Confucius and Mount Tai

Confucius climbed the Dongshan Mountain and made the world small; he climbed the Mount Tai and made the world small. From "Mencius: Devoting Your Mind". When Confucius climbed the Dongshan Mountain of Lu State, he had a panoramic view of the entire Lu State; when Confucius climbed Mount Tai, he had a panoramic view of the heaven and earth. On the surface, it refers to the height of Mount Tai, but in reality it refers to the human horizon. Perspectives must constantly seek breakthroughs and surpass oneself. Use a detached state of mind to observe the changes and disturbances in the world. Mencius said: "Confucius climbed to Mount Dong and made Lu small; he climbed to Mount Tai and made the world small." The higher one's viewpoint, the broader the field of vision. With the change of vision, people will also have new understanding of life. From a certain perspective of time and space, the entire human race is nothing more than a hurried process in the evolution of the earth, not to mention every specific person and thing. Standing on the ruins of the ancient Roman Colosseum, all the power disputes and gold dust and luxury in the world have turned into fleeting smoke. Only the ruins and the historical echoes floating in the air will last forever. In the silent night of the Sahara Desert, my heart is as calm as spring rain and autumn water. Everything in the world can be given up. Only heaven and earth are eternal.

Full text

(Twenty-four) Mencius said: "Confucius climbed to the East Mountain and made a small Lu, and climbed to the Taishan Mountain and made the world small. Therefore, those who look at the sea cannot be water, and those who swim at the gate of the saints It’s hard to explain. If you have a skill in observing water, you must observe its waves. If the sun and moon are bright, the light will shine on them. If water is not flowing, it will not work; if a gentleman’s ambition is to follow the path, it will not be accomplished. ”

< p>Translation: Mencius said: "When Confucius climbed Dongshan, he felt that the state of Lu had become smaller. When he climbed Mount Tai, he felt that the world had become smaller. Therefore, people who have seen the sea will find it difficult to be attracted by other waters. In the sage It is difficult for those who study under the guidance of others to be attracted by other words. There is a certain way to appreciate water. You must appreciate its waves. The sun and moon have light, and the small gaps in the flowing water must not fill the puddles. The pit will no longer flow forward; a gentleman who aspires to the Tao cannot achieve it without reaching a certain level."

Social

Confucius had many activities in the Taishan area. Mount Tai was the border between Qi and Lu during the Spring and Autumn Period. The two countries were engaged in civil and military relations, and the North Korea and the alliance went to report to each other, and there were frequent back and forths. The State of Lu was a fiefdom of the Duke of Zhou, and there was an ancestral temple of the Zhou Dynasty where the emperor's rituals and music could be used. Therefore, the political, cultural, and legal systems of the Zhou Dynasty were relatively well preserved in the State of Lu. Although Confucius was wandering throughout his life, he spent most of his time in the state of Lu, which provided sufficient conditions for his activities in the Mount Tai area.

Mountain climbing

Confucius once climbed Mount Tai to inspect the Zen system. Mount Tai is located in the east of my country and is called Dongyue. In the original religious beliefs, the East is responsible for life, so Mount Tai is responsible for the explanation of life and death. Later, it was expanded to mean the "Zen Dynasty" which was passed down from generation to generation of emperors. After the emperors of the past dynasties changed dynasties and achieved peace, they would enshrine Mount Tai to show that they had received orders from heaven and would follow them all over the world. There is a record in "Guanzi·Fengchan Chapter" that "in ancient times, seventy-two families of Liang Father were granted the title of Zen in Mount Tai". The content of Feng Chan is to build an altar of earth at the top of Mount Tai to offer sacrifices to heaven, in order to repay heaven's merits, which is called Feng. This grand and solemn Zen ceremony has a set of sacred and strict rituals, which was very attractive to Confucius, who attached great importance to the ritual and music system. Confucius followed the example of the Duke of Zhou throughout his life and took the restoration of the Zhou Dynasty's political and ritual systems as his own responsibility. He was ready to assist the monarch at any time to realize this idea, so the Zen ceremony was an important national ceremony that must be mastered. "Han Shi Wai Zhuan" records: "Confucius ascended Mount Tai and watched Yi Long, and the king could count more than seventy people." After many field visits and repeated comparisons, it was found that the specific rituals of Zen in the past dynasties were very different, and he mastered them. The ceremony of enshrining Zen provides rich materials. At that time, the activities of offering sacrifices and offering sacrifices to mountains were all held by the monarch, and it was not etiquette for princes and subordinates to hold such activities. According to "The Analects of Confucius·Eight Hundreds", Ji Sun, a powerful official in the state of Lu, wanted to offer sacrifices to Mount Tai. Confucius hurriedly asked Ran You, Ji's student who was the housekeeper: "Can't anyone stop it?" Ran You answered no. Confucius sneered and said: Does Taishan also understand etiquette and accept this unruly sacrifice?

