The fifth emperor of the Western Han Dynasty was Emperor Wen of the Han Dynasty, he liked to read Lao Tzu's "Tao Te Ching" very much, and sometimes he couldn't stop when he looked at it, until the people around him urged him for a long time, he put down the scroll and rested, and the sky was bright at that time.
However, because Lao Tzu's "Tao Te Ching" is simple and mysterious, and the truth contained in it is simple and true, later generations often can't understand it. The same is true of Emperor Wen of Han, he often reads some content, and he has to think about it for a long time, and he doesn't know how to think about some content.
For this reason, Emperor Wen of Han asked those who were scholars in the papal palace. There are some contents that these learned people can answer, but there are also contents that they can't answer.
Could it be that I am a big country, and I don't even have a person who can read Lao Tzu's words?In the whole world, there are so many capable and learned people, don't you all know that they are **?Emperor Wen of Han was very angry and questioned the people around him.
Soon, someone gave advice to Emperor Wen of Han: "I heard that there is a very learned person, everyone calls him Heshang Gong, he can interpret the Tao Te Ching, Your Majesty might as well send someone to ask him?"”
River Prince?Who is this person?Live in **?Emperor Wen of Han asked.
I heard from others that he lived on the bank of the Yellow River and built a small grass house by himself, and the prince of the river lived in it. Some people say that he has been concentrating on interpreting the Tao Te Ching for decades, and others say that he is the incarnation of Li Er (Lao Tzu)!Anyway, everyone says so, and he must be knowledgeable. ”
Okay, well, it's okay to ask for advice. Emperor Wen of Han said, asked someone to take a pen and paper, copied some sentences that he didn't understand, and asked someone to take the paper and go to the bank of the Yellow River to find the prince of Heshang, and ask him what the sentence meant.
The messenger rode on a fast horse, galloped to the Yellow River, and searched for a long time before finding the grass house, and there was indeed an old man inside, with white hair, white beard, and a fairy spirit, and he was not a layman at first glance. The envoy saluted respectfully, took out the sentence copied by Emperor Wen of Han, and asked the Duke of Heshang for advice.
However, the prince of the river didn't look at it, waved his hand and said, "The Tao is noble and virtuous, don't ask for advice like this." ”
Why is that?This is His Majesty's order, and these words are also written by His Majesty's own hand, why does the gentleman refuse to teach?In this way, how can the villain go back to the errand?The messenger was a little strange and couldn't help but ask.
As I said, moral dignity is not to be consulted in this way. Besides, although these sentences are short, the truth contained in them is extremely profoundDo you understand?During this time, you have to travel between the two places, and if you forget, will your majesty be annoyed and angry?When the time comes, will your head still be stable?Go back and tell your Majesty that you are morally honorable, and that if you want to ask for teaching, you have to come in person. ”
After the river lord finished speaking, he closed the door. The messenger did not dare to use force, but went back with these words.
Emperor Wen of Han listened to the words of the envoy and was a little angry, but he was also very understanding. As a last resort, he had no choice but to drive himself to the bank of the Yellow River and find the prince of the river.
Seeing the Duke of Heshang, Emperor Wen of Han bowed to show his respect, but he was still angry in his stomach, and he felt that as an emperor, he should not be treated like this, so he couldn't help but say: "Under the whole world, it is not the king's land, and the shore of the land is not the king's minister." Sir, although you have the ability and knowledge, you are still my people after all!”
In other words, Emperor Wen of Han is saying, no matter how capable you are the Duke of Heshang, you should not put on a score in the face of me (this emperor).
Good, good, well said!After hearing this, the Duke of Heshang slowly came out of the house, sat cross-legged on the ground, and then people found that the Duke of Heshang actually rose, and when he was three or four feet high from the ground, he stopped, looked at Emperor Wen of Han, and said with a smile: "Now, I can't go up to the sky, I can't go down to the ground, and no one is with me in the middle." So the question is, am I still your subject?”
When everyone saw this scene, they were all frightened, they didn't expect this old gentleman to fly, and he looked like he must be a fairy. So, everyone couldn't help but kneel down and kowtow.
When you didn't come to ask for advice, you were the emperor who was admired by all people, but now that you come to ask me for advice, shouldn't you be a student?Why do you put on the posture of an emperor, is it because you want to force me to impart knowledge?”
As soon as the Duke of Heshang said this, Emperor Wen of Han immediately knew that he was wrong. Yes, I'm here to learn, how can I put on a show?If you want to learn, you are a student. So, he immediately got out of the car and asked the river lord for advice as a student.
The prince of the river was overjoyed, and next, he not only answered the doubts for Emperor Wen of Han, but also taught the two volumes of "Sushu" to Emperor Wen of Han.
Emperor Wen of the Han Dynasty was puzzled and said: "I heard that the "Sushu" (according to legend was written by Huangshi Gong at the end of the Qin Dynasty, contains the supreme truth, but ordinary people can't understand it, and the folk regard it as a book of heaven and a strange book) in Huangshi Gong (that is, the old man who taught Zhang Liang the art of war, also known as the Xiapi Shenren, the old man on the wall. It is said that Zhang Liang relied on this book to fight for Liu Bang in the world) There, why do you also have "Plain Book", old man?”
