The wisdom of I Ching

Chapter 108 You Can't Go Back on What You Say in Being a Man——Don't Persevere in Your Virtue, or Bear in Your Shame;

【Original Code】

Nine three, do not persevere in virtue, or inherit shame; chaste and stingy.

"Xiang" said: If you don't keep your virtue, you can't tolerate it.

—— "Book of Changes Heng"

【Interpretation】

"Heng" hexagram nine and three lines say: If you can't maintain your virtue, you will inevitably suffer shame; if you ask a divination, you will get a sign of difficulty.

"Xiang Ci" says: If one cannot maintain one's virtue, is capricious, and is trusted by no one, one must not be tolerated by heaven and earth or by others.

Hexagram Nine and Three Lines of "Heng" warns us: In dealing with people, if you blindly pursue your own self-interest, become capricious, and lose the basic morals of being a human being, you will inevitably suffer humiliation and regret for life.In life, if you do not have the perseverance to do one thing, if you always repeat it, it will be difficult to gain a foothold, and there will be no good results in the end.Mutual suspicion among friends, distrust among colleagues, no standard, no central point, and no goal for one's own life, so it cannot be tolerated anywhere.The result is not that the outside world can't tolerate him, but that I can't tolerate myself, and only I can bear the consequences of being ashamed.

【Category】

Story [-]: Tao Zhugong’s eldest son turned his back on his promise

Tao Zhugong Fan Li's second son was imprisoned by the state of Chu for murder.Tao Zhugong said: "It is right to kill people for their lives, but I heard that if there is a family with a thousand pieces of gold, its son can not be executed in the city."

But the eldest son insisted on going, and said: "My father didn't let me go but let my younger brother go. He must think I'm an unworthy son." As he said that, he wanted to commit suicide.Seeing this, Madam urged Tao Zhugong again and again.Tao Zhugong had no choice but to let his eldest son go and enclose a letter, asking him to hand it over to his old friend Zhuang Sheng.And said to the eldest son: "Give me the gift money, and then everything is up to the guest, don't argue with him."

The eldest son did as his father asked.After seeing Zhuang Sheng, Zhuang Sheng said to him, "Go back quickly, don't stay here any longer.

Even if your brother is released, don't ask why. "The eldest son did not go back according to Zhuang Sheng's order, but secretly lived with the nobles of Chu. Although Zhuang Sheng was poor, he was honest and upright. All the ministers below the king of Chu regarded him as a teacher and respected him very much. Tao Zhu Zhuang Sheng had no intention of accepting the gift of a thousand pieces of gold from the Duke, and originally wanted to return it to Fan Li after the matter was completed, as a proof of keeping it. However, Tao Zhugong's eldest son did not understand his good intentions.

One day, Zhuang Sheng found a reason to have an audience with the King of Chu, saying that the stars in the sky showed that something would be detrimental to the state of Chu, which could only be eliminated by means of "great kindness".The king of Chu always trusted Zhuang Sheng, so he prepared to pardon the world.

The nobleman of Chu told Tao Zhugong's eldest son the good news.Unexpectedly, the eldest son thought that the younger brother would also be released during the amnesty, and the daughter would be given to Zhuang Sheng for nothing.So he went to see Zhuang Sheng again, and Zhuang Sheng asked in amazement, "Why haven't you left here yet?" Tao Zhugong's eldest son said, "My brother will be pardoned today, so I come here to say goodbye." Zhuang Sheng understood what he meant, Just give him the money and let him bring it back.

Zhuang Sheng felt a great humiliation when he was tricked by the eldest son of Duke Tao Zhu, so he went to the king of Chu again and said: "The king of Chu's amnesty is for the sake of cultivating virtue. But the people of Chu state say that the rich man Tao Zhu in Taodi The Duke’s son killed someone and was imprisoned in Chu, and their family used money to bribe people around the King of Chu, so the King of Chu’s amnesty was not for the people of Chu, but for the son of Tao Zhugong.”

The king of Chu was furious after hearing this, and ordered Tao Zhugong's son to be beheaded immediately, and then issued an amnesty order.

