1. The birth of a genius is unstoppable
In 1037 AD, all the vegetation on Meishan Mountain in Sichuan suddenly withered overnight. People couldn't figure out what happened for a while, until 65 years later, the trees on this mountain suddenly came to life again. Later, the locals said that this was related to a person. Who was he? He is Su Shi, the famous literary giant of the Northern Song Dynasty that we are going to introduce today.
Su Shi was born in Meishan, Sichuan. His father Su Xun was a pauper, and his mother's Cheng family was a little richer and generally considered well-off. However, although Su Xun was poor and had never passed the Jinshi examination in his life, he still became one of the "Eight Great Masters of the Tang and Song Dynasties". Why? Failure to pass the Jinshi examination does not mean that you cannot read. There is a sentence in the "Three Character Classic" describing Su Xun's reading: "Su Laoquan, at twenty-seven, began to be angry and read." This means that Su Xun was before the age of twenty-seven. He was just a young man who didn't like reading. He started studying behind closed doors only after he was twenty-seven years old.
"Brother Su, let's go out for a drink!" "No, I'm studying."
"Brother Su, I went to Kaifeng recently for a stroll!" "No, I'm studying. ”
In this way, Su Xun studied behind closed doors and did not think about food and drinks. He read, read, and wrote every day. Not only did he teach himself better and better, but he also cultivated two people by the way. A good boy who loves reading is Su Shi and his younger brother Su Che.
Su Xun was very strict with his two children. In his later years, Su Shi had a dream one night. He dreamed that Su Xun was checking his recitation. woke up. When he woke up, he was flustered, as if there was a fishhook in his mouth. Think about it, if an old man wakes up from his dream and is frightened by his father, how strict is Su Xun? You can also read this poem to get a feel for it:
The night dream is like a child wandering about, but the father and teacher scold him and take away the book in shock.
It was the end of Spring and Autumn, and now it is the beginning of the year and the beginning of Huanzhuang.
With palpitations and uneasy feeling, standing up and sitting up is like fishing.
In this way, under Su Xun's strict requirements, Su Shi memorized it every day until he memorized the 800,000-word "Han Shu" backwards and forwards, and Su Shi's genius traits gradually emerged. , when he was ten years old, he once wrote an article "Ode to the Sharp Rat", in which he said: "A man can break a jade worth a thousand pieces of gold without losing his voice in a broken cauldron. "
The meaning of this poem is: "A person remains calm when breaking a jade worth a thousand gold, but may scream when breaking a pot; a person can fight a tiger, but when I can't help but be a little scared when I see wasps and poisonous scorpions. "It's really admirable to have such insights at such a young age.
An article will take you through the life of the genius Su Shi
2. Pass the Jinshi examination and become famous all over the world
Su Shi was even more amazing when he grew up , in 1056 AD, Su Xun took Su Shi, who was in his early twenties, and Su Che, who was 19, to take the exam in Beijing. In the era of "Seventy Young Scholars", after layers of selection, the 21-year-old Su Shi was The first time I took the exam hosted by the Ministry of Etiquette, I got second place.
You may say: "Oh, he's only second?" In fact, as you think, Su Shi should have been first, and all this is due to one person, that is Ouyang Xiu, the leader of the literary world at the time. .
The examiner Ouyang Xiu saw Su Shi's article when he was marking the exam. At that time, Ouyang Xiu's mental activity was like this: "Hey, ah ah! How come this article is so well written and so wonderful? There’s nothing to say about getting the first place!"
However, just when Ouyang Xiu was about to get the first place on this test paper, another thought suddenly appeared in his mind, and he hesitated: "Yes. I’m afraid my student Zeng Gong is the only one who can write such a good article! If I gave him the first place, wouldn’t they all say that I’m covering for him? It’s not bad to give him the second place.” That’s it. Yang Cuo was given a "good result" by Ouyang Xiu who ranked second.
As soon as the result came out, Ouyang Xiu was dumbfounded: "Meishan Su Shi? How is this possible!" In fact, he didn't know that there are people outside the world, and there is a sky outside the world.
