Wang Wei in my eyes

Wang Wei in my eyes: The scholar in white clad in jade trees facing the wind

Is Wang Wei a great talent? The answer is unquestionable. In terms of talent, he had few rivals among the talents of the Tang Dynasty. He is good at poetry, painting, music, and calligraphy. He is an all-round artist. This comprehensive development is beyond the reach of other talents. But it seems a little awkward to classify Wang Wei as a talented man, because in our impression, a talented man must not only have talent, but also have personality, temperament, eccentricities, romantic anecdotes, etc. As for Wang Wei, in addition to being a little more talented, he doesn't have a bad temper or a weird personality, and his behavior is no different from ordinary people. The great philosopher Kant said that all talented people are unreasonable, and Yang Ge said that all talented people do not follow ordinary paths. These statements are not applicable to Wang Wei. Among those talented people who are suave and flamboyant, Wang Wei seems too quiet and quiet to be a talented person.

In his own opinion, Wang Wei's quietness may be a reflection of his cultivation, because he is a nobleman, and the children of noblemen must always cherish their feathers and pay attention to their every move. There are currently some disputes about Wang Wei's birthplace, and different history books have different records. "Old Book of Tang" says that Wang Wei was originally from Qi County in Taiyuan (now Qixian County, Shanxi Province). His father, Wang Chulian, who once served as Sima of Fenzhou, moved his family to Puzhou (Yongji, Shanxi Province), which was later Hedong County, so he Became a Hedong native. Others say that Wang Wei was from Jingzhao or Langxie. Why do people care so much about Wang Wei’s birthplace and still chatter about it endlessly? Because place of origin is so important to Wang Wei, different place of origin brings not only the difference between urban household registration and rural household registration, but even the gap between Beijing household registration and household registration in remote small valleys cannot be compared with it.

"Sui and Tang Dynasties" says that Xue Yuanchao, the prime minister of Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty, enjoyed all the glory and wealth in his life. There were only three things that made him worried, that is, he did not get the Jinshi title and was unable to marry a girl with the fifth surname. There is no chance to compile national history. Those two matters related to education will be solved quite smoothly today. Once he becomes the "prime minister", as long as he gives a hint, no matter how famous the university is, he will happily send doctorates and professorships to his door, and famous scholars who write history books will happily put his name on the editorial board. first place. It's just that marrying a girl with the five surnames is more troublesome. The five surnames of Li, Wang, Zheng, Lu, and Cui rely on their noble status and pure blood. They don't even have much interest in the emperor's daughter, and they probably won't care about ordinary prime ministers. When Emperor Wenzong of the Tang Dynasty married his daughter, he found that the nobles were very modest in giving way to each other, so he became furious and said that my old Li family had been the emperor for two hundred years, how could it not compare to families like Cui and Lu?

The Emperor of the Tang Dynasty was also among the "Five Surnames". Why was he still not recognized by the relevant gentry? Because not all these five surnames are noble in the world, only the Cui family in Qinghe or Boling, the Lu family in Fanyang, the Li family in Zhaojun or Longxi, the Zheng family in Xingyang, and the Wang family in Taiyuan are authentic. The Emperor of the Tang Dynasty was known as the Li family of Longxi, but some people thought that they were seriously barbarized, and some said that they were "broken households" among the big families (as Chen Yinke said). In short, the gentry in Shandong (east of Mount Wei) regarded their ancestry Skeptical attitude. Wang Weiruo was from Hedong, Jingzhao, or Langxie. Although he might still be a branch of the Taiyuan Wang family, he was not as orthodox as the Taiyuan Wang family. Wang Wei's mother is clearly stated in history books to be the Bolingcui family. At that time, there were many internal marriages among the five surnames, which also proves that Wang Wei is indeed of pure blood.

Being born in a famous family has many benefits. First of all, you will receive a good and systematic education. "New Book of Tang" says that Wang Wei could write articles at the age of nine. There are many child prodigies who can write and write at the age of nine, but few can further become successful people when they grow up. Prodigies can rely on talent, but success requires good qualities, and quality depends on education and training, so now the whole country is clamoring for "quality education." Wang Wei was as smart as the Zhong Yong mentioned by Wang Anshi since childhood, and his family environment was far better than Zhong Yong's, so his overall quality was better. Zhongyong only knew how to write poems, and had no chance to explore and cultivate his potential in other areas. Therefore, he could only "visit the people in the city", that is, wander around the countryside and make a living among the rich locals. He had no ability to Enter the social circle of upper class society.

