What happened in the Ming Dynasty? Why did Zhang's reform succeed?

I don't want to leave a name when I do good, but I have to wipe my ass when I do bad. This is called a good man.

You kicked me out and you gave me the pass. You are burning incense and tearing down the temple. What are you pretending?

Yan Song lost to Xu Jie not because justice triumphed over evil, but because he was not as cunning as Xu Jie. Xu Jie lost to Gao Gong, not because Gao Gong was more upright, but because he was smarter. Now, I have removed the high arch. So it turns out that I am the most cunning and outstanding genius in this empire.

Goodbye, my former friend, goodbye, my former colleague, your ambition will be realized by me.

In fact, we are the same kind of people, with the same aspirations and ambitions. I don't want to lie to you, but unfortunately, that seat is too crowded.

Throughout the history of China, a child of a common people's family, as a civil servant, even the emperor can stand aside, which is the peak. You have to change people, dominate the world, live a life of Shu Shu Tan Tan, make some achievements by the way, enjoy great happiness in front and have a nickname in the back, which is complete.

However, the facts tell us that Zhang is not a small celebrity, but a big celebrity, an infinite celebrity. Anyone who speaks Chinese, as long as he is not an illiterate village, has basically heard of this person.

He achieved this result because he did one thing-reform.

What is reform? The popular explanation is that the machine is not running smoothly. Think about it, go up with a wrench and screwdriver, knock around and get it done. This is called reform.

It looks good, but if you really do it, it will be troublesome, because history has proved that those who do it will basically have no good end. There are two endings: one is to give him a skin after being changed, and the representative is Comrade Wang Anshi. He has worked hard for decades and is not afraid of change and public grievances. In the end, he will step down awkwardly and end up in a hurry.

The other is more serious. After the reform, it was completely transformed. The representative figure is Wang Mang. This man has made great efforts to do one thing, but unfortunately he is too idealistic. As a result, he changed from reform to revolution and lost his life.

It can be seen that reform is really a risky thing. In the final analysis, it is because of two words-interest. You have to understand that although the old machine is broken, everyone lives on it. If you go up and knock, which part is knocked down, you may lose someone's job. If you have a good personality, you will be invited to dinner. If you have a bad personality, you will rush to your house with a dynamite bag. In short, I won't stop until I make trouble with you.

If we compare the world to a machine, it will be a great event. If you move casually, it could be thousands of jobs. It's normal to make trouble and chop up the whole family.

So normal people don't touch this thing, and people who touch this thing are not normal.

However, Zhang moved, knowing that there was pressure and danger, and still moved.

Because he has seen corrupt princes, starving people and shameless officials, because he knows that there has never been a savior and he cannot rely on an immortal emperor. Because he believes that the poor are human beings and have the right to live.

After more than 30 years of intrigue and officialdom ups and downs, he still maintains one thing-ideal.

When I was a child, when I talked about Zhang, I would immediately associate him with a scooter. Thanks to years of nonsense education, this man is the first bitter man in my impression. He is honest and honest, works hard, and is particularly thankless. He has been cheated by traitors all day and has turned over a new leaf. He hasn't succeeded yet, so you can't wait to help him.

It was not until more than ten years later that I realized that I had been cheated. This Zhang brother is dishonest and unclean, and it is common to form gangs to crack down on dissidents. It's a joke to say it's a traitor. He drove all the traitors away. Who do you think is the most treacherous?

What's even funnier is that no matter whether I look left or right, I don't think his reform has failed. All the work to be done has been done. How can it be considered a failure?

So what I'm going to tell next is a story that is neither sad nor gloomy, a success story.

Before Zhang, the most famous reform should be Wang Anshi's. Of course, as we all know, he failed.

Why did it fail?

I won't join in the fun for this topic that can write 200,000-word papers. Simply put:

Wang Anshi failed because he thought he was smart, while Zhang Chenggong succeeded because he thought he was stupid.

In this world, anything that exists must have its rationality, otherwise it will never be born. But Wang Anshi doesn't quite understand this truth. He hated the old system and the idlers in the Northern Song Dynasty. But what he doesn't know is that the old system may be stubborn or unreasonable, but it is also the crystallization of the great wisdom of countless predecessors. The people who make and implement the system are incomparable smart people, much smarter than all those who think they are smart, rigid or cumbersome, but this can be used.

