Speaking of the Qing Dynasty emperor's name, Cai Xin, it can be described as a household name in southern Fujian. He was the teacher of the Jiaqing Emperor and the prime minister of the Qing Dynasty, and served as a bureaucrat, a ceremony, a soldier, a criminal, and a worker. His brilliant resume is truly surprising. But what is even more amazing is that he has a revered and noble soul.
New portrait of Cai
Throughout the history of China, there are probably few people who can serve as the five Shangshu. Especially in the sinister relationship between monarchs and subjects in the feudal era, it has always been a companion like a companion tiger. Since the ancient art of emperors, he has never trusted any subordinates. However, Cai Xin was deeply trusted by the Qianlong Emperor and was repeatedly entrusted with important positions, which showed that he was loyal and upright, which made people feel at ease. Qianlong even called him a brother and a brother: "The old monarch is like an old friend, and before he returns, Xi Xicheng should be" and "Duxin Changyuan is four years old, or he can live in a brotherly affair." All this is because he is honest and honest, clean and self-righteous.
Ji Xiaolan, who was an official in the same dynasty, commented on him: "Proficient in Confucian learning, he has been an official for fifty years, he has risen to the rank of Taiwan assistant, his life is gentle and generous, he treats people peacefully, he handles things seriously, he stresses principles, he is low-key, frugal and stable, and he is a honest and honest official who does not exceed his size." "A high-ranking and powerful minister, who has been an official in the central organ for fifty years, can be said to be familiar with all kinds of connections in the capital, but he has never formed a party for personal gain and cultivated his own forces, just like clear water out of Hibiscus. For him, rights are only the ideal way to achieve "reaching the world and helping the world", not for their own selfishness. Therefore, throughout his life, he had two sleeves of fresh wind, did not stain the dust, and was admired by everyone.
Cai Xin has held important scientific examination positions in the capital examination and the township examination in Jiangxi, Henan and other places for many times, and has great power. If he wants to do it for himself, it's almost as easy as a palm. There is such a thing, after a wealthy Chen Yuanwai of the Zhangpu County Shan Shan Society knew that Cai Xin was the chief examiner, he asked his son Ah She, who did not learn any skills, to go to Beijing to find Cai Xin. Cai Xin was very happy when he heard that he had come to his hometown. But when Ashher explained his intentions, Cai Xin frowned and asked, how many books have you read. Asher said he didn't love to read since he was a child, and he didn't read much. Cai Xin refused: "You are a mountain-producing person, and it is difficult to produce a mountain." You want to spend money on officials, it's impossible. If you want to become an official, take all the money back and study seriously. When the exam period arrives, you come to take the exam, and if you don't pass the exam, don't think about it. The story of Cai Xin's non-favoritism and bribery has been distilled by the local people into a well-known folk proverb: It is difficult to produce a mountain. It is precisely because of this kind of public heart that he can always abide by the moral bottom line and do not do things against his heart, thus exuding a lofty personality brilliance.
In July of the 48th year of Qianlong, Cai Xin was appointed as the official Shangshu and was the chief examiner of the Examination Examination (Kao Jinshi). Cai Xin's son, Cai Benjiao, was originally a person, but in order to avoid suspicion, he let his son avoid it and should not try. What kind of ideological realm and mind must this be! Perhaps Cai Xinwei only realized his ideal ambitions and only hoped to do more for the people, and he still embodied the spirit of the oldest traditional Confucian scholar and doctor. And this spirit has also achieved his unique personality charm.
Cai Xin's life can be described as outstanding. As the president of the "Four Libraries of the Whole Book", in order to compile and repair this huge work, he bowed down and did his best, which lasted eleven years and worked hard. Twice in a critical moment as the head of the military department Shangshu, in time to suppress the rebellion, stabilize the border. The Qianlong Emperor gave him plaques of "Sheng Shi Qi Ying", "Arsenal Qi Ying" and "Huang Shu Yu" in recognition of his extraordinary deeds. It was such a Zaifu who was in a high position in the empire, but he had an extremely kind and benevolent heart for the ordinary people.