Wang Wei's overall quality is good. In addition to poetry and prose, he is proficient in music, chess, calligraphy and painting, so that he can "surround himself with noble people". In fact, this is exactly what happened. When he was about fifteen years old, Wang Wei left his hometown and came to Chang'an, where he wandered among the rich and powerful. Xue Yongruo of the Tang Dynasty recorded this in "Ji Yi Ji": "Wang Wei Youcheng was crowned weak at the end of the year, and the article was named after him. He has a good temperament and a wonderful pipa. He traveled among the nobles and was especially favored by King Qi." The meaning of this passage is that when Wang Wei was still quite young, he was very famous for his articles, and he was also proficient in music and played the pipa well. He often performed at the homes of the royal kings, and especially received the favor and respect of King Qi. Xue Yongruo was not just making assumptions, he was just talking nonsense in order to increase the reading rate. His statement was approved by the great poet himself. Looking through "The Collection of Wang Youcheng", we can see such poem titles as "From King Qi to Yang's special industry, Yingjiao", "From King Qi's night banquet to Weijiashanchi to Yingjiao", "From King Qi's Jiucheng Palace to escape the summer heat, Yingjiao" and so on. , it seems that the poet also took this as an honor in his early years. Even after he matured and became famous, he must still miss this glorious life.

Wang Wei often interacted with the princes of the Tang Dynasty, and Wang Wei became their guest.

At this time, Wang Wei was very young and had his own stance and principles. He was very different from the retainers around Jia Zheng in "Dream of Red Mansions" and was able to ridicule those princes. Prince Ning Li Xian was the eldest brother of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty. He once gave up the position of prince to Xuanzong and seemed to be very aware of current affairs. But he was a prince after all, especially after Xuanzong ascended the throne, relying on Xuanzong's favor, he also did some things that were cunning and plundering, which raised eyebrows. Once, he saw a cake seller's wife who was "slim and fair", so he couldn't help but give the cake seller some money and take her home. More than a year later, King Ning wanted to know if she still missed the baker despite being well-dressed and well-fed, so he picked up the baker and asked the couple to meet. As a result, when the cake seller's wife met the baker, "tears rolled down her cheeks, as if she was overwhelmed with emotion." In addition to King Ning, the audience present at that time included Wang Wei and more than a dozen scribes. These scribes were "all sad" when they saw this scene. King Ning suggested that if there is a scene like this, it cannot be without poetry, so everyone should write poems based on this theme. Wang Wei was a quick thinker and was the first to write a good poem. The poem goes:

Don't be favored by the present to forget the kindness of the past. Looking at the flowers brings tears to my eyes, but I don’t like what the King of Chu said.

The poem is titled "Mrs. Xi". Mrs. Xi was originally the wife of the monarch of the Xi Kingdom in the Spring and Autumn Period. After the King of Chu destroyed the Tiao Xi Kingdom, he took her as his own. Although Mrs. Xi gave birth to two children for King Chu, she remained silent and never spoke to King Chu. Wang Wei said that although little people cannot make their own choices, it does not mean that they do not have their own choices. Mrs. Xi is using silence to resist the humiliation she suffered. King Ning was a little embarrassed when he saw that Wang Wei compared him to the debauched King of Chu, but he had "doted dozens of prostitutes, all of whom were exquisitely skilled", so he regarded the seizure of the baker's wife as a game and a dream. He showed his magnanimity and elegance, created a legend in the literary world, and returned the baker's wife to the baker.

