Jinting Han people

Chapter 162: Aside from the conversation (4k)

To Liu Xian, Fengyi Governor Ouyang Jian was no stranger. His courtesy name was Jianshi, and he was a member of the Ouyang clan of Bohai. His mother, Shi, was the youngest daughter of Shi Bao, Duke of Leling. In other words, he was actually Shi Chong's nephew and Shi Chao's cousin.

When Liu Xian was a child, he had met Ouyang Jian several times when he was playing with Shi Chao and chatting with famous scholars with Xiao Ruan Gong. However, he had never seen Ouyang Jian again since he took office.

At the time, their prospects were incredibly different. Liu Xian first entered the Secretariat and later became a member of the Prince's Party. Meanwhile, Liu Xian heard that Ouyang Jian had been appointed Magistrate of Shanyang in Yanzhou. Unexpectedly, four years later, their fates had reversed. He was now demoted to become a county magistrate, while Ouyang Jian had risen through the ranks and, thanks to his connections with Shi Chong, became the Governor of Fengyi.

Fortunately, although he was related to Shi Chong, Ouyang Jian was a pure literati. He liked literature and appreciated people who wrote well. He had no intention of participating in any party struggles.

Therefore, after assuming the post of prefect of Fengyi, he not only did not embarrass Liu Xian, but was extremely dissatisfied with Sun Xiu's illegal tax increase, believing it to be an insult to the character of a scholar. At the end of the previous year, he and the Yongzhou governor Jie Xi jointly submitted a memorial impeaching Sun Xiu for illegal activities, but unfortunately, the memorial fell on deaf ears.

He had heard that Liu Xian was short of money to build the Sima Qian ancestral hall, and since it was a literary and artistic undertaking, he had specially transferred three million yuan to fill the shortfall. He had even come in person to bring glory to the literary gathering.

Liu Xian still admired his superior very much. When he saw Ouyang Jian's carriage arrive, he immediately stepped forward to greet him and said with a smile, "With the Lord coming in person, even Xiayang will be honored!"

This was Ouyang Jian's reputation in his hometown. Because of his literary talent, a local proverb said: "Bohai is glorious, Ouyang is a rock."

As Ouyang Jian got off the car, he said with a smile, "You, a famous scholar in Beijing, are here, yet you say I am honored. I am ashamed to accept it!"

After saying that, both of them laughed, and then Liu Xian introduced the guests to Ouyang Jian one by one, which officially started the literary gathering.

It was called a literary gathering, but in reality it was more like a sightseeing trip. Liu Xian led everyone to view the newly renovated Sima Qian Temple, then casually brought up a few topics, which everyone followed suit in casual discussion.

In the first hall of the Sima Qian Temple, there are a statue and a spirit tablet of Sima Qian, and the walls on both sides are painted with scenes of him traveling around the world to collect folk songs.

In the two halls and two steles that followed, the first small hall copied Ban Gu's praise of Sima Qian from "Book of Han: Biography of Sima Qian", and the second small hall copied Sima Qian's immortal masterpiece "Letter to Ren An". The first stele recorded Sima Qian's life, and the second stele was written by Liu Xian, which contained a few words of praise for Sima Qian.

Finally, it settled on ten words: "Mingxin follows Ni's father, Shi Mo covers the Spring and Autumn Annals."

The group finally walked to Sima Qian's tomb and paid their respects to him. Thinking of the vicissitudes of life over the past few hundred years, they couldn't help but feel extremely emotional.

Bu Wei asked Liu Xian, "Why did you suddenly think of renovating the Taishigong Temple? I remember that Taishigong was not very respectful to the Han Dynasty when he wrote the Records of the Grand Historian."

As soon as these words were spoken, a low laugh immediately arose.

After all, Sima Qian's love and hate in "Records of the Grand Historian" are undisguised. From his praise of Xiang Yu to his sigh for Li Guang, all of them reflect his dissatisfaction with the Han Dynasty.

In the end, to ensure that the "Records of the Grand Historian" would be passed down to future generations, Sima Qian even created two versions. After presenting one version to the Secretariat, the other version was not published until his death. Instead, it was kept privately by his daughter for twenty years and was not made public until the reign of Emperor Xuan of Han.

From this perspective, Sima Qian's hatred for the Han emperors cannot be said to be disrespectful, but rather it should be said to be gnashing of teeth.

But Liu Xian simply smiled and said calmly, "I'm not only a descendant of the Han Dynasty, but also a disciple of Duke Chengzuo. Everyone knows that whether it was Duke Chengzuo who compiled the 'Records of the Three Kingdoms' or any other historian in the world, they were all influenced by Sima Qian. He pioneered the format for compiling history and is a true historian."

"Although Sima Qian's writings were flamboyant, he freely praised and criticized others, he liked to teach others, and even liked to write some novels. However, he never hid his preferences, which is also a sign of openness. If you meet such a person, whether as a friend or a teacher, it is a pleasure."

"Moreover, writing history isn't about eulogizing someone. What's important is learning from their achievements and distinguishing between gains and losses. If we only write about a person's successes but not their failures, then what can we, the descendants, truly learn?"

