From "Men of Integrity" to "Loyal Ministers": An Interpretation of the "Remonstrating Against the Expedition and Death by Starvation" in Records of the Grand Historian: The Biography of Boyi and Traditional Reclusive Culture

Yongcheng Chen

doi:10.47297/wsprolaadWSP2634-786525.20250604

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From "Men of Integrity" to "Loyal Ministers": An Interpretation of the "Remonstrating Against the Expedition and Death by Starvation" in Records of the Grand Historian: The Biography of Boyi and Traditional Reclusive Culture

6卷第4期

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From "Men of Integrity" to "Loyal Ministers": An Interpretation of the "Remonstrating Against the Expedition and Death by Starvation" in Records of the Grand Historian: The Biography of Boyi and Traditional Reclusive Culture
From "Men of Integrity" to "Loyal Ministers": An Interpretation of the "Remonstrating Against the Expedition and Death by Starvation" in Records of the Grand Historian: The Biography of Boyi and Traditional Reclusive Culture
School of Chinese Language and Culture, Sichuan International Studies University, Chongqing, 400030, China
2025年6卷第4期页码：128-133
纸质出版日期：2025-08-30
DOI：10.47297/wsprolaadWSP2634-786525.20250604
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(2025). From "Men of Integrity" to "Loyal Ministers": An Interpretation of the "Remonstrating Against the Expedition and Death by Starvation" in Records of the Grand Historian: The Biography of Boyi and Traditional Reclusive Culture. 文艺发展研究（英文版）, 6(4), 128-133.

Chen Yongcheng.From "Men of Integrity" to "Loyal Ministers": An Interpretation of the "Remonstrating Against the Expedition and Death by Starvation" in Records of the Grand Historian: The Biography of Boyi and Traditional Reclusive Culture[J].Research on Literary and Art Development,2025,06(04):128-133.
(2025). From "Men of Integrity" to "Loyal Ministers": An Interpretation of the "Remonstrating Against the Expedition and Death by Starvation" in Records of the Grand Historian: The Biography of Boyi and Traditional Reclusive Culture. 文艺发展研究（英文版）, 6(4), 128-133. DOI： 10.47297/wsprolaadWSP2634-786525.20250604.

Chen Yongcheng.From "Men of Integrity" to "Loyal Ministers": An Interpretation of the "Remonstrating Against the Expedition and Death by Starvation" in Records of the Grand Historian: The Biography of Boyi and Traditional Reclusive Culture[J].Research on Literary and Art Development,2025,06(04):128-133. DOI： 10.47297/wsprolaadWSP2634-786525.20250604.

摘要

Abstract

The episode of "remonstrating against the military campaign and choosing death by starvation" in Records of the Grand Historian: The Biography of Boyi has long been controversial. Historically

its interpretation has followed two distinct approaches: one continues the praise of Boyi and Shuqi found in pre-Qin philosophical texts

regarding their actions as exemplifying "men of integrity." However

the "integrity theory" faced interpretive challenges due to its impracticality for emulation and its conflict with the "benevolence and righteousness" embodied by King Wu's conquest of Tyrant Zhou. The alternative approach interprets them as "loyal ministers." Compared to the "integrity theory

" the later-emerging "loyalty theory

" extensively debated by Tang and Song literati

gradually became the authoritative interpretation of the episode's significance. As timeless exemplars of recluses

tracing the transformation of their image from "men of integrity" to "loyal ministers" offers a glimpse into how traditional reclusive culture acquired new interpretive possibilities under the influence of political discourse

scholar-official mentality

and other multifaceted factors.

关键词

Keywords

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