The Theory of Distinguishing Adultery

Dynasty: Song Dynasty

Author: Su Xun

Original text:

Things must come to pass , of course. Only those who are quiet in the world can see the subtleties and know them. When the moon is dim and windy, when the sky is moist and it rains, everyone knows it. The passage of human affairs, the interdependence of principles and trends, which are vast and difficult to know, and the changes are unpredictable, are these things related to the yin and yang of heaven and earth. But what is the reason for the sages who don’t know? Likes and dislikes are mixed up inside, and the benefits and harms are taken away from them!

In the past, Shan Juyuan saw Wang Yan and said: "You have misled the world. The common people must be like this man!" Guo Fenyang saw Lu Qi and said, "This man has achieved his ambition and his descendants will be like him!" From now on, the truth is clearly visible. From what I can see, Wang Yanzhi is a person who, by his appearance and words, is destined to deceive the world and steal his reputation. However, if you don't worry and don't seek, you will float and sink with things. The Jin Dynasty had no Emperor Hui and only had the middle lord. Even if it spread hundreds of thousands, why would it cause chaos in the world? Lu Qi's treachery was enough to defeat the country. However, if you have no knowledge and no literature, your appearance is not enough to impress people, your words are not enough to dazzle the world, and it is not the contempt of Dezong, how can you use it? From this point of view, it is inevitable that the material of the two princes and the two sons will be different!

Nowadays, there are people who recite the words of Confucius and Lao Lao, go on the journey of barbarians and Qi, recruit well-known people and people who have no ambitions, talk to each other and create private names, thinking that Yan Yuan and Meng Ke are coming back. But the sinister thief is sinister and has a different taste from others. It was Wang Yan and Lu Qi who became one person. How can the misfortune be exaggerated? My husband never forgets to wash away the dirt on his face, and he never forgets to wash away the dirt on his clothes. This person is extremely affectionate. This is not the case today either. The clothes worn by the ministers are the clothes of the captives. How can it be sentimental to eat the food of a dog's squirrel, and to talk about poems and books while the prisoner's head is beheaded? A person who is unkind in everything is rarely a great traitor, such as being cunning, changing his teeth, or prescribing prescriptions. In the name of the world, it can relieve its unseen troubles. Although there is a master who is willing to govern and a good person, he will still use it. Then it is inevitable and undoubted that it will be a trouble to the world, and it is not the ratio of the two sons.

Sun Tzu said: "Those who are good at using soldiers have no great achievements." If you let this person not use it, then I am exaggerating, and this person will sigh that he will not meet him. Who knew that the disaster would come to this? No. The world will suffer disaster, and I learned the name of knowing the words, sad husband!

Translation and annotation

The development of things must have a certain ending, and it is the way it should be. rules. Only those who behave calmly in the world can foresee the significant changes that will occur in the future from the subtleties. Everyone knows that a halo around the moon indicates that winds are about to blow, and that moisture on the stone pillars of a house indicates that it will rain. The development and changes of personnel, the causal relationship between emotions and situations are also vague and difficult to fully understand, and are ever-changing and unpredictable. How can they be compared with the changes of yin and yang in the heaven and earth? Even wise people are puzzled by this. . What is the reason for this? This is because love and hatred disturb their hearts, and interests affect their actions!

Once upon a time, Juyuan from Qianshan met Wang Yan and said, "In the future, I will give it to the world." It must be this person who brings disaster to the people!" Guo Fenyang saw Lu Qi and said, "Once this person succeeds, he will kill all my descendants!" Now analyze what they said. The reason is predictable. In my opinion, Wang Yanzhi is indeed qualified to deceive the world and steal his reputation in terms of appearance and conversation. But he is not jealous of others, not greedy for money, he just goes with the flow. If the Jin Dynasty did not have such a foolish emperor as Emperor Hui, even if the ruler was only a middle-level monarch, even if there were hundreds or thousands of people like Wang Yan, how could they disrupt the world? Lu Qi's treachery was indeed enough to destroy the country. . But he has no knowledge and skills, his appearance is not impressive, and his words are not enough to deceive the society. If he had not met a despicable and mediocre monarch like Dezong, how could he be reused? From this point of view, the relationship between Shan and Guo Dukes towards Wang and Lu The predictions made by the two men may not be exactly the same!

Now there are people who recite the words of Confucius and Laozi, practice the actions of Boyi and Shuqi personally, and recruit a group of people who pursue fame and have no ambition. Scholars created public opinions among themselves and advertised to each other privately, thinking that they were the reincarnations of Yan Yuan and Meng Ke. However, they were insidious and vicious, and had different interests from ordinary people. This combines Wang Yan and Lu Qi into one person. Can we finish talking about the harm he has created in society? It is human nature not to forget to wash your face when your face is dirty, and to wash your clothes when they are dirty.

