Since Yu is born, how can Liang be born? !
[Reading Four Wonderful Books and Thinking About Life and Human Nature] 5
The two tragic heroes of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms clashed with each other (Part 2)
In the last issue, we talked about "authenticity vs. realism", "Yu Liang's grievances and hatreds - encounter; three kills; three qi; cherishment", and "Zhou Gongjin, the great supporting role in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms". Next, of course, it is Zhi's turn. Zhuge Liang, the most powerful person in the world, appears...
▲The opening words of "Romance of the Three Kingdoms"
The first protagonist of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms—Zhuge Liang, who "knows that he cannot do something but does it"
Known as the most resourceful genius in Chinese history, how could Zhuge Liang, who was described by Luo Guanzhong as "eight feet tall, with a face like a crown jade, and an air of a god", become a tragic hero?
In "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms", Zhou Yu's tragedy begins in Chapter 44 and is concluded in Chapter 57. However, Zhuge Liang's tragedy has been extended from 38 chapters to 104 chapters, and its scale and level are much deeper and wider than Zhou Yu's.
The first is the tragedy of character.Zhuge Liang's sense of mission coupled with his diligent and persistent personality made him "do his best and die" (see Chapter 97 "Returning to the Discipline"). Even though Zhuge Liang was extremely talented and clever, he was still trapped by Liu Bei's "Emperor's Art" before his death. In Chapter 85, Liu Bei entrusted his three sons to him and told them to "serve the prime minister as their fathers." With tears in his eyes, he held Zhuge Liang's hand and told him: "If the heir (Adou) can assist him, he will assist him; if he is not talented, you can be the master of Chengdu." After Kongming listened, "sweat ran all over his body, and his hands and feet were at a loss. Weeping and worshiping on the ground", he once again vowed to be loyal to the Liu family. Liu Bei took advantage of Zhuge Liang's temperament as a national warrior to consolidate his son's power, and Zhuge Liang was destined to inevitably lead to a tragic ending where the world was not at peace and his ambitions were unfulfilled.
▲Zhuge Liang’s tragedy extends from 38 chapters to 104 chapters. Its scale and level are much deeper and wider than Zhou Yu’s; the picture shows the movie version of "Red Cliff: The Decisive Battle of the World".
In addition to the "tragedy of character", there is also the "tragedy of environment."China's feudal tradition since ancient times has been Zhuge Liang's "door cover", insisting on the ethics of monarch and ministers, making him helplessly controlled by the ignorant, timid and indecisive Liu Adou.
For example, in Chapter 100, the emperor (Adou) believed the rumor that "Zhuge Liang will usurp the throne" and urgently recalled Zhuge Liang, who was fighting a great situation. Zhuge Liang knew what was going on, but if he did not obey the order, the rumors would be confirmed, so he had to return to Chengdu. In Chapter 101, when he questioned the queen, the queen was speechless, and finally said: "I miss you very much, nothing else." Zhuge Liang pressed again, and the queen admitted his mistake and apologized, but the good opportunity had passed. Total victory was no longer possible.
In order to fulfill his promise to help Liu Bei revive the Han Dynasty, Zhuge Liang did it despite knowing that he could not do it. Just like Zhou Yu's challenge to him, Kong Ming also charged towards the impossible goal again and again. The most specific example is "Six Out of Qishan".
"The Romance of the Three Kingdoms" takes a full 12 chapters from Chapter 91 to Chapter 102 to describe this tragic and futile war. Although Zhuge Liang used the popular "empty city strategy" during the campaign (95 chapters); although he invented the high-tech and environmentally friendly transportation tool "Wooden Ox and Flowing Horse" (102 chapters); even though he wrote the famous article "Empty City Strategy" that shocked the ancient and modern times. "Before you are a teacher", "You are a teacher later"... However, in the end, they always return without success.
His fate reminds us of Wu Gang, who was cutting down cassia on the moon. He was exhausted with every blow of his axe, but the cuts repaired themselves in an instant. It is also like Sisyphus pushing a boulder up a mountain in Greek mythology. Every time we approach the top of the mountain, the stone automatically rolls back to the bottom of the mountain...
