The saying "" translates to "the words and deeds are like a mirror for self-reflection."

Author: Xu Minxia
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2001-02-01
Features: Also said, "Zhigang's literary merit and moral integrity surpass others in many ways, but his nature lacks understanding of affairs and leads to mistakes, causing loyal and upright officials to be distant while treacherous and cunning ones gather around. This has led to the decline of the country. Now that he is correcting these faults, unfortunately, he has passed away, and those who are fickle will surely slander him. I believe the court should specially honor him with generous gifts to revitalize the shallow and frivolous, but I do not know what Huisu thinks?" Sima Wen Gong said, "Those who receive kindness and cannot bear to repay it must be filial children and loyal ministers." Sima Wen Gong's residence was orderly, his actions were proper, and his attire resembled that of a scholar from a humble alley. His room was simple, filled with books and scrolls, and he sat quietly all day, calm and composed. The cotton quilt he wore was a gift from Fan Shugong when he visited him. Later, when he fell ill, the Eastern Mansion ordered his coffin to be made with a deep robe, covered with this quilt, and he often composed an inscription for the cotton quilt: "The bitterness of wild vegetables, the warmth of coarse cloth; the joy of moral teachings, the dignity of virtue and righteousness. It is easy to seek, and it is peaceful to enjoy. The extravagance of brocade and silk, the delicacies of rich food; the prosperity of power and favor, the complexity of profit and desire. It is hard to obtain, but disaster and humiliation follow swiftly. To choose the easy and reject the difficult, to seek safety and avoid danger. The most foolish still know, how much more should scholars not? Yan and Li enjoyed a simple meal, becoming a model for generations. Zhou lived in the Jingtai Palace, dying as a tyrant. Gentlemen regard frugality as virtue, while petty men lose themselves in extravagance. Therefore, this humble quilt should not be overlooked!" Ding Gong was treacherous, but he also had the words of a wise man. Emperor Zhenzong often grew angry with court officials, and when he repeatedly mentioned Ding Gong, he would gradually withdraw and not answer. The emperor showed displeasure and said, "This is so unbearable!" and Ding Gong would not respond. When he was asked, "Under the thunderous anger of the emperor, if I add another word, I will be ground into powder." The emperor was pleased and accepted his words. Lu Junjian Gong served as a censor. When there were mistakes in affairs, he heard rumors and submitted complaints, but Emperor Zhenzong grew slightly weary of him. Lu Gongzhen stood before the emperor and said, "As a censor, to uphold the duty of censure is my responsibility. Your Majesty's repeated weariness of my words is not because of the empty reputation of accepting advice, but because I am merely accepting a position without merit. I feel ashamed of this and wish to be dismissed." The emperor was pleased with his loyalty and comforted him before sending him away. Later, the emperor wrote "Lu Zhi" on the palace wall. Jin Tidan served as the supervisor of salt production in Shanyang County, Cangzhou. He often took over the county's affairs. There was a prisoner convicted of murder, who should have been executed according to the law. Jin Zuo said he had doubts and, coincidentally, the prisoner spoke of his ninety-year-old mother, who was seriously ill, and wished to see her one last time before dying. Jin Zuo felt pity, released the prisoner from his bonds, and sent someone with him to his home. Later, the murderer was captured. Han Yi served as the magistrate of Yangzhou. There was a cunning man named Li Jia, who was wealthy in the village and falsely accused his brother's son of being another surname. He bribed an old woman who resembled the brother's son to identify him as his own son. He also got his sister-in-law drunk and married her, taking away all her dowry. The sister-in-law and nephew complained to the prefecture and the circuit inspector, but Li Jia bribed the officials, and the sister-in-law and nephew were beaten and forced to confess falsely, receiving lashes and leaving. This went on for over ten years. When Han Gong arrived, they again brought their complaint. Han Gong saw their injustice and examined the case records, which had never mentioned a witness from the mother's side. One day, he gathered all their associates