Sima Guang's Zizhi Tongjian begins with the story of the three branches of the Jin Dynasty. First, the way of the monarch was debated, and then the story of Zhi Yao was introduced, and finally the moral talent was divided into four categories. Let's take a look at Sima Guang's logic and the story of Zhi Yao.
Zhi Yao is five long and one short
At first, Zhi Xuanzi of the Jin Dynasty wanted Zhi Yao to become the boss of the Jin Kingdom, but zhi guo, a clan member, made a very famous evaluation of Zhi Yao.
"Zhi Yao this person has five strengths:
1. Handsome and very imaged;
2. Strong in force and good at riding and shooting;
3. A lot of talent will be able to do anything;
4. Be able to speak well and argue well;
5. Resolute and courageous leader; unfortunately, there is only one disadvantage of the five major advantages, that is, the intention is not benevolent and poor moral character. ”
Then ZhiGuo said that Zhi Yao was not suitable to be the boss, otherwise the Zhi family would not be far from extinction. Unfortunately, Zhi Xuanzi did not listen, or let Zhi Yao become the boss. Zhiguo was very sober and asked himself to break away from the Zhi family and avoid disasters.
Zhi Yao blackmailed Han Zhao Wei
After Zhi Yao became the boss, he was really arrogant. Once, he had a dinner party with Han Kangzi Wei Huanzi, and as a result, he humiliated Han Kangzi to his face and humiliated his Minister Duan Zhi as well. However, Han Kangzi chose to swallow his anger. Later, Zhiguo persuaded Zhiyao not to do this, but Zhiyao did not listen.
Zhi Yao tasted the sweetness and began to blackmail Han Kangzi.
"I have a crush on your county of ten thousand households, and you can watch it."
Han Kangzi could not do Zhi Yao, and could only endure the pain of cutting love.
Zhi Yao went to Wei Huanzi again, and also went to blackmail him.
Wei Huanzi couldn't do Zhi Yao either, and could only endure the pain of cutting love.
Zhi Yao went to find Zhao Xiangzi again, the same is still this request, Zhao Xiangzi fire is coming, do not give!
Zhi Yao flooded Jinyang
Zhi Yao saw that Zhao Xiangzi would not give it, so he teamed up with Han Kangzi and Wei Huanzi to fight Zhao Xiangzi. Zhao Xiangzi was unable to defeat four hands with both fists, and could only hide in Jinyang. Zhi Yao made a clever move and opened the dam to flood Jinyang. However, Jinyang City was high and almost flooded.
Zhi Yao smiled: I know now that water can make people die.
As a result, this sentence frightened Han Kangzi and Wei Huanzi. Because there was also water next to the Han wei capital.
The three families are divided into promotions
Han Kangzi and Wei Huanzi decided to join forces with Zhao Xiangzi to counterattack Zhiyao. Of course, this matter had to be carried out in secret, and Zhi Yao's adviser Di Bao reminded Zhi Yao that Han Kangzi and Wei Huanzi had problems, but Zhi Yao and his arrogance did not listen. As a result, Zhi Yao was tragic, and the three families united to press Zhi Yao to the ground and rub it. As soon as Zhi Yao died, the three families divided Zhi Yao's land and split into three countries, Han Zhao Wei.
Sima Guang is divided into four categories
Sima Guang finished telling Zhi Yao's story, and then said something like this.
"A saint of both ability and virtue;
Virtue is better than a gentleman;
It is better than virtue to be a villain;
Talentless and unscrupulous are mediocre;
We would rather be mediocre than villainous. Otherwise, Zhi Yao is a very typical example, defeated and broken the country and the family. ”
Sima Guang used the events of Zhi Yao to tell the king how to use people, and also restrained the king what kind of person he wanted to be. I think Sima Guang's words depend on the times, and some eras cannot only use mediocre people, just like the chaotic world of the Three Kingdoms, Cao Cao can use people with talent, so Cao Cao is the strongest prince. In the chaotic world, Sima Guang's conclusion will not apply.
Reference: Zizhi Tongjian, Volume 1, Zhou Jiyi