In his hometown of Zhangpu, Shi said that he was "humble at home, and he must be courteous when he meets a lieutenant." Cheng he wei were only small officials in the county town, but Cai Xin was admirable for their "courtesy and courtesy", and the word "must" was loud enough to explain everything. Cai Xin's position was below one person and above ten thousand people, and he had always been valued by the Qianlong Emperor, and he did not have the slightest posture of superiority over the people, let alone any arrogance. His low profile and humility just show his profound cultivation and noble qualities. He can treat the people equally, probably because he can see others from the perspective of human equality, so he can respect everything. Someone once asked him why he had lowered his status in this way, and he said: "I want to let the villagers know that even if I become the prime minister, I must respect the local parents and officials." In this way, the local people did not dare to easily break the law, and safeguarded the fairness and seriousness of the law and discipline from the side.
In his hometown of Zhangpu, Cai Xin still has a rumor. One day, he was passing through The Village of Xi'nan when he encountered a naughty boy throwing stones at the palanquin he was sitting in. The clan was indignant and wanted to find the village patriarch to theorize, but Cai Xin said, "There is a wanshi Xinan, there is no century-old prime minister", and the rumor reflects people's respect for Cai Xin from the heart.
Cai Xin's former residence in Dananban Town, Zhangpu County, Zhangzhou
But the fact is that Cai Xin's people had a land dispute with the neighboring village of Xi'nan and reported it to Cai Xin. After Cai Xin listened, he was calm and did not have any high posture, but instead taught the clan not to suppress people with force, to get along harmoniously, and said this famous saying that was passed down to future generations, "There are ten thousand worlds in the south of the creek, and there is no century-old prime minister", which has since been passed down as a beautiful talk.
Judging by his words and deeds, it is enough to make people awe-inspiring, and it is even more worthy of deep consideration by today's people. This is to put the people in their hearts, think about what the people think, be anxious about the people's anxieties, and integrate the idea of serving the people into their own words and deeds, so that they can have such a conscious action. In his hometown, he set up a righteous school, purchased a book field, and funded Han Shi. In the fifty-ninth year of Qianlong, when a major flood occurred in Zhangzhou, he advised him to donate funds, set up a righteous warehouse, accumulate grain to prepare for famine, set up a righteous tomb, and repair the Zodiac Zhou Ancestral Hall. This is in stark contrast to the corrupt officials of the same dynasty. When he was given death, he confiscated 900 million taels of silver, equivalent to 12 years of national revenue at that time. In contrast, the two men made a judgment.
Perhaps, it was the loss of his father and the poor life that made him understand that the people did not live easily, so they could always and everywhere for the sake of the people. Or perhaps, it was he who was deeply influenced by his uncle Cai Shiyuan's "cautious independence" thinking since he was a child, so he could always improve himself and be strict with self-cultivation. He does not draw on wealth and wealth, and he is not good at great achievement. He is content with his own incorruptibility, not moved by any environment, and does whatever he wants in any position, without being shocked by honor and disgrace. Although he did not have earth-shattering achievements in history, his righteousness was impressive.
In the fifth year of Qianlong (1740), the massacre of overseas Chinese by Dutch colonists occurred in Karaba (now part of Indonesia), known in history as the "Red Creek Massacre". The following year, the Inspector of Fujian heard about yu Chao and asked to "ban Nanyang traders", but the courtiers disagreed. Fang Bao, a cabinet scholar, knew that Cai Xin was long in southern Fujian and had economic strategies, so he wrote to Cai Xin to seek Cai Xin's opinion. Cai Xin said: "There are no less than one hundred and ten ships in Fujian and Guangdong, and each ship costs nearly ten thousand gold for the big ones, and four or five thousand gold for the small ones; once banned, the ships are useless, and the private industry of five or six hundred thousand has been abandoned; the goods accumulated in Kaiyang towns such as Xiamen, Guangzhou, and other places are no less than millions, and once banned, they are bound to lose and erode, and abandon the accumulation of millions of people; foreign ships come and go, and the unemployed poor people rely on no less than a thousand to eat here, and once they are banned, they will have no capital for the merchants, and the people will have no property, and they will be displaced, and they will abandon the food of the people! This disease is also in the present, and after a few years, its harm is even worse! ”
Among them, the words consider the livelihood of the broad masses of the people and the serious consequences that the coastal economy may suffer. "If the merchants have no capital and the people have no property, they will be displaced, and they will abandon the food of the people and the people", which shows that the consideration is more about the lives of ordinary people and social stability. This ensures that the coastal population has a stable means of livelihood and does not cut off its economic resources, which is the best example of the well-being of the people. Therefore, he advocated that only the trade with the Kalad bar was prohibited, and the rest of the Nanyang countries "obeyed the people's convenience". Fang Bao accepted Cai Xin's advice and suggested it to the imperial court, which was implemented.
