The videos I watched became popular in ancient times

This day in 263 AD can be regarded as the darkest day in the history of Chinese culture.

The execution ground in the East Market of Luoyang was packed with people.

The person to be executed was Ji Kang, a famous contemporary scholar of the Wei and Jin Dynasties.

Ji Kang was born with a noble and unworldly nature, and would not get involved in the corrupt world.

But in such a chaotic world, being the most outstanding among the forest was destined to be a tragedy, and a generation of noble men became victims.

The eternal masterpiece "Guangling San" he played before his death was more like his last sigh to the world!
"Ji Kang, courtesy name Shuye, was from Zhi County, Qiao State."

"Speaking of which, Ji Kang's ancestor's surname was Xi, and he originally lived in Shangyu, Kuaiji."

"Later, to avoid his enemies, he moved from Shangyu to the foot of Ji Mountain in Zhi County, and therefore took Ji as his surname."

"Ji Kang's father, Ji Zhao, was an official who served as the Imperial Censor, and his brother, Ji Xi, served as the governor of Yangzhou and the head of the Imperial Clan after entering the Jin Dynasty."

"Therefore, in terms of family background, the Ji family can also be considered to have a long history of family learning."

"Unfortunately, he lost his father at a young age and was raised by his mother and brother."

"When Ji Kang grew up, he was a handsome man, seven feet and eight inches tall, or more than 1.8 meters."

"And he has an extraordinary appearance, is self-taught, and is good at everything."

"However, Ji Kang did not value this stinking body. Instead, he was unpretentious and unrestrained."

“But this also fits the tone of the literati in the Wei and Jin dynasties, so they all said that he was outstanding and had the appearance of a dragon and a phoenix.”

"Later, Ji Kang married Cao, the owner of Changle Pavilion and the granddaughter of Cao Cao's son, Cao Lin, the Prince of Pei."

"By the way, Ji Kang is Cao Cao's great-grandson-in-law."

"Later, Ji Kang was appointed as a doctor and then a doctor of Zhongsan, so he was later called Ji Zhongsan."

"Everything seemed to be going well until one day."

"With the Sima family in power, the world is completely different."

"In the tenth year of the Zhengshi reign of Cao Fang, the Prince of Qi, Sima Yi, the long-dormant Grand Tutor, launched the Gaopingling Incident."

"Completely purge the Xiahou and Cao forces, hollow out the Wei Dynasty, and seize power."

"As the son-in-law of Cao Cao's great-grandson, Ji Kang suddenly went from being a royal relative to being the target of attack."

"And Ji Kang also adopted an attitude of non-cooperation with the Sima family and united with Ruan Ji and a group of like-minded people."

"They lived in seclusion in the bamboo forest of Shanyang, drinking wine, composing poems, taking medicine and singing long songs. They were called the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove in history."

"Ji Kang's scholarship is a combination of Confucianism and Taoism. He advocates Laozi and Zhuangzi and advocates going beyond formalism and letting nature take its course."

"At this moment, I feel even more relaxed among the mountains and rivers, floating in the air and out of this world."

"There are many miraculous records about Ji Kang's history."

"Once Ji Kang went to the mountains to collect herbs. There was no sun or moon in the mountains, and he had no idea of ​​the cold or heat. He even forgot about going home."

"Later, he met the hermit Sun Deng in the mountains and traveled with him."

"Sun Deng has been living in seclusion for a long time, and he doesn't talk to people when he sees them."

Bai Juyi: Born in troubled times, with great talent and beauty, the tallest tree in the forest will be destroyed by the wind.

The two things a person cannot choose when living in this world are:

One is one’s family background, and the other is the era in which one lives.

Ji Kang lived in the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, a period in history with the most frequent regime changes, and wars, plagues and disasters followed one after another.

One can imagine how difficult life was in such an era, no matter if one was a celebrity or an ordinary person!
Ji Kang's ancestors were originally named Xi and were from Shangyu, Zhejiang. They moved here to escape their enemies.

Because there was a Ji Mountain in the local area and his home was near Ji Mountain, he took Ji as his surname.

Ji Kang's father, Ji Zhao, once accompanied Cao Cao in conquering the world and served as an official under Cao Cao.

Therefore, Ji Kang's family background was relatively good, but it did not last long.

When Ji Kang was 7 years old, his father unfortunately passed away.

It was a time of chaos and people were in panic, so the Cao family drove away Emperor Xian of Han.

He seized power and either killed or recruited famous figures from all over the world, casting a dark cloud over the literary world.

Although Ji Kang lost his father at a young age, fortunately his mother and brother loved him very much, and Ji Kang grew up under the care of his mother and brother.

