Sima Guang went through how the process of writing the Zizhi Tongjian

"Thrift and simplicity" is the fine tradition of the Chinese nation, and its main merit lies in the accumulation of a limited amount of money for the gods of the earth and grain, in order to develop the family business, and prosperity of our China. Therefore, the history of China's many learned people in the life of the soil pay great attention to their own frugality, but also attaches great importance to the future generation of "frugality" education. This spirit of teaching by example and passing on by words has become a model for future generations to teach their children. Si Ma Guang, an outstanding historian of the Northern Song Dynasty, was a scholar, and served as a minister and lecturer of the Tianzhang Pavilion, a minister of the Imperial Historical Chancellery, and a left servant of the Minister of History, and was posthumously appointed Duke of Wen Guo. He wrote a great deal, and his famous book Ziji Tongjian is a valuable historical work in China. His life was very frugal, his work style was steady and practical, and he made frugality the main content of teaching his children to be successful. In Sima Guang's life, many touching stories have been passed down. According to relevant historical records, Sima Guang paid great attention to educating his children to refrain from extravagance and to be prudent in his work and life. In his "Reply to the Book of Liu Meng", he said that he "dared to walk after seeing the ground, and dared to stand after having a rest. In order to complete this historical masterpiece, he not only asked Fan Zuyu, Liu Jiu and Liu Jie to be his assistants, but also asked his own son, Sima Kang, to take part in the work. When he saw his son scratching the pages of a book with his fingernails, he was very angry, and seriously taught him how to take care of books: before reading, wipe the desk clean and put a tablecloth on it; when reading, sit upright; when turning the pages of a book, use the side of your right thumb to lift up the edges of the pages, and then gently cover them with your forefinger in order to open a page. He taught his son that a businessman should save more money, and a scholar should take good care of books." In order to realize the ideal of writing books, he has been unremitting for 15 years, often working sick. His friends and relatives advised him to "be less bothered", he replied: "The late king said, death is also life." This kind of life and death in the work, life style, so that his son and colleagues were y inspired. In terms of life, Sima Guang frugal and simple, "life clothes to cover the cold, food to fill the stomach", but "do not dare to serve the dirt and ills in the name of vulgarity". He often taught his son that food and abundance of extravagance, richness and extravagance. In order to make his son realize the importance of frugality, he wrote an essay on frugality in the form of a family letter. In the article, he strongly opposed to extravagant living and advocated frugality and simplicity. In the article, he clearly pointed out that, firstly, he was dissatisfied with the bad habits of extravagance. He said, the ancients took frugality as a virtue, but nowadays people are ridiculed for their frugality, which is really undesirable. He also said that in recent years, the decadence of the customs, talk about ostentation, the show of grandeur, when the pawns wear the same clothes and the scholar, down to the farmers also wear silk shoes on the feet. In order to entertain guests and friends, "constant months of camping", organized. He abhorred this kind of rotten habits, for this reason, he lamented: "Although the people in power can not prohibit, bear to help it!" Second, promote the virtue of thrift. Sima Guang praised the Song Zhenzong, Renzong Li Kang, Lu Zongdao and Zhang Wenjie and other officials of the frugal style, and quoted Zhang Wenjie for his son, said: "from frugality into luxury is easy, from extravagance into frugality is difficult," and warned his son that this is the most important saying is "the great sage of the far-sightedness, is not mediocre people. " Then, he quoted the words of the great doctor of the state of Lu in the Spring and Autumn Period, Yusun: "Thrift is the **** of virtue; extravagance is the greatness of evil." Then he gave a dialectical and detailed explanation of the relationship between morality and frugality. He said, "All those who say they have virtue come from thrift. If one is frugal, one has few desires. If a gentleman has few desires, he will not be enslaved to things and can walk in a straight path; if a villain has few desires, he will be able to be prudent and prudent, and will be able to sin far away from the rich family." On the other hand, "Lavishness is excess of desire. If a gentleman has a lot of desire, he will be greedy for wealth and riches, and he will get into trouble quickly; if a villain has a lot of desire, he will seek more and use more, and he will lose his family and his life." Third, teach his son to avoid extravagance in order to unify the family. Sima Guang in order to educate his son to be alert to the scourge of luxury, often detailed historical events as a warning. He once said to his son: the Western Jin Dynasty, He had "eaten ten thousand dollars a day, to the grandson to pride overflowing family". Shi Zong "boasted of his extravagance, and died in the Eastern Market." Kou Zhun in recent times, living a luxurious life, "the children and grandchildren of his family style, now more poor". Sima Guang also constantly warned his children: study seriously, work pragmatically, and live frugally. On the surface, none of these seem to be important for the country, but in essence, they are the foundation for the prosperity of the family and the country. It is these moral qualities that enable one to cultivate oneself, unify one's family, and even rule the country and pacify the world. Sima Guang's aphorism "It is easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but difficult to go from extravagance to frugality" has become a famous saying that has been recited by people all over the world. Under his education, his son Sima Kang understood the importance of frugality from his childhood and disciplined himself with frugality. He served as a school scholar, a writer, and a preacher, and was also known for his knowledge of things ancient and modern, his integrity, and his frugal life. Today, we are much richer than in any of our past times. But we have only just got rid of poverty and stepped onto the pedestal of affluence, and we are not really rich. In real life, some young parents are extravagant, ostentatious and profligate, and this uncontrolled wastefulness is spreading like a contagious disease in the society, which has y affected the next generation. "Thrift and simplicity" is the treasure of our prosperous family and country, and profligacy will surely jeopardize the family business and the country. Therefore, in order to make our family prosperous and our country strong, we must try our best to cultivate and educate our next generation to establish the noble sentiments of hard work and frugality. Only in this way will we be able to have a tomorrow and our nation will be able to prosper.

