In Chinese feudal history, there is a famous saying: "There are talented people in the Jiangshan generation, and each has led the way for hundreds of years." This phrase means that history continues to evolve, time changes, and outstanding people emerge in each era. As the poet Zhao Yi said in the Qing Dynasty, even if the works of great poets like Li Bai and Du Fu have been passed down for thousands of years, they will no longer look new after a hundred years. This reflects the reality of constant changes in society and celebrities.
This phenomenon is not limited to the cultural field, but is reflected in all fields, even emperors. In China's feudal history, there were 494 emperors, whose birthplaces were spread throughout the country, and every province had an emperor. However, there is one province with an exception, and that is the hometown of Kongmeng, Shandong Province. Shandong is known as the birthplace of the Confucian and Meng culture, but strangely never had an emperor.
The development of China's feudal history is often a process of division and division for a long time. Different rulers emerged at different times and competed for power. Historically, the number of emperors varied from province to province, and Gansu Province is famous for its 10 founding emperors, the most famous of which is Li Yuan, the ancestor of Tang Gaozu. In terms of the number of emperors, Shaanxi Province is among the best. As the capital of Shaanxi Province, Xi'an is one of the birthplaces of Chinese civilization and has given birth to 72 emperors. There are 79 tombs of ancient kings here, known as the "Pyramid of the East".
However, looking back at the lives of these 494 emperors, we will be surprised to learn that although they came from different places, Shandong Province never had an emperor. This phenomenon may be related to the cultural traditions of the Shandong region. Since Emperor Wudi of Han implemented the policy of "deposing hundreds of schools of thought and respecting Confucianism", Confucianism has dominated China and become an important tool for rulers to manage the country and restrain the people. In this cultural atmosphere, Shandong Province is known for advocating Confucianism, and the concept of loyalty and patriotism is deeply rooted. However, Confucianism focused on loyalty and ethics, while rebellion and struggle for the throne were often accompanied by fighting and bloodshed. The deep-rooted belief that the people of Shandong were loyal to the monarch and resisted rebellion also made Shandong Province have fewer historical uprisings and it is difficult for an emperor to appear.
Although Shandong has never had an emperor, this land has given birth to many loyal generals. Zhuge Liang was a native of Shandong, and his wisdom and loyalty were relied upon by Liu Bei to help him stand in the troubled times of the Three Kingdoms. Shandong has also cultivated many heroes such as Dongfang Shuo, Wang Xizhi, and Xin Qiqiao, who are loyal to the motherland, love ideals, and have made outstanding achievements in their respective fields. Although Shandong did not have an emperor, it cultivated countless loyal courtiers and outstanding talents here, and their influence was profound and lasting.
In short, although Shandong Province has not produced an emperor, it is proud to be the birthplace of Confucian culture and Confucianism. The people of this land have cultivated loyal generals, inherited lofty ethical concepts, and left a deep historical imprint.