Chapter 2 Qu Yuanyi

"Songs of Chu" is a collection of poems about 300 years later, and Qu Yuan is the main poet in it.Huang Bosi from the Song Dynasty said: "All the Sao in the Qu Song Dynasty wrote the language of Chu, wrote the voice of Chu, recorded the land of Chu, and were named Chu things." Qu Yuan is a household name today, but also a mysterious figure.Before approaching this mystery, let us first look at his life story which can only be sketched in rough outline. Qu Yuan was a native of Chu State in the late Warring States Period. In Qu Yuan's era, although Qin State was powerful, it was not yet strong enough to sweep Liuhe.Chu State is comparable to Qi State and Qin State.Several other vassal states, Yan, Zhao, Wei, and Han, suffered successive defeats and ceded land for peace, so they could only adopt the strategy of curry favor with powerful countries.In fact, of the seven heroes of the Warring States Period, only three heroes remained at this time, Qin, Qi, and Chu, similar to the later Three Kingdoms.Sanxiong fought hard, fighting for strength and strategy.

The state of Chu is located in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. Its territory covers today's Hunan, Hubei, Anhui, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang. It once expanded to the southwest. Its wealth and vastness can be seen at a glance.Since the establishment of the country in the Western Zhou Dynasty, it has been operated for nearly a thousand years, with a large population, countless large and small cities, and living customs that are very different from the Central Plains.The capital was called Yingdu, and it was the most prosperous at that time. Behind the prosperity lurks a crisis.

Qu Yuan is a prophet who has insight into the crisis. There have been two prophetic ministers in the state of Chu. One is Wu Qi in the era of King Chu Mourning. This man is both a military strategist and a reformer. He initiated reforms before Shang Yang of Qin State. , It is also to suppress the nobles, recruit talents, encourage soldiers to make achievements in the battlefield, and strengthen the country by strengthening the army, which has great results.His personal fate was also the same as Shang Yang's. He was killed by nobles and died a miserable death, pierced by random arrows.What made him uneasy under the nine springs was that his reform cause was completely negated by the powerful aristocratic lords of Chu State.Shang Yang is better than him in this point: the reform line formulated by Shang Yang during his lifetime continued in the era of King Hui of Qin.

Qu Yuan is Wu Qi's successor. Qu Yuan was born in the royal family and aristocrats, and his ancestors had great glory. The beginning of "Li Sao" says: "The seedlings of the emperor Gaoyang are here, and the emperor called him Boyong." Zhen means "I", and it was only for the emperor's exclusive use until Qin Shihuang.Gaoyang is the alias of Zhuanxu, the ancient emperor, and the ancestor of Chu State, who was entrusted to Chu by King Cheng of Zhou. Qu Yuan was born in Zigui (now Zigui County, Hubei Province), some distance away from Yingdu (near Jingzhou, Hubei Province today).His family was in decline, so he studied and made up his mind.Perhaps his father, Boyong, often pointed to the direction of Yingdu to teach him, encourage him, and even stimulate him.He left Zigui for the capital after he was nineteen years old, and returned to the prosperous capital where his ancestors lived.

Eloquence was prevalent in the Warring States period, and eloquence was very important. For ordinary scholars, it is not enough to have "talent", but also to be good at expressing.Strategists are usually debaters.Eloquence is not a hindrance to one's official career, and ordinary people can become servants of great nobles.Zigui is a small town, but it is not considered a fortress. There are many young talents, and they often gather together to discuss and debate. Qu Yuan was eloquent, which is recorded in "Historical Records".Judging from his poems, he is tall and handsome, with a long sword, a high crown, and flowers and herbs on his body.

At that time, King Wei of Chu was still in power, and Prince Xiong Huai, who would be King Huai of Chu a few years later, these two supreme beings filled the poet's imagination, and they will be deeply saddened by the future. Do not thread. After Qu Yuan went to Yingdu at the age of 20, he wrote the famous "Ode to Oranges": "The empress is a beautiful tree, and the oranges are obedient. I am ordered not to move, but I was born in the southern country. It is difficult to move deep, and I am more ambitious..." The poet is connected with the state of Chu by flesh and blood.The verses are brisk.The young Qu Yuan was exceptionally sunny.

