? Two years of loyalty, a hundred years of Tang poetry? . Ad 8 18，？ Jiangzhou Sima? Bai Juyi was secretly demoted by Ming Sheng and went to Zhongzhou (now Zhongxian County, Chongqing) as a secretariat. He served as an official in Zhongzhou for two years, leaving many stories and hundreds of poems about loving the people and the people. Professor Tsinghua University and doctoral supervisor Xie Siwei combed Bai Juyi's career ups and downs in Zhongzhou for decades. The forum was hosted by the Propaganda Department of Chongqing Municipal Committee and undertaken by Zhongxian County Party Committee and Government of Chongqing.
In 8 18 AD, in the winter of the 13th year of Yuanhe in Tang Xianzong, Bai Juyi ended his career as a Sima in Jiangzhou and moved to Zhongzhou as a secretariat. The so-called quantitative change means that these officials offend the officials who have been demoted. For example, when the emperor issued a pardon order, their punishment could be reduced. They were banished far from the capital, but now they can move to nearby places. It was in this process that Bai Juyi changed from Jiangzhou, which was originally returned to Zhongzhou, to the secretariat of Zhongzhou.
Before that, Bai Juyi experienced the ups and downs of his life. In the tenth year of Yuanhe (8 15), Bai Juyi, Zuo Zanshan's physician, pleaded for the thief who assassinated the Prime Minister Wu, causing envy among his ministers. In addition, someone added insult to injury and sent him to Jiangzhou. Previously, Bai Juyi's road to politics should be said to be quite smooth. Although Bai Juyi was once embarrassed because of his father's death, he didn't take the provincial examination until he was 28 years old, but he took the Jinshi examination the next year (in the 16th year of Zhenyuan, AD 800). Three years later, he went to the official department for evaluation. In the following three years (806 in the first year of Yuanhe), he won the first place in the more important system examination. Bai Juyi succeeded in three important exams. About 12% people won the first place in the Jinshi examination in the Tang Dynasty, and many people failed in the examination for twenty or thirty years. The exam is more difficult, but fewer people are qualified to take it. It can be said that these exams determine the situation of Bai Juyi's life.
Let's look at Bai Juyi's official position after he first entered the official career. After being awarded an outstanding degree in Chinese literature, he was awarded the official secretary, provincial school book lang. After examination, he was awarded the title of "Wei". In the second year (Yuanhe year 807), he served as a bachelor of Hanlin, except Zuo Shiyi. Three years later, Cao, the official of Jingzhao government, joined the army and still served as a bachelor of Hanlin. Who is the bookkeeper in the school? A good choice for a scribe to start his own business? Only? A little higher in grades and excellent in literature? Only by learning a lot of macro words can people who get excellent books in the exam be appointed. It belongs to Jixian County. Counties in the Tang Dynasty were divided into ten grades (or seven grades), with Chi and Zi Chi being the highest, followed by Ji County. Among them, near Chang 'an, Jixian County is the most important. It is an ideal way to get from the school book lang to the county commandant. Bai Juyi himself once said: Is it Cheng Lang's wheel, the official source of Ji Ji Secretary, that he is responsible for? .
Becoming a bachelor of Hanlin is an important experience. What is a bachelor of Hanlin? Work? (sent), directly on behalf of the emperor to draft documents, gleaning and filling vacancies, Hu Cao was only his official title in this period. Bai Juyi was able to hold this post, according to Old Tang Book? Biography of Bai Juyi says:? Hundreds of songs and poems were written to satirize the illness at that time and make up for the lack of politics. But there are many scholars and gentlemen, which are often circulated in the Forbidden City. Habu, the emperor of Zhangwu, was eager to be a prophet and was called a Hanlin bachelor? Because of Tang Xianzong's appreciation. Bai Juyi has no family background and is not attached to a powerful person. Only because of his outstanding performance in the imperial examination, his poetry creation and articles such as Hundred Judgments were widely circulated and had great influence, so he was appreciated by the upper class in North Korea and even the emperor himself. Judging from these experiences, Bai Juyi's road to politics at the beginning can be said to be very smooth.
