【The end of the back beam 2】
Thanks to the unremitting efforts of the Later Tang Dynasty, the Hou Liang Dynasty gave people the intuitive feeling that it had become a politically dark, corrupt, smelly, and unbearable regime.
Based on the principle of seeking truth from facts, we do not stand out from the crowd, nor do we follow what others say. Let us take a look at the objective facts that slap us in the face:
The Houliang Dynasty was the longest-lived dynasty among the "Five Dynasties", existing for 16 years, followed by the Later Tang Dynasty, with 13 years;
The last emperor Zhu Youzhen was the longest reigning emperor among the "Five Dynasties", with 11 years. The second-ranked emperor was Mingzong Li Siyuan of the Later Tang Dynasty, with 7 years.
Obviously, whether it is the duration of the regime or the length of the emperor's reign, Houliang is undisputedly ranked first, far ahead of the second place.
Houliang's policies were relatively loose. Comparing the before and after, it can be regarded as lenient and caring for the people. Even during the confrontation with Li Cunxu along the river, he issued edicts on more than one occasion to reduce taxes and reduce the burden on the people as much as possible. In contrast, Li Cunxu had dark politics, was extremely corrupt, and showed no mercy to the people within his territory. This was one of the reasons that led to Li Cunxu's rapid defeat.
In May of the seventh year of Zhengming (921), Zhu Youzhen surrendered the imperial system and changed the Yuan Dynasty to amnesty. The seventh year of Zhengming was changed to the first year of Longde. This article is quite touching and can almost be regarded as Zhu Youzhen’s “Edict to sin against oneself”:
"...If you do good things, heaven will bring blessings to you; if you do bad things, heaven will bring disasters to you...I, with my humble body...cannot bear the hardships of the late emperor, so the common people are in danger. The war has changed and the disasters are still there. Collect, introspecting the blame, and I owe it to you. Therefore, there is a cunning teacher from the border in the north, and there is Pu and Tongchaochang in the west...The teacher has no food to stay and eat, and the family has no storage of stones, and there is no water. It is a disaster, locusts are swarming... But I am sinful by blaming myself, and I dare to blame heaven for slandering others. It is because I have no virtue and do things to the heaven, and I have no merit and a bad omen..."
It's my fault that the Khitan invaded the south; it's my fault that Li Maozhen invaded the western border; it's my fault that there were floods; it's my fault that there were locust plagues... In short, all natural and man-made disasters are all my fault, Zhu Youzhen, please people all over the world Don't blame others, don't blame God, blame me, Zhu Youzhen.
Of course, edicts and orders were not written by the emperor himself, but were drafted by relevant departments (Hanlin Academy) and relevant staff (Hanlin bachelors, Zhizhigao), but they had to be reviewed by the emperor himself, and only after approval could they be promulgated and implemented. Many emperors in history were angry with Hanlin scholars because of the "Edict on Sin" that scolded them so much. However, this book was written with sincere words and a sincere attitude. It threw all the blame on the emperor. Zhu Youzhen could make it promulgated. Execution and being recorded in history also shows that at least he is not a coward or a tyrant.
"Old History of the Five Dynasties" concluded that Zhu Youzhen's coffin was sealed with one word, "cherish". Because he is "benevolent but not forceful, he is wise and does not follow the traitor, he has no foundation of virtue to build on, and he is supported by ministers who wield power below." What a pity, what a pity.
Two sentences summed up Zhu Youzhen's embarrassing situation. In fact, she was still on the opposite side of Zhu Wen. "There is no foundation for accumulation of virtue." Your father is wicked and your ancestors have committed sins. The retribution will be on your descendants. You deserve to have a bastard father.
The biggest accusation against Zhu Youzhen is that he is a villain, a distant and virtuous minister, favors the treacherous "foreign relatives gang", and alienates Jingxiang, Li Zhen and other "elders and honors the old". No one is willing to kiss a villain. Any emperor with ideals and ambitions hopes to advance the virtuous and retreat without mercy. The reason why Zhu Youzhen did this was for his own reasons.
