【Historical Story】Rewriting the History of the Ming Dynasty: The Half-Monk and Half-Vulgar Daming "First Strange Man"

Yao Guangxiao was born as a monk, and with the heart of birth, he did the work of entering the world, changing the historical trajectory of the Ming Dynasty.

If we talk about the most cattle monk in the Ming Dynasty, it is definitely Zhu Yuanzhang. But if you want to ask the monk of the second cow, I guess you won't be able to answer. If you want to ask the first strange man of the Ming Dynasty, many people will answer Liu Bowen, because he "knew five hundred years before and five hundred years later." The protagonist of this article can truly be called the odd man who tied for the first place with Liu Bowen in the 276-year history of the Ming Dynasty.

Like Ming Taizu, he was also born as a monk, changing the historical trajectory of the Ming Dynasty. After he became famous, as the "first meritorious man", he did the things of entering the world with the heart of birth, chose a half-minister and half-hidden life, and died at the age of eighty-four. In addition, planning the city of Beijing and editing encyclopedias is also not a problem.

This person is: Yao Guangxiao

1. Abandoning medicine and converting to Buddhism

In 1335, Yao Guangxiao was born in the family of Langzhong in the countryside of present-day Suzhou. His grandfather and father were both healers, and although their lives were simple and hard, they could do good deeds and were deeply loved by the villagers.

It seems that Yao Guangxiao took over his father's mantle as a matter of course. But when he was fourteen years old, he told his father: "I don't want to study medicine, I am willing to study, and in the future I will earn an official and a half-job, so that I can do a great job of honoring my ancestors." ”

You know, in the Yuan Dynasty, the Han people wanted to enter the dynasty as an official, especially for the yao family, who had no power and no power, and wanting to obtain an official and a half position was tantamount to ascending to heaven. However, Yao Guangxiao's uncle said: In order to learn and succeed, then serve in the dynasty, honor your parents, or study Buddhism, for the pleasure of fangwai.

Following his uncle's advice, his father sent Yao Guangxiao to the nearby Myoji-an temple to become a monk and take the dharma name Daoyan.

Although he became a monk, Yao Guangxiao's desire to join the army did not change. Usually, in addition to studying Buddhism diligently, he also taught himself the art of war and even Confucianism, and later ran to learn the yin and yang techniques from the Taoist priest Xi Yingzhen.

Once, Yao Guangxiaoyun traveled to Songshan Temple and happened to meet the warlock Yuan Jue, who said that he was a "foreign monk", "shaped like a sick tiger, and sexually murderous", and Liu Bingzhong was a kind of person. (Liu Bingzhong was an important advisor who helped Kublai Khan establish the Yuan Dynasty.) ）

At this time, the world was the years of warlord chaos and flames, and Yao Guangxiao, who had already stood up, longed to leave his name on this historical stage, but until Zhu Yuanzhang, who was also a monk, unified the country, Yao Guangxiao did not wait for his own opportunity.

In the eighth year of Ming Hongwu, Yao Guangxiao was summoned by the Ministry of Rites to the Beijing Examination, but unfortunately he was named Sun Shan, and then he was assigned to the Xishan Haiyun Courtyard in Suzhou, in the state of "sitting in danger all day long without passing guests", staying for several years.

Finally, after seven years, the opportunity to change yao Guangxiao's fate in life came.

2. Take the initiative to self-propose

In this year, Empress Bigfoot died, and Zhu Yuanzhang decided to select a high-ranking monk to serve his sons, Yao Guangxiao's good friend, Zong Shu of Zuo Shanji of the Sanglu Temple at the time, took the opportunity to recommend him to the Beijing Division.

The 48-year-old Yao Guangxiao saw zhu Di, the king of Yan, looking dignified and angry, and thought, "Once this opportunity is missed, I am afraid that it will be difficult to seek in this life", so he took the initiative to introduce himself. Zhu Di only saw this monk, nearly half a hundred years old, his appearance was not proud, his posture was bloated, the only thing that was impressive was a pair of triangular eyes, but he did not take him seriously and did not want to accept him.