Ji Kang was gifted since childhood, well-read, and had a calm and unpretentious personality.

He was magnanimous, simple and broad-minded. After he became an adult, he especially liked to read Taoist works. What was even more bizarre was that he had never studied under a teacher.

Ji Kang was also the most handsome man in the Wei and Jin Dynasties. He was seven feet eight inches tall, had good conversation and a handsome demeanor!
Because of his outstanding talent and appearance, he was noticed by Pei Wang Cao Lin, who married his daughter, the owner of Changle Pavilion, to him.

Ji Kang himself became a Zhongsan Daifu, which was just a sinecure but very glorious.

However, at that time, the Cao regime was already crumbling, and the Sima family was at its peak and wanted to replace it.

Therefore, Ji Kang's fame became the fuse of his tragedy, and he was burdened by his fame.

Ji Kang was extremely handsome, with extraordinary demeanor and the bearing and appearance of a dragon.

Moreover, it comes naturally, and everyone who has seen him is impressed and amazed by it!

Although Ji Kang was born handsome, he never tried to dress himself up.

He often went to the mountains and lakes to collect herbs. He let his hair down in winter and wore straw clothes in summer.

When he was happy, he would often feel so elated that he didn't want to leave. A woodcutter who met him thought he had met a god.

Ji Kang was the person with the highest achievements in four-character poetry after Cao Cao, and he was also a painter and calligrapher.

His calligraphy is listed as a masterpiece of cursive script. He was also well-versed in metaphysics and was the spiritual leader of the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove.

However, the tree wants to be quiet but the wind keeps on.

In the chaotic times, celebrities like Ji Kang could easily become targets for wooing.

However, his elegant and unworldly character, unwilling to be contaminated by the corrupt world, made him incompatible with the world, and thus his life was destined to end in tragedy.

"Ji Kang followed you, and the two of them stayed in the mountains facing each other without saying a word."

"But Ji Kang is not a god after all, and he still needs to go home."

"When we were about to say goodbye, Sun Deng spoke."

"Sir, you have a fierce temper and great talent. I'm afraid you will suffer a disaster because of this."

"Another time, Ji Kang met the hermit Wang Lie."

"Wang Lie took out a piece of stone and said it was stone marrow, which tasted like sugar."

"Then he ate half himself and gave the other half to Ji Kang."

"When Ji Kang took it in his hands, the stone marrow turned into stone again."

"Later, Wang Lie saw a book written on white silk in a stone chamber and asked Ji Kang to read it."

"Ji Kang has arrived, but the book is gone."

"So Wang Lie sighed that Ji Shuye's talent was not appreciated. This was his fate!"

"The general Sima Zhao wanted to target Ji Kang, but he was too famous."

"So they changed their strategy and tried to invite him to join the shogunate."

"But after hearing this, Ji Kang immediately ran to Hedong to hide."

"Is it okay if you don't want to be an official?"

"No, Sima Zhao then began to hate Ji Kang."

"Later, Shan Tao, one of the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove, recommended Ji Kang, and Ji Kang wrote a letter of breaking off the friendship out of anger."

"He listed seven things he couldn't bear and two things he couldn't do, and firmly refused to serve. Sima Zhao became even angrier after hearing this."

"What's more fatal is that Ji Kang offended a real villain, which eventually led him to his doom."

"At that time, the Inspector of the Imperial Guards, Zhong Hui, also admired Ji Kang's reputation, so he brought his famous work, Four Treatises, and went to ask for an audience."

"Zhong Hui also knew that Ji Kang had a bad temper and was afraid that he would be embarrassed on the spot."

"So he threw the book into Ji Kang's courtyard and ran away."

"After Ji Kang read it, he said lightly, 'Not bad,' and that was it."

"The second time, Zhong Hui went to the bamboo forest to visit Ji Kang on the orders of Sima Zhao."

"Of course, this visit is not to express condolences during the Spring Festival. It is to see if this angry young man has any activities of forming a clique for personal gain."

"When he arrived, Ji Kang was doing his secondary job - blacksmithing."

"Master Ji kept banging away at the keys, but he didn't even glance at Zhong Hui."

"Zhong will stay for the whole morning, and when he gets hungry and wants to leave,

"Master Ji has spoken. What did you hear that brought you here? What did you see that brought you here?"

"Zhong Hui was in a bad mood and replied, 'I came here because I heard what I heard, and I leave because I saw what I saw.'"

Fan Zhongyan: Ji Kang and Zhong Hui would rather offend a gentleman than a villain. Celebrities like Ji Kang, and spiritual idols of the public, can easily become targets for those in power to win over.

