Cao Cao's Ten Lectures

Chapter 1 Preface
Read history first, read people, read people, then read the world
Reading History: Experiential Reading and Urban Relief
Today, with the increasing level of social civilization and people's living standards, almost everyone living in a metropolis feels unsatisfactory in their career, social life, and life.And almost everyone who has "unsatisfactory feelings" often feels that he is inferior to others, has an unbalanced mentality, cannot withstand setbacks, has no hope in life, and is extremely disappointed with the people and things around him...

However, there is such a proverb, which is called "God closed the door here, and opened the window there".We see that modern urbanites are conducting a group practice, that is, to conduct experiential reading of ancient Chinese classics and history, and to find a way out of their predicament.

When many urbanites read ancient Chinese classics and history, they have a strong feeling: the problems we have encountered, the ancients also encountered, and they came up with very clever solutions.That being the case, why don't we learn from the ancients and find out from history how to get out of the "Chinese-style dilemma"?

It is true that the ancients also encountered turbulent waves in their lives, but they were able to use their wisdom and good attitude to tide over the difficulties and make the situation develop in a good direction.Although the historical era and specific environment in which the ancients live are different from those of the ancients, the special way of thinking of the ancients when they survived the crisis and reversed the situation is worth savoring carefully for today's people.Only by understanding the thinking of the ancients can we integrate the wisdom of the ancients; and only by understanding the special historical era in which the ancients lived can we further understand why the ancients chose such a way of thinking and solutions.

historical humanity

Since reading history can be a good way to get rid of the predicament of the city, what is history?
People who are tired of exam-oriented education think that history is a long series of names of ages, characters, and events, the culture in the pile of old papers, and the object of academic research that is far away from today.

actually not!What is history?History is the life course of people who once lived in this world, and it is the unique way of life, way of thinking and behavior of people in the past.History is always vivid and colorful, rather than boring chronology and titles.

In a word, history is the life of the ancients.The deepest mark in history is the characters who lived in different eras.What historical figures attract the most attention of future generations is not their rhetoric, nor their great achievements, but their joys, sorrows, sorrows and joys as figures in a specific era.

In a sense, everyone is an ordinary person, and everyone's life will irreversibly become the past and history.Experience becomes a thing of the past, but it does not mean that it will lose its vitality.On the contrary, when later generations read history, they are always moved by the unique character and spirit of the ancients.This is the charm of history, the charm of human nature.

Characters are the core of history, and humanity is the essence of history.Therefore, as a modern person, one should "read history first when reading the world, and people first when reading history."

Historical Ecology and Modern Society
Why does human nature travel through time and space, making modern people feel extra warm?

Because the reason why the ancients are charming is that their humanity comes from a special era and a special society.If the conditions of the ancients were similar to the modern ones, when we read history books, we will find similar encounters from the experiences of the ancients, thus creating an experience of "empathy".

The era in which the ancients lived was not fundamentally different from the modern society. It was composed of a specific social environment, interpersonal relationships and daily life. It is a life background that is easily overlooked, but it is the reason why the ancients' character The source of radiance.

We call this age factor "historical ecology".From this, we can understand why the turbulent Three Kingdoms era can produce Cao Cao and Zhuge Liang, the vigorous Tang Dynasty can produce Tang Taizong and Li Bai, and the gloomy Ming and Qing Dynasties can produce Zhu Yuanzhang, Zhang Juzheng, Kangxi, Zeng Guofan.

Similarly, many modern people complain that they did not enter the sea in the 80s of the last century, did not speculate in stocks in the 90s of the last century, and did not buy a house at the beginning of this century... The resulting self-pity and regret abound.Looking back, the times make heroes, and now it is no longer the original era. Even if Zhuge Liang and Cao Cao are reborn, I am afraid they will not be able to become the figures who call the wind and rain, so why blame others?

The reason why human nature is eternal is that the era that created it is unique.This is the enlightenment given to us by the ancients, and it is also the starting point for today's modern people to correctly understand themselves.In fact, as the so-called "success or failure turns head empty", the success or failure of the ancients was roughly the same.

