Su Shi: I ask you about your life achievements, Huangzhou, Huizhou and Danzhou are all Huangzhou

Su Shi, as an ancient Chinese writer who "expected for generations" and a talented literary master, not only created miracles in literature, but also became a landmark figure in the history of ancient Chinese literature. The highest literary figure in the Song Dynasty A representative of achievement, charming and outstanding in personality, he became a model admired by literati and readers in the Song Dynasty and even later generations.

Su Shi's life was full of twists and turns, with ups and downs. He was once falsely accused and imprisoned, narrowly escaped accidents, and also enjoyed great honors due to the favor of the Queen Mother. In the face of setbacks, Su Shi once had a profound reflection. He said, "Literacy is the beginning of worries in life." Su Shi did not stop writing because of this, but he shouldered the important task of being a leading literary figure in the Song Dynasty after Ouyang Xiu. He produced masterpieces one after another and made great achievements.

What is even more rare is that the peak of Su Shi's literary creation occurred during the period when he suffered political misfortune and was demoted. Before his death, Su Shi inscribed his own portrait and said: "Ask you about your life achievements in Huangzhou, Huizhou and Danzhou." Although this is self-deprecating, in our opinion, it is not completely unreasonable. Because he was relegated to Huangzhou, Huizhou, and Danzhou, the peak period of his creation. Perhaps it can be said that it was precisely because of being demoted to three places that Su Shi achieved his great achievements as a writer.

Su Shi was demoted to Huangzhou when he was 45 years old, to Huizhou when he was 59 years old, and to Danzhou when he was 62 years old due to the "Wutai Poetry Case". Deportation to Huangzhou was a crucial turning point in Su Shi's life. It was an important period for him to achieve personality transcendence, and it was also the first peak period of his literary creation. The number and high quality of Su Shi's poems and essays attracted the attention of the world. ***see. The number of words accounts for one-fifth of the total. These words have rich ideological connotations, allowing us to see a talented Su Shi, and also a Su Shi with transcendent personality. Su Shi unabashedly expressed his thoughts, emotions, sorrows and joys in his poems. Here I mainly explore Su Shi's inner world during his exile in Huangzhou from Huangzhou Ci.

The "Wutai Poetry Case" was undoubtedly a major blow to Su Shi, especially after coming to Huangzhou. "Shan Ji", coupled with poverty, and the embarrassing situation of being relegated but actually under house arrest, could not help but make him fall into deep depression and thinking, which often gave rise to doubts and boredom about life and the world.

"Jiang Cheng Zi" was written in the fourth year of Yuanfeng's reign, "Who will accompany me when I sit alone in the cold, wipe my sick eyes, and twist my faded temples", expressing my longing for my old friends and lamenting my lonely situation;

"Shuilongyin Xiaogou Connects to the Yangtze River in the East" was written in the fifth year of Yuanfeng, recalling his lonely position in the "Yaochi" paradise of banquets and antiphonal songs in Beijing;

In the sixth year of Yuanfeng's reign, he wrote "Qixia Tower on the Double Ninth Festival over Xijiang Moon", lamenting that life is short and "don't hate the yellow flowers before they spit out".

From these works, we can see that Su Shi was in extreme pain at this time. At the same time, the poet felt that he was "prematurely born" and his ideals were shattered. The illusion of "life is like a dream" was significantly enhanced, and he was frustrated and lonely. Consciousness arose along with it, and the images of dreams appeared frequently in his writing:

"Drunk Penglai": Lao Sheng had a dream

"Jiang Chengzi": Drunk in a dream Wake up in the middle

"Niannujiao": Life is like a dream

"Nanxiangzi": Everything turns back to be a dream

"Ten Pai Zi": A wonderful life outside the body It's all like a dream

...

These words and sentences all reflect Su Shi's inner depression and loneliness to a certain extent.

The poem "The Residence of Bu Suanzi in Huangzhou Dinghuiyuan" written in the third year of Yuanfeng more truly reflects his psychological state:

"The moon is missing and the sparse tung trees are hanging, and the missing moon is missing. People are quiet at the beginning. Who sees lonely people coming and going? I am startled but I look back. I pick up all the cold branches and refuse to live on the lonely sandbank."

This poem is In February of the third year of Yuanfeng. This was the first time Su Shi came to Huangzhou and lived in Dinghuiyuan in the east of Huangzhou city. In the poem, the author creates a lonely and lonely environment. Mr. Wang Guowei said that "all scenery and words are words of love." The desolate environment conspires with the author's desolate state of mind. The frightened Gu Hong kept looking back and picked up all the cold branches and refused to stay. The series of activities are also a true portrayal of the poet's complex, contradictory, and painful inner world at that time.

Another example is the poem "Moon over the Xijiang River" written not long after that, which also reflects the author's depressed state of mind:

"The world is a big dream, and life is cold several times. Night comes The wind leaves are blowing in the corridor, and I am often worried about the lack of guests when I drink. Who is alone in the Mid-Autumn Festival and looks northward?

