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In the long history of ancient China, there is a long-standing legend that tells a mysterious rumor - "golden knife". Although Qin Shi Huang was the first emperor in Chinese history, his influence was far less than that of the later Han Dynasty due to his brief reign of the Qin Dynasty. However, throughout history, the influence of this proverb has persisted, influencing politics, culture and people's beliefs.
The influence of this rumor began to manifest itself during the Southern and Northern Dynasties, when a large number of rebel leaders surnamed Liu rose, and even during the Tang Dynasty, some of Liu's descendants were still eager to seize the throne. This caused the ministers surnamed Liu to be subjected to unwarranted suspicion and live in fear. So why is the "golden knife" rumor so popular, and what impact has it had on Chinese politics?
As the first long-reigning dynasty in Chinese history, the Han Dynasty laid the foundation for the development of China's political formation. Han emperors were mostly considered Ming monarchs, which reinforced the image of the Liu ruler. At the time of the Two Han Dynasties, the defeat of some careerists made Liu's dominance more secure. This political norm, the concept of "no king without the surname Liu", became the cornerstone of Han politics.
However, this concept was challenged in the late Western Han dynasty, when Wang Mang sought to weaken the prestige of the Han imperial family after coming to power, but his rule soon sparked popular discontent and rebels sprang up everywhere. Most of these rebels chose Liu's descendants as their leaders to satisfy people's nostalgia for the Han rulers. Liu Xiu was the winner of this battle, and his use of the wisdom of wisdom skillfully shook the military heart of his opponent and laid the foundation for the ultimate victory.
With the prevalence of scripture during the Eastern Han Dynasty, the small meanings of various classics were over-interpreted, and a mysterious atmosphere permeated the court. This atmosphere also influenced folk culture, leading to the appearance of various nursery rhymes in the late Eastern Han Dynasty. These nursery rhymes also involve interpretations of Liu characters, and some people firmly believe that Liu's children still have a chance to make a comeback, which makes the "golden knife" rumor a political tool for careerists.
During the Western Jin Dynasty, Liu Yuan, the leader of the Xiongnu people, claimed to establish the Fourth Han Dynasty, and although he was not Han, he enjoyed the support of many ordinary people. Although Liu Yuan's later attempts failed, the legend of the "golden knife" still has vitality.
During the Wei and Jin dynasties, the rumor of the "golden knife" was still influential in the political arena. The reason why Liu Yu, the Emperor of Wu of Song, was able to become the ruler of the Southern Dynasty, in addition to his military achievements, the status of a descendant of the Han Dynasty royal family also played a key role. However, when Liu Song was replaced by Southern Qi, in order to avoid the threat of the "golden knife", Xiao Daocheng even removed all the gold-handled props in the palace.
Unlike the Southern Dynasty, the Northern Dynasty people surnamed Liu were mostly Buddhists when they launched the uprising. These insurgents claimed to be the reincarnation of Maitreya Buddha, unlike in the South. In order to understand their motives, it is necessary to understand the development of Buddhism during the Southern and Northern Dynasties. Buddhism had begun to influence China in the late Eastern Han Dynasty, and as the chaotic times of the Wei and Jin dynasties continued, the suffering of the northern people increased. This prompted them to seek religious beliefs for spiritual solace, and Buddhism developed rapidly during the Southern and Northern Dynasties.
After its introduction to China, Buddhism underwent localized reforms, which differed from the original teachings. Maitreya Buddha became a popular belief in which believers sought to enter Elysium after a dead life. In this faith, Maitreya Buddha will come to the world and the Savior will save the world. Because of this belief in parables of the Savior, it is easy to be exploited by people with ulterior motives.
Therefore, from the middle and late Northern Dynasties, many people with the surname Liu claimed to be the reincarnation of Maitreya Buddha in order to attract followers. The Golden Dao Oracles were also included in them, forming a connection with the Maitreya belief in the next life, making the Golden Dao Sayings full of vitality again at the end of the Southern and Northern Dynasties.
At the same time as the golden knife became popular, other rulers had to find new theories to justify their rule in order to gain the support of the people. Li Yuan, the founder of the Li and Tang dynasties, collaborated with Taoism and declared himself the founder of Taoism
Descendants of Zu Laozi. Such claims won him the support of Taoists. In order to strengthen Li Yuan's accession to the throne, Taoists compiled proverbs, such as the "Eighteen Sons of Beihai", indicating that Li's descendants were about to seize the world. This rumor, together with the rumor of the "golden knife", became the two mainstream public opinions in the Sui and Tang dynasties, and almost no one dared to act under the banner of inheriting the Mandate of Heaven except for the forces surnamed Liu.
However, with the advent of the Kaiyuan era, Chinese society underwent significant changes. The introduction of the imperial examination system led to the revival of Confucian culture and the rekindling of political ideals among the literati. This prompted the people to gradually break away from the superstition of the ruler and the so-called destiny, and changed the mentality of passively waiting for the arrival of the Savior. The ancient Chinese ideological and cultural history has ushered in an important progress.
As a folklore from the Eastern Han Dynasty, the "golden knife" has been influential for centuries. It reflects people's nostalgia for the rulers of the Han Dynasty and also expresses people's desire for a stable life. During the turbulent period of the Northern and Southern Dynasties, everyone hoped that a hero would appear to unify the world. This belief, similar to the Western messiah, gives life to the myth of the "golden knife".
However, this legend was also used by many careerists, causing turmoil in the north during the Northern Wei Dynasty, making life more difficult for the people. Fortunately, the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty finally shattered blind faith in rulers and the Mandate of Heaven, marking the end of the myth of the "golden knife". In the process, Chinese society has undergone profound political and cultural changes, ending long-standing superstitions and moving towards a more rational and open era.
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