Once upon a time, there was a man named Gu Biao from Yu Hang, whose courtesy name was Zhongwen, and he was proficient in the "Book of Documents" and "Spring and Autumn Annals." During the reign of Emperor Yang of Sui, he became a secretary scholar and even wrote twenty volumes of "Commentary on the Ancient Book of Documents."
Another Yu Hang native, Lu Shida, also served during the reign of Emperor Yang of Sui, becoming an assistant professor at the Imperial College and writing forty-two volumes of "Commentary on the Meanings of the Poems of Mao," a book that has been passed down through generations.
There was a man named Zhang Chong in Wu County, whose courtesy name was Shuxuan. He had previously served as the Left Middle General in the Chen Dynasty, but he wasn't really fond of that position. He focused all his energy on classical writings and wrote the "Summary of the Spring and Autumn Annals." Compared to the version by Du Yu, there were over seventy differences! He also wrote three volumes of "Etiquette of Mourning," three volumes of "Meanings of Filial Piety," ten volumes of "Meanings of the Analects," and twelve volumes of "Phonetic Meanings of the Former Han." He eventually became an attendant reader for the Prince of Han.
Prince Xiaoji of Pingyuan loved learning from a young age, reading many books and mastering the Five Classics, with great writing skills. He had a close friendship with Liu Xuan from Hejian, and they were good friends. During the reign of Emperor Wen of Sui, he was summoned to the Secretariat, where he helped Wang Shao compile national history. However, Wang Shao had no respect for him, and despite spending many years in the Secretariat, he couldn't even escape paying taxes, which left him feeling frustrated. Feeling stifled, Xiaoji wrote to the Minister of Personnel, Niu Hong, to express his grievances.
Alas, I have toxic sores on my body, I can't sleep at night, hungry and cold, and I've had no good days all year. Why? The pain is unbearable, and poverty makes it even worse! Moreover, my heart feels like it's being tormented, my whole body is uncomfortable, the wind and frost have seeped into my bones; how can I possibly endure this pain in silence? I can only plead with you, Lord Shangshu, to have mercy on me and show me some kindness! A single word from you could save a dying man like me, just like a gust of wind can make a bird fly. Your words are like fragrant herbs and warm cloth, capable of bringing me relief and allowing me to feel your grace. Though the mountains are high and the roads are long, the gods are watching; I swear everything I say is true; there are no lies, but I am afraid that help will come too late. By the time the person who can save me arrives, I might already be dead. If I had to wait for the Yue ships and the Lu craftsmen's cloud ladders, I would have long since died hanging from the branches or sunk into the abyss.
I, a poor man, have been in the province for seven years, working hard all the time, without any merit or reward. I had to sell my land to barely get by. There are still young children at home, and I have no able-bodied brothers to rely on. Not to mention my elderly mother, who is aging and worries all year round. The journey is long, and I can only grit my teeth and push through. The future is bleak, and my mother's expectations of me grow heavier day and night. Like Sima Xiangru falling ill, without an official position, there is no way to avoid labor; like Mei Fu going mad, not even immortals can escape. My sorrows are more frightening than even the fiercest ghosts; how can life be as unyielding as gold and stone! I worry that my soul will scatter and no one will know of my hardships after I die, dying with regrets, making your kindness seem wasted, as Wang Ji said, causing Apprehension. My hardships are tangled in my thoughts, hidden just beneath the surface, unknown to Ziye or Lijia, buried in history, ultimately not recommended, only able to die in obscurity.
My family has not seen any talents emerge for three generations. Although poor and lonely, I have not been promoted in ten years, nor have I met any confidants. What’s truly rare are wise monarchs and virtuous ministers. For someone like me to encounter a rare monarch like you, that is my fortune. You hold a high position of power, yet do not seek wealth or glory; that is what I admire about you. In the past, the beautiful jade of Jing Mountain was not discovered, and Bian He's feet were cut off as a result; Bai Li Xi was not valued, and Qin Xi was beheaded. You have the ability to promote me now, to let me display my talents, to see the situation clearly and no longer be troubled, yet you seem hesitant to take action. Do you know the reason behind this? Sometimes official positions do not match talents, and talents cannot always express their grievances. If one person speaks out of turn, the word will spread like wildfire. How can I not feel despair when all my hard work goes unnoticed?
If I am still alive and can think clearly, I will write down my pain and sorrow so that future generations can understand my experiences, so that later generations can sympathize with my misfortune, hold those in power accountable, and clear my name. Even if I die, I will be content, knowing my sins are resolved. I hope you can show me a bit of mercy and remember me a little longer!
As for Hong, everyone knows he's quite knowledgeable, but he was never appointed by the court. He later returned to his hometown, earned a living teaching, and eventually settled down. He also provided annotations for "The Book of Documents" and "The Book of Songs," but sadly, his works were lost amidst the chaos of war.
Historical records say: the ancients had a saying, "Looks don't matter, strength doesn't matter, a prominent family background doesn't matter, and having famous ancestors doesn't matter; but being renowned worldwide and having future generations bask in that glory is all due to studying!" This is so true! People like Huiyuan and Rongbo, who had a serious attitude towards learning and perseverance, relied solely on their efforts and achieved success, gaining fame and earning the respect of others in the world. Some gathered thousands of students, some became high officials, and during the Ming Dynasty, they were valued—all due to their dedication to studying ancient classics.
Jiang Yang is calm and elegant, with graceful demeanor, elegant speech, and insightful discussions, and he was quite famous at the time; Yan Zhi is a serious scholar who studies the classics diligently, is upright, principled in his actions, and conducts himself in accordance with etiquette norms; He Tuo is quick-witted, is quick to respond, has good eloquence, and is skilled in writing, but he is too straightforward in his demeanor, lacking the poise expected of a Confucian scholar; Liu Chao's knowledge was second to none among the literati of the time, he was well-versed in astronomy and calendars, knowledgeable, with a deep understanding of things, his knowledge is extensive and profound, making it hard to quantify, for centuries, there has been no one quite like him; Liu Xuan, his knowledge also reached the level of a learned Confucian, very talented, well-versed in various fields of study, although he was not as good as Liu Chao in exploring profound knowledge, his writings on organizing and explaining principles were even better than Liu Chao's.
Unfortunately, these talented individuals were not able to be fully utilized due to the circumstances of the times, some could only hold low-ranking official positions, while others even fell into dire poverty, it's truly a shame! As Zixia once said: "Life and death are destined, wealth and honor are in the hands of heaven." The heavens bestowed them with intelligence and talent, but did not grant them high positions and wealth, even the sages are not exempt from this fate, so what hope is there for Liu Chao and Liu Xuan?