Actually, it was not pleasant to travel to Beijing at such a young age. Sometimes, Wang Wei had to fly to Luoyang for necessary reasons. Looking at "Remembering Shandong Brothers on September 9th" written by Wang Wei during this period, we can roughly understand the poet's dejected mood. However, for the sake of his future, he didn't have many choices. The benefits Wang Wei gained from "visiting the nobles" were far greater than the small amount of food Zhong Yong got from "visiting the people in the city". It is said that this is how Wang Wei got his fame. "Ji Yi Ji" says that at that time there was a man named Zhang Jiugao, who was famous throughout the world, and later became a princess. The princess personally wrote a letter to the Jingzhao examiner, hinting that Zhang Jiugao would be the leader. Wang Wei happened to take the exam this year, so he reported his ideas to King Qi, hoping to get his protection and help. This King Qi was Li Fan, the younger brother of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty. At that time, his family was full of celebrities. Even great musicians like Li Guinian often visited his house. Du Fu can testify for us about this. Later, he The poem "Meet Li Guinian in the South of the Yangtze River" said with great nostalgia that "it is a common sight in King Qi's house".

King Qi felt very embarrassed after hearing Wang Wei's thoughts. If he couldn't help Wang Wei at this time, it would be too shameful for him, but the princess' background was greater, what should he do? "The prosperity of your lord cannot be striven for. I will paint it for you." It means that we will not attack by force, but only outsmart him. Wang Wei is asked to prepare some poems and a new pipa song, and meet him in five days. Wang Wei brought these things and arrived as scheduled. King Qi said: As a scholar, do you have other ways to meet the princess? Do you think clearly now and are you willing to obey my arrangement? Wang Wei agreed immediately. So King Qi took out "splendid clothes, fresh flowers and strange flowers" and asked Wang Wei to put them on, that is, to dress up as an avant-garde and fashionable artist, just like the kind we often see on the stage today. In this way, King Qi brought Wang Wei and his entourage to the princess's residence, saying that they were going to hold an art salon for the princess. Wang Wei is an aristocrat, with an impeccable figure, "white and beautiful in his youth, and beautiful appearance". He stands out among this group of artists and is quite eye-catching. His temperament is probably far better than that of a "super man", and he is instantly attracted to him. caught the princess's eye. The princess immediately asked King Qi about Wang Wei. King Qi deliberately casually said that he was a musician and asked Wang Wei to play a new song. Wang Wei's hand was stroking the pipa, and that hand was also a "gold pole plucking the spring breeze." When the music sounded, it was like "big beads and small beads falling on a jade plate." His tone was mournful, and the whole audience was moved, and their robes were wet with tears. The princess was very surprised. King Qi struck while the iron was hot and said that this young man was not only proficient in music, but also a talented man. He could write poems that no one could surpass him. The princess was even more curious and asked Wang Wei to take out his works and appreciate them. Wang Wei took out the poems he had prepared from his arms and handed them to the princess. When the princess saw them, she was shocked and said: "I have seen these before, and thought they were the works of ancients, but I didn't expect that they were written by you! " So he immediately asked Wang Wei to change his clothes and put on strange clothes. This meant that he was not regarded as an artist, that is, as an "actor", but was elevated to the rank of a guest and treated as a scholar. Wang Wei, who had regained his status as a scholar, became more confident. He spoke freely in the salon, quoted classics, was suave and humorous, and soon conquered the surrounding audience with his elegant conversation, grace and knowledge. King Qi took advantage of the opportunity and said to the princess: "If Jingzhao Mansion can teach him to have this person as his head this year, it will definitely be a glory to the country." The princess asked: "Then why not teach him to take the exam?" King Qi told the truth and said : "It is rumored that you have already ordered that Zhang Jiugao beheaded." The princess smiled and said, "Why should I care about these children's affairs? It's because others are begging for mercy, not because I want to give it to Zhang Jiugao." Then she turned back to the king. Wei said: "If you take the exam, I will fully recommend you to be the head judge." In this way, with the personal support of the princess, Wang Wei became the head judge and won the first place in one fell swoop.