▲Schematic diagram of Kong Ming’s high-tech and environmentally friendly invention “Wooden Cow and Flowing Horse”.
Life and faith associations of Yu Liang’s tragic story
"Characters are vivid and vivid", "Scenes of all sizes are vivid and vivid"; "The writing is not very profound, and the words are not very vulgar"; "Three realities and seven imaginary, real and illusory", all of which are "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms" that are extremely worthwhile Savor the literary achievements of learning. However, since the focus of this article is not on literary appreciation, it will be discussed in detail in another article in the future. The following author would like to share his life and belief associations with the tragic story of Yu Liang.
▲The stele inscription of Zhuge Liang's famous text "The Master's Guide".
There are only small roles on the human stage, no small actors
There is a play in folk opera based on the story of the Three Kingdoms called "Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles". The protagonist in the play is of course the red-faced and long-bearded Guan Gong, but in the end, the horse driver who follows Guan Gong often gets the same warm cheers and applause as Guan Gong. Why? Because the horseman has many difficult positions in the play, it is impossible for him to be competent unless he has superb and solid skills and a high degree of professionalism.
In "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms", Zhou Gongjin, who is always "one step behind" in chess, is obviously just used by the author Luo Guanzhong to set off Zhuge Kongming's "magical calculations". However, the tenacity and loyalty he displayed are equally admirable and impressive to readers. To this day, when we think of Kong Ming, we cannot help but think of Zhou Yu!
From this we realize: there are only "little roles" on the human stage, not "little actors".No matter how inconspicuous a small role we play in our family, at work, or in the church, as long as we do our best and be loyal to our duties, we are great "actors."
Isn’t it also described in 1 Corinthians 4:9 in the Bible? ─"We have become a spectacle for the world and the angels to see.". Matthew 25:14-15 records Jesus’ parable of “responsibility according to ability,” pointing outGod assigns different life missions to individuals according to their different talents. No matter how much you or I receive, as long as we manage and use them with all our heart, we will be "good and faithful servants" in the eyes of God.A friend said it well: "Even if I only receive one tael of silver, if I am willing to be used by God ten thousand times, wouldn't I be equal to ten thousand taels?"
The enemy is often the true confidant
In the 57th chapter of "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms" "The Funeral of Wolong at Chaisangkou", it is described that Kong Ming "personally offered a libation in front of Zhou Yuling, knelt on the ground, and read the memorial text: "Oh Gongjin, unfortunately died young!... The soul is like a spirit. , To flatter my heart. From now on, there will be no sound in the world! ..." After the sacrifice, he fell to the ground and cried, with tears flowing down his face. "Even the generals of Dongwu who were busy sharpening their swords were surprised and moved by Kong Ming's true feelings. .
That's right, Zhou Yu's last words when he returned to his former glory - "Since Yu was born, how could Liang be born?!" actually expressed the greatest degree of envy and affirmation for Zhuge Liang. No wonder Kong Ming felt disappointed despite defeating the powerful enemy as he wished. Because, from now on, no one would chase him and collide with him with such great enthusiasm, forcing him to unleash his greatest potential, and afterwards he would be so angry that he fainted and vomited blood because he suddenly realized his magical plan.
According to the records in the Old Testament, the Israelite king Saul and his former subordinate David were such a pair of close friends. If King Saul hadn't known that David was definitely not a creature of the pool, and would be able to take over Saul's family in the future (refer to 1 Samuel 20:31), so he repaid kindness with hatred and pursued him desperately, how could David have been in exile for so many years? Can we build a strong team and become a great leader? How can we reveal our noble conduct and admirable quality of life? And King Saul's public praise of David when he occasionally had a conscience problem showed that he was actually David's true confidant! (Refer to 2 Samuel 24:17-20, 26:21-25)
Daniel, who served at the top of the Persian Empire's court, is another example of "the enemy is the friend." Other high-ranking officials hated him and wanted to remove him, but they could not find any excuse for his official duties and ethics. So they discussed with each other: "We want to find a reason to interfere with this Daniel, and we can't find it except in the law of his God." However, isn't this another form of Daniel's "devout worship of God and adherence to the principles of faith"? The highest affirmation? In the end, this thrilling palace political struggle allowed Daniel to bear the strongest witness for God, and all the enemies, lions, soldiers, and even the Persian emperor became witnesses (refer to Daniel (Chapter 6 of the Book of Ethics).
yes,Why not use your opponent as an enabler? The more your old enemy is trying every possible means to entangle and cling to you, the more likely it is your "bosom friend" who can best understand and appreciate you!