"From these aspects, Sima Qian may have shortcomings, but he can serve as a teacher for future generations."

When this was said, many people in the audience applauded, but most of those present were well-educated and did not want to let others take the credit. Deng You said with his hands behind his back:
“People often say that reading history can help us understand gains and losses and understand our own perspectives, but this doesn’t seem to be entirely true.”

"Sima Qian compiled the Records of the Grand Historian, which covers the Three Dynasties, from Emperor Wen to Emperor Wu of Han. His knowledge of divination and classics is truly comprehensive and comprehensive. He was also thoroughly familiar with all aspects of officialdom."

"But he knew full well that serving the emperor was like serving a tiger, so why did he still go out and give Li Ling advice, bringing disaster to his descendants?"

"Similarly, when Ban Gu was compiling the Han Shu, knowing Sima Qian's fate, why didn't he protect himself? Instead, he associated with powerful officials like Dou Xian, who were deeply suspicious of him and ultimately suffered the same fate?"

"We say that reading history can help us understand our gains and losses, but why do we keep making the same mistakes?"

When this question was raised, everyone present felt very heavy, because it involved the connection between people and their pursuits.

People always believe that they can grow continuously through learning and ultimately achieve their goals. However, the reality is that many people do not grow after studying, but instead keep falling into the same pit over and over again until they die.

Bu Wei lamented, "Humans are inherently dull. As the sage said at the outset of the Tao Te Ching, 'The Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao; the name that can be named is not the eternal name.' If one relies solely on reading to learn truth, then the truth one acquires will inevitably have limits, because language has its limits."

"It's like a person has five senses, but we can only describe the feelings of these five senses, but we can never truly describe them. More specifically, it's like the sour, sweet, bitter, and spicy flavors. If a person's tongue is numb, even if he reads a book ten thousand times, he still won't know what the sour, sweet, bitter, and spicy flavors are."

“To understand the principles in a book, it is often not because we first read the book that we will understand it, but because we have experienced the same things before we can have the same feelings.”

“So the ancient sages said, travel and study, travel and study, travel and study should not be neglected.”

"I've recently been reading Buddhist scriptures carefully and have discovered that Buddhism emphasizes enlightenment. This shows that the sages' learning draws inferences from one instance to another. Their words are finite, but their meaning is infinite. If one only reads, one probably won't be able to fully acquire wisdom."

"In the end, we must forget words and return to our true selves. This is the true path."

This is a popular recent theory, arguing that understanding the world through language and writing is insufficient. Instead of dwelling on the more concrete realities of reality, one should instead pursue the boundless freedom of the spirit. This demonstrates a disinterest in fame and fortune while also embodying a noble spiritual realm. Therefore, when Bu Yu expressed this, it drew a wave of praise.

But Liu Xian didn't like this topic. Firstly, it had strayed from the topic; it had originally been about understanding the gains and losses in history books, but it had turned into a discussion of metaphysics. Secondly, he didn't like the idea either, as it seemed to suggest that studying was useless.

When he was about to open his mouth to bring the topic back, the prefect Ouyang Jian next to him joined in the conversation and said:
"To say that words cannot fully express my feelings is a bit premature."

“Although sages often speak of profound and profound truths, can they really speak without words?”

"Some people often say: If we don't say spring, summer, autumn, and winter, will there be no four seasons? If we don't name the colors, will there be no black and white in the world? Language may exist or not, but some things are real. Therefore, language is unimportant."

"But to me, it's a joke."

“Language is a process of naming. If we don’t write black and white, then we can’t understand each other when we speak. If we don’t talk about the truth of things, and only rely on ignorant understanding, then it is nothing more than a dream that cannot be proven.”

"Thus, throughout history, sages have always endeavored to rectify names through words. Even sages who discuss the unspoken Dao must do so through writing to leave their mark on their disciples. This is how the Laozi, Zhuangzi, and the Book of Changes came about."

"Similarly, Sima Qian's "Records of the Grand Historian" cannot help people suddenly realize and avoid mistakes, but if people do not read history books, can anyone be born with a clear understanding of how to govern a country?"

At this point, everyone burst into laughter, clearly agreeing with Ouyang Jian's point. Everything else was fine, but the art of governing a country was undoubtedly passed down through the experience of our predecessors, bit by bit. Even Liu Bang, the most insightful Emperor Gaozu of Han, needed Zhang Liang as his teacher, teaching him the Taigong Art of War, before he could unify the country.

Next, everyone continued their discussion, focusing on the relationship between words and meaning, and then shifted to the Zhouyi, discussing the relationship between the hexagram images and the words of the sage. After all, in the Book of Changes, there is a statement: "The sage establishes images to express his intention, establishes hexagrams to express his feelings and intentions, and attaches words to them to express his words. He changes and communicates them to achieve maximum benefit, and encourages and dances them to express his spirit."

Although Confucius said, "I do not speak of strange things," there are so many unknown things in this world that it is difficult for people not to speculate on their fate through some superstitious ways.