The reason why Qu Yuan was able to move from the small town of Zigui to Yingdu is unknown. Qu Yuan arrived in Yingdu, and not long after, he became the attendant of the crown prince Xiong Huai. Qu Yuan was good at learning and talented, and his appearance was outstanding. Both the king and the prince had a good impression of him.The ancients paid attention to appearance. Apart from being pleasing to the eye, they also believed that fate lurks behind the appearance. Qu Yuan studied in a place called Lantai for five years, and he got along with the Chuhuai Dynasty who later ruled for thirty years.

Attending reading is not only accompanied by reading, but also has the meaning of emperor's teacher, which is one of the best positions for ancient intellectuals.The future king must read many books in order to deal with the general trend of the world.According to court rules, there are usually several attendants who take turns to accompany the prince to study, but some of them leave within a few days.The competition in Lantai is fierce, and the result of the competition is to tear each other down.Qu Yuan was the only one among a group of attendants who sent the prince Xiong Huai to the throne of the king.

Xiong Huai's age is similar to Qu Yuan's.Zhuangzi later described him: "The appearance is dignified and dignified, and his sins are as unforgiving as a tiger." The future king also had a big temper, so he drove away many servants, leaving Qu Yuan alone to the end.The two young people are attracted to each other, monarchs and ministers, teachers and students, friends, the relationship is multifaceted, they study together and play together.Think about that Xiong Huai, who is probably also an aspiring young man with piercing eyes.However, as the son of King Chu Wei, who has great vision in the world, he is under a lot of pressure.The continuous prosperity and military expansion of the Chu State has attracted the eyes of the Qin State.Everyone wants to rule the world.The seven heroes of the Warring States Period, especially the three heroes of Qin, Qi, and Chu, refused to admit defeat.Peaceful coexistence is not the general trend, on the contrary, the law of the jungle is the reality that is pressing ahead.If Xiong Huai is addicted to sensuality, can a person like Qu Yuan stay by his side for a long time?

However, Zhuangzi's evaluation of King Huai of Chu, "It is a crime, and there is no forgiveness like a tiger", will make people think of Qu Yuan's future fate... When Qu Yuan first entered the imperial court, it was smooth sailing.He is knowledgeable, eloquent, and handsome. Xiong Huai, who is about to ascend the throne, treats him like a brother. In the fifth year of King Huai of Chu (328 BC), the 29-year-old Qu Yuan became a left disciple, equivalent to a deputy prime minister. "Historical Records. Biography of Qu Ping and Jia Sheng" said that he: "Bowen has a strong will, is good at governing chaos, and is good at eloquence. When he enters, he discusses state affairs with Wang Tu to issue orders; when he goes out, he meets guests and deals with princes. Wang Shiren Of."

