An Eternal Fan Zhongyan Author: Liang Heng

Qingzhou, Shandong Province is one of the oldest administrative regions in China. After Dayu controlled the floods, he divided China into nine states, namely Qingzhou, which is recorded on the Yu tribute map. Nowadays, when people come to Qingzhou, they mainly do two things. One is to go up the mountain to pay homage to Fan Zhongyan, and the other is to pay homage to Fan Zhongyan in the city.

Five miles south of Qingzhou City, there is a mountain named Yunmen Mountain. Looking from the foot of the mountain to the top of the mountain, there is a faint word "Shou" on the cliff. This is the miracle that people want to see. This is the largest longevity character in the world, and it is a masterpiece of calligraphy. Japanese calligraphy experts often come across the sea to worship it. This is the moment when King Heng of Qingzhou celebrated his birthday in the 39th year of Jiajing reign in the Ming Dynasty. It has been four hundred years since then. There was still snow on the mountain, and I looked at this miracle carefully in the cool spring breeze. This character is 7.5 meters high and 3.7 meters wide. I don’t know how it was written or carved in the first place, but it still retains the structure and the meaning of the strokes. King Heng created miracles, but his purpose at the time was not for art. Just like the Wei stele unearthed from the ancient tomb, which we regard as a masterpiece of calligraphy today, it was just an ordinary stone next to the deceased.

King Heng carved words in the hope that he would live a hundred years, and at the same time, he also showed the prestige of the Huang clan to the common people. However, a few generations later, Prince Heng's mansion was ransacked, his life could not last forever, and his prestige had long been destroyed by wind and rain. On the contrary, this artistically valuable word longevity has lived up to this day. I recall that Dayu controlled the floods and diverted them eastward from here to the sea, so that the world could be saved from the flooding, and Qingzhou was established. From then on, men farmed and women weaved, and people here thrived from generation to generation. Fan Zhongyan once came here to serve as an official, Li Qingzhao once lived in seclusion here, and King Heng ruled his own little world here. People are busy carving words on the cliffs, digging caves and making statues on this rocky mountain. Only this mountain is silent. I think that when the God of Yunmen Mountain looked at the King Heng who spent money to carve words and paid his respects to pray for longevity, he must have snorted contemptuously and continued to meditate. I walked around the mountain, looking at these relics from the Tang Dynasty to the Ming Dynasty, and looking at the clouds and mist lingering at the foot of the mountain. I was really proud of Yunmen Mountain. It defied the wind and rain and resisted thunder and lightning. It has been vast for thousands of years. Lin Zexu said that the mountain stands: "The wall stands thousands of feet tall." "Without desires, one is strong." It has no desires and will exist in the world forever.

