Know all about the secrets of the harem

Chapter 27
Xishi: Xiuling is worthy of pity for concubines, but ramie is not counted as Xishi
The water is bright and sunny,
The mountains are empty and the rain is also strange.

If you want to make West Lake better than Xizi,
Light makeup is always suitable for heavy use.

This is a poem by Su Shi, a poet of the Northern Song Dynasty, in "The First Sunshine and the Later Rain on the Drinking Lake".In the poem, "Light makeup and thick smear are always suitable"

The Xizi refers to Xi Shi. She was originally a woman who washed clothes in the mountains, but she took on the important task of restoring the country.Her life was full of legends.

Xishi, named Yiguang, was born in Yueguo, Spring and Autumn Period and Warring States Period in Zhuluo Village, Linpu Zhuluo Mountain, Xiaoshan (now Linpu Zhuluo Village, Xiaoshan District, Hangzhou City).There are two villages in the east and west at the foot of Zhuluo Mountain. Xishi's family lives in the west village. Because most people in the village are surnamed Shi, they have the title "Xishi", which means a girl whose surname is Shi in the west village.

Xi Shi's father made a living by collecting and selling firewood, and her mother washed yarn. Because her family was poor, Xi Shi began to help the family with work when she was very young. She often washed yarn by the stream, so she was also called the girl who washed yarn.

Legend has it that Xishi was washing gauze by the stream, and the fish in the water felt ashamed when they saw her stunning appearance and would have sunk to the bottom of the river.This is the famous saying of "sinking fish".At that time, she never expected that she would become the protagonist of a "beauty trick" in the future and be sent to the Wu country to perform special tasks.

Xishi is a natural beauty with unsurpassed endowment, ranking first among the "Four Great Beauties" in my country. Her beauty is obvious to all. The story of "Dong Shi imitates the frown" tells that the beauty of Xi Shi is beyond the reach of others.Xi Shi is well-known for her beauty, but her body is a bit weak, and she suffers from heartache.Every time she gets sick, she frowns, covers her heart, and walks slowly. People call this posture "Xi Shi holding her heart", which shows that the sick Xi Shi is also very charming.Unfortunately, Dong Shi, an ugly girl in the East Village, found out about this, so she also walked like Xi Shi, but she walked very ugly, much uglier than her usual appearance, and became a joke for everyone.

At the end of the Spring and Autumn Period, all the vassal states ruled the roost, and the Wu State and the Yue State went to war. As a result, the Yue Army was defeated.Fu Chai, the king of Wu, refused to listen to the advice of the doctor Wu Zixu to "kill Goujian to avoid future troubles", but he accepted the proposal of the powerful officials bribed by the King of Yue and allowed the Yue Kingdom to surrender.He imprisoned Goujian and his wife and Fan Li, a doctor of Yue State, in Huqiu, Gusu, and raised horses for Fucha.Goujian and his ministers endured the humiliation and pretended to be very obedient. Fu Chai thought they had surrendered sincerely, so he sent them back to Yue State three years later.

After Gou Jian returned to Yue State safely, he was determined to restore the country.After "ten years of gathering together and ten years of lessons", Yue State gradually became stronger and determined to defeat Wu State. However, Yue State's military strength at that time was far inferior to Wu State.While training the army and developing agriculture, Goujian carried out the famous "beauty trick" against King Fucha of Wu in history. The specific director of "Beauty Trick" was Fan Li, a doctor of Yue State in the late Spring and Autumn Period.Fan Li had accompanied Yue Wang Goujian to Wu as a hostage for three years, and he knew the Achilles heel of Wu King Fu Chai.In view of the lustful characteristics of Wu Wang Fucha, Fan Li planned and implemented the "beauty trick".

According to the request of King Goujian of Yue, Fan Li searched for beautiful women among the people.The beauties who take on this historically important task must not only be beautiful, but also courageous and witty.After thousands of selections, Fan Li selected Xi Shi and Zheng Dan.When Fan Li and Xi Shi met, Fan Li was impressed by Xi Shi's beauty and innocence, and Xi Shi also fell in love with this young hero and extraordinary general in his heart at first sight.Fan Li explained the reason for the beauty pageant to Xi Shi, and Xi Shi was infected by Fan Li's patriotic enthusiasm, and expressed her willingness to take on this important task.

