Three knocks and nine obeisances (Kangxi made three knocks and nine obeisances to Zhu Yuanzhang)

If asked, what is the relationship between the Ming Dynasty and the Qing Dynasty? There is no doubt that most people can directly answer that they are sworn enemies. Yes, the Ming and Qing Dynasties have always been awkward in the history of China. The two dynasties came down in one continuous line from the system, but they were particularly hostile to the inheritance of power.

Up to now, there are still many Qing Dynasty tampering with the history of the Ming Dynasty on the Internet, and the Qing Dynasty has been smearing the jokes of the Ming Dynasty. We won't talk about this truth, but we can see that most of the emperors of the Qing Dynasty and the Ming Dynasty didn't deal with it, let alone scoff at them, at least dismissively.

But strangely, the emperors of the Qing Dynasty regarded the emperors of the Ming Dynasty as negative teaching materials, while the famous Emperor Kangxi worshipped Zhu Yuanzhang very much, and knelt down and knocked on the door for nine times. This makes many people unable to understand, belittle the Ming emperor, and respect the ancestors of the Ming dynasty so much. What the hell is this routine? In fact, Kangxi's move was very particular and even reflected his pursuit.

After the demise of the Ming Dynasty, the Qing Dynasty entered the Central Plains, perhaps because of the injection of fresh blood. Therefore, from the Qing Dynasty to the Qianlong period, it has been full of vitality, and monarchs in previous dynasties are all models of diligence and learning. Because of this, the emperors of the Qing Dynasty especially disdained The Ming dynasty emperors, because the emperors of the Ming Dynasty, on the contrary, laughed and laughed every day, ignoring all state affairs.

Therefore, since the emperor shunzhi, when talking about Ming Chengzu, every monarch and his subjects always regard Ming Chengzu as a negative example as a guide to spur their progress. Only in this way, the records about the Ming emperors in the Ming history are also unsightly.

However, in this context, Emperor Kangxi was uncharacteristic. Although he often teased Emperor Chongzhen that Emperor Chongzhen was a negative example, on the other hand, he respected Zhu Yuanzhang, the founding monarch of the Ming Dynasty.

It is clearly recorded in Historical Records that Emperor Kangxi came to the Ming Tombs about six times, and every time he came to Zhu Yuanzhang's mausoleum, Emperor Kangxi held a grand ceremony. He not only asked his subordinates to write articles to worship, but also knelt down three times and knocked on the door nine times to show his respect for Emperor Hongwu.

Especially in Records of the Sages of Qing Dynasty, Emperor Kangxi also emphasized during his southern tour that Emperor Hongwu was a master of entrepreneurship, and I would go to worship every time, kneeling three times and worshiping nine times to show my respect for the old emperor.

There is no doubt that Emperor Kangxi's move caused an uproar in the military and political affairs of the Qing Dynasty, which triggered a craze for Zhu Yuanzhang. Then the problem is coming. The Qing monarch denied the Ming emperor. Why did Kangxi value Zhu Yuanzhang so much? Is this a show or something?

To be sure, Emperor Kangxi should not just put on a show, because if it is just a show, it only needs a grand ceremony to worship, but it is certainly meaningful to use the etiquette of kneeling three times and knocking nine times.

But then again, Zhu Yuanzhang has been dead for so many years, and the Ming Dynasty has completely collapsed in the hands of the emperor shunzhi. What is the reason why Emperor Kangxi carried out Zhu Yuanzhang, a dead man?

In fact, we really ignored the importance of Zhu Yuanzhang to Kangxi. Even though the eldest brother has been dead for many years, Kangxi still can't forget him.

First of all, you can compare the lives of Emperor Kangxi and Zhu Yuanzhang. According to historical records, almost all of Zhu Yuanzhang's family starved to death from a monk. The starting point was so low, but it defeated the world governors and created the victory of 1 Northern Expedition in history. What is even more rare is that Zhu Yuanzhang defeated the Mongolian cavalry who dominated the world. This achievement is enough to make him famous in the world.

So did Emperor Kangxi. Although he was an emperor at first, he had four hats on his head, especially the one named Ao Bai, which once made him desperate. But Kangxi pulled out this hat and completed the process of centralization. However, just before the result of centralization, Wu Sangui Rebellion appeared, and Wu Sangui was finally defeated. As a result, Junggar came again and it was a new round of war.

Looking back on the life of Emperor Kangxi, he has been fighting, and every battle has kept him alive. Every time in the dead of night, Emperor Kangxi was afraid and proud, which had to remind him of the founding Zhu Yuanzhang, and the two of them would inevitably have a sense of appreciate each other across time and space. Therefore, from the perspective of personal feelings, Emperor Kangxi, who was lonely and widowed, really wanted to chat with Zhu Yuanzhang and regarded him as a predecessor who walked on the same road.

Secondly, both Zhu Yuanzhang and Emperor Kangxi have a common goal, that is, to return home to the world. I wonder if you have noticed that when Zhu Yuanzhang established the Ming Dynasty, he overthrew a Mongolian empire. At that time, there were millions of Mongolians and Semu people left in China. Zhu Yuanzhang had been troubled by this before, but he finally decided that the integration of the country, regardless of internal and external, was a Ming people. It was this move that led to the stability of the Ming dynasty and the glory of the next few hundred years.

Emperor Kangxi also faced this problem. His father replaced the Ming Dynasty established by the Han people, but he was a descendant of Jurchen. Therefore, how to solve the contradiction between Man and Han and how to mobilize all the strength of Man and Han became a big problem for Emperor Kangxi!

But looking up, in fact, he doesn't need to worry at all, because his old-timer Zhu Yuanzhang did a good job. Even though his family was killed by the Yuan Dynasty, he still carried out ethnic integration. Therefore, Emperor Kangxi admired this doyen very much, and wanted to go his way and realize the return of the world. Bowing down and sacrificing to the old emperor is his determination to declare his country's reunification, and there will never be another tragedy like Zhou Peigong's.

Finally, take the dead and crush the living. Both of the above points express the passion and pursuit of Emperor Kangxi, but the last point shows his ruthlessness as an emperor. You know, too many things happened in Nanjing and Nanjing in the Ming Tombs. At the time of the demise of the Qing Dynasty, the massacre policy was first implemented, followed by conflicts such as literary inquisition and leaving no hair. Nanjing almost became the source of bloodshed.

Seeing that the hatred of that year was still going on, Emperor Kangxi had to think of other ways to suppress the revenge of all. Obviously, bowing down to Zhu Yuanzhang in front of the Ming Tombs is to show respect for Zhu Yuanzhang and the legitimacy of obtaining power from Zhu Yuanzhang.

Maybe we can understand it this way. Emperor Kangxi knelt down to Zhu Yuanzhang with the most solemn etiquette, similar to ancestor worship. This announced to everyone that the power of the Qing Dynasty was legally taken back from the old Zhu Yuanzhang and was recognized by Zhu Yuanzhang, otherwise it would not be affected by the incense of the Qing Dynasty.

Once this happens, if all Han Chinese are against the Qing Dynasty and want revenge, it will be disrespectful to the old Zhu Yuanzhang and the founding ancestors.

Therefore, this move is a bit like pressing life with death, and it is a real means of killing the heart.

It is for these reasons that Emperor Kangxi respected Zhu Yuanzhang so much, but this is only an example. Even though Kangxi admired Zhu Yuanzhang so much, he still had no affection for Zhu Yuanzhang's dynasty, and in his later years, he earnestly warned his son to regard the Ming emperor as a negative textbook.