According to official practice, the Spring Festival, Dragon Boat Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival, as well as the birthdays of officials themselves and their wives, are called "three festivals and two birthdays" and must be celebrated solemnly. Officials naturally enjoy it and take the opportunity to collect money.

Zuo has always been honest and self-sustaining, and even refused to accept gifts from subordinates. How can he use his birthday as a tool to collect money? So he said hello a few days before his birthday, making it clear that he would not celebrate his birthday. Zuo's subordinates, knowing Zuo's character, dared not offend him, so they didn't mention their birthdays.

Only Wu, the head of Gansu Lanshan Academy, felt Zuo's great contribution to Gansu and wanted to celebrate his birthday.

Wu, a native of Lanzhou, Gansu Province, was born in 18 12. He is a scholar with great personality. At the age of 23, he took the exam and then went to Beijing to take the exam. At that time, those who went to Beijing to take the exam had money to live in an inn but no money to live in a guild hall, but Wu was different. He lived in a brothel in Shaanxi Lane, so he was ridiculed as "Wu Dapiao".

1850, Wu finally passed the Jinshi exam and was assigned to the Ministry of Punishment as the principal. Because he has no family background, no money, and doesn't want to curry favor with powerful people, he is still a poor Beijing official ten years later. It wasn't until 1872 that he made up the Henan road to supervise the empire and became a famous minister.

Wu Keke did two things after becoming an empire, which caused a sensation.

First, at that time, ministers were arguing endlessly about the etiquette for foreign envoys to meet the Emperor Tongzhi. Wu Ke read a memorial titled "Don't blame the envoys for bowing down". Wu Keke quoted Mencius as saying: "What is the difficulty between a gentleman and an animal?" He said that he should not be as knowledgeable as an animal (foreigner). What's more, "bowing down is not enough to be proud of the court; "It is a shame for the imperial court to let him not kneel or worship." For foreigners who don't know the three cardinal guides and the five permanent members, even if they bow down, it is not the honor of the imperial court; Even if you don't kneel or worship, it's not a disgrace to the court.

Therefore, the court accepted Wu's suggestion, allowing foreign ministers to meet with Emperor Tongzhi without kneeling and kowtowing.

Second, Lu Cheng, the magistrate of Urumqi, did not dare to resist the Russian invasion, but his soldiers falsely killed more than 200 good people and demanded rewards. After reading a letter from a fellow villager in Gansu, Wu Ke reported to the court and impeached Lu Cheng, who was dismissed for investigation. However, Emperor Tongzhi intended to protect Lu Cheng, and changed from beheading to supervising the country. The people were extremely indignant and went to the mansion again: "Please behead Lu Xie Ganmin, and then behead the minister."

Emperor Tongzhi was furious and wanted to kill Wu. Fortunately, Wang, a young woman from Dali Temple, pushed aside the crowd and refused to make an oath, saving Wu's life. Wu was demoted to three levels and returned to his hometown in Gansu. Zuo knew that he was a talented person and was hired as the head of country-specific ones.

Wu is closely related to Zuo. He knew that after he came to Gansu, he worked hard and loved the people and did a lot of practical things for the people's livelihood. He sent a couplet: "The articles of the ages have contributed; "The two dynasties celebrated the opening of economy and offered sacrifices."

In the first couplet, Wu praised Zuo for his excellent writing, which can be listed in books such as Spring and Autumn Annals written by Confucius. In the second couplet, Wu Keke praised Zuo for his great contribution in Xianfeng and Tongzhi periods, and he should celebrate his 64th birthday. "The Opening of Classics in the Two Dynasties" comes from Du Fu's poem "Shu Xiang", which comes down in one continuous line with Zuo Zibi Zhuge Liang.

Reading through the Shoulian, he not only summed up Zuo's life achievements in concise language, but also spoke highly of it. Life couplets are a rare pair, and they are well chosen and well balanced. No wonder Zuo likes them very much.

Zuo was overjoyed when he read this couplet, and immediately passed it on to the officials for appreciation: "Don't lose this good couplet." With Zuo's acquiescence, subordinate officials celebrated Zuo's birthday with great fanfare, and everyone was very happy.

References:

Draft of the History of Qing Dynasty, Loyal Minister Wu, Foreign Servant of Qing Palace, etc.