Since ancient times, Hunan and other places have been excluded from the mainstream cultural areas to some extent and regarded as "barbarians". For example, the State of Chu during the Warring States period, although it was also considered one of the powerful powers, would still be regarded as "Jingman" compared with the Central Plains. Moreover, in fact, the culture of Chu and the culture of the Six Kingdoms of Shandong do have a very big difference. The Ancients of the Six Kingdoms of Shandong, the Land of the Central Plains, once had many contemptuous titles for Chu, in addition to the aforementioned "Jingman" and such titles as "Miaoman".
But the interesting thing is that the status of Hunan and other places has been significantly improved after the Tang and Song Dynasties, and this improvement is not only an improvement in economic status, but also a cultural improvement, and the land of Jingchu has begun to be regarded as a treasure land for the spirits of the earth, rather than a place of transformation inhabited by barbarians.
What is going on with this change? And why did it start on the occasion of the Tang and Song dynasties?
Above_ Full map of Hunan in the Qing Dynasty
First, the ancient Hunan
What exactly does the land of "Huxiang" refer to? In fact, Huxiang originally referred to Dongting Lake and Xiangjiang River. Since most of these two places were in present-day Hunan Province, Huxiang is often used today to refer to Hunan.
Although Hunan was once regarded as Jingman, in fact, although the land of Huxiang was far away from the political and cultural center for a period of time, it was far from the barbarians. In the early days, the ancestors of China opened up the world, and Hunan was already a member of the Yanhuang cultural circle. For example, the Yan Emperor, that is, the Shennong clan, died for the world to taste hundreds of herbs, and was eventually "buried in Changsha Tea Town", and the Yellow Emperor was also "the pleasure of Emperor Zhang Xianchi in the wilderness of Dongting".
Yao Shunyu, who succeeded after Yan Huang, also had a relationship with Hunan, and Shunnan died in the wilderness of Cangwu during his tour, while the two concubines, Empress Dowager E and Lady Ying, were buried in Dongting Lake. It is said that the bamboo of Dongting Lake always has spots, that is, Emperor E and Nüying suddenly heard the news of Emperor Shun's death, and tears were caused by green bamboo, "tears stained bamboo, bamboo is stained with ink", and Empress Dowager E was also known as "Xiang Concubine".
The subsequent Xia Yu also has a story with Hunan, when Dayu ruled the water, he once governed the Xiang River in Hunan, and all of the above can fully explain that at the beginning of the founding civilization of the ancestors of yanlu lanyi, Hunan and other places were part of the Yanhuang civilization, and it was also the origin of Chinese civilization, not a barbaric place.
Above_ Yandi is the honorific title of the leader of the Jiang tribe in ancient China, called Shennong
2. Hunan before the Tang and Song dynasties
So why was Hunan later regarded as Jingman?
In fact, the word Jingman originated from the Zhou Dynasty, when the Zhou Dynasty was still majestic, and the Xiong clan of the Qi clan was divided into Chu land for a long time, and the Chu land at this time was indeed uncivilized, so the Zhou people contemptuously called this place "Jing man".
During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, under the administration of successive Chu kings, the State of Chu successively appointed Yu Qiuzi, Sun Shu'ao, Wu Qi, and other sages to change the law and innovate, and became a powerful country of princes, and no one could be deceived, and naturally no one mentioned the contemptuous title of "Jingman" again. Successive kings of Chu have made generations of efforts in order to take off the hats of "Jingman" and "Chu Man", which can be described as the rest of the world.
However, with the demise of the Chu state at the end of the Warring States period, the economic and political center was also completely determined in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River, and the land of Huxiang was thus marginalized, such as Jia Yi was degraded during the Han Dynasty, who was relegated to Hunan, which was then called "Changsha County".
And Hunan once again got rid of the prejudice of "barbarism", and had to wait until after the Tang and Song dynasties.
Above_ Map of the Yellow River Basin
3. Hunan after the Tang and Song dynasties
Between the Tang Dynasty and the Northern Song Dynasty, although the center of the country's political culture and other aspects was in the Chang'an region, in the eyes of the rulers, Hunan already had important potential, of course, objectively speaking, the development of Hunan and Chang'an and other places in this period was still very different, if not too politely, indeed, Hunan in this period was indeed "barbaric", therefore, a large number of criminal subjects were exiled here, including Li Bai, Yuan Jie, Liu Zongyuan, Liu Yuxi, Yuan Shu and a large number of cultural masters.