This song. The lyrics were written during the Mid-Autumn Festival in Huangzhou. The breeze and the bright moon are no different from the Mid-Autumn Festival night in Michigan four years ago, but the author's state of mind is completely different. The whole poem is filled with the bleak autumn mood. When I drink wine in the wind, I have completely lost the heroic spirit of "asking the wine to the sky" on the transcendent stage, and the relaxation and joy of "Thousands of miles away from the beauty of the moon", but it is It is the sadness of "the lamp is desolate", the depression and loneliness of "who is alone with me".

Just like all the emigrated poets throughout the ages, after experiencing the "Wutai Poetry Case", Su Shi, who was demoted to Huangzhou, encountered the baptism of political storms, faced the cruel reality, learned from the pain, and naturally I thought of going into seclusion. For a scholar-bureaucrat who was frustrated in his career, going into seclusion was undoubtedly a good medicine to relieve the pain in his heart and get rid of the troubles of the world. For this reason, in the past, there was Tao Yuanming's persistence in "going back and coming back", Li Bai's yearning for "making a flat boat", and Bai Juyi's leisurely planting flowers on Dongpo. At this time, Su Shi didn't want to find a spiritual home that belonged to him. Where is the refuge of the soul?

While in Huangzhou, Su Shi, who had already been deeply influenced by Zen, took another big step closer to Buddhism. As soon as he arrived in Huangzhou, he lived in Dinghuiyuan and made friends with famous monks. He "frequently went to Anguo Temple every one or two days," "burning incense and sitting in silence, reflecting deeply on himself." It is based on this ideological basis that the meaning of returning home is often seen in his writing.

There is admiration for Tao Qian in his Huangzhou poems, such as:

"Jiangchengzi": Holding plum blossoms in hand, looking eastward in memory of Tao Qian

" "Jiang Chengzi": When I woke up from a dream and was drunk, I realized that it was my previous life. He has traveled all over the world but still works hard.

There is an indifference to fame and fortune in officialdom, such as:

"Man Ting Fang": Wojiao has a false reputation and a small profit, but he is very busy. Everything is decided in advance, who is weak and who is strong. While I am still young, I must let my children go wild.

There is also a yearning for a secluded life, such as:

"Nian Nujiao": If you just want to ride on the wind, you will turn over and go back, why use the wings of a roc. In the Crystal Palace, a fife broke.

The one that best embodies Su Shi's feelings of returning to seclusion is "Linjiang Fairy Returns to Lingao at Night":

Drinking at Dongpo at night and waking up drunk, returning as if it were the third watch, the family boy My breath is thundering, I don't even knock on the door, I lean on my stick and listen to the sound of the river. I always regret that this body is not mine, when will I forget Yingying! The wind is quiet at night and the grain is flat. The boat passed away from now on, and the river and sea left it for the rest of my life.

This poem was written in the sixth year of Yuanfeng. In the poem, "I have always regretted that this body is not mine." The original text quoted from "Zhuangzi Zhibeiyou" reads: Shun asked Hu Cheng, "Does the Tao exist if it can be obtained?" He said: "Your body is not yours. How can a husband have a way? "Shun said: "My body is not mine, but I am familiar with it?" He said: "It is the fate of heaven and earth." The "I am not my own" here expresses Zhuangzi's emptiness of life. This is consistent with Su Shi's "life is like a dream" mentality at this time.

The sentence "When to forget about camp" in the poem is alluded to in "Zhuangzi Geng Sang Chu": "It won't make you think about camp." This is another use of Zhuangzi's words to persuade oneself to forget about the world. Fame, fortune, and fortune are all in order to achieve the unity of body and mind. The last two sentences of the poem, "The boat passed away from now on, and the river and the sea left me with the rest of my life" are straightforward and express my desire to stay away from the world. No wonder there were several misinformation that Su Shi died of illness or ran away. Even Emperor Shenzong got the news. This was not unrelated to his poems and his usual words and deeds.

Su Shi has been influenced by Confucianism's worldly thinking since he was a child, and he "works hard and has the ambition to be in the world." After entering the official career, he longed to "serve the kings Yao and Shun" and "serve the country with his writing and sword". However, the demotion of Huangzhou changed his life path, and his ideal of managing the world and benefiting the people came to nothing. Isolation, loneliness, and depression always troubled him, and the thoughts of Buddha and Lao Lao suddenly became his spiritual support.

However, Su Shi had an open mind and no scheming throughout his life. Although he was repeatedly framed and demoted, he always took the national economy and people's livelihood as his own responsibility and remained unswerving. While in Huangzhou, he did a lot of good things for the local people. He worried about the phenomenon of infant drowning in Huang'e and worked hard; he attached great importance to agricultural production and helped local farmers improve farming techniques.

What's even more valuable is that there was a plague in Huangzhou at that time. Su Shi donated Shengsanzi medicine, and countless people were saved.

Su Shi's concern for the country and the people is also well reflected in his lyrics. The five poems "Huanxisha" written in the fifth year of Yuanfeng best reflect Su Shi's concern for people's livelihood. One of the poems reads:

"The vast expanse of wind and waves does not remember Su. Thousands of carts of wheat on the clear snowy river, but it makes me full and sad. The green sleeves lean against the wind and the catkins linger, and the crimson lips are so drunk that the cherry blossoms rot." "Pearls, tweezing the frosty beard in front of the statue."

