Chapter 17 2. Live beautifully

Hills and valleys are deep mountains and deep valleys. Deep mountains and deep valleys are places of seclusion.Wang Xizhi said that Yu Liang's heart "exists alone in hills and valleys", does it mean that he has a heart of seclusion? Probably not. Of course Yu Liang wouldn't be a hermit, he wouldn't even "retire in court".The so-called "only the hills and ravines exist alone" is nothing more than a quiet and detached mind that remains the same.This is the necessary feeling of Wei and Jin celebrities.Even the famous emperor Sima Yu regarded the royal gardens as deep mountains and deep valleys.

This is actually a paradox. We know that the Wei and Jin Dynasties were the era of the gentry, especially the Eastern Jin Dynasty.The so-called "gentry clan" is a family that has been studying and serving as officials for generations.Isn't it strange that such an ethnic group or class takes the realm and feelings of returning to the mountains and forests? Of course it is strange, but it cannot simply be called "hypocrisy".Including Pan Yue, who "looked at the dust and worshiped", may not have been hypocritical when he wrote "Ode to Leisurely Residence".Perhaps, he is really willing to live the leisurely life of fishing and growing vegetables, but he can't resist the temptation of high officials and rich salary.It's like a siege: people outside want to get in, people inside want to get out, it's hard to say which is more real.

In fact, among the famous scholars in the Wei and Jin Dynasties, there is no contradiction between coming out to be an official and yearning for seclusion.Didn't Shan Tao, one of the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove, end up worshiping Situ as an official and ranked among the three princes?Didn't Wang Xizhi, who praised Yu Liang for "existing alone in hills and valleys", also serve as a senior official of General You, so he was called "Wang Youjun"? Can't say there's nothing to worry about.Ji Shao, Ji Kang's son, was once in a dilemma between leaving (becoming an official) (pronounced like Chu, retiring).Of course, this is mainly due to political reasons: the Sima regime has revenge for killing his father.However, Shan Tao, who was entrusted by Ji Kang to raise him, said: between heaven and earth, there are ever-changing changes of the sun and the moon, and the ebb and flow of spring, summer, autumn and winter, let alone human affairs?

The meaning is clear: changing dynasties is nothing. Ji Shao finally became an official in the Western Jin Dynasty, and he was a famous loyal minister.During the Rebellion of the Eight Kings, he stood up to defend Jin Hui Emperor Sima Zhong when he was an official servant, but was killed by the side of the emperor's chariot.Afterwards, the palace servants changed the clothes of Jin Huidi, but Huidi said: "I don't want to wash this clothes, because there is blood from Ji Shizhong on it!" Emperor Hui of Jin has always been regarded as the "idiot emperor".Now it seems that his IQ may not be high, but his EQ is definitely not low.

What is problematic, on the contrary, are some "high IQ" people. In fact, from the very beginning, Ji Shao's appointment and death have been controversial.The focus of the debate is nothing more than the relationship between loyalty and filial piety, origin and origin.In the eyes of many people who are considered "thoughtful", Ji Shao should not be an official in Jin Dynasty at all, because he must be loyal to be an official; and the more loyal Ji Shao is to Jin, the more he is not filial to his father.So Shan Tao, who recommended Ji Shao to Emperor Wu of Jin, was also criticized.

But does it matter? not necessarily.Because Confucian ethics by no means represent the demeanor of the Wei and Jin Dynasties. So, what is the main theme of Wei and Jin demeanor? People want to live beautifully. Indeed, the Wei and Jin Dynasties were an era of aesthetics; and in the eyes of Wei and Jin people, the beauty of a character is not only "beautiful", but also "living beautifully".It's certainly not easy.To do this, not only must you have courage, but you may have to pay a price. For example Xia Houxuan. Xia Houxuan was one of the founding masters of metaphysics in the Wei and Jin Dynasties, and was also a victim of the political struggle between Cao Wei and the Sima Group.He was actually killed by Master Sima, but apparently he went through judicial procedures.The person in charge of the interrogation was none other than Zhong Yu (read Ruyu), son of calligrapher Zhong Yao, then Tingwei (Minister of Public Security).

It was an interrogation that disgraced the Imperial Inquisitors.From the moment Xia Houxuan entered the interrogation room, he remained silent.After being tortured, he still didn't say a word.Zhong Yu couldn't make an appointment, so he had to come to the scene in person. Along with Zhong Yu was his younger brother, Zhong Hui who later killed Ji Kang.Maybe, Zhong would want to ease the atmosphere; maybe, he thought he could get close to Xia Houxuan.In short, Zhong Hui went up to hold Xia Houxuan's hand in a smart way and said: Why did Taichu (Xiahouxuan's characters) come to this!

