Gu was a famous Confucian scholar in the early Qing Dynasty. Together with Huang Zongxi and Wang Fuzhi, he was called the three great Confucian scholars in Ming and Qing Dynasties, especially in the early Qing Dynasty. Gu was a famous thinker in ancient China, and his thoughts were ahead of the times. In the thirteenth volume "The Beginning of a Day", Gu has a passage that everyone is familiar with and always relishes:
"There is national subjugation, there is death. What is the difference between national subjugation and national subjugation? Yi surname changed its name, called national subjugation; Benevolence and righteousness fill this gap, but as for attracting animals to eat people, people will eat, which means they will die on earth. It is an ancient knowledge to protect the world first and then the country. Defenders of the country, their princes and meat eaters look for it; Those who protect the world, the shackles and responsibilities of husbands. "
What does this passage mean? First of all, he distinguished between "national subjugation" and "national subjugation". "national subjugation" refers to the extinction of a generation, that is, the replacement of dynasties; "The end of the world" refers to political corruption and moral decay. He further discussed that the main responsibility for such things as "national subjugation" should be "meat eaters, that is, princes and ministers"; The responsibility of "dying in the world" is borne by "the humble among ordinary people", and ordinary people have an unshirkable moral responsibility.
The comparison between Gu's "country" and "world" is unprecedented. In addition, he also pointed out that politics and morality are interrelated. The country is based on monarch and minister, and the world is based on benevolence and righteousness. In other words, "protecting the country" is a matter of monarch and ministers, and "protecting the world" is a matter of benevolence and righteousness, so he should especially put forward: "If the world remains unchanged for a long time, the monarch and ministers and their sons." The "father and son" here does not refer to anyone, but a relationship, abstracted as an ethical concept. So he further said: "Kissing and kindness, and kindness and love, although the world is big, it is exhausting." What is the core idea of Jingwei World? This is morality. He spoke very clearly about the relationship between politics and morality.
What does it matter? He pointed out: "What masters teach people is nothing more than building interpersonal relationships in the world." "Master" refers to Confucius. As the core of the "world", "interpersonal relationship" is the most basic concept to maintain customs, government affairs and the country, which transcends political power and political organization. He repeatedly said in the Book of Rites (volume 13) that if you don't talk about shame, then "the world will not be chaotic and the country will not die?"
So as far as the relationship between politics and morality is concerned, you see that politics is a matter of one generation and can be changed. What is eternity? It is the core concept of ethical value. The distinction between Gu and Gu is of great significance, which is related to the social and cultural changes between Ming and Qing Dynasties.
During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, both literati and officialdom were in a very difficult choice. The first thing they faced was the change of dynasty, and the Ming Dynasty became the Qing Dynasty. However, there is a great change behind political change, that is, cultural change. In Gu's vocabulary at that time, the former was called "changing surname and number" and the latter was called "benevolence". From Zhu in the Ming Dynasty to Ai Xinjue Roche, it is called "Yi"; Change the name from Ming Dynasty to Qing Dynasty. But what will it bring if you change your last name and number? For Gu and others, this is a realistic situation of benevolence, that is, benevolence is blocked, suppressed and in danger of extinction.
He said, "People's income will also change if they measure correctly, test articles, correct novels, easy-to-wear colors, different badges, different equipment, and other clothes." All these things can be changed. So what is eternity? He said, "People who can't change are embarrassed, kissed, respected and grown up, but men and women are different and can't change with others." He uses traditional words such as "kiss" and "respect". This means a standard of interpersonal relationship, which is what we call ethics. He believes that this cannot be changed, and it is rooted in the hearts of ordinary people. This is the right hope, that is to say, people will not change. After the 20th century, Gu's thoughts were condensed and sublimated, and we put forward the slogan "Every man is responsible for the rise and fall of the world".
How to stick to the position of believers? Gu put forward a very extreme method, that is, not to be an official or even to study.
Gu's historical thinking always points to true feelings. Gu was 32 years old when Emperor Chongzhen committed suicide in Jingshan in A.D. 1644. He lived under the political rule of the Ming Dynasty for more than 30 years and has reached middle age. When he entered the Qing Dynasty, he was faced with a choice, which is what we often call "adherents".
Gu Zai wrote in a poem: "Everything is bumpy. Why are you suffering? " Inch by inch, bit by bit, wood will grow. I am willing to calm the East China Sea, but I will not change my mind. When the sea is not calm, my heart has no time. Wow! You can't see many birds in Xishan. Magpies come to the bird's nest! "
During the regime change, many literati and officialdom people, in the words of the time, "defected". They were officials of the Ming Dynasty and surrendered to the Qing government. Just like "there are many birds in the western hills and magpies come to the nest", they build their own nests and change their political roles. Gu chose the same thing, "the center of gravity remains the same." In the political sense, his heart is loyal to the Ming Dynasty. But his body has "sunk" and there can be no Ming Dynasty. You can't change the objective social reality, but you can choose subjective cultural values and life values. Therefore, when you understand this split between body and mind, you will know that Gu's self-styled "adherents" again and again is not a simple political choice, but a profound cultural choice.
