxiong, a professor at Fudan University, said: "Li Shuo's research scope extends far beyond my area of expertise, but even the areas I am more familiar with can be found in his unique perspective and insights, which show his talent and potential. ”
This is exactly how he boldly revealed to the public how to enter academia, grow savagely in the academic jungle, and finally bid farewell to academics. At the same time, this is also the "minority report" he made for everyone as a minority scholar, and his temperamental, courageous, and private interests with attitude will be told to you at one time in this book, so that we can see how this ghost in the historical world is refined.
The tragedy of Li Biao and the door of the era of Emperor Xiaowen
During the period of Emperor Xiaowen, and even throughout the Northern Dynasties, although the "door" was an important factor for officials, there was never a set of strict and operational standards. As long as the father and grandparents have served as high-ranking officials, they can be regarded as having a "family" background, and it is also a way to claim that the distant ancestor is a high-ranking official in the Han Dynasty and the Wei and Jin dynasties. Another feature of the "Nine Grades Zhongzheng System" is that it pays attention to regional balance, and each state and county has its own high-ranking surname. Many people in the Book of Wei "Ziyun" ancestors were a high-ranking official in the Han, Wei and Jin dynasties, in fact, they were often just fellow villagers and surnames. Unfortunately, Li Biao came from a humble background, and there is also a Gaomen surnamed Li in his hometown of Dunqiu - Li Chong's family. He and the Li Chong family are really not close to each other, and the previous generation of people named Li from Dunqiu naturally can't recognize him as an ancestor.
Before Emperor Xiaowen, the emperors of the Northern Wei Dynasty did not have a very important concept of the family, as long as they were appreciated by the supreme ruler, those from low backgrounds could also become high-ranking officials and would not be discriminated against. When Empress Dowager Feng was in power, many eunuchs were favored, such as Shi Zhishangshu, Chang Shi, General, Assassin Shi, knighthood of kings, dukes, and even official positions such as the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Officials. According to the concept of the Southern Dynasty, these are all important official positions that can only be held by first-class high-ranking families. After the death of Empress Dowager Feng, these eunuchs were old and senior, and they were still very respected by Emperor Xiaowen.
By the time Li Biao's generation entered middle age, it coincided with the young Emperor Xiaowen reforming the system according to retro ideals and family concepts. The gate valve system drafted by Emperor Xiaowen is probably divided into clans according to the official titles of the three generations of ancestors, and the official positions at the time of the clan are determined by the clan. Once the system of electing officials involves the practical level, it is full of problems, not to mention the "historical problems" of decades ago. Therefore, until the later Sejong and Suzong dynasties, the imperial court cleared the family name several times, and there have been constant disputes. In this case, those who were not particularly prominent felt more pressured, desperately flaunting the fame of their ancestors, and showing their lineage by ostracizing and belittling those from lower backgrounds. In this way, Li Biao naturally became the representative of the Hanmen, and "drawing a clear line" with him was the best way to flaunt his own rank.
Li Biao and Guangping Song Ben were good friends, and they were both from Xiangzhou (Dunqiu and Guangping both belonged to Xiangzhou). Song Ben's grandfather, Song Su, served as a doctor of Zhongshu and Taishou when Emperor Taiwu was emperor, and his background was better than Li Biao's. Song Ben's personal political qualifications are shallower than Li Biao's, and when Li Biao was his secretary, Song Ben was his subordinate writer Zuolang. However, Song Ben was appreciated by Emperor Xiaowen by virtue of his talent and family, and after moving the capital to Luoyang, he was appointed to the regular attendant of the scattered cavalry, and concurrently led the Xiangzhou Dazhongzheng, responsible for delineating the level of the officials of the state. Song Ben and Emperor Xiaowen discussed privately, but still designated Li Biao as a poor family. On the one hand, this shows his selflessness and does not bend the law for his friends, and it can also prevent the emergence of fellow villagers who compete with him.
It can be imagined how Li Biao, who is arrogant by nature, will feel in his heart after he knows it. Taking a step back, Li Biao can not have too many extravagant hopes for his career. After all, after nearly 30 years of struggle, he has climbed from a humble scholar to a third-grade high-ranking official, and he can be content. But what he can't worry about is his children. Li Biao has a son and a daughter, he attaches great importance to the education of his children, his son Li Zhi, who can write at the age of more than ten years, and his daughter has also taught writing and Confucianism since childhood. Li Biao is very fond and proud of this pair of children. The increasingly serious pressure on the family made him often worry about the future of his children, so that he had to praise and praise his colleagues at public and private gatherings and banquets. Emperor Xiaowen could not tolerate this, and even criticized him specifically.