Just turn a corner and there's still a way to go
Chapter 57 of "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" writes that Lu Su was so sad when he saw Kong Ming mourning Zhou Yu, he couldn't help but said to himself: "Kong Ming is naturally sentimental, but Gong Jin is narrow-minded and kills himself."
In fact, the so-called "Yu Liang plot" means that Yu must compete with Liang to determine the winner, so she is emotionally tied up, and in the end she forces herself to death. Why do you have to fight to the death with others in the same frame? —You are beautiful and I am smart; you can communicate and I am good at thinking; you can play the piano and I can dance; you are good at math and I am good at English; you love sports and I can draw..., isn’t it great?Why not help your children, spouses, students, subordinates, co-workers... as early as possible to discover the characteristics and talents God has given them, and try your best to support and guide them so that they can become happy and confident people instead of being "people" all day long. Are you going to be ups and downs in the sea of suffering?
To become a happy and confident person, establishing correct values is the first priority. People in the world often think that being smart, beautiful, and rich are the ones worthy of praise and attention. However, this is not a biblical value. John 3:16 makes it very clear: "God so loved the world..." The Bible does not say "God loves geniuses, supermodels, celebrities, and rich people," but rather loves everyone.
I really like this passage from Dr. James Dobson's book "Hide or Seek":"Every parent should let their children know as early as possible that God cherishes me more than all the possessions in this world; He understands my tears and worries; when no one cares about me, He reaches out to me with incomparable love and allows His only begotten Son to lay down his life for me. ;He turned my burdens into assets and my emptiness into fulfillment; He gave me a better life after my death, now all the flaws and shortcomings will be removed, and all the pain in the world will be forgotten. past!"That’s right! If you have faith in God, hope in yourself, and love for others, the world will naturally be infinitely broad!
"Character is destiny", right?
Zhou Yu's personality of pursuing perfection and never admitting defeat drove him step by step towards a tragic ending. Zhuge Liang knew that he couldn't do anything but had to do everything himself, dragging him to fight in vain until the oil ran out. In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, didn't Guan Gong, Zhang Fei, Lu Bu, Ma Su... all die because of their own willfulness and disobedience to advice?
It is true that "the situation is easy to change, but the nature is difficult to change" has its own statistical significance. good,One cannot pull one's own hair out of the mire of the "old self." However, what if there is a pair of hands from heaven?
Is it possible for you and me to overcome the hurt of our original family, cut off the vicious cycle of violence, gambling, alcoholism, and extramarital affairs in the family, and rebuild a loving home that is warm, harmonious, and sculpting moral character? Is it possible for you and me to get rid of our bad temper, bad habits, bad habits, and bad intentions, and become a happy, reliable, upright, and refreshing new person? Is it possible for you and me to get rid of our old habits of weak will and stop being sentimental, greedy, and self-deceptive? —With man it is impossible, but not with God, for He all things are possible.
Therefore, we can do as the Bible describes in Ephesians 4:22-24:“Break off the ‘old self’ that causes you to live in corruption, which is corrupted by the temptations of lust. … Put on the ‘new self,’ which is created in the image of God, It is expressed in the righteousness and holiness produced by the truth” (Modern Chinese Translation).
Looking for you and the true hero in my life
The heroes in "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms" indeed shine with a dazzling light of life, which makes readers marvel and marvel. However, "One general's success results in the death of thousands of bones." Behind this are many tragic stories of families being destroyed and people dying in foreign lands. Therefore, it is not an exaggeration to say that the statue of the "hero" is made of the flesh and blood of ordinary people!