in the court and showed them the witness, and they all confessed to their crimes, and the mother and son were reunited. Zhang Gong Kejian, styled Desheng, was appointed as the magistrate of Fenzhou. The Jin invaders captured Yanshan and advanced south, dividing their forces to raid Taiyuan. When the Jin forces attacked, with no external support, the situation grew increasingly dire. Zhang Kejian defended with all his might, not resting day or night. When Taiyuan fell, Fenzhou was in greater danger. Zhang Kejian called the military and civilians and said, "Since Taiyuan has fallen, I knew we would perish. However, I cannot bear to betray the court, shame my ancestors, and burden my descendants. I cannot end my days with this city. Only by doing so can I prove my integrity." Everyone wept and replied, "You are our parents, and we are willing to die resisting." After a month, the city fell, and when the invaders entered, Zhang Kejian wore his official robes, faced south, burned incense, and bowed, then took his own life. Eight members of his family died in the disaster. Zhang Quanyi, during the reign of the last emperor, was promoted step by step to Grand Tutor and Chancellor of the Middle Secretariat, becoming the Prince of Qi, serving for forty years. He reached the pinnacle of power, and among those who could preserve their good fortune, he was the only one. Zhang Quanyi was simple, magnanimous, and down-to-earth, focusing on fundamentals and practicality. He rose from a soldier to achieve fame and glory, not through scholarly pursuits but by enjoying the way of virtue. His family was not of the scholar class, yet he respected and loved scholars, recruiting scholars for his office and seeking those with merit and integrity. He never appointed local officials. Even as a prince, he did not wear silk and satin. He followed the teachings of Buddhism and Taoism but did not indulge in superstition. People thought these were difficult to achieve. Later, Zhao Guangfeng served as prime minister under the Later Tang. He once entrusted a gold ingot to his family. During the chaos, the Jurchen left it with others. Twenty years later, when the Jin had no place to return, they gave it to Zhang Quanyi, the Henan Prefect, who requested it be handed over to the imperial temple, as his former title was still valid. He served in the court twice and retired twice to the countryside, adhering to the five constant virtues and never deceiving in private. Scholars and officials all admired him, considering him the master of moral teachings. Zhou Fengdao, initially serving under the Later Tang, became the Premier during the Changxing period. Emperor Mingzong said to his attendants, "Fengdao is inherently frugal. When he was at Desheng Fortress, he lived in a thatched hut, sharing meals with his attendants, and slept on a bundle of straw, calm and composed. When he retired to his hometown due to his father's mourning, he farmed and gathered wood, living among the common people without any sense of superiority. He is truly a scholar and official." Fengdao served four emperors, twice entering the Middle Secretariat, holding the position of premier for over twenty years, taking it upon himself to stabilize the customs and uphold propriety. He was frugal and refused bribes from all over the country, never troubling the feudal lords with letters. In his private life, he had no luxurious furnishings, no lavish food, no concubines or servants, and no musical instruments. When scholars of humble means sought an audience, he would bring them into the main hall and speak with them about their lives. He treated them with equal respect. Therefore, even as dynasties rose and fell, no one spoke ill of him, standing firm like a mountain, unshakable. Commentators believed he had great virtue, preserved ancient traditions, and possessed a broad talent and great capacity, comparable to Han Guang, Xie An of the Jin Dynasty. Su Yugui, initially serving under the Han as a prime minister, was a sincere and virtuous elder. When the Han's founding emperor and Su Fengji shared the prime ministerial position, after Su Fengji's downfall, Su Yugui remained calm and blameless, which people considered a reward for his accumulated virtue. Scholars and officials should not compete for fame and advancement, leading to a lack of integrity and tarnishing their lives. In the past, Zhang Quhua, during the Taizu period, requested an examination and had several close friends, all renowned officials, who recommended him. Emperor Taizu became angry and asked, "How many