In August of the 21st year of Taihe (497), Emperor Xiaowen began his second southern expedition. Shangshu shot Li Chong and Rencheng Wang Yuancheng stayed in Luoyang, and Li Biao concurrently served as the secretary of the Duzhi Shangshu and was jointly responsible for rear affairs. Li Biao asked Guo Zuo, the secretary of the ministry, to appoint Li Zhi with an official position. Guo Zuo said that Li Biao was not qualified and did not agree. Li Biao was deeply resentful of this. Guo Zuo's reason is: "You and Song Ben are close friends in the same village, and it was he who lowered your rank." Can you not blame him and only blame me?"
Fifty-three-year-old Li Biao completely lost his restraint at this time. He had nowhere to vent his anger at "Mendi", and finally caused a conflict with Li Chong. This is difficult to explain with common sense. Li Chong was one of the first people to appreciate and promote Li Biao, and he was the most effective person. Li Chong has a supple personality, handles interpersonal relationships between superiors and subordinates very well, and almost never has a head-on conflict with anyone.
But from Li Biao's point of view, he didn't dare to turn his face with Song Ben and Guo Zuo, who had hurt him on the issue of the door. That would only make him appear to be a villain who pursued personal gain and turned to retaliation, which made him completely break with the current policy of the Manchu Dynasty and the high-ranking officials of the Manchu Dynasty. Li Biao didn't dare to do this. Li Chong's invocation and help to him at the beginning, but in Li Biao's eyes at this time, it gradually became a kind of high-minded, benefactor-style charity. Li Chong's smooth sailing experience and easy-to-use personality made him a successful representative of the entire high-ranking class in Li Biao's heart. It turned out that Li Biao was working in Yushitai, and Li Chong was in Shangshu Province, so there were not many opportunities to meet. Now Li Biao is also a branch of Shangshu, and he works with Li Chong all day long, and his resentment is gradually unable to be restrained, and it has turned into a resistance to Li Chong, and he is angry and angry.
"Wei Shu: The Biography of Li Biao" said that Song Ben was suppressed by Li Chong, and then instigated Li Biao to attack Li Chong. This may have some truth, but it may not be the fundamental reason for Li Biao's gaffe - with his intelligence and political experience, he will not be so easy to be used, not to mention that at this time, Song Ben is accompanying Emperor Xiaowen on his southern expedition and is not in Luoyang. Li Biao only expressed his anger at Li Chong, not to seize power and gain in the political struggle, or to collect evidence to sue the gang. Anyone with a modicum of rationality understands that there is nothing to be gained in this open confrontation, and the outcome can only be a lose-lose situation.
Under the pressure of the door, Li Biao's nervous and angry emotions accumulated for many years completely exploded, causing him to lose his mind, and I am afraid that he will not be able to explain his actions. Li Chong probably didn't understand why Li Biao was behaving abnormally. He rebuked Li Biao to his face, "like a dog's ear!" and was still suspected of Song Ben's instigation behind his back ("Wei Shu Song Ben's Biography"). Li Biao's abnormal behavior caused Li Chong to lose his temper completely, and he quarreled with Li Biao several times, shouting in anger, and even breaking the table.
After all, Li Chong is Li Biao's superior. He enlisted the support of Yuancheng, the king of Rencheng, arrested Li Biao and the servants of the Imperial History Terrace, and wrote to Emperor Xiaowen to request that Li Biao be dismissed and sent to Tingwei for punishment. In the book, Li Chong pointed out that Li Biao "used to be (in) ordinary products, and he was specially selected for his talents". In order to prove that he has no personal grudges with Li Biao, Li Chong specifically mentioned that Li Biao worked hard for the public at the beginning of his career and achieved outstanding results. As for Li Biao's crimes, Li Chong only cited the harsh and urgent interrogation of prisoners in the past, and his recent behavior was perverse and abnormal, and there were no charges of embezzlement, rebellion, and other crimes commonly used in political struggles.
Li Chong has always had a gentle personality, and the dispute with Li Biao made him insane, and he couldn't afford to get sick, and he was still talking nonsense during his illness, scolding Li Biao for being a villain, and died more than ten days later at the age of 49. Emperor Xiaowen was shocked when he saw Li Chong on the table at the front-line headquarters in the Hanging Fortress City: "Why do you want to stay in Beijing like this!" When the news of Li Chong's death came, Emperor Xiaowen mourned for his act in the Hanging Fortress City, and he couldn't hold back his crying. Yousi sentenced Li Biao to death, and Emperor Xiaowen pardoned him, and only gave him the punishment of dismissal. Li Biao soon returned to his home in Dunqiu.