Sima Guang (1019-1086), known as Mr. Blossom, was a native of Shanzhou (now Xia County, Shanxi Province) in the Northern Song Dynasty. After 19 years of unremitting efforts, he finally completed the "Ziji Tongjian", a general history masterpiece in the 7th year of Yuanfeng (1084), which mainly summarized the positive and negative lessons of historical rulers. Politically, Sima Guang was old-fashioned and strongly opposed to Wang Anshi's reforms, which were supported by Emperor Shenzong, and he resigned and retired for a long time. After the death of Emperor Shenzong, he was called to the capital to preside over the state affairs and abolished the new policy of Wang Anshi's reform. After his death, Sima Guang was posthumously honored as the Duke of Wen, and was buried in his hometown of Xia County. Sima Guang was born in November of the third year of Emperor Song Zhenzong's Tianxi reign (1019), when his father, Sima Ji, was serving as the magistrate of Guangshan County in Guangzhou, so he named him "Guang". According to historical records, Sima Guang was smart and studious at an early age, and was especially fond of the Spring and Autumn Annals of the Zuo Dynasty, which he used to "read with his hands, not knowing whether he was hungry, thirsty, cold or hot". He was not only able to recite Zuo Zhuan skillfully, but also could tell the historical outline of more than 200 years clearly. He was good at reading, seeking a good understanding and being selective. He disliked Buddha and Lao, and had a very strong interest in history.

Song Renzong Bao Yuan in the early years (1038), Sima Guang twenty years old, in the first bachelor's degree, the first Fenglilang, Dali assessor of a class of small officials, then by the central secret vice envoy Pang Ji's recommendation, into the capital for the Pavilion School, know the same court, and change the state of the pass judge. Jiayou six years (1061) was promoted to the house of residence with the admonition. After the reign of Emperor Shenzong, he became a scholar of the Hanlin Academy.