Of course, Gu is a little different from others. In other words, he can stand as a political believer and a cultural believer at the same time, but many people are faced with a dilemma. Gu can neither be an official nor an official. One of his good reasons is his mother's last words. After his mother died, she said to him, "You can't be an official or an emperor of two dynasties, or I will die unsatisfied." . Therefore, when Gu was repeatedly recruited by the Qing Dynasty, he had a good excuse: In any case, you can't make me unfilial.
Under the very difficult situation at that time, Gu repeatedly emphasized this dual sense of adherents, and hoped that the regime at that time could accept this sense of adherents. He said: "Zheng Kangcheng has been the strong backing of Yuan Benchu for 70 years. He went to Yuancheng and died in the army. Cao Mengde heard that Zheng Kangcheng was here to quench his thirst and thought he was guilty. " Take Zheng Xuan, a famous Confucian scholar in the Eastern Han Dynasty as an example. He said that Yuan Shao accepted celebrity support and forced Zheng Xuan to go to his camp, where Zheng Xuan eventually died. So Cao Cao invaded Yuan, and one of his sins was that Yuan killed Zheng Xuan. Grain Rain said: "There was one later, but fortunately it didn't succeed; Those who wait for Chu Shi are lucky and have nothing to do with it. " That is, don't push too hard. People want to be adherents, so let them be adherents. "The country has no name for killing people, and the grass has a place to live." Letting a group of followers exist outside the regime is a symbol of national political clarity. He hopes to influence the government with his real situation and change the plight of the adherents.
On the one hand, Gu suggested that the rulers provide better living conditions for the adherents; On the other hand, he also suggested that these adherents, even their descendants, stick to their adherents' stand. How come? Gu put forward a very extreme approach, that is, not to be an official or even to study. In ancient China, there was a tradition of learning to be an excellent official. When I was studying, I wanted to be an official and change my political stance, so I would rather be a "businessman, worker, technician and laborer". .
Are martyrs greater than the living? Gu doesn't think so. It's easy to die, but life needs all kinds of hardships.
Under the guidance of the ideas of "unchangeable heart, unchangeable heart" and "unchangeable heart, unchangeable heart, unchangeable heart", what is emphasized is a kind of adherence to heart and culture. He believes that loyalty, filial piety, chastity and righteousness are not rigid moral beliefs. So he said, "Take a poem." It is necessary to distinguish between great loyalty, great filial piety, great festival and great righteousness, as well as bell, filial piety, small section and small righteousness.
For Gu, this is both an abstract choice and a realistic choice. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, people faced a very serious problem, that is, life and death. To be or not to be?
There is no doubt that someone died. But are martyrs greater than the living? He doesn't think so. There are several ways to live. Some people want to be enemies of the Qing Dynasty and dig a pit to hide in the ground. Through this pit, their families can support them. This is the so-called "China people's earthen houses". Some people shave their heads and become monks. Some people fled to the mountains to live in seclusion. Gu is another choice. He is a living survivor and can stick to his moral values.
Gu said that "the change of officials may lead to one death or more deaths", and immortality, or immortality, may be more important than death. It's easy to die, but you have to endure all kinds of hardships to survive. To live is to live first, and there is a question of continuity. This is not only a continuation of life, but also a continuation of spiritual value. We should bear all kinds of moral and social responsibilities.
At that time, the simplest choice people faced at first was to keep their hair and shave it off. Said: "I have hair on my body, and my parents are afraid of hurting it." The beginning of filial piety. However, Gu felt that shaving was acceptable and should be accepted. Because he thinks that "my husband is ambitious, and one paragraph has also been taken away by Xi", this is a big paragraph and a short paragraph. It doesn't matter whether he can save his life or provide himself with a better living environment.
Another option is to associate with people. You can hide in the mountains and live with animals and plants every day. But as long as you live in real life, you have to associate with ordinary people, especially officials. So what should we do? Chose communication. The most interesting relationship is between him and his nephew.