articles do you have that are as good as Tao Gu?" He replied, "Not as good." "Dare to compare with Dou Yi?" He replied, "I dare not." "Do you dare to compare with Zhang Dan?" He hesitated and did not answer, so the emperor ordered Zhang Dan to take the exam. After the exam, his performance was better than Zhang Dan. However, Zhang Dan was his elder brother, and from then on, Zhang Quhua could never enter the court. This was due to this incident. When Lu Wenmu was dismissed as premier, Emperor Taizu said to his attendants, "Lu Mengzheng was originally a commoner, and I promoted him to be my premier. Now that he has retired to the court, he must hope to be reinstated." Liu Changyan said, "Although Lu Mengzheng rose to prominence quickly, his reputation was not unworthy. I haven't heard of his frustration. Moreover, there are many scholars in the wilderness who do not seek fame and advancement. Only those like us, who are content with official positions, are not worthy of respect." The emperor remained silent. Qian Ruoshui said, "Loyal and upright officials do not change their integrity whether they are in poverty or prosperity. Those who show loyalty to the emperor out of gratitude for his favor are the behavior of the mediocre." The emperor agreed. When Liu Changyan was dismissed, the emperor asked Zhao Meng and others, "Did Liu Changyan weep?" They replied, "He talked with us and even shed tears." Qian Ruoshui said, "Liu Changyan never shed tears; it was Zhao Meng and others who were flattering the emperor." Qian Ruoshui then reflected that the emperor treated his prime ministers so poorly, that he had never seen anyone with high integrity, ungreedy for fame and power, who could fully uphold the principles of advancement and retirement to move the emperor, and thus he decided to resign. However, the emperor passed away before this could be realized. Wang Neihan, styled Yuanzhi, was stubborn and upright, often offending powerful officials, especially eunuchs, who hated him. The emperor repeatedly summoned him to the Middle Secretariat to admonish him, but Wang Yuanzhi never changed. In the early years of the Xianping period, he helped compile the "Taizu Chronicle" and had disagreements with the prime minister. He was also dismissed for slandering officials and appointed as the magistrate of Huangzhou, composing the "Three Ostracizations" to express his intentions. The final chapter read, "To yield in body but not in principle, though exiled a hundred times, what is lost? I shall uphold righteousness and virtue and follow them for life." Wang Simen served as the assistant magistrate of Yizhou. At that time, Lu Zongdao was the assistant magistrate of the Ministry of Justice, poor and unable to support himself, with insufficient salary. He often borrowed from Wang, but it wasn't enough, so he earnestly asked Wang to lend him salary notes. Lu ruled his subordinates strictly, and the warehouse officials resented him, accusing Lu of private lending of coins and notes. The prefect and the circuit inspector jointly accused Wang, but Wang told Lu, "Blame me alone; you do not need to accept it." Wang ultimately proved that Lu was unaware of the private lending but was guilty of lending coins and notes himself. Lu deeply apologized and felt unbearable, but Wang handled it with ease, without resentment. As a result, he spent over twenty years in the civil service. Later, he was recommended for an audience by the Ministry of Personnel, and his record of merits and faults included Lu's name. At that time, Lu had already become a key figure in the court, standing in the Hall of Supreme Harmony. Emperor Renzong looked at Lu and said, "Is it you?" Lu immediately bowed in gratitude and presented the facts. The emperor sighed and said, "A long-lived scholar!" Previously, those with private faults were usually demoted to a lower rank, but thanks to this, he was not demoted and was appointed as an assistant to the Minister of Justice, rising to become a high-ranking official, serving as the magistrate of several famous prefectures, and living to the age of eighty-nine. This was also a reward for protecting the virtuous and doing good. Wang Wenzheng, when serving as premier, met with the censor Zhang Shide, who visited Wang Shanjian and said, "Zhang Shide has visited the premier's door twice but has not been seen. I fear he will be slighted, so I hope you can gently persuade him." One day, while discussing the appointment of a censor, Wang Wenzheng said, "It's a pity about Zhang Shide." Wang Shanjian asked, "Why?" Wang Wenzheng replied, "He