Research on Bashu Culture. Issue 1

Author: / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-05-01
Features: Earlier than Chang Qin's ancient Shu history works. According to the "Preface to the Book of Huayang" in the Huayang Guo Zhi, there were originally eight families of Shu Wang Ben Ji (Records of the Shu King) between the Han and Jin dynasties, but only Yang Xiong's Shu Wang Ben Ji, thanks to a Qing Dynasty compilation, has survived. However, it is now fragmented. The remaining seven families have all been lost (only one passage from Qiao Zhou's Shu Ben Ji cited in Pei Songzhi's annotations to the Sanguo Zhi·Shu Zhi·Qin Mi is still in existence), making it difficult to verify in detail. However, all eight families of Ben Ji were personally seen by Chang Qin and "only briefly mentioned." From the examples cited in the "Preface to the Book of Huayang," the eight Ben Ji are filled with descriptions of sorcery and immortalism, such as "the Three Emperors riding divine chariots out of the," "the Shu King reigned for three thousand years," "the death of the Jing person, whose body transformed into the west, later becoming the Shu Emperor," and "the blood of Zhou Changhong turning into jade beads, the spirit of Du Yu transforming into the." Chang Qin criticized these as "the vulgar nonsense spread about Shu." However, these events are all important aspects and key points in the history and culture of ancient Shu, and the authors of the eight Ben Ji were all renowned scholars of Bashu during the Han and Jin dynasties. This means that, during the Han and Wei-Jin periods, scholars in Shu still had a fundamentally religious understanding of ancient Shu history and culture, essentially an accumulation of categories derived from sorcery and immortalism, or an extension of religious history.
In addition to the eight Shu Ben Ji mentioned by Chang Qin, there were others who discussed ancient Shu history during the late Han and Three Kingdoms periods, such as Lai Min of the late Han and Qin Mi and Chen Shou of the Wei-Jin period. Lai Min, a guest of Liu Yan, wrote Ben Shu Lun, recording the origins of the Shu King. His book was lost early, but the Shui Jing·Jiang Shui Zhu and the Mian Shui Zhu each quoted a passage. One described the events of the Wang Di and Bi Ling, while the other recounted the story of the stone ox turning into gold, both (largely similar) to Yang Xiong's Shu Wang Ben Ji, indicating a shared origin. The account of Qin Mi has already been mentioned above. Chen Shou's work is cited in the Shui Jing·Jiang Shui Zhu, which quotes his Yibu Qixiu Zhuan, telling a story of ordinary Shu people being resurrected. These are the unrefined tales that Chang Qin criticized. However, during the Han Dynasty and the Wei-Jin period, the ancient Shu history with a lineage of immortalism was repeatedly revived and passed down among the literati of Bashu, which demonstrates that the ancient Shu cultural history system, whether in the pre-Qin or Han-Jin dynasties, was bound together by the adhesive of religion. Although Chang Qin fiercely criticized these "vulgar nonsense spread about Shu," as a native of Jiangyuan in Shu Commandery, he could not have been deeply influenced by the generations of immortalist tales in Bashu. Therefore, even when compiling the Huayang Guo Zhi, despite using the Han Shu as a standard for selection and extensively editing, the traces of immortalism's influence were still clearly visible in the book. This situation shows that, until the Wei-Jin period, Shu culture was still permeated with a strong atmosphere of sorcery and immortality, deeply infiltrating the hearts of the people of Shu, to the extent that even Chang Qin, who proclaimed orthodoxy and was known as the "Shu History," could not escape this framework, revealing the profound degree of religiousization within Shu culture.
During the Han Dynasty, various legends about sorcery were widely circulated, among the most famous of which were Changhong and his deeds. Changhong, a minister of Zhou during the late Spring and Autumn period, was renowned for his expertise in astronomy and divination. The Shiji·Tian Gong Shu calls him "a former transmitter of astronomical knowledge," and the Huainanzi·Pan Lun states: "Changhong of Zhou was the one who practiced the art of divination, understanding the qi of heaven and earth, the movements of the sun and moon, the changes of wind and rain, and the calculations of the lüli." According to the Shiji·Feng Shan Shu, Changhong possessed the art of "shooting the leopard's head" and used it to serve Zhou Lingwang. As the Zhou Dynasty weakened and the feudal lords did not come to court, Changhong thus emphasized the worship of ghosts and gods, "shooting the leopard's head," which referred to the feudal lords who did not come. He tried to attract them by imitating strange phenomena, but the feudal lords did not comply, and the people of Jin killed Changhong. The Zhou people who spoke of strange arts considered Changhong to be their origin.