Confucius was engaged in political activities in the Taishan area, the most famous of which was the Jiagu Meeting in Laiwu on the east side of Mount Tai. "Historical Records: The Family of Confucius" records: In the tenth year of Lu Dinggong (500 BC), Confucius served as the chief minister of the Lu State. He began to govern the country with his own political ideas, and gradually became stable and strong, which made Qi State very uneasy. In order to subjugate the Lu State, Qi Jinggong adopted the advice of the doctor Li Kuan and others and invited Ding Gong to gather in Jiagu, hoping to take the opportunity to use force to make the Lu State surrender. Lu Dinggong agreed to attend the meeting, and Confucius appointed Sikou as his deputy to accompany him. In accordance with the policy of "those who have civil affairs must be armed", he mobilized troops to accompany him. In accordance with the policy of "those who have civil affairs must be armed", they mobilized military entourage. The famous politician Yan Ying of Qi State accompanied Jinggong to the meeting.

After the meeting began, Qi State invited local songs and dances to be played, so "Yu Yanyu arrived with spears, halberds and swords drawn and made a noise", intending to threaten Duke Ding. The situation was urgent. Confucius ignored common courtesy, stepped up the steps, raised his sleeves and shouted loudly: The monarchs of our two countries are meeting solemnly, why is there such a barbaric singing and dancing? What should Qi do? Jinggong felt very embarrassed and motioned to leave. After a while, Qi State asked for court music to be played, so some people "advocated dwarfs to come forward for the sake of the show" to insult Duke Ding. Confucius stepped up the steps again and said loudly: Anyone who teases the princes will be beheaded according to law. Because Confucius had a strict attitude, strict control of etiquette, and full military preparations, Qi Jinggong felt that Lu Dinggong could not be easily kidnapped, so he hurriedly ended the meeting.

After returning to the country, Qi Jinggong was still frightened and complained to his ministers, saying, Confucius assisted the king according to etiquette, but you taught me heresy and offended the state of Lu by being disrespectful. What should I do? So he had no choice but to return the Wenyang and Guiyin fields that had been occupied by the Lu State as a token of gratitude. There is also the ruins of Xieguocheng near Fujia Village, more than ten miles east of Taicheng City, which were built because of this incident.

Before this, Yan Ying looked down on Confucius very much. He once said to Qi Jinggong: "Confucians are funny and cannot follow the law; they are arrogant and submissive and cannot be subordinated; they worship mourning and mourn, and they are buried richly when they are bankrupt. You can't be a secular person; you can't lobby and beg for money, you can't serve the country... Nowadays, Confucius is full of "appearances and decorations, elaborate ascending and descending rituals, and detailed etiquette. He can't lose his learning in the past, and he can't study his etiquette in the past." ("Historical Records: Confucius' Farming") ). These "four incompetencies" and "two incompetencies" reduced Confucius to nothing. The Jiagu Alliance fully demonstrated Confucius' political and diplomatic talents. It also proved that Yanzi had a very narrow and one-sided view of Confucius and underestimated this political figure.