After that, Ouyang Xiu collected some articles by Su Shi. As he read them, he felt sweat dripping down his back: "Genius, genius, in thirty years, no one will know me anymore. I am such a talented person. I should stay out of the way and let go." He can get ahead."
This is how the idiom "get ahead" came from. After that, Su Shi relied on his own pen to open his mouth and got a hundredth place in the system examination. First, his official career has been rising rapidly and unstoppably. From then on, he became famous in the capital and became a well-known celebrity in the literary and art circles.
An article will take you through the life of the genius Su Shi
3. Opposing the reform and being framed
In fact, in addition to his good writing skills, Su Shi was also very good as an official. He was kind and always thought of the people, but he happened to encounter Wang Anshi's reform. At that time, officials in the court were divided into reformers and anti-reformists. Su Shi did not support Wang Anshi's reform, so he belonged to the anti-reformer. His point of view was: "Isn't this nonsense? How can there be such a powerful reform? There are loopholes everywhere, and the people are miserable." What's even more annoying is that the current emperor Song Shenzong actually supports Wang Anshi very much.
Although Su Shi had a good heart, he was a sharp-tongued man with a sharp tongue and a blunt heart. He spoke directly and did not hide anything, but he also offended many people. Su Shi criticized the new law again and again. Today he wrote an "Emperor's Letter to Shang Shenzong" and tomorrow he wrote an "Emperor's Letter to Shang Shenzong" to complain to Song Shenzong. He also said: "In this case, I will no longer stay in the court. I will Go to the place to benefit the people."
The genius was still too proud, but the reality was very skinny. Later, Emperor Shenzong had nothing to do with Su Shi. After all, he supported Wang Anshi, so he issued an edict, and Su Shi He was transferred to Hangzhou.
However, Su Shi was not discouraged: "Then I will work hard to benefit the people!" He served the people in Hangzhou, Mizhou, and Xuzhou, catching locusts, repairing wells, praying for rain, etc., and won many awards. Widely praised. However, Su Shi's outstanding performance became a thorn in the side of the reformists. They started from Su Shi's poems and searched for evidence of Su Shi's crimes and wanted to persecute him. Just when he was transferred to Huzhou as the magistrate, disaster struck.
The villains of the reform faction launched a literary inquisition against Su Shi: "Who makes you the most active, the most talkative, and the most influential?" In this way, Su Shi was falsely accused and imprisoned in Yushitai's prison. , was imprisoned for almost three or four months, and was known as the "Wutai Poetry Case" in history.
He was tortured in the prison and was reduced to skin and bones. He even prepared suicide pills and had no plan to escape alive. However, there were too many people who interceded for Su Shi later. Even Wang Anshi, who had retired, came out to intercede for Su Shi (it can be seen that the two were gentlemen quarreling). At the same time, the ancestors of the emperors of the Song Dynasty established a rule: "You cannot kill scholar-bureaucrats. ”
Su Shi was not beheaded, but after he was released from prison, Su Shi was demoted from a mayor to Huangzhou, Hubei Province, where he was still a prisoner under house arrest called "Huang". The deputy envoy of the state regiment training, the resettlement of the state, is not allowed to sign official documents." How cruel.
An article will take you through the life of the genius Su Shi
4. Being demoted to Huangzhou and living a fancy life
However, Su Shi is a very optimistic person He is an invincible Xiaoqiang! Not only did he not give up hope in life, but he came out of his sadness and shouted out a famous saying: "Looking back to the desolate place, when I go back, there will be no wind or rain or sunshine. Xiao Su, I will not be knocked down. "Always be strong and always be brave."
At first, Su Shi had no place to live. The local mayor Xu Junyou admired Su Shi's talent and rented a post station on the riverside - Lingao Pavilion. Su Shi lived in it. From then on, under the leadership of Ah Q's spirit, Su Shi began the path of obtaining "wealth in life" through "self-paralysis".
In terms of living, although the house is very dilapidated, Su Shi said:
"Eighty steps below Lingao Pavilion is the river, half of which is Emei Snow Water. I eat and drink You can take a bath, so why go back to your hometown? There is no permanent master in the country, and the idle one is the master. I heard that Fan Zifeng’s new garden is worse than this, and there is no money for taxes and help.
