Liu Yong, whose original name was Sanbian, was later renamed Liu Yong, also named Qiqing. Because he was the seventh in the family, he was also called Liu Qi. His ancestral home was Chong'an County, Fujian. Liu Yongsheng came from a family of Confucian eunuchs in the early Northe

Liu Yong's portrait, the picture comes from the Internet

Liu Yong (about 984-about 1053), whose original name was Sanbian, and later changed to Liu Yong, whose courtesy name was Qiqing. Because he was ranked seventh, he was also called Liu Qi. His ancestral home was Chongqing, Fujian. An County.

Liu Yongsheng came from a family of Confucian eunuchs in the early Northern Song Dynasty. His father, Liu Yi, was the censor of the Southern Tang Dynasty. After the Southern Tang Dynasty was destroyed by the Northern Song Dynasty, Liu Yi entered the Song Dynasty and became an official, reaching the rank of minister of the Ministry of Industry. . The Liu family has a very strict upbringing, and there are many people in the family who have achieved imperial examinations. According to historical records, Liu Yong "had five uncles, Xuan, Zi, Hong, Song, and Cha", all of whom "had academic achievements at that time", "had two brothers, named Sanfu and Sanjie", "all of whom were engaged in literature and art" , named Liu's Three Jue."

It should be said that the education he received as a child still cultivated Liu Yong's strong social thinking. He also followed the common path for intellectuals to enter society at that time. Song Zhenzong In the fifth year of Xianping (1002), 19-year-old Liu Yong set off from his hometown to Bianjing to take the Jinshi examination.

According to records, Liu Yong entered Hangzhou by waterway into Qiantang River first. At this time, Liu Yongnian was a weakling. He had just left the society. As soon as he arrived in Hangzhou, he was fascinated by the beautiful mountains, rivers, lakes and bustling urban life. He was addicted to the romantic life of listening to music, buying and laughing, and stayed in Hangzhou for two and a half years. It was not until the autumn of the second year of Jingde (1005) of Emperor Zhenzong of the Song Dynasty that the 22-year-old Liu Yong left Hangzhou and went east to Suzhou, where he stayed in Suzhou and Yangzhou for more than two years.

Hangzhou, Suzhou, and Yangzhou were all famous cities in the south of the Yangtze River at that time, with dense population and prosperous economy. They were not as strict politically as Bianjing, but were relatively open culturally. Qin Towers and Chu Pavilions were everywhere, and the market culture was extremely active. Liu Yong was obviously influenced by citizen music at this stage, and he quickly began to practice lyrics creation, and he was immersed in it and never wanted to leave.

It was not until the first year of Song Zhenzong's reign (1008), when Liu Yong was twenty-five years old, that he came to Bianjing. At this time, Bianjing had experienced the two dynasties of Taizu and Taizong. Peace had lasted for a long time, things were prosperous and people were prosperous, the city was prosperous, and it reached its peak, and the entire society showed signs of prosperity. People live and work in peace and contentment, and begin to pursue spiritual life, and the market culture is extremely prosperous.

Under such an environment, Liu Yong was able to continue his career as a lyricist. In the Southern Song Dynasty, Ye Mengde recorded in "Records of Summer Vacation":

When Liu Yong was a son, he traveled a lot in Xiaxie and was good at singing songs. Every time a musician in a music studio acquires a new tune, he must seek to say it forever before it can be practiced in the world, and its reputation spreads for a while. Yu Shi Dantu , tasted a Xixia returned to the court official said: "Wherever there is well water, one can sing Liu Ci." '

It can be seen that Liu Yong almost became the leader of popular culture among the people at that time. Luo Ye wrote in "Drunkard's Talk" at the end of the Song Dynasty:

The senior officials lived in Beijing and visited brothels in their spare time. As a result, prostitutes love her poems, which can move her palace and change her feathers. Once the title is written, the reputation will be ten times the price. Prostitutes mostly give them gold and material supplies.

This experience is lucky from the perspective of the poet's artistic creation, because it tempered the poet's word skills. The combination of the word skills tempered in the early years and the complex life experiences in the later period made him the first outstanding poet since the Northern Song Dynasty. slow word everyone.

Judging from the life of the poet at that time, it was somewhat unfortunate. Liu Yong, who was a writer of erotic poems in the public, met an emperor who valued elegance and practical matters, which made his career in science and officialdom extremely unsatisfactory.