In the fourth year after the Jiagu Meeting, Qi State was worried that "Confucius would dominate" and annex Qi State, so he accepted Li Mo's proposal and gave it to Lord Lu; Ten charming beauties, all good at singing melodious music, thirty tall horses with fine saddles and bridles, all bathed in golden light. They wanted to weaken the will of Lu Jun and alienate the relationship between Lu Jun and Confucius. Sure enough, "Ji Huanzi went to watch in secret. Again and again, I will accept it. "Nai said that Lord Lu was traveling all day long, watching and neglecting political affairs" ("Historical Records: Confucius' Family"), and his eagerness and frivolous attitude were about to emerge. Confucius saw that Lord Lu was so absurd, so he had to resign and lead his disciples. With a heavy heart, he left the State of Lu, where careful governance had begun to bear fruit. On the way, he passed through Guishan, south of Mount Tai and west of present-day Xintai, and saw the fertile Guiyin Fields. The victory of the Jiagu Meeting was still there, but he was still there. Forced to go to Lu, he felt so angry that he could not calm down, so he composed the song "Guishan Cao". According to Cai Yong's "Qin Cao" of the Eastern Han Dynasty, ""Guishan Cao" was composed by Confucius. The people of Qi gave music to girls, and Huanzi of Ji accepted it, but Jun of Lu closed his doors and refused to listen to the court. At this time, the Ji family was in dictatorship, tyrannizing the emperor at the top, officials at the bottom, expelling the sages, and slandering the whole dynasty. Confucius wanted to remonstrate but could not get it, so he retreated and looked at Lu. Lu has Guishan to shield it, and the Ji family is located in Guishan, and the support is located in Huke. Ji's dictatorship is like a mountain of turtles shielding Lu. The mausoleum of the injured Zhengdao was late, and the people of Min could not find their place. They wanted to kill the Ji family but were unable to do so, so they used the harp and sang: "I desire Lu, and the turtle mountain covers it." If you don't have an ax in your hand, where is Guishan? ”

Confucius returned to Lu

In the eleventh year of Lu Ai Gong (484 BC), Ai Gong sent envoys to welcome Confucius with a large sum of money to defend himself and return to Lu. At that time, Confucius wandered around various places for fourteen years. He has deeper and broader experience and more mature political experience. He sees that the Lu State is currently worried about the invasion of the Wu State and the three heroes of the Ji family are fighting for power. It is helpless to call him back to the country, and he will not really use him. He was sixty-eight years old, and it was difficult to achieve great political achievements in a difficult situation. His energy in his prime was wasted in running around, so he felt very complicated when he returned to China in his old age. , I couldn't help but sigh with emotion, so I wrote "Qiu Ling Song" to express my feelings:

Climb to Qiu Ling, and it's on the other side of the mountain.

Benevolence is near, but it is far away. >

Then he was no longer confused, and he was still in Yingtun.

Looking back with a sigh, Liang Fu returned to the road. p>There will be no obstacles, and the disease will spread.

But I will sigh forever and burst into tears.

This poem has been passed down to Confucius throughout the ages. As such, it is the first of its kind. This is the first poem dedicated to Mount Tai, and it is also his second poem about Mount Tai after "Guishan Cao". It creates a precedent for using "mountain road" as a metaphor for "benevolence" in the poem. The technique and the metaphor of the image are very appropriate. "The road is long and the road is long, I will search high and low", which is obviously influenced by Confucius's poems.

About Confucius

Confucius was a famous statesman, thinker, educator and writer in ancient China. The association between Mount Tai and celebrities began when Confucius climbed Mount Tai to express his ambitions and broaden his mind; he studied Zen and learned etiquette; he understood the people's sentiments and observed current affairs. , the activities and historical relics are very rich. The "Taishan Chronicle" of the Ming Dynasty said: "Confucius ranks first among the scenic spots in Mount Tai. "This not only expanded the connotation of Taishan culture, but also enabled Confucian thought and culture to be carried forward through the power of Mount Tai. At the same time, Confucius also pioneered the practice of celebrities climbing Mount Tai. Due to his special status and influence, subsequent generations followed suit. To. "Climbing Mount Tai and minimizing the world" has become an indispensable part of life for literati and celebrities of all ages. It has been inherited and developed into a profound cultural psychology, spread into a long-lasting cultural trend, and evolved into a major landscape in traditional culture.

