"History" created a "narrative according to people" jichuan style of writing history, the narrative logic is clear, the character comments are accurate, and the important role of people in the development of social history is highlighted. In the "Taishi Gongyue", there are both positive and negative evaluations of positive characters, which profoundly reflect the essence of Chinese historians' governance and history -- "not to be secreted for His Holiness".
Sima Qian
As we all know, both positive and negative characters have a major impact on the course of history, and both are indispensable, just as the so-called "seeing the wise and thinking together, seeing the unwise and introspecting", studying the negative character evaluations in the "Historical Records" is of great significance to the establishment of an environment in which Chinese history seeks truth from facts. Among the many negative evaluations contained in the "Chronicle of History", the highest level and the most typical is "laughing for the world".
I. "Laughing for the World" and "Laughing for the World" in the "Chronicle of History"
"Laughing for the world" as a great ironic negative evaluation in the pre-Qin literature has been recorded in many places, and is mostly mixed in the dialogue of the characters, first seen in the "Mozi", "Mozi Idle Recitation, Volume XIV" contains: "Zi Mozi Yue: Gu Death, Gu Death; Ancient people who have their skills are not close to the people inside, and they are not about to rule outside, with few idle people, with weak and light? When the country dies, laughs for the world, and is cautious, I am afraid of being a disaster. ”
Mozi
At the same time, it is also recorded in the "Zhuangzi", "Warring States Policy" and other documents, "Zhuangzi Jishi Xu Wu Ghost No. 20" contains: "Oh lack meets Xu Youyue: Zi will Xi Zhi? A: Will flee. A: What is evil? Yue: Fu Yao is a beast, and I am afraid that it will be the laughter of the world. And the "Thief Twenty-ninth" says: "The so-called loyal subjects of the world, Prince Moruo is better than Gan Wuzixu." Zi Xu Shen Jiang, Bi Gan cut the heart, these two sons, the world is called a loyal subject, but the pawn is the laughter of the world. "Warring States Policy, King Zhao made people kill Fan Yu in Wei with a hundred miles of land" said: "Although, there is a yan. The land of a hundred miles cannot be obtained, and the dead cannot be resurrected. Then the Lord will laugh for the whole world! And the "Qin Zhaowang Zhi Left and Right" said: "Wei Huanzi elbows Han Kangzi, Kangzi performs Wei Huanzi, and stomps on his heel." The elbow foot is connected to the car, and the Chi clan is divided. Death to the death of the country, laughter for the world. According to its contents, the identity of the person who can assume the role of "laughing for the world" is limited to monarchs and famous courtiers, and it is mostly used as an enhanced word to express emotions, not a historical official evaluation word.
The first evaluation of "Laughing for the World" as a writer first appeared in the "Lü Shi Chunqiu", which reads: "The King of You wants to praise the laughter of the concubine, because the number of drums is beaten, and the soldiers of the princes are counted and there is no Kou." As for Hou Rong Kou Zhenzhi, the Youwang beat the drum, and the princes did not arrive. The body of the Ghost King died under the Li Mountain, laughing for the world. This husband is also a non-Kou distorted Ko. The wise have small goodes to great good, and the unworthy have small evils to great evils. The defeat of The King of You's good novels led to the destruction of the Great. ”
Lü's Spring and Autumn
According to its contents, "Lü Shi Chunqiu" not only recounts in detail the historical event that King Zhou You's favor and praise led to chaotic government, but also comments in detail, giving the evaluation of "laughing for the world" to the death of King Zhou Youwang due to the chaotic government of his favorite concubine. Three points of understanding can be drawn from the analysis: 1. "Spoiled concubines", "is a universally recognized act of imperial immorality, and its sin is unforgivable; 2." The term "laugh for the world" has been fixed as a sarcastic evaluation commonly used by historians.
