Is it true that a civet cat was replaced by a prince during the reign of Song Renzong?

"Civet cats for princes" is an absurd legend about Song Renzong's life experience, but it is a fictional story with certain authenticity. This legend first appeared in the Yuan drama The Makeup Box, which was further developed in the novel Bao Gongan in the Ming Dynasty, and was integrated in the Romance of Yang Baodi in the Wanhualou in the Qing Dynasty. After The Legend of the Brave and the Chivalrous Man, a clear and vivid story novel of "Civet cats for princes" was really formed.

However, although this legend seems absurd, there are two interesting places worthy of in-depth study: First, why do people believe in the truth of "civet cats for princes" for a long time, and even cover up the official history? Second, what are the unknown truths of the Northern Song Dynasty politics behind this incident?

0 1 Why do some people believe that "civet cats are exchanged for princes"? The general content of the incident is: after Song Zhenzong's death, Liu Fei colluded with the supervisor and midwife to exchange skinned civet cats for the baby born to Li Fei, and Li Fei was put in the cold house. After the death of Zhenzong, Injong acceded to the throne, and Bao Zheng was ordered to go to Chen Zhou to investigate the fraud case of his uncle Pang Yu's relief fund. On the way, Bao Zheng accepted Li Fei's unjust case and rehabilitated it, welcoming Li Fei back to North Korea. After the truth came out, Liu, who had become the queen mother, died of convulsions and the tragedy ended successfully. Because the story is a household name, it is told by later generations.

In history, there were both Empress Liu and Renzong, and it was indeed adopted by Empress Liu. It can be said that the incident of "civet cats for princes" was fabricated on a certain authenticity. Moreover, from legends to operas and novels, the characters are more vivid, the stories are more tortuous, and the framework of events is getting bigger and bigger. The fiction caused by layers of fatigue has already submerged that little truth.

Then why does this story have such a wide and far-reaching influence that people still believe in the truth of the "civet cats for princes" incident and even cover up the official history? There are about three reasons to believe it.

First, China has a profound tradition of telling the history of romance. Romance novels like Water Margin are basically based on historical facts, and most of them can find some real historical traces, at least "seven realities and three vacuities". So people believe that other stories are the same, generally.

Under the influence of this historical tradition, people always cling to the word "letter" when reading most historical jokes.

Second, in ancient China society, everything about the royal family was very mysterious to ordinary people, and many people could not understand it all their lives, but people often had a strong curiosity about it.

The mystery of Song Renzong's life experience caused a sensation in the imperial court, and it is bound to spread to the people. Li and her own son are far apart, and they don't know each other, while Queen Liu, who took her son, claimed to be the hostess, leaving behind many legends of "hearing from the ancient times, courtesy is not carried". It had a far-reaching impact at that time and later generations. The scenery of Queen Liu is in sharp contrast with the desolation of Li. It is inevitable that some people will be dissatisfied with Queen Liu, from officials to the people.

Perhaps it is under the impetus of this emotion that people continue to enrich the content of this story and spread it, and even pull it into Bao Gong, who is regarded as the embodiment of justice.

Third, the specious things in the world are enough to confuse people. Most historical jokes, including "civet cats for princes", have not reached absurd levels. If all the jokes about "the story of Diusim in Luo Cheng's play" and "Guan Yu's war against Qin Qiong" are beyond people's basic common sense, then no one will believe it.

A little bit of wrong docking, short time dislocation, few people seriously investigate. For example, Bao Zheng, the hero of the story, was born as a child of 1 1. After his parents died, Bao Zheng began his political activities and became a magistrate of a county. This is the fourth year (1037). The protagonist of "Civet cats for princes" and Empress Liu both died four or five years ago.

However, because Bao Zheng was really active in the Renzong period, he once worked as an remonstrator, remonstrator, took an examination of the straight bachelor's degree in Longtuge of Qing Dynasty, and served as an official in charge of national military and political affairs one year before his death. Bao Zheng's experiences and the legend of "civet cats for princes" are not greatly misplaced in time and historical facts. This is specious, and then let ordinary people believe that "civet cats for princes" is indeed true.

In the event of "civet cats for princes", from the initial legend to the script of Chinese drama, most of the characters who appeared were real people, and Renzong was raised by Queen Liu as her own son. Therefore, it can be said that the whole story is a fiction based on certain facts. Nevertheless, through the legend of "civet cats for princes", we can still gain insight into the unknown truth of politics in Song Dynasty.