Confucius (551 BC - 479 BC), courtesy name Zhongni, was a native of Zouyi, Changping Township, Lu State (now southeast of Qufu County, Shandong Province) during the Spring and Autumn Period. Confucius claimed to be a "Yin native". , was the concubine brother of King Zhou of the Yin Dynasty. After the destruction of the Yin Dynasty, he was granted the title of King of the Song Dynasty and was worshiped by the Shang Dynasty. The surname of Kong Fujia, the thirteenth ancestor of Confucius, became the minister of the Song Dynasty. Due to civil strife in the palace, he was killed by Huadu, and his son Ben Lu was born in Zou. His great-grandfather Kong Fangshu was the official of the defense town of Lu. His father, Liang He, was a warrior and was famous among the princes for his bravery. Yan Zheng was born in Confucius. "Qiu was born and his uncle Liang He died" ("Historical Records: Confucius Family"). Soon after, he moved to Qufu with his mother and lived a poor and humble life. This is what Confucius called himself "my young master." Cheap" ("The Analects of Confucius·Zihan").

He said, "I have been determined to learn since I was ten years old" ("The Analects of Confucius·Wei Zheng"). His learning method is mainly self-study, and he has a humble and studious spirit. The so-called "I am not born to know, but I love the ancients and am keen to pursue them." " ("The Analects of Confucius·Shuer"), "When Zi entered the Taimiao, he asked about everything" ("The Analects of Confucius·Bayi"). When Confucius was twelve years old, he became a retainer of the Ji family. When he was twenty-two years old, he set up a teaching in Luli. Disciples such as Zeng Dian, Yan Wuyou, Qin Shang and Ran Geng from Lu came to study. When he was about thirty years old, his private studies became more prosperous. The so-called " Standing at thirty." When he was thirty-four years old, he accepted the carriages, horses, servants, and financial aid from Lord Lu. Accompanied by Uncle Nangong Jing, he went to Luoyang, the capital of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, where he paid homage and entertainment, visited the suburbs, and examined the Mingtang. After returning from his visit to Zhou Dynasty, Confucius's private studies flourished even more.

In the ninth year of Duke Dinggong of Lu, when Confucius was fifty-one years old, "Dinggong appointed Confucius as the Prime Minister of the Central Capital. In one year, all the four sides followed suit, and the Prime Minister of the Central Capital was Sikong, and Sikong was the Great Sikou. "("Historical Records Confucius Family"). In the tenth year of Duke Dinggong's reign, Confucius held a meeting with Duke Jinggong of Qi and came to the valley, and returned victorious. After returning to Shandong, he helped Ding Gong launch the "Falling Three Capitals" campaign, which played a role in strengthening the Duke's office and weakening the Ji family. At this time, the state of Qi was trying to alienate the monarchs and ministers of the state of Lu. Confucius had to lead his disciples to leave the state of Lu at the age of fifty-five and began a fourteen-year tour of various countries.