"
What do you mean? Recreating the scene at that time, Su Shi said: "Although my house is leaking, it is a river-view room. When I go out, I will walk straight to the river. The water in the river comes from Mount Emei. Water, and the mountains, water, wind, and moon on this river are all mine. I heard that so and so built a very luxurious garden? How does it compare to me? Can't compare! And he still has to pay taxes, but mine doesn’t! "It can be said that Honey is confident!
As for food, although he can't afford the mutton that rich people eat, he can only eat pork that even poor people disdain to eat, but Su Shi was stunned. The pork that people wanted made a famous dish called "Dongpo Pork".
Rinse the pan, add less water, and wait for it to cook until it is cooked. At that time, he was pretty. The rich people in Huangzhou refused to eat the good pork, but the poor people didn't know how to cook it. If they got up in the morning, they would have nothing to do with it.
What do you mean? ? Su Shi first explained how to make Dongpo Pork, and then said: "Rich people won't eat it, but poor people won't eat it. Fortunately, I'm good at it!" I made it delicious! Never mind them, I'll have a good time myself first. "In this way, Su Shi solved the problem of eating again.
As for Su Shi, who had no wine to drink, he learned to make wine and drink it by himself, so "Dongpo Honey Wine" appeared. He designed it by himself without clothes to wear, and "Dongpo Honey Wine" appeared. "Dongpo hat", this Dongpo hat was later imitated by literati in the Northern Song Dynasty, which is another story.
After the money was spent, they farmed the land and built a piece of wasteland that no one wanted and named it "Dongpo hat". "I was also known as the "Dongpo layman", so I built a house and named it "Snow Hall", planted bamboos and plum blossoms, and said it was my study room, where I usually drew "Dead Trees and Strange Rocks" and wrote " "Cold Food Post", and then sighed narcissistically: "Ah! I might be the reincarnation of Tao Yuanming! ”
When he had nothing to do, he went around looking for fun, eating melon seeds and telling ghost stories to the farmers around him. When he ate a very crispy cake, he named it “Why Shenzhou”, and he drank too much. Wine made from water is called "misplaced water". Today I went to Chibi to play and wrote a poem "Niannujiao·Red Cliff". When I felt good, I asked my friends to go to Chibi to play and then write a "Red Cliff Ode". I couldn't sleep at night. Then I went to Chibi to write a piece of "Post-Chibi Ode", which turned out to be a famous poem. I turned my poor life into a paradise on earth.
The poems written by Su Shi in Huangzhou became famous. , the "Dongpo Pork" made has become a classic, "Dongpo" is unknown to everyone, "Why is it so crispy" and "wrong water" have become jokes through the ages, "Dongpo Hat" is sought after by people, "Dry Wood and Strange Rocks" "Han Shi Tie" has become a priceless treasure. Who would have thought that Su Shi was a farmer and criminal in Huangzhou?
An article will take you through the life of the genius Su Shi
5. The short spring, being demoted again and again
Maybe even God can’t stand it anymore, Song Shenzong actually Su Shi relented and wanted to promote him, but he died not long after. Empress Dowager Gao, who was newly in charge of the government, also admired Su Shi very much. It can be said that things have changed. After Su Shi stayed in Huangzhou for four years, his official position continued to rise. He was promoted to the position of deputy prime minister.
Although Su Shi went to work in a local area due to party disputes, he was not idle. Today he built a Su Causeway, tomorrow he built Three Pools Reflecting the Moon, and now Su Shi built one of the eight scenic spots in the West Lake. "Spring Dawn on the Su Di" and "Three Pools Mirroring the Moon" are still in an invincible position. It can be said that he has exerted his power as a master of architecture.
However, it didn't take long for the situation to change again, and Queen Mother Gao. After his death, Song Zhezong, who admired his father, directly demoted Su Shi to Huizhou, Guangdong. Huizhou can be said to be a place of death. Basically, officials who go here are either dead or injured, but who is Su Shi! But he is a very optimistic person! His Ah Q spirit took over again:
"I wonder if Lingnan is good, this is my hometown": I want to regard this sentence as the truth, the environment It’s not important, the mentality is the most important!
