Uncle Cao

Uncle Cao

Uncle Cao is one of the Eight Immortals in Chinese folklore. He appeared the latest, and was recruited as a disciple of LV Dongbin by Neidan Dao in the Song Dynasty, but the story about him appeared in the relevant records only in the yuan and Ming Dynasties. Ye Ci's, Pu Jiang Qing's, Zhao Jing Shen's, Zhou Xiao Wei's, Bai Hua Wen's and Li Ding Xia's have outlined the situation of Cao Guo's uncle. Ban you Shu combed the story of Cao Guo's uncle's case when he investigated the origin of the Huangmei Opera "selling flowers", with a unique perspective. It is said that he was invited by Tieguai Li to join the gathering of immortals in the Northern Song Dynasty.

Characters

As a disciple of LV Dongbin, uncle Cao appeared in the group of Eight Immortals in the song and Jin Dynasties, and his image was quite fixed. Among the eight immortals carved in ancient tombs of the Jin Dynasty, uncle Cao is one of them. The brick carving image of Cao Guojiu in Dong Ming's tomb is as follows: "he is a smiling old man with his head on his temples, a coir raincoat, a coir raincoat skirt, red arms and bare feet, a smile on his face and a long beard on his chin. He has a basket in his right arm and a fence in both hands. " The brick carving image of Cao Guojiu in 65h4m102 tomb is as follows: "it is a kind-hearted man with elegant appearance and holding a fence." In the two brick carvings, uncle Cao carries the symbolic symbol of fence (4). In Yuan and Ming zaju, the above symbolic symbols always accompany Cao Guojiu. Yueyang Tower (Narcissus) says: "this uncle Cao is a relative of the Song Dynasty." "The willow in the south of the city" (Narcissus) says: "this is the house where the fence does not recognize pepper." "Tieguaili" (Ersha) is called "Zhang Silang's uncle Cao has great powers". In the Antarctic immortals, the flat peach club and the xianguan celebration club, uncle Cao holds a "fence"; in the fairy club, uncle Cao holds a "thousand year bamboo cover", that is, a "fence"; in the Changsheng club and Qun Xian Zhu Shou, a "gold medal" or "Golden talisman" is added to the fence. The most peculiar thing is that at the end of the play "Eight Immortals celebrating birthday", all the dress designs of Uncle Cao are listed in "Chuanguan": "double bun tuotou, cloud crane Daopao, not old leaf, holding bag, miscellaneous color tapestry, gold medal, fence" However, since the Yuan Dynasty drama "Chen Jiqing's bamboo leaf boat" replaced uncle Cao with he Xiangu and "took away" his "fence", a new appearance of Uncle Cao appeared in the works of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. In journey to the East, uncle Cao holds a jade plate, in Handan, he holds a gentry like Jian, and in mustard garden, uncle Cao holds a dust brush, which is quite different from the image of that year.

In the Yongle Palace mural "Eight Immortals crossing the sea" and the Yuan Dynasty Sanqu chanting eight immortals, uncle Cao also has. Wumingshi (shuangdiao · ShuiXianzi) said: "a courtier in the Yutang golden horse turns into a person on the top of Kunlun. Without a gold seal on his waist, he idly follows LV Dongbin and cultivates his nature under Lin Quan. The gold medal waist belt, the fence hand memory, not to do the relatives This song gives a comprehensive description of Uncle Cao's life experience, apprenticeship, cultivation and dressing, which can be said to be a general summary of the image of Uncle Cao in the song and Yuan Dynasties.

Character experience

Uncle Cao has a younger brother who pretends to be a relative of the emperor's family. He tries his best to do evil and rob the people's land for his own. Moreover, most of the villains come from his own family. From the beginning to the end, his uncle tried his best to persuade him, but he couldn't make him turn over, and finally he was regarded as his enemy. My uncle said, "the principle of the world is that those who accumulate good will prosper and those who accumulate evil will perish. This can not be changed. Only by doing good deeds and accumulating Yin Gong can my family be rich today. Now my brother is extremely evil. Although he can escape the punishment of the criminal code, he can't escape the law in secret. If disaster happens and my family is ruined, it is impossible to lead a yellow dog out of the east gate at that time. I feel shame and fear that it will really happen. "

So he scattered all his wealth to help the poor. At last, he said goodbye to his family and friends, dressed in Taoist clothes and hidden in the mountains and rocks to cultivate his mind and nature. After a few years, he has reached the state of mind and Tao in harmony and shape following deification. Suddenly one day, Han Zhongli and LV Dongbin swam to his place of cultivation and asked him, "what do you cultivate when you live in leisure?" My uncle replied, "nothing else can be done but to practice Taoism." The two immortals asked, "where is the Tao?" Uncle pointed to the sky. The two immortals asked, "where is the sky?" My uncle pointed to Guoxin. Zhong Li said with a smile, "heart is heaven, heaven is Tao. You have learned the true meaning of Tao." So he was given the "really secret edict" to make him cultivate Taoism meticulously. Not long after, he was introduced into Xianban by Han Zhongli and LV Dongbin. The deeds of Uncle Cao can be found in the records of the emperor of Chunyang, the history of the Song Dynasty, the research of new Yu Cong, the history of immortals of the past dynasties, and the general mirror of immortals.

After uncle Cao proved the immortal fruit, a collection of immortal works was handed down to the world

Things show talent, simple and pure nature, wonderful spirit of natural weather.

There is no desire in all eyes, and only when the heart runs through three can there be no dust.

