Zuo Chuan, formerly known as Zuo Shi Chunqiu (左氏春秋), is a classic ancient literary work, which is said to have been written by Zuo Qiuming, which records the history from the year of Lu Yin (722 BC) to the twenty-seventh year of the Duke of Lu'ai (468 BC), and is one of the important classics of Confucianism, together with the "Biography of the Ram" and the "Biography of Gu Liang", collectively known as the "Three Traditions of Spring and Autumn".
It is based on the "Spring and Autumn" compiled by Confucius, and explains the outline of the "Spring and Autumn" by recording the specific historical facts of the Spring and Autumn Period. "Spring and Autumn" itself is an outstanding work, the Spring and Autumn brushwork is even more evocative, a few crosses will show the course of events and the author's attitude to the fullest, "Zuo Biao" also has this characteristic, small words and righteousness. The opening six words of "Zuo Biao", although short, but the degree of bitterness of criticism and irony is very high, these six words are "Zheng Boke Duan Yu Yan". These six words are short and concise, and after reading the whole story, I understand why I am saying small words.
Once upon a time, Zheng Wugong, the ruler of the State of Zheng, married a wife in the State of Shen, named Wu Jiang, and after that, the two were happily married, and after marriage, they had two children, one was the later Duke Zheng Zhuang, and the other was the younger brother Gong Shu Duan. The difference between the two brothers appeared from the beginning of birth, because when The Duke of Zhuang was born, Wu Jiang was difficult to give birth, and generally the child's head came out first, but the Duke of Zhuang came out first, which frightened Wu Jiang. So later, this child was born safely, and the mother Wu Jiang still did not like it, and personally named it "寤生", which means that it was born upside down. From an early age, Wu Jiang favored another son, Gongshu Duan, and repeatedly asked Zheng Wugong to change the son of The Prince to Gongshu Duan, but all of them were rejected.
When Duke Zhuang ascended the throne, Wu Jiang went to Find Duke Zhuang and wanted to give this place to his son Gong Shu Duan. Zhiyi was a very important place, how could the military territory be given to others at will, Zhuang Gong immediately refused, saying: "Zhiyi, Yanyi, Uncle Yu is dead." Tuo Yi was destined. Wu Jiang was not very happy, and then he wanted Jingyi, which was also a very important place, but Zhuang Gong still gave, and from then on GongShu Duan was called The Prince of Jingcheng, which means that he is a powerful figure in this part of The Capital. Gongshu Duan was so rampant that the courtiers were not very satisfied, and a doctor named Gong Zhong told Zhuang Gong that such a large land in the capital was divided up and the city walls were built so high, which was illegal and unfavorable to the monarch, and hoped that Zhuang Gong could take action.
Zhuang Gong sighed and said that he was not willing, but his mother had asked for it, how could he not agree. Matsuri was anxious, because he knew that Wu Jiang could not be satisfied, and would eventually go too far, until it caused a catastrophe. How could Zhuang Gong not understand such a truth, he said with great certainty: "If you do more unrighteous deeds, you will kill yourself, and your son will treat him." Soon after, Gongshu Duan privately made the northern and western borders of Zheng Guo his sphere of influence. At this time, Gongzi Lu couldn't sit still, and jumped out to say that there is no two days in the sky, and there is no two kings in the country, what is the situation now? If Duke Zhuang gave up his land in this way, then he himself would go to Gongshu Duan's side: if he didn't want to, he would quickly solve the trouble of Gongshu Duan and don't let the people's hearts be turbulent. Zhuang Gong was still as steady as Taishan, saying that he didn't have to do anything, and GongShu Duan himself would go to ruin.
Not long after the results, Gongshu Duan once again illegally expanded his land, and Gongzi Lu was anxious again, jumping out and saying that he should hurry up and do it, and the opportunity could not be lost! Zhuang Gong is still the old god in "unrighteousness, unrighteousness, thick will collapse." "With land and power, the next step is of course to rebel, Gongshu Duan actively built the city, recruited soldiers, and prepared to launch an attack to take Zheng Guo." His mother, Wu Jiang, who was also the mother of Duke Zhuang, had already turned his heart to the edge at this time, and he heard that Uncle Duan had come with an army and planned to open the city gate as an internal response. After Zhuang Gong heard these news, he knew that now was the best time to sweep away the net, so he immediately sent a large number of men and horses to meet Gongshu Duan's army. Gongshu Duan was not as scheming as his brother, and his men and horses were also a ragtag group, and they were soon defeated, and Gongshu Duan's own jingyi people did not welcome him, so he could only hurry to Yancheng. Duke Zhuang then chased after Yancheng, and Gongshu Duan ran to Gongguo again.
The gongshu Duan's power was completely destroyed, and his mother Wu Jiang's almost traitorous behavior of collaborating with the enemy could not be easily spared, so Zhuang Gong placed him in the city and issued a poison oath that "no huangquan, no see each other." Although things changed later, the mother and son were successfully reunited and reconciled, but in fact, the clear-eyed people could see that it was just a political drama, and Zhuang Gong was afraid that he had been resentful of his mother and brother for a long time, and watched them go to their own demise.
The meaning of the six words of "Zuo Chuan", combined with the story of careful reading, calling Zhuang Gong "Zheng Bo" actually lowered his identity, which is to satirize him for not teaching his brother well; calling Gongshu Duan "Duan" instead of "brother" is because he did not abide by the duty of being a younger brother and did not deserve to be called "brother"; using the word "Ke" means that the two brothers are not like one country, but like two countries fighting; "Yu Yan", not writing the later Gongshu Duan "running out" to the Communist State, is because all this is Zhuang Gong's plot. The escape of GongShu Duan really could not be regarded as his original intention.
In just six words, it is written that the king is not a king, the subject is not a subject, the brother is not a brother, the brother is not a brother, and the country is not a country, which clearly shows the author's attitude, which shows the proportion of the author, and the so-called small words and great righteousness are not exaggerated. These six words are full of criticism and irony, so direct and piercing, unveiling the surface of the royal family and whitewashing it too much, it cannot be said to be cruel!