The reason why Tao Zhugong's eldest son failed to save his younger brother was because he was stingy with money and took back the gifts he had given, which turned everything he had done into evil results.This kind of behavior itself constituted an injury to Zhuang Sheng, making him feel that he was insulted in terms of personality, dignity and ability to do things.It can be seen that the hypocrisy of going back on one's word will not bring benefits to others or oneself, and it is all undesirable.

Story [-]: The reason why Liu Bei did not save Lu Bu

At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, feudal separatist forces rose up and waged wars with each other for power and profit.Lv Bu, who is brave and good at fighting, first worshiped Ding Yuan, governor of Jingzhou, as his adoptive father, and Ding Yuan treated Lv Bu like his own son.But Lu Bu was brave and foolish, with extremely poor moral character. In order to covet fame and wealth, he was instigated by Li Su, a fellow villager, and decided to join Dong Zhuo.

That night, Lu Bu entered Ding Yuan's camp with a knife and killed Ding Yuan.The next day, he took Ding Yuan's head and defected to Dong Zhuo, and even worshiped Dong Zhuo as his foster father.Later, Lu Bu fell into the trap of Diaochan and Situ Wangyun, and stabbed his adoptive father Dong Zhuo to death with a halberd.

In the second year of Xingping in the Eastern Han Dynasty, after Lu Bu and Cao Cao failed to compete for Yanzhou, he fled to Xiapi and joined Liu Bei.Liu Bei accepted him kindly and settled him in Peicheng.Unexpectedly, when Liu Bei was resisting Yuan Shu's attack, Lu Bu, under Yuan Shu's instigation, attacked Liu Bei's Xiapi, called himself Xuzhou Mu, and drove Liu Bei to Xiaopei instead.

In the third year of Jian'an in the Eastern Han Dynasty, Lu Bu and Yuan Shu united again to attack Liu Bei who was stationed in Peicheng.Liu Bei was a few major generals, and he knew that he was no match for Lu and Yuan, so he hurriedly sent someone to ask Cao Cao for help.

Cao Cao originally planned to defeat Lu Bu, but this time when he saw Liu Bei calling for help, he first sent General Xia Houchun to lead his army to rescue him.When Cao Cao rescued his troops and arrived in Peicheng, he was not able to gain a firm foothold. He was defeated by Gao Shun, a general under Lu Bu, and Xia Houchun was shot in the left eye by a stray arrow.When Cao Cao heard that Xiahou Chun was defeated, he immediately led his army to attack Lu Bu.

When Lü Bu learned that Cao Cao's army had arrived, he was very worried. Chen Gong advised: "Cao Cao came from a long way, and it will not last long. If the general leads troops to camp outside the city, I will stick to the city, cooperate with each other, and wait until Cao's food is exhausted." At that time, we will attack Cao's army from both inside and outside, without a doubt." Lu Bu decided to follow the plan.

The two armies had been at each other for a long time, Cao Cao wanted to retreat, and his counselor Guo Jia advised him: "Lü Bu is brave but has no strategy. Heart. Although Chen Gong is very resourceful, but his foresight is slow, and his plan is uncertain. Our army hastened the emergency attack, and the city can be taken." Cao Cao adopted this plan, led Yishui, swam to irrigate the city, and Xiapi soaked in the water for more than a month. .

Lu Bu no longer had the will to fight, so he drank alcohol every day to relieve his worries, and beat the soldiers at every turn.Lu Bu's tyranny finally provoked a mutiny, and Gao Shun also surrendered to Cao's army.Lu Bu had no choice but to surrender to Cao Cao.Lu Bu saw Cao Cao and said loudly:
"From now on, the world will be settled." Cao Cao said: "Why?" Lu Bu replied cheekily: "Ming Gong is most worried about me, Lu Bu, and now I have surrendered. If you let me lead the cavalry, you lead the infantry If so, can the world be uncertain?" Cao Cao wanted to surrender Lu Bu, so he asked Liu Bei how to deal with it.Liu Bei said: "Duke Ming will not be ignorant of Ding Yuan and Dong Zhuo's fate?"

Cao Cao knew that Lu Bu worshiped Ding and Dong as adoptive fathers successively, and then killed them, so he nodded in agreement, and immediately ordered Lu Bu to be hanged to death.

