When it comes to Liu Yuxi, what does everyone think of? Below, the History Encyclopedia editor will introduce relevant historical events to you.
Liu Yuxi, a poet of the Tang Dynasty, was born in the same year as Bai Juyi. He was born in the late Tang Dynasty, when the glory no longer existed. In the first half of his life, he was extremely beautiful and became a high-ranking official at a young age. However, in the second half of his life, his fate was full of ups and downs, and the Bashan and Chu rivers were desolate. The huge contrast did not give birth to a poet who sympathized with heaven and people, but instead transformed him into a “poet” who knew his destiny and laughed at life!
Although born in the same year as Bai Juyi, their experiences were vastly different. Bai Juyi’s life was full of ups and downs, and several demotions were far less tragic than Liu Yuxi’s. Bai sighed in Jiangzhou, saying “We are both fallen people from the ends of the earth,” while Liu sang “Thousands of sails sail by the sunken boat, thousands of trees in front of the sick tree.” It can be seen that their personalities are completely different. Liu Yuxi’s life was a life of struggle, resistance, and constant counterattacks in the face of setbacks, exclusion, exile, and ridicule. The more he was defeated, the braver he became, and his emotions were boundless. Optimistic people are so powerful!
After Zhongshan, he became successful at a young age
Liu Yuxi was born into a small bureaucratic family, and his father Liu Xu once worked in Jiangnan. Liu Yuxi spent his youth there, and in such a family, it was inevitable to study from a young age in order to achieve success. Bai Juyi was like this, and Liu Yuxi was no exception.
Yuxi studied Confucian classics and poetry and songs from a young age. He was intelligent and diligent, and followed the then attendant monks Jiaoran and Lingche to learn poetry. “He held a pen and inkstone with two styles and accompanied them in chanting, saying that children can be taught.” This experience also influenced his optimistic and open-minded style of poetry writing later on.
In his youth, Liu Yuxi had a smooth sailing journey and rose steadily. At the age of nineteen, he traveled to Chang’an to study and submitted a memorial to the court, gaining a great reputation; At the age of 21, he passed the imperial examination and became a jinshi along with Liu Zongyuan, who was one year younger than him. In the same year, he also passed the entrance examination for the Hongci subject at the University of Science and Technology. Compared to Bai Juyi, who was 27 years old in high school, he was much more proud and accomplished.
In 793 AD, Liu Yuxi, who was in his early twenties, proudly introduced himself in Chang’an City: “I am Liu Sheng, the Prince Jing of Zhongshan!
Ascending to great heights and holding an extremely prestigious position as a minister
Afterwards, Liu Yuxi rose to fame even more. At the age of 24, he entered the Ministry of Personnel and was appointed as a tutor for the Crown Prince. His fame gradually grew, and even Wang Shuwen, who was highly valued by the Crown Prince, took the initiative to befriend him, claiming that he had the talent of a prime minister.
In 802, Liu Yuxi was appointed as the chief clerk of Weinan County in Jingzhao Prefecture, and soon after was transferred to the position of censor. How can one not envy the life of a young person who has achieved success and entered the core of the court at the age of just over thirty, holding an extremely high position as a minister, accompanied by fame, wealth, and limitless prospects, and surrounded by colleagues who are all important officials and close friends of the court?
When one is proud, life is full of scenery, and every flower blooming can ‘move the capital city’. Liu Yuxi’s elegant and magnificent poem “Appreciating Peonies” is even more impressive than Meng Jiao’s line after he passed the imperial examination, “Proud of the spring breeze and galloping horse hooves, seeing all the flowers of Chang’an in one day.” It can be said that it fully expresses his current mood:
In front of the court, the peony demon is formless, and the pond is devoid of emotions. Only peonies, the true national color, move the capital during the blooming season.
Change failed, relocated to the left for ten years
A group of promising young people gathered together, their blood boiling with passion. Their only wish was to suppress rebellion and govern the country. Immediately, they organized a massive revolution, vowing to completely dismantle the power held by the feudal lords and eunuchs, and restore the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty.
Unfortunately, they still overestimated their own abilities. Soon after, Emperor Shunzong was forced to abdicate and become the Supreme Emperor, while Emperor Xianzong ascended the throne. The 140 day Yongzhen Reform declared its failure.
Wang Shuwen, who took the lead, was executed, and Wang Ji died of illness after being demoted; The remaining eight people, including Liu Yuxi and Liu Zongyuan, were demoted to Sima of the remote eight prefectures, which caused a sensation in the “Two Eight Sima Incident”.
