Xu Yuan

Xu Yuan

Xu Yuan (394-475) was born in Kaiyang (now Jiangsu Province) of Southern Langya. He was a famous minister, historian and litterateur in Liu and Song dynasties.

In his early years, Xu Yuan was only a humble Zhongdian army in the Da Sima mansion of Langya king in the Eastern Jin Dynasty. Later, he took part in Liu Yu's Northern Expedition. Because of his careful thinking and reasoning, he was known by Liu Yu. During the reign of Emperor Wu of the Song Dynasty, he served on the crown prince. During the reign of Emperor Wen of the Song Dynasty in Yuanjia, he was appointed by Emperor Wen. He successively served as the imperial censor in the palace, the imperial censor in Nantai, the rear soldier of Liu Jun, the king of Shixing, and the cavalry servant. During the northern expedition of Emperor Wen, Xu Yuan was appointed to the front line to teach and announce Emperor Wen's military strategy and purpose.

Emperor Xiaowu was appointed as taichangcheng before the great throne, and he made the imperial regulations and notes for emperor Xiaowu. Emperor Xiaowu attached great importance to his commission, and the imperial court generally paid attention to it. In the early years of Xiaojian (454), Xu Yuanbu became minister Shuibu Lang, then became minister Dianzhong Lang and Minister Youcheng. In 457, he participated in the discussion of emperor Xiaowu's border defense strategy. Soon he was promoted to Zuo Cheng. In the sixth year of the Ming Dynasty (462), he led the writing of zuolang and compiled the history of the country. In the seventh year of the Ming Dynasty (463), he moved to be a guerrilla general. He also served as a minister to Zuo Cheng and a writer to write as before.

After the former abolishing emperor ascended the throne, he took Xu Yuan as the servant of Huangmen, and led the Shesheng Xiaowei. Wuping County, the son of food city 500 households. Liu Yu, the emperor of song and Ming Dynasties, ascended the throne and became a Taizhong doctor. Xu Yuan held power for a long time, so Liu Yu couldn't get used to him when he was in the vassal state. At the same time, Xu Yuan showed great respect to Liu Yu when he was humiliated by the former deposed emperor. In the third year of Taishi (467), Liu ordered Yousi to hand Xu Yuan over to the state for the crime of "being rude to the emperor". After Liu Yu's death, he was able to return to Beijing as the governor of nanjiyin and the doctor of zhongsan. Yuan Hui three years (475), died, 82.

Xu Yuan has more than 100 volumes of collected works, many of which are lost. There are "Song Shu", "tie Ci", "Li Ji Yin", "Jia Yi", "Shi Wen", "Shi Yi Lue" and so on, copied from "Huang Lan", now dead.

Life of the characters

Early experience

Xu Yuan, the word Changyu, is a native of Kaiyang in southern Langya. His real name was yuan. Later, because he had the same name as Fu Liang's father, he changed it to yuan. At first, Xu Yuan was only a member of the Zhongdian army in the mansion of Da Sima, King Langxie of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, who took part in Liu Yu's Northern Expedition. Xu Yuan is known to Liu Yu for his careful thinking and reasoning. When Liu Yifu was the crown prince of the East Palace, he served around Liu Yifu.

Yuanjia as an official

At the beginning of Yuanjia period, Xu Yuan was appointed by Emperor Wen again. Because of his many years of experience as an official, he was appointed as a royal censor. In the 12th year of Yuanjia (435), he was transferred to serve as a censor in Nantai and joined the army after Liu Jun, the king of Shixing. Soon after, he returned to serve the prince in the East Palace, and moved the officials to ride the servants. Every time Emperor Wen of the Song Dynasty sent out military divisions to the outside world, he would always teach military strategies. In the 27th year of Yuanjia (450), Emperor Wen of the Song Dynasty sent Wang xuanmo and others to the northern expedition. At the same time, with five hundred men and horses from Xu Yuan, he followed the army to Jue, holding the central decree, temporarily announcing Emperor Wen's military strategy.

