1. What is a "plain book"?
Su Shu has been regarded as a wonderful book and a heavenly book by the people since ancient times. This is a book similar to Quotations, which is widely circulated and has great influence. Su Shu is also called Yu Zhongjing, which means the art of war. The author of Su Shu is Huang Shigong, a hermit at the end of Qin Dynasty. As well as Guiguzi, he was a famous strategist at that time, and also a teacher of Zhang Yi and Su Qin.
According to Records of the Historian Biography of Houshi, Huang Shigong lived in seclusion in the East China Sea in order to avoid the turmoil at the end of Qin Dynasty. At that time, Zhang Liangmou failed to stab Qin Shihuang, went into exile and suddenly met an old man in the countryside. Make an appointment to meet in Du Qiao at night. The old man deliberately left his broken shoes under the bridge. He asked Sean to pick them up and put them on him to test Sean's character in this way.
When he saw that Sean was broad-minded and could bear what others could not, he handed the Book of Peace to Sean, telling him that there would be chaos in the world in ten years, and asked him to do justice for heaven and destroy Qin and Han.
Sean got the book, which was even more powerful, so he helped Liu Bang win the world. Liu bang said that he planned and won the battle thousands of miles away.
More than 400 years later, in the Western Jin Dynasty, the world was in chaos. Grave robbers secretly dug up Sean's cemetery and found a book in the jade pillow with a spell on it: Don't pass it on to immoral, unholy and unholy people; If it weren't for him, he would suffer; If you don't pass it on, you will also suffer. From then on, this "Su Shu" can see the light of day again.
The content of Su Shu is based on reason, and advocates that Tao, virtue, benevolence, righteousness and propriety are the foundation of governing the country. The whole book has only 1336 words. It tries to explain the natural law of the movement of all things in the universe and restore the origin of all things in the world.
After the publication of this "Plain Book", it was called "a heavenly book, a wonderful book". In fact, although there are not many words, the content involved is particularly rich, which makes many people unable to fully understand. Therefore, this book was later called gobbledygook!
Second, why is it called a plain book?
Many people may wonder why a good book is called a "plain book". What does "vegetarian" mean?
The word "Su" contains many meanings: white (white is the true color); Primitive, primitive, simple, not gorgeous.
I think the reason why this book is called "Su" book is mainly because the theoretical method it adopts is the simplest, and "Su" here should mean "simplicity and simplicity". Explain the most complicated problems in the world with the simplest and simplest truth.
Of course, some people think that "plain book" is a book written on white silk, which can be understood as the simplest book. During the apocalypse of the Ming Dynasty, some people explained the word "Su": "Su is the innate vein, which is consistent with the metaphysical body. In people, it is the heart, in things, and in machines. It is invisible, difficult to peep, and the secret is unpredictable. The pen is in the book, and the secrets of heaven and earth are all exposed. "
Translated into vernacular Chinese, the elements in Su Shu conform to the innate context and the system between heaven and earth. For people, it is the heart, for things, it is the machine. There is no appearance in the dark, so small that it is difficult to measure. If you write it with a pen, the secret between heaven and earth will be revealed.
The ancients believed that heaven and earth ruled everything between them with Yin and Yang as the fundamental reason. Tangible people are created from the invisible.
This is how heaven and earth were created. From the beginning, it was too easy, then it started, then it started, and then it was Tai Su.
When we arrived in Tai Su, the tangible qi continued to change and became a qualitative thing. With qi and quality, qi and quality have not yet differentiated and are in a chaotic state. The so-called chaos refers to the mixed and undifferentiated state of everything. Chaos is constantly changing, and the clear air rises and becomes the sky. Turbid gas is quality and falls to the ground. After the birth of heaven and earth, everything continued to be formed by the combination of yin and yang. This is how everything in the world was born. From this point of view, elements refer to all tangible and qualitative things, and are the most primitive state, the most primitive state and the most refined state of all things.
Therefore, the elements in Su Shu refer to what is stated in the book, which is the most fundamental Tao that has not been recognized by people in the world.
Third, the main content of Plain Book
Although Huang Shigong's Su Shu is short in length, its content is concise and comprehensive, covering Confucianism, Taoism and other thoughts. There are only 1336 words in Sushu, but every word is well written and famous.
It integrates Taoism, morality, benevolence, righteousness and propriety, and discusses the principles that people should follow in dealing with life and making contributions from the perspective of Taoism. Explain the ways to bring peace and stability, military strategy and self-cultivation to the country. To teach saints and gentlemen, we should see current events clearly and understand the law of success or failure. At the same time, Su Shu's literariness is not low, which fully embodies the unique style of writing in Qin and Han Dynasties. It can be said that the context is clear, the structural logic is smooth, the connecting link between the preceding and the following is true. It's really amazing. Therefore, whoever can deeply understand this book can reach the ideal and peak of life.
In ancient times, Sushu has always been regarded as a wonderful book full of great wisdom. There are six chapters in the book, and * * * talks about five aspects.
Firstly, the author's ideological system, that is, the five-in-one of Tao, virtue, benevolence, righteousness and propriety, is defined, which is the foundation of being a man and the truth of becoming famous. As a gentleman, as long as he can truly possess the five qualities of Tao, virtue, benevolence, righteousness and courtesy, he will certainly make contributions and achieve his life goals. The second is to expound the principle of employing people. According to people's respective abilities, talents can be divided into three categories: handsome, noble and outstanding. If a person wants to succeed, he must be open and aboveboard, be lenient with others, be strict with himself and strictly abide by his credit.
The third is how to strengthen personal cultivation in doing things for others. A gentleman should be knowledgeable, humble, tolerant, sincere, kind and friendly. It not only highlights the Confucian moral consciousness, but also emphasizes abstinence, restraining evil, changing the situation, being content with humiliation and being content with oneself. At the same time, Taoism was publicized. The fourth is to sum up some experiences and lessons of Anbang in governing the country. On the military side, we attach importance to setting up power and planning. The fifth is to explain the author's lifestyle. How to deal with interpersonal relationships well can ensure the success of the cause. Sixth, rewards and punishments should be clear and reasonable; The legal system should be simple and easy to implement, which is also fundamental to ensure social order and stability.