Therefore, this person is ambitious, and the young crop method is full of joy and enthusiasm, but it is useless in the end, so it is useless.

Zhang, on the other hand, is very honest.

You know, Wang Anshi was born in a good time, and Song Shenzong, the leader at that time, was a very restless person. Every day, he dreams of crossing the Yellow River and liberating China. He wanted to make the Song Dynasty prosperous overnight, so Wang Anshi said that he wanted people and money.

In contrast, Jiajing was too lazy to be surprised. Anyway, the whole country is unified, and he has no desire to conquer the earth. His greatest interest is to let the people below play. Zhang grew up in such an environment, from an academician to a college student. He has suffered a lot, seen the world and lived in the cracks for decades. This is absolutely impossible.

So at the beginning of the reform, he insisted on a principle-let himself live and let others live. Specifically, I don't want to ruin everyone's job, and everyone doesn't want to create opposition between me. I will reform, everyone is not so greedy, eat their own food, and do not interfere with each other.

Change without reform is for reform.

Zhang didn't feel any sorrow for Gao Yi's death, because fundamentally speaking, he and Gao Gong are the same kind of people, only more dictatorial than Gao Gong. When he saw someone dangling in front of him, he felt uncomfortable whether you were honest or not.

In fact, it's no wonder that Zhang, because in the history of China, most people who started their businesses with * * * can't escape the end of "Four Tong"-helping each other in the same boat-mutually assured destruction in strange bedfellows.

So it turns out that the more complicated the policy, the more loopholes there are, and the more difficult it is to implement. Wang Anshi is usually like this. Although a whipping method seems simple, it is the crystallization of the highest wisdom. As the saying goes:

It is the ability to simplify complex problems.

How many people do you think it takes to lift such a big sedan chair?

I think it needs at least a dozen people.

A dozen people? That's a mat! There is no discount for 32 people, and there is no one who can't lift it. Teacher Zhang's principle is, regardless of the cost, just show off!

Believe me, you are not mistaken, and I am not mistaken. I'm pretty sure of that part.

By the way, this sedan chair not only runs around the capital, but also often runs long distances. Zhang once sat on this thing and returned to his hometown in Jingzhou. The distance is roughly the distance from Beijing to Wuhan on the Beijing-Guangzhou line today, with a total distance of 1000 kilometers. Think about it at that time, it was really fashionable to parade around the city with such a big thing.

This historical data really opened my eyes and completely changed my view on the transportation of the motherland, such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Rolls-Royce, extended type, luxury type, sofa, bar, save it, or I would be embarrassed to take it out!

Life is comfortable and work is extremely smooth. Zhang's good days seem to have no end. However, the facts tell us that there is no life that only advances and never retreats, just like there is no stock that only rises and never falls.

One rash fellow plus one rash fellow is not equal to two, but the square of rash fellow.

In addition to acting arbitrarily at work, Zhang often tells people: I am not myself.

This sentence looks modest, which shows that I am not the prime minister. But unfortunately, there is also the second half of this modest sentence: some people take it.

Taken together, this is an earth-shattering statement:

I'm not the prime minister, but the regent.

The so-called regent is a person who exercises his powers instead of the emperor. For Zhang, the prime minister is already a joke, and only the Regent is beautiful enough. A civil servant is so beautiful that if Zhu Yuanzhang, who abolished the prime minister in those days, knew about it, I'm afraid he would be angry.

But Zhang is obviously not afraid of pretending to be sick and dead. He deserved it. He hung such a couplet at home:

The sun, the moon and the sky, all countries admire the son of heaven.

Qiushan is Yue, and the four sides praise Taiyue Xianggong.

This pair of couplets is made of gold, very imposing, but it used to be deadly. Because the so-called Taiyue is Zhang's word, and as we all know, the second half of the couplet is higher than the first half, so Zhang is better than the emperor.

Niu Renzhang not only refused to accept it, but also openly framed it and posted it at the door to make Spring Festival couplets.

But if a person is invincible for too long, God will be dissatisfied. After all, his old man likes to be lively, so in the dark, he found two enemies for Zhang, one is his superior and the other is his subordinate.

