Chapter 18 2. "Desert" is a common problem for literati and officials

"New Tang Book·Pei Xingjian Biography" contains: (Pei Xingjian) is good at knowing people. When he was in the official department, he saw Su Weiwei and Wang Yan, and said: "The two emperors and queens are all in charge of Quanheng." Li Jingxuansheng called Wang Bo, Yang Jiong, and Lu Zhaolin , Luo Binwang's talent, cited frugality, and frugality said: "A scholar's far-reaching, first knowledge, then literature and art. For example, Bo, etc., although they are talented but impetuous and show off, how can they enjoy the title? Jiong is quite silent, but he can reach Commander, the rest will not die."

Pei Xingjian was a famous official and general during the reign of Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty. The phrase "Wu Neng mounts his horse to determine the world, Wen Neng writes his pen to secure the world" was specially prepared for him.Pei Xingjian studied under Su Dingfang, a famous general of the Tang Dynasty, and recommended many people throughout his life, such as Cheng Wuting, Zhang Qianxu, Cui Zhi, Wang Fangyi, etc. are all famous generals in the world. Those who are familiar with Tang history are no strangers to these people.When someone recommended the "Four Heroes of the Early Tang Dynasty" to him, Pei Xingjian said the above words. He had already seen the essence of the literati, which is the so-called sharp point.

First of all, Pei Xingjian affirmed the talents of the "Four Heroes of the Early Tang Dynasty". They played a pivotal role in the literary world in the early Tang Dynasty.Then Pei Xingjian pointed out that although they are talented, they have many problems. The four words can be summed up as "impetuous and show off". The "Four Heroes of the Early Tang Dynasty" were exactly as Pei Xingjian said. Wang Bo fell into the water and drowned after writing "The Preface to the Pavilion of the King of Teng"; Lu Zhaolin was in poor health and suffered from "wind disease" since childhood. He joined the team and participated in Xu Jingye (the grandson of Xu Maogong) to publicly oppose Wu Zetian. He wrote the crusade against Wu Zetian, but he failed and was condemned; the only one of the four who kept the whole body was Yang Jiong, but he only became a minor official of Yingchuan County Magistrate.

When talking about this matter in the period of the Republic of China, Xu Zhijing said a thought-provoking sentence: "The word 'impetuous and dazzling' kills many literati, and it is a common problem of literati. The reason. If you have knowledge, you will be able to be thick and silent, and you will be able to enter virtue and carry blessings." Master Xu said that many literati have failed in the attitude of "impetuous and ostentatious". If you can understand the harm of these four words If you are not in danger, you will be able to enter virtue and carry blessings.But it is a pity that few literati understand the truth. Aren't they the intelligent class? Why are they suddenly not wise?A line of Su Shi's poem can be explained, "I don't know the true face of Mount Lu, only because I am in this mountain."

"Fetching and showing off" is a high-level generalization of a common problem among literati. I think it can be divided into at least a number of detailed rules, each of which has countless examples of being an official.