In China's history, there have been many national heroes who are awe-inspiring, and there have also been many traitors and lackeys who have been reviled by others, and for their own interests, they have put the entire country in an unfavorable position.
Many Chinese may not know him, but the name is widely praised in many Japanese history books, and many Japanese people are grateful to him and have erected a statue of him in Nagasaki City. In 2000, several Japanese people went to SheXian County, Huangshan City, Anhui Province, to pay for the construction of Wang Zhi's tombstone.
Why do the Japanese people appreciate Wang Zhi so much, we have to talk about his life. Wang Zhi was one of the most famous figures of the late Ming Dynasty, born in 1501, grew up in a seaside fishing village, and from an early age he was well versed in water.
At this time, the Ming Dynasty strictly implemented the policy of sea prohibition and strictly prohibited private trade at sea, but Wang Zhi still colluded with foreigners in large quantities to smuggle silk porcelain tea and other items for his own interests. It has also developed into a not-so-small criminal group.
In 1543, Wang Zhi's ship carried three Portuguese merchants to Shuangyu Island to trade, but when it encountered strong winds, the ship sailed to Kagoshima in Japan, so Wang Zhi called himself Confucian Five Peaks and communicated with the Japanese locals.
Kangoshima Daimyo's son, Tanegashima Shihyao, was very interested in the arquebusier carried by the grapeman, so through Wang Zhi, who was willing to be a translator for profit, he spent two thousand taels of silver to buy it through research and development and improvement, which was also the origin of The Later Japanese Iron Cannon.
Many people know that at that time, the Wokou, with the support and acquiescence of some daimyo, had been harassing China's coastal areas on a large scale, and Wang Zhi colluded with some Japanese ronin to form the largest smuggling team in the coastal areas of the Ming Dynasty.
At first, Japan did not have firearms, so the combat effectiveness of the troops was simply invincible compared with the Ming Dynasty, but Wang Zhi sold the Ming Dynasty firearms and other items to the Japanese for his own selfish interests, coupled with the artillery that the Japanese had improved from the grape people before, and the equipment had been greatly improved and improved.
In addition, the Wokou had the confidence and courage to resist the Ming Dynasty region, and Japan's strength continued to increase, and in the twentieth year of the Wanli Calendar, it brazenly invaded Korea, and the Ming Dynasty sent troops to reinforce, which was the War of Aid to Korea. Whether it was the war against the Wokou or the war to aid Korea, the Ming army suffered great losses.
This is inseparable from the firearms sold by Wang Zhi to the Japanese, who brought technology to Japan and strengthened the Japanese military industry. It is no wonder that the Japanese are so grateful to him, but he is a historical sinner for Chinese.
Later, the Ming dynasty government began to want Wang Zhi, who fled to Japan with his forces and established himself as the King of Hui on a small island in Japan, with the national name Song. It did not last for several years, because of the shortage of materials, Wang Zhi still returned to China, was captured on the spot by the Ming government, and beheaded for public display. It ended his life.
Frankly speaking, if the Ming Dynasty opened up shipping, there would not be so many things, and closing the country would always lead to backwardness, because even if the government banned trade, there would still be people who would secretly do it, only by opening their hearts and boldly improving their own shortcomings, so that they could become strong, so that they would not bury their heads like ostriches, so that the coast would be invaded by the Wokou.