Even if Ji Kang escaped to the deep mountains and forests or to the ends of the earth, he would be dug out by someone with ulterior motives.

At this time, the struggle between the Cao regime and the Sima group was becoming increasingly intense. The situation was chaotic and people's hearts were also in chaos.

In order to escape reality, Ji Kang and six other like-minded friends formed the famous Wei and Jin Dynasty group the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove.

They either chat or get drunk, they are unrestrained, free and uninhibited, enjoying a happy time.

After Ji Kang retired, there was a willow tree with lush branches and leaves in front of his residence. He diverted water to surround the tree.

Every summer, he would work as a blacksmith under a tree, and his days were very comfortable.

But soon after, this comfortable life was interrupted.

Sima Zhao openly killed Emperor Cao Mao of Wei, which undoubtedly made him an enemy of the world.

In order to silence the public's criticism, Sima Zhao urgently needed public support.

Therefore, Ji Kang, who was the most talented person in the world, became the target of Sima Zhao's efforts to win over.

However, Ji Kang has always been very resistant to the Sima Group.

Therefore, he lived in seclusion in the mountains, making a living by forging iron, away from all the hustle and bustle and power.

At this time, Shan Tao, one of the Seven Sages, undoubtedly contributed to Ji Kang's tragedy.

Shan Tao was the Minister of Personnel at the time, a position responsible for selecting talents.

However, without Ji Kang's consent, he arbitrarily recommended Ji Kang to Sima Zhao and asked Ji Kang to take up this position.

Ji Kang was very angry about this. He took a very drastic approach and directly wrote a letter to Shan Tao breaking off the friendship.

Showing his determination not to be an official, this was actually a direct declaration of hostility towards Sima Zhao!
Because Ji Kang pointed out in the letter that people have different preferences, indicating that they could not be bound by etiquette and laws and could not cooperate with the court.

Finally, he scolded Shan Tao and said that he would rather go through fire and water than risk his wealth and fame.

Obviously, the person behind this letter of breaking off friendship was naturally Sima, and it became Ji Kang's death warrant.

Sima Zhao was furious and wanted to kill, he just needed an opportunity.

He would be able to put Ji Kang to death, and the opportunity would soon come.

This opportunity was pushed by two people, one was Ji Kang's die-hard fan Zhong Hui, and the other was Ji Kang's good friend Lu An.

Zhong Hui was the son of Zhong Yao, who was as famous as Wang Xizhi, and was also a close confidant of Sima.

Zhong Hui was a smart, capable man, and eloquent.

He invited a large number of wealthy young men, dressed in gorgeous clothes and rode on tall horses to visit Ji Kang.

However, Ji Kang was extremely rude to Zhong Hui at that time.

He was working on ironwork with Xiang Xiu, one of them was working shirtless while the other was pulling the bellows.

He ignored Zhong Hui's visit and just kept on hammering away at the iron as if no one was around, completely ignoring Zhong Hui's visit, which made Zhong Hui very embarrassed.

Now it seems that the meaningful questions and answers between Ji Kang and Zhong Hui were just a boring and awkward conversation.

Ji Kang should have given his guests proper hospitality, but perhaps after his experience with Shan Tao, Ji Kang became wary of visitors.

Therefore, his attitude was indifferent, which undoubtedly became the fuse of Ji Kang's tragedy.

"But Zhong Hui is not a kind-hearted monk. He has already planted murderous intentions in his heart."

"Sima Zhao and Zhong Hui were both sharpening their knives against Ji Kang, but Ji Kang was completely unaware, or rather, he was too lazy to realize it."

"In the fourth year of Jingyuan reign of Emperor Cao Huan of Wei, Ji Kang's good friend Lü An was furious because his wife was raped by his half brother Lü Xun, and Lü An wanted to report his brother."

"Ji Kang was acquainted with both Lü An and Lü Xun, so he advised Lü An to keep the family scandal secret, saying that it was not right to air it in public."

"Unexpectedly, Lu Xun was afraid that the matter would be exposed, so he filed a complaint first, accusing Lu An of being unfilial, which led to Lu An being arrested by the government."

"Ji Kang was furious when he heard this, and angrily accused Lu Xun of being shameless, and declared that he would appear in court to prove Lu An's innocence."

"But Lü Xun was Sima Zhao's general and chief secretary, so Sima Zhao took the opportunity to put Ji Kang in jail as well."

"This is when bad things will happen," he said to Sima Zhao.

"Ji Kang is the Sleeping Dragon. We must not let him get up."

"Sima Gong has ambitions for the world, so Ji Kang should not be allowed to stay."