Politically, Sima Guang was the leader of the conservative faction, he stubbornly insisted on the dogma of "the ancestral law cannot be changed", and tried his best to oppose and obstruct Wang Anshi's change of law. When Emperor Shenzong was going to appoint him as the Deputy Secretary of the Privy Council, he insisted on not accepting it, and threatened to abolish the new law as a condition. He also wrote to Wang Anshi three times in the guise of an old friend, attacking his change of law as "encroachment on the government, trouble, levies, and refusal of advice", resulting in "the world's grievances and slander", which was severely criticized by Wang Anshi. Xining three years (1070), Sima Guang see the new law has been imperative, they asked to leave the capital, out of the Zhi Yongxing army, the next year to Luoyang, the two capitals of the Imperial Palace. Clean and simple

Sima Guang political conservatism, unapologetic; but he was open-minded, clean, modest and upright, do not like the character of China is also recognized. History books recorded many of his little stories in this regard, has been rumored as a beautiful story. Even his political opponent Wang Anshi admired his character and was willing to take him as a neighbor.

Sima Guang dared to give direct advice, not flattery; he cited the loyal repudiation of treachery, not for the body of the conspiracy. In a "name of the court", he asked to do the admonition of "when the big, give up its fine, the first of its urgent, after its slow; patent country, but not for the body of the plan. He who draws on fame is like one who draws on profit. How far away is the difference between them!" He once said that there was not a single thing he did in his life that he could not tell people about. His integrity and thriftiness have been praised by all. Emperor Renzong before his death had left a posthumous edict, to reward Sima Guang and other ministers a number of gold and silver treasures, Sima Guang led the petition, stating that the country is poor, do not want to be rewarded. But a few times were not approved, and finally he will reward his own one to the admonition, for public expenses. He served in Luoyang, had bought land to build a residence, study, visit the "sole paradise", elegant and simple, he was very satisfied. But when the emperor's envoys to the mansion to ask him about politics, but for this low tile room, spaced out furnishings secretly laugh, he could not believe that the world-famous "Sima Xianggong" will be so shabby! Sima Guang's wife died, there is no money for the funeral, his son Sima Kang and relatives advocate borrowing some money, but also to do the funeral a little more ostentatious, Sima Guang did not agree, and taught his son to be frugal in the world should be valuable, can not move on borrowing. Finally, he pawned a piece of his own land, before the funeral was hastily organized. This is the story of Sima Guang's "Pawning a piece of land to bury his wife", as it is popularly known.

Sima Guang's most outstanding contribution to Chinese history is that he presided over the preparation of the monumental historical masterpiece "Ziji Tongjian," and his name will always remain in the cultural history of the Chinese nation together with this work.

Sima Guang was a studious boy who was well versed in history and the classics, and he kept on reading even after he became an official, especially studying the history books of the past dynasties. He was in the pavilion school book and served as a day chapter of the cabinet to be system and the lecturer, to see the shelf full of history books, a few rooms can not be put, so the Han's history of the dynasty and the countryside, a person poor life's energy is not to see over. So he gradually developed an idea of writing a systematic and concise general history, so that people can understand the rise and fall of thousands of years of history after reading. His idea was endorsed and supported by his good friend, the historian Liu Xiu, and so in the Jiayou years, Sima Guang began the preparation and work of the General History in his spare time for official business.

In the third year of Jiaping (1066), Sima Guang presented his written Tongzhi to Emperor Yingzong. The eight volumes of Tongzhi*** described the history from the 23rd year of King Lie of Zhou (403 BC) to the 3rd year of the 2nd Qin Dynasty (207 BC)**** for 195 years, mainly about the rise and fall of the seven kingdoms of Qin, Chu, Qi, Yan, Han, Zhao, and Wei, for the Emperor's reference. After reading it, Emperor Yingzong was very satisfied, and asked him to continue to write, and issued an edict to set up the Bureau of Books, offering expenses, additional personnel, specializing in the preparation of the work. Sima Guang was y moved, and soon set up a bookstore in the secret cabinet at the right tuck door, and invited Liu Ban, a famous historian at that time, Liu Jiu, Fan Zuyu and others, *** with the discussion of the purpose of the book, the outline, and the division of labor by Liu Ban wrote the two Han Dynasty part, Liu Jiu wrote Wei, Jin, North and South Dynasties part, Fan Zuyu wrote Sui, Tang and the Five Dynasties part, and finally by the total of Sima Guang into the by Sima Guang's son, Simakang, served as a proofreader of the text. The last part was written by Sima Guang and proofread by Sima Kang, the son of Sima Guang.