Come down from the mountain and go to the west of Qingzhou City to visit Fan Gong Temple. This was built in memory of Fan Zhongyan, a famous minister of the Northern Song Dynasty, and has been popular for thousands of years. This temple is not big, about the size of two basketball courts. There is a well in the center of the courtyard, named Fan Gong Well, which is said to have been built by Fan Zhongyan. The water from this well is unusual, with a clear and refreshing taste. It is said that Duke Fan Zhongyan used this water to prepare a kind of "Qingzhou White Pill", which was very effective in curing chronic diseases of the people. Like a lover's token, this well has become a support for future generations to remember Fan Gong. There is a poem from the Song Dynasty: "The sweetness has been absorbed endlessly, just like Xiwen's past heart." (Fan Zhongyan's courtesy name is Xiwen) Now the water in this well is as clear as a mirror. There is an ancestral hall in the east, with a statue of Fan Gong and murals about his life. The left and right sides of the ancestral hall are dedicated to Ouyang Xiu and Fu Bi, who were the presiding officers when the Qingli New Deal was implemented. There is a bamboo forest in the south of the courtyard, with thousands of green bamboo poles, showing the beautiful spirit of the earth. There is a stele gallery behind the bamboo, in which Fan Gong's famous text "The Story of Yueyang Tower" is engraved. There are three ancient trees in the center of the courtyard, which are catalpa trees of Tang Dynasty and locust tree of Song Dynasty. This shows how old this temple is. To the north of the tree is a couplet written in official script by General Feng Yuxiang: "Soldiers with rich hearts, even if they teach them how to ride and fly, they are still afraid of that old man Fan. I am optimistic about the world. I hope that today's people will work hard and be inspired, and learn from this scholar." Two sentences accurately summarize Fan Gong's life. Fan Zhongyan lost his father when he was young and his family was poor. He studied hard and got up early to cook a small pot of porridge. After the porridge was cool, he divided it into four pieces. This was his meal for the day. Later, he won the imperial examination and was awarded the bachelor's degree of Longtuge. He was honest in government and strived for innovation. Later, Xixia invaded frequently, and there were no military talents in the court. As a civilian official, he commanded the troops to guard the border and made great enemies of the invaders. The people of Xixia exclaimed that "he has millions of powerful soldiers in his chest", and the border people respectfully called him "Longtu Laozi". Even the emperor looked at the map and said, "With Zhongyan here, I won't have to worry about anything." Later, he was transferred back to the court to preside over the reforms of the Qingli New Deal, vigorously eradicating the old and making new plans, and frequently transferred him to various places to take charge of local politics. of innovation. No matter in frontier defense, in court, or in local areas, he was always "worried when advancing, and worried when retreating." His concern for the country and his people is as blazing as a flame. Fan Zhongyan was a politician like Zhuge Liang and Zhou Enlai. His life was mainly about practice. He devoted himself to doing it according to his own way of conducting business and governing the country. He devoted all his talents to handling specific government and military affairs. He was not interested in writing literary works. . It’s not that I don’t have talent, it’s that I don’t have time. In the third year of Huangyou (1051), Fan Zhongyan went to Qingzhou to serve as the prefect. This was the last stop of his official career and life journey. He died of illness the next year. "The Story of Yueyang Tower" was written seven years before his death when he was transferred from the front line to the mainland due to illness. Just like "The Master", this is a late work of a great man and the crystallization of his life's thoughts. I can imagine how an old man would wander anxiously in this small courtyard, under the well pavilion, and in the bamboo forest, blaming himself, asking for help, and worrying about the country and the people. He recalled the life of guarding the border where "when people are sleepless, the generals' gray hairs and husbands' tears"; he recalled the hardships of "living above the temple" and working diligently with the emperor; he recalled the disaster relief and food distribution and the suffering of civilians he saw, and he concluded The sages of the past dynasties and their own political experiences throughout their lives finally sighed: "Be worried about the world's worries first, and be happy after the world's happiness." This sigh of great enlightenment is as deep and deep as the sound of bells in a famous temple, shocking the world. This great sigh lasted for thousands of years, inspiring many people with lofty ideals and benevolent people, and correcting many officials.

"The Story of Yueyang Tower" was not written on the Yueyang Tower, and the grand view of Dongting Lake was not in front of Mr. Wang at that time. It can be said that this is a work that borrows the topic. Fan Gong poured out his understanding of life and society, the political waves he experienced, the ups and downs of thoughts in his chest, and the myriad phenomena of Dongting Lake, but then suddenly stopped, summing up this famous saying , turns into a rainbow, spans the sky, and shines for thousands of years.

The spring breeze blows the new branches of Catalpa and Sophora japonica, and the green bamboo swings its green leaves. This ancient temple has entered a new year in the long river of time. Fan Gong sat in the temple, silently enjoying the spring scenery in the courtyard. I wandered in the courtyard, looking at the statues of Fan Gong, Ouyang Gong and Fu Gong, and meditating on the thousands of years of ancient history. How many officials have such positions as them, how many people are as diligent as them in managing affairs, but why? Only Fan Zhongyan can teach people to remember for thousands of years and never forget? I think that hard practice and honest sacrifice are not enough for individuals. These can only die with life and can only be understood by contemporaries. More importantly, he must be able to create a spirit and refine an idea that is in line with the people's hearts and the laws of history. It is the famous saying "Be worried about the world's worries first, and be happy after the world's happiness". It is this kind of progressive optimism that makes Fan Zhongyan eternal.

Fan Zhongyan, a politician and writer of the Song Dynasty, expressed his political ideal of "worrying about the world's worries first, and rejoicing after the world's happiness" in his article "Yueyang Tower". For nearly a thousand years, this motto has been influencing and educating future generations.

"Be concerned about the world's worries first, and be happy after the world's happiness" means putting the interests of the country and the nation first, worrying about the future and destiny of the motherland, and sharing the happiness of the people in the world. Sweat and bleed. In history, Wen Tianxiang disregarded his personal life when the country was in danger. He knew that the odds were against him and thought that "the country is here", so he resolutely went to negotiate with the Yuan army. After being arrested, he broke away from the enemy's clutches several times in the hope of regrouping and regaining the country. Song Jiangshan demonstrated this spirit; at the Lushan Conference in 1958, Marshal Peng Dehuai risked his official position and life to reflect the public sentiment and tell the truth. He worried about the people, worried about the people, and spoke loudly for the people. Even though he was dismissed from office, he remained unswerving in his determination. He truly cared about the people and devoted himself to the people.