"Wang Shirenzhi" means: King Huai of Chu trusted Qu Yuan very much. Ling Yin is the prime minister, and Zuo Tu is the deputy prime minister, and the basis is also Sima Qian.At that time, Ling Yin combined military and political power in one body, which was stronger than the prime ministers of later generations.There is only one left disciple.King Huai of Chu succeeded to the throne for five years, and the young Qu Yuan got this prominent position. Qu Yuan got a high position at a young age, some people were not happy and looked sideways at him.It should be said that these people are not simple. There are important court officials such as Jin Shang, Shangguan Dafu, Ling Yin Zijiao, Zheng Xiu, the favorite concubine of King Huai, and later her precious son Zilan. Zheng Xiuzilan has great energy, and each has a good show.One of the most important things Zilan did in his life was to encourage his father, King Huai of Chu, to go to Qin to die.And Zheng Xiu, as a favorite concubine, is outstanding in beauty.There are many beauties in the south.Mr. Guo Moruo wrote the drama "Qu Yuan" and arranged for her to seduce Qu Yuan and kiss him forcibly. Qu Yuan "discussed state affairs with Wang Tu".The major affairs of a politician are nothing more than internal and external, and Qu Yuan has clear opinions on both.He is a member of the United Qi Anti-Qin faction, with a clear distinction between friends and enemies, long-term vision, and consistent.In the Chu State at that time, these characters were far more than moral, they were related to the survival of the country.Only those who have a long-term vision can be consistent.And a short-sighted person is doomed to be unpredictable. Even if he is not a villain but a mediocre person, he will definitely look around. The rise of Qin is directly related to the thoroughness of Shang Yang's reform.Qu Yuan wanted to follow suit in the state of Chu, amending laws and regulations, suppressing "rule of the mind" and reducing the vested interests of the nobility;The country is in a state of war, and the royal family does not centralize power, so there is no way to fight wars.In the era of King Wei of Chu, the army of Chu State fought to the southwest and to the Central Plains to drink horses and the Yellow River. However, Lao Tzu was mighty and mighty, but his son might be a coward. Not long after King Huai of Chu succeeded to the throne, he fought a battle with Qin, lost the battle, and lost a large area of ​​the country, causing panic in the country.There are reasons why the army can't win, the nobles won't cut their privileges, and the country's financial resources can't be concentrated.Insufficient military expenditure makes it difficult to raise troops in peacetime, and cannot boost morale in wartime.A soldier born as a commoner cannot be promoted to a general even if he fights the enemy bravely and makes military exploits repeatedly.There is a gulf between the common people and the nobles.In the later period of King Chuwei, these shortcomings have been exposed.This is a red flag. Unfortunately, there are always too few people who can smell danger. It is also a good thing that Chu State lost the war: the voice of reform has grown louder. Qu Yuan's reform and "constitutional decree" were not isolated. The generals supported him, such as Zhuang Qiao and Zhao Sui, the famous generals of the Chu army.The reform involves politics, the military, and the economy, and it is all-round. Once it is implemented, it will not be a gentle breeze. Up and down the ruling and opposition parties, try to wait. Shangguan Dafu is a veteran noble minister, with a high self-esteem and a hot temper.Sima Qian said that he and Qu Yuan competed for favor, "the heart hurts his ability", and he didn't like Qu Yuan's talent and "official luck", let alone a poor nobleman!Nobles usually look down on poor nobles.The reason why Shangguan can be recorded in the annals of history is only because he fought against Qu Yuan, he is not only a member of the nobles, but also their representative figure.The aristocratic forces in the Chu state are deeply intertwined, and the corruption of the upper class has a long history.In this old southern country with a glorious history, in the late Warring States period, the arrogance and lust of noble lords was the norm, and it became a destiny to stand still.Those who are determined to innovate will become the target of public criticism: Wu Qi was killed at the beginning, and now another Qu Yuan has come. Sima Qian did not talk about the specific content of the constitution. Dr. Shangguan was very courageous. When others were like a coward, he dared to take risks to stand up and fight against the famous people around King Huai.Qu Yuan took great pains to complete the draft constitution and prepared to submit it to King Huai of Chu.Doctor