Cui Yan

Cui Yan

Cui Yan? He was born in Dongwu city of Qinghe County (now Gucheng County of Hebei Province). At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, he was a famous scholar, the elder brother of Sikong Cuilin, and the counselor of Cao Cao, the prime minister.

He has a magnificent body, a handsome face, and a beard. He learned from the great scholar Zheng Xuan. At first, he followed Yuan Shao, a herdsman in Jizhou, and paid homage to Duwei. After Cao Cao pacified Hebei, he gave a farewell drive to Jizhou, moved his prime minister to Dongcao, taught his son Cao Pi, and married his niece to Cao Zhi, the Marquis of Pingyuan. After Cao Cao became the Duke of Wei, he served as the Minister of Wei and moved to the second lieutenant.

In the 21th year of Jian'an (216), he was sentenced to prison and died by Cao Cao. His family developed into the Cui family of Qinghe, a famous middle ancient family.

Life of the characters

be adept with both the pen and the sword

When Cui Yan was young, he was simple in character and slow in speech. He liked fencing and advocated martial arts. When he was twenty-three years old, the village turned him into a prime minister according to the regulations, and then he began to study the Analects of Confucius and Korean poetry. At the age of 29, he made friends with Gongsun Fang and others and went to study under Zheng Xuan's gate. After not a year's study, the yellow scarf army in Xuzhou conquered Beihai, and Zheng Xuan and his disciples went to the mountain to avoid the military difficulties. At that time, the grain he bought was very scarce, so Zheng Xuan had to stop teaching and give thanks to all the students. Cui Yan was not only demobilized, but also full of bandits. The road to the West was blocked, so he traveled in the suburbs of Qingzhou, Xuzhou, Yanzhou and Yuzhou, eastward to Shouchun, and southward to the Yangtze River and Dongting Lake. He came back four years after he left his hometown. He amused himself at home by playing the piano and reading.

Zooming yuan family

When general Yuan Shao heard about it, he recruited Cui Yan. At that time, Yuan Shao's soldiers were tyrannical and tyrannical, digging tombs. Cui Yangui advised: "in the past, Xun Kuang once said:" if you don't teach soldiers a lesson, their combat effectiveness will not be strong. Even people like Shang Tang and King Wu of Zhou can't win by their fighting. " Now the corpses are exposed on the road, and the people have not seen your virtue. They should order all counties to bury the corpses, so as to show your love for the dead and follow the benevolence of King Wen of Zhou. " Yuan Shao made Cui Yan a riding captain.

Later, Yuan Shao led his troops in Liyang county and stationed them at Yanjin ferry. Cui Yan also advised: "the emperor is now in Xuchang, and the wishes of the people support the obedience of the imperial court. We might as well guard our territory and report our duties to the emperor in order to stabilize this area." But Yuan Shao didn't listen, so he was defeated in Guandu. After Yuan Shao died, his two sons fought with each other for Cui Yan. Cui Yan said that he was ill and resolutely refused. As a result, he was convicted and put in prison. He was saved from death by Xinye Yinkui and Chen Lin.

Serve Cao Cao

Jianan ten years (205 years), after Cao Cao defeated Yuan Shi, he was also a Jizhou herd, and called for Cui Yan to do his driving history. He said to Cui Yan, "in the past, registered residence registration can reach three hundred thousand, and Jizhou can be regarded as a big state." Cui Yan replied: "today, the Han family is divided, Kyushu is divided, Yuan brothers are fighting with each other, and Jizhou people are exposed in the wilderness. When Master Wang arrived, he didn't hear that he would spread benevolent voice first, and his priority was to expand his strength. Is this what men, women, old and young in our state hope for from the Duke of Ming? " Cao Cao solemnly moved and apologized to him. At that time, the guests were shocked.

Admonish Cao Pi

In 206, Cao Cao conquered Bingzhou, leaving Cui Yan to assist Cao Pi in Yecheng. Cao Pi went out hunting as usual, changed his clothes and vehicles, and his interest was in chasing prey.

Cui Yan advised: "I heard that King Wen of Zhou didn't dare to take hunting as a pleasure, and the book of history recorded this as a reference for future generations; Duke Lu Yin went out to watch fish, and the spring and Autumn Annals ridiculed it for its indecency. This is the maxim of Duke Zhou and Confucius, and the great meaning of the two classics. Xia Jie had no way and became a mirror of the Shang Dynasty. The book of songs says that "Yin Jian Bu yuan" is not far away. The king's illness should not be joyful. The book of rites records this as a taboo. This is another close example of success or failure. We have to think deeply. Yuan's family is rich and powerful, but his son is indulgent, playing and having fun. He is extremely extravagant, and his righteous deeds are not heard in the world. He is a wise man who wants to leave in an instant. He is a brave man who refuses to do his best for him. This determines that although yuan family has millions of people, across the whole of Hebei Province, it has no place. Nowadays, with the decline of the country, the giving of favors is not common, and the people of men and women yearn for and miss virtue. What's more, your father personally participated in the military expedition, up and down, and worked hard. Son, you should follow the right path, carefully correct your behavior, consider the highest strategy of governing the country, draw lessons from the inside, carry forward the lofty moral integrity of the outside world, and deeply consider the responsibility of your prince, so as to treasure your identity. However, you lose your identity and wear the humble clothes of those who manage Shanze garden. You rush around in danger. Your ambition is limited to small entertainment such as hunting pheasants and rabbits. You forget that the country is the most important thing. This really makes people sad. I hope you, my son, will burn down your hunting gear and give up your military uniform in order to satisfy people's wishes and prevent me from being punished by heaven. " Cao Pi replied, "I was told by you that I should burn hunting gear and abandon military uniform. Now the hunting gear has been burned and the military uniform has been taken off. I hope you will teach me again when there are similar mistakes in the future. "