Song Zhenzong Dazhong Xiangfu 2nd year (1009), Liu Yong was twenty-six years old and took the Chunwei examination for the first time. He was full of confidence and thought that he would "definitely be the best at the top". Unexpectedly, when he took the examination, he would Zhenzong of the Song Dynasty issued an edict: "Those who read unholy books and those whose words are frivolous will be severely punished." Against this background, Liu Yong initially failed in the first examination.

In the eighth year of Song Zhenzong's Xiangfu reign (1015), Liu Yong was thirty-two years old and took the Spring Wei Examination for the second time. This year Liu Yong took the exam and had troubles in love. In terms of love, at the beginning of this year, there seemed to be a rift in his relationship with his sweetheart, the singer Chongniang. This may have affected his mood in taking the exam, and he failed for the second time.

In the second year of Emperor Zhenzong's reign (1018), Liu Yong was thirty-five years old. This year his elder brother Liu Sanfu passed the Jinshi exam, while Liu Yong failed for the third time.After failing three times in a row, the poet felt depressed and wrote the famous " Crane Soaring to the Sky ":

was on the gold list, but occasionally missed the lead. The Ming Dynasty temporarily left a virtuous man, how to address him? If the situation fails, the situation will be easy, and you will not be able to wander wildly. Why should we discuss gains and losses? A talented poet is naturally a prime minister in white clothes.

Fireworks in the alleys, a beautiful barrier according to the agreement. Fortunately, I find the right person to look for. And nestle in the red and green, enjoy the romantic life, and have a smooth life. Youth is the same. Forbearing the false reputation, I drank the wine and sang in a low voice.

This poem clearly expresses his resentment for failing in repeated examinations, but from sentences such as "I occasionally lost my hope of leading the throne" and "The Ming Dynasty temporarily left a virtuous man", we can see that he still held out hope for the imperial examination. However, this poem paved the way for his fourth failure.

Pictures come from the Internet

Song Renzong In the second year of Tiansheng (1024), Liu Yong was forty-one years old and failed again in the Chunwei examination. Historical records indicate that this failure has a lot to do with the previous poem. Hao once recorded in " Neng Gaizhai Man Lu ":

" Renzong pays attention to elegance, adheres to the basic principles and Taoism, and deeply denounces flashy and false articles. In the early days, Liu Sanbian, a Jinshi, liked to sing the praises of lewdness. The song has been spread all over the world, and there is a line in "Crane Soaring to the Sky" that says, "I can't tolerate the false reputation, but I can pour it lightly and sing it in a low voice." When Linxuan released the list, it was especially missed, saying, "Let's stop pouring it in a shallow cup and sing it in a low voice. Why do we need a false reputation?"

Some people also believe that Song Renzong was only fourteen years old at the time and was still young, and Empress Dowager Liu was listening behind the curtain. Therefore, it is very likely that it was not Song Renzong who deposed Liu Yong, but Empress Dowager Liu.

No matter who made this decision, it immediately pushed Liu Yong to the opposite side of the entire imperial court, almost ending Liu Yong's career as an official at that time. At that time, Liu Yong's father had also passed away, and his family had no financial resources to support him. Due to various reasons, he began to cooperate with musicians and singers in the name of "composing lyrics according to orders", and embarked on the road of professional lyrics writing. Self-titled "Writing lyrics according to the imperial decree Liu Sanbian ".

failed the test four times in four times. The poet was hit hard. In anger, he left Bianjing and began wandering in the south of the Yangtze River. Five years later, he returned to Bianjing from Jiangnan and stayed for a short time, and then left Bianjing one after another. Traveling to the northwest, Guanzhong, Jiangnan and other places, I did not take the imperial examination for nearly ten years.

Before leaving Bianjing and starting to roam the south of the Yangtze River, he bid farewell to his relatives, friends and the singers he knew at that time, and wrote the famous "Yulin Ring":

The chill is sad, it is late in the pavilion, and the shower has begun to stop. There is no trace of drinking in the tent of the capital, and the place of nostalgia is the orchid boat. Doubted see tears in their eyes, even Yuning choke. The thought goes away, thousands of miles of smoke, the dusk is heavy and the sky is vast.

Passionate sentiments have been hurt by farewell since ancient times, and it is even more embarrassing to be left out in the Qingqiu Festival! Where will you wake up tonight? On the bank of willows, the dawn wind wanes and the moon falls. After so many years, it should be a good time and good scenery. Even if there are thousands of customs, who can tell them?