Seeing the situation, Yao Guangxiao turned his heart sideways and whispered in Zhu Di's ear, "If the poor monk can be used by His Highness, he will certainly be able to offer you a white hat." "If you add white to the head of the king, isn't that the word "emperor"? To say such a thing is a great act of rebellion. After Zhu Di listened, his eyes stared sharply at the monk in front of him, and he didn't say a word.

These few seconds may be the most difficult moment in Yao Guangxiao's life. Then, Zhu Di motioned for the monk to borrow a step to speak. Yao Guangxiao breathed a sigh of relief, he knew that he had made the right bet this time.

The two found a secluded place to chat freely, the conversation was quite speculative, and both sides had the feeling of seeing each other and hating each other. After returning home, Zhu Di immediately proposed to Zhu Yuanzhang that he wanted this Daoyan monk.

After arriving in Beiping, although Yao Guangxiao abbot of Qingshou Temple, he often "went in and out of the palace, the traces were very dense, and the language was always screened." The palace here is Zhu Di's palace. It can be seen that the relationship between the two is already very close at this time.

3. Plan to raise troops

In 1398, Zhu Yuanzhang fell ill and died. Zhu Yunjiao, who was only 21 years old, took the throne with the era name Jianwen.

After Emperor Jianwen ascended the throne, at the instigation of his cronies, he began to cut down the domain, and Yao Guangxiao knew that there was not much time left for Zhu Di.

Because the next target that Emperor Jianwen aimed at was probably the most powerful Yan King among the kings of the clan.

Yao Guangxiao recommended Zhu Di to raise an army, but the King of Yan, who had always been decisive and resolute, hesitated at this time, "Uncle's crusade against his nephew seems to be unpopular, and now public opinion is inclined to the imperial court." ”

Yao Guangxiao said, "The subject only knows that the Heavenly Dao is like this, and he doesn't care about the people's hearts." He also called his friend Yuan Jue to meet Zhu Di, and after hearing the evaluation that "walking like a dragon and a tiger, with a high forehead, and a Taiping Tianzi", Zhu Di finally made up his mind to win over the army and recruit soldiers.

Yao Guangxiao, on the other hand, took on the job of logistics commander, training troops in the backyard of the palace. What if I don't have weapons? "It's okay, we'll build it ourselves." The movement of building weapons is too big, what should I do if I am accused? "It's okay, I'll find a way."

Yao Guangxiao ordered the people to build a large basement, and made a wall of solid stones, and then attached clay to make the wall uneven, and the surrounding trees were walled, and ducks, geese and other poultry were raised outside the wall, so that the basement was jingling and doing hot, but the people outside could not hear it at all. This soundproofing predates foreign countries by more than 500 years.

At Yao Guangxiao's suggestion, Zhu Di pretended to be crazy and stupid in front of the world, ran to the homes of citizens to grab food, and wore cotton jackets and roasted stoves in the house in the summer, in order to paralyze the people sent by the imperial court to monitor him.

Originally, the plan was proceeding step by step, but an accident disrupted their plans and forced Zhu Di to raise an army in advance.

4. Strategize

In June of the first year of Jianwen, a hundred households in the Yan Dynasty denounced Zhu Di for secretly plotting a rebellion. Instead of waiting for the imperial court to send troops to arrest it, it was better to strike first, and at this time, Zhu Di would have to do the opposite.

On the night of the uprising, when the storm was approaching, suddenly a vicious wind blew and blew the eaves of the palace down. Since the wind blowing down the tiles was regarded as an ominous omen at that time, Zhu Di and others could not help but change their faces.

Yao Guangxiao said, "This is a good omen! The flying dragon is in the sky, and there must be wind and rain following. The green tiles fell, and it was time to use the emperor's yellow tiles instead. "This is how to stabilize the hearts and minds of the military."

