A Study on Shan Tao's Being Neither A Qualified Official or A Hermit

Shan Tao who lived in the Western Jin Dynasty was criticized by Sun Chuo,who lived in the Eastern Jin Dynasty.The latter thought that Shan Tao was neither a qualified officer nor a qualified hermit.The actual cause was the following:Shan Tao lived in seclusion twice,once to raise his fame, another to take refuge.He was always looking for chance to be an official.As he was old,he asked for resigning from post several times,just because he wanted that he had succeeded,he should retire.As an official,he was able,honest and upright,but he always observed neutrality.He was at the others'back and call,appearing slick and sly.He was always put himself in the situation and his spirit never left from the affairs.It may be said that:Shan Tao was deeply influenced by Lao School.His life goal and spiritual conception never attained a lofty realm.While Sun Chuo was deeply influenced by Tchuang School.He ran after the state of not caring about the current affairs.In fact,his criticism reflected one truth:The ideals of what is a qualified officer or a qualified hermit between the scholars,who were influenced by Tchuang School,living in the Eastern Jin Dynasty when the abstruse mood was in popular,and those,who was influenced by Lao School,living in the Western Jin Dynasty when the abstruse mood began to take shape,were different.