Li Fei and Liu Fei in the political truth story of the Northern Song Dynasty reflected behind the incident of "Civet cats for princes" did exist in history. Among them, Liu Fei was the famous Xianming Zhang empress Liu Su in the early Northern Song Dynasty. She was the first of eight regent queens in Song Dynasty, and she reigned for eleven years. About the queen Liu, the historical records are very detailed, and his experience is legendary. With her outstanding talent and wisdom, she was favored by Emperor Zhenzong, and was gradually named a rest and virtuous princess by beauty.

In Jingdezhen for four years, Guo Shiqiu, the empress of Zhenzong, never recovered. In spite of the strong opposition of ministers, Zhenzong made Wei Liu, the princess of Germany, succeed to the throne in the fifth year of Dazhong Xiangfu. According to Zi Zhi Tong Jian:

"After the police realized, Xiao Shu has a long history, heard the court events, and can remember the background. Every time the emperor gloated, he followed. Clothes are not woven, no different from palace ministers ... anyone who deals with imperial palace affairs often quotes old facts, without exception. When the emperor abdicated, he heard that the world was closed, and it was heard in advance until midnight. Zhou Jin is respectful and secretive, which is beneficial to the emperor. "

Perhaps it is because of Queen Liu's understanding and assistance in harem affairs and even court politics that she still occupies an irreplaceable position in the mind of the new Zen in her forties. However, such a queen who won your heart is childless for life.

Zhenzong once had five princes, but unfortunately they all died young. It was not until the third year (10 10) that Dazhong Xiangfu got a son, the later Emperor Renzong. Li Chenfei, another important character in the story, is Injong's biological mother. Li Chenfei, a native of Hangzhou, was honored as Li Taihou of Zhang Yi in history. She was the maid of Queen Liu in the first palace, because she was "solemn and taciturn, and the emperor thought she was the minister of bedroom".

According to "Biography of the Song Dynasty", after Li was pregnant, she once accompanied Zhenzong to the balcony, and the Hosta on her head accidentally fell off the stage:

"The heart is evil. The emperor was perfect, and he took it from left to right, but the fruit did not die. The emperor was very happy. "

And Li really gave birth to a son. Empress Liu had no children, and Li Sheng had a son, and Zhenzong knew it. Li's son was born two years before his son. Obviously, there is no direct relationship between the empress dowager and the birth of a prince. The so-called golden pill Covenant, those who raise the prince for the future, should be made up by writers.

However, after the succession, why did Liu become the Empress Dowager and not see the name of Li? What are the twists and turns? It turns out that since Injong was born, Queen Liu raised him as her own son, and Li had no chance to accompany her own son to raise him. It is Queen Liu who really plays the role of mother. Empress Liu treated the prince as her own, and said in "History as a Mirror":

"When the prince is resting, he will take care of him personally, then stay around for a while, and then send him to ask questions. As for the wet nurse and the junior minister, they all choose those who are willing to be old and long, and teach them respect every day. "

In the first year of Ganxing (1022), Zhenzong died, and Empress Liu was appointed as the empress dowager in the testamentary edict. Since then, Empress Liu has not only taken care of Injong in life, but also tried her best to assist the young emperor to ascend to the throne with her outstanding political talent. In the long history as a mirror, it says:

"Although the imperial court is out of the palace, its orders are strict, but its kindness is imposed on the world, and it is borrowed less. There is nothing wrong with changing the palace, and both internal and external rituals are restrained. "

Because of this, the Song Dynasty safely passed the first stage of being suspicious. According to the Collection of Manuscripts and Gifts in Song Dynasty, young Renzong repeatedly ignored the strong advice of ministers and led hundreds of officials to celebrate Liu Hou's birthday "Changning Festival" with gifts from their families. When Queen Liu was ill, she even bowed to save her attendants, prepared for extreme prayers, tasted medicine first and undressed. Mother is kind and filial, and a harmonious family relationship runs through.

However, superficial harmony can't hide deep contradictions. After all, Queen Liu is not Injong's biological mother. She is a woman with great political ambitions. To raise and take care of Injong as his own son is to consolidate his position, safeguard vested interests and even realize his political ambitions to some extent. Therefore, after Injong became an adult, he was still "reluctant to return to politics."

