First, trace the root cause.
Sima Qian summed up the image of Xiang Yu through Han Xin's observation in The Biography of Huaiyin Hou:
"Please say that Xiang Wang is also a human being: Xiang Wang is evil and arrogant, and thousands of people waste it; However, you can't be a wise general. It's a man's courage. ..... So, being strong is easy to be weak. "
Xiang Yu was indeed the embodiment or symbol of courage and violence in that stormy era. This kind of violence and courage cannot be simply attributed to strength or talent. We should pay more attention to the specific cultural soil that breeds heroes.
Xiang Yu grew up in this social atmosphere full of revenge. "Xiang surnamed Xiang, because he is General Chu, was sealed in Xiang." (Biography of Xiang Yu) This is because Chu has developed independently in the south for more than ten centuries, seeking survival in oppression and development in discrimination, forming a unique national cultural tradition of Chu. Xiang can be said to be a figure who combines national hatred and family hatred. More than 100 years of hatred, more than 100 years of blood and tears, strong revenge anger and personal ambition combined to create such a hero as Xiang Yu. In this social era of violence, killing, conspiracy and machine fraud, it is either killing or being killed. People who live in this atmosphere, cowards will also become warriors. Xiang Yu's character can be said to amplify the characteristics of this era through this person's temperament.
The subtle language in Biography of Xiang Yu also played an important role in shaping the image of Xiang Yu. In the article, Xiang Yu watched the scene of Qin Shihuang's visit to Zhejiang with his uncle Xiang Liang when he was young. Xiang Yu said, "He can take his place!" Xiang Liang quickly put his hand over his mouth and said, "Don't talk nonsense, clansman!" However, he also "used this strange book." A sentence with distinctive personality characteristics shows Xiang Yu's unique thought and indicates his outstanding future.
Although Liu Bang was not as brave and benevolent as Xiang Yu, he was greedy for money and lustful by nature, suspicious of merit and slow in humiliation, and called princes and ministers slaves. However, when entering Xianyang, there was a saying that "women don't take property, and women don't take it", and they used the "three chapters of the law" to appease the people. This is related to his temperament of growing up in the market, being sophisticated, being good at playing tricks, winning the hearts of the people and being loyal to the rivers and lakes. Later generals such as Xiao He, Cao Can, Xia Houying and Fan Kuai. They were all known before the uprising and were reused. (Of course, after the rule is stable, the so-called "cunning rabbit dies, running dogs cook" is another matter. ).
However, it is different environments that shape their different personalities. Xiang Yu grew up in a family of generals and was bound by family style and other doctrines everywhere; Liu Bang, who grew up on the street, did not follow the rules of society. This also laid the foundation for the different images of the two protagonists.
Second, personality comparison.
Xiang Yu is the hero who focuses most on Sima Qian, and multiple personalities can be found in him. He was angry and angry, and he vomited. He loves courtiers and is jealous of talents. He was cruel, burning Xianyang, trapping and killing prisoners; He is also very kind. There is compassion at the Hongmen banquet. He didn't kill Liu Bang, but always cared about the sufferings of the people. He sometimes shares joys and sorrows with his subordinates, sharing clothes and food; Sometimes he is very stingy, and refuses to issue the engraved official seal to the hero, holding it in his hand and fiddling with it repeatedly. As for the scene of singing sad songs with Yu Ji, it is both romantic and affectionate. These contradictory factors are organically integrated in Xiang Yu, which makes the characters rich in connotation, profound in details and very real.
When analyzing Xiang Yu's dual personality characteristics, Qian Zhongshu pointed out: "spit in words and scold in evil"; Respect and love' and' rogue'; "Love a courtier" and "avoid being virtuous and avoiding being able"; The goodness of women and the ruin of pits; If they are opposite to each other, they are all in feathers. It seems that two hands are divided into books, and one throat is different, so it is different. Science is based on psychology, and land to the tiller. "
The diversity of Xiang Yu's personality made Tai Shigong love him more and hurt him more.