The early battles were very unsmooth, although the army led by Zhu Di was brave and good at fighting, but due to the weakness of the troops, as the imperial army gradually increased, the war fell into a state of stalemate.

In October, when Zhu Di led a large army to attack Daning, the imperial court commander Li Jinglong took the opportunity to besiege Beiping.

Yao Guangxiao commanded the bitter battle and persevered, and even the women and children in the city threw stones to resist the attack of the imperial army during the day. In the evening, Yao Guangxiao sent strong men to sneak down the city wall to sneak up on the enemy army, and finally insisted on returning from the reinforcements, and they should cooperate inside and outside and win a big victory.

Although Yao Guangxiao had always been ordered to stay in Beiping and did not go out with the army, in the process of Zhu Di's army, "whenever there was indecision or when the army was unfavorable, he asked Guangxiao in a letter, and Guangxiao reached it." ”

Zhu Di besieged the city of Jinan, which was defended by Tie Xuan, for three months. Yao Guangxiao wrote a letter of persuasion: "The troops are tired, please ask the class division to return to Beiping." ”

At the Time of Dongchang, when the Yan army was defeated and Zhu Di planned to rest slightly, Yao Guangxiao insisted on recruiting warriors to actively prepare for the battle, and finally attacked it and defeated the Shengyong and broken Xishui Village.

Yao Guangxiao then suggested that Zhu Di bypass large and medium-sized cities and plunge directly into Nanjing, where the defense was weak. The reason is that the struggle for the throne between Zhu Di and Zhu Yun did not have much to do with ordinary people or even the ministers, and the key was the struggle for Nanjing, the capital division. Therefore, as long as You Take Nanjing, you will be finished.

Zhu Di listened to him and defeated the imperial army at Shuishui and Lingbi one after another, and crossed the Yangtze River into the Beijing Division.

5. Extremely civil official

In the three years since the start of the army, Yao Guangxiao has never commanded in battle. However, Zhu Di believes that "everything that is decided on the battlefield and defense is determined by Daoyan" and "the Daoyan is more powerful, and the merit is the first."

It is said that at this time, Yao Guangxiao wanted no reward at all. But Zhu Di asked Yao Guangxiao to grow his hair and return to the vulgar, but he did not agree; he rewarded him with two palace ladies, and he did not look at them; he gave him a mansion compound, and he did not go; he gave him a high-ranking official position, but he strictly refused, and only accepted a minor official from Liupin who was a monk and a monk, Zuo Shanshi.

There was a strange scene in front of the Yongle Emperor in the court, this old monk, facing the official clothes, and the lower dynasty changed into the monk's clothes and returned to the monastery.

Zhu Di was very sorry for his first counselor, and he also granted him the position of Zhengerpin of the Zishan Grand Master and the Prince's Young Master, making Yao Guangxiao an extremely civilian official, and never directly called him by his name, but honored him as "Young Master".

In June of the second year of Yongle, Yao Guangxiao finally waited for the opportunity to return to his hometown. Zhu Di ordered Yao Guangxiao to go to Suhu Lake as a Chincha to provide relief. After more than twenty years of leaving his hometown, his parents did not see his achievements and fame, and their spiritual seat was invited by Yao Guangxiao to enter the Miaozhi Nunnery, who was a monk when he was a teenager.

In his hometown of Changzhou, Yao Guangxiao distributed all the gold and silver rewarded by the emperor to his clan townspeople. When she wanted to see her sister, her sister closed the door and did not want to see him.

Go to see the old friend, the old friend is just a rumor, "The monk is wrong, the monk is wrong." Unwillingly, Yao Guangxiao went to find his sister again, but he was scolded by his sister, and he couldn't help but be confused.

Could it be that instigating and assisting the King of Yan to raise an army is, in the eyes of the people, committing a crime of rebellion and usurping power and seeking the throne?