? Care about government affairs and people's livelihood? political attitude
So, how is his political performance? Can Bai Juyi's political attitude work? Care about government affairs and people's livelihood? To sum it up. At first, he was appointed as a formal school bookkeeper, which is a relatively leisure position. What did he say in the poem? The official has no job? ("Opening up the Yuan View with School Tour in Early Summer"). Later, he was transferred to the county commandant. According to scholars' research, he served as the head of the general household department, and may also be responsible for the work, household department and warehouse, that is, responsible for managing officials' examinations, schools, rents and household registration, and so on. Government affairs are quite complicated. Another kind of military captain is responsible for criminal law, national defense and so on. , known as the captain of the thief. Unfortunately, in this year or so, he didn't leave many written records. It was from this period that his satirical poetry creation began. Among them, Guan cut wheat wrote:? The Tian family has less leisure in the month, and people are twice as busy in May. My family's taxes are gone, so I can take this to satisfy my hunger. ? Later, I recalled: I almost became a wiki, and I once led the fire department across the river and flogged it myself, which was unbearable? (On Harmony). It can be inferred that he served as a government official.
He served as a bachelor of Hanlin for four years and was responsible for drafting imperial edicts for the emperor. The left-handed official title belongs to the remonstrating officer, who is responsible for offering satire, participating in the deliberation, or playing the form. At present, there are still a large number of performances of this period in Bai Wen Ji. From these readings and other records, we can see that Bai Juyi put forward many sharp opinions and some concrete and feasible measures for the state affairs at that time. Among them, the following aspects are very important:
Make suggestions to the emperor to limit and crack down on the forces of the buffer region. After the Anshi Rebellion, the buffer region was powerful, and Heshuo became independent. During the period from Dezong to Xianzong, Huaixi, Xichuan, Chengde and Zhexi provinces successively launched rebellions, which seriously weakened and threatened the central rule of the Tang Dynasty and was the main reason for the national unrest. There are also some powerful princes who seek to regain the throne through various means, make friends with eunuchs and other political forces, and influence state affairs. On the one hand, the central government wants to defend the separatist regions and crusade against rebellion, on the other hand, it wants to control and win over other forces in the region, so it has to take some compromise measures. Bai Juyi hated the overbearing power of the buffer region, dissuaded Liu Yuan, Pei Jun, Wang E and others from seeking important positions in the DPRK, and discouraged Xian Zong from rejecting their singers and silverware.
Resolutely oppose eunuch intervention in state affairs. Bai Juyi once wrote "Three Things in Taiyuan", criticizing Yan Shou, our time, for taking orders from Li, the supervisor of the army, and Liu, the eunuch who succeeded Li? Killing exclusively? . Tu Tu Cheng Cui, Xian Zong's most prized eunuch, was appointed as the special envoy to deal with the state affairs when he crusaded against Chengde rebels. What do you think of Bai Juyi's On Cheng Cui? Take the middle officials as the system and unify the whole country? Will make fun of the world and future generations and strongly protest. Yuan Zhen, a good friend, was demoted because of a conflict with the eunuch. Bai Juyi connected three forms and said? I'm afraid from now on, it will be very beneficial for China officials to perform their duties. When court officials are humiliated, they dare not speak? . In addition, the satirical poem "Su Zige Mountain North Village" and other works have also exposed the atrocities of the Shence Army: Master, be careful not to talk nonsense. The lieutenant is very kind. ?
Criticize all kinds of unhealthy trends. Sima Guang's Notes on Zi Tongzhi Jian Xian Zong Yuan and Four Years in March: Li Jiang and Bai Juyi, a Bachelor of Hanlin. Just like the invitation of the two of them, they surrendered to the world prisoners, paid taxes, refused to perform military service, and prohibited looting and buying. ? What I saw in Bai Juyi's anthology today is "the form of laying a solid foundation in villages and counties". What is it called? There are dozens of prisoners in the prison. Yun was imprisoned in the county prison under the transshipment of various subjects, and he owed officials and things, so there was nothing to fill in. Banned his body, although dead, sinners since ancient times, have never heard of this? , request the court to release. There are also "two programs in Gardiner's tone", which are? Due to the current drought, please reduce taxes for the people in drought-stricken counties in Jianghuai this year. And then what? Please pick out my wife in the harem? . "Tongjian Kaoyi" said:? It is played in Li's Theory of Things and Juyi Ji. Although the language is slightly different, the big finger is different. Is it the same as above? . Sima Guang's record should also refer to other historical materials, which shows that Bai Juyi's criticism played an important role in it. Bai Juyi's satirical poem Qin Zhongyin? Song and dance:? I'm afraid there are death row inmates who freeze to death in towns and counties. ? "New Yuefu? The preface of Shang Yang White-haired Man says:? Resentment is also widespread. ? These problems are also involved.
