author of the history Zizhi Tongjian

author of the history Zizhi Tongjian

author of the history Zizhi Tongjian

(November 17, 1019 to October 11, 1086), with the name of Junshi and the name of yousou, was born in Wushui Township, Xiaxian County, Shaanxi Province (now Xiaxian County, Shanxi Province) and was known as Mr. Wushui in the world. A politician, historian and writer of the Northern Song Dynasty, he claimed to be a descendant of simafu, King Xianwang of Anping in the Western Jin Dynasty.

Song Renzong Baoyuan first year (1038), Jinshi Ji, Lei Qian LongTuge straight bachelor. During the reign of emperor Shenzong of the Song Dynasty, he opposed Wang Anshi's political reform and left the imperial court for 15 years. He presided over the compilation of Zizhi Tongjian, a general chronicle. Li Shi Ren Zong, Ying Zong, Shen Zong, zhe Zong four dynasties, official to Shangshu Zuo pushe and the door of the servant. In the first year of Yuanyou's reign (1086), he died and was awarded to the grand master and Duke Wen, posthumous title Wenzheng. He is one of the "Yuanyou party members" and deserves to enjoy the Song Zhe zongmiao court and zhaoxun Pavilion; he is worshipped in the Confucius Temple, which is called "Xianru simazi"; he is worshipped in the imperial temples of the past dynasties.

He is gentle, modest, upright, hardworking and diligent. It is a model of Confucian education to boast of "lack of daily power, followed by night". There are many works about his life, such as wenguowenzheng Sima's official documents collection, jigulu, wushuijiwen, qianxu, etc.

Life of the characters

Early experience

Sima Guang was born in Guangshan, Guangzhou (now Guangshan County, Henan Province) on October 18, the third year of emperor Zhenzong of Song Dynasty (1019). His father Sima Chi was the magistrate of Guangshan County, so he named him Guang. When he was six years old, Sima Chi taught Sima Guang to read. When he was seven years old, he could not only recite Zuo's spring and Autumn Annals, but also understand the main idea of the book. He also made the act of "smashing a jar to save a friend" I don't know.

In 1031, Sima Guang and his father Sima Chi set out from Tokyo, passed through Luoyang, Tongguan, Baoji, and Qinling Mountains, and went to Guangyuan, Sichuan Province, where he served as a transit envoy to Lizhou. When he met a python on the plank road, he calmly held a sharp sword and plunged into the tail of the python, which made the python tremble with pain and rolled down the unfathomable plank road.

Sima Guang's erudition comes from many aspects. On the one hand, he is eager to learn and strengthen his knowledge. On the other hand, his father is also interested in cultivating him. He is honest and intelligent, but also very clever sensible, won the father's love. At the same time, whenever he travels or talks with his colleagues and close friends, Sima Chi always takes him with him. Influenced by his experience, Sima Guang was "awe inspiring as an adult" in both knowledge and insight. Many ministers and celebrities at that time appreciated Sima Guang. Zhang Cun offered to marry his daughter to Sima Guang. Pang Ji, a former Vice Prime Minister, trained and educated Sima Guang as his son after his death. Sima Chi has been an official in Henan, Shaanxi and Sichuan, always taking Sima Guang with him. Therefore, before he was 15 years old, Sima Guang followed his father through many places, where he visited ancient times, wrote poems and inscribed walls, appreciated local conditions and customs, and greatly enriched his social knowledge.

Stepping into officialdom

In the first year of Baoyuan (1038), Sima Guang was 20 years old. He took part in the joint examination and got into the first grade of senior high school. From then on, he became a magistrate in Huazhou (now Huaxian County, Shaanxi Province). At this time, Sima Chi was the governor of Tongzhou (today's Dali in Shaanxi Province). The two places were close to each other. Sima Guang often visited his parents. In Tongzhou, he met Shi Changyan, a scholar of the same discipline. Shi had a long history of talent and became a pushing official in Tongzhou. Although he was more than 20 years older than Sima Guangda, they had a good conversation. They often exchanged knowledge together, talked about the past and visited the present, and became intimate friends. In the same year, he married Zhang Cun's daughter.

In the second year of Baoyuan (1039), because his father was transferred to Hangzhou, Sima Guang quit Huazhou magistrate and became Suzhou magistrate. Just as he was stepping forward in his official career with great ambition, his mother died of illness. According to feudal ethics, he had to resign and go home to mourn for three years. During this period, Yuanhao, a member of the Dangxiang nationality in the north, became emperor (1038, the first year of Baoyuan) and established Xixia state. In order to get rid of its subordinate status to the Song Dynasty, Xixia fought with the Song Dynasty, and the Song Dynasty failed one after another. In order to strengthen the military defense force, song Renzong asked Zhejiang and Zhejiang to buy more bowmen and command envoys. Sima and his son thought that it was not good to do so. Therefore, Sima Guang drafted on behalf of his father the statement that it is not suitable to buy bowmen in Zhejiang and Zhejiang provinces, and expounded from various aspects that adding bowmen and adding military officers.

In December of the first year of Qingli (1041), Sima Chi died in Jinzhou. Sima Guang and his elder brother Sima Dan went back to their hometown Xiaxian with their father's coffin. His parents died one after another, which made Sima Guang extremely sad. He sighed that "he would be confused if he thought about this in his life.". But during his mourning, he turned sorrow into a driving force for reading and writing to relieve endless sadness and loneliness. During this period, he read a lot of books and wrote many valuable articles, such as ten philosophies, four heroes and Jia Sheng. He put forward his own opinions on some ancient things according to his own opinions and feelings.

