Zhuge Liang Chronicle

Author: Wu Han
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2001-10-01
Features: This book records the deeds of Zhu Yuanzhang in his life and provides commentary. Zhu Yuanzhang was born into a poor tenant farmer family and had been a traveling monk. After joining the army, he associated with scholars and literati, acquiring a scholarly demeanor and engaging in discussions about the past and present. Due to his humble origins, he feigned supernatural powers, using deities to set moral teachings. He frightened the common people and colluded with Taoist priests and Buddhist monks, fabricating many events. He could write prose, advocating that articles should be clear and straightforward, convey knowledge, and address practical matters. He was particularly knowledgeable about history. He studied the Spring and Autumn Annals and the Zuo Zhuan with Song Lian, and the Hong Fan and Jiu Zhou with Chen Nanbin. He enforced laws extremely strictly, ensuring that orders were carried out without fail, and personally oversaw every matter, with no rest or holidays. He lived a frugal life, refusing to indulge in extravagance. He possessed exceptional intelligence, excelled in strategy, saw the bigger picture, acted decisively, and readily accepted good advice without being arrogant. His appearance was not very attractive, especially in his later years, with a stern expression. He sought the help of many painters to create portraits that accurately depicted him, but none satisfied him. Later, a portrait by a Ming Dynasty painter had a somewhat similar outline, but it was only when the face showed a gentle and benevolent expression that it finally captured his likeness.