The Emperor gave the gold Fu a smile, and the master passed the jade formula to Changchun.

Yuan Yuan's father conquered Tang De and accumulated one empress and two fairies.

In the folk images of the eight immortals, uncle Cao is not dressed as a Taoist, but still wears his official uniform, wears a jade belt around his waist and holds a jade plate. He often holds sandalwood Yunyang board to celebrate weddings and funerals in the world.

It is said that he was the great uncle of song Renzong Dynasty. He was also named Jingxiu. Uncle Cao's younger brother was greedy for the beauty of the scholar's wife who went to Beijing to take the exam. He hanged the scholar and occupied his wife. The scholar complained to Bao Zheng, and Bao Gong allowed him to investigate. Uncle Cao told his younger brother that he must put the scholar's wife to death to prevent future trouble. So the second uncle threw the scholar's wife into the well, and she escaped. On the way, she met uncle Cao, mistaking him for Bao Zheng, and complained to Uncle Cao. Uncle Cao was so surprised that his men killed the scholar's wife with an iron whip. His men thought she was dead and abandoned her body in a remote alley. After the scholar's wife woke up, she called the Duke of Bao for justice. After the Duke of Bao found out the truth, she pretended to be ill. Uncle Cao came to visit Bao Zheng. Bao Zheng ordered the scholar's wife to sue and imprisoned Cao Guojiu. He cheated the second uncle into Kaifeng and ordered the woman to complain. He also put his uncle in prison. Empress Cao and song Renzong personally came to persuade Bao Zheng to release her two younger brothers. Bao Zheng refused and ordered that the two brothers be executed. Song Renzong granted amnesty to the whole world. Bao Gong released uncle Cao.

After his release, uncle Cao went to the mountains to practice, and since then he has been away from the mountains, determined to practice Taoism and study immortals. One day, Zhong Liquan and LV Dongbin asked him, "what do you raise?" Uncle Cao said, "what I raise is Tao." The immortal asked with a smile, "where is the way?" Uncle Cao pointed to the sky and said, "the way is in the sky." The immortal asked, "where is the sky?" Uncle Cao pointed to his heart. Zhong Liquan and LV Dongbin said with satisfaction: "heart is heaven, heaven is Tao. You have realized the true meaning of Tao." He was given the "Huanzhen secret edict" gradually, which made him practice meticulously. Before long, uncle Cao became an immortal. It's a miracle that will be celebrated later.

Character archetype

Whose uncle Cao is

Uncle Cao is the uncle of song Renzong in the Northern Song Dynasty. In the history of Song Dynasty, he was called the eldest brother of Empress Dowager CI Sheng Guang Xian (a native of Ningjin in Xingtai), so he was called Guojiu.

Cao Guojiu, the second generation official

But the last person to join the eight immortals society, uncle Cao, is full of controversy. Looking at the first seven immortals, there is a very obvious sign: grassroots. They all came from the market, from the wandering doctor (LI) to the actor (LAN), from the prodigal son (Lu) to the village girl (he). Basically, they have been in the lowest level of society for a long time, experiencing the ups and downs of the lower level people, which made the Eight Immortals' community quickly get the support of the people at the bottom.

The last one of the eight immortals is quite different from the former in style. His grandfather was Cao Bin, the founder of the Northern Song Dynasty, and his elder sister was the queen of song Renzong Zhao. He was born in a famous family, and he was also a relative of the emperor. He should be powerful and invincible, but his character was on the contrary. The world's evaluation of him is that he is as timid as a mouse, loves money as his life, and has few mistakes to protect himself.

With such status and character, it is not a problem to be a happy uncle all one's life. However, uncle Cao still failed to be his safe uncle. His life is his brother. Uncle Cao's parents died early when he was a child, and his sister and brother grew up together. Uncle Cao was very fond of his younger brother, and unconsciously cultivated a black sheep in his family.

One year, Cao Huahua took a fancy to the wife of a scholar who went to Beijing for an examination, so he killed the scholar and forced his wife to be his concubine. Intellectuals are not easy to be provoked. Although the scholar died, his scholar friends tried to vindicate him everywhere, and the case went to Bao Zheng of Kaifeng Prefecture. When Uncle Cao learned about it, he didn't kill his relatives. He was the accomplice of Cao Huahua because of his care for the calf. The two brothers conspired secretly. They had to kill the scholar's wife before the case could be proved dead. The brothers sent their men to throw the scholar's wife into the well. As a result, the scholar's wife was so lucky that she didn't die. She ran to Bao Zheng and exposed Cao Guojiu and his brother.

Bao Zheng, the black lord of Bao, was just and strict in law enforcement, and he never let go of every criminal. Empress Cao came out and Renzong came to plead for her two brothers in law. It's impossible for me to let go of it all. It can be discussed at half price. The head of Cao Huahua must be cut off. Cao Jingxiu loves his younger brother very much. He is confused for a moment and can be excused. What's more, the scholar's wife is not dead, which only constitutes an attempt to kill. He can be given a lighter punishment and a reprieve. Except for the criminal compensation for the scholar's wife, the rest of the family property was confiscated.

Join eight immortals for brothers

When Uncle Cao came out of Kaifeng, he lost two things he loved most: brother and silver. Uncle Cao felt the nothingness of life. I've been careful for half my life, but I've failed. It was at this time that Li Zhonglv had the idea of pulling uncle Cao into the society.

"Uncle Cao, his character is not good, and his status is even more different from ours. How can such people join us?" Li Zhonglv's proposal was met by the other four

Chinese PinYin : Cao Guo Jiu