Assist Xiaowu

In the 30th year of Yuanjia (453), the crown prince Liu Shao killed Emperor Wen of the Song Dynasty and supported himself. Soon after, Liu Jun, the king of Wuling, led his troops to attack Liu Shao and sent them to Xinting. At this time, Liu Yigong, the great general and king of Jiangxia, runs South and runs away, while Xu Yuan is trapped in the hall by Liu Shao. Xu Yuan uses his eloquence to deceive Liu Shao into pursuing Liu Yigong, so he can take the opportunity to escape and go straight to the new pavilion. At that time, Liu Jun will be in the new pavilion, that is, the throne, but the Junfu made a mistake, and I don't know about chaozhang. As soon as Xu Yuan arrived at the new pavilion, the civil and military officials were very happy, so Liu Jun appointed Xu Yuan as Tai Chang Cheng and wrote notes.

In the early years of Xiaojian's reign (454), he was the Minister of water and became the Minister of Dian Zhong and the Minister of you Cheng.

In the third year of Xiaojian (456), Emperor Xiaowu issued an imperial edict to ask the officials about the border defense strategies. Xu Yuan put forward various countermeasures and suggestions for the imperial edict. Xu Yuan thought that the labor expedition cost a lot, and the distance was far away, so the rescue of the feather forest was not enough. It is proposed to strengthen the management of military deployment in the border towns of Huaibei and strengthen the construction of the border military towns and their surrounding areas. It is believed that "the power of the enemy lies in the accumulation of millet". It is proposed to implement the military organization and training of the combination of garrison and garrison, the integration of soldiers and civilians, the combination of agriculture and war, and the combination of farming and war in the border towns, which is the way to consolidate the foundation. At the same time, the author thinks that defense can resist the invasion of the Northern Wei Dynasty, if attack, it needs to cooperate with counterattack. At that time, Xu Yuan was promoted to Zuo Cheng.

In the sixth year of the Ming Dynasty (462), as early as the Yuanjia period, Emperor Wen of the Song Dynasty made the author he Chengtian to create the national history. In the early years of emperor Xiaowu's accession to the throne, he made the emperor Fengchao invite shanqianzhi and Nantai imperial censor Su Baosheng follow him. However, their time as historians was very short, so they did not finish their duties. In the sixth year of the Ming Dynasty, Emperor Xiaowu led Xu Yuan to write a book, and asked him to complete the work and compile the national history. Although Xu Yuan referred to the previous works of these people, the last one was written by a family. Xu Yuan said on the table: "from Yuan Yixi, it is the beginning of the king's career; it is the judgment of the meritorious officials to carry out the preface and publicize the power. "That is to say, the first year of the history of the state, that is, the beginning of Wang Ye in Liu and Song Dynasties, is defined as the beginning of the first year of Yixi in the Eastern Jin Dynasty (405 years). So emperor Xiaowu ordered his ministers to discuss and discuss this issue. Thirty five people, such as taizai and Liu Yigong, the king of Jiangxia, agreed with Xu Yuan's proposal that the first year of Yixi should be taken as the judgment. However, Sanqi Changshi, Liu xiuruo, the king of baling, and Lang Tan daoluan, the Jinshu of Shangshu, believed that it should begin with the third year of Yuanxing (404), that is, the year when Liu Yu started to fight against Huan Xuan. Yu He, a doctor of Taixue, thought that the founding of the state should be the year of Song Dynasty. Finally, Emperor Xiaowu agreed with Xu Yuan's proposal and issued an imperial edict, saying: "the biographies of Xiang Ji and Shenggong (Liu Xuan) were recorded in the national history of the Han Dynasty, and there was such a precedent in the former history. Huan Xuan's biography should also be included in song books. Other related matters, according to Xu Yuan's proposal. "　

In 463, Xu Yuanqian was a guerrilla general. In the year of emperor Xiaowu's inspection tour to the south, Xu Yuan temporarily took the post of minister Zuo Cheng as his own official. He returned the palace by car and dismissed Zuo Cheng.

In the eighth year of the Ming Dynasty (464), he also served as Zuo Cheng, the Minister of state. Soon, Emperor Xiaowu died, and the imperial court built Jingning mausoleum. Xu Yuan took charge of the construction of Jingning Mausoleum as his own official.