Liu Yuxi suddenly fell from the peak of his life to the bottom, in the deep autumn, with a bleak autumn wind that made people feel listless. Cold cicadas are mournful, and Changting Evening is the most appropriate tone at this moment. Liu Yuxi, who is infinitely lost, stood up and headed south, looking at the bleak scenery with disdain on his face. Then he looked up at the sky and laughed heartily, picking up his pen to write “Two Autumn Poems”:
Since ancient times, autumn has been melancholic and lonely. I say that autumn is better than spring. A crane on the clear sky brings poetic emotions to the blue sky. The water is clear and the mountain is bright, The frost comes in at night; Trees are covered with deep scarlet leaves mixed with yellow that is light. Trying to climb a tall building is as clear as bones, it’s not like the wild spring scenery.
Since ancient times, there has been a great deal of sadness and sorrow towards spring and autumn. Faced with autumn, poets often write lines from Qi and Qi. With Liu Yuxi, there is a kind of heroic spirit that goes against the current, which is irresistible.
In fact, Liu Yuxi not only said it nicely, but also really didn’t take these disappointments seriously. Liu Yuxi came to Langzhou and stayed there for ten years.
In this barbaric land, where the scholarly style is obscure and the customs are unique, there is no one to talk to. Liu Yuxi is undoubtedly a “spiritual island” in this place. He persisted in writing and reciting, cultivating his temperament not only for his own entertainment, but also for writing songs and poems for the local people.
The local customs favor witchcraft and divination, and sacrificial ceremonies often involve drumming and dancing. Liu Yuxi sometimes participates in these activities, but he cannot understand the dialect sung by the locals. Therefore, based on the Chu Ci, he wrote new lyrics to teach witchcraft and divination.
Optimistic people can live well wherever they go, but Liu Yuxi believed that dissatisfaction at this moment is only temporary. “It’s just a matter of shaping and using it for the end. What shame is there in being tainted? When feeling dull, one can rely on staring at them with ambition. It’s like a precious sword covered in dust for a moment, he can unsheath his sword and show off his sharpness.
As expected, ten years later, Liu Yuxi was ordered to return to the capital.
Misfortune never comes alone, let’s demote Lianzhou again
Liu Yuxi’s return to Chang’an is already a matter of change. Looking at the newly wealthy individuals who have become politically successful due to opportunism over the past decade, and seeing the prevalence of sycophants and high achievers everywhere, Liu Yuxi disdained being associated with them. Therefore, he borrowed the opportunity to visit Xuandu Temple and wrote a poem:
The red dust of Zimo brushes against my face, and everyone looks back at the flowers. There are a thousand peach trees in Xuandu Temple, all planted by Liu Lang after he left.
Anyone with a discerning eye can tell that the thousand peach trees are a metaphor for the newly wealthy who have become successful in political opportunism over the past decade? If I hadn’t been demoted back then, you little characters wouldn’t have known where you were!
Once this poem was written, how could Chang’an tolerate him? Liu Yuxi was once again demoted, this time to Lianzhou, where he stayed for another five years until his mother passed away.
Lianzhou was originally culturally backward, but after Liu Yuxi took office, the atmosphere changed and the number of scholars increased gradually. The number of successful candidates in the imperial examination also increased year by year, and it was later known as the “Province of Science and Technology”. This was naturally due to Liu Yuxi’s contribution to the promotion of culture. Therefore, later generations praised him for his “contribution to the millennium cultural heritage of Lianzhou”.
Twenty three years, continuous exile
After leaving Lianzhou, Liu Yuxi’s fate of wandering was not yet complete. He traveled back and forth to Kuizhou, where local customs would sing “Bamboo Branches” during sacrificial ceremonies. Therefore, Liu Yuxi also created several sets of “Bamboo Branch Poems” to depict the local customs and traditions of Kuizhou, hoping to spread them through skilled singers. The language is easy and lively, with a lot of fun in daily life. The most familiar one is probably this one:
Yangliu Qingqing River level, hear the sound of walking songs on the Langjiang River. The sunrise in the east and the rain in the west, the road is ruthless yet compassionate.
The artistic level of ‘Zhuzhi Ci’ has also been highly praised by later generations. Huang Tingjian wrote in his “Preface to the Valley”: “Liu Meng’s” Bamboo Branches “consists of nine chapters with exquisite meanings. The sincerity between the Yuan Dynasty and the Han Dynasty can stand alone. The customs and traditions are not vulgar, and the pursuit of ancient times is worthy. Compared to his son’s beautiful” Kuizhou Song “, it is called” same work but different songs ”
When Kuizhou was appointed full, he reconciled the prefecture. Unexpectedly, Supervisor of the County County of Kuizhou created difficulties everywhere. It was supposed to be a standard residence with three bedrooms, but Supervisor of the County County assigned Liu Yuxi to a small house in the county town. The residence was a small house that could only accommodate one bed, one table and one chair.