The different experiences of Wang Wei and Zhong Yong really let us see the importance of "quality education". Since ancient times, taking exams does not necessarily lead to excellent results. Han Yu, who could write articles, had "four actions in the Ministry of Rites and three actions in the Ministry of Officials" and had been fighting for a long time in the examination room; Meng Jiao, who could write poems, was nearly sixty years old on the day when he was "proud of the spring breeze and suffered from horse hoof disease". It is estimated that regardless of whether they are In terms of appearance and artistic quality, he is completely different from Wang Wei. Chen Zi'ang from Sichuan, although he was not good-looking and did not understand music, but his family was rich and he could spend a lot of money. He bought an ancient huqin that no one knew and fooled a group of literati into ignorance, so he was able to rise to the top in one fell swoop. From this point of view, today we should still pay high respect to those parents who strive to cultivate the artistic quality of the next generation.

But this story may not be true. According to relevant historical data, when Wang Wei took the exam when he was nineteen years old, the Zhang Jiugao mentioned in the article had already passed the exam. Experts searched repeatedly but could not find a princess who was more majestic than King Qi. Around the seventh year of Kaiyuan (719), the more powerful princesses, such as Princess Anle, daughter of Emperor Zhongzong of the Tang Dynasty, had gone to Hexi, Princess Changning was demoted to a foreign country, while Ruizong's daughters were relatively low-key, and Xuanzong's daughter was too young. "The Biography of the Talents of the Tang Dynasty" says that this princess is Princess Yuzhen, but I don't know what the basis is. Wang Wei has a poem titled "In response to the ten rhymes on the stone wall made by Fenghe Shengzhi Xingyuzhen Princess Villa". It seems that the relationship between the two is relatively distant. However, it is still a fact that Wang Weizhong won the first prize. It was in the ninth year of Kaiyuan (721), when Wang Wei was 21 years old.

Wang Wei, who won the first place in the imperial examination, was appointed as Tai Le Cheng, which can be regarded as his professional counterpart. The Taiyue Department is responsible for the music and dance dedicated to the state's sacrifices, and the prime minister is the deputy. Unfortunately, not long after, Wang Wei was demoted to join the army as Jeju Sicang. The reason was that he watched things he shouldn't and enjoyed music and dance that he couldn't enjoy. "Ji Yi Ji" says: "(Wang Wei) and for Tai Le Cheng, danced the yellow lion for the actors, and sat out of office. There is no one who does not dance with the yellow lion." The explanation here is very clear, the yellow lion dance can only be allowed A person who appreciates and watches it is the emperor who is the most noble of ninety-five. Wang Wei took advantage of his position and enjoyed the yellow lion dance, which was trespassing and a serious crime. Today, when art does not distinguish between national boundaries and races, it may be difficult to understand this crime. However, if you think about the early years, only leaders of a certain level were allowed to have original "Jin Ping Mei" in their homes. Everyone should accept this fact. .

Wang Wei's quietness is related to his family environment, personality, and his experience. This song "Farewell to the South" is one of his masterpieces:

He was quite good at Taoism in his middle age, and he came home to Nanshan in his later years. Every time I go alone when I am happy, I know my victory in vain. Walk to a waterless place and sit down to watch the clouds rise. Occasionally, I visited Lin Sou, chatting and laughing for a long time.

Here is the joy of writing about Wang Wei’s life in seclusion. Wang Wei said that when he reached middle age, he paid great attention to health preservation. Later, he settled his home on the side of Zhongnan Mountain and lived a more leisurely life. When the mood strikes, I wander alone, walking casually, wherever I go. Unknowingly, I reach the end of the flowing water. There is no way to go, so I simply sit down and watch the passing clouds change. When I met an old man in the mountains, I would chat and laugh, forgetting the time to go home. This kind of life looks beautiful, but it takes a lot of courage and perseverance to really live it. Many people say that such poems fully express the poet's indifferent nature and detached style. The quiet side of Wang Wei's character is very eye-catching, but it may not be all of him. Mr. Lu Xun once said that Tao Yuanming, the ancestor of reclusive poets, was not silent and in a state of wandering all day long. He also had a side with "King Kong's angry eyes". Wang Wei said that he was "very good at Taoism in his middle age, and he lived in the southern mountains in his later years." He only said that his life was very peaceful after his middle age, which shows that his mood was not necessarily peaceful in his youth.