This kind of desolate and depressed mood is completely different from the previous unrestrained "love affairs and smooth life".

The picture comes from the Internet

In the first year of Renzong Jingyou (1034), Liu Yong was fifty-one years old. In this year, Song Renzong began to rule personally. Renzong acted vigorously and resolutely. He immediately alienated the old ministers who were close to the Empress Dowager Liu, and appointed famous ministers such as Fan Zhongyan who had been reviled because he had petitioned the Empress Dowager to return to power. At the same time, in order to win over scholars, he decided to expand the number of colleges and universities. The quota for candidates is also specially opened to "enke", and the standards are particularly relaxed for those who have fallen into disgrace in previous examinations.

In this context, Liu Yong once again aroused the idea of ​​taking the imperial examination.

This year, the poet finally passed the exam successfully and joined his brother Liu San on the Jinshi list. Song Fengxiang's "Yuefu Yulun" mentioned that "the senior officials spent their time in the Renzong Dynasty and were already old." In the year when he won the exam, Liu Yong was fifty-one years old and over half a century old. It was a belated success in the exam. At this time, even if the poet is happy in his heart, his joy will inevitably be mixed with desolation. After

won the imperial examination, Liu Yong began his life as an official in Beijing. Because there were so many candidates in the imperial examination, it was difficult for people without a very strong family background or extremely recognized by the court to get a big official position. It can be said that "a wandering official becomes a detainee".

In the second year of Jingyou's reign (1035), Emperor Renzong of the Song Dynasty, Liu Yong was fifty-two years old and served as a training official in Muzhou. During this period, Lu Wei, the magistrate of Muzhou, was the son of Lu Duan, the prime minister of the dynasty. He loved him very much. Liu Yong was talented and recommended Liu Yong to the court, but it did not go well.

In the fourth year of Song Renzong Jingyou's reign (1037), Liu Yong was fifty-four years old. Liu Yong was transferred from Muzhou regiment training officer to Yuhang county magistrate. During this period of time as county magistrate, he was still very loved by the local people. According to the Ming Dynasty's "Jiaqing Yuhang County Chronicle":

Liu Yong's word is the first minister, Renzong Jingxiang Division Yuhang County Ling, who is good at poetry and poetry, is elegant and uninhibited, and cares for the people to be quiet and content with nothing to do. People love it. The Jiang Tower was built in Xinan, and the Duke Yu Xiaoyong was appointed.

Liu Yong was also included in the category of famous officials in the county annals, which shows that Liu Yong was still very diligent and conscientious as an official and had considerable political achievements.

In the second year of Baoyuan (1039) of Emperor Renzong of the Song Dynasty, Liu Yong was fifty-six years old. Liu Yong was transferred from Yuhang to the salt field of Xiaofeng Salt Fields, Dinghai, Zhejiang. Here he wrote a long poem "Song of Boiled Sea", which deeply describes the hard work of salt workers.

During this period, his official performance was also highly praised. "Illustrated Records of Changguo Prefecture" lists Liu Yong as a "famous eunuch". Today's Mr. Ye Jiaying once said:

Looking at the Song Dynasty for more than 300 years, there are only four people listed as "famous eunuchs" by this book. The fact that Liu Yong is alone among them shows that Liu Yong's political achievements in the local area are remembered by the people.

Song Renzong Qingli third year (1043), Liu Yong was sixty years old. This year he was transferred to the judge of Huangzhou, and he was still a local magistrate.

According to the promotion path of the Song Dynasty, low-level civil servants generally have three terms with six exams or two terms with four exams. Each term usually lasts about three years. Officials who pass the assessment will generally be promoted to Beijing officials. Those who are particularly outstanding can also be directly appointed as court officials; Officials who fail the assessment can often only be promoted step by step among the seven levels of local officials, reaching the position of junior officials.

When Liu Yong was sixty years old, he had served as a local official three times in different places for more than nine years. He also had political achievements in Yuhang, Dinghai, etc. He was hailed as a "famous eunuch" by the local people. In theory, he should be able to pass the assessment and be promoted to Beijing. The official sequence was not completed.

Under this situation, and as he got older, the poet was not without depression. This depression was also described many times in a large number of his later poems about prison travel. The more famous ones are such as " An Gongzi ":

The distant bank collects the remaining rain, and after a while, the river becomes dusk. The people in Shicuitingzhou are quiet, and there are two pairs of gulls and herons. Looking at what time it is, the fishing lanterns are reflected in Jianjia Pu. Stop painting, people talk in two boats. On the road to this night, I pointed to the smoke tree in the front village.