The author of this poem woke up drunk and faced the world covered in silver, imagining the joy of the people when the snow heralded a good year and the people would have enough food and clothing. The sentence "But it makes me full and I have nothing to worry about" is enough to reflect the author's broad mind. The first three poems in this group of poems start from the drought phenomenon of "covering the green wheat with no suspense", then "accumulating susceptibility on the Silver Mountain in the middle of the night", and then the next day "there is no smoke in Taojiang River". The writer is worried about the drought phenomenon. , and became relaxed as the drought lifted.

For a long time, the Confucian thought of "if you are poor, you can be good for yourself, and if you are prosperous, you can help the world" has long been deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. This is the principle followed by the feudal literati and officials to settle down and live their lives. However, Su Shi broke through this barrier, very satisfactorily handled the relationship between "general aid" and "unique kindness", and achieved a high degree of unity between the two. Regardless of whether he was "poor" or "advantaged", Su Shi was able to do both "helping others" and "doing good alone".

While in Huangzhou, Su Shi deeply felt that life was like a dream, but he did not deny life because of this. He did not eliminate himself in Dongpo or Xuetang, neither escaping from the world nor from others. Persistence and transcendence are his attitudes towards reality. What is particularly rare is that after experiencing setbacks and blows, feeling depressed and lonely, Su Shi has been adjusting his mentality. He is not only paying attention to the world, but also reinventing himself. Let's take a look at the following poems:

"Moon over the Xijiang River": The shallow waves shine across the wild sky, and the sky is faintly visible across the sky. The barrier of mud has not been resolved, and the arrogance of jade is not solved. I want to get drunk and sleep on the fragrant grass. It's a pity that a stream of wind and moon cannot teach anyone to crush Qiong Yao. Undressing the saddle and pillowing on the green poplar bridge, Du Yu heard the spring dawn.

"Partridge Sky": The forest is broken, the mountain is bright, the bamboo is hidden by the wall, and the cicadas are scattered in the small pond. Birds appear from time to time when turning over the blank page, and the red sprouts in the water are fragrant and fragrant. Outside the forest house, next to the ancient city. The stick quinoa slowly turns to the setting sun. It rained at midnight last night, and it was cool all day long.

"Huanxi Sand": Egrets fly on the edge of Xisai Mountain, the sails are scattered outside the flower island, and the peach blossoms and flowing water are full of salmon. She wears a green bamboo hat to protect herself, and follows her everywhere with green coir raincoats. She doesn't have to go home in the slanting wind and drizzle.

The biggest difference between these three poems is that the author's shadow is everywhere in the picturesque natural beauty. In the words, the author has both the carefreeness of "I want to sleep drunkenly on the fragrant grass", the relaxation of "I have to live another day in coolness", and the detachment and comfort of "I don't have to go home in the slanting wind and drizzle". Su Shi realized the true meaning of life after sailing in a boat and wandering around the mountains and rivers.

Look at another poem:

"Ding Feng Bo": Don't listen to the sound of beating leaves through the forest, why not just scream and walk slowly. The bamboo stick and mango shoes are lighter than the horse. Who is afraid? The steep spring breeze blows away the drunkenness, it is slightly cold, but the mountain tops are shining slantingly. Looking back at the desolate place where I came from, there was neither wind, rain nor sunshine.

The small preface before the poem reads: "On March 7th, it rained on the Shahu Road. The rain gear went away first, and everyone in the group was in a panic. I was alone and unaware. It was sunny, so I wrote this poem."

When it rains on the road and the rain gear goes first, everyone else is in a miserable state, but the poet does not feel the pain, "howling and walking slowly", and even feels that "the bamboo stick and mango shoes are lighter than the horse", and utters "Who Afraid, I will live my whole life in the mist and rain" and "When I go home, there will be no wind or rain or sunshine". In fact, it is a trivial matter, but the author has realized a profound philosophy of life. From this poem, what we see is no longer the image of a "secluded man" or a "lonely man", but an optimistic and free poet who is safe in danger, calm, and willing to act as the weather dictates.

Liu Xizai said in "Introduction to Art": "Dongpo's poetry has the appearance of a god born from the world." Indeed, although Su Shi is not a god, he can face reality and face the challenges of life with an extraordinary and refined mentality. Worry, and this is the reason why he repeatedly said that he would go into seclusion, but never fulfilled it until his death. Because for him, it is enough to be spiritually liberated.

Looking at Su Shi's lyrics during the Huangzhou period, we find that they are not only large in number, have a wide range of themes, and have lofty meanings, but also have very rich ideological connotations. These words record Su Shi's mental journey after he was demoted to Huangzhou. These words are also the best interpretation of Su Shi's perfect personality.

At the same time, we can see that it was precisely because of this experience in Huangzhou that Su Shi's ideological and artistic realm achieved a leap.