The next year, Emperor Yingzong died of illness, Emperor Shenzong took the throne, open the feast, read the "Tongzhi" in the Yingge, he thought that the "Tongzhi" is easier to read than other history books, but also easy to learn from, he summoned Sima Guang, praised, and gave the name of the "Zizhi Tongjian", said that it is "in view of the past, there is a way of governance," but also for the "Zizhi Tongjian" preface in person. Ziji Tongjian" for the preface. This further promoted the compilation and revision of this history. To Emperor Shenzong Yuanfeng seven years (1084), "Zizhi Tongjian" final off-draft repair, before and after *** into nineteen years.

The Zizhi Tongjian is the first chronicle in Chinese history, which describes the rich historical facts from the 23rd year of King Lie of the Zhou Dynasty (403 BC) to the 6th year of Xiande of the Zhou Dynasty (959 BC)**** for 1,362 years. The whole book consists of two hundred and ninety-four volumes, accompanied by thirty volumes of catalogs and thirty volumes of "Kao Yi". This book, a wide range of materials, the net is very rich, in addition to the basis of the history of the place, but also used the wild magazine of more than three hundred and twenty, and the selection of historical material is very strict, to distinguish between the differences and similarities, and try to seek the truth, so the description of the content, more informative and credible for historians of all times respected. The text of the General Appraisal to Xunyue's "Han Ji" for the first, and strive to be concise, the writing is vivid and fluent, simple and refined, rich in literary significance. Not only can it be read as a historical work, but some chapters can also be appreciated as literary works.

Sima Guang, in the nineteen years of editing "Ziji Tongjian", has paid a huge labor, especially in the fifteen years in Luoyang, almost all of his energy and effort. He said in the "into the Ziji Tongjian table", "I am now emaciated sinews and bones exhausted, eyesight dim near, teeth and teeth few, God's sense of depletion, the current so-called heel and forget. My energy, all in this book." Sima Guang for the book, often sleep and food, sometimes the family really can not wait for him to come back to eat, they will send the meal to the bookstore, but also several times to urge him to eat. The manuscript he revised every day was more than ten feet long, and there was not a single cursive word on it. His house was low and narrow, and in the summer, the heat was stifling and embarrassing, and the beads of sweat soaked the manuscripts. Later, he asked the craftsmen in the study dug a big deep pit, brick, repair a "basement", he was in this warm place in winter and cool in summer, concentrated on the book. He was extremely serious about the assessment of historical materials, tracing the roots of the source, repeated refinements, and constantly revised. After the compilation of the "Tongjian", the unused manuscripts stored in Luoyang were piled up in two rooms, so it can be seen that he paid for this book how hard labor ah! The new law

Yuanfeng eight years, the death of Emperor Shenzong, less than ten years old Zhezong took the throne, by the Empress Dowager Xuanren curtain, Sima Guang was employed as Chenzhou governor, passing through the capital, was retained as a minister under the door, and then the following year, the left minister of the Shangshu, and Lu Gongzhi (the right minister of the Shangshu) with the government. After Sima Guang came to power, he began to reject and crack down on the reformists, and submitted a series of reports to completely abolish the new law.

In September of the first year of the Yuanyou era (1086), Sima Guang died at the age of sixty-eight, and was awarded the titles of "Master of the Crown" and "Duke of Wen" by the imperial court; he was sent a commissioner to return the coffin to Xia County for burial, and his posthumous name was "Wenzheng". ".