Now he is not like this. He wears the clothes of a slave, eats the food of pigs and dogs, his hair is as disheveled as a prisoner, and his expression is mournful as if someone has died in the family, yet he talks about "Poetry" and "Books" there. Can this be said to be human? Do you really feel like this? Those who act inhumanely rarely become treacherous and evil people, such as those who are cunning, arrogant, and prescriptive. This person uses the power of his great reputation in the world to promote disasters that have not yet formed. Although there is a monarch who works hard to govern and a prime minister who respects talents, he will still be selected and reused. In this way, there is no doubt that he will become a scourge to the world, and this is something that not only Wang and Lu can compare with.

Sun Tzu said: "Those who are good at using soldiers have no outstanding achievements." If this person is not reused, then my words are a bit excessive, and this person will feel that his talent is not appreciated. Who could have known that the disaster would reach this point? Otherwise, the world would suffer from his disaster, and I would gain a reputation as a visionary, which would be so sad!

Comments

①Quiet person: Refers to a sage who can calmly observe the things around him and make reasonable conclusions.

②The yin and yang of heaven and earth: refers to natural phenomena. The ancients believed that there are two qi of yin and yang in nature, and the interaction between the two qi produces all kinds of natural changes.

③Sage: The old theory was that it was an allusion to Ouyang Xiu. According to historical records, Zeng Gong once recommended Wang Anshi's articles to Ouyang Xiu. Ouyang Xiu greatly appreciated it and helped Wang Anshi pass the Jinshi examination.

④ Shan Juyuan: Shan Tao (205-283), courtesy name Juyuan, was born in the early Jin Dynasty. He served as Minister of the Ministry of Personnel and was one of the "Seven Sages of the Bamboo Forest" at that time. He likes to comment on people and does not have a high opinion of Wang Yan. Wang Yan (256-311): courtesy name Yifu, born in the early Jin Dynasty, served as Shangshu Ling and Taiwei. Yan has great talents, and he often compares himself with Zigong. At that time, the kings of the Jin Dynasty were in power. He went around among the kings, only seeking self-protection, and later died in the war.

⑤Guo Fenyang: Guo Ziyi (697-781), a native of Huazhou (now part of Shaanxi) in the Tang Dynasty. He was promoted to Taiwei and Zhongshuling. He once put down the Anshi Rebellion and defeated Tubo. He was responsible for the security of the country. Ten years later, he was granted the title of Prince of Fenyang County and was known as Guo Fenyang in the world. Lu Qi: Ziliang, a native of Huazhou in the Tang Dynasty (today's Huaxian County, Henan Province). He was the prime minister of Tang Dezong at that time, plundering people's wealth and excluding dissidents. Qi is ugly and good at eloquence. He was later demoted and died in another place.

⑥忮(zhì): Jealousy.

⑦ Emperor Hui: Emperor Hui of Jin (reigned 290-306), the son of Sima Yan, the founding monarch of Jin, was famous for his dementia. When he was in power, he ignored the government affairs and lost power, which eventually led to the "Eight Kings Rebellion" and the decline of the Jin Dynasty.

⑧Dazzle (xuàn): Pass "dazzle", confusing.

⑨Dezong: Tang Dezong (reigned 780-805), a mediocre king in the late Tang Dynasty. He cut off Guo Ziyi's military power and reused Lu Qi, which led to chaos in the government.

Appreciation

Looking at the whole text of "On Discriminating Adultery" in a coherent manner, the author does have something to say about the purpose of writing, but the author does not specify the specific person he refers to. There is no need for us to conduct cumbersome verification. In terms of its conception and composition alone, this article is indeed a famous piece of ancient Chinese literature.

The author’s point of view of “seeing the subtleties and knowing the big things” has some truth. Don't underestimate small things, big things are accumulated from small things. "Beware of the subtle and prevent the gradual" has long been a famous saying regarded as a guideline by the ancients. As Wu Chucai, a man of the Qing Dynasty, said: "Knowing the writing by seeing the subtleties can be the method of observing people through the ages."

The outstanding success of this article lies in the planning of the article. The article begins by comparing celestial phenomena with human affairs, pointing out that human affairs are more difficult to grasp than celestial phenomena, and explains that this is the inevitable result of "likes and dislikes" and "interests". What you say is reasonable and there is a reason for holding it, which cannot but be approved by others. Then, through the historical comments of Shan Tao and Guo Ziyi on Wang Yan and Lu Qi, it is shown that although Shan and Guo's comments have some truth, they also have some omissions, which pave the way for the following "There are people today" . The third paragraph of this article is the part where the author devotes all his energy to venting. He describes the various manifestations of "there are people today" to his heart's content, all in one go, like a waterfall venting wildly. The sharpness of his writing and the rigor of his argument cannot but be astonishing. At the end, the author leaves room to propose two possible situations, which makes people feel the author's fair attitude.

When criticizing "some people", the author uses living habits (such as slovenliness) as an excuse for attack, which is biased. However, this slight flaw is not enough to affect the achievement of this article.