Shangguan asked if he could not grab it. Perhaps the incident happened on the steps outside the hall, and the two men clashed verbally and physically.The princes and nobles who persuaded the fight rushed forward and secretly helped the Shangguan doctor.The draft constitution was snatched away.The contents of the draft were quickly made public, causing widespread outrage among the nobility. Sima Qian wrote "Historical Records" using the "Spring and Autumn" style of writing, embodying praise and criticism in a calm and concise narrative.This historical detail will have a great impact on Qu Yuan and the state of Chu.Sima Qian's few words revealed the sharp confrontation between Qu Yuan and the old noble forces. The situation was not good for the ministers who advocated reform and resisted Qin Dynasty.But when the Shangguan made a move, the group of small talkers said that Qu Yuan took the credit and was proud: "Every order is issued, and the merits are flat-cut (boasting)." Qu Yuan had a hard time parrying.He repeatedly explained to King Huai, but King Huai got impatient, and later simply disappeared. "The king was angry and spared Qu Ping." The ministers who had admired Qu Yuan began to avoid him. And the generals pleaded for Qu Yuan, the left disciple, and planted the root of future disaster. The ambitious Qu Yuan became worried.He drank, and it was said that he didn't drink much, and he often drank dull wine. This dramatic incident went on for more than a year, and as a result, Qu Yuan was demoted to be a Sanlu doctor, in charge of the clan affairs.The Zongshe of the state of Chu is far away in Yiling (now Yicheng, Hubei), north of the Han River, and Qu Yuan went there to drink the northwest wind. The reforms that have been brewing for many years have finally come to naught. The three surnames of the Chu clan: Qu, Jing, and Zhao.In addition to being in charge of offering sacrifices to the clan society, Qu Yuan was also in charge of educating these noble children scattered everywhere. Not to mention the exhaustion of running around, he was also ridiculed and teased.Didn't Qu Yuan want to restrain the nobles?These dandies came to punish him first. It doesn't matter if Qu Yuan is a little idle, he is worried about Yingdu, King Huai, and the rich five thousand miles of Chu. This year, Qu Yuan was thirty-eight years old. He had been a disciple of Zuo for nearly ten years and stayed with King Huai of Chu for eighteen years.Seeing that he was done, he was kicked out of the power center of Yingdu by the villain.His worries and indignations were wide and his complaints were so severe that he poured more than 370 lines of "Li Sao" into the "Li Sao" like a torrential rain for several days.It is not known whether King Huai of Chu had read this poem or not.There was no literary inquisition at that time, otherwise, Qu Yuan would have had his head beheaded for making so many complaints and harsh words. Qu Yuan may have stayed in Yiling for several years. "Li Sao" was written at this time, according to Sima Qian: "Qu Ping saw that it was "Li Sao"..." Mr. You Guoen believed that it was Qu Zi's work in his later years.The famous contemporary Zhang Wei's "Notes on Songs of Chu" agrees with the former: the king repeatedly metaphorized in the poem is King Huai of Chu, not the later King Qingxiang of Chu. Sima Qian said: "King Qu Pingji didn't listen to him well, slandered him because he was blinded, evil songs harmed his father, and Fangzheng didn't tolerate him, so he wrote "Li Sao" because of his sorrow and meditation... Pushing his ambition, it can be compared with the Japanese. The moon wins the glory." "The King of Illness is not listening to you", the disease is heartbroken.The king's hearing is not good, which means that the king's hearing is too wide to distinguish right from wrong. However, can a king with countless officials and bureaucrats easily distinguish right from wrong? The poet Qu Yuan wandered to the north of the great river, looked up to the sky and sighed, and his sentences swayed towards Yingdu like a torrential rain.He is a far-sighted statesman, not scheming.He does not flinch, does not detour, and does not compromise, so he is Qu Yuan.He preserved the ideal direction of politics in the genes of culture. Qu Yuan's name is Ping, and "Yuan" is his character.He explained his name and character in this way: "The name Yu is Zhengzhenxi, and the character Yu is Lingjun. Fenwu not only has this inner beauty, but also focuses on cultivation..."