Confucius went to Lu Shiwei, and successively visited Zhao, Kuang, Cao, Song, Chen, Pu, Zheng, Cai, Jin, and Chu. He wandered around the Central Plains in an attempt to advocate "the way of civil and military affairs". To quell the chaos in the world, the result is to hit the wall everywhere, suffer repeated setbacks, and have almost no place to stay. But he didn't seem to be discouraged. Even in the midst of danger, he still kept singing, "knowing that it was impossible but doing it" ("The Analects of Confucius·Xianwen"). In the eleventh year of Duke Ai of Lu, Confucius returned to the state of Lu at the age of sixty-eight. He devoted himself to Luo studies and collecting and sorting out cultural classics. "Spring and Autumn" and other texts were passed down to later generations as teaching texts for disciples. Confucius made great contributions to the development of culture, education, and scholarship in ancient China. He "taught poetry, books, etiquette and music, and had three thousand disciples, and there were two out of seventy who were proficient in the six arts" ("Historical Records: Confucius' Family"). In the spring of the 16th year of Duke Ai, Confucius died of illness at the age of seventy-three and was buried by the Surabaya River in the north of Qufu City. Confucian disciples "followed the Master's words" and compiled the book "The Analects of Confucius", which recorded the main thoughts of Confucius.

Disciples of Confucius related to Mount Tai

Many of Confucius’s disciples are related to Mount Tai. Among them, the first disciple Yan Hui was recommended. "Confucius' Family Sayings" records: "Yan Zi and Confucius went up Mount Lutai. Confucius looked to the southeast and saw a white horse outside the Chang Gate. He asked Yan Yuan to show it: Do you see Wu Chang Gate? Yan Yuan said: See it. Confucius said: Outside the gate Why? He said: "It looks like Bai Lian." Confucius touched his eyes and stopped. "The place is in front of the Confucius Temple on Daiding, where the Ming Dynasty established the "Wang Wu Holy Relics". This place is also called Wangwu Peak and Kongziyan. In the Wenyang fields southwest of Mount Tai and north of Wenshui River, there is a "Yanzi Slope", which is the place where the master and the apprentice visited after going down the mountain. This Yan Hui, who was a scholar but short-lived, aroused the nostalgia of Taishan people.

Zengzi was the most effective among Confucian disciples in the study of loyalty and filial piety. He was called the Zengzi school. He wrote the "Book of Filial Piety" and "The Great Learning", etc., and was regarded as the "Zongsheng" by future generations. Zengzi was also the author of early Taishan folk songs. According to "Qin Cao", when Zeng Zi was young, "he was plowing under Mount Tai, it was raining and snowy, and he could not return home for ten days. He thought about his parents and wrote "Liang Fu Yin". Its melody is melancholy and full of pathos, and it has been widely spread since then. Later generations such as Zhuge Liang and Li Bai were good at singing this tune. This should be said to be Zengzi's contribution to Taishan culture.

Youruo, also known as Youzi, is one of the twelve philosophers of Confucius. In The Analects of Confucius, Confucian disciples only called Zeng Shen and Youruo "Zi", which is enough to illustrate his status at that time. According to "Mencius. "Tengwen Gong" records that after Confucius died, his disciples missed him day and night. Because Youruo looked like Confucius, Zixia, Zizhang, Ziyou and others discussed with each other and appointed Youruo as their teacher, and they respectfully served and asked Confucius as he had done before his death. Youzi's hometown is Youjiazhuang in Feicheng at the foot of Mount Tai, where Youruo's descendants live together. Youzi's tomb is near Youjiazhuang. In the 50th year of Qianlong's reign in the Qing Dynasty (1785), a Song Dynasty stone tablet was unearthed, proving that it is undoubtedly Youzi's cemetery.

Ran Geng, courtesy name Boniu, is one of the twelve philosophers. He is known for his virtues together with Yan Hui, Min Ziqian and Zhong Gong. Gongsun Chou, a disciple of Mencius, believed that Ran Geng was roughly close to Confucius, but not as broad and profound as Confucius. Later, Ran Geng became seriously ill. Confucius went to see him and sighed sadly: "I am destined to die! This person has this disease! This person has this disease!" Ran Geng's hometown is Ranjiazhuang, Feicheng. The Ran family The descendants live together in groups. There is Ranzi Temple in the village, where the tribesmen worship their ancestor Ranzi. In the 13th year of the reign of Emperor Yongzheng of the Qing Dynasty (1735), a hereditary doctor of the Five Classics was specially established for the Ran clan, and he was enshrined for twelve years to show his preferential care for this sage.