Bai Juyi said in The Book of be beheaded:? If you don't cherish your husband's position, you can't bear it, and then you can have rules and regulations. If you violate it, you will be admonished. The gains and losses of the imperial court are observed, and all the benefits and diseases in the world are said. ? In the writing of satirical poems, he also advocated:? Only singing is a stranger's disease, I hope the emperor knows. ? (To Tang Sheng)? But it hurts people's illness and I don't know when to avoid it. ? ("Two Wounded Tang Songs")? If the speaker is innocent, he will be warned, and the filth will lead to the upper and lower Thailand. If you want to open your eyes to human feelings, you should first seek the irony of songs and poems. ? ("New Yuefu? It can be seen that he thought it was his duty, and he did it voluntarily.
According to the system design of the Tang Dynasty, there were admonishers in Menxia province, and left and right supplements and supplements in Menxia province and Zhongshu province respectively, specializing in admonition. Among them, filling the gaps and picking up the remains were newly established in the Tang Dynasty. Bai Juyi's understanding of the obligation of admonishing officials comes from this system, which can be found in the Six Codes of the Tang Dynasty he quoted. However, the actual political operation often has another set of rules. Usually, protest officials are held by people trusted by the prime minister, and they are supported by court officials behind them. Directly remonstrating with the emperor depends more on the attitude of the emperor himself. There are no hard and fast rules on how the admonishers perform their duties, whether to give advice or not, and how to give advice. It depends on whether the remonstrator has a conscience. During his tenure, Bai Juyi was undoubtedly very serious and persistent about this responsibility, which was also rare. He did his duty as an admonition officer.
Some critical suggestions put forward by Bai Juyi were adopted by Xianzong and recorded in Zi Tongzhi Jian. The reason is that Xian Zongyuan and his early years did take a series of measures to refresh politics. The positive political attitude of Bai Juyi and his good friend Yuan Zhen and other new undergraduates is also encouraged by this political environment. However, some of them were not adopted and even angered Xian Zong. For example, Old Tang Book? Biography of Bai Juyi:? I was very unhappy when I remonstrated with Cheng Cuijin, saying that Jiang Li and others said, "This boy Bai Juyi praised me to the sky and was rude to me. I really can't stand it. " ? After Jiang Li and others enlightened him, Xianzong tolerated him. But in addition, Bai Juyi's criticism of state affairs, including the writing of satirical poems, also annoyed many powerful people and inevitably caused their jealousy. He himself said in Nine Books with Yuan:? Do you regret your life before you plan to do it? It's a shame not to listen. If you hear Qin Zhongyin, you will lose color if you get close to him. Those in power will feel uncomfortable when they hear the poem "going to paradise". When you hear the poem "Village of Perillage", you will gnash your teeth if you hold an important military official. There are only three or two people in the world. ? Bai Juyi later left his post because of his mother's funeral, and he no longer served as a bachelor of Hanlin and Zuo Shiyi, and he could no longer adhere to this fierce political attitude. Obviously, he was also framed as a thief by these powerful people and political opponents.
The important influence of education and family background.
Then, why can Bai Juyi insist on such a political attitude? What sustains him? There is no doubt that this is related to his education first. Bai Juyi's family? Shi Dun Confucianism? ("Old Tang Book"? Bai Juyi), he received a good education from an early age. Because his father is old, his mother? Holding a collection of poems in person, teaching day and night, convincing? ("Xiangzhou Biejiafu"). Bai Juyi studies very hard. I'm twenty. I have classes during the day, read books at night, and have poems in the middle. I don't want to sleep. Causes sores on the tongue and mouth, dry elbows, poor skin, and early whitening of teeth. If you look at it like a fly, you will find it hard to cover it. (Nine Books of Imperial Garden). In this process, the Confucian ideal of benevolent governance and the principle of self-cultivation undoubtedly had a positive impact on him. Since his youth, he has been working with? Zhen is determined? 、? Make a name for yourself? ("Bamboo") to motivate yourself for a lifetime? Have both, and be immune to it? As your own life rule.
