Northern Liang King Depressed Canal Mengxun
Infographic (The pictures in this article are all infographics)
Gansu Daily special writer Lin Maosen
During the Sixteen Kingdoms period of the Southern and Northern Dynasties (301-460), there were five small states in Gansu alone, namely Houliang, Western Qin, Southern Liang, Northern Liang, and Western Liang. Among them, the Northern Liang State, whose capital was Zhangye (later moved to Wuwei), under the meticulous management of the Hu people (descendants of the Xiongnu) in Lushui (that is, ancient weak water, present-day Heihe), was depressed and depressed, and the social stability, the people lived and worked in peace and contentment, the property was abundant, the people were rich, and the political, economic, and cultural prosperity became an important country in the north at that time.
1 Work in wisdom to get ahead
In 368 AD, Mengxun was born in Linsong, Zhangye (in present-day Minle County, Gansu), and was known as "Lu Shuihu". Their ancestor was the Xiaoyue clan of Qilian Nanshan, who later surrendered to the Xiongnu and conferred the title of Zuo Frustrated Canal (official name) on the Xiongnu, so they took the official name as their surname and changed their surname to "Depression Canal". When Meng Xun was a teenager, he lived with the Han Chinese, deeply influenced by the Han culture under the Linsong Mountains, although he was a descendant of the Xiongnu, he was intelligent and studious, knowledgeable in the history of the group, quite knowledgeable astronomy, "brilliant in intelligence, talented in general, funny and good at power change" ("Jin Shu Ben Biography"), and when he was young, he was a Houliang su wei minister Lü Guang, becoming a quite prestigious figure among the local Xiongnu.
In 397, Hou Liang's attack on Western Qin failed, and the monarch Lü Guang was brutal and ruthless, and actually killed two uncles of Mengxun of Congzheng's depression for the crime of defeating the army. At that time, Meng Xun felt that Lü Guang was arrogant and arrogant and wanted to overthrow him, so under the pretext that various ministries would "bury" the two uncles, he seized the opportunity of xuebath hatred and allyed with the Xiongnu tribes, leading more than 10,000 people to rebel against Lü Guang and attack Jinshan (in the southeast of present-day Minle County) in Linsong County. After receiving news of Mengxun's rebellion, he also led thousands of people from Jinchang (in present-day southeastern Guazhou County) to join his brother Mengxun and march into Jiankang (present-day Camel City, Gaotai County), supporting Jiankang Taishou Duanye to establish the Northern Liang State, and pushing Duan Ye as Liangzhou Mu and Jiankang Duke, claiming to be the King of Liang.
In May 398, duan ye sent Mengxun to attack the liangzhongzhen Xi Commandery (西郡, in modern Yongchangxi, Gansu), when the northern Liang generals were opposed, and Du Mengxun strongly agreed: "This county is based on the key points of the mountains, and it is indispensable. Meng Xun then led an army to divert water to irrigate the city and capture Taishou Lü Chun. As a result, Duan Ye made MengXun the Marquis of Linchi. In June, Lü Hong, the Duke of Houliang Changshan, abandoned Zhangye and retreated eastward, and Duan Ye wanted to pursue, and Meng Xun advised: "Don't stop the division, poor Kofu chase, this soldier's rong is also." It is better to indulge it and think that it is the latter figure. Duan Ye did not follow the question: "If you indulge the enemy one day, you will not be able to regret it." So he led the crowd in pursuit, and was defeated by Lü Hong, thanks to Meng Xun's rescue, he survived death. Duan Ye sighed, "Loneliness can't use the words of the sub-room, so this is it!" Duan Ye compared Meng Xun to Zhang Liang, who assisted Han Gaozu in unifying the world, which shows the strangeness of Meng Xun's use of troops and the superb wisdom and strategy. In the same month, Duan Ye built the city of Xi'an (西城, in modern Zhangye, Gansu) and made Zang Mobao the Taishou (太守). Meng Xun advised: "Mo Bao is brave and unscrupulous, knows how to advance and forget to retreat, the so-called building a tomb for it, not building a city." Duan Ye was not accepted, and was soon defeated by Lü Lu.
