The powerful nobilities and honorable clans in power headed by the“司马Sima”Clan lead an extremely luxurious ,befuddled and debauchery life depending on their political privileges and economic affluence. The rate of the extravagancy and dissolution was well-known all over the world. It’s serious for those to learn Chinese in China to take a close look at it.
It is interesting for students about to learn Chinese in China to discover that after Simayan had conquered the Wu, he thought the world was at peace and he could rest at ease and go hog wild. Hence, he became indifferent to the political affairs and each time he was at court, he never talks about how to rule the country, instead, something usual trivial things. As the king of a kingdom, in order to quench his lust for beauties, he carried out laws forbidding the world to conduct marriage, he sent forth the eunuchs to go-off the court in searching of the beauties to replenish his imperial harem. The eunuchs was tyrannical and doing evil by robbing the young ladies, either from rich , respectable families or of humble birth, single or married , into the imperial harem of the king. A lot of the ladies won’t go into the imperial harem; they conjured up with the idea of disfiguring themselves or dressing up themselves in shabby clothes to avoid attending the beauty contest. The beauty contest had once become the public hazard. Then for language learners who’d like to study Chinese in China, After the Wu was defeated, more than five thousand beauties in the imperial harem of Wu were also taken in by the SImayan to replenish his imperial harem. It’s useful for those intending to study Chinese in China to take a closer view of the reason that has brought the downfall of the West Jin dynasty in Chinese culture.
Then for students who are interested to study Chinese in China and is interested in Chinese culture, Simayan (Jinwudi)was not only dissolute in his private life, but also scratches wealth from his people, even through selling governmental posts, the money obtained from the selling the posts, unlike that in Eastern Han, which goes to the national treasury, was taken in by the emperor Simayan himself.
Like father, like son, the ministers of the West Jin were also following suit, which was so extravagant that it’s worth mentioning for those to study Mandarin in China. Avarice and extravagancy had become the tendency of the society. As illustrated in Lubaozeng’s work “Money Talks”, the ugly features of the greedy people were depicted in the book, he pointed out that the bureaucrats call money as their “孔方兄”， representing a brother who was omnipotent in the society. As he cited this “nowadays, people recognize nothing but money” in his book. Therefore, for those to study Mandarin in China a better understanding of the Chinese culture is an indispensible part.
The noble and rich relatives and clans were not only avaricious; they also started to treat erogenous luxury as a fashion trend. Here is a story of the Wangji (the son-in-law)of the Simayan, who not only paid great attention to the wearing of gorgeous clothes, but also was particular about eating. For language learners who’d like to learn Chinese in China must be quiet curious about the extent of their extravagant life in the West Jin dynasty. Here is a real case, He once ordered his servants to feed the piglets with their own breast milk, and after killing them, boil the piglets with human breast milk again, this way of cooking was mentioned as “蒸豘’-stewed piglets. Its flavor was extraordinarily tasty, even Simayan was astonished after tasting it.
The bureaucratic society also leads a luxury life style, the general Wangrui, who had meritorious military achievements, leads an extravagant life after winning the battle, the dishes cooked at his home could compete those in the imperial palaces, the expenditure on catering would cost up to ten thousand Qian, he even regarded the dishes were so plain that he find nowhere to lay down his chopsticks. Students who’d like to study Mandarin in China could have had been impressed by this.
A corrupted official named “Shichong石崇”did not only scratched wealth through all means, but also was fond of competing with others with their wealth and properties, he was inhuman in his fond of killing his slaves ruthlessly, one day, Wangkai invited him to take a drink at his residence , in order to arouse the guests’ drinking zest, he commanded the woman musicians to play the flute for them, but the musician , was just a tiny bit out of tune , was beaten to death at the face of them on the steps. For students with to study Mandarin in China must be down-trodden by their inhuman deeds, however, the guests were drinking alcohol with an easy grace. The West Jin dynasty, abundant with social moth, rapidly turned into an empty shell, and extinguished soon afterwards.