In the autumn of the year when he won the first prize, Wang Wei left the capital and came to Jeju to serve as Sicang to join the army. Jeju is in the southwest of today's Eping, Shandong. Wang Wei stayed there for more than four years. During this period, Wang Wei was very depressed. A talented and enthusiastic young man who had just entered his official career, full of expectations and infinite vision for the future, found himself forgotten in a remote corner. You can imagine how he felt in his heart. During the long night, dawn did not arrive, and the poet could not bear the loneliness. Four years later, he resigned from his post as a judge and joined the army, and left Jeju to live in seclusion in Qishang. Two years later, he returned to Chang'an and lived idle for a long time. At this time, Wang Wei had not yet shown his indifferent and detached nature. He had a strong yearning to become an official. In the 16th year of Kaiyuan (728), Meng Haoran went to Chang'an to take the exam. In the winter of the next year, he returned home sadly and wrote a poem to leave Wang Wei:

How can we be lonely? I return to the sky. I want to find fragrant grass, but I regret not meeting my old friend. Who knows who is lying on the road? Good friends are rare in the world. You should only stay lonely and cover the door of your hometown.

Meng Haoran said that in such a big capital, there was no one who knew high-ranking officials. He had waited so hard for so long, but there was no news at all. It seemed that he could only return to his hometown in Xiangyang and spend his life in loneliness. Legend has it that Meng Haoran was frustrated because he failed in the interview. At that time, he was chatting with Wang Wei when Tang Xuanzong suddenly arrived. He had nowhere to hide and had to hide under the bed. Later, Xuanzong found out about it and asked him to come out and recite poetry. Among his countless good poems, he chose one "Returning to Nanshan at the End of the Year", saying that he was "untalented and abandoned by his master, and he was often ill and kept away from old friends." Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty was very angry and felt that he had been wronged. He said, "You don't seek an official position, but I have never abandoned you. How can you frame me?" So he released Meng Haoran back to Nanshan.

This is just a legend. At that time, Wang Wei himself had not found a way out, so how could Emperor Xuanzong visit him? Take a look at the poem he wrote to Meng Haoran:

Dumen will not come back, and he will be alienated from the world for a long time. Taking this as a good idea, I urge you to return to your old home. Drunk, singing in the fields and drinking wine, reading ancient books with a smile. It's a good life, but it's useless to sacrifice your life for nothing.

He advised Meng Haoran to go back to his hometown and live in seclusion. He no longer had to work hard to come to Chang'an to apply for an official position, and just live peacefully in the countryside for the rest of his life. So what if I win the top prize? Isn’t it just that I am blind and idle in Chang’an? Of course, Wang Wei is just complaining here. He came to Chang'an from Qishang, a seclusion, with some thoughts. Over the years in Chang'an, he has not stopped his activities. About the thirty-fourth year of the year, Wang Weixian wrote a poem to make Zhang Jiuling successful. Later, he was picked up by Bai You and wrote a thank-you poem "Xian Shixing Gong":

I'd rather live in the wild woods, rather drink from the water of the stream. . There is no need to sit on the rice and meet the princes on the rugged road. What a shame, this is a common man's day. The cloth is brown and the hair is white. If Ren Zhicheng is successful, his shortcomings will be short; if he keeps Ren Zhicheng, he will be strong. After hearing about the great gentleman, I asked the party and the emperor. I don't sell public goods, I use them to make plans for the common people. The scoundrel kneels down and presents himself, but he can't do it for the sake of his account. I am grateful for the public discussion, and I am not asking for anything private.

It is difficult for people to imagine that such a poem was written by Wang Wei, who was aloof and indifferent by nature. He first said that those literati who live in seclusion in the mountains are despicable people with too little knowledge. They are observing the moral integrity of "an ordinary man", which is not what a man should do. Then he praised Zhang Jiuling for being selfless and working for the welfare of the people, which is worthy of admiration from the world. In the end, "kneeling down and confessing", it means that he was moved by Prime Minister Zhang's high integrity and hoped to enter his account to solve problems for the court. Zhang Jiuling was a poet among prime ministers and a master among poets. His artistic temperament was so strong that he naturally despised political skills. As a result, he was quickly defeated in the battle with Li Linfu and left the capital sadly. It is said that his departure marked the beginning of the decline of the Tang Dynasty from its peak. Wang Wei's mood also dropped from the peak to the bottom. Although he also served as an official in the court in the next few years, his life was neither salty nor dull. He was always busy with idle positions such as collecting relics on the right, supervising the censor, filling up the palace on the left, and being a doctor in the Treasury. Come and go. During this period, he also went to Hexi to serve as an ambassador and lived in the frontier fortress for a period of time. He left many good poems, such as "Composition out of the fortress" and "Envoy to the fortress", etc., which allowed us to see the poet's generous side.