Lin Fang is a scholar who is knowledgeable and proficient in etiquette. "The Analects of Confucius. "Bayi": "Lin Fang asked about the origin of etiquette. Confucius said: 'What a great question! It is better to be frugal than to be extravagant about etiquette; it is better to be sad than to be mourned easily. '" When the Ji family wanted to offer sacrifices to Mount Tai, Confucius said angrily Said: "Wow! Is it ever said that Mount Tai is not as good as Lin?" Lin Fang's hometown is in the urban and rural area of ??Xintai Fang, and Diwang is named after Lin Fang. The 60th year of Qianlong's reign in the Qing Dynasty (1736). A broken stele was unearthed locally, proving that it was Lin Fang's hometown. The local people call him "Taishan Linfang". As an outstanding representative of Taishan people's "knowledge of etiquette", a sage Linfang temple was specially built in his hometown for people to worship and pay homage.

"The rocks of Mount Tai are what Lu Bang looks at." This is the praise of Mount Tai in the "Book of Songs" that Confucius deleted in his later years.

Mount Tai had a huge influence on Confucius: by learning rituals and music, one could get a glimpse of the entire Zen ceremony; by climbing Mount Tai and seeing the world in a small way, one could judge the cultivation of one's own virtue, talent and knowledge with a broad vision; when Confucius was dying, Kong Li, Yan Hui, Zilu died one after another, knowing that the sun was declining on the mountain, so he sang the last song of "Mount Tai is declining! The beams and pillars are broken! The philosophers are withering", linking his life and death with Mount Tai, which shows that Mount Tai has an unusual role in Confucius' mind. status.

The influence of Confucius on Mount Tai was far-reaching: the Jiagu Meeting was a successful example of Confucian politics, proving that Confucianism was by no means "glorious and dressed up for debate" or "erudite and incompetent" False people; "Guishan Cao" and "Qiu Ling Song" lead to the eternal singing of Qu Yuan, Li Bai and others who were difficult to travel; traveled Qilu for a long time, and realized from the comparison that "the wise enjoy the water, the benevolent enjoy the mountains", which seems to have involved culture The influence of geography on people's personality; through careful observation, we can realize that "the wise are active, the benevolent are quiet, the wise are happy, and the benevolent live long". This is the effect of landscape appreciation on people's psychology and health. It is undoubtedly a good influence on tourism psychology and tourism aesthetics. Learn the earliest enlightenment knowledge. If anyone can be said to have left the richest ideological and cultural heritage in mountain and river tours, then Confucius is well-deserved. Later generations closely linked Confucius with Mount Tai, and praised it as "Mount Tai among the saints of Confucius, and Confucius among the mountains of Mount Tai" (Yan Yunxiao, Ming Dynasty, "Ode to Confucius Temple"). This view is quite profound.

Architecture about Confucius

There are also buildings about Confucius in Taishan. There are two Confucius Temples, one in the southeast of Dai Temple in Taicheng, which was built in the Song Dynasty, and one in the east end of Daidingtian Street, west of Bixia Temple, which was built in the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty. In addition to Confucius, the temple also enshrines Yan Hui, Zengzi, Mencius, and Zisi, who are the "four spouses", and there are also "twelve sages" who are enshrined. Xu Zongqian, the magistrate of Tai'an County in the Qing Dynasty, wrote a couplet: "Looking up makes you taller, drilling makes you stronger, you can speak highly of it; it is beyond its kind, it is outstanding, it is as if it is natural."

"Confucius ascended to the place where he came. "Archive. In front of the Red Gate Palace. In the 39th year of Jiajing's reign in the Ming Dynasty (1560), it was built by Zhu An, the censor of Shandong Ducha, and others. A couplet is engraved on the square: "King Su alone has been passed down for eternity, and the Holy Lord has come from afar to celebrate for thousands of years." However, before the Han Dynasty, mountaineering took the Taishan East Road, and one had to go to Dajinkou Township to enter the mountain. The people of the Ming Dynasty built a square here to educate tourists about Confucian culture, "to speak on behalf of the saints", and to expand the influence of Confucius in Mount Tai.

