Chapter 83 postscript

Since the first edition of "Up and Down Five Thousand Years" came out in 1979, it has had such a wide influence in society, which is beyond my expectation.This book was originally written for children, but later I learned that among the readers, there are not only a large number of young students and employees, but also a considerable number of elderly people. At the "Shanghai Book Fair" held in Hong Kong in June 1984, I personally encountered many Hong Kong youths bidding for this book and enthusiastically asking for autographs.I also know some old people who bought "Up and Down Five Thousand Years"

It is sent to their children living abroad in order to let the next generation know more about the history of the motherland and the nation, living in a foreign country, and not forgetting the roots. For five thousand years, there are thousands of heroes.The Chinese nation has always been famous for its diligence, bravery and wisdom.Our ancestors created a splendid national culture; the outstanding representatives of our nation - many outstanding thinkers, statesmen, military strategists, writers, scientists, artists, many national heroes, uprising leaders, all with their achievements and achievements have added luster to the nation's historical picture.Revisiting the history of 5,000 years does make every Chinese descendant feel proud.I think our readers love this book with such deep feelings.Of course, studying history is not only nostalgic for the past, but also creating the future, carrying forward our long-standing patriotic traditions, and inspiring our ambition to revitalize China and build four modern socialist countries.

Storytelling of historical knowledge, first of all, is history, followed by stories.I would rather make the story weaker than make up the plot and act it out.This is a principle on which this book was written.Of course, on the premise of being loyal to historical facts and taking care of the historical system, the author has a lot of choice in what historical materials to use and from what angle to reflect the activities of historical figures;For example, writing about the struggle between the Donglin Party and the Eunuch Party in the Ming Dynasty did not write about the so-called "fighting for the foundation of the country" and "three cases" in the early stage of this struggle, as well as unnecessary disputes between bureaucratic groups, but directly used Fang Bao. Materials of "Anecdote of Duke Zuo Zhongyi" and Zhang Pu's "Tombstone of Five People".This may not reflect the whole picture or essence of this historical event, but I think these two stories are very touching.If there is any tendency for the author to choose materials, it is to focus on promoting the traditional virtues of the Chinese nation, especially a spirit of dedication to a just cause, a hero who "cannot be promiscuous if rich or honored, can not be moved by poverty or lowliness, and can not be subdued by might". spirit.

History cannot be repeated, but history is a mirror, which seems to be a truth that has been recognized throughout the ages.In the stories collected in this book, it is not difficult for readers to find something useful for reference; we can also learn some ideological character and moral sentiment from some outstanding historical figures, which still have certain educational significance.But as I said in the "Preface", we cannot make a comprehensive reflection of historical figures with one story.For some outstanding historical figures, I mainly write about their positive side (for this side, I only narrate this side based on historical materials, without making false descriptions or elevating the characters), but it does not mean that they do not have a negative side.Any outstanding historical figure has their faults or mistakes.For example, the ancient patriotic generals, national heroes and politicians who insisted on reform almost all of their patriotic and righteous activities were mixed with the feudal idea of ​​loyalty to the monarch.We can't go beyond historical conditions and demand the ancients, nor can we blindly worship the ancients without historical conditions.

Although I have read some historical books and have a relatively strong interest in history, I lack systematic research after all.In the process of sorting out and editing this book, I spent a lot of time looking up historical materials, but due to the lack of materials at hand and time constraints, there are inevitably omissions.After the publication of the first edition, many readers not only gave enthusiastic support and encouragement to this book, but some also put forward valuable opinions, which provided great help for the revision of this book.On the occasion of the publication of this revised edition, I would like to express my sincerest thanks to the editors, experts and readers who have enthusiastically supported this book.

Cao Yuzhang New Year's Eve 1984