When Zhang died, things became big. This property was copied from life and is Zhang's son. It's really outrageous. As it happens, Zhang Siwei's father died two months ago and went home to keep the system. When he left, Shen Shixing, the number two in the former cabinet, became a court record.

This guy is decent. When he heard about it, he flew into a rage and wrote all night asking for a thorough investigation. Emperor Wanli also felt that the matter had passed, and immediately ordered that the matter should not be investigated, and awarded land to support Zhang's mother and family.

Things finally settled, and Wanli avenged himself. He finally got rid of Zhang's control and began to exercise his power. Zhang Siwei's wish has also come true. He mourned in his hometown for two years, and when he was about to return to Korea, he suddenly died of illness. Good people say that he died a fair death, while unkind people say that he is a wicked man and was killed by Zhang.

Anyway, hate and pain, joy and sadness are all over.

In previous articles, I have written countless characters, both good and bad, and Zhang is undoubtedly the most special one.

He is a genius, born in complicated troubled times, and has a unique academic background. He worked as a grassroots for more than 20 years and finally achieved great success.

He dares to reform and innovate, not afraid of risks and threats. He is a great reformer, and he also has shortcomings. He acts arbitrarily, treats others badly, leads a luxurious life, and is a man with low morality.

In a word, he is not a good person or a bad person, but a complicated person.

However, among the many figures in the Ming Dynasty, what moved me most was this complicated person.

Ten years ago, when I was about to step into the university campus, on a very special occasion, someone said this to me:

You're still young. In the future, you will meet many people, experience many things, gain a lot and lose a lot. But in any case, there are two things you must never lose, one is conscience and the other is ideal.

I remember nodding my head because of the situation, although I don't know the true meaning of this sentence.

Ten years passed quickly, as he said, I gained a lot and lost a lot. Fortunately, I still have these two things. Although they are not many, I finally kept them.

Of course, I am not proud of it, because it is not how strong my will is, nor how noble my personality is. The only reason is that the people I met are not bad enough, I have not experienced enough things, and I have not suffered enough.

I have also met many so-called moralists. They talk about benevolence and morality all day long, but all they do is thieves and prostitutes.

I'm not angry. On the contrary, I understand them. They chose the former between the pressure of survival and the dignity of life. That's all. Unreasonable, but legal.

I wonder if all people will become like them after going through vicissitudes.

Until I really understood Zhang, his experience, his feelings and his choices. I just found an answer, a comforting answer.

He told us with his life that conscience and ideals will not disappear, will not die because of wealth, and will not die because of power.

Not a good man, not a bad man, he is a man with ideals and conscience.

Zhang, born in Jiajing four years (1525), was born in Huguang Jiangling.

Shao Yingmin is unparalleled in the world. He was a scholar in the 18th year of Jiajing (1539) and was commended in the 19th year of Jiajing (1540).

In the 26th year of Jiajing (1547), Jinshi changed to Jishi Shu and was awarded the editing and editing of Hanlin, which was highly valued by Xu Jie generation.

In the forty-first year of Jiajing (1562), Xu Jie entrusted Zhang to his confidant on behalf of Song Dynasty, trusted him, and made a will to solicit opinions from * * *.

In the first year of Qin Long (1567), Zhang was 43 years old. He used to be a minister of rites and a university student in Wuyingdian, and he joined the cabinet as a prince and a Taibao.

Qin Long died in the sixth year (1572), and Zhang cited him as an ally, plotting to expel the high arch, and it was done, so he acted as the cabinet secretary of Gong Wei.

In the first year of Wanli (1573), Zhang presided over the administration, carried out the examination law, reorganized officials, and corrupt officials were frightened and the imperial edict came out. Although he was thousands of miles away, he chased him all the way, night after night.

In the sixth year of Wanli (1578), the world was measured, and a whip method was implemented. The people were happy, and the world was rich and the crops were abundant, which lasted for more than ten years.

In June of the 10th year of Wanli (1582), Zhang was 58 years old and died. After his death, the property belongs to him. The eldest son committed suicide and the second son exiled the army.

Some people are alive, but he is dead.

Some people died, but he is still alive.