The touring official becomes a traveler, and the short Qiang chants and rests leisurely. Thousands of rivers and mountains confuse people far and near. Where can I miss my hometown? After we say goodbye, we gather together in the wind pavilion and the moon pavilion. Just broken heart, provoked the pain of separation. Listening to Du Yu's voice, he advised people to go back.

The picture comes from the Internet

In order to change this situation, Liu Yong also made a lot of efforts, but unfortunately he used it in the wrong place. He wanted to use the phrase " Drunk Penglai " to praise Song Renzong in order to advance as an official, but he failed in his lyrics. There are situations where the words of the eulogy coincide with the eulogies, which is a taboo for the emperor. Wang Pizhi's "Nishui Yan Tan Lu" records:

Yong was "difficult to select tunes for a long time. Everyone knows that Shi loves his talent and pities his downfall." Huijiaofang Entering the new song "Drunken Penglai", Shi Si Tiantai played the old man Xing Jian, Shi Zheng Renzong was pleased with it, and praised the Qing Dynasty for its use. He wrote it happily and was very proud of it. When I entered the submission, I saw the word "gradual" at the beginning, which looked unhappy. When I read "where is Yuan Youfeng's generation", it coincided with the imperial edict of Zhenzong, and it was sad when I read "Tai Ye Bo Fan". "Yan Bo Cheng" was thrown to the ground. It will never be used again.

Fortunately, Song Renzong did not hold grudges. After the Qingli New Deal was implemented, he re-established the official selection process for the Beijing Dynasty. , requesting reexamination one by one and fair treatment. In the winter of the third year of Qingli, Liu Yong complained through Shen Xue and was transferred from the official position of Huangzhou magistrate to Zuo Zuo Lang. He was subsequently promoted smoothly according to the official system of the Song Dynasty, from Zuo Zuo Lang to Zuo Lang, and then to Zuo Zuo Lang. Dr. Taichang was transferred to the field Yuanwai Lang.

Liu Yong was sixty years old when he became a capital official. He served as a capital official for about ten years. In the fifth year of Emperor Renzong of Song Dynasty (1053), Liu Yong was seventy years old.According to the official system of the Song Dynasty, one should become an official at the age of seventy. At this time, Liu Tuntian officially retired and settled in Runzhou, Zhenjiang (today's Zhenjiang City).

In the sixth year of Emperor Renzong of Song Dynasty (1054, the first year of Zhihe), Liu Yong died in Runzhou at the age of seventy-one.

Throughout Liu Yong's life, he spent most of his life as a subordinate, or among the common people, or lived in the Qin Tower and Chu Pavilion, or worked as a local official for a long time. He was depressed for half his life, but it also brought him rich life experience. and life experience, enriching Liu Ci's lyrics. These contents cannot be accommodated by the previous small order , and can only be displayed vividly through slow words and long tones.

The style of Xiaoling determines that its form is short, the structure is thin, and the style is subtle, ethereal and graceful. It is suitable for lyricism, especially suitable for empress Li who was "born in the deep palace and grew up in the hands of women" , a lyricist who "doesn't lose his innocent heart", it is more like an emotional game.

Slow Ci adds more narrative and scene description, can accommodate more life content and life experience, facilitates layout, vents emotions, and combines narrative with lyricism.

Although Liu Yong may be a little naive in politics, when he wanted to become an official, he wrote "The poet is naturally the prime minister in white clothes" and "I tolerated the false reputation and sang in a low voice instead of a shallow cup". However, he would use words and phrases that were displeasing to the superiors; and when he wanted to sing praises to the emperor, he would also include words and phrases related to previous eulogies in the eulogies, which made people think that he was really naive and almost stupid.

However, he had a deeper understanding of the lives of the lower class people, the plight of musicians, singers, and singers, and the helplessness of local officials than any high-ranking official at that time. He single-handedly pushed the poetry that originally belonged to the scholar-officials to the people, broadened the subject matter and the realm of poetry through his poetry that appealed to both refined and popular tastes and sincere emotions, and achieved his own unique significance in the history of literature, as the academic circles have said. Words:

In the early Northern Song Dynasty, Ci Zong "Huajian" and the Southern Tang Dynasty were disrespectful in style. When the poem reaches Liu Yong, its diameter begins to become wider and its sound begins to become more complex.