During the three years of mourning, he learned a lot about the life of the lower class. In the fourth year of Qingli (1044), Sima Guang, 26 years old, finished his mourning and signed a letter to judge Wu Chengjun. Soon after that, he changed his name to xuandelang and general, and became the supervisor of Fengcheng county. In a short period of time, he has achieved the achievement of "standing out from the public and being praised by the people".

In his spare time, he read a lot of ancient books and wrote many papers, such as the theory of opportunity and power, the theory of talent and morality, the theory of Lianpo, Ying Hou's strike at Wu'an Jun Bing, Xiang Yu's killing Han Sheng, Han Gaozu's beheading Ding Gong, Gan Luo, fan Sui, Qin Keng Zhao Jun, etc.

In 1046, Sima Guang received an imperial edict. He was transferred to Dali to comment on affairs and the son of the state to speak directly. On the day he went to Beijing, his colleagues and friends went out to bid farewell to him with wine. Sima Guang was moved by everyone's enthusiasm and wrote an impromptu poem: "if you don't leave the drunk bottle, will you be happy tomorrow? I can't bear to say goodbye. Looking back, it's not too late! " At this time, Sima Guang was in high spirits. Although the official sea was vast and unpredictable, he came to Kyoto with an excited mood.

In 1047, Sima Guang was 29 years old. The peasant king of beizhou uprised and captured the city of beizhou, known as the "king of Dongping". At this time, Pang Ji, a good friend of Sima Guang's father, was in charge of the national military affairs. Sima Guang wrote "shangpang Shumi's book on beizhou affairs" to offer advice to Pang Ji in order to quell the uprising as soon as possible. Specifically, it is suggested to "break the law by calculation", to use threats and inducements together, to disintegrate, and to only punish the "chief villain". In fact, the rebellion lasted only 66 days, the leader Wang was killed and the rest burned to death.

In the first year of Huangyou (1049), Pang Ji was promoted to be a secret envoy of Shu. He recommended Sima Guang to collate the pavilion, but he didn't get the emperor's permission. In the third year of emperor you's reign (1051), Sima Guang was 33 years old. He was recommended by the prime minister Pang Ji to collate the pavilion and knew taichangliyuan. During his tenure, he made a systematic study of Guwen Xiaojing and wrote an article on Guwen Xiaojing. In 1053, Sima Guang was appointed as the Prime Minister of the palace. He was a full-time historian, except for the review of the historical museum, the revision of the calendar, the revision of the Jixian school. Since then, Sima Guang began to study history. When Sima Guang devoted himself to the study of history, Pang Ji was dismissed from the prime minister's post and was demoted to be the Minister of the Ministry of household, and became the magistrate of Yunzhou (now Yuncheng, Shandong). Pang Ji recommended Sima Guang as the canon of Yunzhou.

Local Governance

In 1054, Sima Guang left Wang Anshi, Shi Yangxiu, Bao Zheng and others with similar interests to go to Yunzhou. Soon after, he was promoted to Tongtan, who was responsible for investigating the officials of the whole Prefecture.

In 1055, Sima Guang was appointed as the general judge of Bingzhou because Pang Ji came out to know Bingzhou and was a pacifier of Hedong road.

In the first year of Jiayou's reign (1056), he wrote three consecutive letters, the first, the second and the third letters, suggesting that emperor Renzong should establish the crown prince. But after the three letters failed, he asked fan Zhen to convey them to Emperor Renzong in the time of performance, asking him to give a clear reply. But all this did not convince Renzong, Sima Guang chose silence.

During his tenure in Hedong road with Pang Ji, Sima Guang was in a truce period in Song Dynasty and Xixia Dynasty. However, he did not relax his vigilance, but went deep into the people to listen to the opinions of the local people. Liu Yong, a tribute Jinshi of Bingzhou Township, studied border affairs very well. He wrote 10 volumes of Bian Yi, which was very insightful, and Sima Guang recommended it.

Sima Guang thought that the method of cutting off the city and building fortresses was conducive to protecting the peace of the border area, so he decided to build the fortresses while forbidding the border people and the exchange of Xixia. At this time, Guo en, the general in charge of the army, attacked Xixia with wine. He was defeated and returned home. He had no choice but to commit suicide. Pang Ji took the responsibility when the imperial court censor tried the case. Afterwards, Pang Ji was dismissed from the post of governor and demoted to Qingzhou. Sima Guang played three consecutive words to the emperor, which showed that Pang Ji decided to build the fort after listening to his opinions, which showed that Pang Ji was completely out of his original intention of "protecting the border for the country", and "committed to loyalty and red, regardless of personal plan", because "he listened to the minister's words, so much so." It should be "the crime of being an independent minister, even the punishment by Canon". When Pang Ji learned that Sima Guang was going to defend himself, he wrote a memorial to him and asked to be excused from his crime, so that Sima Guang was not punished.

Pang Ji and Sima Guang are valuable friends for their mutual support and love. After Pang Ji died, Sima Guang did not forget Pang Ji's great kindness to him and treated his family as his own.

Back to the center

In the third year of Jiayou (1058), Sima Guangqian promoted his official position in Kaifeng, and gave him five grade clothes; in the sixth year of Jiayou (1061), he was promoted and repaired. Sima Guang resolutely refused, even on the five states, he thought he was "really not good", but Renzong never gave up.

Before long, Emperor Renzong issued an imperial edict to move Sima Guang to live in the imperial court. During his five years in office, he wrote more than 170 memorials to the emperor and wrote "three words" to Renzong

Chinese PinYin : Si Ma Guang