I'm afraid Xiang Yu killed countless people in his life, not only "enemies", but also prisoners and people. Some people who don't know history think that Xiang Yu is a very violent and ferocious demon. Not really. There is also a saying in history that Xiang Yu is benevolent and loves others. This is not difficult to see from the biography of Xiang Yu.
In 206 AD, Xiang Yu put down the "Hongmen Banquet" and wanted to kill Liu Bang. This is a piece of cake for him. However, he didn't do it. The biggest obstacle is not Liu Bang or Xiang Bo who secretly helped Liu Bang, but Xiang Yu's inner world. Chu Huaiwang, the "righteous emperor", was established by him and Liu Bang, and "Wang Zhi, who first broke Qin into Xianyang" was agreed by * * * *; If he kills Liu Bang, he will break the contract and put himself in a passive position of "unkind and unfair". In fact, Yidi is just a puppet. Liu Bang and all the generals are afraid of Xiang Yu. Even if he betrayed Yidi and killed Liu Bang, no one dared to say anything. But there is a "moral court" in his own heart that prevents him from doing that. So, regardless of Fan Zeng's dissuasion, Xiang Yu released the tiger.
In the next World War I, Xiang Yu saw that Lv Matong, the "traitor", came to kill him, and he also cried affectionately, "If it weren't for my enemy?" "I heard that Han bought my head and daughter. I am a good man." Draw a sword and kill yourself, let the "old friend" take his head and ask Liu Bang for credit.
And Liu Bang?
"Hanwang is riding with dozens of dun to ... every filial piety Yuan Lu, is a line. Chu rode after Hanwang, and Hanwang quickly pushed him out of the car. Teng Gong often takes it, and if it is true, the third said,' Although it is urgent, you can't drive it away, why abandon it!' So I have to go ... "
When he escaped from Pengcheng, he kicked the child out of the car several times in order to reduce the burden and make the car run faster to get rid of the pursuit of Chu army! He only has himself in his heart, so he doesn't care about morality! But when necessary, he carried the banner of morality and created public opinion for himself. Xiang Yu killed the "righteous emperor", and Liu Bang took this opportunity to make an article to mourn for the "righteous emperor" and unite the princes to crusade against the "unjust" Xiang Yu, which hit the key again!
Third, choose and employ persons without doubt, headstrong.
Sima Qian is a great historian in the history of China. Although he likes Xiang Yu very much, he made a correct and comprehensive evaluation of Liu Bang's way of knowing people and Xiang Yu's way of losing people.
In the famous manuscript of It, Chen Zai pointed out that Xiang Yu lacked cultural vision and political wisdom, while the patriarchal clan system and consanguinity were strongly influenced by the state.
People think that Xiang Yu, a martial art, can't treat people well. In fact, in history, Xiang Yu "vomited when he saw people, and cried and ate when he was sick." In addition, Mazhuang has a strong army and a huge momentum, which really attracted a lot of talents at first. Han Xin, Chen Ping and Peng Yue, talented people, all went to find his spy, but they all abandoned him in the end. Why? Chen Ping hit the nail on the head: "Wang Xiang can't trust people. He only loves his wife, Kundi, although he can't use strange people." He respects talents on the surface, but he doesn't trust talents in his bones. In Xiang Yu's subconscious, he still uses his family at critical times and in key positions. This made countless brain drain, but let a little person like Xiang Bo fish in troubled waters, and tipped off Liu Bang. Can the war be unbeaten?
There are two reasons for Xiang Yu's failure. One is "striving for personal wisdom, learning nothing". He is brave and good at fighting, but he doesn't know how to do his duty well. Be respectful and gentle, but don't reward meritorious service and encourage war generals.
Chen Ping designed to alienate Xiang Yu and Fan Zeng. Xiang Yu was easily fooled without thinking.
Wang Xiang wants to hear it. Hou of Liyang said, "Han Yi, if you release Fu, you will regret it in the future." Xiang Wangnai and Fan Zeng's Emergency Environment
Hanwang in Xingyang suffered greatly, but he used Chen Pinglai to plot against Wang Xiang. King Xiang's emissary came, because it was too tight, and he wanted to enter. I was shocked to see the messenger.