"Sima Zhao should have some shame and say this is not a capital crime."

"Zhong Hui said that he wanted to help Guanqiu Jian to rebel, but it was fortunate that Shan Tao persuaded him not to do so."

"Zhong Hui further said that Duke Tai of Qi executed Hua Shi and Confucius killed Shao Zhengmao because they disrupted the government because of their words."

"Ji Kang and Lu An's speeches were unbridled, but they did not destroy the classics. Those in power should not tolerate them. They should be removed in accordance with the times to purify the customs."

"After hearing this, Sima Zhao ordered that Ji and Lu be executed together."

"On the day Ji Kang was about to be executed, three thousand students from the Imperial College petitioned for him."

"But Sima Zhao was determined to get rid of him and refused to allow it."

"Ji Kang's expression remained unchanged. He looked up at the sun, asked his brother Ji Xi to fetch the guqin, and played Guangling San."

"After the song, Ji Kang sighed that Yuan Zhun wanted to learn Guangling San from me, but I was reluctant to teach him."

"Guangling San is now extinct!"

"After saying this, he calmly submitted to his execution. He was forty years old."

"Although Ji Kang scolded Shan Tao bitterly, after Ji Kang's death, Shan Tao continued to raise his son Ji Shao."

"Later, Ji Shao served in the Jin Dynasty and became a minister, and was given the title of Yiyangzi."

"During the Rebellion of the Eight Princes, Ji Shao was killed while trying to protect Emperor Hui of Jin."

"Life is like a play, maybe it's just like this."

Wang Changling: Ji Kang and Lu An were willing to sacrifice their lives for their friends.

Zhong Hui was actually a villain, and as a nobleman he had a natural sense of superiority.

He thought he would be a guest of honor of Ji Kang, but he was ignored, which made him resentful.

After that, Zhong Hui took the opportunity to frame Ji Kang.

Just at this time, the famous Lu An incident occurred.

Lu An was one of Ji Kang's best friends. Lu An had a half-brother, Lu Xun, who coveted the beauty of his brother's wife and defiled her.

Fearing that the truth would be exposed and tarnish his own reputation and career, Lu An accused his brother of being unfilial and treasonous, and was thrown into prison.

As a good friend, Ji Kang really didn't want to see Lu An being wronged, so he went to Luoyang alone to appeal for justice.

Unexpectedly, this was exactly what Zhong Hui and Sima Zhao wanted. Ji Kang was implicated by Lu An and was also thrown into jail.

Zhong Hui put Ji Kang to death completely, and Ji Kang was eventually killed by Sima Zhao.

Ji Kang died at the age of 39, which can be said to be a premature death!
The streets were deserted, and three thousand students from the Imperial College collectively pleaded for Ji Kang, and in the end Ji Kang died calmly.

Before his death, he expressed his final sigh to the world with the "Guangling San", a piece of music that will be remembered forever.

Ji Kang was born with a noble and unconventional nature. He refused to be contaminated by the corrupt world and was a refreshing breath of fresh air in this corrupt world.

However, in troubled times, a tree that stands out in the forest is destined to be a tragedy.

Ji Kang and his brother Ji Xi are two completely different personalities in the same family.

Ji Kang liked the teachings of Laozi and Zhuangzi, liked to be unrestrained, indifferent to fame and fortune, and not bound by the world.

Ji Xi, on the contrary, was keen on fame and fortune, and had a successful career in the government.

This is very similar to the brothers Su Shi and Su Zhe.

Su Shi was bold, talkative, fond of joking, and outspoken. He had a difficult career and was often demoted.

His younger brother Su Che was the opposite. He was quiet, reserved, and self-protective. He often advised his elder brother and always held a higher position than his elder brother.

It can be seen that there are many factors that determine personality.

If Ji Kang did not have a brother like Ji Xi to take care of him, there would probably not have been the famous Ji Kang who later became the great scholar of the Wei and Jin Dynasties.

Ji Kang's greatest tragedy undoubtedly came from Zhong Hui. He would rather offend a gentleman than offend a villain.

There is no need to be friends with everyone, but there is no need to be enemies with villains either.

In the end, Ji Kang put himself in danger for the sake of friendship.

At this time he still did not realize that he was in danger, which was a mistake in judging human nature.

Ji Kang's life was like a meteor across the sky.

Although it shines brightly, it quickly disappears.

He was burdened by various relationships throughout his life, leaving the world with endless regrets.

His magnificent and short life undoubtedly taught us a compulsory lesson in life.

However, a person cannot choose his or her birthplace or the era he or she lives in. He or she is swept away by the times and burdened by fame. (End of this chapter)