Although the words of civil and military officials returning to politics are endless, she has always turned a deaf ear, still listening to politics, handling and maintaining as the queen mother, and even "guarding Guangxi, riding a big horse, hanging the twelfth crown, and being crowned by the twelfth chapter." Lead a hundred officials, ride a thousand horses, kneel down and pay back the money, and meet your ancestors. "

However, Li, who was deprived of his own son, was gradually given the title of graceful and restrained by talented people until the first year (1032), when he became "terminally ill". However, on that day, "I am forty-six." In the more than ten years since Injong ascended the throne, she was just "silently among the concubines of the first dynasty, and never different." Other people familiar with the matter were afraid of Empress Dowager Cixi and dared not speak, so that Empress Dowager Cixi died and Song Renzong didn't know that he was born in Chen Fei.

In the second year of Li Fei's death, that is, in March of the second year of Ming Dow (1033), Liu Houjia collapsed. Emperor Injong naturally felt extremely sad. However, with the death of Queen Liu, the truth of Renzong's life gradually surfaced. There are two different records of the enlightenment of Renzong's life experience in history:

It is said that Yan Yuan, the prince of Yan, said to Injong, "Your Majesty was born in Li Chenfei, and your imperial concubine died unexpectedly." It is said that Yang Guifei, the Empress Dowager Zhang Hui, saw that Injong was too sad and advised her to go to Japan: "This is not the mother of the emperor. The emperor has his own mother."

But no matter what kind of record is true, Renzong, who learned the truth, has been "overwhelmed, ruined and tired" and full of guilt and resentment towards Queen Liu. He was not only "more sad than dying in his heart", but also sent troops to surround the residence of Empress Dowager Cixi. He personally went to Zigong warehouse in Li Fei and "cried and looked at it". However, after opening the coffin, I found Li:

"Jade is like a life, a crown is like a queen mother, and it is raised with mercury."

It turned out that, long before her death, Empress Dowager Liu sent Li to the funeral in accordance with the specifications of Empress Dowager Cixi at the reminder of the Prime Minister. At that time, Lv Yijian predicted that Renzong would know the truth one day, and only in this way could violent conflicts and turbulent political situation be avoided. Sure enough, when Renzong saw all this, his doubts eased and he withdrew the soldiers who surrounded the Liu family. However, his feelings for Queen Liu were cracked because of his forbearance and indignation, and he relegated many courtiers who were favored by Queen Liu, including her nephew.

However, Emperor Renzong, who was emotional and indecisive, could not give up his love for Queen Liu. Facing the criticism of Queen Liu both inside and outside the imperial court, he "told Chinese and foreign people not to say anything about that day". Finally, Xianming Zhang, together with the memorial of Queen Li and her biological mother Zhang Yi, was attached to the memorial of Zhenzong in the ancestral temple.

Here, the facts have gradually become clear. There is no dispute between Queen Liu and Li, and Li has not been hurt by Queen Liu. Legendary plots such as the death of the spirit and the burning of the cold palace are just legends. Liu and Li are not in the same level. In fact, there is a very delicate relationship between them.

Empress Liu is older than Li 18 years old and was once the object of Li's service. Maybe Queen Liu is close to Zhenzong. Empress Liu has no children all her life, so it is a good idea to choose her solemn and silent maid to give birth to a son for the emperor as her own child.

After Li Sheng married Injong, he gave birth to a daughter, which also shows that Li was not imprisoned in limbo. Besides, after Li gave birth, Queen Liu sent someone to visit Li's long-lost brother and gave him an official position. With such a big secret, Li Can spent his life peacefully in the palace. It is not clear whether Queen Liu sympathizes with him or thinks that he poses no threat at all.

In the story of "Civet cats for princes", there is also a familiar figure, that is, Bao Zheng, a university student in Longtuge who solved the case. Bao Zheng is very influential among our people. He has always been regarded as a model who is not afraid of powerful people and is honest and clean.

However, according to the Biography of Bao Zheng in the Song Dynasty, Bao Zheng was born in the second year of Zhenzong Xianping (999). At the age of 28, he entered the examination and entered the official career 10 years later. Judging from Renzong's life experience, Ming Dow's two years were the period when he was unable to go because of his filial piety. How did he solve this case in his hometown? So Bao Zheng is not directly related to this case, and the plot he solved should be attached by later generations.

As for the deeds of other characters in the story, such as Eight Kings, Guo Huai, Chen Lin and others, there is no clear historical basis. From the above description, we can know that the story of "civet cats for princes" is mostly false.

However, some things recorded in history books are far from the facts. The fiction of traditional Chinese opera novels is only specific plot events, but the times are not fiction, which at least reflects some historical understanding. Therefore, skimming the seemingly absurd floating foam, we have an insight into the great truth of the political history of the Northern Song Dynasty.