What made Wang Wei completely silent was that he had the experience of being a "fake official". In June of the fifteenth year of Tianbao's reign (756), Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, Anlu Mountain captured Tongguan and then marched into Chang'an. The "Old Book of Tang" says that Xuanzong "had a good fortune", and the "New Book of Tang" says that Xuanzong "hunted westward", but the fact is that Xuanzong fled in a panic and rushed to Sichuan. Sichuan is really a good place, especially during the war, the emperor liked it very much. Later, Emperor Xizong of the Tang Dynasty and President Chiang Kai-shek of the Republic of China all came here for "lucky trips" or "hunting in the west". The people of Sichuan actually welcomed the arrival of these emperors. The emperor's choice of Sichuan in times of crisis reflected a kind of trust. What's more, many scenic spots and historical sites were worth a hundred times because of the emperor's "visit here".

When Xuanzong fled, the court officials immediately divided into several factions. Some were loyal and fled with the emperor, some actively cooperated with the new emperor An Lushan, and some found their own way out to escape into the mountains and countryside. , and some are wavering and waiting to see what happens. Which category Wang Wei belongs to? Historical data are limited, so I dare not say anything. He probably belongs to the loyal category. "Old Book of Tang" says that he was "obtained by thieves because he was not able to escape", which means that he was captured before he had time to escape. In other words, he had the intention to escape, but he had not yet taken action. This alone is much better than Zhou Zuoren's unwillingness to "submit". Later facts further proved that Wang Wei was indeed not a "traitor". When Zhou Zuoren stayed in Peiping, someone fired a shot at the gate, and he went to serve the Japanese obediently. Seeing that the momentum was not right, Wang Wei immediately took medicine to treat diarrhea and pretended to be sick. What kind of strategy was this? It is the "non-cooperation movement" preached by the Indian Gandhi, and it can also be understood as a form of resistance.

An Lushan did not let him go. "Old Book of Tang" says: "Lushan always knew his talent, so he sent people to meet him in Luoyang, detained him in Bodhi Temple, and forced him to give him a fake name." In troubled times, having a reputation for talent can also bring troubles. "New Book of Tang" also said that An Lushan let Wang Wei do his job because he cherished talents. Wang Wei himself claimed that he became a pseudo-official under the coercion of the sword. When writing an epitaph for Wei Bin, who also served as a pseudo-official, he described his experience: "A gentleman is a monkey who throws himself into the trap, and a humble minister is like a fool." A bereaved dog will escape due to false illness, and he will be imprisoned for ten days. If he cannot drink from the spoon, he will not leave for ten months. The white blade will come for four months, and the red stick will be used to build a ring around his mouth, and a halberd branch will cross his neck. "He said that when An Lushan entered the two capitals, the ministers were like monkeys in a cage, and small officials like himself were like bereaved dogs, terrified all day long. Later, he took medicine to claim he was ill and prepared to abscond. As a result, the rebels were alerted and he was arrested. He didn't eat much for more than ten days. He urinated and defecated in the room where he was detained. The guards outside held knives, guns and sticks on his neck. , the poet was tied into a rice dumpling shape and sent to their office in Anlu.

It seems that An Lushan did not pity Wang Wei because of his talent. Wang Wei claimed that he was forced to become a pseudo-official after suffering torture and humiliation.

The direct and powerful evidence is a poem written by Wang Wei during this period. The title of the poem is very long. The main idea is that when he was detained in Bodhi Temple, his old friend Pei Di came to visit him and talked about the traitor An Lushan in Ning. When Wang Wei held a banquet for guests by the Bichi Lake and had Emperor Xuanzong's royal orchestra accompanying him, he burst into tears and secretly took advantage of it, writing this poem to Pei Di:

Every household is sad There is wild smoke, and when will all the officials turn to the sky again? Autumn locust leaves fall in the palace, and orchestral music plays on the pond head of solid blue.