The phrase "shooting the leopard's head" originated from ancient "shooting at targets," an ancient art of sorcery. The Feng Shan Shu refers to "feng" and "feng guai" as sorcery, showing that Changhong was a great sorcerer of ancient times. The great sorcerer Changhong had a close connection with Shu. The Zhuangzi·Wai Wu states: "Changhong died in Shu, and his blood was buried and turned into jade after three years." The Lüshi Chunqiu·Bi Ji says: "Changhong died, and his blood turned into jade after three years," though it does not mention Shu, the meaning is similar to the Zhuangzi. The Huayang Guo Zhi·Preface to the Book says: "The vulgar nonsense spread about Shu speaks of Zhou Changhong's blood turning into jade beads." This shows that the Shu Wang Ben Ji written during the Han Dynasty originally included the story of Changhong turning into jade in Shu. The Jinshi·Soushen Ji by Gan Bao also states: "During the reign of Zhou Lingwang, Changhong was seen and killed, and the people of Shu buried his blood, which turned into jade after three years." These records indicate that Changhong died in Shu was a widely circulated legend for about seven hundred years from the Warring States to the Wei-Jin periods. The origin and spread of this legend must have a profound historical and cultural background, which is that Shu has long been a source of sorcery and immortalism. Although some have identified Changhong's burial place as Luoyang, this is not important. Whether Changhong died in Shu or not, the Zhuangzi, along with other books that followed it, as well as the Soushen Ji which recorded ancient supernatural events, and the Shu Wang Ben Ji deeply influenced by immortalist ideas, all uniformly identify Changhong as having died in Shu. This is no coincidence. This phenomenon provides a very clear clue, stretching from antiquity to the near past, connecting the continuous development of sorcery and immortalist culture in Shu over millennia. It helps us understand that Shu was a major source of sorcery and immortalism, and is particularly helpful in understanding the historical and cultural origins and background of Ma-Shu becoming the birthplace of Taoism.
The lines "Accumulated kalpas of refinement, like refining gold, / Became king or emperor, revered by all spirits" mean that the previous life had undergone billions of kalpas, like a Taoist refining gold, and this was the reward for his hardships in the present life. Now, as the Shu Emperor, he was deeply loved and admired by the people. These lines clearly contain the vocabulary of both Buddhism and Taoism. The lines "To bring clarity to the turbid age, / To see the emperor's heart as the Buddha's heart" are Buddhist phrases. The term "baiman" in "Nine wilds' people farm vastly, / Hundred tribes' riders come swiftly" refers to the Book of Songs·Daya·Han Yi, which says: "With the ancestors' mandate, he ruled the hundred tribes, and the king granted Han Hou." These two lines are parallel, rooted in Confucian thought. The lines "For today's birthday offering, what can be compared? / Like Zhuangchun, ten thousand feet high" come from the Taoist classics. Guan Xu also wrote a set of poems for the birthday offering, totaling seven, with titles in order: Thousand Years of Auspiciousness, Cultivation of Both Literature and Martial Arts, Following Advice Like Flowing Water, Seeking and Promoting from the Margins, Guarding in the Four Borders, Greatly Promoting the Three Teachings, and Mountain Cry, Ten Thousand Years of Age. Here, two are analyzed. The Seven Poems for the Birthday of the Holy Emperor (recorded in two) state: "Cultivation of both literature and martial arts, Wu Xi and Wen Xing, always held in the palm. Sun Wu's strategies remain motionless, Zhou Shao's affairs are widely practiced. Ah, the furnace smoke is fine, the night clothes '. Also heard Kuai's melody, playing out the Great Steps' peace. The Three Teachings are bright, Buddha's sun hangs high, the sky moves with the music of Yun Shao. Scholars in gather, Línzhou's Taoists come to court. No smoke rises from jade steps, willow trees. Do you know, the old man of the field, our emperor is Yao?"