Gou Jian met them in person, and taught them singing and dancing, makeup and etiquette, and asked them to explain history, current situation and tactics to them.Goujian also personally taught Xi Shi face-to-face instructions.Goujian entrusted them with the sacred political task, and confessed three major things: indulge in the husband's chaotic pleasure and desolation of his country's affairs;After three years, Xishi showed beautiful body with every gesture of hand and every throw of foot, and was very decent in dealing with people. At this time, King Yue saw that the time was ripe, so he asked Fan Li to send Xishi and others to the state of Wu. Finally got a chance to be together.Along the way, the two were prepared to taste the taste of love, but because they couldn't part each other, Fan Li deliberately delayed, so it took more than a year to send off their relatives.When they walked a hundred miles south of Jiaxing County, Xi Shisheng's son was already able to babble.Later generations built a "Yu'er Pavilion" here to commemorate the crystallization of love between Xi Shi and Fan Li.This is recorded in Tang Lu Guangwei's "Wu Di Ji", and it is said that "there is a Yu'er Pavilion a hundred miles south of the county", which is the place where Xishi talked with his illegitimate son before entering Wu.From an emotional point of view, Fan Li did not feel sorry for Xi Shi. Fan Li sacrificed his love for his career and let his beloved woman serve as a tool of revenge for the Yue Kingdom.But for the benefit of the country and for her lover, Xi Shi is willing to make sacrifices.Fan Li made an agreement with her that after the kingdom of Wu fell, he would marry her as his wife and they would live together forever.

Xi Shi finally came to the state of Wu, and the lustful King Wu was naturally very happy to see Xi Shi.Wu Zixu thought it was a "beauty trick" and tried his best to persuade him, but Fu Chai turned a deaf ear to it, and immediately brought Xi Shi into the harem.

Xishi is clever and patriotic, always keeping in mind her political mission in Wu, she tried her best to make King Wu dote on her and listen to her, and Fu Chai really favored her.

Wu Wangfu sent someone to build Guanwa Palace for her in Lingyan Mountain. Near Guanwa Palace, Wanhuachi, Wanyuechi, Wuwangjing, Qintai, Caixiang Path, Jinfan Path and long hunting trails were built near Guanwa Palace. Zhouyuan, etc.; also repaired the ring clog corridor, which is to dig a big hole in the ground, put a large tank into the hole, and then spread wooden boards on it, and then pave it flat.Fu Chai asked Xi Shi to walk on it wearing clogs, and the hammer made a sound, so it was called the ring clogs gallery.

In spring, Fucha and Xishi go to the Fragrance Path and play in the flower pond; in summer, Fucha and Xishi escape the summer heat in the South Bay of Dongting, enjoying the natural "air conditioning".Nanwan is more than ten miles long and surrounded by mountains on both sides. The king of Wu named this place "Xiaoshu Bay" and ordered a white stone pool with a radius of eight feet to be dug nearby to attract clear springs and let Xishi bathe in the springs. It is called "Perfume Creek"; in autumn, they climbed Lingyan Mountain together, looked at Lingshi, and enjoyed autumn leaves; when it snowed in winter, Fucha and Xishi wore fox fur coats and ordered more than a dozen concubines to pull carts to look for plum blossoms. Regardless of the sweating of the concubines, they have to have fun before returning every time.Playing so hard, it can be seen that Wu Wang Fucha's thoughts at this time are no longer on the government and society, but on Xishi.

Fu Chai, the King of Wu, is more and more fond of Xi Shi, and Xi Shi is always thinking about how to make King Wu happy, how to make King Wu focus more on himself, so that King Wu can become an innocent king and waste state affairs.Fortunately, she has a capable assistant, Bo Shao.Bo Shao was a senior official in the state of Wu, he was favored by the king of Wu, and he was treacherous and greedy.Yue Guo took advantage of his weakness, and often gave him some gold, silver and jewelry, and sometimes beautiful women, so he was also devoted to Yue Guo, and together with Xi Shi, he spoke good things about Yue Guo.