“If you eat three hundred lychees a day, you will never give up and become a Lingnan native. ": For example, you see there is nothing wrong with Lingnan! I can't even finish eating three hundred lychees a day, and I am much happier than the officials in the court, hahahaha!
"Every household in Lingnan is in spring. There is a quiet guest apartment.
": And there are so many beautiful places in Lingnan! What's wrong with that, hahaha!
"No one eats sheep bones? I eat! I grilled it and ate it. It was delicious. I’m not that good at it! "Thousands of years later, people today are more popular in eating sheep bones than mutton, and there is also a fashionable name called "Sheep Scorpion". Su Shi can be said to have led the trend of the times.
But Ah Q also has to pay a price. The reformists thought that Su Shi was living a comfortable life: "You are living a comfortable life, right?" I will demote you to Hainan Island to see if you are still proud! ”
In this way, Su Shi, who was in his sixties, was demoted to Hainan Island again. However, after arriving in Hainan, Su Shi remained optimistic. Although Hainan had “no meat to eat, no medicine for diseases, no room to live in, and no one to go out.” "No friends, no charcoal in winter, no cold spring in summer." But don't forget, Su Shi has super adaptability. He started his own wilderness survival, such as building a house in the palm forest, learning the local language, etc. Who can imagine a sixty-year-old Su Shi, shirtless, speaking Hainanese Mandarin, building a house in a palm forest?
Besides, isn’t there no meat in Hainan? He looked for wild ones. Finally one day, Su Shi found something called oysters. He cooked or grilled them and ate them as delicious as he wanted. He thought it was a delicacy in the world, so he quickly wrote to his son: " Son! Dad found a delicious food! Emma! It's so delicious, but from now on this will be our family's secret. Don't tell anyone else, or someone will come and steal it from me! ”
Su Shi, who was in his sixties and was demoted to Hainan Island to survive in the wilderness, was not defeated by life and still maintained his usual innocence and humor.
一This article will take you through the life of the genius Su Shi
VI. A generation of superstars will eventually fall
However, Song Zhezong was also a short-lived emperor. He actually died in 1101 After passing away, Su Shi, who had never expected to return alive, actually returned to the mainland alive.
Su Shi summarized his life and said: "Ask you about your life achievements, Huangzhou, Huizhou and Danzhou" and also issued a statement to defend himself. The cry: "Who embellishes the scattered clouds and the bright moon, making the sky clear and the color of the sea clear! ”
However, even though he returned to the mainland, Su Shi did not escape the clutches of death. Su Shi, who had just returned, fell seriously ill and eventually died in Changzhou, Jiangsu.
Even when he died, Su Shi was very relieved. He smiled and said: "I have never done any bad things in my life. Although I may not go to heaven, I certainly won't go to hell. ”
Just like this, a generation of literary giants has fallen.
7. All-rounder in literature and art, optimistic and open-minded
Su Shi’s life can be described as ups and downs. He was a genius and a Huangzhou criminal. , deputy prime minister, Huizhou criminal, and Danzhou criminal. However, although Su Shi's life was full of misfortunes, we can find that Su Shi seems to be an unbeatable roly-poly who actively creates a better life no matter what the environment.
Dongpo meat, Dongpo soup, Dongpo tofu, sheep scorpions, grilled oysters, and Dongpo honey wine made Su Shi a master of gourmet food. Dongpo hat and Dongpo scarf can be called a master of design. The spring dawn on the Su Causeway and the moon reflected in the Three Pools can be described as
In addition, he also left thousands of poems and essays such as "Niannujiao·Reminiscing about Chibi", "Shui Tiao Ge Tou·When Will the Bright Moon Come", "Jiang Chengzi·Hunting in Mizhou", etc. He has made many achievements, and is known as "one of the eight great writers of the Tang and Song Dynasties". He also invented idioms such as "Be confident" and "Hedong lion's roar". He is a well-deserved master in the Chinese literary world.