Chapter 6 Chapter 2 Characters

After a long silence, Xu Shao answered Cao Cao's question. At this time, Cao Cao was still a young man, and Xu Shao was already a famous critic in the late Eastern Han Dynasty. Every month on the first day of the lunar month, he would comment on the characters at that time, called "Yuedan Commentary" (the first day of the new year is called New Year's Day, and the first day of each month called Yuedan).The one commented by Xu Shao was immediately famous all over the world, no wonder Cao Cao wanted to see him. However, Xu Shao, who was a celebrity, looked down on this young man who came from a family of eunuchs.Cao Cao tried his best to force Xu Shao to express his opinion by almost playing a rogue.In desperation, Xu Shao gave the following evaluation:

It is said that Cao Cao left happily. Of course Cao Cao should be happy.Because at this time he was still unknown and even despised by others, only Taiwei Qiaoxuan looked at him differently and believed that he was the one who would stabilize the world in the future.Even Cao Cao's meeting with Xu Shao was Qiao Xuan's suggestion. In fact, Qiao Xuan also commented, and it was similar to Xu Shao: The story must have been widely circulated at the time, and there are various versions.But the most recognized by later generations are these ten words: Since then, the word traitor has become Cao Cao's label.

The label apparently evolved from what Qiao Xuan and Xu Shao said.They all use two words: traitor, hero, together they are traitors. However, the three versions have different meanings.According to the first and second arguments, Cao Cao would harm people when he lived in a governed world, but it is right to live in a troubled world.The third theory is the opposite, although this theory is also said to be Xu Shao's. There is no point in figuring out which version is the most original and authentic, since either admits that Cao Cao is not an ordinary person, etc.In fact, in the late Han, Wei and Jin Dynasties, there was not much difference between a hero and a traitor or a hero, and the word "hero" was also clearly defined:

It is very clear: a hero and a hero are the same thing, that is, outstanding, but the best among plants is called a hero, and the most outstanding among animals is called a hero.It's like a group and a crowd are the same thing, except that animals are called groups and humans are called groups.Therefore, a person who is as beautiful as a flower is called handsome, and as strong as a tiger or leopard is called majestic. Therefore, people appropriated the word "hero" originally used for animals and plants to characters, and gave the following definition: Obviously, Ying means outstanding talent (such as Yingcai), or extraordinary talent (such as heroic spirit), or youthful glow (such as Yingnian); Xiong means fearless (such as Xiongba), or powerful (such as Xiongfeng), Or extremely mighty (such as valiant).According to this, Cao Cao is of course a hero.He thinks so, and so do others.

Once, the Huns sent envoys to China. At this time, Cao Cao was already the king of Wei, but he was ashamed of himself because of his ugly appearance, so he asked Cui Yan to meet him on his behalf, and he stood aside as a guard holding a knife.Afterwards, Cao Cao sent someone to ask the envoy: What is your impression of King Wei? The envoy said: "The king of Wei (referring to Cui Yan) looks dignified.But the "knife catcher" (referring to Cao Cao) sitting next to him is the real hero. When Cao Cao heard about it, he assassinated the envoy. The reliability of this matter may be questioned, but the concepts reflected undoubtedly belong to that era.First, the hero is compelling.Second, whether a person is a hero has nothing to do with appearance or morality, but only with temperament.

Cao Cao certainly has this temperament. In fact, the so-called "heroes" in the Eastern Han, Wei and Jin Dynasties were not moral evaluations, but judgments of temperament or facts.In other words, as long as a person is endowed with extraordinary heroism, even if he can only make things big, he is a hero. Therefore, Dong Zhuo is also a hero, and Liu Bei is even more so. Liu Bei was considered a hero by both Zhuge Liang and Cao Cao, and Cao Cao even believed that the only heroes in the world were their brothers.It is said that when Cao Cao said this, Liu Bei was eating with him, and he was so frightened that he dropped his spoon and chopsticks on the spot.

Lu Su called Liu Bei "the hero of the world".In fact, in the eyes of people in the late Han Dynasty and Wei and Jin Dynasties, heroes and traitors are heroes.What they care about is not the first character, but the very masculine character at the back—xiong. That's right, a hero can also be called a male for short. Who is the hero and who is the hero?This was a matter of great concern to people during the late Han, Wei and Jin dynasties, because it was a troubled time.Heroes come out of troubled times.Only heroes can show their talents and make great achievements in troubled times.

Behind the attention is the recognition and respect of the society. This is a new value orientation. We know that the Han Dynasty respected merit, and the influential figures in the Han Dynasty were also associated with merit, such as Zhang Qiantong to the Western Regions, Wei Qingping the Huns, Sima Qian wrote "Historical Records", and Dr. Gongsun Hongshe.Without these merits, they have no value and are not recognized by the world. The Wei and Jin Dynasties did not judge heroes by success or failure.As long as you have the ambition of a hero, even if you fail to achieve your wish or fail, you can still gain people's respect.

Such as Zu Ti (read Ruti) and Liu Kun. Both Zu Ti and Liu Kun stood up when the Western Jin Dynasty fell, and both took it as their mission to drive out the Hu people and restore China.Zu Ti even swears loudly and boldly on the boat when he crosses the Yangtze River north to the middle stream: If my Zu Ti can't regain the Central Plains, then let me be like this river rolling eastward, and never come back! This is the so-called "strike the middle stream". Also widely circulated is the story of "dancing after hearing the chicken".Once, 24-year-old Zu Ti heard a rooster crowing in the middle of the night, and woke up the same young Liu Kun: This is God encouraging us!So they danced swords outside the house together.

The stories of hearing the chicken dancing and hitting the middle class later became regular teaching materials for Chinese people to inspire, but the careers of Zu Ti and Liu Kun are little known.In fact, both of them failed to achieve their wishes.Zu Ti died in sorrow and anger, and Liu Kun was killed unjustly, but people miss him like Zhuge Liang who was not successful. Character is more important than merit, which is a shift. At the same time, the pursuit of characters has also changed from sages to heroes.Saints and sages are all moral models, but heroes are not necessarily.Needless to say Dong Zhuo, Cao Cao and Yuan Shao also committed almost everything when they were young.The two of them even deliberately created chaos when attending the wedding, taking the opportunity to steal someone else's bride.However, such stories are talked about by people, and no one thinks that they are not heroes.

In fact, the concept of a hero in the Wei and Jin Dynasties has nothing to do with morality.Liu Kun was originally a romantic talent, fond of sensuality, and Zu Ti's behavior was close to robbers, but this did not prevent them from being loyal to the emperor, patriotic and making contributions.Similarly, they regard the chaos in the world as a great opportunity to become famous, and it is not surprising that they are pleasantly surprised by the rooster crowing in the middle of the night, although this surprise is inevitably suspected of "gloating". Perhaps, this is the "Wei and Jin demeanor": moral judgment is retired, and personal value is revealed.What attracts attention and turns all beings upside down is no longer merit, integrity, and knowledge, but temperament, talent, and wind.In other words, it is precisely because of doubting and denying external authority that there is the awakening and pursuit of inner personality. So a hero can be a traitor at the same time. Such as Wang Dun.