Xia Houxuan flatly refused.He said unceremoniously to Zhong Hui: Although I am a prisoner under torture, please respect Zhong Jun! Zhong will be extremely embarrassed. Ting Wei Zhong Yu was even more embarrassed, because the deadline set by Sima Shi was about to come.In the midst of panic and desperation, Zhong Yu had no choice but to grab a knife and write for Xia Houxuan himself, and wrote a confession for Xia Houxuan according to the caliber Sima Shi asked, and then showed it to Xia Houxuan with tears in his eyes.Xia Houxuan only glanced at it hastily, then said coldly: Isn't that what it should be?

From then on until he walked to the execution ground, Xia Houxuan's expression remained unchanged. In this regard, people can make moral praise and evaluation: strong character, integrity, mighty and unyielding, and so on.But if you put it another way, it is called "living beautifully".That's right, in terms of attitude, there is restraint; in terms of demeanor, it is beautiful. In fact, Xia Houxuan is also a beautiful person. At that time, people commented on him as "Long Lang like the sun and the moon in his arms".His beauty even embarrassed Wei Ming Emperor Cao Rui, because Cao Rui let his brother-in-law Mao Zeng sit with Xia Houxuan, and was called "the reed leaning against the jade tree" by current affairs commentators.

This reminds me of Ji Shao again. Ji Shao also lived beautifully.When he went to defend Emperor Hui of Jin, someone advised him to bring a good horse.However, Ji Shao said that there are only two outcomes in this matter: one is a traitor and subdue the law, or a loyal minister dies. Why do you bring a good horse? The man could only sigh. In fact, Ji Shao was originally beautiful, and he even left us the idiom "outstanding among chickens".The whole story is: Someone told Wang Rong, one of the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove, that Ji Shao is so beautiful!That proud and straight demeanor is like a wild crane independent of a flock of chickens.But Wang Rong said: That's because you haven't seen his father!

So, how beautiful is Ji Kang? Same as Xia Houxuan and Xia Houxuan's "accomplice" Li Feng.It's just that Xia Houxuan is "Jade Tree", Li Feng and Ji Kang are "Jade Mountain", or "Jade Mountain is about to collapse".The saying at the time was: Li Feng was sluggish, or when Ji Kang was drunk, it looked like a jade mountain was about to collapse. It is not difficult to imagine what kind of demeanor and style it is! In fact, there is another person who is as beautiful as Yushu, and he is Yu Liang.After Yu Liang's death, a celebrity who attended the funeral said with great regret: How can people bear the Yushu buried in the loess like this! What kind of person can get such an evaluation? The appearance is clear and handsome, the demeanor is serene and elegant, the heart is clear and transparent, the life is extraordinary and free from vulgarity, without any pollution.In Wang Rong's words, it is called "Fengchen Waiwu" (a person who is detached from the world). That's right, Yaolin Qiongshu shouldn't be in this world in the first place. According to this standard, it seems that Yu Liang's rank is not enough, Xie An's uncle Xie Kun (zi Youyu) thinks so.Once, Emperor Sima Shao, who was still the prince, asked him: Everyone compares Yu Liang to you, what do you think? Xie Kun said: Living high in the temple, he is a model for all officials, and his ministers are not as good as bright.Located far away from the rivers and lakes, the hills and valleys express love for the mountains and rivers, and the brightness is not as good as the minister. This is roughly true.During the Eight Kings Rebellion, Sima Ai, the king of Changsha, ordered Xie Kun to be whipped. Xie Kun undressed and went to torture without changing his face.Later, he was pardoned, and his face was also grim.I am so calm about it, I am afraid it is because "the hills and valleys exist alone".So later Gu Kaizhi's portrait simply painted Xie Kun in the rock.This Chinese Da Vinci said: Mr. Youyu should stay in the deep mountains and valleys. However, Xie Kun is actually in court.Whether it's him or Yu Liang, I'm afraid they just hide the deep mountains and valleys in their hearts.The question is, if people want to live beautifully, what does it have to do with those mountains and rivers?What does it mean when this sentiment, complex or emotion becomes fashionable? Maybe, we have to borrow Xie Kun's eyes again.