Fu Chai has been living in Gusu Terrace since he got Xi Shi, enjoying himself and playing all year round, and no longer cares about political affairs.

He reprimanded, expelled, or dismissed any ministers in the court who advised him, so gradually everyone dared not speak up.Only the old official Wu Zixu, seeing that King Wu was so stupid, tried to dissuade him from the audience in Gusu, but King Wu still ignored him.Wu Zixu felt that the king of Wu was bound to bring disaster, and he refused to listen to his advice, so he said he was sick and would not go to court again.

At that time, under the governance and rectification of Goujian, the national power of Yue State was increasing day by day, and the army was well-trained.Fu Chai, the King of Wu, felt threatened and wanted to conquer the Yue Kingdom, but was obstructed by Dr. Bo Shao's clever words.

Later, the relationship between Qi State and Wu State deteriorated, and Fu Chai wanted to attack Qi State.Wu Zixu believed that the Yue State was a serious threat to his confidant, and it was not suitable for an expedition to Qi State.However, Dr. Bo Shao insisted on attacking Qi State and promised to win the battle.

Dr. Bo Shao, who has always had conflicts with Wu Zixu, put the country's safety at risk and took the opportunity to provoke the conflict between Wu Wang and Wu Zixu.As a result, the king of Wu bestowed Wu Zixu to death, promoted Uncle Dafu to be the prime minister, and wanted to add more fiefs to the state of Yue, but Gou Jian refused.As the posterity said: "Wu's death should be the responsibility of the faint-hearted Fucha and the treacherous Dr. Bo Shao."

The past is like smoke, nowhere to be found
In the early summer of 473 BC, Gou Jian personally led troops to attack Wu. At this time, the state of Wu was at the end of its strength and was unable to resist the army of Yue State. In the end, Fu Chai was defeated and committed suicide.Vietnam won a big victory.It was Xi Shi who played an indispensable role in the car yard war, but after Wu Guan was breached, Xi Shi disappeared. So whether Xi Shi was alive or dead, her ending has always been a mystery, and there have always been different opinions.In summary, there are generally four versions.

[-]. Shen Hai said
It is said that after Goujian destroyed Wu, his wife secretly asked someone to trick Xishi out, tied a stone to Xishi's body, and then sank into the sea.What's more, it is said that there has been a kind of sand clam that looks like a human tongue in the sand along the coast. Everyone says that this is the tongue of Xi Shi, so it is called "Xi Shi Tongue". When the famous writer Yu Dafu was in Fujian in the 20s, he also praised Changle's "Xishi Tongue" as the best of Fujian cuisine. The chapter "Mozi: Relatives" mentioned that Xi Shi was sunk in the river because she was too beautiful.

Second, the theory of seclusion
This kind of saying is also very popular. It was first seen in Yuan Kang's "Yue Jue Shu" in the Eastern Han Dynasty.It is recorded in it that "after the death of Wu, Xi Shi returned to Fan Li and left with Pan Wuhu".Hu Yinglin's "Shaoshi Shanfang Bi Cong" in the Ming Dynasty also has a similar statement. He believes that after the fall of the Wu Kingdom, Fan Li found her, and Fan Li took Xishi to live in seclusion.In "Wu Di Ji", it is recorded that Fan Li and Xi Shi reunited after breaking Wu in the Yue Kingdom, went to the lake and other different opinions about their ending.According to legend, Fan Li and Xi Shi once lived in Yixing, and today's Lishu is the place where they lived in those days, and the names of "Shidang Bridge" and "Xishi Dang" in some places in Jiangsu are also related to Xi Shi.

Three, the theory of falling into the water
Perhaps kind people don't want Xishi, an innocent and weak woman, to have a tragic ending, so they found out the poem "Huansha" by Song Zhiwen, a poet in the early Tang Dynasty According to "Yu Shen Fears Lotus", it is believed that Xishi returned to his hometown after Wu's death, and accidentally fell into the water and died while washing yarn.This seems to be the most ideal, but the most lack of evidence.

