Sima Guang believes which country is orthodox in the Zizhi Tongjian

Zizhi Tongjian is a famous historical work in ancient China, which has always been valued and read by people. This book was edited by Sima Guang of the Northern Song Dynasty. During the Northern Song Dynasty, after a long period of melee since the Tang Dynasty, the country was unified, the social economy was restored and developed, and the academic culture flourished. At the same time, there are many shortcomings in internal affairs, the defense is not effective, "poor and weak", and the situation is unstable.

This is an era of vitality, an era of great suffering, an era of progress, and an era of weakness. At that time, monarchs and generals, people with lofty ideals, and ordinary people were mostly thinking about how to live and looking for a way out. As a result, some advocate ruling the world with "judo", saying that the law of the ancestors is immutable; Those who are determined to reform and implement reforms; There are those who live in hardship, are forced to take risks, and rebel.

People who have mastered cultural knowledge, especially historians, such as Ouyang Xiu, Sima Guang, Fan Zuyu, and so on, often look back on history in the face of reality, in an attempt to sum up historical lessons and lessons, learn from history, and better resolve practical contradictions in order to help govern the country and secure the country. Among them, Sima Guang's purpose of editing "Tongjian" is the most prominent and representative. It is named after "the rise and fall of the past life and the gains and losses of the present".

It is difficult to say which dynasty is orthodox in the history books, and the so-called orthodoxy refers to the feudal dynasty that inherited the whole country and unified the whole country. Then the Qin and Han dynasties, the Sui and Tang dynasties, and the Northern Song Dynasty should all be orthodox dynasties.

Sima Guang compiled the "General Guide to Zizhi" for two main purposes:

The first is to write a concise and concise chronicle of the general history;

First, through compiling history, "narrating the rise and fall of the country and the weal and woe of the people," summing up historical lessons and lessons, and attempting to serve politics. It also warns future generations through the description of the policies of the ruling class that are related to the rise and fall of the country and the rise and fall of the nation.

The origin of the title of the book is that Song Shenzong believed that the book "in view of the past, it has the ability to govern the Tao", and gave this name. It can be seen from this that the name of "Zizhi Tongjian" is not only a manifestation of the historian's increased consciousness of governing history, but also a manifestation of the feudal emperor's increased consciousness of using historiography to serve politics.

Orthodoxy should be the state of Wei. Because the so-called "orthodox" concept in the "Zizhi Tongjian" is actually Sima Guang's personal opinion. Take the Three Kingdoms period as an example: if it is said to be in line with the system of etiquette, ethics, and Confucianism, then Shu Han should be orthodox rather than Cao Wei.

But in fact, there is only "Wei Ji" and no "Shu Ji" or "Wu Ji" in the "Zizhi Tongjian", Sima Guang wrote when describing Zhuge Liang leading the army to besiege Qishan: "Liang Shuai Zhujun entered the Kou, surrounded Qishan, and transported it with wooden oxen. It was to call Zhuge Liang a thief, which made many Confucian scholars in later generations dissatisfied, Zhu Xi once expressed his dissatisfaction, and tried to revise the "Zizhi Tongjian", but later gave up for various reasons.

In "Zizhi Tongjian", Wei has "Ji", and Shu and Wu have no "Ji", which is because Jin Shun Wei was born, and Wei should be orthodox. The Southern Dynasties have "Ji", and the Northern Dynasties have no "Ji" because there are many Han people in the Southern Dynasties and many Hu people in the Northern Dynasties, Sima Guang should take the Han people as orthodox, the five dynasties have "Ji", and the ten countries have no "Ji", the administrative divisions of the Later Liang, Later Tang, Later Jin, Later Han, and Later Zhou are located in the Central Plains, and the Song Dynasty was born after the Later Zhou, and the five dynasties should be orthodox. Therefore, Sima Guang's consideration of "orthodoxy" should be in this way.

It should be the State of Wei.

I think that the so-called "orthodox" concept in the Zizhi Tongjian is entirely Sima Guang's personal opinion, taking the Three Kingdoms period as an example.

It should be said to be in line with the etiquette system, Gangchang ethics, and Confucianism.

That should be based on Shu Han as orthodoxy rather than Cao Wei.

But in fact, there is only "Wei Ji" and no "Shu Ji" or "Wu Ji" in the "Zizhi Tongjian".

Sima Guang wrote when describing Zhuge Liang's siege of Qishan: "Liang Shuai's army entered the Kou, surrounded Qishan, and transported it with wooden oxen. ”

is to call Zhuge Liang a thief.

This made many Confucian scholars in later generations dissatisfied.

Zhu Xi once expressed his dissatisfaction.

and tried to revise the "Zizhi Tongjian".

Later, for various reasons, he gave up.

In the "General Guide to Governance".

Wei has a "Ji", and Shu and Wu have no "Ji".

It was born because of Jin Shun Wei.

When Wei is orthodox.

The Southern Dynasties had a "Ji", and the Northern Dynasties had no "Ji".

It is because there are many Han people in the south and many Hu people in the north dynasty.

Sima Guang should regard the Han people as orthodox.

The five dynasties have a "discipline", while the ten kingdoms have no "discipline".

The administrative divisions of the Later Liang, Later Tang, Later Jin, Later Han, and Later Zhou were located in the Central Plains, and the Song Dynasty succeeded the Later Zhou.

When the five generations are orthodox.

I think Sima Guang should think so.

It's the state of Wei. Wei has a "Ji", and Shu and Wu have no "Ji", which is because Jin Shun Wei was born, and Wei should be orthodox.

Zizhi Tongjian, a multi-volume chronicle edited by Sima Guang of the Northern Song Dynasty, with a total of 294 volumes, took 19 years to complete. Mainly based on time and events, it was written from the twenty-third year of King Weilie of Zhou (403 B.C.) to the sixth year of Zhou Shizong Xiande (959 A.D.) five generations later, covering the history of 16 dynasties and 1362 years.

Zizhi Tongjian is the first chronicle of China's general history, and occupies a very important position in China's official history books.

Cao Wei, in the "Zizhi Tongjian", there is only "Wei Ji" and no "Shu Ji" or "Wu Ji", Cao Wei destroyed the Han, and the Jin Dynasty also came from Wei, so Cao Wei is orthodox.

In the "Zizhi Tongjian", there is only "Wei Ji", ten volumes, and there is no special chapter on Eastern Wu and Western Shu.

Therefore, Cao Wei is orthodox.