If it weren't for me, Huang Shigong wouldn't be able to write "Plain Book", and now that I have "Plain Book", what's so strange?This book, which I have annotated for more than 1,700 years, has only been passed on to three people, and you are the fourth. As an emperor, you can be so courteous and virtuous, and the world will be fine in the future. ”
After saying that, the river lord was gone, and even his grass house was gone. Emperor Wen of Han thought that it was a god who descended to earth and was secretly guiding himself, so he took the lead in worshipping.
Later, Emperor Wen of the Han Dynasty devoted himself to the study of the "Plain Book" and educated the people's livelihood, and under his governance, the Han Empire, which had experienced vicissitudes, regained its brilliance and life. Then, his son Emperor Jing of the Han Dynasty also continued to develop the people's livelihood and strengthen the country's strength, and achieved very good results, laying the foundation for Liu Che, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, to attack the Xiongnu in the north.
For this reason, later generations called the period of their father and son's rule as "the rule of Wenjing".
The power of the "Plain Book" lies in this, it can help the virtuous ministers to assist the Ming Lord and calm the world;It can also help the master, control the ministers, and govern the world. And Emperor Wen of Han can have such an achievement, because he can ask questions, put down the dignity of the emperor, and ask the prince of the river for advice.
The so-called river prince is the meaning of "an old man on the edge of the Yellow River". This title is his own humble title, but in fact, the river lord is a god, and his mount is a dragon.
In a certain village in Mayang County, Chenzhou, there is a villager who calls him Zhang San. Zhang Sanjia planted a few acres of land, the crops are not bad, and they will be harvested next year, and they will definitely be able to sell at a good price.
However, on this day, when Zhang San went to the field to hoe weeds, he found that a black pig appeared in the field. The black pig is eating the crop seedlings, don't look at the black pig is not big, but it goes down, and the crops and seedlings a few feet away in front are gone. It's as if the pig is not eating the seedlings, but sucking.
Zhang San was furious when he saw it, picked up the hoe and went to fight the black pig. The black pig seemed to be a little scared, and when he saw Zhang San coming, he stopped eating the crops, turned around and ran. It's fast and gone in the blink of an eye. Zhang Sanyi was stunned, thinking that he was dazzled, but the crops were indeed a lot less.
One day later, Zhang San came to the field to hoe the grass again. This time, he came with a bow and arrows on his back.
Sure enough, the black pig was eating the seedlings again. This time, a piece of land was eaten by pigs. Zhang San cursed as he bent his bow and shot at the black pig.
Unexpectedly, as soon as the bow and arrow hit the black pig, it disappeared. Zhang San was very strange and continued to shoot the black pig, but the black pig was frightened and ran away desperately. Zhang San chased after him and chased out more than ten miles in one go.
The black pig in front suddenly walked into a gate, the gate was wide, and the house was magnificent. Zhang San knew that this must be a big family, so he didn't dare to break in rashly and walked over slowly.
At this moment, an old man came out of the house, his snow-like beard was about to hang down to the ground, he was holding a cane, and there was a boy in Tsing Yi behind him. Seeing Zhang San coming, the old man asked him why he came here.
Zhang San said angrily: "Old man, do you have a black pig in your house?"The black pig came to my field for a few days in a row to eat seedlings, and he could suck a few feet away in one breath, just like a monster. I was very angry, so I shot it with my bow and arrow, but I didn't expect to miss it, it ran again, and I followed here. ”
You can come here, it is fate, boy, go to the hall and pour him wine. When the boy heard this, he went at once.
The old man led Zhang San into the house, and walked a hundred and ten steps to the hall. As soon as Zhang San came in, he was shocked. There are many immortals here, wearing black hats, or wearing feather coats, or playing chess, or drinking. Here the boy shouted, "Sir said, give him a glass of wine." ”
Soon, someone brought a glass of wine, Zhang San took it, thanked him and drank it.
The old man took Zhang San again and came to a place where there were dozens of beds, and one person sat on each of them, all of them holding books in their hands, as if they were listening. After looking again, Zhang San felt bored, and the old man saw it and took him to his residence.
When he arrived at the old man's place, the black pig was at the door of his room, and when the old man saw it, he angrily reprimanded: "Evil animal, still not showing up?".Why are you so greedy?”
When the black pig heard this, he turned over and turned into a big dragon, with a body full of three or five feet, golden scale armor, and a fiery red beard, which looked very majestic. Zhang San was startled, and then he realized that the black pig was a big dragon, and it seemed that it should be the old man's mount.
The old man criticized the boy again: "You are relaxed again, otherwise, how could this dragon run out?"Remember to feed it, and don't let it go out and harm people. Fortunately, it has also listened to my lectures for many years, but it is just stealing the crops, and if it doesn't, I am afraid that it will eat people. ”
After criticizing the boy, the old man asked the boy to give Zhang San the money and send him out.
After going out, Zhang San asked the boy who the old man was. The boy said: "He is the prince of the river, and the Emperor of Heaven hired him as an immortal master and asked him to explain the Tao Te Ching to the immortals." You don't know, do you?He gave a lecture to the emperor before!”
What is the Tao Te Ching?I don't understand. Who are you?If you can be a boy here, you must be a powerful person, right?Zhang San asked.
I am Wang Fusi (Cao Wei scholar and philosopher during the Three Kingdoms period), and I have been studying the Book of Changes here for more than 500 years, but unfortunately I still don't understand it. The river lord was furious, so he punished me to guard the door. Alas, I now know that no matter how smart I am in the world, compared with the gods, it is still too far behind. ”
After finishing speaking, Wang Fusi sent Zhang San away. Zhang San heard a sound, and when he looked back, the whole house was gone.
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