The German philosopher Hegel once said: The only lesson that mankind can learn from history is that mankind never learns from history. It sounds ridiculous and a little sad, but I still hope that everyone can "read history wisely, learn from the past and know the future", gain insight into human nature, and avoid the big holes on the road of life.
The 100 golden sentences of the "Historical Records" [No. 4] are long overdue, but they must arrive late. If you want to see the first 3 contents, please read the previous contents.
1.Rich and rich, poor and widowed.
From the "Historical Records: The Biography of Meng Weijun": "Feng Tan said: 'The living must die, and the things must come;Rich and rich, poor and widowed, things are of course. ’”
Because the king of Qi was bewitched by Qin Chu's slanderous remarks, he deposed the prime minister Meng Weijun. The 3,000 diners raised by Meng Weijun dispersed in a hurry, and only Feng Tan rushed between Qin and Qi, giving advice, and finally reinstated the master, Meng Weijun. At that time, Meng Weijun scolded the diners who left for being unkind, but Feng Tan persuaded the host that the rich and noble have more guests, and the poor have fewer friends, and this is the way things are.
Human nature has always been like this, dislike the poor and love the rich, seek advantages and avoid disadvantages, just like the famous sentence in "Zengguang Xianwen" "Poor in the downtown no one asks, rich in the mountains have distant relatives." ”
2.Suspicious deeds are nameless, suspicious deeds are fruitless.
Historical Records: The Biography of Shang Jun": "Filial piety is both used by Wei Martingale, and Martingale wants to change the law, and he is afraid that the world will discuss himself. Wei Ying said: 'Doubts are nameless, and doubts are useless. And the husband has the deeds of a master, and he is not in the world;Those who have sole knowledge will see the people. The fool is dark in success, and the knower is in the unbudding. ’”
The Shang Dynasty Reform is the most famous and successful reform in Chinese history, and it laid the foundation for the unification of the six kingdoms of Qin and changed the direction of history. However, before the law was changed, because of the criss-crossing interests of all parties, Qin Xiaogong was worried. Shang Ying's explanation said that "doubtful deeds are nameless, doubtful things are useless", which means that actions will not succeed if there are doubts, and there will be no effect when there are doubts about doing things.
If there is a right path in front of you, don't be afraid of wolves and tigers, firm goals, and brave departure is the right choice.
3.It is difficult for those who succeed and easy to fail, and those who are rare and easy to lose.
From "Historical Records: The Biography of the Marquis of Huaiyin": "Kuai Tongfu said: '...It is difficult for those who make meritorious achievements and are easy to lose, and those who are rare and easy to lose. When the time comes, it will not come again. Examine it carefully. Han Xin hesitated and couldn't bear to double the Han, and thought that he had a lot of merit, and the Han would not take me away in the end, so he thanked Kuaitong. ”
This paragraph in the historical records is about the incident of Kuaitong persuading Han Xin to betray the Han and stand on his own, and the golden sentence of Kuaitong, which is unparalleled in eloquence, is one of them, "It is difficult for those who succeed and easy to fail, and it is difficult for those who are rare and easy to lose" is one of them, which means that it is difficult to succeed and easy to fail, and it is difficult to encounter opportunities and easy to lose.
It is a pity that Han Xin did not accept Kuaitong's plan for various reasons. Sima Qian later recorded in the "Historical Records" that Liu Bang recruited Han Xin to join forces at Xiaxia. After Xiang Yu's defeat, Liu Bang raided and seized the military power of Han Xin, the king of Qi, and was renamed the king of Chu, and then demoted to the marquis of Huaiyin, and was finally murdered by Empress Lu and Xiao He.
4.Appearance is also beautiful, to the truth, bitter medicine, and willing to say illness.
Historical Records: The Biography of Shang Jun": "Shang Jun said: 'The words are good, the appearance is beautiful, the words are true, the bitter words are also medicine, and the words are sick. The master is willing to speak all day long, and the medicine of martingale is also. Martingale will do things, what can the son say!’”
Zhao Liang once advised Shang Ying to retire, but Shang Ying did not accept his suggestion. However, Shang Ying's remarks are very reasonable: vain and untrue remarks are empty, honest and pertinent suggestions are genuine, bitter and alarmist words are beneficial to people like medicine, and sweet words are harmful to people like illness.
We also often say that "good medicine is good for disease, and good advice is good for action", and the current, superficial, and temporary discomfort may be really good for you.
5.With the right to merge, the right to be separated.
Historical Records of the Zheng Shijia": "Taishi Gong said: There is a saying, 'those who combine rights, and the rights are handed over', and the flaws are also. Although Fu Fang killed Zheng Zi Nei Li Gong, Li Gong finally killed him behind his back, how is this different from Jin Zhilike?”
During the Spring and Autumn Period, Zheng Ligong, who was in exile, colluded with the doctor to take advantage of each other in order to return to China and restore the throne. Later, Fu Fang killed the current monarch Zheng Ziying to welcome Zheng Ligong back to the throne. After Zheng Ligong gained power, he served the monarch with two hearts to kill Fu Fang. Before he died, Fu Fang regretted and said: "Virtue is not repaid, it is true!."”
Sima Qian commented at the end of "Historical Records of the Zheng Family": "Those who combine rights will have their rights exhausted." "Tai Shi Gong wants to warn us that friends who are united by power and interests, once the power is exhausted, the friendship will be estranged, and we must be screened in our daily friendships.
