From the perspective of women's courtiers, Wu Zetian is not the first person, there is a history of women who set an example for Wu Zetian, that is, the Empress Dowager Feng of Northern Wei, today we will briefly talk about Empress Dowager Feng, from a positive perspective to understand this historical first queen in an all-round way.
Entering the palace at a young age has experienced the world
Empress Dowager Feng (442-490), known as Feng Shuyi, was born as a nobleman but had a legendary life. The Northern Wei general Feng Qiao led troops to conquer Rouran, but was defeated and surrendered, and the emperor killed the Feng family. His nephew Feng Lang was given death, and Lang's son Feng Xi fled to the Qiang tribe to save his life. Her daughter Feng Shuyi experienced several twists and turns, and entered the palace as a sin at the age of eight as a maid, and because of her intelligence and agility, she became the companion of the young prince Tuoba Pu.
Later, when he was only thirteen years old, Tuoba Huan became emperor and became Emperor Wencheng. At the age of eleven, Feng was elected a nobleman and then empress. Emperor Wencheng did not informalize ethnic composition, and used capable ministers from Han nationality, which had a great influence on Feng. In a few years, the Feng family has risen from a lowly palace maid to the mother of the world, which can be said to ascend to heaven in one step, and she has long been familiar with world affairs and has insight into human feelings, so she is not arrogant.
Rouran invaded Northern Wei, and Empress Feng recalled her brother Feng Xi, who was hiding in the Qiang department, to lead troops to fight the Rouran army, winning a complete victory and washing away the shame of the Feng family. Emperor Wencheng died young when he was only twenty-six years old. At the time of the fire sacrifice, Empress Feng was martyred in the sea of fire in mourning and was rescued by the attendant Li Yi. Feng Zhi's martyrdom may feel that his fate is bad, he has nothing to rely on, and he is born without love. After being reborn, it seems that I have an epiphany, and my attitude towards life has changed greatly.
The reward and punishment for killing are determined by Russia
The Northern Wei Tuoba clan was originally a nomadic people, with little defense of men and women, and the concept of chastity was weak. After the death of Emperor Wencheng, Empress Dowager Feng, who was more than twenty years old, could not bear the cold and cold, and lived lonely, so she chose Wei'an Junyi as her companion. Li Yi once rescued Empress Dowager Feng in the sea of fire, and was dignified and understanding, so he was deeply favored by Empress Dowager Feng, and often entered the palace. Later, Li Yi and his brother were falsely accused, and Emperor Xianwen took the opportunity to order the killing of Li Yi's brother, and promoted the false accuser Li Xin to Shangshu and participate in state affairs, making Empress Dowager Feng intolerable.
Emperor Wen was good at Huang Lao's study of the Tao, loved to talk with Shi Dafu and Shamen about metaphysics, showed thin wealth and wealth, and was tired of national politics. In the fifth year of Huangxing (471), the throne was given to the five-year-old crown prince Tuobahong, known in history as Emperor Xiaowen. The eighteen-year-old Emperor Xianwen became Emperor Taishang. Emperor Hou could not help but be lonely, and the state affairs wanted to tell him, and he interacted with foreign envoys, which caused Empress Dowager Feng's dissatisfaction. In 476, Emperor Taishang was summoned to Jin, and Empress Dowager Feng, who was captured by ambushes, forcibly placed under house arrest, and subsequently died, all said to have been harmed by Empress Dowager Feng.
Empress Dowager Feng was clever and decisive, grew up in the deep palace, experienced the hidden battles and murderous intentions in the palace, honed to the point that she was no longer gentle and submissive, but decisive in decision-making, and was good at using power to control the courtiers. After the death of Emperor Xianwen, the political situation became turbulent again. In order to achieve long-term peace and stability and consolidate power, Empress Dowager Feng rectified the dynasty, showing both grace and power, and showed superb political wisdom.
First, Empress Dowager Feng killed Li Xin, who falsely accused Li Yi's brother of death, and murdered Emperor Xiaowen's maternal grandfather, Li Hui, the Prince of Nanjun, and his family for treason. Some ministers angrily drew their swords and killed themselves because Emperor Xianwen was killed, but Empress Dowager Feng not only did not blame him, but issued an edict to reward him with a clear distinction between right and wrong. Empress Dowager Feng also got rid of the hated corrupt officials and dealt with the history of greedy foreign assassinations, establishing a good image of the imperial court rectifying the rule of officials. Some who are honest and honest officials receive different degrees of commendation and rewards.
After Empress Dowager Feng became pro-government again, she raised a man of merit as a confidant and appointed him as a confidant. Without scruples, she selected many great men as her new favorite, and the group was loyal to her core. Among them are the Tuoba nobles, Han celebrities; There were court ministers, and there were inner court eunuchs. Many Han celebrities are her guests and favored ministers. Wang Ying of Taiyuan and Li Chong of Longxi are the cousins of the powerful ministers. Empress Dowager Feng was wise and wise, and the reward and punishment for killing were determined by Russia, and the imperial court was both powerful and blessed, and everyone was sincerely loyal.
Carefully cultivate young masters and achieve the merits of Emperor Xiaowen
Empress Dowager Feng once felt that Emperor Xiaowen was too intelligent, worried that it would be unfavorable to her in the future, and wanted to depose him. Some eunuchs made a fool of Empress Dowager Feng and said bad things about Emperor Xiaowen, and Empress Dowager Feng was angry and beat him up. But Emperor Xiaowen accepted silently and did not plead. Finally, Empress Dowager Feng was touched by the purity of Emperor Xiaowen, and thereafter cultivated this supreme imperial grandson as a kind grandmother.
Empress Dowager Feng watched Emperor Xiaowen grow up day by day, and personally composed more than 300 chapters of the "Exhortation Song" and 18 chapters of the "Emperor's Edict", as a guideline for his study and behavior, and the key to governing the world. Empress Dowager Feng practiced frugality in life. At the beginning of the dynasty, she ordered that eagles and birds were forbidden to pay tribute everywhere. Worn on weekdays, it is all silk fabric without floral decoration. As for the meal, eating only a few cases only a few feet wide reduced the original recipe by eighty-nine tenths, put an end to extravagance, and made Emperor Xiaowen also develop a thrifty and simple character.
In September of the fourteenth year of Taihe (490 AD), the forty-nine-year-old Empress Dowager Feng died in the Taihe Hall. Her dying will was to perform a thrifty burial service, and there was no ware in the mausoleum, and no porcelain tiles. But Emperor Xiaowen finally buried his grandmother in the specifications of a monarch. Later, Emperor Xiaowen moved the capital to Luoyang, fully implemented Sinicization, and carried forward the great cause of reform, and Empress Dowager Feng also became a blind eye.