Reading history, reading the world, new knowledge
History should be vivid and full of details. Therefore, we should not read those boring historical data and false historical hymns. Instead, we should start with characters with distinctive personalities and see how they grew from an unknown white man step by step. Towards success, or how to slip from the high-profile career peak to the bottom of life.

History full of realistic concern and modern atmosphere should be the history of people, this is the essence of history and the classics of ancient culture.To read history, you should start with reading people.An ancient poem said it well: "You are still familiar with things, and reading people is like reading rivers." Only by constantly reminiscing about the past and reading the ancients can you broaden your knowledge and enrich your experience.

Of course, you can raise your perception of historical figures to an aesthetic level while gaining life experience. In fact, why not gain new knowledge of history after realizing life?

You can laugh at Lu Buwei's exhausted tricks and betrayal, and you can also ridicule Liu Bang's small belly and two-faced swords; you can lament Zhuge Liang's unfulfilled ambition and powerlessness, and you can also admire Cao Cao's impassioned and heroic sentiments; you can yearn for Tang Taizong's virtuous corporal , accepting advice with an open mind, you can also agree that Kangxi must do everything personally and foresight; you can also criticize Zhang Juzheng for his work for the country and his clumsiness for his life...

Reading history is to better understand modern times, to judge the ancients, and to better ourselves.This is our original intention of launching the "Ten Lectures on Chinese Historical Figures" series.I hope you can increase your understanding of life, cultivate your temperament and smile your life while reading this series.

heroes of the worst times

"The rolling Yangtze River flows eastward, and the waves wash away the heroes." This is the poet's tribute to the magnificent Yangtze River, and even his lament for the historical torrent of the waves washing away the sand.In the thousands of years of Chinese civilization, countless people have appeared on the stage of history and called a curtain call. After all, how many people can be called heroes?

What is a hero and who is a hero?This is a difficult question for historians, great writers and playwrights of all ages to answer.Even Aristotle, the symbol of wisdom, did not dare to directly give a clear definition of a hero, which shows how difficult it is to grasp the characteristics of a "hero" as a model and ideal.

Cao Cao, a person who has always been called "traitor" and "traitor", in the author's opinion, definitely deserves the title of "hero".

At the end of the Han Dynasty, the government was corrupt, the government was weak, the royal family was declining, the eunuchs were monopolizing power, and the relatives were in trouble. In such a chaotic world, how many people were sober and how many people were clean?As a result, some people are keen on fame and fortune, some people are just trying to survive, some are cynical, and some are muddled.

This is really a dilapidated era, not only the imperial court is dilapidated, the mountains and rivers are broken, even the spirit of the scholar-bureaucrats known as the "backbone of China" is also decadent.However, as the so-called "time makes heroes", there will always be someone who will stand up to end this dark age and "clean up the old mountains and rivers".And it was Cao Cao, a true hero, who took on this important task.

At that time, only Cao Cao was the one who really stood up to clarify the universe; only Cao Cao was the one who was really running for unification; only Cao Cao was the one who really combined Confucian political ideals with the statesman's strategy for governing the country; only Cao Cao was the one who really opened up a peaceful paradise without war , only Cao Cao.He has such a successful career, such impressive achievements, who else is a hero?

"Immortal" "Traitor"

Some people say that Cao Cao is a "treacherous hero in troubled times". It is true that he has done some illegal, dishonorable, and dishonest things. However, at that time, even if he was a "celebrity" scholar-bureaucrat, who was really open and aboveboard with a clear conscience? of?Cao Cao is not a morally perfect man, nor is he a gentleman in troubled times, but his lack of honesty and authenticity is precisely for the purpose of ending the turbidity and filth of this era, rather than cooperating with others and muddling along. This is exactly what he and everyone at the time wanted biggest difference.

