Liu Chan： A smart coward

Houming Shu

Reading about history，is always a fun activity for me.Especially Romance of the Three Kingdoms，because it is full of my childhood memories.When I was a kid，my grandfather would always read me stories about the three kingdoms.I could still remember the times we sat along the bed together and him explaining the complicated plot for me.

Romance of the Three Kingdoms is a historical novel about the fall of the Han Dynasty，the war between the three kingdoms，and the reunification of the land/the creation of Jin dynasty.（Most stories are real，some are fiction）

People always say the understanding history is based on perspectives，I found that extremely true.Every Time I reread the book，my opinion changes.The most dramatic one was towards a person named Liu Shan.

Liu Shan is the elder son of the Shu kingdoms emperor Liu Bei.After Liu Bei died，Liu Shan succeed the throne.But Shan did not accomplish anything with the great resources his dad left him.Dull，is the word people use to describe Liu Shan.Overtime，a stereotype was formed，he is a fool.

Of course，there are people who argue against that.I am one of them，I do not think Liu Shan is foolish，instead he is very intelligent.What made me think this way was his relationship between another person named Zhuge Liang.

Zhuge Liang is the prime minister of the Shu kingdom.He is an extremely talented military strategist，writer，inventor.He is like the opposite of Liu Shan，at least the book portrayed that way.

The interest thing is，Zhuge Liang described Liu Chan as a very intelligent person.Although this might be one of few compliments that Shan received，but it is the most reliable description of Shan compared to the one-sided evaluation of later generations.Liu Chan can use the right people for different tasks.Zhuge Liang is the best examples.But people only remembered the painstaking efforts of Zhuge Liang，they did not care about Liu Chan as an emperor who supports Liang regardless of the voices of doubt.Liu Chans wisdom was embodied in his decisive decision when the great army of Wei came to the city.Between death of millions and surrender，he chose the latter.He thinks the people of Shu are more important than the titles he will carry.If he chose to fight with Wei，the Shu kingdom would be doomed to failure.Is it a wise decision to trade the life of his people for his own pride？Being an emperor takes great wisdom，not a rash mind.

历史，一直是一门我认为最有意义的学问。尤其是三国，它填满了我对儿时的回忆。到现在还依稀记得小时候的我坐在床上与爷爷一起认真揣摩那一本本妙趣横生的小人书的样子。书，连环画，电视剧，电影，只要关于三国的我基本上都看过。有意思的是每一次看完之后，我发现我对那些角色，事件，人物关系的看法都会改变。小时候，我一直觉得曹操是一个十恶不赦的反派，汉室不应该灭亡，可后来我觉得，曹操并没有做错什么，毫无作为的君王也有理由被推翻。成长的过程中，难免会对一些原来一直认同的东西提出了疑问，其中我觉得有趣的就是，诸葛亮与；刘禅的关系。

诸葛亮，字孔明，徐州琅琊（现山东临沂）人，三国时期蜀国丞相。早年隐居襄阳，后刘备三顾茅庐请出诸葛亮。隆中对，舌战群儒，草船借箭，借东风，胜赤壁，夺荆州，取益州，先主托孤，北伐中原，六出祁山，一次又一次地证明了他的文韬武略。相比于诸葛亮，刘婵在三国演义里被刻画为另一个极端。刘禅，字公嗣又名阿斗，刘备长子，在刘备死后即位，因其在位时不思进取，使得他在人们眼里成为了扶不起的阿斗。刘备在白帝城临终托孤于诸葛亮，“君才十倍曹丕，必能安国，终定大事。若嗣子可辅，辅之；如其不才，君可自取。”随后，又在遗嘱中让刘禅拜诸葛亮为亚父。刘禅为君，诸葛亮为臣，一个为义子，一个为义父，但他们之间的关系也没有这么简单。

从时间来说，刘禅与诸葛亮十分有缘，公元207年，刘禅诞生，也是在这一年诸葛亮被刘备请到了麾下。有人说，刘禅与诸葛亮是封建社会中最完美的君臣关系，诸葛亮曾经评價过刘禅，“朝廷年方十八，天资仁敏，爱得下士。”因此可见，诸葛亮对刘禅并没有贬低的看法。刘禅在位期间基本上都采纳了诸葛亮的建议。也有人说他们的关系其实并不和谐。《襄阳记》载“亮初亡，所在各求为立庙，朝议以礼秩不听，百姓遂因时节私祭之於道陌上。言事者或以为可听立庙於成都者，后主不从。”诸葛亮逝世后，刘禅并不支持民间为其立庙，虽然之后还是立了，但是不难从这件事中看出刘禅对诸葛亮心存不满的情绪。我个人认为，这两种说法都太绝对了，对于记载有限的事情，不能直接去判断它是好还是坏。所以我觉得最好的说法是，刘禅和诸葛亮起初的关系是非常和谐的，刘禅一直把诸葛亮视为他的老师与父亲，可随着刘禅在位时间的增长和自身的成熟，他也有了自己的看法，而诸葛亮身为丞相却一直把匡扶汉室的重任扛在自己的肩上，没有选择教授刘禅如何治理国家。