In the class on the history of the Chinese legal system, the lesson about the regime of Wang Mang in the new dynasty was not the focus of the exam, and the teacher only took a few words.
Although many years have passed, I still remember the teacher's joking words: "Wang Mang is just a person who wants to establish a socialist country in the Western Han Dynasty more than two thousand years ago." ”
This caused a lot of laughter, and everyone thought it was absurd.
With the blessing of the history books, Wang Mang has almost become a "clown" in history for more than two thousand years.
He was a founding emperor and a fallen emperor;
His throne came from the most revered Zen system of Confucianism, but he was still criticized by the world as a usurper and traitor;
He wanted to build an ideal and harmonious country, but divorced from reality, in just 15 years of political power, all the ideas and construction of the "ideal country" were ultimately a dream of Huang Liang.
In the Western Han Dynasty more than 2,000 years ago, Wang Mang's political system and ideas for governing the world were inevitably too advanced.
Including excavated bronze calipers, very modern.
Because it is incompatible with that era, many people think that Wang Mang is a modern person who crossed to the Western Han Dynasty.
Does this claim really have credibility?
01
In "Xiang Rui. In the book "Wang Mang and His Time", the author Zhang Xiangrong once issued such a question: "After Yao Shun, Chan Rang was called emperor, was Wang Mang an elected holy lord, or a sinner who usurped The Han Dynasty?" ”
As we all know, Wang Mang's evaluation in history is not very high, and the main reason is from the filter of Wang Mang in the history books.
In the history books, the titles of usurpers and traitors and chaotic courtiers and thieves are more to warn future generations not to be traitors to the country.
However, there is one point, Wang Mang's throne was actually obtained through Zen concessions.
On the night of the death of the Han Emperor, the situation outside the palace changed, and at this time, the then empress dowager urgently summoned Wang Mang into the palace and began a crazy political power transfer journey.
As Wang Mang's aunt, the reason why empress dowager Wang Shi saw Wang Mang at this time was also out of trust in her mother's family.
As a dynasty inheriting the Qin system, the Western Han Dynasty was too strong from the beginning of its establishment.
Lü Hou, who had a former Muji Sichen, to the later Dou family, and then to the Wang family, as a foreign relative and magnate, the power far exceeded that of other dynasties.
This is also an inevitable product of the development of the centralized system.
02
Before Wang Mang sat on the throne, he created a perfect "Confucian layman" for himself.
In that era, Wang Mang was like a Virgo, always cherishing feathers.
Other family members of the family sound color dog horse, he self-cultivation;
The other family is arrogant and arrogant in power, and he treats people with respect, humility and courtesy.
Although there are not a few Confucian self-cultivators, Wang Mang is also too perfect, saying that there is no fish in the clear water, what is hidden behind Wang Mang's perfect image?
Later, Wang Mang slowly showed his nature in the struggle for power and profit.
His son made a mistake and forced his son to kill himself in order to show his selflessness;
The political enemies rebelled against the Nine Tribes, and the cruelty of the means was frightening.
In the process of fighting for power and profit, the selfish, hypocritical, and indifferent face behind Wang Mang's mask is revealed.
As a person who respected Confucianism, Wang Mang used the symbol of Confucian culture, that is, "Xiangrui", to explain all natural and man-made disasters, and controlled the public opinion of the entire dynasty.
He also used these "auspicious rui" to eliminate the political enemies who stood in front of him one by one and reached the peak of his power in his life.
At this time, it was also an inevitable trend to accept zen concessions to establish a new dynasty regime.
03
Everything in the world is the most exquisite "balance", with "auspicious rui", there will naturally be "disasters".
With the expectation of a better tomorrow promised by Wang Mang and the Confucians, everyone sent away the Western Han Dynasty and ushered in the new Wang Mang regime.
But if Wang Mang could really open up a peaceful and prosperous world, there would be no later Eastern Han Dynasty.
Wang Mang's idealism did not land after all.
After ascending the throne, Wang Mang used the name of Confucianism to make a mess of the Western Han regime.
Having the will to govern the country but not having the ability to govern the country, forcibly suppressing the Xiongnu, the border is unstable, and causing internal and external troubles in the country.
Reach out and hit walls everywhere.
Before he ascended the throne, he probably never expected that there was such a big gap between his personal ideals and his actual landing.
Mr. Zhang Xiangrong's book "Xiangrui" clearly pointed out that Confucianism can be used as a guide to limit the behavior of emperors, but as a direct means of governing the country and the state, it has great limitations.
The reason is that there is no other, but in the human heart.
The complexity of the human heart is far more than the "one-word" words of the ancient saints.
For governing the country and the people, no one person or school of thought can propose a solution once and for all.
04
In "Xiang Rui. In the book review of "Wang Mang and His Time", there is such a sentence: "Looking at Wang Mang and his era, the first half is the growth history of a master of power and strategists, and the second half is the history of the usurper's loss of control." ”
When he was in the opposition, Wang Mang could rely on the public opinion of "Xiangrui" to create a momentum for himself and push all the "disasters" to the reigning emperor.
After ascending the throne, Wang Mang was the emperor, and he could not escape all the "auspicious rui" and "calamity".
At this time, Wang Mang was unable to fulfill the perfect promises of Confucianism, and those past "auspicious rui" also became the "disasters" that overwhelmed the new dynasty.
And the Western Han Dynasty is vast, in this land, how can everything be auspicious, and there will be no disasters in any year or place?
In the end, the "xiangrui" in Wang Mang's mouth also became a trick that everyone knew, and everyone was playing a trick on the scene, and the empire was going to perish step by step.
Therefore, Wang Mang is just Qin Han groping for lessons learned under the centralized system, and countless people have given him a layer of color crossing, but in fact, he is just a master of power schemes that is out of control.
《Xiang Rui》
Author: Zhang Xiangrong
Subtitle: Wang Mang and His Times