Visit the ruins

Confucius also visited Mount Tai with the purpose of visiting scenic spots, broadening his horizons, and enhancing his moral and cultural quality. There are many Confucius tourist sites up and down Mount Tai.

Zhanlu Terrace

Zhanlu Terrace. On the south side of Daiding is the place where Confucius climbed the mountain and looked at the state of Lu. "Mencius: Full Heart" contains: "Confucius climbed the East Mountain to face Xiaolu, and climbed Mount Tai to make the world smaller. Therefore, it is difficult for a person to swim in the sea, and it is difficult to talk to a person who swims in the gate of a saint. This means that the realm of knowledge must be continuously advanced in order to achieve success. Higher moral cultivation." There was a stone carving of "Confucius Xiaotianxia" here to commemorate it. "

Hushan

Hushan. On the east side of Queen Mother Pond at the southern foot of Mount Tai. "Book of Rites·Tan ??Gong" contains: "When Confucius passed by the side of Mount Tai, a woman cried "Those in the tomb" lamented that "tyranny is more fierce than tigers". However, the terrain here is open and the mountains are sparse. It does not seem to be a place where tigers and wolves roam. The name "Tiger Mountain" may be due to later generations. Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty established the "Qianlong Archery" here. "Tiger Place" stone tablet claims that he personally shot tigers here. Many people believe this as historical fact. In fact, it is arty and uses the title to mean the eradication of "tyranny".

Ji Zhazi's Tomb

< p> Tomb of Ji Zhazi. In Laiwukou Town, east of Mount Tai. Ji Zha was the fourth son of King Shoumeng of Wu. He gave up the throne three times and traveled around the world to study rituals and music. When Confucius was eight years old, Ji Zha was the master of Wu culture. Zha once made a special trip to Lu to watch the music and dance of his contemporaries, and made a comprehensive and systematic evaluation. Later, he went to Qi as an envoy. His eldest son died at the foot of Mount Tai, and he had to be buried on the spot. According to the "Book of Rites Tan Gong", Confucius believed that Zha Ji. He was the most familiar with the Zha Le system in the state of Wu. He made a special trip to watch the funeral ceremony of Ji Zha's eldest son. There is still a stone tablet "Confucius' Ceremony Place" beside the tomb of Ji Zha.

Diaoquanyu

Tiaoquan Valley is located fifteen miles south of Muchangyu Township in Xintai. It is named after "Tiaoquan". "Zhizi" records: "Confucius was thirsty when he did not stay in Tiaoquan. If you don't drink it, you will get a bad name. "Therefore, there is a saying that "people with lofty ideals will not drink the water from the stolen spring, and honest people will not eat the food that comes from the stolen spring." Later generations changed "stealing" to "dao" because of their bad name, and today it is called Daoquanyu.

郕 Yiyi

Yiyi is located in Dongzhuang Township, Ningyang County. "Liezi Tianrui" records: "Confucius was traveling in Mount Tai and saw Rong Qiqi walking in the wilderness of Yi. "Rong Qiqi is a hermit. He is ninety years old. He is wearing a deerskin and a straw rope around his waist. He is playing the piano and singing. Confucius asked: "What makes you so happy? Rong replied: "There are too many things that make me happy." Of all things in the world, only human beings are the most noble. It is the first happiness that I can be born as a human. People are divided into male and female, and men are superior to women. It is the second happiness that I can be a man. Some people have a short life span and even die in their mother's womb or in infancy. Among them, I am lucky enough to live to be ninety years old, which is the third happiness. Living in poverty is the usual situation for virtuous people, and death is the end of life. I am satisfied if I can spend my life in a normal situation. What else is there to worry about? "Confucius was deeply moved after hearing this and said: Great! He is such a person who can comfort himself! This incident gave Confucius great inspiration and influence.