From three bedrooms and one living room to a small single room, if others were already furious and fighting each other, Liu Yuxi remained calm and wrote this “Inscription on a Humble House” directly, turning a small dilapidated house into a spiritual refuge for many people:
Mountains are not high, immortals are famous. Waters are not deep, dragons are spiritual. This is a humble abode, but I am virtuous. The moss marks on the steps are green, and the grass is green in the curtains. When chatting and laughing, there are great scholars, but there is no white Ding. You can tune the zither and read the golden scriptures. There is no chaos of silk and bamboo ears, nor the labor of writing and compiling books. Zhuge Lu in Nanyang and Yunting Pavilion in Western Shu. Confucius said: What is humble?
After serving in Hezhou for three years, Liu Yuxi was sent to Suzhou, Ruzhou, Tongzhou and other places as the governor. In the second year of Baoli reign of Emperor Jingzong of Tang Dynasty (827 AD), Liu Yuxi once again accepted the invitation to return to Beijing. It has been twenty-three years since he left last time.
On the way back, he met Bai Juyi in Yangzhou, drunk and in deep affection. Bai Juyi wrote a poem to comfort him:
Bring me a cup of wine to drink, and sing with you. The poem says that the master of the country is a disciple of Er, and there is no way to suppress one’s head with fate. Looking up, the scenery is long and lonely, and the official positions of the court are wasted alone. It is also known that the name of He Bei is Zhe, and 23 years of Zhe is too much.
Liu Yuxi gave a gentle smile, took the glass and pen, and said, “Letian, Letian. I’m so optimistic that I don’t need comfort. Come on, sing the song and drink the wine!
With a calm expression, he wrote ‘To pay tribute to the joy of Yangzhou and to present it at the first banquet’:
Bashan Chu River is desolate, abandoned for 23 years. Nostalgic empty chanting and listening to flute music, flipping through the countryside like a rotten Ke person. A thousand sails sail by the sunken boat, and ten thousand trees spring in front of the sick tree. Today, listening to a song by Jun, I will temporarily rely on the spirit of drinking for a long time.
After wandering around for twenty-three years, Liu Yuxi’s beard gradually turned white and his temples slightly frosty, but he was still that spirited young man.
At the age of 56, Liu Yuxi returned to the Xuandu Temple. The scene was vivid before his eyes, and Liu Yuxi was the ultimate winner, once again delivering ridicule to those trending elites:
Half of the hundred acre courtyard is covered in moss, with peach blossoms and blooming vegetables. Where does the peach planting Taoist go? Liu Lang from the past has returned now.
I, Liu, have come back again! And where have those who cling to the powerful gone? Extinguishing sentient beings or a handful of yellow soil is nothing!
Sangyu is not too late, its boldness returns to heaven
In his later years, Liu Yuxi returned to Luoyang to retire, and Bai Juyi was also here.
Bai Juyi sighed at the passing of time and the passage of time, writing poetry to complain to him:
Being old with you, what is old like? Lie down at night with dry eyes and a lazy head, not combing. Sometimes the cane comes out and stays closed all day long. Lazy looking at the newly polished mirror, take a break from reading small character books. Emotions are heavy on old friends, and the traces are sparse among young people. It’s just idle chatting, there’s still room for meeting.
And Liu Yuxi advised him not to worry about these things. Who is not old in this world? Not only is it late at sunset, but its rosy glow can still illuminate the sky.
Who cares about old age, and who has pity when they grow old? Thin body with frequent loss of hair and thinning of the hat. Abandoned books are cherished for their eyes, and more moxibustion is used to follow the year. I am knowledgeable in economics and able to read people like a river. Upon careful consideration, I am fortunate enough to hear that. Mo Dao Sang Yu Wan, the sky is still filled with rosy clouds.
Yeah, what about sunset mulberry and elm trees? They have boundless passion in their hearts, and the sunset glow can still shine red in the sky.
In the face of life, Liu Yuxi was a fighter who had to resist, but he had no other way to resist. He could only turn into poetry, every word full of resounding praises. Optimism was his indestructible armor, and the more cruel fate was, the more arrogant he laughed.
In the face of hardship, he has no choice but to smile.
Liu Yuxi struggled all his life, and what he most looked forward to was the peaceful days of time:
Wild grass and flowers by Zhuque Bridge, sunset slanting at the entrance of Wuyi Lane. In the past, Wang Xietang’s swallows flew into the homes of ordinary people. ——Wuyi Lane