This poem is worth thousands of gold. In October of the second year of Zhide, the Tang army recaptured Luoyang, Tokyo, and more than 300 surrendered puppet officials were taken to Chang'an, Xijing, for trial. Big bosses such as Chen Xilie were imprisoned in Dali Temple and Jingzhao Prison, while civil servants like Wang Wei or petty bosses were imprisoned in Yang Guozhong's old residence in Xuanyangli. Two months later, the regulations for punishing "traitors" were announced, which were divided into six levels according to the size of the crime: those with the most heinous crimes were executed in the vegetable market; those with the next highest level were sentenced to suicide; those with the second level were given a hundred heavy rods; and those with the third level were exiled or demoted. Wang Wei's crime warranted exile at the very least, but in the end he was not only forgiven by Emperor Suzong of the Tang Dynasty, but was also given the title of Prince Zhongyun. Why? According to expert speculation, there are three reasons: 1. He wrote the poem expressing loyalty mentioned above; 2. His brother Wang Jin proposed to reduce his official position to rescue his brother; 3. Cui Yuan, the prime minister at the time, extended a helping hand. hand. It is said that when Wang Wei and the great painters Zheng Qian and Zhang Tong were still imprisoned in Yang Guozhong's old house, Cui Yuan returned to the capital from Dashangou and had a mansion to renovate, so he often fished these three people out. Come paint a mural for your own house. In the prosperous days of Kaiyuan and Tianbao, these painters would have maintained their identity and the dignity of art no matter what, but now they regard painting murals for the prime minister as a life-saving straw and they desperately use their talents. The book says It is "exquisite in thinking and quite unique in its art". The prime minister also saw this kind of buying power, remembered it in his heart, and gave them a hand at the critical moment.

The Emperor of the Tang Dynasty cherished talents and forgave Wang Wei, but later generations of literati were unwilling to let him go easily. A famous person named Wu Shidao in the Yuan Dynasty saw Wang Wei's surviving painting "Wangchuan Picture" and wrote a paragraph, saying, "(Wang) Wei's prose is elegant, his demeanor is superior, and he is aloof from the mountains and forests. I doubt that he is out of this world." "People. But if you are in a position of honor, you can't die if you are a dirty person. It's a pity that you are tired." It means that Wang Wei writes good poems, has an elegant demeanor, and has the grace of a god. However, despite being in a high position and being captured, he did not die, which affected the value of his paintings. In other words, Wang Wei should be like a chaste woman in later generations. Once his arm is seen by a traitor, he should either cut off his arm or smash his head against the wall to death. After Wang Wei lost his life, he did not choose to commit suicide. Wu Libu believed that we should not like this kind of unrestrained literati, no matter how good his paintings are. Some people say that Wang Wei's poems were not well written and not worth reading at all. The great Neo-Confucian scholar Zhu Xi said: "Wang Wei opened the Yuan Dynasty with the name of his poems. He was involved in the Lushan Rebellion and was trapped among thieves but could not die. Fortunately, he was not executed after things calmed down. He has no words, and although his words are elegant, they are weak and weak." Wang Shizhen, a great writer in the Ming Dynasty, compared the three great poets of the Tang Dynasty, Li Bai, Du Fu, and Wang Wei, and considered them to be three great poets. Divide the tripod. However, there are some criticisms of Wang Wei's integrity. In "Shu Li Bai Wang Wei Du Fu's Poems", he said: "Mojie is weak, so he cannot kill people and bring peace to the people, but his intention is not to be used for it. He has learned Zen in his life, abandoned his home, has no wife, and does not care about it. I can't resign. How can I be imprisoned in the evening and unable to send myself away? What is the so-called "veteran honor subsidy" in Baixiangshan? The phenomenon is quite puzzling. Wang Wei was not very proud of his official career in his early years, but since then he has been "stained" and his official career has become bigger and bigger. Soon after he became the prince Zhongyun, he added a bachelor of Jixian Palace, moved to the prince's concubine, Zhongshusheren, transferred to Shizhong, and finally became the official minister Youcheng. These are official positions that he would never have imagined before he was stained.

