Wei Zheng was a famous sage and courtier of the Tang Dynasty, and he used the Confucian ideas of "benevolence" and "xinyi" to help Li Shimin promote the "rule of zhenguan" and achieved outstanding results. Wei Zheng provided general guidelines and policies for the governance of the country of Datang, and his contribution cannot be ignored.
I. Wei Zheng laid the ideological foundation for the "rule of Zhenguan"
At the beginning of the Revolution of the Chinese dynasties, there was a debate on political and philosophical thought: whether to govern a country should be based on the ideas of the French, or the ideas of Confucianism, or others?
Qin Shi Huang ruled the country with the idea of a lawyer, and eventually died due to severe punishment. At the beginning of the Han Dynasty, huang lao thought was used to govern the country, let the people rest and recuperate, and the country lasted for a long time. In the end, which one is more advanced and more suitable for the national conditions at that time?
During the tang dynasty, there was a debate over this outbreak. The two parties involved, one is Wei Zheng, and the other is Feng Deyi. Feng Deyi was a member of the Shandong Shi clan, and his first thought was to defend the private property of the landlord class, so he advocated "curing the chaotic world and practicing heavy rules" and using "severe punishment and harsh law" against the people.
Wei Zheng, on the other hand, held the opposite view, believing that after the great chaos, the people's minds should be at peace, and the government decree should be lenient. According to Confucianism, management is based on integrity. Telling the people about credit and using morality to persuade them will naturally win the hearts and minds of the people. Those who win the hearts and minds of the people will naturally settle the world.
Facts have proved that Li Yuan initially suppressed the people with the ideas of Feng Deyi and other Shandong scholars, and finally caused Liu Heimin to revolt repeatedly. After a few years, Li Shimin praised Wei Zheng's ideas.
Li Shimin said: At the beginning of Zhenguan, everyone in the world said that this was a chaotic world and that the royal way could not be implemented. As a result, I listened to Wei Zheng's words, and in just a few years, the country was already stable, and all the foreign countries came to pay tribute. Countries like the Turks have always been enemies of our country, and now they are all beginning to wear Chinese clothes, which is all the credit of Wei Zheng!
Second, Wei Zheng made efforts for the smooth implementation of the "rule of Zhenguan"
After the reign of Zhenguan, because of the promotion of benevolence and integrity, the productivity of the people was quickly restored and improved. But within two years, Li Shimin began to "rebel."
After three years of Zhenguan, Li Shimin issued an edict to grant tax exemption to Guanzhong. It is said that the tax exemption is two years, and the result is only one year of implementation. For Li Shimin's behavior of changing from day to night, Wei Zheng wrote a letter of severe criticism. He said: Even when the country encounters danger, it must not lose faith in the people. If they lose faith to the people, how can the people still obey the orders of the monarch?
Because of the problem of conscription, Emperor Taizong followed the advice of the Guanlong nobles and wanted to recruit underage boys. His reasoning was that although their age did not meet the standards of conscription, they were physically fit and could fight for the country, which was opposed by Wei Zheng. Wei Zheng said: Fishing with all your might, only caring about the immediate interests, one day there will be no fish to catch. Burn down the woods to hunt, will there be any animals to catch next year? If all the Zhuang Ding are conscripted into the war, who will cultivate the land for the country?
Later, because of the remarkable results achieved in the rule of Zhenguan, Li Shimin became proud again. Everywhere he flaunted to people how high his achievements were in the world at the age of seventeen or eighteen. Wei Zheng also wrote the Ten Thoughts of Emperor Taizong to persuade him to correct his behavior. Because Wei Zheng advocated "listening to both is bright, partial listening is dark" and helping Li Shimin select talents, the rule of Zhenguan can finally succeed. Otherwise, as long as Li Shimin relaxes a little, this change may die.
epilogue
In folk legends, Wei Zheng is just an image of a loyal courtier. Therefore, many people misunderstand that in addition to his stubbornness and boldness, he actually has no substantial contribution to the country. In fact, for the governance of a country, the formulation of major policies and unremitting implementation is the most need for foresight and talent.
If Li Shimin had killed Wei Zheng in the first place, then the rule of Zhenguan would still have been greatly affected. Of course, although Wei Zheng was talented, he also needed Li Shimin to listen to it. Famous horses are equipped with famous generals, and good ministers serve Ming Jun. In the reign of Zhenguan, Li Shimin himself was the first meritorious person, but it could not belittle the important role played by Wei Zheng, a sage.