She comes from a famous family, has talent and knowledge, and married Su Xun at the age of 18. She does not depend on who she is attached to to live. While doing business to earn money to support her family, she undertakes the responsibility of urging her children to read. She is not only a good wife who encourages her husband to make progress, but also a good mother who educates and enlightens children. She is Su Xun's wife, Su Shi and Su Zhe's mother, Mrs. Cheng. Launched by China Central Radio and Television Corporation, the first large-scale cultural variety show focusing on the "Eight Masters of the Tang and Song Dynasties", the sixth issue of Su Xun's piece of Master Liechuan, the Eight Masters of the Tang and Song Dynasties, created by the comprehensive channel of CCTV, is being broadcast. The story of "San Su" is well known, but how much do you know about the woman behind them, Mrs. Cheng?

It's "Mrs. Cheng", not "Mrs. Su"

The ancients paid attention to "getting married and following the husband". After a woman got married, her name became Mrs. Zhang and Mrs. Li, the husband's surname. The mother of Su Shi and Su Zhe was a special case. She kept her surname and has been called "Mrs. Cheng" since ancient times, not "Mrs. Su" or "Mrs. Su Cheng".

According to written records, Mrs. Cheng is the daughter of Cheng Wenying, the chief of Dali Temple in Meishan. She was born in a famous family. She has received good education since childhood. She has read poetry and learned etiquette well. When she was 18 years old, she married Su Xun. Born in a rich family of officials, she married to the Su family. Instead of relying on her identity, she was dutiful, hardworking and thrifty, and was deeply liked by the Su family elders. It is not difficult to see from the "three Su" poems that Madame Cheng's contribution and status in the Su family. She has the excellent quality that everyone praises. Whether it is music, chess, calligraphy and painting, moral cultivation, or looking after husband and educating children, she is admirable and worthy of respect. Su Xun, Su Shi and Su Frog can become a generation of literary giants without the silent support of Mrs. Cheng.

never abandon

Finally, the husband "lost his way"

Young Su Xun is a bit of a dandy. He doesn't like reading sages' books and likes to wander around. As he wrote in his poem, Su Xun liked to visit mountains and rivers and make friends when he was young, but Mrs. Cheng never looked coldly at him. Instead, she tried to understand, care for and support him. Su Xun failed miserably after taking the imperial examination for the third time, which made him wake up and re-examine his articles. He could not help sighing: "What I have learned today is what I have never learned!" He angrily burned the old manuscript clean and read it hard from the beginning.

Mrs. Cheng worked hard for the Su family, and tried her best to educate her children. Su Xun saw it all. He said to Mrs. Cheng, "I think I can still learn today, but the family has been waiting for me to live, and learning is useless. What can I do?" Mrs. Cheng's hope of "getting lost and knowing how to return" finally came, "I have ambitions, and I can be tired by living." In order to make her husband feel comfortable studying, Mrs. Cheng sold her clothes, jewelry, and dowry, opened a silk shop, and took care of the expenses of the family, Fully support her husband with practical actions.

Benevolence and righteousness oriented

Mrs. Cheng also has a way of educating children

Madame Cheng not only encouraged her husband to make progress, but also made a personal effort to educate the two brothers of the Su family, encouraging them to "work hard and have the ambition to be present", "aim high, not humiliate Sumen, nor regret the country". She often tells them stories of success and failure in ancient and modern times, and does not stick to book knowledge. She often learns and uses flexibly, takes advantage of the big and small things in life, and takes her own words and deeds as an example to achieve the imperceptible educational role.

Su Shi mentioned in his article "Remember the First Lady and Don't Hurt the Birds" and his poem "Different Magpies" that Madame Cheng taught the brothers to cherish all living things by not hurting birds. This kind of self-centered education and considerate empathy had a great impact on Su Shi and Su Zhe. Su Shi drifted all his life and suffered frequent blows in officialdom, but he still maintained an optimistic attitude. After several relegation, Su Zhe finally went to the prime minister to help the world.

Su Shi once recalled his mother like this in his article: "He was born with lofty ideals, good at reading, and knew the reasons for his success and failure in governing the chaos." Mrs. Cheng's words and deeds deeply affected the two brothers of the Su family.

Without "one trip", where can "three suss" come from

Mrs. Cheng has nourished the towering tree "Sansu" all her life. From her, we can see the soft and tenacious power of women. She stood behind the "Sansu", but was not covered up. Sima Guang once wrote an epitaph for her: "Poor people don't pollute their husband's name, and rich people don't think their children are tired. Knowing mechanics can show their doors, and straight ways can make them proud in the world. To encourage a husband to teach his children, it is important to be brilliant."

Because Mrs. Cheng is such a good wife and mother, the three sons of the Su family have become more and more broad, and finally become "one father and three sons". In the "Eight Families of Tang and Song Dynasties", the three Sumen fathers and sons occupied three seats. Unfortunately, the good news that both of the Su brothers had won the list had not yet come, and Mrs. Cheng died. The Su family and their three sons hurried back to their hometown for the funeral. Su Xun buried his wife in Laowengquan, wrote an eulogy, "Since the death of his son, he lost his good friend", "chiseled into two rooms, hoping to be with his son", "the soul will not die, and will not return in a day", and promised that he would be buried with his wife after death, which can be seen in the depth of the feelings between husband and wife.

Madame Cheng, with her own efforts, has become the father and son of the Su family. Although she did not leave her full name, her good qualities and educational philosophy still have reference significance for contemporary society. To learn more about the stories behind the "Three Sus", let's watch The Grand Master Liechuan: The Eight Great Families of Tang and Song Dynasties.

Source | CCTV One

Edit | Liu Niu, Luo Jiao

Editor in Chief | Shi Shaogen

Overall planning | Liu Chang