Especially during the period between the Han and Tang dynasties, a legendary book, the "Red Fu Fu," was created. It deduced a prophecy: "Liu Xiu will send out his troops to capture the wicked, and the barbarians will gather to fight." Ultimately, Emperor Guangwu, Liu Xiu, would rebuild the Han Dynasty. Over the next three hundred years, the study of divination became a prominent discipline. Liu Xian's teachers, while each with their own strengths, were all proficient in it.

But among the guests invited this time, Guo Yun and Guo Pu were the most proficient. The two of them began to take the lead, moving from Laozi and Zhuangzi to the Book of Changes, and from the debate on whether the hexagram words were the full words of the saints to the meaning of "chastity".

Everyone seemed to be getting into the groove, citing a wealth of evidence and engaging in sharp exchanges. The scene became incredibly lively, with some waving their arms, others removing their headscarves, and interrupting each other in the debate. Passionate and chaotic, the atmosphere was overflowing. Only Liu Xian, the chairperson, stood in the middle, trying his best to maintain decorum.

Zhuge Yu and the others present at the meeting were seeing nothing of this kind. Looking back at Xue Xing, they whispered, "Is this what they call the style of discussing the mysteries of the past, the sound of Zhengshi, that has prevailed since He Yan and Xiahou Xuan?"

Although Xue Xing had been with Liu Xian for two years, this was his first time attending a literary gathering, so he was naturally bewildered. Fortunately, a yamen runner brought in some ripe peaches, and everyone present finally stopped and ate some peaches to quench their thirst.

After everyone had rested for a while, they started debating again, but this time the topic seemed simpler and more mysterious than before.

The question was raised by Guo Qi. He said, "In recent years, we often hear stories of people ascending to heaven. What do you think? Is this true or false?"

Chen Yuanda, a famous Xiongnu scholar, immediately objected, "The theory of ascension is pure nonsense!"

Guo Qi retorted, "Swallowing elixirs, gradually practicing fasting, climbing mountains to admire the clouds, leaning against the abyss to collect dew, gradually absorbing the essence of the sun and the moon, and eating wind instead of grains—this is the way to immortality that has been passed down since ancient times. How could this be nonsense?"

Liu Xian, who was standing by, laughed a little. He said, "Could it be that Guo Gongwei has practiced cultivation himself? How can you prove this is true?"

Guo Qi recounted, "There was a hermit named Jiao Xian in Hedong. Seeing the decline of the Han dynasty, he became silent and secluded. He then went bareheaded and barefoot, building a hut out of grass, eating grass and drinking water. When hungry, he worked as a servant, wearing neither a hat nor shoes. During the reign of Emperor Ming of Wei, the prefects Jia Mu and Dong Jing visited him. He refused to eat or speak, could wear a single layer of clothing in winter, and even when sleeping in the snow, his complexion remained rosy and his breathing regular, as if he were drunk in the height of summer. Later, at the age of over a hundred, he ascended to heaven on a mountain, witnessed by hundreds of people."

"This is a story known to everyone in Hedong and Pingyang. With such an example, how could there not be immortality?"

Chen Yuanda countered, "Back then, King Huainan Liu An also made elixirs and drank stones, claiming he could ascend to immortality. But what happened?"

"He wanted to lead his troops in a rebellion and usurp the throne, but his plans were not discreet and his judgment of people was poor. As a result, his plot was discovered by Emperor Wu of Han. In the end, he was forced to commit suicide. His tomb still exists today."

"As a result, even though it was such a person, the local people said that they saw Liu An ascend to heaven in broad daylight, taking his retainers, servants, chickens and dogs with him. They even called that place Bagong Mountain!"

"Could this be true? If so, why isn't it recorded in history books? If so, why didn't the King of Huainan use his magical powers to seize the throne?"

"In my opinion, if you haven't seen it with your own eyes, you still can't believe those rumors. They seem more like the imagination of some ignorant people."

"I bet that even though Guo Gongwei just mentioned Jiao Xian's ascension, he hasn't actually seen it with his own eyes! Right?"

Guo Qi had indeed never seen it himself, but he was still quite angry that the story that was so well-known in his hometown was called a lie by an outsider. Just as he was about to continue the debate, he suddenly heard a voice from behind him.

The voice was smooth, its tone full of flattery and ingratiation, but the tone was sharp, as if it was full of indifference and ridicule. He said:
"Ascension is a matter of faith. If you believe, you will succeed. If you don't, you won't succeed. Your heart is insincere and you are filled with sin. How can you possibly see the blessing of the Heavenly Official?"

This was a very abrupt voice, and it gave Liu Xian a chill. He turned around and saw a middle-aged man in plain clothes. He had a sharp face and shifty eyes.

"I'm Liu Xian, the mayor of Xiayang. May I ask who you are...?" Liu Xian stepped forward and asked. He was very sure that he had not invited this person.

"So you are Lord Liu. I've long admired you. I'm Sun Xiu of Langya, the current Chief Clerk of the King of Zhao."

Sun Xiu bowed repeatedly, as humbly as if he were a servant or domestic servant of Liu Xian.

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(End of this chapter)