When later generations comment on the figures of the Three Kingdoms, Kong Ming and Guan Gong are called "extremely wise" and "extremely righteous"! (Cao Cao is a "treacherous", so I won't care about it here.) Zhuge Liang, whose "face is as beautiful as a crown jade, and has the air of an immortal", waved his feather fan, and thousands of troops went into battle, blood flowed like rivers, and many orphans and widows were added. ! Although he is loyal to the Liu family, he will never show mercy when attacking his enemies. Don’t you see: when Zhou Yu was in the second state of mind, even though his goal had been achieved, he still ordered the soldiers to shout in unison, "Zhou Lang’s clever plan to calm the world, he lost his wife and lost his troops", forcing him to faint; when Zhou Yu was in the third state of mind, he had already accomplished his goal. His plan of "pretending to attack Xichuan, but really taking Jingzhou" was exposed and he was so angry that he fainted. However, he still had to drink and laugh on the mountain, and then sent troops to block the way and sent a reminder letter. And what about Guan Gong? Although he was highly skilled in martial arts and treated Liu Bei very little, he was arrogant and willful, and was eventually captured and killed.
It can be seen that the heroes in the world all have their shortcomings, weaknesses, and blind spots. If we wholeheartedly want to trust and rely on them, we will only end up in disappointment and disillusionment.
After watching the movie "Hero" (starring Dustin Hoffman), which explores "what is a true hero", Ms. Wang Lanxin wrote:"When a person is highly praised by everyone, it is likely that what everyone sees is only his superficial image, which is like a projection on the wall, which is often larger than his actual size. Similarly, when a person is despised, deep down in his heart There are still seeds of goodness inside, and as long as they are stimulated, they can still perform well and become heroes."
"This realization gives me a broader space when interacting with people, and helps me no longer stereotype a person based on one-sided impression or understanding of him. Strong people will be weak, and evil people will also do good. Human nature is full of diversity It's just that we often make narrow judgments and treat people stubbornly, which leads us to have too high expectations or premature disappointment. This is definitely not the fault of the other party, but is caused by our excessive naivety about the complex process of life. .
Writer Ma Ruixin further analyzed this in her review of the same movie:"The biggest struggle for people is knowing that there are some noble qualities in life, but not being able to live up to that noble image. Therefore, the heart can't help but look for a 'hero' to make up for one's setbacks in reality."
"If the illusion of a hero can so overflow the goodness in the human soul, what about the reality of a true hero? Don't people want to understand?"
"So, I gradually understood that the person in my heart who is strong enough to hold up the sky and is willing to bend down and grab my hand is not just a hero, but must be a savior. He is not only a hero who can provide a perfect image, but also a person who can give me strength. The Savior who runs towards perfection.”
Who is this true hero and true savior? For Christians, the answer is clear:“…We have a great high priest, Jesus, the Son of God…. It is not that our high priest cannot sympathize with our weaknesses. On the contrary, our high priest has experienced temptations in all aspects just like us. He did not sin. Therefore, we should come boldly to the throne of God’s grace to receive mercy and grace as our timely help.” (Hebrews 4:14-16, Modern Chinese Translation)
we are writing history
Zhou Yu, who missed the chess game, passed away after protesting to God, "Since Yu was born, how can Liang be born?"; Zhuge Liang, who was extremely talented, also died after exhausting himself; Liu Bei, Cao Cao, Sun Quan, Guan Gong, Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, and Sima Yi all Gone! It is precisely "the rolling water of the Yangtze River flows eastward, and the waves wash away the heroes"!
In fact, any chronological history is a bloody tragedy. The rise of any dynasty is not filled with mourning and bloodshed? And which dynasty’s fall was not met with piles of corpses and rivers of blood? However, when Christians look at history, they are "optimistic pessimists." Humanity can never remember the lessons of history, so it has no future and no way out. Fortunately, God is the ultimate master of history, so we have eternal hope.
Isn't this true for individuals?As long as we are willing to let Christ be our Savior and Lord of life, taking control of our life history, even if our current life seems like a tragedy, it will eventually become an eternal comedy. Otherwise, even if your life seems like a comedy on the surface, it will eventually turn into an eternal tragedy.
God writes big history, heroes write medium history, and ordinary people write small history. Big history affects middle history, and middle history affects small history. However, how can small history not accumulate into medium history, and how can medium history not be a chapter of big history? In this kind of correspondence, interaction, and mutual complementation, we are all writing history. The question is: What kind of history do you want to write?(The pictures in this article are taken from the Internet)