has repeatedly spoken to the emperor about Zhang Shide being a scholar from a reputable family with virtuous conduct. Unexpectedly, he visited my door twice. As a top graduate, his advancement is already set; he should just wait quietly. If he keeps competing, what will happen to those without a chance to advance?" Wang Shanjian was just trying to persuade Zhang Shide, but Wang Wenzheng said, "Let him wait. Let Zhang Shide know so that he can be warned about greed and inspire the vulgar." Pang Zhuangmin Gong, styled Jie, served as the magistrate of Dingzhou and requested to retire. He was summoned back to the capital, but he persistently requested retirement. Some said to him, "You are still strong and healthy, and the emperor pays special attention to you. Why retire so suddenly?" He replied, "I must wait until my strength fails and the emperor tires of me, then I can leave, but that would be forced. It's not just about my feet; it's about my whole body." He submitted nine memorial tables and over twenty handwritten letters, but the court could not persuade him. After five years, he was allowed to retire as the Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince. When Lu Zhengxian left office, he was extremely strict and clean. In the court, even minor disagreements led him to withdraw without attachment. He served four emperors and took leave every year. Fu Han Gong, as the Vice Director of the Bureau of Military Affairs during the Qingli period, refused the position with great effort. He said, "Since the Liao have established peace, some argue that there is no longer a need for vigilance, and border defenses have gradually relaxed. If the Liao break the alliance, I will be held responsible to death. Not only am I unwilling to accept this, but I also hope Your Majesty will remember the humiliation of the Central Plains by foreign barbarians and remember to govern well." He requested to be dismissed in person before the emperor, but a month later, he was again appointed. At that time, the envoy of the Western Xia was visiting the court, and he waited for Lu Zhengxian to join the ranks of the Bureau of Military Affairs before sitting. The envoy Zhang Dexiang told Lu, "This is a special appointment by the court, not because of the Liao mission." Lu had no choice but to accept. Yu Gong Jing served as a censor. When Fan Wenzheng reported on state affairs, he offended high-ranking officials and was demoted to the magistrate of Ranzhou. The censors remained silent, not daring to speak. Yu alone submitted a memorial, saying, "If we become accustomed to this, we may silence the mouths of the entire nation, which must be avoided." After submitting the memorial, he was dismissed and appointed as the supervisor of the wine tax in Junzhou. Yin Gong Zhu and Ou Fu followed, submitting memorials to argue, and also criticized the censor Gao Ruonan, also being exiled to distant lands. At that time, the virtuous scholars and officials of the country lamented their departure, calling them the "Four Virtuous Scholars." Cai Xiang composed a poem, "The Four Virtuous and One Unworthy," to commemorate the event, which spread throughout the capital. Bao Xiaoshu and Lu Wenjing heard of Bao Zheng's talent and wanted to meet him. One day, in the waiting hall, they saw Bao Zheng's name in the roster and were pleased. When they returned, they learned that he lived in the same neighborhood and thought it would be convenient to visit him. Soon after, they reported that Bao Zheng had resigned from court service and was appointed as a magistrate of a county, then sent out. They were particularly impressed and immediately sent someone to recall him, recommending him for an audience and appointing him as an assistant to the censor. From then on, he was promoted. Han Gong Wei was weak and did not seek advancement, deeply devoted to learning. He was recommended as a jinshi to the Ministry of Rites but did not take the court examination due to his father's position as a high-ranking official, instead becoming the head of the General Administration of Military Affairs. After mourning his father, he did not serve for a time. Emperor Renzong was concerned about the pursuit of office by scholars and officials, telling his close attendants, "Those who retire and uphold the way should be honored and promoted, so the restless seekers will naturally know shame." Thus, the prime ministers Wen Yanbo and Song Xiang and others spoke of Han Gong's love for ancient studies and his contentment with retirement, requesting recognition to strengthen the