He not only put an end to the chaotic war between warlords at the end of the Han Dynasty and the devastation of life in the north, but also revived the authority of the central government, promulgated various laws and regulations most suitable for the situation at that time, and developed agriculture so that the people in the north could live and work in peace and contentment.More importantly, he transformed the chaotic struggle for hegemony into a three-legged pattern, laying the foundation for the reunification decades later.

Confucianism has the so-called "Three Immortals", which are virtue, meritorious service, and speech.In terms of "Li Yan", Cao Cao was so talented that the poems he wrote have been passed down through the ages, and they have become the masterpieces of Jian'an literature; On the one hand, he swept away the corruption and vanity of the late Han Dynasty, and brought a simple, pragmatic, and plain political atmosphere that was rarely seen in the Three Kingdoms era in the north.Isn't such a character a hero?
Rewriting Cao Cao: History's Choice
Radical politicians, however, are always infamous.Cao Cao was defined as a "treacherous hero in troubled times", just as Shang Yang was called "mean and shoddy", and Wang Anshi was scornfully called "Yu Xianggong". .However, the unfairness of history lies in the fact that these unfair evaluations are often passed down from generation to generation to cover up the truth of the facts.

Finally, Cao Cao was regarded as a hooligan, villain, and careerist, and was painted with white paint on the stage for the world to laugh at and scold.Cao Cao on the stage shows all kinds of exhausted appearances, while the real Cao Cao in history hides in a desolate tomb and sighs—is history a tool used by future generations to spoof, molest, and slander the ancients? ?
of course not.History is fair, although its fairness may not be reflected immediately, but there will always be a chance for the truth to be revealed; history is fair, and its fairness is not the eclecticism of "a bowl of water is equal", but it will always give Heroes are evaluated objectively; history is open, and although its openness does not show everyone's activities [-]%, it will always allow talented people to have a stage to show themselves.

Finally, after being slandered and ridiculed for more than 1000 years, Cao Cao's true image gradually emerged, the label of "treacherous hero" was slowly removed, and a real Cao Cao appeared in front of us.

Typical facial makeup and characteristic personality

The reason why the author chooses Cao Cao as the protagonist of this book is not only because he is a hero, but also because he is a typical individual, a very typical individual in human nature, era, and history.

In terms of human nature, Cao Cao concentrated the qualities of a poet, statesman, military strategist, and an ordinary father, husband, and son.He is sometimes kind and generous, sometimes violent and suspicious, sometimes heroic, sometimes bitter, sometimes nervous, and sometimes complaining.These characters seem to be contradictory to each other, but combined in Cao Cao, they appear so real and fulfilling.This is the expression of the complexity and fickleness of human nature, and it is also the perfect expression of Cao Cao as a hero and an ordinary person.

As Mr. Lu Xun said, "Heartless may not be a real hero." Cao Cao has feelings and a true temperament, which determines his complex and elusive character.But as long as you observe carefully, you will find how a hero with a complex personality expresses his temperament in all aspects. From this, you can appreciate the deepest and truest side of human nature.

In terms of the times, Cao Cao is just a typical example of the transformation from an idealist to a realist.In his early years, he was an "aspiring young man", or even an "angry young man", but due to changes in the times, he was forced to change himself time and time again to adapt to the times, and he transformed the times step by step to realize his ideals.

Only in that era can such characters be produced, and only such characters can conform to the trend of the times. "Only when the sea is flowing, can the true qualities of a hero be revealed", which is the best portrayal of Cao Cao.

In history, Cao Cao is an alternative image with no one before and no one to come.He can be said to have done all the good things and all the bad things.He practiced the Confucian moral ideal, but was ridiculed and belittled by the Confucian scholar-bureaucrats of later generations. Like Shang Yang, Wang Anshi, Zhang Juzheng, and Yongzheng, he worked hard to govern and had unlimited glory during his lifetime, but he was ruined and criticized after his death.

Why does this happen?It is impossible for us to analyze each of these characters, but as long as we analyze Cao Cao and make a panoramic observation of the fate of this most typical image at that time and in history, we can discover the truth of the facts and the history. the truth.

Author

(End of this chapter)