First, let's look at Cultivation of Both Literature and Martial Arts. The lines "Sun Wu's strategies remain motionless, Zhou Shao's affairs are widely practiced" refer to the art of warfare. The lines "Ah, the furnace smoke is fine, the night clothes '" describe how Wang Jian worked tirelessly to ensure the people of Shu could live and work in peace, neglecting sleep and food. The lines "Also heard Kuai's melody, playing out the Great Steps' peace" mention Kuai, a minister of Shun, as cited in the Shang Shu·Shun Dian: "The emperor said: 'Kuai, appoint you to oversee music and teach the young. You are upright yet warm, broad yet stern, firm yet without cruelty, simple yet without arrogance. Poetry expresses the mind, songs express words, the sound follows the melody, the pitch harmonizes with the sound, the eight tones harmonize without overlapping, and the spirits and people are in harmony.' Kuai replied: 'For me, striking stones and clapping them, all beasts dance in unison.'" In the Yiji, Kuai said: "Striking the ball with a gong, playing the qin and se to sing. The ancestors and guests arrived, the guests sat in their places, the feudal lords showed virtue, the lower drums and drums were stopped, the pipes and bells were interwoven, and the birds and beasts danced in harmony. The nine songs of Xiao Shao, the phoenix came in style." This means Kuai was in charge of music, teaching the noble youth poetry and music, striking stone chimes, and leading the beasts in dance. Overall, the poem describes how Wang Jian's tireless governance and love for the people brought peace and prosperity to Shu.
Next, let's look at Greatly Promoting the Three Teachings. The lines "The Three Teachings are bright, Buddha's sun hangs high, the sky moves with the music of Yun Shao" mean that "tongtong" refers to the gradually brightening appearance of the sun at dawn, saying that under the light of Buddha's sun, the music of the You Dynasty's Shao was heard. The lines "Scholars in gather, Línzhou's Taoists come to court" mean that scholars in and Taoists from Línzhou have gathered at the court to celebrate Wang Jian's birthday. The Hai Nei Shi Zhou Ji states: "Fenglinzhou is in the center of the western sea." Yu Xin wrote a poem: "Línzhou is one sea wide, Xuanpu is half the sky high." The lines "Do you know, the old man of the field, our emperor is Yao" refer to the term "jira," as Wang Chong stated in the Lunheng·Gan Xu Jian that during Yao's time, the world was harmonious, and fifty people would on the road, with onlookers saying: "Great is Yao's virtue!" The jira said: "I work from sunrise to sunset, rest at sunset, dig wells for drinking, and farm for food. What effort does Yao exert?" Greatly Promoting the Three Teachings reflects Guan Xu's social ideals, hoping that Wang Jian could revitalize the Three Teachings, allowing them to compromise and develop together, ultimately achieving the political ideal of the Three Teachings serving the ideal society.
In January 911, Shu Emperor Wang Jian changed the era to "Heping," which became the first year of the Heping era. On the first day of the second month of the second year of Heping, Wang Jian led officials and attendants to the Longhua East Zen Temple presided over by Guan Xu, as recorded in the Shu Taoguo Volume 1: "(Second year of Heping) The first day of the second month, visiting the Longhua Zen Temple. Summoning monk Guan Xu to sit, offering tea, medicine, and brocade and silk. Also ordering him to recite his recent poems. At that time, all the kings and nobles were granted seats, but Guan Xu wanted to admonish them, so he composed The Young Prince and said: 'In brocade clothes, fresh and bright, hands holding a hawk, strolling leisurely with a carefree air. Hardship of farming and reaping, all do not know, the five emperors and three sages, what are they?' Wang Jian praised it, and the nobles were resentful. Guan Xu was originally from Lanxi, skilled in poetry and renowned alongside Qi Ji, with a collection of ten volumes titled The Western Mount Collection." Lu Zhen's Jiu Guo Zhi Volume 12, Li Jingwei's Biography states: "When the imperial army entered the city, Ji Chong regretted not heeding his advice." Li Jingwei's loyalty and bravery were commendable, and his tragic death is deeply regrettable. However, if Li Jingwei's plan had been implemented, the consequences would have been unthinkable. Taking the example of the Song army destroying the Zhou regime. According to the Continuation of the Zizhi Tongjian Changbian Volume 4, the first year of Emperor Taizu's Diande era, after Zhang Wentaib was killed, the Song army still advanced into Tanzhou. The judicial officer Li Guanxiang advocated returning to the capital, but Zhou Baoquan, under the instigation of the commandant Zhang Congfu and others, conspired to resist. In the battle at Sanjiangkou, the Song army "captured over seven hundred boats and killed over four thousand." Later, the Song army attacked the Aoxi, "the bandits abandoned the fortress and fled, capturing many. Chen Yun selected dozens of fat captives and ordered his men to divide and eat them, branding the healthier ones." The army suffered heavy casualties, and the people endured great suffering. Later, Zhang Congfu was killed, and the Zhou regime ultimately failed to hold on. This proves that Sun Guangxian's insight far surpassed that of Li Jingwei and Zhang Congfu. When unification had become an irresistible historical trend, the policy of " Submitting to the Great State to Protect the Country" [55] of the Gao family of Jingnan had become ineffective. At that time, submitting land and surrendering to the court was the only choice. The Shi Guo Chunqiu Volume 101, Biography of the Minister of Court Ji Chong states well: "When the true person appeared, the four seas were unified, a natural trend. Tianquan rose, the heroes gradually faded, even without the strategy of attacking Guo and destroying Yu, could the Gao family still permanently hold this land? Sun Guangxian knew the times, which distinguished him from those who sold their country for wealth and fame." This statement aligns with the actual situation at the time. Sun Guangxian's advice for the ruler to surrender was based on Confucian principles of ruler-subject relations and the practice of his idea of the world's unification, fundamentally different from those who betrayed their country for personal gain. Even the always self-proclaimed did not criticize him. Thus, Sun Guangxian's actions were recognized by feudal orthodox historians. Jingnan's early submission followed the historical trend and accelerated the Song Dynasty's unification of China. We should highly evaluate Sun Guangxian's wise behavior in (following the trend of the times).
