Preface
In the middle of the Ming Dynasty, the government was clear and clear, and the people lived and worked in peace and contentment. Zhu Zhanji, the emperor who was in power in this heyday, had a nickname that has been passed down to future generations - "Emperor Cricket".
Could it be that he really did it for his own amusement, regardless of the people's livelihood and suffering? What is the truth in this?
1. How much credit does Zhu Zhanji have for the glory of the prosperous Ming Dynasty?
In 1426 AD, Zhu Zhanji, who was only 22 years old in Ming Xuanzong, succeeded to the throne. Loved since childhood, he has a cheerful, lively, optimistic and open-minded personality. Although it is somewhat cynical, it gives him extraordinary affinity and charm. Coupled with his brilliant and diligent studiousness, Zhu Zhanji soon took care of the government and created a peaceful life.
During his reign of 9 years, he chose capable people to assist the government, implemented benevolent government and loved the people, and the people lived and worked in peace and contentment, with plenty of food and clothing, and was known as the "rule of Xuande" in history. He put forward the policy program of "changing what is happening, and encouraging it if there is non," worked hard to develop agricultural production, paid attention to the revitalization of education, and made science, technology, and culture more and more prosperous. During the Xuande and Orthodox years of his reign, it was the heyday of the Ming Dynasty and was known as the "prosperous era of the Ming Dynasty".
After the death of Emperor Hongwu, the founder of the country, the Ming Dynasty gradually got on the right track. In the Xuande period, the situation of "cutting traces and promoting both", and a hundred wastes waiting to be revived. It was at this historical juncture that Zhu Zhanji, who was a promising monarch, ascended to the throne of God.
He was well versed in the sufferings of the people, and in the early days of his administration, he set out to rectify the rule of officials and eliminate accumulated malpractices, which won the hearts of the people. During his reign, he continued to tour the south and was sympathetic to the people's and military's conditions. This benevolent and holy monarch style made the political situation in the middle of the Ming Dynasty unprecedentedly stable, the officials were honest and honest, and the people lived and worked in peace and contentment, prosperity and harmony.
During the nine years of Zhu Zhanji's rule, the Ming Dynasty was unprecedentedly strong. Not only did agriculture continue to harvest year after year, but handicrafts and commerce also flourished unprecedentedly, and foreign trade increased greatly. Beijing, Chang'an, Nanjing and other cities are even more magnificent and shining.
During this period of peace, which was known as "Jingxing Phoenix, Xuande Prosperous Age", Zhu Zhanji's contribution was naturally the greatest. It was under his enlightened and wise leadership, benevolence and love for the people that all this was possible.
It can be seen that this seemingly cynical Zhu Zhanji has made outstanding achievements during his administration. So, why is he still secretly nicknamed "Emperor Cricket" and why?
Second, the play of crickets, Zhu Zhanji's little fetish
It turns out that this Mingjun also has his own little hobby - he likes to play with crickets. This pastime, similar to Go and playing polo, was quite popular among the upper class of the Ming Dynasty. It's just that Zhu Zhanji's love for this seems to be a bit beyond the level of normal people.
According to a variety of records of literati in the Ming and Qing dynasties, Zhu Zhanji loved this kind of "cricket play" for ten minutes. In 1993, several cricket porcelain bottles made in the year of Xuande with dragon patterns were unearthed near Jingdezhen, which may be cricket vessels specially fired for him. It can be seen that this preference is not groundless.
Why did he like to play with crickets so much? Perhaps the influence of his youth played a role. It is said that Zhu Zhanji has been very fond of this small animal since he was a child, and often goes to the mountains to look for crickets and gather them to fight. This may have been the origin of his later love for this pastime.
Hobbies developed as a child often accompany people for life. Perhaps it is for this reason that Zhu Zhanji, who became the emperor, still loves this entertainment in his own way and with a true temperament.
Whenever the officials saw him, he would ask the eunuchs to prepare the cricket utensils, and he would watch the crickets wrestle with fascination. Feed several crickets separately and let them attack each other to judge the strength or weakness.
This interest in playing with small animals for pleasure seems to people today to be cruel and naïve. But in the context of the time, this pastime was not uncommon. It's just that Zhu Zhanji's fanaticism seems to be much higher than ordinary people. It is said that every time he watched the crickets fight, he would be happy for several hours until late at night.
As emperor, he certainly has the right to indulge in his hobbies. It's just that his enthusiasm may have gone a little too far.
Third, the need of crickets, the folk bitterness hidden behind happiness
The local crickets in Beijing did not seem to be able to meet the needs of the emperor. The imperial court began to continuously distribute the official offices in various parts of the south of the Yangtze River, requiring the capture of the best crickets and transporting them to the capital.
This is not only a huge number, but also has strict requirements for the size of the crickets. According to the literature, Zhu Zhanji once asked to transport 1,000 high-quality crickets to Beijing for his enjoyment.
It is difficult to catch crickets, which undoubtedly brings a lot of labor to the local people, such as catching crickets and transporting crickets. The price of crickets has risen even more because of this, and the most expensive single one has reached more than 10 gold - this equivalent is comparable to the annual salary of a Beijing official. We can imagine what a financial burden this is for ordinary people.
What's even more tragic is the tragedy indirectly caused by this ruthless cricket grabbing high pressure. If there is a good cricket in exchange, a grain chief does not hesitate to trade with his own horse. At the time, this was the equivalent of replacing a whole year's worth of money. His wife knew about it, and she hanged herself for fear that her husband would be punished. When the chief returned home, he committed suicide in a state of heartbreak.
Tragedies are inevitable. This is the tragic price hidden behind the emperor's momentary entertainment. For Zhu Zhanji personally, this is just an ordinary pastime. But it has inadvertently ruined countless lives.
In the face of this invisible pressure, we cannot blame the people at that time. Most of them are simply trying to accomplish the tasks given to them by the royal family, even if it is beyond the physical and financial load. In other words, it was the atmosphere of the times in which the sacredness of the monarchy was unquestionable that exacerbated the evil consequences of the cricket incident.
Fourth, do you regard the monarchy as a god? Or reflect on the annihilation of human nature by the monarchy
We should not regard all the actions of a monarch as sinful. Compared with those violent and cruel faint monarchs, Zhu Zhanji's image of a benevolent and honest monarch is still worthy of affirmation.
But it also warns us that any power, if left unchecked, can eventually become a tool for satisfying personal desires. It makes people forget that power itself needs to serve the people and satisfy the dignity of human beings in the first place.
In a form of government such as a feudal dynasty, the emperor was often seen as a god. His words and deeds are absolutely correct, and the people do not even have the right to question power. Because of this, the emperor's personal hobbies are no longer ordinary hobbies, but will become "national affairs" that need to be satisfied with various resources.
Under this premise, coupled with Mingjun's benevolent image, Zhu Zhanji's move to ask for the transportation of crickets is natural and will not lead to excessive criticism.
But the facts have proved that the divinity of this monarchy is illusory. Instead of protecting the people, it has become the perpetrator. It is very likely that Zhu Zhanji fell deeper and deeper into this illusion, and finally brought unimaginable hardship and suffering to the court and the people
Human nature is inherently good, but it is also susceptible to being gradually distorted by the environment. This is precisely why we need to rethink the checks and balances of power and establish a social mechanism for mutual supervision. In this way, it may be possible to avoid a recurrence of the tragedy. As witnesses and inheritors of historical events, each of us should have such a sense of responsibility and mission.
I don't know how you and I feel about this historical story? Welcome to leave a message to discuss.