preface
After Qin Shi Huang unified the six kingdoms, he built a large-scale mausoleum in Xianyang and sent more than 700,000 criminals to build this underground palace. The mausoleum contains tens of thousands of terracotta warriors and horses who accompanied the burial sergeants, as well as many precious artifacts.
After the death of Qin Shi Huang, his son the second emperor Huan Hu succeeded to the throne, but was soon destroyed by the peasant rebel army led by Liu Bang. Although the Qin Dynasty was short-lived, it laid the foundation for China's two-thousand-year-old feudal empire. Qin Shi Huang was also known as the "Emperor of the Ages" by later generations.
After the establishment of the Western Han Dynasty, the national strength reached its peak during the period of Emperor Wudi of Han, and he repeatedly made several northern expeditions against the Xiongnu, expanding the territory of the Han Dynasty. Emperor Wudi of Han reigned for 54 years and is regarded as an outstanding monarch in Chinese history.
After the death of Emperor Wudi of Han, his son Emperor Zhao of Han succeeded him, but Emperor Zhao was incompetent, and the Han Dynasty began to decline. Emperor Wudi of Han and Qin Shi Huang were called "Emperor Hanwu of Qin" by later generations, becoming the representatives of two of the most outstanding emperors in Chinese history.
However, if we look at the actual merits and contributions to the development of the country alone, the achievements of Yang Jian, the founder of the Sui Dynasty, are superior. He carried out a series of political, legal, and economic reforms that brought the Sui Dynasty's national power to the peak and laid the foundation for the rise of the Tang Dynasty.
However, because Emperor Wen of Sui did not like flashiness, the simplicity of his mausoleum was more like that of ordinary people. Today, this truly "Emperor of the Ages" mausoleum is only a desolate mound.
One
In 581, after nearly four hundred years of chaotic division between the Northern and Southern Dynasties, Yang Jian proclaimed himself emperor in Chang'an, established the Sui Dynasty, ended the secession, and reunified China.
Yang Jian himself is not from a prominent background, his father Yang Zhong and mother Lu Kutao are just ordinary people. However, Yang Jian, with his extraordinary political skills and military talents, gradually mastered his strength and finally dominated the country.
After the unification of Jiangshan, Yang Jian adopted a series of reform measures, making the Sui Dynasty increasingly powerful. Politically, he revised the system of three provinces and six ministries and established the centralization of feudal dynasties; Legally, he promulgated the "Founding Law", deleted many strict regulations, and provided a certain degree of protection for the people's rights; Economically, he set up granaries throughout the country to reserve grain to support national development; In the selection of talents, he implemented the imperial examination system to absorb talents.
During the reign of Emperor Wen of Sui, he also built the Grand Canal to connect the Yangtze River and the Yellow River Valley, greatly promoting north-south communication. He launched several Northern Expeditions, repelled Turkic invasions, and defended the northern borders of the Sui Dynasty.
It can be said that Emperor Wen of Sui not only unified the long-divided country, but also laid the foundation for the prosperous era of the Sui and Tang dynasties. At that time, the people lived a relatively prosperous life, and the Sui Dynasty also became a great power with multi-ethnic common prosperity. Emperor Wen of Sui is fully worthy of the reputation of "One Emperor of the Ages".
Two
Unlike his glorious achievements, Emperor Wen of Sui's origin was very humble. According to some historical records, Yang Jian's family lineage is not as good as he himself boasts.
Yang Jian claimed that his ancestors could be traced back to the famous Eastern Han dynasty general Yang Zhen, but this claim is questionable. According to the rules of surname inheritance, people of different generations in the same family should not take the same name, but Yang Jian's father and Yang Zhen's great-grandfather were both named "Yang Zhong", which was a taboo at the time.
Moreover, Yang Jian's mother Lu Kutao was only from a commoner in Shandong, and she was by no means a famous family. The name Lu Kutao itself also reveals that her birth was not noble.
After Yang Jian became emperor, Lü Kutao's family came to stain the light, and did not hide that Yang Jian was the "seed" in their village. It can be seen that Yang Jian is most likely from a peasant background.
Since his background is not prominent, why does Yang Jian claim to be from a famous family? This, of course, is motivated by the need for self-preservation. In a society with strict feudal hierarchies, status is everything. Yang Jian needed the blood of the Gaomen clan to consolidate his power, so he had to package it to some extent.
At a time when moral standards are strict, deception is morally condemned. But for Yang Jian, as a monarch, political interests are above all else. Regardless of his origin, he has proved with practical actions that he is a well-deserved generation of Ming Jun.
Three
During the reign of Emperor Wen of Sui, he worked hard to govern and created a far-reaching impact on Chinese history. However, after his death, he did not receive a commensurate burial.
According to historical records, Emperor Wen of Sui advocated economy and opposed the pursuit of luxury during his lifetime, which is also reflected in his mausoleum. The tomb of Emperor Wen of Sui is located west of Xianyang, Shaanxi, and although it is surrounded by a city wall, it is not large, mainly a bucket-shaped fiefdom.
The buildings in the Tailing Tomb have long been gone, and the monuments in front of the tomb are also dilapidated. Today, the site has completely lost its former glory, and the cemetery is surrounded by vegetable fields, leaving only a lone mound inside.
No one could have imagined that under this humble mound was the resting place of a generation of wise and powerful emperors.
Emperor Wen of Sui did not like to pursue fame and profit, and advocated frugality during his lifetime, so he did not put a lot of effort into the mausoleum. He may have foreseen that prosperity would be easy to decline and wealth would not last long, so he pursued the glory of the afterlife rather than the current brilliance.
Such a style is indeed valuable. But perhaps it was Emperor Wen of Sui's overmoderation and low-key that his mausoleum was abandoned to the point it is today. It is difficult for future generations to see the great figure of a generation of great people from this desolate ruin.
We have to sigh that the prosperous will decline, and the glory and disgrace of the world are fickle. Emperor Wen of Sui's outstanding achievements but humble tomb also gave us a warning to future generations: we should not pay too much attention to fame and fortune, and we should maintain a low-key and humble character.
Four
Today, Emperor Wen of Sui's Tailing is deserted, which is indeed emotional for an emperor with outstanding achievements.
We can't let Emperor Wen of Sui just because he didn't care about the mausoleum before his death, and let it be annihilated. On the contrary, the government and the people should pay attention to it and do their best to protect the site of Emperor Wen of Sui.
It can organize forces to carry out a comprehensive cleaning and repair of the Tailing monuments and restore their original appearance. Protected areas are designated around the cemetery, farmland and other construction are prohibited, and flowers and trees are planted to revitalize it. At the same time, it also needs to be built to display the life and deeds of Emperor Wen of Sui to promote his historical achievements.
Only by letting more people understand and remember Emperor Wen of Sui can we awaken the public's attention to Tailing and save this world cultural heritage from oblivion. Emperor Wen of Sui was in the Wandai, and his mausoleum should not only be a lonely grave, but should become a holy place for the Chinese people to remember history and receive education.
In this way, not only can the dignity of Emperor Wen of Sui be restored, but also future generations can be inspired to learn from him and make the spirit of the Chinese nation more prosperous. Let's join hands to protect this monument that holds memories through the ages.