The Character Still Shines Today: a Collection of Stories About the Words and Deeds of Ancient People

Opening the voluminous ancient books, those sleeping ancient people and ancient events hide the most authentic character of Chinese civilization. From the sonorous oath of alliance in "Zuo Zhuan" to the awe-inspiring chivalry in "Historical Records", from the mottos of various schools of thought to the uprightness of celebrities in troubled times, countless words and deeds connect the spiritual blood of the Chinese people. However, the obscure literary language and alienated context have gradually caused these precious spiritual heritages to become dusty and few people care about them. This book selects dozens of classic stories that have been passed down through the ages, with "restoration of the original appearance as the root and modern interpretation as the bridge", allowing the character of the ancients to travel through time and space. We do not add any pretense or change the true nature, and faithfully present the sincerity of Qu Yuan's family and country by the bank of the river, Tao Yuanming's indifference and perseverance, and Wen Tianxiang's iron-blooded integrity that "no one has ever died since ancient times." Each story is based on historical materials, stripping away the attachments of later interpretations and returning to the true nature of the events. At the same time, we use popular and clear modern language to dismantle the barriers of classical Chinese, and use life-oriented explanations to resolve the barriers of the times: we not only interpret the spiritual resonance of the hard-to-find bosom friend in "Bo Ya Gu Gu Qin, Zi Qi Zhi Yin", but also analyze the humility behind "Kong Rong gives up the pear", and dig deeper into the life force of endurance and forge ahead in "Liberating the salary and tasting the courage". We not only tell the plot, but also focus on exploring the value choices and integrity behind the words and deeds of the ancients - those choices about loyalty and betrayal, perseverance and compromise, faith and utilitarianism, are exactly the spirits that people today still need to face.