6.In view of the water, meet the countenance;In view of the people, know the good and the bad.
The words of "Historical Records: The Biography of Fan Ju Cai Zelie": "In view of the water, the appearance of meeting;."In view of the people, know the good and the bad. The book says: "Under success, you can't stay for long." 'The disaster of the four sons, where do you live?”
The meaning of this sentence is that those who shine on the water can see their own faces, and those who look at others can know good and evil. "People" refers to people's words, especially criticism or opposing opinions, which shows that from criticism we can know right from wrong and understand the way to success.
Tang Taizong Li Shimin once said, "With copper as a mirror, you can be dressed properly;."Taking history as a mirror, we can see the rise and fall;With people as a mirror, you can see the gains and losses. He regarded Wei Zheng, who was straightforward and often criticized him regardless of his feelings, as a mirror, so when Wei Zheng died, he said with infinite grief: "I lost a mirror." ”
7.In the middle of the day, it moves, and when the moon is full, it loses.
Historical Records: The Biography of Fan Ju Cai Zelie": "The saying goes, 'If the sun is in the middle, it will move, and when the moon is full, it will be lost'." When things flourish, they decline, and so does the constant of heaven and earth. ”
This paragraph is Cai Ze's persuasion of Fan Ju to retire and retreat bravely, so as not to repeat the mistakes of Wen Chong, Wu Qi and others. Among them, he quoted the sentence "the day in the middle of the day moves, and the moon is full and loses" in the "Chinese", indicating that things must decline when they are prosperous. Subsequently, Fan Ju accepted Cai Ze's suggestion, said he was sick and returned Xiangyin.
Only by conforming to the laws of nature, adapting to the changes in the situation, and retreating bravely from the torrent is the way of the sages.
8.Under the daimyo, it is difficult to live for a long time.
Historical Records: Yue Wang Goujian Family": "Ju Jian is a hegemon, and Fan Li is called a general." is also anti-national, Fan Li thinks that under the name, it is difficult to live in ...... for a long timeIt is loaded with its light jewels and jade, and it is floating on the sea in a boat with its private disciples. ”
Fan Li and Wen assisted Yue Wang Jujian for more than 20 years, and finally destroyed the Wu State, Jujian became one of the five hegemons of the Spring and Autumn Period, and Fan Li was also named a general. But Fan Li is definitely sober in the world, and he thinks that "under the great name, it is difficult to live for a long time", that is, under the prominent reputation, it is difficult to maintain stability for a long time. In addition, Fan Li saw through the sentence of the person, he could share hardships and hardships, difficulties and happiness, so he retired successfully, boated on the five lakes, and lived until he was eighty-eight years old.
Contrary to Fan Li, what happened to Wen Chong, because he failed to retreat bravely from the torrent and withdrew from the whirlpool of power in time, he was given a sword by Ju Jian to commit suicide.
9.One death and one life is friendship. One poor and one rich is knowing the state of communication.
Historical Records: The Biography of Ji Zheng Lie": Zhai Gong was restored to the court lieutenant, and the guests wanted to go, and Zhai Gong was the big sign of his door and said: "One death and one life is friendship." One poor and one rich is knowing the state of communication. One is expensive and one is cheap, friendship is seeing. ”
Sima Qian concluded at the end of the "Historical Records: The Biography of Ji Zheng Lie" that with the virtue of Ji Di and Zheng at that time, they were ten times more powerful than the guests, and when they were not powerful, the situation was completely opposite, and they were still like this, let alone ordinary people!
Then Sima Qian cited the story of Zhai Gong in Xiatai County. When Zhai Gong first became a court lieutenant, his family was full of guests;But when you lose your position, the door will be deserted. After Zhai Gong was reinstated, the guests wanted to see each other again, and Zhai Gong wrote on the door: "One death and one life is friendship." One poor and one rich is knowing the state of communication. One is expensive and one is cheap, friendship is seeing. ”
Zhai Gong's words are to the effect that when people are at a critical juncture of life and death, they can see the loyalty of friendship;When people are poor for a while, and rich for a while, they can see the depth of friendship;When people gain momentum for a while, and lose power for a while, they can test the authenticity of friendship.
We often say that "adversity sees the truth", and the same is true.
10.Rather for the mouth of the chicken, not for the queen of the cow.
Historical Records: The Biography of Su Qinlie": "The proverb says: 'Rather be a chicken's mouth, not a cow's queen.'" 'Now the west is facing each other and the ministers are in charge of Qin, how is it different from the queen of the ox?”
Su Qin, as the leader of the joint rebellion against Qin, told Han Zhaohou that Korea has thousands of miles of land and 100,000 soldiers, but it really shouldn't cede the land to Qin without going through a campaign. As the saying goes, "Rather be a chicken's mouth, not a cow's queen", what is the difference between Korea's approach and making a cow's butt?After hearing this, Han Zhaohou raised his arms and pressed his sword, looked up to the sky and sighed: "Although the widow is dead, he will not be able to do his relatives." ”
Rather be a chicken's mouth, not a cow's queen", this proverb ostensibly means that I would rather be a small and clean chicken mouth than a big and smelly cow**. In fact, it is a metaphor for the head of the small rather than the big one.