In the early Han Dynasty, Sima Qian adhered to this spirit when he wrote the "Records of History", and in accordance with the mistakes of "recognized in the world and unforgivable sins", he evaluated all the historical figures in his pen one by one, summarized and summarized the various reasons and behaviors of historical figures who "laughed for the world", expanded and developed the connotations of characters and events, and created a moral criterion for ironic historical evaluation.
Historical
II. Analysis of the categories and reasons for "laughing for the world" contained in the "Chronicle of History"
There are twenty "laughing for the world" (including "laughing for the world") contained in the "Chronicle of History", and from the perspective of the narrative form, twelve places mixed with the dialogues of the characters are used as eight places for character evaluation; from the perspective of character identity, fourteen places for the emperor and monarch, and five places for the famous people of the world. The following is a standard classification of character identities.
(1) Imperial monarchs
The imperial monarch is the title given to the supreme ruler by which human beings entered civilized society and had the rudiments of the state. According to the "Chronicle of History", the immoral behavior and reasons for the emperor and monarch 'dying and destroying the country' and "laughing for the world" can be summarized into eight categories:
1. Brutality and inhumanity. The "Qin Shi Huang Benji" quotes Jia Yi's "Theory of Passing the Qin": "One husband is difficult and the seven temples fall, and he dies by the hands of people, for the laughter of the world, why not?" Benevolence and righteousness do not do but attack and defend the situation is different. This was the first time that the commentary "Laughing for the World" was quoted in the "Records of History", and Sima Qian's recognition of this evaluation was very high, and he later quoted the original words in the "Chen Shijia". After Qin Shi Huang unified the world, he did not show benevolence and righteousness, so that a peasant revolt broke out and caused the subjugation of the country, which was an unforgivable act of immorality by the emperor and monarch.
Qin Shi Huang
2. Extreme desire for poverty and luxury. The Chu Shijia (Chu Shijia) reads: "Taishi Gongyue: King Fanghui of Chu Ling, Yu Shen, Qi Qingfeng, Zhang Huatai, Zhi Xiao Tianxia at the time of Zhou Jiuding; and died of starvation in Shen Hai's house, laughing for the world." you, miserable! The odds are also on people. This is the first time that Sima Qian's self-description of "laughing for the world" in the "Records of History" is evaluated. Sima Qian pointed out that the King of Chu Ling was so extravagant and unruly that he rebelled and starved to death. And "Wei Shijia": "Zhi Bo Yue: I did not know that water can kill people's country, but now I know that the fen water can irrigate Anyi, and the water can irrigate Pingyang." Wei Huanzi elbowed Han Kangzi, Han Kangzi walked Wei Huanzi, elbow foot connected to the car, and Zhi Clan land, dead and dead, laughed for the world. "The Legend of the Turtle Cele": "Everyone is rich in the world and noble to the Son of Heaven, but he is proud." When there is no desire, there is joy in doing things, and greed is very proud. Don't be faithful, listen to his courtiers, and laugh for the whole world. "(JinGuo) Zhi clan, the king of Shangyi is also poor and extravagant, insatiable, and eventually ends up dying and destroying the country. Therefore, extravagance is also a mistake that the emperor mainly tries to avoid.
King Chu Ling
3. Spoil the concubines and chaos. "Zhao Shijia" said: "Wu Wa died, love relaxation, pity the old prince, want the two kings, hesitate, so chaotic, so that father and son died, laughing for the world, is not painful!" Another "Biography of Liu Jing's Uncle Sun Tong lie" says: "Uncle Sun Tong said: In the past, the Jin Dynasty Gong deposed the crown prince at the behest of Li Ji, established Xi Qi, and the Jin state was chaotic for decades, laughing for the world." "King Wuling of Zhao and Duke Xian of Jin were the same as King You of Zhou in The Spring and Autumn of the Lü Dynasty, but they all favored concubines and deposed princes to the point of chaos and destruction of the country.