In the fifty-first year of Qianlong (1786), Lin Shuangwen revolted in Taiwan. After the failure of the uprising, Lin Chengzu, a Zhangjian "reclamation chief" who reclaimed Banqiao in Taiwan, was implicated and arrested in the capital. Lin Chengzu's son, Lin Haimen, rushed from Taiwan to Beijing to ask Cai Xin for help. Believing that Lin Chengzu was innocent, Cai Xin left Lin Haimen at home, and took the risk of advising the imperial court to request pardon for Lin Chengzu and return the land property to Lin Chengzu, so that Lin Chengzu's reclamation cause in Taiwan was not affected.
Cai Xin, who has always been cautious in his words and deeds, dared to stand up in this kind of political turmoil, was not afraid of being implicated, and spoke up for Lin Chengzu, the "Qin criminal" at that time, truly embodying the upright disposition of the literati. In the process of rescuing Lin Chengzu, he also achieved a good story. Cai Xin was impressed by Lin Haimen's filial piety and married his daughter to Lin Haimen as his wife. Such a move shows that Cai Xin has always valued the good quality of people, rather than fame and fortune. The "General History of Taiwan" records: "In the battle of Lin Shuangwen, Zhang, Tanlin surnamed Duozhulian, and Cheng Zu also arrested Jing for interrogation. The second son, Haimen, was known for his talents, and with huge gold, he entered Beijing to seek rescue. Zhangpu Cai Xin was the crown prince's wife, Fang Reused, Haimen was courtesy of the townspeople, Cai Jiaqi filial piety, stayed in the family, wife and daughter. The ancestors were spared and their inheritance was returned. ”
Cai Xin thus formed a family relationship with the Lin family in Taiwan. Lin Fengzheng, a descendant of Lin Chengzu and former vice chairman of the Chinese Kuomintang, made a special trip to visit the Zhangpu Caixin Memorial Hall, which continued the family affection for more than two hundred years. During many cross-strait discussions with the villagers of the Cai clan in Zhangpu, he said: "Cai Shiyuan and Cai Xin's uncles and nephews are knowledgeable and knowledgeable, honest and honest officials, patriotic and loving the people, good officials respected by the people, and their official morality and character are worthy of study and inheritance by future generations." Cai Xin is a relative of my Lin family, and her daughter is my lin family's grandmother, and the ancestor who is admired and worshipped by my Lin family. In the treasure land of Zhangpu, the Qianlong Emperor's teacher Cai Shiyuan and the Jiaqing Emperor's teacher Cai Xin are the pride of the people of Zhangpu and even the people of Fujian, the pride of the Cai family, and the glory of my Lin family. Cai Xin could not have imagined that his act of marrying a daughter would also become an important link in promoting the development of cross-strait relations in the future.
Cai Xin's calligraphy works
Today, his fame is long gone, but his charismatic personality will never fade. Seeing that those princes who fought for power and profit in history will have a sword and a sword shadow, they will have a momentary scenery, but they have also fallen into the dust of history and have disappeared without a trace. History is always just, the years will eventually wash away all impurities, no matter who it is, only those noble people who are truly dedicated to the country and the people can remain in people's hearts forever, and Cai Xin is such a person.
Source: Zhangpu County Rong Media Center