In the opera stage and literary works, Bao Zheng is a mythical official who does not fear power, law enforcement like a mountain, and loves the people like his son. He is known as Baolong Tu. Although there are many fictional stories and details, in real life, Bao Zheng is not only an upright person, but also an officialdom tumbler. He has never been demoted or dismissed. Not only that, his sons and grandchildren will serve as officials for generations. However, why did Bao Zheng, who didn't give gifts and "offended" people everywhere, rose up in the career of the Song Dynasty? The reason for this starts with Bao Zheng's philosophy of life.
In 999 AD, Bao Zheng was born in a family of officials. His father, Bao Lingyi, had served as a minister of the Ministry of Etiquette, and later resigned and returned to his hometown in Luzhou (now Hefei, Anhui). Bao Zheng is not like what the opera said, his parents died young, and his elder sister-in-law brought him up. On the contrary, the three real Bao Zheng brothers and their two brothers died early, and the important task of supporting their parents fell to Bao Zheng alone. Bao Zheng was admitted to the Jinshi at the age of 28. According to the laws of the Song Dynasty, a Jinshi can be an official. However, Bao Zheng resigned several times to support his parents at home. Bao Zheng did not enter office until his parents died. Pepsi filial piety first, Bao Zheng became a famous filial son without being an official, similar to the current Internet celebrities. This kind of moral character seems to have nothing to do with the workplace, but it has won the atmosphere of public opinion and mass foundation for Bao Zheng to be an official. This one.
To have true skills is Bao Zheng's second philosophy of life. Bao Zheng began to read history books at the age of 5, studying the thoughts and classic cases of ancient wise men. This enabled Bao Zheng to work with ease after entering the post. Among them, the most important is the reform of case handling procedures. Prior to this, the complainant first submitted the pleadings to the officials, and then the officials would forward them. However, the government officials used this to blackmail, so that the wronged people often have nowhere to sue because they cannot send money. To this end, Bao Zheng set up a drum in front of the yamen, and the wronged ones only need to beat the drums, and Bao Zheng will be promoted to ask the case. This practice won the hearts of the people, and was quickly promoted by the court across the country and passed on from generation to generation. This is the origin of drumming. It is precisely because of these true skills that Bao Zheng was able to detect many complex cases and won the reputation of "Bao Qingtian".
Relieving worries for leaders is Bao Zheng’s third life philosophy. Bao Zheng's biggest leader is of course Song Renzong. For Song Renzong, Bao Zheng did not give gifts or slapped his beard, but sincerely helped Song Renzong solve problems. In 1050, Bao Zheng was promoted to the post of Tianzhang Pavilion. On the first day he took office, he selected three memorials from Wei Zheng of the Tang Dynasty, copied them neatly with a brush, and sent them to Song Renzong. Song Renzong felt hot, and immediately regarded Bao Zheng as his own. Song Renzong lost his biological mother since childhood, and he often missed and regretted. Bao Zheng was anxious for the leadership, exhausted all the setbacks, finally found Li Niangniang who had been living outside the palace for many years, and reunited Song Renzong mother and son. Song Renzong burst into tears with gratitude and rewarded Bao Zheng with half of Luzhou. Bao Zheng declined, but only half of the moat outside Luzhou City. Today, this river is also called Baohe.
Cleansing oneself and self-love is Bao Zheng's fourth life philosophy. As the saying goes, you still need to harden yourself. Bao Zheng knows that if he loves money and is greedy for money, he may leave hands with his opponents and affect his work. Therefore, Bao Zheng was extremely clean and self-disciplined during his tenure. Not only does he not give gifts to leaders, but he also never accepts bribes from others. During Bao Zheng's tenure in Duanzhou to know the state, Duanzhou produced a kind of precious inkstone called Duan inkstone. Duanyan is world-famous and has been identified as a court tribute. Previously, the prefectures of the prefectures collected Duan inkstones of several times the tribute from the counties, and got them in the capital to pave the way for their promotion. After Bao Zheng took office, he didn't charge too much. Not only that, when Bao Zheng left his post, even the inkstone at the desk was handed in. The people were overwhelmed and secretly put a piece of inkstone in Bao Zheng's luggage. After Bao Zheng found it on the road, he threw this unowned Duan inkstone into the river. Not only that, Bao Zheng also wrote the refusal of bribery into the "Family Instructions", stipulating that all the descendants of the Bao family who have corrupted the law shall not return to their hometown in Luzhou after retirement or dismissal, and shall not be buried in their ancestral graves after death. These are enough to prove Bao Zhengjie's determination to love himself.
Talent is the fifth life philosophy of Bao Zheng. Fan Zhongyan's reform failed, and his promoted Yang Hong, Wang Ding, and Wang Chuo were demoted along with Fan Zhongyan. Although Bao Zheng is on the side of the conservative school, Bao Zheng believes that Yang Hong, Wang Ding, and Wang Chuo not only have real talents, but also have outstanding political achievements. He urged these three people to Song Renzong, and finally made the three officials of Yang HongReinstatement. The most interesting thing is that Wang Ding, like Bao Zheng, is also an upright person. After he resumed his position as an official, he not only did not thank Bao Zheng, but also immediately impeached Song Renzong to impeach Bao Zheng in a hurry and did not follow the procedure. After Bao Zheng learned about it, he not only did not blame Wang Ding for repaying virtue with grievances, but also expressed gratitude to Wang Ding. It can be seen that Bao Zheng is only a broad-minded man who takes up and faces his shortcomings.
Have moral character, have ability, relieve worries for leaders, self-care, self-love and meritocracy, these are the five principles of life in Bao Zheng's workplace. It is precisely with these five life philosophies that Bao Zheng dare not fear the rich and powerful, and dare to kill corrupt officials and imperial family members. Even though there was "resentment" everywhere, it did not affect Bao Zheng's promotion at all. In 1062 AD, Bao Zheng died of illness on his way to the countryside to inspect work. After the bad news came out, the government and the people were shocked and the whole country was in grief. After that, Bao Zheng went into opera and literary works, and his name survived forever.
(Author: field)
(From "Lin original Italian version")