In April 401, Duan Ye was jealous of Meng Xun's threat and replaced Meng Xun with his attendant Ma Quan as Zhangye Taishou, and Meng Xun, fearing Ma Quan's military strategy, complained about it, so he cleverly used a divisive tactic and said to Duan Ye: "The world is not enough to worry about, but it is better to worry about Ma Quan's ears", duan Ye was jealous and killed Ma Quan, removing Meng Xun's troubles. In this situation, Meng Xun was afraid that Duan Ye could not tolerate himself, and he did nothing to drink and hunt all day, and Tao Guang cultivated obscure wisdom and completeness.
Duan Ye was a Confucian elder, who, although he had literary talent, lacked political strategy, liked to hear rumors, and was jealous of his ability, especially mengxun's martial prowess and talents, and deliberately alienated him. In May 401, Meng Xun wanted to unite with Male Cheng to overthrow Duan Ye, but after Being categorically rejected by Man Cheng, Meng Xun made Duan Ye kill Him by mistake. Hearing that Nan Cheng was dead, Meng Xun also used Duan Ye's cruelty to Zhongliang as a pretext, And Nan Cheng was known for his benevolence, and everyone wept indignantly and followed it, Qiang Hu responded with many soldiers, and the town army Zang Mo Bao led his troops to return to the group, and more than 10,000 people were more than 10,000 people in The Pond. The right general Tian Ang went to Houwu and led five hundred horsemen to MengXun. In June, Meng Xun led an army to Zhangye, Tian Ang's nephew Tian Cheng'ai opened the city gate, and Duan Ye's relatives and soldiers all broke up. Meng Xun killed Duan Ye and seized the right to rule Liangdi.
After Duan Ye's death, his subordinates Liang Zhongyong, Fang Zhi, and Tian Ang supported Meng Xun as the governor of Dadu, the great general, the pastor of Liangzhou, and the Duke of Zhangye, and followed the state name Of Liang, made Zhangye the capital of the country, and changed the era name to Yong'an. Later moved to the capital Guzang (古臧, in modern Wuwei, Gansu). In the Five Hu and Sixteen Kingdoms, which were preyed on by the weak, Meng Xun won a place. Since then, Meng Xun has worked hard to cure the blood and painstakingly operated Beiliang for 33 years.
In April 433, Fengqu Mengxun died at the age of 66 and was buried in Yuanling, with the temple name Taizu and the title of King Wuxuan, and his son Fengqu Muqian succeeded to the throne. In 439, Northern Wei attacked Guzang, and Mu Qian of the Depressed Canal surrendered, and Northern Liang perished.
It was built in Zhangye Horseshoe Temple in Beiliang
2 Distant and close attacks to stabilize power
After Meng Xun took power in Northern Liang, he was attacked on all sides, the political situation was turbulent, and the situation he faced was very grim. In order to tide over the difficulties and consolidate his own rule, Meng Xun actively adopted a foreign policy of making long-distance contacts and attacking closely to the outside world, and adopted the national policy of uniting the people and the masses to make great efforts to govern the country and the people at home.
First of all, he paid tribute to the powerful Later Qin ruler Yao Xing, expressed his submission, and obtained the titles of Zhenxi General, Shazhou Assassin, and Marquis of Xihai, temporarily stabilizing Later Qin's voyeurism on Northern Liang. After the Northern Wei Unified Central Plains, Meng Xun "frequently sent tributes to the dynasty". During the Northern Expedition of Liu Yu in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, Meng Xun sent Huang Xun to report to Yizhou and at the same time give a table to the Eastern Jin court. With the enfeoffed and support of the Central Plains Dynasty, he, as a vassal of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, justifiably ordered Yao Xing to rule Later Qin (present-day Shaanxi, Henan, Gansu, and other places), Xiliang (present-day Jiuquan and Xinjiang, Gansu) ruled by Li Huan, Nanliang (present-day southwestern Gansu and northeastern Qinghai) ruled by bald-haired Li Tan, Western Qin (present-day southern Gansu) ruled by the Qifu clan, and Beihe and Wuting in the northwest.