During the Sanhuang period, Sun Guangxian served in the Tang, Later Liang, Later Tang, Later Jin, Later Han, and Later Zhou dynasties, and in his lifetime, he finally entered the rising Song Dynasty. According to the Song Shi Volume 483, Biography of Sun Guangxian, Sun Guangxian persuaded Ji Chong to surrender to the Song Dynasty, "Emperor Taizu was very pleased and appointed Sun Guangxian as the governor of Huangzhou, with increased rewards." Huangzhou is now Huanggang City, Hubei Province, where Sun Guangxian spent the last phase of his life. The Song Shi Volume 483, Biography of Sun Guangxian, records: "Sun Guangxian also had a good reputation in the prefecture." The Shi Guo Chunqiu Volume 102, Biography of Sun Guangxian, also states: "He was also considered well-governed." The Da Qing Yitong Zhi Volume 264, Huangzhou Fu, lists Sun Guangxian as a famous official. This shows that even in his declining years, Sun Guangxian remained vigorous and benefited the people. However, the talented and capable Sun Guangxian, who had a good reputation in governing, was not valued or promoted by the new regime. It can be said that the new regime quickly forgot this "hero." In the sixth year of Diande (968), the talented Sun Guangxian died in Huangzhou at the age of about 73. Sun Guangxian's departure left endless regrets for later generations. The Zhizhai Shulu Jie Volume 11, Novelists Category states: "Someone recommended Sun Guangxian to Emperor Taizu, intending to appoint him as a scholar, but he died before being summoned." The Song Shi Volume 483, Biography of Sun Guangxian, also states: "At that time, a prime minister recommended Sun Guangxian as a scholar, but he died before being summoned." According to the Song Shi Volume 210, List of Prime Ministers, from the second month of the second year of Diande (964) to the ninth month of the ninth year of Kaibao (973), Zhao Pu served as prime minister. In the twelfth month of Diande five (968), Zhao Pu was in mourning for his mother and resumed office in the sixth month of Kaibao three (970). In the third year of Kaibao (970), Sun Guangxian had already passed away. It is unlikely that Zhao Pu recommended Sun Guangxian as a scholar after his "resumption from mourning." In the eleventh month of the sixth year of Kaibao (973), Emperor Taizu changed the era name to Kaibao, and Sun Guangxian had died before the change. Therefore, Zhao Pu's recommendation of Sun Guangxian as a scholar must have been before his "mourning," i.e., before the twelfth month of Diande five, and Sun Guangxian died shortly after. However, I believe that the claim that Emperor Taizu intended to appoint Sun Guangxian as a scholar may not be reliable. Sun Guangxian had submitted to the Song Dynasty for several years and had a good reputation in governing, so Emperor Taizu could have promoted him earlier. However, in reality, Sun Guangxian was abandoned in Huangzhou. Therefore, the claim that Emperor Taizu intended to appoint Sun Guangxian as a scholar while Sun Guangxian unfortunately died is highly questionable.
Second, the creative theory of "having a fully formed bamboo in the mind." "Having a fully formed bamboo in the mind" is a shortened form of "obtaining a bamboo in the mind," and it has become an idiom, showing its profound influence. This theory first appeared in Su Shi's Record of Wen Yu's Painting of Snowy Bamboo, which states: "When bamboo first sprouts, it is only an inch of sprout, yet it already has nodes and leaves."