He said, "I thought the angel of Father Ya was the angel of King Xiang." Even more persistent, eating the king's messenger with bad food. The messenger returned to Wang Xiang. project
Wang Nai suspected that Fan Zeng was having an affair with Korea, and he was in power. Fan Zeng said angrily, "It's a great event in the world, and this king deserves it. May the skeleton be given.
The bone is a pawn. "Xu. Before he got to Pengcheng, he died of gangrene. (Biography of Xiang Yu)
How can a man who works for Xiang's family and hates making trouble everywhere end up like this?
In the end, Xiang Yu did not think about his own failure, but attributed the reason to fate. How many people were impressed by the brave and skillful fighting lamented by the overlord! His cronyism, unbelief in clan and unbelief in clan pushed out Fan Zeng. Outstanding talents like Han Xin and Chen Ping defected to Liu Bang because they could not be trusted and reused in Xiang Yu. They played a decisive role in the Chu-Han War. In contrast, Liu Bang's talent in employing people is undeniable.
Liu Bang can "ride from more than a hundred" to the Hongmen banquet, or he can entrust the important task to Han Xin, who is completely untrusted. Once Liu Bang washed his feet in an army tent. Suddenly, soldiers came to report, and Confucian scholars sought audience outside the account. There were no Confucian scholars in the Liu Bang War. Confucian scholars forcibly joined the army and asked why they despised Confucian scholars. Liu Bang said: "The world can be won from one horse. What do you want a scholar to do? " The scholar immediately asked him, "Can the world get it from horses, and can the world be ruled by horses?" Liu Bang was deeply moved after hearing this. He immediately apologized to the scholar and invited him to sit down.
In 203 BC, in order to blackmail Liu Bang, Xiang Yu arrested Liu Bang's father, tied him and Gao Qiu to the other side, and said to Liu Bang, "Don't worry now, I'll cook Taigong!" Unexpectedly, Liu bang was completely unmoved and calmly replied: "Xiang Yu and I were both ordered to be the king of Huaibei, saying, about brothers." If my Weng is an Weng, he will want to cook two Weng, so he is lucky to have a piece of me! "
Liu bang is not heartless. He seized the weakness of Xiang Yu's character and assumed that Xiang Yu was bound by traditional morality. He said, "if I were an Weng, I would cook it, so I am lucky to share it!" " He easily resolved Xiang Yu's political blackmail.
Talking about the dispute between Chu and Han, Liu Bang said: "My husband is planning thousands of miles away and winning thousands of miles. I am not as good as the ovary. I'm not as good as Xiao He, because I can help the country and the people, and I get paid. Even if it is a million-strong army, we must win the battle and attack it. I am not as good as Han Xin. These three are outstanding people, and I can use them, so I win the world. Xiang Yu has a Fan Zeng, so he can't use it. That's why he was arrested for me. " These are the talents and temperament that a political leader and a military commander must possess.
Tai Shigong said: Xia is loyal. Loyalty is ours, and villains are wild, so Yin people respect it. To us, villains are ghosts, so Zhou people inherited them in words. If she is weak, the villain will be loyal to her, so there is no way to save her. 3. If Wang Zhidao goes on, it will always start again. Between Zhou and Qin dynasties, it can be said that the writing is poor. Wouldn't it be a shame if Qin Zheng didn't amend the anti-torture law? Therefore, the prosperity of the Han Dynasty is changeable, which makes people tireless and unified. North Korea arrives in October. The clothes are yellow, but the house is left. Bury Changling.
Although Sima Qian suffered from corruption in the Han Dynasty, he still held a positive and praised attitude towards Liu Bang. Vividly described Liu Bang's extraordinary talent in military politics. He took the "Three Wang Zhidao" of the Han Dynasty as the basis for his appointment.
Fourth, the outcome is different.
A hero through the ages, after being attacked on all sides, has fallen to this point, which is enough to make readers feel sorry and booed. In such an atmosphere, Xiang Yu's disaster is generous and sad, "beauty is in harmony with it" and "I dare not look up when I cry", which further constitutes an infinite sad atmosphere.
