Lai Huidong's History of the Analects of Confucius 1.22 What exactly is a "friend"?

When a friend dies, there is no return, saying, "I will bury him."

friends: friends who help each other with "Peng", which is an pictograph, originally used as a monetary unit in ancient times. At that time, seashells were used as money, also called "Peng Bei", and one friend was five strings of seashells. With the development of the times, seashells were gradually replaced by ceramics and bronze. Nowadays, "friend" has become the general name of all "friends", but it is not easy to be called "friend" in the Spring and Autumn Period. Because friends must have the meaning of making money!

return: knowing the word, from the end, from the wife, the original meaning is that women get married (find a home), such as Yi-Tai: "Di Yi returns to her sister", which means Di Yi marries her sister. Confucius once criticized the state of Qi for living a luxurious life in Guan Zhong's old country: "Guan Shi has three returns", which means that Guan Zhong married three wives. Guizi was later extended to the meanings of "taking in", "returning" and "returning".

Funeral: from (e) to (guest), it generally refers to all funeral affairs.

A friend of Confucius died, and no one collected the body. Confucius said, "Let me put him to death."

This friend of Confucius may be a lonely old man who lost his loved ones, but he is lucky. He has such a sentient and righteous person as Confucius as a friend, and he has no regrets in another world. Looking around us, how many are real friends? When the scenery is good, I feel a lot of friends. When I am down and out, how many "friends" are willing to lend a helping hand? Some avoid it, some are watching jokes, or look on coldly, or even hit people when they are down.

? Guan Bao's Friendship

There are two idols that Zhuge Liang worships most in his life: Guan Zhong and Le Yi (collectively called Guan Le), both of whom are generalists who help the world and govern the country. Among them, Guan Zhong (719-645 BC), Ji surname, Guan Shi, Yi Wu, Zhong Zi, Shi Jing, was a representative figure of Legalists in the Spring and Autumn Period. Known as Guan Zi, Guan Yiwu and Guan Jingzhong, Yingshang (now Yingshang, Anhui Province) was a descendant of Zhou Muwang. Guan Zhong was a famous economist, philosopher, politician, strategist, educator, writer, jurist, reformer, thinker, historian, tax founder and prostitute pioneer in ancient China (he was the patron saint of the sex service industry), and was known as "the pioneer of legalism", "the teacher of saints", "the protector of Chinese civilization" and "the first phase of China". It was listed by Taoism as "Bing Shen Tai Sui Guan Zhong General."

Confucius once made a clear evaluation of Guan Zhong's merits and demerits:

1. Guan Zhong was small-minded, and he made Qi become the first overlord in the Spring and Autumn Period. But what he did was "overbearing", not "kingly". He only made Qi powerful, not Zhou powerful, so he was stingy.

2. Guan Zhong lived a luxurious life, married three wives at the same time, and had many luxury houses, chariots and horses, and numerous handmaiden.

3. Guan Zhong violated the etiquette and overstepped the code of conduct that a courtier should have.

4. Guan Zhongyou was talented. He carried out reforms and deprived 3 households of the land of Bo's Pianyi, so that Bo could only eat food, but he died without complaining.

5. Guan Zhong Rende and Qi Huangong called the alliance meetings of various vassal states for many times, all of which were Guan Zhong's strength without using force.

6. Guan Zhong protected Chinese civilization. He had nine governors to conquer the world and fight against the aggression of nomadic people. Without Guan Zhong, I'm afraid we would have become a backward nation with long hair and open skirts on the left.

Guan Zhong is the originator of legalism in the pre-Qin period, and the thought of this school is embodied in Guanzi. The book is magnificent in length, complex in content and rich in ideas. For example, articles such as "Herdsmen" and "Situation" talk about dominating politics and law; "extravagance", "governing the country" and other articles discuss economic production, which is also the essence of "Guan zi", which can be described as the economic policy dominated by qi state; Seven Laws, The Art of War and other articles on the art of war; Zhou He and Shu Yan talk about philosophy and the five elements of Yin and Yang. The rest, such as Da Kuang, Xiao Kuang, Jie, Disciple's Duty and Feng Chan, are miscellaneous sayings. Guanzi is an important book to study the academic and cultural thoughts in ancient China, especially in the pre-Qin period.

Guan Zhong can't do this without one person: Bao Shuya!

Bao Shuya (723 BC or 716 BC-644 BC), surnamed Guan, was born in Yingshang (now Anhui) and was a doctor of Qi in the Spring and Autumn Period. He is famous for knowing people and being kind to others, and being loyal to friends. He once recommended his close friend Guan Zhong to Qi Huangong.

Guan Zhong and Bao Shuya are good friends. At first, Guan Zhong and Bao Shuya were partners in business. Guan Zhong's family is poor, and his capital is not as much as Bao Shuya's, but when it comes to dividends, he wants to take more. Bao Shuya's people were very unhappy and called Guan Zhong greedy. Bao Shuya explained: "Where is he greedy for these money? His family's life is difficult, and I voluntarily gave it to him. "

On several occasions, Guan Zhong helped Bao Shuya with his ideas, but he botched things. Bao Shuya was not angry and comforted Guan Zhong, saying, "It's not because of your bad ideas, but because of the bad timing. Don't mind."

Guan Zhong has been an official for three times, but he was dismissed every time. Bao Shuya thinks it's not that Guan Zhong has no talent, but that he hasn't met anyone who appreciates him. Guan Zhong once led troops to fight. When attacking, he hid behind, but when retreating, he ran in front. All his soldiers looked down on him and refused to go to war with him again. Bao Shuya said, "Guan Zhong has an old mother at home. He protects himself to serve his mother, and he is not really afraid of death."

Bao Shuya defended Guan Zhong and tried his best to cover up his shortcomings, just to cherish Guan Zhong. Guan Zhong was very moved when he heard these words and said with a sigh. "It's my parents who gave birth to me, and it's Bao Shuya who knows me!" Guan Zhong and Bao Shuya thus became the difference between life and death.

During Qi Xianggong's political chaos, Bao Shuya went to Ju with his son Xiaobai, while Guan Zhong went to Lu with Gong Zijiu. Qi Xianggong was killed, and Xiao Bai fought for the throne. Xiao Bai won the throne, namely Qi Huangong. Guan Zhong was imprisoned by Huan Gong, and Bao Shuya knew the sage of Guan Zhong, and recommended Guan Zhong to replace his position, while he was willing to live under Guan Zhong. Qi became stronger and stronger because of Guan Zhong's governance, and was praised as "the legacy of Bao Zi" by people at that time.