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I believe that everyone who has studied traditional Chinese historiography will have a sense of awe for Sima Qian's "Historical Records". This huge work, known as the "first heroic chapter of historiography", created a precedent for historical books, not only set a model for future historians, but also deeply influenced the Chinese's cognition and understanding of history.
However, among the many entries in the "Historical Records", there is a seemingly unremarkable part of the "family", which hides Sima Qian's deep thoughts and intentions. What was the reason why Sima Qian ranked Wu Taibo's "family" in the first place? Intuitively, we would think that this aristocratic son of the Zhou Dynasty should not have it
Qi Taigong Jiang Ziya or Lu Zhou Gongdan's popularity and historical influence. But the truth is not so simple, Sima Qian's intentions are far from being as superficial as we think. We might as well take a closer look at the life and deeds of this Wu Taibo. As the eldest son of Prince Tai of Zhou's father, according to the etiquette of the time, he should inherit his father's throne.
However, in order to fulfill his father's wish to pass the throne to his younger brother Ji Li, and to avoid disputes between brothers for power, this wise uncle resolutely stayed away from Xiqi and fled to Jingmanju Wu alone with his second brother Zhongyong, and founded a new country, the state of Wu.
Since then, although the Zhou royal family has repeatedly asked Taibo to ascend the throne, he has always insisted on his decision and does not want to get involved in the royal power. Until his death, he chose to be humble and retreat, which was praised by Confucius as "the most virtuous". Such a noble historical figure deserves to be respected and admired. But Sima Qian listed him as the first in the family, and there were obviously deeper considerations.
We can see that the historical figures recorded by this great historian are often closely related to the dominant ideas of his time. Looking back at the time of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, in which Sima Qian lived, Confucianism was being elevated to the status of an orthodox ideology. In Confucianism, the core is the moral categories such as "benevolence", "righteousness", and "propriety".
In particular, the Ram School put forward the ideas of "using the Tao to defeat the unreasonable", "respecting the king and destroying the people", and "advocating the shame of the people", which deeply influenced Sima Qian's view of history. From this point of view, Wu Taibo's noble behavior of "giving in three to the world" is exactly in line with the moral standard of "advocating and shame" advocated by the Ram School.
Sima Qian obviously admired this kind of character of being willing to back down regardless of personal interests. In his writing, the image of Taibo seems to be the embodiment of "Zhide", becoming a model for future generations to learn. It can be said that Sima Ying ranked Wu Taibo in the first position in the family, not only because of his historical status and deeds himself,
It is mainly due to Sima Qian's own unique understanding and trade-offs of history. Through this arrangement, he hoped to highlight the values and ideological tendencies with which he identified, and set a clear benchmark for the establishment of Confucian orthodoxy. In other sections of the Historical Records, we can also find Sima Qian's tendency to praise and disparage historical figures.
For example, his praise of the Tang Wu Revolution embodies the Ram School of thought of "defeating the unTaoist with the way"; Another example is his ideal of "great unification", which reflects the concept of "respecting the king and ruling the country". It can be seen that when Sima Qian wrote the "Records of the Historian", he did not simply record historical facts objectively, but consciously infiltrated and disseminated his own value orientation in it.
The reason why this historian will be revered by later generations is precisely because he is not only an outstanding historian, but also a thinker who has insight into the laws of history and has both wisdom and responsibility. What he presents is not only a detailed historical narrative, but also a profound insight into human nature and society.
When we study Sima Qian's works today, we should also go beyond the superficial historical facts to discover the deep ideological core hidden in them. It can be said that the reason why Sima Qian listed Wu Taibo as the first in the family is no accident. This reflects the specific value orientation and stance he holds in the face of history.
He believes that Wu Taibo, who has a noble character and the courage to retreat, is the historical hero who is truly worth pursuing. This kind of ideological orientation not only affected his criteria for judging historical figures, but also profoundly shaped the overall tone of the historiographical masterpiece "Records of the Historians".
Perhaps, in Sima Qian's writing, the reason why Wu Taibo was able to become the first of the family is not only because of his outstanding deeds, but also because he is highly consistent with the values and ideas that Sima Qian himself identifies. This great historian integrated his own value orientation into the historical account, thus giving the "Historical Record" a deeper cultural significance.
As some scholars have said, Sima Qian's Records of the Historian is not only a groundbreaking historical masterpiece, but also a mirror that reflects the thoughts of the times through history. Through the in-depth interpretation of Wu Taibo's family, we can not only learn about the life and deeds of this historical figure, but also get a glimpse of Sima Qian's deep and wise heart.
He is not simply a historian, but a thinker who has insight into the laws of history and the true meaning of society, and what he shows is a deep understanding of human nature and society. Therefore, when we re-read the "Historical Records" again, we might as well focus on those articles carefully arranged by Sima Qian, and explore the hidden ideological codes behind them.
#司马迁的文笔妙, what's the trick? #
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