In February 411, Meng Xun conquered Guzang and captured JiaoLang of Wei'an. In October, Meng Xun moved the capital to Guzang, the king of Hexi, and was granted amnesty. In April 413, Meng Xun entered ledu, and the Taishou Wenzhi of the Southern Lianghuang River surrendered. He then attacked Southern Liang and attacked the two departments of Western Qin, Peihe and Wu, and destroyed them. In March 415, Meng Xun raised an army to conquer Western Qin's Guangwu (present-day Yongdeng, Gansu), and the Western Qin king Qifu Qipan was defeated. In February 417, Meng Xun sent generals to attack the Xiqiang Wudi tribe, breaking the Wudi army, and then attacking the Beihe tribe, and the Beihe tribe surrendered. In April of the same year, Meng Xun sent Zhangye Taishou to surrender to Xiliang, and fought with Xi Liang's troops at Xianzhijian (present-day southwest of Gaotai, Gansu), where Li Xin was defeated and Meng Xun built a city and returned. In September of the following year, Meng Xun again raised an army to attack Xiliang and plunder its grain grain, and Li Xin, the lord of Xiliang, closed the city and defended himself. In July 420, Meng Xun attacked the west with a strategy of leading an army to attack Western Qin Haoqi (near present-day Yongdeng Southwest River Bridge, Gansu), luring Li Xin to sneak into Zhangye, and the two armies fought at Huaicheng, and Li Xin was defeated. In the first month of the following year, Meng Xun led 20,000 troops to capture Jiuquan. Later, he took Dunhuang, which Li Ke of Xiliang was defending, built a long causeway, irrigated the city with water, and surrounded Dunhuang in groups, causing the destruction of Xiliang.
At this point, Beiliang occupied the seven counties of Wuwei, Zhangye, Jiuquan, Dunhuang, Xihai, Jincheng and Xiping. With the support of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, it expanded its territory to western Gansu, Ningxia, Xinjiang, and Qinghai, and its power reached the Onion Ridge. King Bilong of Shanshan entered the Northern Liang Dynasty, and all 36 countries in the Western Regions paid tribute to Meng Xun, making Northern Liang an important state in northwest China at that time.
It can be seen from the above historical data that in order to stabilize the northern Liang regime, Meng Xun adopted the military strategy of long-distance and close attack, deliberately and deliberately, forgot to sleep and eat, fought for years and fought, and won a surprise victory.
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3 Recruit the wise and praise the good and punish the evil
Because meng xun was deeply influenced by Han culture and knew the way of governing, he attached great importance to the cultivation of internal affairs and won the support of the people. He honored corporal Xian, broke the gro and sent the enemy country to the virtuous and virtuous subordinates to entrust him with the heavy responsibility of the military state, so as to strengthen his influence and prestige, such as Yang Tong, Zhang Mu, Wen Zhi and others, to participate in the state machine to return to the political side; he boldly used talents, sought talents and thirsty, and was good at collecting people of all nationalities who were full of learning, no matter what Hu Han only used, many of the Northern Liang generals were Han Heroes, and talents of all nationalities were happy to serve him, and also promulgated the "Order for Seeking Talents": "The old-age beggars, the recitation of Jin Wenna's public opinion, so he can attract Yingqi and bring the beauty of the time to Yong." In the case of loneliness and widowhood, wisdom is not far away, and it is not necessary to think about rumors to mirror themselves! Internal and external groups of officials, each of them searched for the virtuous, and the broad advances were made so that Kuang Chen would not be arrested. "Recruiting talents and scholars regardless of ethnic regions, opening up the road of speech and humility, and for a time there were many talents in the territory of Northern Liang, and the good policies for governing the country and marching and fighting in an endless stream emerged, so that the areas under the rule of Northern Liang presented a happy scene of harmony between the upper and lower levels, political clarity, all kinds of wastes, and prosperity.
When he had just taken power in Northern Liang, Meng Xun "promoted him to the rank of a virtuous person" and appointed many of the old ministers left behind by Duan Ye, forming a political situation of "civil and military pleasure, the joy of the people, and the harmony of the government", thus gaining the support and assistance of the upper echelons.
When Meng Xun heard that his two uncles were arrogant and lascivious and had violated the people, the people complained bitterly and said bitterly: "Those who mess with our country, the second uncle, why should the people care about the people!" He immediately ordered their execution. Not only that, he also encouraged him to take advice and severely punish those who violated the law and discipline and harmed the people. Because he was able to kill his relatives in righteousness, severely punish the tribal magnates who harmed the people, maintain law and order, and win the heartfelt love of the people.