customs. He was summoned for an examination at the Academy of Scholars but declined, and was appointed as the assistant to the Minister of Education. Chen Gongzhong, initially dismissed from office and residing in Huozhou, was sixty-nine years old. On his birthday, relatives offered congratulations, but only his nephew Chen Shixiu presented the painting "Fan Li Traveling to the Five Lakes," with the inscription: "How virtuous is Tao Zhu, subjugating Yue and Wu. Achieving fame and retiring in a boat to the Five Lakes." Chen Gongzhong was very pleased and immediately submitted his resignation. The next year, he repeatedly requested retirement and was appointed as the Minister of Works in his retirement. Liu Gong Chao never hesitated to accept promotions but declined his appointment as a reader and as a censor, as he genuinely believed that some positions were not suitable for him and did not want to accept them out of convenience, not to seek fame. Han Wei Gong often said that when gentlemen and petty men coexist, the petty man will surely lose, and the gentleman should withdraw, content with the way and free from worry. Fan Zhongxuan submitted a memorial requesting that Lu Daofang and others be pardoned and reinstated for their complaints against high-ranking officials. When Fan Zhongxuan wrote the memorial, some feared that it might anger the emperor and that he might be exiled, which was not suitable for his age. Fan Zhongxuan said, "Our family has long benefited from the country's grace, and no one spoke up for this matter. If the emperor's heart changes, it would be of great significance. If he does not agree, then being punished is no different from dying; what regret would there be?" He ordered his family to pack his belongings, waiting for the decree of exile. Fan Zhongxuan stayed in Su almost a year, always suffering from eye problems, but suddenly lost all his sight. He submitted a memorial requesting retirement. He strictly instructed his attendants not to report to the emperor, and he was demoted to the Deputy Military Commissioner of Wuan Prefecture and in Yongzhou. When the decree was issued, he accepted it calmly. Some said he was seeking fame, but he heard and sighed, "At the age of seventy, both my eyes have been lost. A journey of ten thousand miles, could this be my wish? But my love for the emperor cannot be restrained. If people avoid the suspicion of seeking fame, there will be no way to do good." Whenever his sons complained about Zhang Donggong, he would scold them. On his journey to his exile, his boat capsized, and someone helped him out, his clothes soaked. He looked at his sons and said, "Could this have been done by Zhang Donggong?" When he arrived in Yongzhou, his sons heard that Han Shaoqing Wei was exiled to Junzhou. His son told Zhang Donggong that Han Shaoqing had often disagreed with Sima Gong during his tenure as prime minister and had been spared from exile. He wanted to use the difference in their views on the tax system to request his return. He reported this to Han Gong, who said, "I appointed you based on Sima Gong's recommendation and promoted you to prime minister. It is acceptable for us to disagree in office, but you think these words today are unacceptable. It is better to be ashamed and live than to be without shame and die." His sons then stopped. Han Gong settled in Yongzhou, teaching his descendants to read books and personally supervising them until late at night. For three years in Yongzhou, he was content and at ease. Even when faced with injustice, no one could endure it as he did, nor did he ever bear anger afterward. When speaking with guests, he only discussed the sages and self-cultivation, never mentioning medicine, prescriptions, or other matters, and his demeanor became even more peaceful, as if he were in the middle of the state. Sima Yun Gong served Emperor Shenzong. Wang Anli was the Vice Director of the Right. One day, the prime ministers and the vice directors met, and there was a lament about the lack of talent. The Vice Director Pu Zongmeng said, "Half of the talent is ruined by Sima Guang's heretical theories." The emperor remained silent but stared at Pu Zongmeng for a long time, and Pu Zongmeng was terrified, not knowing how to behave. The emperor then said, "Pu Zongmeng does not accept Sima Guang? Sima Guang has not discussed anything but his refusal to take the position of Vice Director of the Bureau of Military Affairs. Since I ascended to the throne, I have only seen one person like this. Others, even if forced to leave, would not do so."