Former Qin (350-394), one of the regimes of the Sixteen Kingdoms of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, served a total of six lords and enjoyed the kingdom for forty-four years. During the reign of Gong Jian, the central government, economic development, and great national power even unified the north.
The national strength is so strong, why has it failed to complete the grand cause of unifying the world? If Wang Meng, the sage, did not die before completing the unification process, would Former Qin be able to unify the world?
Please listen to the author's breakdown.
Wang Meng (王猛), courtesy name Jingluo, was born in the third year (325) of emperor Taining of the Ming Dynasty in Ju County, Beihai County, Qingzhou (present-day southeast of Shouguang, Shandong). Wang Meng was an important political and military figure during the Sixteen Kingdoms period. Former Qin officials to chancellors had an important influence on Former Qin's unification of the north.
Jian Jian (338-385), also spelled Yonggu, was an outstanding politician during the Sixteen Kingdoms period. He admired the advanced culture of the Han nationality, and when he was young, he worshiped Han scholars as his teachers, learned and memorized strongly, and was both literate and martial, and set up a great ambition to govern the people through the ages and unify the world. At that time, Jian Jian died, and the successor to the throne was cruel and cruel, taking pleasure in killing people, and the tyranny was better than Shi Hu. Seeing that Hou Zhao's rut was right in front of him, Jian Jian couldn't help but be worried, and finally decided to get rid of Xiang Sheng. When he asked Lü Li for advice on how to get rid of Wang Meng, Lü Li recommended Wang Meng, and Jian Jian sent Lü to implore Wang Meng to come out of the mountain.
The two of them talked happily at first sight, just as Liu Bei was to Zhuge Liang in those years. Wang Meng stayed by Jian Jian's side and advised him.
The first thing Wang Meng did for Jian Jian was to rejuvenate the country
。 At that time, there were a number of dignitaries inside and outside the imperial court, who relied on the same clan as the royal family or had merit, which was very arrogant. Wang Meng aimed his spearhead at them first. In 359, When Wang Meng heard that the empress dowager's brother Qiangde was committing a drunken crime and robbing men and women, the influence was very bad, so he immediately arrested him and executed him without waiting for a report. Subsequently, Wang Meng also cooperated with Yushi Zhongzhong and Deng Qiang to thoroughly investigate the Gongqing Doctor who harmed the people's chaotic government and eliminate more than twenty powerful people. This feat can be said to have greatly caused evil to the people! In the midst of the government and the opposition, hundreds of officials were shocked. The domineering Hao Right finally got jealous and began to relent.
Jian Jian once sighed: "Until today, I didn't know that there is a law in the world, and the Son of Heaven is noble!" ”
Wang Meng also asked Jian Jian to select competent cadres to inspect the four sides and Rong Yi and rectify the localities.
Just as the so-called "those who have talents will win the world", while punishing evil and eliminating bad, Wang Meng also paid great attention to recommending and appointing talents.
For example, after the fall of the Yanchen Liang Chen, he did not yield to his will and could not be reused, Wang Meng did not avoid suspicion and recruited him to be an important subordinate of his own. For those who are vegetarians in the corpse position, Wang Meng will not tolerate them.
He helped Jian Jian establish a system of rewards and punishments for recommending and rewarding officials and evaluating officials
。 This move changed the Nine-Pin Zhongzheng system on which the Shi clan relied for a monopoly on their careers, and negated the backward concept of many Hu warlords since the Sixteen Kingdoms who believed in force and despised culture. Wang Meng's measures have effectively improved the quality of officials and also changed the social atmosphere and public order.
The second thing Wang Meng did was to set up education and cultivate talents
。 Under his guidance, Former Qin restored Taixue and local schools at all levels, and vigorously promoted Confucianism. As a result, the advanced traditional Culture of the Han Nationality was quickly revived in the north, and the cultivation of the bureaucratic reserve contingent gradually entered the right track.
The third thing Wang Meng did was to adjust ethnic relations and promote ethnic integration
。 Former Qin abolished the law of "Hu and Han division", and the various ethnic groups lived together and merged with each other. The Xiongnu, Xianbei, Wuhuan, Qiang, and so on all submitted.
The fourth thing Wang Meng did was to build water conservancy, reward nongsang, and develop social production
。 The Former Qin government requisitioned 30,000 rich servants, dug mountains and embankments, and dredged ditches to irrigate terraces and saline land. At the same time, it has also increased the agricultural population by summoning displaced people and relocating them to customs. Various measures greatly enhanced the material foundation of Former Qin.
Under the rule of Wang Meng, Former Qin became a non-negligible presence among the kingdoms, able to compete with the crowd. In this process, Wang Meng often led the army to fight, and the attack must be conquered and the battle must be won. On the issue of reunification, Wang Meng and Jian Jian's strategy is:
Stabilize the northwest so that there is no worries about the future; contend for the southeast in order to achieve great things.
366
—In 376, between ten years, Former Qin unified the north
。
The situation already seems to be very clear, and it is only a matter of time before Former Qin unifies the whole country. However, Wang Meng became ill and finally fell ill in June of the eleventh year of Jianyuan (375). Jian Jian personally prayed for Wang Meng and sent his attendants to pray all over the famous mountains and rivers. However, Wang Meng's health was still deteriorating. In July of this year,
Wang Meng was critically ill and dying
Still don't forget the advice
"Although the Jin Dynasty was secluded in Jiangnan, it was Orthodox in China, and it was peaceful from top to bottom. After the death of his subjects, His Majesty must not attempt to destroy the Jin Dynasty. Xianbei and Xiqiang are the enemies of the mainland, and sooner or later they will become a scourge, and they should be gradually eradicated for the benefit of the country. ”
After saying that, I will pass away. Jian Jian came to the coffin three times to pay tribute, wept bitterly, and even said to Prince Gonghong: "Heaven does not want me to dominate the world, how can I take away my scenery so quickly?" The whole country of Qin also cried out in the wilderness, and it did not stop for three days.
After Wang Meng's death, Jian Jian scrupulously abided by his legacy and enabled the country to continue to develop steadily. He also quickly destroyed the former Liang and Dai kingdoms and achieved the complete unification of the north. Former Qin zhen was extremely prosperous.
Then, will Hou Qin, who left Wang Meng, still develop unaffected and eventually unify the whole country?
Unfortunately, a few years later, Jian Jian still violated Wang Meng's teachings and launched the famous "Battle of Shuishui" against the Eastern Jin Dynasty, and the result was a complete defeat.
The upper echelons of the Xianbei and Qiang tribes took the opportunity to raise troops to rebel, and one after another divided themselves to stand on their own, and the unification situation of Former Qin became only fragmented, and Wang Meng's greatest fear still happened.
In the twenty-first year of Jianyuan (385), Jian Jian was killed by Yao Cang
Nine years later, Former Qin perished. Former Qin, which had been prominent for a while, finally ushered in the curtain.
As a generation of sages, Wang Meng had excellent military and political acumen. His long-term vision and meticulous thinking enabled Former Qin to develop and prosper and unify the north. However, if Wang Meng's death was the main reason why Former Qin failed to unify the country, if he was still alive, Former Qin would certainly be able to unify the world, which would also be biased. After all, history cannot say "what if", and the success of the king and the defeat of the king also have both strength and fortune. Although the power of the later Qin state is prosperous, it may not have the strength to dominate the world, or rather
lack
Timing of unification
Even Wang Meng himself warned Jian Jian not to destroy Jin during his lifetime. History is long, and there may have been infinite possibilities, but in the end the dust has settled.