It is worth noting that Bai Juyi did not simply accept some Confucian ideological principles and truths. At the same time, he also has in-depth research and understanding of the historical and political reality of the Tang Dynasty, and on this basis, he put forward his own views on some political issues. In this respect, he was greatly influenced by the popular theory of military, agricultural and commercial warfare in the mid-Tang Dynasty, which was embodied in his writing of 7 1 piece "Ce Lin" based on the materials provided by Du You's General Code and other political books. What is the score? Jundao? 、? Regime? This paper puts forward solutions to various problems from two aspects, including official selection, criminal law, finance and taxation, and border defense. It is with this reserve of knowledge and ideas that Bai Juyi was able to quickly cut into the problems and put forward solutions when he later expressed his views on some specific political issues in North Korea.
Judging from his political performance, Bai Juyi is not an ignorant man who only talks empty words and is ignorant of the world. In the fifth year of Yuanhe, the imperial court sent troops to crusade against Wang Chengzong, who rebelled. But after a long and futile effort, Bai Juyi connected the three situations, analyzed the advantages and disadvantages, and urged Xianzong to stop fighting. Later, Bai Juyi was appointed as the secretariat of Hangzhou, presided over the construction of Qiantang Lake levee, and wrote the "Qiantang Lake Stone Record", which described in detail the methods of irrigating fields by the levee, the reasons for supervision responsibility, and the prevention of traitors, so as to leave management basis for his successor. It can be seen that he is very attentive and expert in dealing with actual government affairs.
Besides his education, Bai Juyi's background and family status undoubtedly have an important influence on his political attitude. Bai Juyi's grandfather Bai Yong is from Gongxian County, and his father Bai is from Xiangzhou. However, apart from nobles and senior officials, officials in the Tang Dynasty could not give too much shelter to future generations, and the economic situation and social status of their families would also change greatly. After his father died, the financial situation of the White House was once in trouble. At that time, his family was in R&F (now Anhui). Due to the flood in Jianghuai, Bai Juyi had to go to Somi, the pontoon bridge where his eldest brother worked, for help. His grandfather and father may have owned some land during their tenure, but they failed to keep it for a long time. He went back and forth to Lifu's poem "Yongqiao Old Business" and mentioned:? Tax land is thin, and no official brother and nephew are poor. Why ask the countryside? Better than others. ? In addition, before Bai Juyi was promoted to a high position, the White House did not enjoy the privilege of tax exemption as Du Fu said. Life is always tax-free. ? Bai Juyi himself before becoming an official? Have you lived in the village for a long time, and used to be a river fire household? (On Harmony). Later, when Ding Mu was in a hurry, she stopped being an official, just like ordinary people? I paid the rent to read the county post, but I lost. Xiaomi asked the military warehouse? (Wei Zhai Retreat). He also wrote a poem "Su Na": In the evening, an official knocked at the door and urged the millet loudly. Family members don't wait to know that there are lights and candles on the field. Bai Yang is as clean as a pearl, and cars are popular. If you are still worried, you will miss it and your servant will be blamed. ? At this time, Bai Juyi had moved to Xiaguan (now Shaanxi) and bought some land. According to this poem? A 30-hoofed car? According to the records, it covers an area of about 300 to 500 mu, which is higher than the level of ordinary yeomen, but it was not much in the Tang Dynasty. Bai Juyi often takes the same kind in his poems? Confucianism? Compared with those noble families: Sadly, as a Confucian, I am not tired of machinery. Poor and young days are suitable for being poor and cheap. There is a smell of milk in the thick Zhumen Building. Twenty knighthood, door decoration honor and wealth. ? (Sadness)
As a person who was born in poverty and was close to the economic situation of yeomen, Bai Juyi hoped that the Tang Dynasty could maintain a relatively normal order (of course, sometimes he was idealistic, for example, he once proposed to restore the tenancy system in the early Tang Dynasty), and he was very disgusted with the excessive privileges enjoyed by nobles, and he could not tolerate eunuchs undermining political affairs and threatening the central government. Because he has been in the countryside for a long time, he also has a very real understanding of the various sufferings of the people. Many of his suggestions are also very promising and targeted. For example, Yuan He published "On Harmony" in the third year, criticizing what he did at that time (forcibly buying farmers' grain to meet the needs of the army)? Promote the establishment of process restrictions and strictly supervise them? ,? Compulsory flogging, which is more than tax, is actually harmful? And propose to change it to? Fold? (Discount the tax money of young crops, so that young crops can be collected and the tax can be saved), that is, selling grain can offset the tax money. On the premise that farmers have surplus grain to sell, this measure is indeed more beneficial to farmers.
