In And Off The Officialdom

Intervening in the society or not, are often reguarded as the two different attitudes that the ancient scholars choose. One is to successfully make their way into the society, the other is to retire from public life. But between the "traveling scholars" like Kong Zi and the "hermits" like Zhuang Zi, aren't there anything applicable to all aspects?With the problem that few people have thought deeply before, I choose a great number of scholars in central Wu in the mid-Ming Dynasty as observed objects. I find that no matter to Wu Kuan and Wang Ao, or Zhu Yunming, Tang Yin and Wen Zhengming , there is too much vacillation and pain in their life. The scholars who have learned the local cultural heritage by heart and have seen it done over time, being in and off the officialdom, search for the equilibrium of their hearts in the art and literary circles and dispel gloom from their minds.This article, based on these scholars' experiences with their works, provides an insight into the similarities and difference between the two groups, digging out the features of their mentality and causes for it.