Day81: Read "Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty" - Imperfection is a complete person

When I was thinking about what book to read in the past two days, I accidentally came across "Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty" by Teacher Mengman. I realized that I haven't read this type of book for a long time. In fact, I used to like reading biographies of people, such as biographies of emperors, prime ministers, celebrities... At that time, there was no other reason, just because I simply liked history. Later, I slowly started reading other biographies. On the one hand, it was for work needs, and on the other hand, I liked reading biographies. On the one hand, there is also the desire to grow, hoping to be more diverse.

But at that time, many people read history as a story. They simply found it interesting. They felt that it was great to be an emperor, with three thousand beauties in the harem; to be a prime minister was so majestic, one person was inferior to ten thousand people. ; A third-grade official is so low-grade. No matter what you do as an official, you have to be a first-grade or second-grade official... Now that I think about it, I really think it’s cute.

Regarding Tang Xuanzong, I think any Chinese who has read some books will have heard about it. Even if you don’t know his historical achievements, you at least know about him, his love story with Yang Yuhuan, one of the four beauties in ancient China, and the protagonist of Bai Juyi’s Song of Everlasting Sorrow, “I wish to be a winged bird in heaven, and a twig on earth.” “July. Seven Days of Eternal Life, when no one is whispering in the middle of the night. "Knowing his influence in the theater world... I first learned about Tang Xuanzong, probably in the "Hundred Schools Forum" when I was in junior high school. The person who told the story happened to be Teacher Mengman, a scholar. She had short hair, wore a cheongsam, and had a very distinctive voice. I listened to it at that time. The more I listened to it, the more interesting it became, and I fell in love with Tang Xuanzong more and more. Now that I read the book, it can't help but bring back memories and read it again.

Different from simply reading the story, you will pay attention to the setting of the content, including whether the language style is lively, whether the logical organization is clear, and whether the setting of the content is clear. It looks like the kind of curriculum designed by good teachers in universities, which is what I expected.

I reviewed the impression I had when I listened to Tang Xuanzong before, and it probably came down to these two words: powerful and talented. He is amazing because he went through all kinds of hardships to win the throne; he worked hard in the early stage to promote the country to prosperity; Youcai saw his colorful and rich life, he could compose and choreograph his own music, and was named the originator of the Liyuan.

After reading this time, I still don’t deny these two points, and I love him even more. Love him for his potential, talent, and affection, and also love his imperfections.

Youwei created one of the three most prosperous ages in Chinese feudal history: the Kaiyuan Age. The other two are the prosperous period of Hanwu and the prosperous period of Kangxi and Qianlong. Among these three prosperous ages, the Kaiyuan prosperous age was the most glorious and dazzling one. Although the early Tang Dynasty experienced the efforts of two emperors, Taizong and Wu Zetian, and the country began to gradually prosper, Wu Zetian's path to the top and becoming emperor had no greater impact on the subversion of the entire feudal dynasty than what she created The prosperity is small, especially in the two matters of the transfer of the throne and the stability of the political situation.

For Tang Xuanzong, obtaining the throne was not smooth. Let me briefly introduce Tang Xuanzong, also known as Tang Minghuang, whose original name was Li Longji. He was the third son of Tang Ruizong Li Dan, Wu Zetian was his grandmother, and Tang Zhongzong Li Xian was his third uncle. Judging from this resume, in fact, being the emperor had basically nothing to do with him, it was not his turn at all, and it was all thanks to Wu Zetian. Of course, it's not because Wu Zetian favors Tang Xuanzong so much, it's because Wu Zetian's iron-blooded killing as emperor has killed almost all the qualified people. Of those left, Tang Xuanzong is the most decisive and able to seize the opportunity. one.

Wu Zetian gave birth to four sons for Tang Gaozong Li Zhi, namely Li Hong, Li Xian, Li Xian and Li Dan. Li Hong and Li Xian were established as princes one after another, but they were both killed by their mothers. Li Xian and Li Dan became emperors one after another, but were deposed by their mothers. In his later years, Wu Zetian hesitated again and again, but decided to pass the throne to the Li Tang family instead of the Wu family. Because the eldest son and second son had already died, the throne was passed to Li Xian. However, there are unforeseen circumstances and people have misfortunes and misfortunes, and Li Xian died not long after.

The two major forces that were really influential in the political arena at that time were the rear party headed by Li Xian’s powerful Empress Wei, whose core members included Princess Anle and Shangguan Wan’er; The Li Tang clan was headed by Li Longji's father, Prime Minister Li Dan, and its core members also included Princess Taiping. The two groups are evenly matched and neither can overwhelm the other. But after all, Li Xian has a son, and it is natural for him to ascend the throne. Queen Wei seems to be more powerful, and Li Dan is under surveillance. At this time, Li Longji's ability and courage are shown. He knows that he cannot sit still and wait for death. If Queen Wei takes the throne, This was also a person who wanted to imitate Wu Zetian and become emperor. Then Li Tang's empire was really gone, so he teamed up with his aunt Princess Taiping to launch a coup, and finally succeeded in overthrowing Queen Wei. But because his father is still alive, he can only temporarily give up the throne to his father and become the prince himself.