4. Lack of courage. The "Biography of Su Qin" says: "With the courage of Han Zhao, he was strongly armored, crossbowed, and carried a sword, and one person was a hundred, not enough to say." Fu Yi Han Zhijin and the Great King's Sage, Nai Xi Mian Qin, crossed arms and obeyed, shamed the society and laughed for the world, no one is bigger than this. Su Qin lobbied King Xuanhui of Han to persuade him to join the Hezhong Alliance, and although there was an exaggerated element in his words, the result of pointing out that King Han lacked courage and attached himself to the Qin State must be "laughing for the world", which indirectly reflected that the lack of courage of the imperial monarch was also an act of immorality.
5. Conspiracy against the rebels. The "Biography of Hengshan In Huainan" says: "The plan is decided, and the army is raised to the west." Broken in the beam, defeated by the fox father, running east, as for the Dantu, the more people and birds, the death of the gods, for the world to laugh. Who can't succeed with Wu Yue's multitude? Sincerely against the way of heaven and do not know the time also. "Also" TaiShi Gong said: Huainan and Hengshan are flesh and blood, and their territory is thousands of miles, they are listed as princes, and they do not obey the duties of vassals to support the Son of Heaven, but they specialize in evil schemes, plot against the side, and still father and son will perish again, and each will not die, laughing for the world." "The Family of the Three Kings": "The ancients punished no relatives, so the world ruled." Fang Jin's minister assisted the government, followed the law and went straight, did not dare to do anything, I am afraid that he could not forgive the king. The king can be self-respecting, and he will not let the country die and laugh for the whole world. Sima Qian pointed out that the most important thing for the king of the feudal kingdom was to "inherit the son of heaven", while the king of HanHuainan, the king of Hengshan, and the king of Yan gathered momentum to rebel, which was really self-defeating, and could only end up dying and destroying the country, even if you were a prince, you must be careful in your words and deeds, and take this as a warning.
King of Huainan
6. Do not defend loyalty and adultery. The Biography of Qu Yuan Jia Sheng Lie" says: "King Huai, because he did not know the distinction of loyal subjects, was confused by Zheng Gui internally, deceived by Zhang Yi from the outside, and trusted Shangguan Dafu and Ling Yin Zilan. The soldiers slashed in frustration, killed their six counties, and died in Qin, laughing for the world. This is the curse of man. "The fact that King Huai of Chu did not distinguish between loyalty and adultery and the destruction of the country was a major mistake of the monarch and emperor.
7. Short-sightedness. The Biography of The Plains Junyu Qing lie reads: "Ying Hou Guo showed Zheng Zhu to show the victors of the world, and finally refused to marry." Changping was defeated, so he besieged Handan and laughed for the world. "During the Great War of Qin and Zhao Changping, King Xiaowen of Zhao was short-sighted and pinned his hopes on making peace with the State of Qin, which was tantamount to conspiring with the tiger, not only failing to make peace, but also cutting off the opportunity to form an anti-Qin alliance with the four eastern countries, and finally leading to defeat.
8. Low birth. The Biography of Lu Zhonglian Zou Yang lie reads: "The King of Qi Wei was furious: "The mother and the maid are also! The world laughs. According to it, the birth of the emperor during the two-week period was quite important, and the mother's status was not obvious enough to "laugh for the world", but the language was the scolding of the King of Qi Wei angrily rebuking the King of Zhou, and the exaggerated component in the speech was strong, which should be ignored for the time being.
In addition to the above records, there is only one account in the "Chronicle of History" that affirms the actions of the emperor. "Zhao Shijia" said: "Wang Yue: I do not doubt Hu Fuye, I am afraid that the world will laugh at me." The pleasure of the madman, the mourning of the wise; the laughter of the fool, the observance of the wise. There are those who obey me in the world, and the merits of Hufu are unknown. Although the world will laugh at me, I will have it in the middle of the mountain. So I obeyed. King Wuling of Zhao wisely saw the two sides of things when promoting Hufu - "The joy of the madman, the mourning of the wise; the laughter of the fool, the observation of the sage", so he did not fear the "laughter of the world" and vigorously promoted the Hufu, and finally became famous. The "laughing for the world" here is obviously the self-deprecation of King Zhao.