upright and outspoken

In the 13th year of Jian'an (208), Cao Cao became the prime minister, and Cui Yan did the work of recruiting Cao's family. At first, when he was granted the position of Dongcao, the message said: "you have the style of Boyi, the uprightness of Shi Yu, the incorruptness of greedy husband because of your respect for your reputation, and the encouragement of the strong man because of your respect for your reputation. This can be used as an example of the times. So give the Dongcao the post, you go to perform the duty. "

In 213, the state of Wei was just established and Cui Yan was appointed minister. The prince has not yet been established. Cao Zhi, Marquis of Linzi, is talented and loving. Suspecting and hesitating, Cao Cao sent a letter to order a secret visit to other places. Only Cui Yanxin replied, "I know that the spring and Autumn Annals has the great righteousness of the eldest son, and Cao PiRen is filial and intelligent, so he should inherit the great rule. Cui Yan will stick to this principle with death. " Cao Zhi, the son-in-law of Cui Yan's brother, highly praised Cui Yan's selflessness and integrity. With a sigh, Cao Cao transferred Cui Yan to the post of lieutenant.

Cui Yan has a magnificent body, a loud voice, a sparse brow, and a four foot long beard. He has a very dignified manner. People in the imperial court respect him very much, and Cao Cao also has a little awe of him. Cui Yan once recommended Yang Xun, a man from Julu, saying that although he was lack of talent, he was honest and virtuous and abided by the right path. So Cao Cao recruited Yang Xun with courtesy.

Die unjustly

In the 21th year of Jian'an (216), Cao operated the king of Wei. Yang Xun praised Cao Cao's achievements and praised Cao Cao's virtue. At that time, some people ridiculed Yang Xun's hypocritical pandering to power, believing that Cui Yan's recommendation was improper. Cui Yan took a draft of the essay from Yang Xun, wrote to him and said, "reading the essay is just a good thing to do! Time, time, with the change of time, the situation will certainly change! " Cui Yan's original intention is to satirize those critics who like to denounce and scold rather than seek reasonable. However, some people reported that Cui Yan's letter was an arrogant and resentful curse. Cao Cao was angry and said, "as the saying goes," only a daughter has been born. ". Ear is not a good word. "There will be times for change." it's very disobedient From then on, Cui Yan was punished as an apprentice and sent to see him. Cui Yan didn't give in at all. Cao Cao's Lingwen said: "although Cui Yan was tortured, he kept in touch with the guests. When he received the guests, his beard curled and his eyes looked straight at him as if he were resentful." So Cui Yan was ordered to die.

It is also said that Cui Yan's collected works were obtained and wrapped in cloth when they were carried. At that time, people who had a bad time with Cui Yan saw this scene and went to Cao Cao to falsely accuse Cui Yan, saying that his article implied allegory about the government, so it was unfair to others. Cao Cao was so angry that he put Cui Yan in prison and executed him.

Originally, Cao Cao's personality was so terrible that people he could not tolerate, such as Lu Guorong, Nanyang people Xu you and Lou GUI, were killed for being his old friends. Among them, Cui Yan was the most unjust, so there were scholars and scholars in all dynasties to redress his injustice.

Personality traits

At first, Cui Yan was friendly with Sima lang. Sima Yi was in his prime. Cui Yan said to Sima Lang, "your younger brother is smart, wise, fair, strong, decisive and brave. You can hardly match him." Sima Lang didn't think so, but Cui Yan always insisted on this view. Cui Yan's cousin Cui Lin was not famous when he was young, and even his relatives despised him. However, Cui Yan often said, "this is a man who is so-called late bloomer, and will surely have great development in the end." Sun Li and Lu Yugang of Zhuo county have just entered the Wei King's military mansion. Cui Yan commented: "Sun Li is honest and upright, resolute and resolute, Lu Yu is sober and alert, sensible and indomitable Later, Cui Lin, Sun Li and Lu Yu were all officials to Zaifu. In addition, Cui Yan's friends Gongsun Fang and Song Jie died early, and Cui Yan raised their orphans. That love was like treating his own children. Most of them are like this.

Anecdotes and allusions

Bedside knife

After the unification of the north by Cao Cao, his reputation was greatly enhanced, and various nomadic tribes attached themselves one after another. Xiongnu sent envoys to send a large number of treasures, envoys asked to meet Cao Cao. Cao Cao called Cui Yan, who had a high voice and broad eyes, to meet the emissary instead of himself. During the interview, Cui Yan sat upright in the middle and accepted the congratulations of the Hun envoys. However, Cao Cao disguised himself as a bodyguard, holding a steel knife and standing upright beside the couch.

After the interview, Cao Cao sent a spy to ask the Hun envoys how they were impressed. Without hesitation, the messenger said, "the king of Wei is handsome and elegant, but the one who catches (holds and raises) the knife on the side of the couch is very dignified, so he is a real hero."

Chinese PinYin : Cui Yan