"Long live" meant to exist forever, and was meant to be a congratulatory word from his subordinates to the monarch. It is also used as a greeting to express extremely appreciative sentimental slogans. In China's feudal society, the word "long live" was synonymous with the supreme ruler. Therefore, in traditional Chinese culture, the word "long live" has a very special political significance.
For thousands of years, subjects subject to the autocracy chanted "Long live" or "Long live grandpa" specifically referred to the emperor. It seems that no one except the emperor dares to associate himself with these two words, and even the eunuch Wei Zhongxian, who does not put the puppet emperor in his eyes, only dares to call himself "nine thousand years old".
In fact, when the word "long live" first appeared, it was not a special term for the emperor, and its scope of application underwent a long historical evolution. In the literature handed down before the Warring States period, there is no record of "long live". In the middle and late Western Zhou Dynasty, some inscriptions repeatedly appeared with words such as "ten thousand years without boundaries" and "meishou without boundaries".
However, in this period, these words were only a style of writing, and anyone who casts a furnace can carve them. At the same time, the Book of Poetry also began to use "Shou Kao Wan Nian", "Gentleman Ten Thousand Years" and "Ten Thousand Years of the Son of Heaven" to congratulate others. After arriving in the Warring States, the word "long live" began to appear frequently in the mouths of some literature and people, and became a popular word at that time.
According to historical research, the intention of "long live" in this period mainly has the following three aspects:
First, literally, it is used to bless others with a long life.
2. To express tribute and admiration for others, which is roughly equivalent to the Russian word for "Ulla".
Third, the secret name after the death of a person.
However, with the gradual establishment and strengthening of imperial power, "long live" is a word with many different meanings. It began to be gradually occupied by the emperor alone and became synonymous with him. So, when did the word "long live" begin to be given such a sacred and solemn meaning, becoming a synonym for the emperor, and only used by the emperor alone?
According to some historical sources and documents, at the latest before the Northern Song Dynasty, "Long Live" already belonged to the title of the emperor, and there was already a constraint that "subjects cannot claim to be long live", but in this period, it did not belong entirely to the emperor, because there were people in the history books who used "long live" in addition to the emperor.
Moreover, in ancient times, there were also many people who took the name "Long Live" under the charge of rebellion.
I believe that we all know the phrase "name to make righteousness", and the name reflects the consciousness and culture of the namer to a certain extent. Among them, the hope of long life is the universal ideal pursuit of people. Because all human activities are based on the existence and continuation of life, and the fundamental purpose of all activities is to enable human beings to better survive and develop. This idea not only runs through the entire political life of mankind, but also penetrates into the spiritual life of mankind, so "long live" has become a word that people take by name.
According to archaeological research, to this day, the earliest person to use "Long Live" as a name is the Eastern Han Dynasty and Emperor He's younger brother "Liu Long Live". He was crowned King Guangzong in the fifth year of Yongyuan and died the following year, leaving no heirs. It can be seen that this Liu Wansheng has a short life and has died before he has reached adulthood. During the Southern and Northern Dynasties of the Wei and Jin Dynasties, the names were Banzai: Long Live the Southern Dynasty Liu Song's Assassin Shi Zhou, Xiao Qi Zhongcheng He Long Live, and Long Live the County Official.
Among these people, named "Long Live", there were not only members of the royal family and the emperor's cronies, but also some local officials. In this way, it seemed very common to name it "Long Live" at that time, and it may even be a new social trend. Even during the Sui and Tang dynasties, there were many people named "Long Live" in the history books, such as: during the Sui Dynasty, the Taiping Gongshi Wanzai, who had outstanding military achievements, and Zhang Wanzai, the general of Liu Wu's Zhou Department during the reign of Tang Gaozu.
However, by the time of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, there was basically no one named "Long Live" in the history books. After this, the dynasty is even more difficult to find the name "long live".
According to some sources, we believe that the reasons for this phenomenon are mainly the following two aspects:
First, when Wu Zetian ascended the throne, he used the word "long live", which not only made these two words give a special political meaning, but also announced to the people of the world the "royalization" of the word.
Second, the imperial examination system during the Tang Xuanzong period was very perfect, which allowed Confucianism to penetrate into all aspects of social life. In addition, the revival movement in the Middle and Tang Dynasties made the concept of "imperial power first" more reflected in people's hearts. Therefore, all behaviors that do not conform to the Confucian way of the sages are considered disrespectful.
In this way, "long live" that has been linked to the supreme ruler has become the emperor's special word. By the time of the Northern Song Dynasty, the word "long live" had become completely synonymous with the emperor. No one but the emperor could use the word, or else he would be punished.
For example, according to the biography of Kou Zhun, one day Kou Zhun rode on a horse, and pedestrians shouted long live his horse. As a result, he was reported and demoted to Qingzhou. For another example, in the "Song Shi , Vol. 290 Liechuan No. 49", it is written that Cao Wei, the second son of Cao Wei, once got drunk and let everyone shout long live him. Finally, he was reprimanded and punished to death.
Since then, "long live" has been limited to the emperor alone, becoming the most political word in China.
Of course, "Long live" is equated with the supreme feudal ruler, and the common people must shout when worshipping, otherwise, of course, it is a great disrespect. However, in the strict feudal codes, including the Tang, Ming, and Qing laws, there is no provision that subjects must "long live the mountain", and not call "long live", doubt or oppose "long live", otherwise they will be punished with great disrespect.
However, in real life, the emperor is "long live", and people must be infinitely respected and shouted, otherwise, it is a great rebellion, which has become a natural norm, that is, the so-called "unwritten law".
Resources:
["The Changing Times of the Word "Long Live"", "The Biography of Kou Zhun", "Song Shi, Vol. 290, Liechuan No. 49"]