Everyone is destined to die. It may be heavier than Mount Tai or lighter than a feather.

From: Sima Qian of the Western Han Dynasty's "Report to Ren An", the original text (excerpt) is as follows:

The servant has the ability to dissect the Talisman Book, and the literary and historical chronology is almost between divination and blessing. , It is the one who is teased by the master, the one who advocates the best, and the one who is underestimated by the popular customs. If a servant is ordered to be punished, it will be like losing a hair among nine oxen. How is it any different from an ant? But the world does not compare with those who can die, especially those who are poor in wisdom and sin, and cannot avoid it, so they will die. Why? This is due to the self-establishment of Su.

Everyone is destined to die. It may be heavier than Mount Tai or lighter than a feather, depending on how it is used. The Supreme Being will not be humiliated first, the body will be humiliated next, the reason and color will not be humiliated, the rhetoric will be humiliated, the body will be humiliated, the clothes will be humiliated, the rope will be locked, the Chu will be humiliated, the hair will be picked, and the gold and iron will be humiliated. , secondly the skin is destroyed, limbs are cut off and humiliated, and the last is the most extreme torture!

People who are raised as livestock by advocating excellence are despised by the world. If I am killed by the law, it will be like losing a hair on the body of a nine-year-old cow. What is the difference between me and an ant? The world will not compare my death with those of those who can be martyred. They will only think that I am incompetent and guilty, unable to escape the death penalty, and finally on the road to death! Why is this happening? This is the profession and status I have always been engaged in, which makes people think so.

Although everyone will die, some people die heavier than Mount Tai, while some people die lighter than a feather. This is because they rely on different things for survival! The most important thing for a person is not to insult his ancestors, the second is not to be insulted himself, the third is not to be insulted by other people's faces, the third is not to be insulted by other people's words, the third is not to be insulted by being tied to the ground, and the third is to put on The humiliation of prison uniforms, the humiliation of wearing shackles and handcuffs, being whipped with sticks, the humiliation of having the hair shaved and shackles on the neck, the humiliation of having the skin mutilated and amputating the body, and the lowest level is corruption. , insulting to the extreme.

Extended information:

Writing background

Ren An was the commander-in-chief of the Northern Army in the late Han Dynasty. Due to the witchcraft incident, the defendant participated in the prince's rebellion. , sentenced to death in prison. This year was the second year of Zhenghe in the Western Han Dynasty (91 BC). This year was also the time when Ma Qian of Taishi Company completed "Historical Records". As a person who was considered to be involved in the prince's rebellion, he was sentenced to death and could not be pardoned. Therefore, Ren An is bound to die.

At this time, Sima Qian remembered that a few years ago, he was close to the emperor because of his appointment as Zhongshu Ling. Ren An, who was loyal to the emperor, once wrote a letter to him, mentioning "the duty of promoting worthy scholars" and hoping that he would recommend more talents to the country in the position of Zhongshu Ling. Thinking that Ren An would die soon, Sima Qian wrote this reply to Ren An, which was several years late - a nearly 3,000-word "Letter to Ren An".

Appreciation

Condensing the content of this long letter into one word, it can be said that it actually contains the word "humiliation". Throughout the letter, Sima Qian rewrote three meanings: first: the reason for humiliation; second: the pain of humiliation; third: the reason for enduring humiliation.

Sima Qian was castrated in 99 BC because of the Li Ling incident, which angered Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty by speaking out for justice. This year has just passed five years since the first year of Taichu when Sima Qian began to write "Historical Records". Reading "Book of Bao Ren'an", we can see Sima Qian's unique outlook on life, and he also left behind many famous sayings that have been widely circulated for thousands of years, "A scholar dies for a confidant, a woman looks like someone who pleases herself", "Everyone is destined to die, and it may be more important than Mount Tai." , or lighter than a feather"; historians believe that he may be the first person in Chinese history to think deeply about the concept of life and death.

Secondly, this letter was written in November of the second year of Zhenghe. One month later, it was approaching December. The day when Sima Qian had to accompany the emperor to Yong County was approaching. I was afraid that Ren An would suddenly Something unfortunate happened during this time, because prisoners were usually executed in the winter. In fact, Sima Qian also tactfully informed Ren An that his death was approaching. It is also speculated that in this year, Sima Qian basically completed the writing of "Historical Records". "Report to Ren An" was Sima Qian's last manuscript left in the world, and there was no news about Tai Shigong after that.

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