The contradiction between national interests and personal desires has been torturing everyone's soul from ancient times to the present. "Be worried about the world's worries first, and be happy after the world's happiness." People with this kind of worry and optimism have lofty ideals, noble spirits, pursue the truth, regard the revitalization of the country and the nation as their own responsibility, breathe with the people, and fight for their destiny. . Aren't Wen Tianxiang and Peng Dehuai such extraordinary people? On the contrary, some people cannot withstand the temptation of material desires, enjoy temporary pleasure, are greedy for their own interests, and ignore the interests of the country and the people. They are obsessed with evil spirits, have ugly souls, and behave Dirty and committed crimes that harmed the interests of the country and the people. Cheng Kejie, the former chairman of the Guangxi Autonomous Region, ordered the land sales price to be lowered in order to obtain more "facilitation fees" for himself, causing the country to suffer huge economic losses. In his eyes and heart, how can there be a place for "people in the world"? Only himself!

"Be worried about the world's worries first, and be happy after the world's happiness" is a reflection of a person's world view. To truly achieve this, we must strengthen moral cultivation, cultivate our own sentiments, learn from national heroes and people with lofty ideals in the past, and absorb their spiritual nourishment. In today's era of reform and opening up, the outside world is so wonderful, and all kinds of temptations come one after another. This requires us, especially leading cadres, to guard our spiritual homeland and always remember that the power in our hands is given by the people and represents the people. We are the public servants of the people. We must take our time and enjoy ourselves. We must not forget our worries, let alone act recklessly. Spending money, embezzling and accepting bribes, enriching one's own pockets for one's own pleasure, causing worries to the people and the country

"The Story of Yueyang Tower" is a story about Fan Zhongyan, a politician and writer in the Northern Song Dynasty who failed to implement the Qingli New Deal and was demoted to Deng, Henan. It was written for Teng Zijing to rebuild the Yueyang Tower during the Zhou Dynasty. Teng Zijing, named Zongliang, was a Jinshi scholar in the same year as Fan Zhongyan, and they had a very good relationship. Before Fan Zhongyan was relegated to Dengzhou, Teng was demoted to Yueyang. The two were in a similar situation. Therefore, Fan Zhongyan took advantage of Teng Zijing's request for him to write notes for Yueyang Tower, and expressed his attitude towards life in the article: regardless of personal gains and losses, he must "first Worry when the world is worried, and be happy when the world is happy." This was used to encourage Teng Zijing, and at the same time, he encouraged himself. Although the article was written for the reconstruction of Yueyang Tower, the author did not specify the scale of the reconstruction process, and it was not just about describing scenes and emotions, but about The focus is on expressing one's political opinions and lofty ambitions.

The reason why "The Story of Yueyang Tower" has become a famous masterpiece praised by all ages is mainly because the author put forward the ideological proposition of "worrying about the world's worries first, and rejoicing after the world's happiness". As a scholar-bureaucrat in the feudal era, having such a broad mind was not only commendable, but also represented to a certain extent the people's demands for enlightened politics and democratic politics, and the political ideals of progressive bureaucrats and intellectuals in ancient my country. Fan Zhongyan was once a prominent figure on the political stage of the Northern Song Dynasty. He once proposed ten reform plans to the emperor, including reducing taxes, rectifying military equipment, and selecting talents. He also led troops in the northwest region to resist the invasion of the Xixia regime established by the party nobles, and played an important role in stabilizing the western region and reconciling ethnic relations. In the third year of Qingli Dynasty (1043), he was appointed as "participant in political affairs" (equivalent to deputy prime minister). He was fifty-seven years old when he was demoted to an ordinary magistrate. The ups and downs of his official career and the dangers of people's hearts, especially the failure of Qingli's New Deal, caused him to suffer a devastating blow.

He knew that it was difficult for a small local official to make a comeback. Therefore, when he praised Teng Zijing's outstanding political achievements, he could not help but reveal his ambivalence about being demoted and having an unforgettable state affairs. Throughout the ages, how many people have become discouraged and depressed under such circumstances. However, Fan Zhongyan did not lament about his old age, nor was he overwhelmed by the bumpy fate. He was always strong and strong, and he never lost the opportunity to seize the opportunity. Teng Zijing gave him the opportunity to express his feelings for Yueyang Tower. Comrade Fan Zhongyan's positive and enterprising outlook on life and his concern for the country and the people are truly admirable.