Xu Yuan was sophisticated and tactful. He knew how to please others. He also read a lot of poems, books and biographies, especially the imperial court. Since the early years of Yuanjia, he has been in the imperial palace as the emperor's right and left attendants and participated in the deliberation and decision-making of some affairs of the imperial court. He is good at flattering and using some classic words to decorate himself. Therefore, he is very trusted by Emperor Wen of the Song Dynasty. When he was Emperor Xiaowu, he had more trust in him, and the imperial court could not do it if it was not for Xu Yuan's opinions. After the collapse of emperor Xiaowu and the removal of the emperor, Liu Zixun, king of Jin'an, asked Xu Yuan whether he should study? Xu Yuan replied, "it's not like studying in a funeral. "A few days later, Liu Zizhen, the king of Shi'an, consulted Xu Yuan with the same question. Xu Yuan said," I've lost my career for three years and I'm not allowed to study. "It's arbitrary and perverse.

be worldly-wise and play safe

After Liu ziye, the former deposed emperor, ascended the throne, he was ruthless and ruthless, and wantonly killed the internal and external ministers. At that time, most of the old people in the court and imperial court were killed or exiled. Everyone was self reliant and uneasy. Only Xu Yuan was skillful in scheming, eloquence and catering. He never disobeyed the emperor from beginning to end, so he was able to protect himself. After killing Qun Gong, the former Emperor took Xu Yuan as the servant of Huangmen, and led the shooting sound of Xiaowei. Wuping County, the son of food city 500 households. The former Emperor was very kind to him, and no one else could catch up with him. Xu Yuan was one of the former emperors who often took the same chariot with Shen Qingzhi and Princess Shanyin.

After emperor song and Ming ascended the throne, he reduced Xu Yuan's title and official rank, and changed Xu Yuan to be a servant of Huangmen to be a commander of Changshui Xiaowei and a minister of Zuo Cheng. Next year, he will be a Taizhong doctor, and his works will remain the same.

Demoted to the state

Xu Yuan had been in power for a long time. When Liu Yu was in the vassal, he didn't like him very much. During the reign of Jinghe, Liu Yu was humiliated and humiliated in front of Liu ziye, the former Emperor. Therefore, Xu Yuan did not treat Liu Yu with courtesy, and Liu Yu always hated him. In the third year of Taishi (467), Liu Yu issued an imperial edict. Starting from the crime of "being rude to the king", he worked out Xu Yuan's accusations of treachery and flattery one by one, and then relegated him to Jiaozhou.

Xu Yuan has already set out to Jiaozhou, which may be the reason why Xu Yuan has always been good at making friends with various forces inside and outside the imperial court, and is sophisticated and tactful. It should be that many people pleaded for Xu Yuan in front of Liu Yu, so Liu Yu issued an imperial edict that Xu yuan could be the prefect of a county within the jurisdiction of Guangzhou. He was invited to be the prefect of song long in Guangzhou. After the appointment, Xu Yuan has left Guangzhou and arrived in Jiaozhou. At that time, when Zhang Mu, the governor of Jiaozhou, died of illness, Li Changren, a native of Jiaozhou, rioted and wantonly killed the exiles and residents who came northward. Almost no one was spared. Li Changren has always heard of Xu Yuan's great name. Xu Yuan takes advantage of his wisdom to lure Li Changren, so it's OK. For a long time, Li Changren actually let Xu yuan go back, so Xu Yuan was able to return to the north, only to stay in Nankang County as the Prime Minister of Nankang county.

Return to Beijing in old age

In the first year of Taiyu (472), Emperor Liu Yu died of illness, so Xu Yuan was able to return to Kyoto. The imperial court took Xu Yuan as the governor of nanjiyin and removed zhongsan doctor.

In 475, Xu Yuan died at the age of 82.

Character evaluation

Wang Mingsheng: Xu Yuan was a Confucianist and was good at the study of rites. He also wrote the book of Song Dynasty and became a prominent official. In his life, there is no great evil. Shen Yue was included in the biography of enxingzhuan, which was listed with Ruan Dianfu, shoujizhi and Li Daoer. This is the private opinion of Shen Yue. In the book of Song Dynasty, he was not allowed to write it before, but intentionally degraded it

Chinese PinYin : Xu Yuan