[-]. The theory of being killed

This statement can be said to be purely from legend.It is said that when King Wu committed suicide by slaying himself, the people of Wu vented all their anger on Xi Shi, wrapped her in layers of brocade, and sank her in the heart of the Yangtze River.According to "Dongpo Foreign Objects": "There is a mermaid in the Yangtze River, also known as Xishi fish. It changes its color several times a day, and its meat is fine and delicious. Women eat it, which can increase their charm. It is said that it was transformed from Xishi after sinking into the river." Among the four versions, the Shen Hai theory and the hermit theory are the most widely spread and have the most relevant evidence materials.

Liu Xijun: Marriage of Thousands of Miles No.1

In the history of China, all dynasties attached great importance to the stability and development of China's frontiers, and made great efforts and sacrifices, leaving behind many legends of characters who guarded the frontiers, especially among the heroes of the ancient female high school, The story of women who don't let their eyebrows be touched is even more touching.For example, everyone is familiar with Zhaojun leaving the fortress and Princess Wencheng entering Tibet. However, few people know the legendary story of Liu Xijun, the first talented woman from the south of the Yangtze River in the history of the Chinese nation.Liu Xijun was the first royal family to be parted from the Western Han Dynasty, and also the first golden branch and jade leaf to successfully marry.

Liu Xijun, a native of Jiangdu (now Yangzhou, Jiangsu) in the Han Dynasty.She is the daughter of Jiangdu King Liu Jian and the grandniece of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty Liu Che.Because she was born in Jiangdu, she was called Princess Jiangdu in history; and because she married Wusun far away, she was also called Princess Wusun.She is well read in poetry and books, elegant in literature, and has a wonderful understanding of rhythm, which won the favor of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty.In the second year of Yuanshou (121 BC), his father Liu Jian committed suicide in fear of crime due to treason. Emperor Wu couldn't bear to hurt innocent people, so he ordered Xijun to stay in Jiangdu.The young Liu Xijun worked hard in an environment where family difficulties and the emperor's grace intertwined, and gradually developed a tenacious will, a sensible character and the ability to deal with complex problems, preparing for his future success in life necessary conditions.

In the sixth year of Emperor Wu Yuanfeng (105 BC), Xijun married Wusun as a royal princess, which was the most important turning point in her life.When the convoy departed from Jiangdu and passed through Lingbi, Anhui, Liu Xijun stopped his horse and stood quietly in front of a rock, stroking a boulder and looking east at the Xiangguan Pass. He couldn't bear to leave for a long time, so that he left a clear fingerprint on the stone.This handprint was later copied by craftsmen, and it became a landscape called "Lingbi handprint".Qian Weishan, a poet of Qiantang in the Yuan Dynasty, recorded his events in "Lingbi Handprints". The "Preface" before the poem said: "In the Han Dynasty, the daughter of the king of Jiangdu married the king of Wusun, and the daughter passed the Lingbi. The stone is a model, and the wrist joints are clear, so I will tell the story." In the poem, "Wan Li is poor and sad, and the sky is one side, and the carcups once stayed and leaned on the Lingbi. , poured into the poet's admiration and remembrance of this former sage.

Liu Xijun's life is full of strong legend.She was reduced from the princess of a feudal state to the daughter of a criminal minister, then from the daughter of a criminal minister to the royal princess of the Han Dynasty, and from the royal princess to the wife of two generations of King Wusun.She has gone through several ups and downs, and also tasted the glory and sorrow of the world.But no matter what the circumstances, what she misses in her heart is only the interests of the motherland and the unity of the nation. She has worked hard for this all her life, leaving behind many impressive achievements and achievements, as well as her absolute sincerity to the people of the motherland.In the Han Dynasty, border troubles were serious, especially the Xiongnu in the north.At the beginning of the Han Dynasty, the Xiongnu made peace with the Xiongnu, hoping to receive the effect of Jiji, but the Xiongnu repeatedly broke the contract, and the war continued.Emperor Wu decided to use force, and fought for years. Both sides killed each other, and the Han Dynasty suffered particularly heavy losses.At that time, Wusun, who lived scattered in the west of Huanghuang (now the west of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region), was growing stronger and stronger. With 18 cavalry, it was the number one power among the countries in the Western Regions, and it seemed to be a rivalry with the Han and Huns.The great diplomat Zhang Qian judged the situation, and according to the results of his mission to the Western Regions, he proposed to Emperor Wu in time to "make friends with Wusun" and "Lingdong to live in his hometown, his wife to be a princess, and his brother to control the Xiongnu" ("Hanshu Western Regions") "Biography")'s suggestion was valued and adopted by Emperor Wu.Under such a background, Liu Xijun shouldered the solemn mission of the compatriots of the motherland and embarked on the journey of marrying Wusun.