Gu's sister married a man named Xu and gave birth to several children. Xu Shi's brothers are all excellent, so Xu, Xu, they all won the highest prize and the flower detection prize. Later, they all became scholars and ministers. Gu didn't associate with them at first, and later didn't avoid suspicion, but with the Xu three brothers. When I arrived in Beijing, I stayed at Brother Xu's house many times. He also wrote many letters to the Xu Shi brothers and even moralized their political behavior. Because he is an old man, he is often told how to be an official, with special emphasis on upholding and spreading morality. In his later years, Xu's three brothers built a villa for Gu and invited him back to his hometown in Kunshan. As Gu wandered around in his later years, especially in Shanxi, his nephew wanted him to return to his hometown, but he resolutely refused. Why? Or stick to his moral stance, because once he returned to his hometown, he asked several generations of young people to support him, which he felt was detrimental to his political integrity. This is Gu's caution and stubbornness.
With the collapse of Nanming, Gu vowed to "devote himself to the history of Confucian classics" and protect and inherit the seeds of civilization.
Gu is not only the choice of living circumstances, but also the choice of behavior. Since I was 50 years old, I have devoted myself to the historical study of Confucian classics.
He said that before middle age, I was not much different from all law teachers, but after middle age, especially after 50 years old, I would specialize in "Six Classics of Sages, the source of national chaos and the fundamental plan of people's livelihood". I want to think about these core cultural propositions.
So why did this change happen? This is related to a major political event when he was fifty years old, which was 1662 in the first year of Kangxi. After Emperor Chongzhen committed suicide, the Ming Dynasty entered the so-called Nanming, that is, south of the Yangtze River, and successively established several exiled regimes. Zhu Youlang, the last emperor of Nanming, was captured in December last year and died in April this year. Before that, you can clear your eyes. After all, there is a government in exile. Now, it is impossible to carry out political anti-Qing restoration. So what should we do now? In March this year, Gu came to Nanjing Xiaoling to cry and made a new cultural choice of "dedicating himself to history".
It is Gu's consistent thought to look down on people who call themselves "literati", or at least his distinctive thought after the demise of 1644 Ming Dynasty. After the demise of the Ming Dynasty, Gu almost burned all his poems before he was 33 years old. So all the ancient works we can see now are his works after the age of 33. He is from Kunshan, Jiangsu. There is a local proverb called "Go back to strangers and take care of strangers". Zhuang and Gu are both eccentric and crazy people. So we can still know Gui Qi, because Gui Zhuang's works are still preserved in the late Ming Dynasty. But we can't see "Gu Guai" clearly, because it is not surprising that Gu is honest, frank and stubborn after entering the DPRK. What we are seeing now is basically a very rigorous and rigid scholar image.
Since the Tang and Song Dynasties, Gu has repeatedly belittled the so-called "literati", calling them "ignorant of classics, ancient and modern", and "The Way of Japan", volume 19, "countless literati". He agreed with Herry Liu in Song Dynasty: "A scholar must first learn the knowledge of musical instruments. He will be a lifelong scholar, but he has no idea." "Qi" is mainly a kind of education, a kind of personality, and "knowledge" is a kind of practice and an ethical insistence. The difference between "scholar" and "scholar" is reflected in his own behavior.
After the age of 50, Gu played down the identity of political survivors and strengthened the identity of cultural survivors. He is more accessible in the real world and has more contacts with Qing government officials, especially the Xu brothers. However, followers of culture are more strict and conscious. He put forward an ideal. He said, "If you dare not praise the bird's nest, praise it as good. After being poor, the king will die. " When Chao Fu, Xu You and others changed dynasties, they fled to the mountains to live in seclusion. What should I do? As the "king after poverty", people expect to use my knowledge, the civilization I adhere to and the innovative civilization in the future. It is not ordinary poverty, but a very clear political and cultural pursuit, which is what he called "saving lives and saving lives for world peace." He "died without regret" for this responsibility. So he chose to write a book, saying that he would "hide the famous mountains and wait for those needs to kill the world"; When there is a king, he will do so, so that he can successfully govern ancient times.
This is Gu's realistic understanding. He thinks that the current rulers and ministers can't do it, but maybe someone can do it in the future. So who will be in the future? Is there an ideal model? That's great. He talked about Wen Zhongzi and Emperor Taizong. Wen Zhongzi is Wang Tong, a scholar in the Sui Dynasty. Wang Tong's scholarship is the product of the combination of Confucianism and Taoism, which has just become the basis of academic thought management in the Tang Dynasty. Yanwu is proud of wangtong. A prominent feature of Wang Tong is that many of his students later became famous ministers who assisted Emperor Taizong, such as Fang and Du Ruhui. Wang is not only an academic thought, but also a political strategy. Gu is also pursuing this. In Gu's mind, a monarch like Emperor Taizong is a "late monarch" and a "wise monarch".
Gu's pursuit embodies the existence and immortality of capital "human".