The first is the mystery of his rise to power. Zhu Yougui's death and Zhu Youzhen's coming to power are still a historical mystery, but one thing is obvious, that is, Zhu Youzhen came to the throne with the help of the "foreign relatives gang", so the influence of the "foreign relatives gang" on the government will be exerted in the future It is also self-evident. Even if Zhu Youzhen wanted to resist, she was unable to do so.
Not to mention resisting, after Zhu Yougui was killed, Zhu Youzhen did not dare to go to the capital Luoyang to ascend the throne. He did not dare to leave his hometown Bianzhou, so he found a reason to ascend the throne in Bianzhou. The emperor's life is still in the hands of the "foreign relatives gang", is it still a problem to interfere in the government affairs?
Secondly, Zhu Youzhen's reputation is too low and her qualifications are too young. Few people in the "Old Lao Xun Gang" buy his credit.
Zhu Wen had high hopes for his eldest son Zhu Youyu and his nephews Zhu Youning and Zhu Youlun. During the long-term conquests in the north and south, these three people were often seen in history books. They followed Zhu Wen through life and death, gained experience on the battlefield, and established prestige in the army.
Qualifications and prestige are essential elements for a team successor, and this is exactly what Zhu Youzhen lacks the most. Among the elders, no one obeyed him from the bottom of their hearts.
Yang Shihou, who supported the army but refused to submit, was like a separatist regime; Zhang Yan, the leader of the Wei Bo rebels, publicly called Zhu Youzhen a "maid Baoer"; even Liu Wei pointed at the ground with a wat board in front of Zhu Youzhen...
Deep in Zhu Youzhen's heart, these so-called veterans all have disloyal hearts. They despise the imperial power, despise the central government, and despise me! Therefore it cannot be trusted.
Based on these two main reasons, it is not difficult to understand why Zhu Youzhen wanted to be close to the "foreign relatives gang" and reject the "old veterans gang".
Of course, Li Cunxu also faced the same problem as Zhu Youzhen when he took the throne. He also took up the top leadership position in his 20s and faced a group of veterans with heavy troops and active ideas. The biggest difference between the two is that Li Cunxu was strong-willed, took the lead, shared the joys and sorrows with the soldiers, accumulated experience in the army, cultivated relationships with the soldiers, and established prestige; while Zhu Youzhen was "serious and taciturn, elegant and a Confucian scholar." .
Apart from being a close villain and a distant virtuous minister, I really can’t find anything else worthy of criticism about Zhu Youzhen. He did not indulge in drinking and sex, was not good at singing and dancing, did not like hunting, did not favor actors and musicians, and did not fight geese... He did not have any bad habits, which was much better than Tang Yizong and Tang Xizong. Even Tang Zhaozong later became addicted to alcoholism. Bad habits.
In the end, Zhu Youzhen died as a king, and died heroically for his country on the eve of the fall of the capital. He is also considered a man.
In addition, Houliang made certain contributions to the inheritance of Chinese civilization.
In February of the seventh year of Zhenming (921), Zhu Youzhen issued an edict to collect and organize "oral histories". After many years of war in the late Tang Dynasty, many official historical materials were destroyed by the war, and there was a perceived gap in the history of the late Tang Dynasty. Zhu Youzhen ordered the social elite to contribute ancestral heirlooms, "those who can tell the origin of their fathers and ancestors' deeds, talents, skills, and virtues that can be tested." , and compiled it and sent it to the History Museum." In particular, historical materials after Emperor Wuzong of the Tang Dynasty, whether public or private, must be sent to the History Museum for copying, and it is emphasized that "all must be written directly, without literary flair."
The scope of this collection is unprecedented. Even official correspondence, literary and artistic works, etc., let's put it this way, all writing produced after the Wu Zong Dynasty must be sent to the historical museum for copying.
If it were not for this collection and compilation by Hou Liang, I am afraid that Chinese history would have had a historical gap for several decades after Tang Xuanzong. No one knows how the Tang Dynasty perished and how the Five Dynasties rose.
The contribution of Later Liang Chinese culture cannot be ignored and has an indelible positive significance to the process of Chinese civilization.