Xiang Yu's tragedy is partly a moral tragedy. The reason why he has been sighing, booing and remembering for more than two thousand years is due to his moral strength and personality charm. Du Mu's Pavilion on the Wujiang River said: "Winning or losing is the plan of a military strategist by surprise. The children of Jiangdong are brilliant, and it is unknown that they will make a comeback. " Xiang Yu is Xiang Yu after all, not Liu Bang. In "Fight to the Death", he chose death instead of living. He has affection for his elders in Jiangdong, for the corn poppy and for the war horse. He said to the director of Wujiang Pavilion: "I rode this horse when I was five years old, and I was invincible. I travel thousands of miles every day, and I can't bear to kill it. " People are great and cannot be represented by career.
Liu bang knew that he was indefensible and was not bound by morality, but he used it as a weapon to press Xiang Yu again and again, determined to kill him quickly. Liu Bang won the Chu-Han War for four years with his far-sighted political talent.
Five, look at two heroes from two poems.
Gai Xia Song (Xiang Yu): When the mountain rises, the world is angry. Bad times never die. What can I do without dying? I'm afraid I'm afraid I can't do anything!
It can be said that this is a heroic elegy, and it is a desperate word issued by the overlord of Chu on the eve of the first world war. This poem is full of unparalleled heroism and affection; It not only shows rare self-confidence, but also sighs that it is insignificant. People are dying, but they don't know why they failed. They just think that "killing me on this day is not a crime", which can't make Tai Shigong regret it!
Song of the Wind (Liu Bang): The wind rises in Yunfei, and Jia Wei returns to the sea. Andrew, soldiers are always looking!
After defeating Xiang Yu, Liu Bang became the first emperor of the Han Dynasty. Of course, this makes him excited, happy and full of ambition, but in his heart, he has deep fear and sorrow. This Song of the Wind vividly shows his ambivalence. If Xiang Yu's "Gaixia Song" shows the sorrow of losers, then "Da Feng Ge" shows the sorrow of winners. Liu Bang's talent is not outstanding. He is just good at fortune and good at employing people. After he was lucky enough to settle in the countryside, he sighed that he was not a "warrior". Liu Bang's image of attaching importance to talents is undoubtedly revealed here.
Abstract of intransitive verbs
Some people say that history is the stage for winners, and losers can only foil it in history. I don't think so. As the saying goes, heroes are not judged by success or failure. Xiang Yu's great achievements in eliminating Qin are indelible. Unfortunately, the overlord of Chu only has omnipotent power, but he has no political strategy of knowing people and employing people. The image description of Xiang Yu in Historical Records is very vivid. Even if Xiang Yu has many shortcomings, he can make you like him as a tragic hero. Liu Bang knew what politics was, how to employ people, when to do what, and relied on a group of sages to stabilize the country. His success shows that he has a good side. Therefore, from the images of the two heroes, we should not only know the heroism of Xiang Yu, but also be impressed by Liu Bang's ability to understand the times and control himself.
References:
Liu Naihe edited Sima Qian and Historical Records. -Beijing: Beijing Publishing House, 1987
On Sima Qian's Selected Notes on Historical Records. -Nanchang: Jiangxi People's Publishing House, 1982
Li Changzhi's Sima Qian's Personality and Style. -Beijing: Sanlian Bookstore, 1984.
Historical Records of Celebrities in Past Dynasties edited by Yan Yang. -Beijing: Beijing Normal University Press, 1986.
Sima Qian's Historical Records (Hanshu). -Beijing: People's Literature Publishing House, 1985.5.
On Cheng Jinzao's Historical Records. -Xi 'an: Shaanxi People's Publishing House, 1985.3
Selected translations of Biography of Historical Records (Volume I) edited by Shanghai Ancient Books Publishing House. -Shanghai: Shanghai Ancient Books Publishing House, 1984.4
Comments on Chen's famous articles in Historical Records. -Guangdong: Shantou University, 1996.438+0.
The heroic stories of Liu Bang and Xiang Yu. -Shanghai: Wen Hui Publishing House, 1990.3.
Re-understanding of Xiang Yu's image in China, by Chen Tao, from VIP full-text database.