But this matter is not easy. There are only eternal interests, but no eternal friends. The aunt who launched the coup was also someone who wanted to imitate his mother Wu Zetian and become the emperor. Therefore, during the period when Li Longji was the crown prince, she continued to sow discord between father and son. However, Li Dan thought about his son's kindness and at the same time understood that, The country of the Tang Dynasty could not fall into turmoil again, so it was simply passed down to Li Longji and he became the Supreme Emperor, but the power of appointing and removing officials above the third rank was still in his hands. This means that the real rights are not completely handed over to Tang Xuanzong, and the crisis still exists. But Princess Taiping still refused to give up and continued to whisper in his brother's ears. Li Dan felt that his son owed his sister, so he gave her any official position she wanted. Princess Taiping's influence was everywhere in the court, and Li Dan never When the Nine-Five Lord retires, he will inevitably feel a little nostalgic. After all, people can stay in the cold all the time, but if they feel the warmth and then go back to the cold, they will easily be unable to stand it. This kind of mentality can easily be exploited by others. , and eventually transformed the conflict between Princess Taiping and Prince Li Longji into a conflict between the prince and the emperor. As a last resort, he could only stage another coup to completely take back the power from his father and let his father be a leisurely emperor.

At this point, Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty officially started his own imperial path, and a prosperous Kaiyuan era is gradually approaching us. In the early period, Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty worked hard to govern, select talents and use talents, and successively appointed Yao Chong, Song Jing, Zhang Shuo and other prime ministers with integrity, structure and ability. At that time, I was full of admiration for these people and felt that they were good people, while Li Linfu and later Yang Guozhong were bad people. Of course, I still feel this way from the perspective of their political and human behavior, but the difference is that they are no longer considered to be completely good people or completely bad people. Good people also do dishonorable things for their own selfish interests. , and bad people may also do some good deeds that are beneficial to others out of selfishness or occasional compassion.

Talented. From the Qin Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty, there were hundreds of emperors in ancient China, and of course there were many promising people among them. However, as Chairman Mao said in "Qinyuanchun·Snow": "I cherish the martial arts of the Qin Emperor and the Han Dynasty, slightly less literary talent; the Tang Zongzong and Song Zu are slightly less charming. Genghis Khan, the genius of the generation, only knows how to bend the bow and shoot the big eagle." "Most promising emperors only had political talent. Of course, there were also talented people among the emperors, such as Li Yu, the later leader of the Southern Tang Dynasty. His poems were unrivaled throughout the ages, and he was known as "coarse clothes and messy heads, without concealing the beauty of the country." There is also Zhao Ji, Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty, the founder of Shou Jin Ti and a confidant of the court painters. He is known as the master of calligraphy and painting. However, their ability to govern the country is too poor. Who can rule the country and be as versatile as Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty?

Not only can he create the prosperous Kaiyuan era, but he can also write poems, compose music, play the pipa and drums, ride horses, hunt, and play golf. He established the Liyuan and personally "taught three hundred of Taichang's musicians' children how to play silk and bamboo", eventually becoming the originator of the Liyuan revered in the opera world. In the past, artists would offer incense to the "Old Lang Shen" before performing. The so-called Old Lang Shen was actually Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty.

I think in a male-dominated society, especially for people above the scholar-bureaucrat level who have received strict etiquette training, quarrels between husband and wife basically do not exist, or quarrels are just the husband teaching his wife. There is a chance for the wife to plead her case, but for the emperor Xuanzong of that era, who was the one who controlled the world's life and death, it was extremely rare for him to give up his wife because of a quarrel. The most interesting thing is that they had two major conflicts. The obvious manifestation was that Concubine Yang was sent back to her parents' home. This was a huge event in ancient times. The first time he was sent back, Xuanzong did not think about food and tea, and soon regretted it, but he also wanted to save face. The eunuch Gao Lishi around him saw that of course he had to solve the emperor's problems, so he found a way to give it to Xuanzong. Xuanzong took the initiative to express his condolences and picked him up that night. When she came back, Concubine Yang admitted her mistake, and the two of them became even more affectionate. The specific reason for returning home for the second time is unknown today, but compared with Xuanzong's attitude the first time, it seems that what Yang Guifei did this time really made Xuanzong unhappy, but she still took her back in the end, but it took a longer time. Today, everyone thinks this is not normal, but in ancient times, it was not easy for an emperor to do this.

Later, the Anshi Rebellion broke out. At the foot of Mawei slope, the imperial concubine died, and Xuanzong had no choice but to flee south. Later, when he returned to the palace as the Supreme Emperor, things were different and people were different. Looking at everything in front of him, he couldn't help but feel sad. As time goes by, this hatred will last forever, but it will never end.

Finally, let’s look at his imperfections. First of all, we must admit that it is extremely normal for people to have imperfections, but no individual will be perfect, and the emperor is no exception. In the first half of his life, he worked hard to survive in political struggles, and finally created a great era. But for himself, what is the meaning of life? My sense of worth has found its place, but where does it belong? How do you realize your talents and love? Thus, Tang Xuanzong, who was in his fifties, embarked on a crazy love journey and his own rebellious life.

Later, Li Linfu became prime minister and controlled the government for 19 years, and then appointed Yang Guozhong. In fact, Xuanzong was not unaware of their various inappropriate behaviors, but he no longer had the energy and unwillingness to take care of them. As long as it is ensured that this dynasty can continue to maintain this way, including the subsequent rebellion of An Lushan, Xuanzong's decision-making also had big problems, which was completely different from the enterprising he was when he was young. In terms of the times and the people, as the emperor of a country, he is irresponsible. But when you return to a person, it is normal for him to stop doing it or to do it wrong. This is not the tragedy of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, but the tragedy of the times and the tragedy of the system. Prime ministers can be rotated and officials can be adjusted, but only the emperor can leave work until he dies. Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty was an emperor who reigned for a long time, but compared to other great emperors, his political twilight years were relatively late.

Of course, history is left to people to comment. I have no intention to support or oppose anyone, let alone say anything to vindicate anyone from an irresponsible perspective. I am just expressing an ordinary Later generations will feel the emotion when they relive that period of history. The great ones are the emperors, but the imperfect ones are the complete human beings.