King Wuling of Zhao
(2) The world's celebrities
The famous people of the world "laughing for the world" contained in the "Chronicle of History" are mostly mixed with the dialogues of the characters. As can be seen from the "Records of History", there are four reasons why the famous people of the world fell into "laughing for the world":
1, can not be shamed. The biography of Wu Zixu reads: "Wu Shangyue: I know that I can't live my father's life in the end. But I hate that my Father called me to survive and not to go, and then I could not be ashamed, and finally laughed for the world. "Spring and Autumn Warring States Duoyishi, the world's celebrities are proud of revenge and shame, but Wu Shang, as a famous soldier in the world, cannot take revenge, so he deeply hates himself and will "laugh for the world" after he dies.
Wu Zixu sculpture
2. Words without faith. The "Biography of Su Qin" says: "King Yi said su Qin: In the past, Mr. To Yan, and Mr. Wang Zi saw Zhao, so he agreed with the Six Kingdoms. Now Qi first cut Zhao, then to Yan, for the sake of Mr. Yan for the sake of the world's laughter, Mr. Can You invade the land for Yan? Su Qin Da kuo, "Please take it for the king." The Biography of Zhang Yilie says: "When King Wu became crown prince, he did not say Zhang Yi, and when he took the throne, the group of courtiers was hungry for Zhang Yi: no faith, left and right traitors to the country to gain tolerance." Qin will reuse it, fearing that the world will laugh. The princes heard that Zhang Yi had the King of Wu, and they were all balanced and compounded. Since ancient times, even ordinary people who do not believe what they say will be ridiculed, not to mention that the famous people of the world will not believe what they say, and the result will inevitably be "laughter for the world."
3. Unnecessary sacrifice. The "Biography of Sima Xiangru" says: "Now feng coin service to Nanyi, that is, suicide thief, or flee to the curse, death without a name, the most foolish, shame and parents, for the laughter of the world." Sima Xiangru pointed out in the "Yu Bashu Shu" that recruiting soldiers to do a little errand to carry gifts to the south, even if they commit suicide or escape and are killed, make senseless sacrifices, and die without getting a good reputation. The text refers to a type of person (thing).
4. Ignorant of current affairs. The Biography of the Marquis of Huaiyin says: "The King of Changshan turned his back on King Xiang, followed Xiang's infant head, and fled to the King of Han." The king of Han borrowed troops and went east, killing Cheng Anjun to the south of weeping water, the head was in a different place, and the pawn was laughing for the world. When Qu Tong persuaded Han Xin to rebel, he gave the example of An Jun Chen Yu being killed without knowing the current affairs, indicating that if he did not know the current affairs, he would inevitably die without a place to die, so as to warn Han Xin to raise an army to rebel. The words in this paragraph reflect from the side that "those who know the times are Junjie".
Statue of Han Xin
III. The Revelation of "Laughing for the World" contained in the Chronicle of History
In summary, the "laughing for the world" events, characters, and reasons recorded in the "Records of History" are clear and clear, which shows that Sima Qian used characters and events to express the value orientation of the current world: as an imperial monarch, he should try his best to avoid eight kinds of mistakes: cruelty and inhumanity, poverty and extravagance, spoiled concubines and chaotic government, lack of courage, rebellion, non-justification of loyalty and hypocrisy, and short-sightedness; and as a celebrity in the world, he should try his best to avoid the four mistakes of not being ashamed, not believing what he said, making unnecessary sacrifices, and not knowing the current affairs. Enough to warn the world, to be a warning. From the beginning of the Western Han Dynasty, the evaluation of "laughing for the world" in the contemporary (and later) history books and notebook novels such as Huainanzi, The New Preface, the New Book, the Saying Garden, the Biography of The Daughters of Lienu, and the Book of the Later Han Dynasty all followed the evaluation criterion in the "History of History", which showed the importance of Sima Qian's historical evaluation of "laughing for the world" in the "History".