Lv Bu was gullible, scheming, capricious, and he didn't have enough integrity in dealing with others. In the end, he could only end up being killed.

Story [-]: Ji Wen stepped on two boats

During the Tianbao reign of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, Li Linfu, Yang Guozhong, and An Lushan fought and fought each other for power and profit.Some despicable villains came out at the right time, which intensified the sharp contradictions within the Datang ruling group and the increasingly chaotic political situation.Ji Wen is one of the ugliest performers.

Ji Wen has always had the notorious reputation of "fawning on noble officials, as if children serve their fathers and brothers".In the early years of Tianbao, Ji Wen served as the county captain of Wannian, and the private house of the great eunuch Gao Lishi was within his jurisdiction.As long as he goes back every time, Ji Wen must go to his mansion to pay homage and visit in person, showing great hospitality.

Gao Lishi also liked him very much. The two "talked very well, shook hands and greeted each other", and "loved like relatives".Relying on Gao Lishi's relationship, Ji Wen not only resolved the old grievances with Xiao Jiong, but was also "introduced as Cao official and recommended to Lin Fu" by Xiao Jiong.

When Ji Wen attached himself to Li Linfu, it was the stage when Li Linfu "covered the sky with one hand". Together with Luo Xishuang, Ji Wen and Luo Xishuang played the role of Li Linfu's confidant and thug.

Ji Wen once expressed his loyalty to Li Linfu and said: "If you meet a confidant, the Nanshan white-fronted tiger is not enough to restrain you." He thought that following Li Linfu closely, becoming a general and becoming a prime minister is just around the corner, but he has worked hard for several years but his official position is still the same. , In desperation, the idea of ​​"changing the family and finding another backer" was born.

At that time, Yang and Li formed a situation that could not be tolerated.Seeing that Yang Guozhong was becoming more and more fortunate and promoted step by step, Ji Wen did not hesitate to "go to Lin Fu and attach him" and became a general under Yang Guozhong's subordinates.

However, Ji Wen's dependence on Yang Guozhong is different from his dependence on Li Linfu.From the very beginning, he had a heated fight with Yang Guozhong, and secretly sent "eyeballs" to An Lushan frequently, and "brothers" with An's, calling them "third brothers".In the tenth year of Tianbao, An Lushan was added as the Jiedu envoy of Hedong. Ji Wen once conspired with him and said: "If the three brothers play Wen as the prime minister, Wen will be the prime minister, and if Lin Fu is squeezed out, the two must be prime ministers." That’s it.” The feelings and relationship between the two became even closer.Therefore, An Lushan invited Xuanzong to appoint Ji Wen as the deputy envoy of Hedong Jiedu.

In the first month of Tianbao's thirteenth year, An Lushan, who had made up his mind, entered the court. In order to better play Jiwen's internal response, he asked Xuanzong to appoint Jiwen as the minister of the Ministry of military affairs, the imperial censor Zhongcheng and the fourth deputy envoy.From this, Yang Guozhong knew that Ji Wen had betrayed him, and he was annoyed and hated.Not long after Anlushan left Beijing, Yang Guozhong dismissed Ji Wen with an excuse.On the ninth day of the first lunar month in Tianbao's fourteenth year, Ji Wen was killed in prison by Yang Guozhong.

The clown who has been dreaming of being a high-ranking official all his life failed to realize his wish of becoming a general.He doesn't distinguish between right and wrong, capricious, and plays the rudder according to the wind, but in the end it leads to a fatal disaster.

【The Heart of the Book of Changes】

To be a person, you must maintain a certain degree of integrity, persevere, and be consistent.For those who have pursuits and ideals, down-to-earth is the only way to achieve their ideals.For ordinary people, if they want to live a peaceful and happy life, they also need to be down-to-earth and maintain the consistency of their virtues.

Confucius believed that "virtue" is the foundation of a person.Mencius also believed that only with virtue can success be achieved.Accumulating virtue and self-cultivation is a lifelong matter. Only by starting from small things and being kind-hearted can one achieve great things.Many examples in history of "the virtuous prosper, and the virtuous perish" are the best proofs.

(End of this chapter)