In terms of politics, Lü Wen, the Ming Chancellor at the time, commented on the uniqueness of Hunan's political geographical location, "Seven counties in the lake, Luo Pressure upstream, Right Zhen Fangman, Left Chi Ouyue, Control of Jiaoguang's Household, Choke the Throat of Wu Genus, Wings Zhang Four Corners, Bundles of Thousands of Miles, and the Safety and Security of the World."
This statement is actually very reasonable, and in connection with the later chaos of the late Tang Dynasty, it is not too much to say that it is reasonable.
Above_ The General Outline of the Martial Classics is a military work by the Northern Song Dynasty officials, written by Zeng Gongliang and Ding Du, the wenchen of the Song Dynasty
After the Northern Song Dynasty, this understanding became more in-depth, and it was mentioned in the "General Outline of the Martial Classics" that Hunan "borders Ezhu in the east, Xidong in the west, Wuling in the south, and Han in the north." Its people are fierce and fierce, and they have the courage to fight privately. From nan county, Lingyi, Luxi, chenyang counties and miscellaneous barbarians, scattered in the valley, and outside of which there are Qiangzhou County, when the years of repairing tribute, invading the border, the imperial court according to the key to defend. Whoever leads the army in the city and chooses a military cadre to fill his duties. His Dingchen Gorge Tan quan Shao Yong Prefecture, still recruited Tu Ding, set up village generals, and mixed with the officers and soldiers on the boundary. ”
It is not enough that the importance of geography was discovered, Hunan officially began rapid development, dating back to the second year of Zong Guangde in the Tang Dynasty, when the "Hunan Capital Regiment Practiced Guarding, Capturing and Observing and Disposing of the Envoy", referred to as the "Hunan Observation Envoy", the establishment of the Hunan Observation Envoy quelled the military rebellion launched by Zang Jiu, so that Hunan could develop peacefully under unified command to a certain extent.
By the end of the Tang Dynasty, a large number of northerners had moved south in order to flee, and a large number of scholars with advanced technology or relatively high cultural levels had moved in.
Above_ Map of the Southern Song Dynasty (Mongolia, Jin, Western Xia, Southern Song Dynasty)
The Southern Song Dynasty was in a quiet corner, the center of political economy naturally moved to the southeast, and Hunan became the hinterland of the Southern Song Dynasty's rule during this period, and it was also the main source of taxation, and it was also the transportation hub of the north and the south, and its significance was unique in all aspects, whether it was political, economic, cultural or military.
Li Gang of the Southern Song Dynasty said, "Jinghu Lake, the upper reaches of the country, its land is thousands of miles, zhuge Liang said that it is a country of martial arts." The present-day imperial court retains the southeast and controls the northwest. The area around Jiading, Li, Yue, and Eruojingnan should all be heavily armed with tunsu and rely on the situation so that Sichuan's orders can be passed, while the voices of Xiang and Han can be received, and there is a gradual restoration of the Central Plains. Moreover, most of the festivals in Hunan are famous people, such as Li Gang, Xin Shuyi, Zhu Xi, etc., which shows the status of Hunan.
Economically, Hunan is the most important source of taxation, militarily, Hunan is the bridgehead of the northern return to the Central Plains, and culturally, Hunan's status is not much more than enough. For example, the rise of a large number of academies, including Yuelu Academy, Shigu Academy, etc., especially Yuelu Academy, has a very far-reaching impact after that. Of course, there are other academies in Hunan, such as Lupan Academy, Duling Academy, and so on. It is just that Yuelu Academy and Shigu Academy are very brilliant, and they are known as the four major colleges in the country.
It was also from this time that Hunan became a cultural and educational center that echoed the south and north of Qilu.
Probably because of this, after the Song Dynasty, Hunan can be described as a generation of talents, even if only the modern figures are counted, there are Also Wei Yuan, Zeng Guofan, Zuo Zongtang, Tan Sitong and so on.
Zeng Guofan (1811–1872)
In summary, hunan in ancient times, it belonged to an important member of the Chinese civilization circle, and it can even be said to be one of the birthplaces. It was only with the fall of the Chu state that the economic and political center of gravity shifted north in an all-round way, causing Hunan to be marginalized for a time and regarded as a "barbarian land" and a place where Han and Tang officials demeaned.
However, with the gradual southward shift of the economic center of gravity after the Tang Dynasty, it became the most important hinterland at the time of the Southern Song Dynasty, and the economic, political, military, cultural and other aspects have an unconcealable brilliance. To this day, the so-called "no Xiang, no army" is a brilliant example.