After Liu Xijun arrived in Wusun State, he was collectively praised by the men of Wusun State.You must know that Wusun people are very ugly, with blue eyes and red beard, slightly protruding forehead, deep eye sockets, straight nose bridge, thick and slightly protruding cheekbones.When these ugly men first saw the beautiful Han girls, they felt like fairies descending to earth.In particular, Liu Xijun grew up in Jiangnan with beautiful mountains and rivers, and his skin is fair and soft, it is really like creamy skin.Everyone in Wusun Kingdom affectionately called Liu Xijun Miss Kemuzi and Princess Kemuzi, which means fair complexion and as beautiful as kumiss.Liu Xijun received a grand reception and was named Mrs. You, but she soon found out that her situation was not very good.It turned out that the Huns were nervous when they learned that Wusun Kingdom had made peace with the Western Han Dynasty.In order to sabotage, the Xiongnu princess was sent to marry King Wusun one step ahead of time, and King Wusun was not polite, so he accepted the order and named her Mrs. Zuo.According to Chinese customs, the right is higher than the left, and the right is the "upper head" and the left is the "lower head".Based on this, Liu Xijun is considered to be the main house, and Princess Xiongnu is considered to be the side house.But the fact is not the case.The custom of Wusun country is that the left is respected and the right is humble.From this point of view, King Wusun is also very cunning. He embraced the left and right wives, which obviously took advantage of you, and the Western Han Dynasty and the Huns will not be offended.

Liu Xijun felt aggrieved when he married King Wusun, but for the sake of the country, he could only endure.Now I have to compete with the Xiongnu princess of the enemy country and serve her husband together, and I feel more and more uncomfortable.But she still reminds herself to abandon the ego and consider the overall situation.She never forgot that she was responsible for the peace of the frontiers of the Western Han Dynasty, and she used the dowry she brought to bribe the upper-class celebrities of Wusun Kingdom many times, asking them to agree to a condition, and let them vote in favor when the Western Han Dynasty needed help.Liu Xijun is good at interpersonal public relations, but she also has her own weaknesses.In terms of physical fitness, Liu Xijun, who was pampered and spoiled since childhood, was far less adaptable to life in Wusun than Princess Xiongnu.The burly Princess Xiongnu can shoot arrows, ride horses, and is good at martial arts, and soon became one with King Wusun.Compared with Liu Xijun, Princess Xiongnu can better capture the heart of King Wusun.Liu Xijun, who is at a disadvantage, has no choice but to pass the time by writing poems.One of her most famous poems in Wusun is "Song of the Yellow Swan", also known as "Song of Sorrow":
My family married me to the side of the sky, and entrusted the king of birds and grandchildren from a foreign country.

The dome is the room, the felt is the wall, and the inside is the food, and the cheese is the pulp.

I live in the usual land and think about it, and my heart hurts, and I am willing to return to my hometown for Huang Hu.

This poem is written like grief, indignation and loneliness, which makes people cry.This "Sorrowful Song" is also the progress of Chinese poetry from "poetry expressing ambition" to "poetry expressing emotion". It is known as the first frontier poem in history. .This poem spread to Chang'an, and Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty read it with tears in his eyes. "Hanshu" contains: "The emperor heard it and felt sorry for him, and sent an envoy to Yiyan with a curtain and brocade brocade." Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty was a rational person, and crying was only a momentary touch of human nature. The juniors who "sacrificed their lives for the country" were recalled from the Wusun country, and that would undoubtedly be wasting all previous efforts.In the end, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty also walked away from the formalities, and sent envoys to Wusun Kingdom with a lot of beautiful jewelry and rouge jewelry to express condolences to the poor Liu Xijun.

(End of this chapter)