A political choice that dares to be the first and is not afraid of power
In addition to the above two points, it should also be pointed out that Bai Juyi's political attitude of going forward bravely and not afraid of powerful people is his own choice. Under the social conditions at that time in the Tang Dynasty, Bai Juyi, as a scholar, could only seek to enter the official career through reading, otherwise he could only live in poverty and had no choice. Their life path can be said to be greatly limited. But even so, a person can still have a choice on the road to politics. You can choose to be a good official or a bad official, be honest and clean without fear of power, or be humble. What Bai Juyi did is undoubtedly an upright choice of literati and officialdom, which deserves respect. In the officialdom at that time, there were a number of honest and clean officials like him. Therefore, we are not particularly surprised by his choice. Of course, many people have made other choices. However, it should be emphasized that Bai Juyi, as a great poet, had a very wide influence at that time and later generations, and his success as a poet was also related to his personality and political performance. Literature has always been close to justice, praising the noble and full of sincerity. Even if the responsibility can be attributed to the harsh historical environment, it is hard to imagine that a trendsetter, bring disgrace to oneself, who demeans himself, can write literary works that truly glow with human light, and can touch and influence others, so as to remain immortal. The great achievements and far-reaching influence of Bai Juyi's poems are based on the spiritual connotation of justice, nobility and sincerity. It can be seen from countless examples that people can choose how to be a man and how to be an official, regardless of ancient and modern times.
The above is mainly Bai Juyi's political experience before he was demoted to Jiangzhou. After this severe political blow, Bai Juyi's political attitude has changed. With the promotion of the official position, the age is getting longer and longer, and most of the early spirits are spent. Later, he also took the initiative to ask for the release of the local government and the division of the eastern capital several times, mainly to avoid being involved in the fierce party struggle within North Korea. Is it required that the body be scattered and stay away from harm? ("Old Tang Book"? Bai Juyi biography), but also increasingly disappointed with the political situation. At this time, his spiritual pursuit turned to what he said? Is it okay to be alone? In this regard. However, the kindness of solitude he said no longer emphasizes the significance of moral cultivation and personality perfection, but takes contentment, peace and leisure as the main purport, aiming at enjoying the comfort of life and obtaining a kind of spiritual pleasure and satisfaction. For example, the poem "Three Appropriate Gifts to Taoist Friends" says: Forget your shoes when you fit, and forget your clothes when you fit. Besides, I was so comfortable that I forgot right and wrong. Ss are one today, and Yi Yi is happy. ?
However, in this negative and rather helpless attitude towards life, Bai Juyi still expressed a strong will, that is, right? Freedom? Yearning for. Such as the poem "Wandering": There is nothing wrong with the book. I am looking for a free body in the mountains and rivers. ? Working in the snow: Heart is your father and your servant. No freedom is made by heart. ? "Yong Yi": There are both riches and pains, and there are risks in suffering. Poverty also has fun, and happiness lies in freedom. ? As far away from the sinister situation of officialdom as possible, he felt that he could gain a kind of personal and spiritual freedom. What did he say? Freedom? There are still similarities with the concept of freedom we are talking about today, which we can understand. If he made a free choice on how to be an official in his early years, what he hopes in his later years is to make a free choice in life as much as possible, although this freedom is greatly limited by his living status and historical conditions.