In his later years, Wang Wei's official career became bigger and bigger, but his heart became colder and colder. The song "Repaying Zhang Shaofu" conveys his inner voice:

In his later years, he just wanted to be quiet and didn't care about anything. I have no long-term plan, and I know I will return to the old forest. The wind in the pine trees unwinds the belt, and the moonlight in the mountains plays the harp. When you ask poor questions, the fishermen's songs go deep into Pu Shen.

There was really nothing worthy of his concern at this time. His wife died thirty years ago, and he seemed to be used to it after being alone for so many years. He bought Song Zhiwen's villa in Lantian, where he played the piano, composed poems and chanted with Pei Di, Cui Xingzong and others all day long. Although he received a salary from the court, he rarely dealt with specific government affairs. Everyone took this for granted. For example, some writers in the "Writers' Association" today received a salary from the state and did not have to deal with specific matters because Like Wang Wei, they are also busy creating. The only difference is that when the poems written by Wang Wei were finally collected and published, they did not need government funding, while some of our writers today need government funding and awards for their novels. Let’s take a look at some good poems written by Wang Wei in Wangchuan: Luchai

There are no people in the empty mountain, but you can hear people’s voices. Returning to the deep forest, the light shines on the moss again.

Zhuli Pavilion

Sitting alone in the secluded bamboo, playing the piano and whistling loudly. People in the deep forest don't know that the bright moon comes to shine.

Xinyiwu

The hibiscus flowers at the end of the wood have red calyxes in the mountains. There is no one in the stream. They open and close one after another.

Wang Wei "wanted to be quiet in his later years and didn't care about anything", also because he was a Buddhist. The "Old Book of Tang" says that Wang Wei ate fast as a Buddhist, and became more and more prosperous in his later years. He invited dozens of monks to eat with him every day and was proud of his mysterious talks.

There was nothing else in the room, only a tea pot, a medicine mortar, a sutra case, and a rope bed. After retreating from court every day, he would burn incense and sit alone, meditating. Before his death, because his younger brother Wang Jin was in Fengxiang, he suddenly took the pen to write a farewell letter to him. He also wrote many farewell letters to his relatives and friends, urging them to cultivate their minds according to Buddhism. Wang Wei is indeed very pious. His mother, Cui Shizun, was a Zen master named Dazhao and had devoted herself to Buddhism for more than 30 years. Brother Wang Jin worships Xinkong Tripitaka and is a follower of Esoteric Buddhism. Wang Wei named himself "Mojie" based on the "Vimalakīrti Sutra". The entire text of "Master Neng's Monument" written by him is composed of Buddhist words. If you delve deeply into Buddhist teachings, they will naturally be revealed in poetry. Everyone praised Wang Wei's paintings for their exquisiteness. Wang Wei laughed at himself and said that he was a painter in his previous life: "I was a poet in my previous life, and my predecessor was a painter. I couldn't give up my practice, and I accidentally became known to the world." Although it was a joke, in his heart Wang Wei Wei still has some thoughts on the theory of reincarnation. Especially in old age, problems such as illness and death cannot be avoided. How can we get rid of them? "Sitting Alone on an Autumn Night" says:

Sitting alone has sad temples, empty hair and longing for the second watch. The fruits fall from the mountains in the rain, and the grass hums under the lamp. Gray hair will eventually turn into gold, but gold will not. If you want to know how to cure old age and illness, you can only learn without success.

The so-called learning of "no birth" is to understand the reality of neither birth nor death. We cannot verify how much Wang Wei understood, but he did not achieve immortality for a long time. When he was about sixty-one years old, he went to the Western Paradise. However, his image as a "poetry Buddha" has stood firm since then, and like his many poems, it will never fade away. Before his death, the official position he held was Shangshu Youcheng, and everyone later called him "Wang Youcheng". Because Wang Changling was known as the "Emperor of Poets", readers who liked Wang Wei were unconvinced and said that Wang Wei was like "holding the emperor to order the princes". He was not the emperor among poets but better than the emperor.