There is no such person as Zhang in the world

A mysterious year

Zhang died, but life didn't seem to change much, especially for Emperor Wanli.

He has just turned 20 and is ambitious. Although he doesn't like Zhang, he inherited the teacher's ambition. He has been working hard day and night since he took office. He seems to want to prove by actions that he can manage this country well by his own efforts, at least better than that man.

So from the 11th year of Wanli (1583), he showed amazing physical strength and energy. He spends more than ten hours dealing with government affairs every day and often calls ministers in the middle of the night. Besides, he will never be lazy in today's work.

After Zhang's death, he kept passionate fighting spirit and enthusiasm until the mysterious year came.

Life is long, but the key is only a few steps. I believe many people have heard this sentence, but many people don't know it. In fact, so is history.

In 755 AD, when the civilization of the Tang Dynasty was in full swing, a stout man named An Lushan suddenly rose up and made waves, which started the Anshi Rebellion, and the prosperous Tang Dynasty fell into decline.

In 755 AD, this year became a turning point and went down in history.

Eight hundred years later, the turning point of fate came again. There is no reason, no warning, to stay in this mysterious year-fifteen years of Wanli.

To put it simply, this year, three things happened, two small things and one small thing.

The first event: Qi Jiguang died.

The second big thing: Harry is dead. Now, it's the last resort.

In the 14th year of Wanli (1586), Fang Huan took the lead in attacking Harry's "treacherous name". As soon as the memorial came up, the court fried the pot. As a legend like Harry, many people hate him and like him, and everyone begins to quarrel. However, brother Harry is still so personality, he didn't say anything, just gave a resignation report-he didn't want to do it.

After the quarrel, he reported to the emperor, but the attitude of Wanli brothers was very strange. He didn't deal with Fang Huan who called names, nor did he approve Harry's resignation. Both sides were puzzled.

Wanli is a very clever man, at least on the issue of Harry, he is much smarter than Zhang. He didn't really intend to use Harry from the beginning, because he knew very well that he was an idol who could be posted on the door, hung on the wall and burn incense to worship Buddha.

But never use it.

After all, Mr. Hai is just a decoration, but he doesn't know it.

In this way, he worked in this position in a daze until the death came in the winter of the fifteenth year of Wanli (1587).

He had no son, and his only wife and daughter died before him. At the last moment of his life, only an old servant accompanied him. In the howling cold wind, Harry said his last words to the servant.

According to common sense, the last words of a stranger like Mr. Harry must be extraordinary, often with profound implications, such as what life is short, hard work and so on, or shouting two slogans to make everyone excited.

However, Mr. Hai's last words were neither profound nor boiling, just jaw-dropping:

"Tomorrow, you send six yuan of silver to the Ministry of War."

After that, I went

This seems to be a very nonsense sentence, and it is also the only wish of the famous and eloquent Mr. Harry.

The reason for saying this is that there was no heating in those days, and every winter, the Ministry of War gave firewood money to senior officials of various ministries, and the amount was small.

The day before he died, the Ministry of War sent firewood money, and according to his own measure, he gave six taels of silver.

This time, I was completely speechless.

After Harry died, his good friend Wang Yongji came to collect the body. After searching Harry's house, he only found a few patched rags and several boxes containing rags.

He has been an official for 30 years, and the second product is the right capital of Nanjing Duchayuan. This is all his property.

After hearing the news of Harry's death, an unprecedented scene appeared in Nanjing. No matter men, women and children, whether they have seen Harry or not, they spontaneously mourned for him at home and cried loudly. It is said that mourners lined up hundreds of miles for him, and no one left for a whole day.

The people, only the people, can judge a person fairly.

How to evaluate this legendary figure is really a difficult problem. All the right ones have been said, and the wrong ones have also been said. It's hard to summarize now.

In his famous work Fortress Besieged, Mr. Qian Zhongshu made this comment on Fang Hung-chien, the protagonist with changeable fate, by borrowing others' words:

You are a good man, but you are nothing.

I think this sentence also applies to DaiVi Yu.

Harry in the dark is a helpless lost man.

The third thing is the key to everything.

In the 14th year of Wanli (1586), the diligent emperor Wanli suddenly changed dynasties.