In the three-year war, hundreds of thousands of dead and wounded, but in exchange for the peace of the world and the happiness of the people, will the sin be sent to hell, and there will be no redemption for eternity? Is my Yao Guangxiao a person who aids and abetts abuse in the eyes of the people of the world?

6. What is a wizard

Soon after Zhu Di ascended the throne, in order to deter the Mongols, he decided to move the capital to Beiping. The task of planning the capital fell to Yao Guangxiao.

At present, the central axis of Beijing City, the three halls of the Forbidden City, the nine-gate pattern of Beijing City, the construction of the Arrow Tower and the Urn City, the direction of the city wall and the building code are all planned by Yao Guangxiao. During the planning process, Yao Guangxiao drew a lot of inspiration from the architecture and layout of the Tanzhu Temple where he practiced, so now people often say: "First there is the Tanzhu Temple, and then there is the city of Beijing."

In order to highlight his Wenzhi martial arts, Zhu Di decided to compile the "Literature Dacheng". At first, the person who presided over the compilation and revision of the "Literature Dacheng" was a university scholar and the first assistant to the cabinet.

However, after the completion of the first draft, Zhu Di felt that he could not meet his requirements, so this work was installed on Yao Guangxiao. In the fifth year of Yongle, this encyclopedia with a word count of 370 million words was successfully completed under the auspices of Yao Guangxiao and was eventually named the Yongle Canon.

In the ninth year of Yongle, the seventy-seven-year-old Yao Guangxiao was once again appointed as a supervisor and presided over the re-editing of the Records of ming Taizu. This three revisions are a real rehash,

The time taken and the content of the book greatly exceeded the previous two revisions. Although Yao Guangxiao was not a nominal supervisor, he was a veritable organizer.

In the following six years, Yao Guangxiao conscientiously completed this complicated work. In addition to organizing the revision of books, Yao Guangxiao also designed and supervised the construction of the Yongle Bell, known as the "King of Chinese Bells".

In addition, Yao Guangxiao also undertook the tutoring and reading work of the crown prince Zhu Gaozi and the grandson Zhu Zhanji. His two imperial students also created the famous "Reign of Renxuan" in history.

7. Yes and no

In the sixteenth year of Yongle (1418), the 84-year-old Yao Guangxiao came to the end of his life.

On March 28, Yao Guangxiao died in his seat, and Zhu Di was so sad that he ordered the abolition of the second day of the dynasty and posthumously awarded him the title of Xuanli Wenchen (宣力文臣), Tejin Ronglu (特進荣禄大夫), Shangzhu Guo (上柱国), Rong Guo (荣国), and Rong Guo Gongjing (谥恭靖). He also respected Yao Guangxiao's wishes and was buried with the ceremony of a monk.

During the 36 years under Zhu Di, there was no gap between the master and the servant, and Zhu Di's respect and trust for Yao Guangxiao was consistent whether he was king or emperor.

Zhu Di entrusted the education of his eldest son and eldest grandson to Yao Guangxiao, which is the best proof. This is also rare in Zhu Di's personality.

In his lifetime, Yao Guangxiao was really a complex person, he was born at the end of the Yuan Dynasty, grew up in the early Ming Dynasty, and achieved Yongle. He was empty of all four things, detached from things, refused to be a high-ranking official, and donated all the bounties; but he also had ambitions, longed to make meritorious achievements, and honor his ancestors.

As Li Zhen, a famous thinker at the end of the Ming Dynasty, said: "For more than two hundred years in our country, we have rested and recuperated, and now we are here." Shi An is full of warmth, people forget their wars, all of them are the strength of Emperor Zuwen and Yao Shaoshi. ”

But in any case, these points are indisputable: Yao Guangxiao used his life's learning to participate in the construction of a prosperous world; he wandered between monks and officials with great political wisdom; he did his best to cultivate two benevolent students, not to mention the Yongle Canon, which can be recorded in the annals of history, and the pattern of the capital that has influenced the city to this day.