—upright and principled, rich and noble His character and extraordinary ability. Names hint and guide people, both ancient and modern. In the first half of King Huai of Chu's reign, he was still able to fight against the tiger and wolf Qin with the help of his father, King Chu Wei.The situation took a sharp turn for the worse in the next few years.King Huai of Chu could not hear clearly, similar to Yuan Shao in the Three Kingdoms period.In times of internal and external troubles, how can one make a wise decision if one is not a man of great wisdom and courage? King Huai listened to the slander and thought it was a good idea.The reason why slander can be popular shows that it has a broad basis.The country is in an extraordinary period, and various interest groups are jumping wildly.Who did King Huai of Chu listen to?It seems like everyone has a point.It is reasonable to resist the Qin Dynasty, and it is also reasonable to unite with the Qin Dynasty... I think that this King Huai of Chu is also pitiful.The state of Chu in the late Warring States period needed a strong man even more, and he happened to be not. In the fifteenth year of King Huai of Chu (314 BC), the situation became tense again. Qin State ignored Chu State's winking eyes, and instead engaged in border friction to find out the truth and prepare for a large-scale attack on Chu State. King Huai missed Qu Yuan again, and urgently called Qu Yuan back to Yingdu, and asked him to go to Qi State. Liu Xiang said in "New Preface. Jieshi": "Qu Yuan was Chu, and the east envoy was in Qi, so as to strengthen the party." The power of Qi State originated from Guan Zhong, a famous prime minister, and Sun Bin, a military strategist in the Spring and Autumn Period.It occupies the Great North China Plain, and its wealth is not inferior to that of Chu.The Three Kingdoms of Qin, Qi, and Chu, Qin is a country with poor mountains and rivers, fierce folk customs, and the strongest fighting spirit.Its geographical location is also conducive to fighting, and it is condescending. If you go down the Han River, you can quickly reach Yingdu.On the contrary, it is unfavorable for Chu State to attack Qin State.The pro-Qin faction in Chu State is very powerful. Apart from the nobles' need to protect themselves, there are also practical considerations.There is a market for the Lianqin faction.Many people took chances and couldn't see through Qin's ambitions.Qin State attacked Zhao, Wei and other small countries, and some people in Chu State clapped their hands and applauded, thinking that the Qin army had helped the Chu army.The six countries other than Qin once had an alliance, and Chu was still the leader of the alliance.The Allied Forces of the Six Nations also attacked Qin, but they were defeated by the Qin army because they could not form a strong combat force because of their own small calculations. Now, Chu State's strategy is: regardless of those small countries, directly unite with Qi State, the two forces are addition, and the six forces may be subtraction.But Qi and Chu are twisted into one rope, and the rest of the vassal states will naturally lean over.Even if you don't join, you will remain neutral. Looking at it today, the so-called uniting Qi against Qin is indeed far-sighted. As the backbone of the Lianqi faction, Qu Yuan made a comeback this time, driving thousands of miles east, feeling full of ambition with the spring breeze blowing against his face. Qu Yuan talked very harmoniously with King Xuan of Qi in Qi State.His thoughts are clear, his words are sonorous, and his manners are so graceful, King Xuan of Qi was fascinated by him, and sighed that Qi State is so big that there may not be such talents.The two countries established diplomatic relations and joined hands to deal with Qin. The courtesy Qu Yuan received in Qi State was almost the same as that of the monarch, with four horses and high chariots, rich clothes and jade food.He climbed Mount Tai and faced the Bohai Sea, and paid homage to the hometown of ethics and religion. His stalwart figure was bold and unrestrained. In the sixteenth year of King Huai of Chu (311 BC), the Chu army took the initiative to attack and besieged the Qin army in Zhengzhou, Henan, and Quwo, Shanxi, in order to recover the land of Shangyu (from Shangxian, Shaanxi to Neixiang, Henan).King Xuan of Qi kept his word and sent an elite army to attack, and the Qin army was defeated.The land of Shang Yu is about to be regained, and Chu will restore a large area of ​​the territory of King Chu Hui's era.Huai Wang was so happy that he danced and said to everyone: "Dr. Sanlu is really amazing, better than the general..." Qin and Chu competed for supremacy, and Chu State was always passive because it was located in the lower reaches of Jianghan and the terrain was unfavorable.It is not easy for a large army to go on an expedition. Now that there is a fight, it should fight to the end and destroy the main force of the Qin army. Qu Yuan and King Xuan of Qi had already drank the celebration wine. At this critical juncture, the second important person of Qin State after Shang Yang appeared, and this person was Zhang Yi.