In January 421, Meng Xun led a division of 20,000 to conquer Dunhuang, the seat of Xiliang, and Li Xin, the king of Xiliang, committed suicide and Xiliang died. The Northern Liang army was strict in its military discipline during the conquest and did not violate the people. After conquering Jiuquan and gaining the knowledge of The Erudite Western Liang Changshi SongXuan, he was appointed as the Northern Liang official Langzhong and entrusted with the heavy task of selecting talents, and Meng Xun also entrusted his son Fengqu Muqian to Song Sui's assistant when he was dying. Zhang Mu, a Dunhuang man who conquered Dunhuang and was well versed in the history of the scriptures, was promoted to Zhongshu Shilang and entrusted confidential affairs to him. For the other famous celebrities in the old courtiers of Xiliang, they were all promoted because of this.
4 Strive to develop the economy
At the beginning of Meng Xun's accession to the Northern Liang regime, due to frequent wars, disasters and years of disasters, the loss of agricultural time, the lack of output of land, the lack of hoarding of the people, and the lack of replenishment of the country. In order to change as soon as possible this grim situation in which the people are not happy and the national strength is empty, Meng Xun exerted great efforts to govern, attached importance to the development of agriculture and animal husbandry, imitated the central plains dynasty's way of governing the country with an ann and a strong country, lightly dispensed with thin endowments to enable the peasants to recuperate and recuperate, and supported the peasants to concentrate on farming and not missing the agricultural time; following the practice of "merchants and hu merchants, japanese money in the west" when Dou Rongjing was in hexi, he encouraged Hu merchants in the western region and Jia lai in the central plains to exchange goods and develop commercial trade in Hexi.
Monson also issued the "Order on Persuading Farmers" to encourage the people to work in agriculture. In the following year's severe drought, the grass seedlings did not grow, and Meng Xun followed the example of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty's "Edict of Sin" and issued an edict to rebuke himself: "Since the spring drought, it has harmed the seedlings in time, and the green fields of the green plains have become dry soil." Will the criminal government be lost, and there will be unjust imprisonment? Is the service burden heavy, and the heavens condemn it? Introspection is lacking, and the sin of loneliness is also... The people have done it, and sinned against one. ("Jin Shu , Records of Depression Canal Mengxun " ) "The Edict of Sin" to deter the officials, close to the people and heavy farmers, so that production was quickly restored and developed, the people were full of cattle and sheep, and the strength of Northern Liang was constantly enhanced.
In 402, Beiliang and Houliang lost the battle, and the Houliang famine in Guzang at that time was serious, and the households were not in the warehouse, hungry, and starved. Instead of taking advantage of the danger of others, Meng Xun did not consider the former suspicions of the enemy country, was generous and benevolent, and sympathized with the victims, sending grain to Wan Hu (32 million jin today) at a time, saving the people of Li and talking about making up for the hunger of cooking. In a battle between Northern Liang and Later Qin, Meng Xun's son Fengqu Xingguo was captured by Qin, and Meng Xun did not hesitate to send 300,000 grain to help the disaster victims to redeem their children. In his later years, Meng Xun spared no expense in building a large number of civil engineering projects and building temples to excavate grottoes, which was enough to prove the wealth of Northern Liang at that time.
From these historical facts, it can be seen that Meng Xun adopted the national policy of "committing crimes against oneself" to persuade the peasants and "legislating" to emphasize the peasants, so that during the Sixteen Kingdoms period, the Northern Liang was rich in products, the people were prosperous and the country was rich, and surpassed the economically prosperous Central Plains in economic, political, and cultural aspects.
The ruins of Camel City in Gaotai County, Zhangye City
5 Promote Confucianism and promote culture
Meng Xun is an accomplished historical figure who has also made indelible contributions to the development and inheritance of Hexi culture.
He himself had a very high level of Han culture, attached importance to absorbing and developing Han national culture, respected Confucianism, admired Shuowang, founded schools, and wrote classics in Beiliang, so that Beiliang's domestic writing, daily utensils, wedding and funeral ceremonies, etc. were all based on the Han system.
For example, Meng Xun conquered Jiuquan in The Expedition to Xiliang, and obtained thousands of volumes of books in Song Xuan's home. He sighed excitedly: "Lonely does not like Li Xin, I wish to get Song Xuan's ear." He regarded the acquisition of the university scholar Song Xuan and thousands of volumes of classics as more important than the elimination of Xi Liang and the seizure of Li Xin's power.
Another example is that after MengXun moved the capital to Guzang, in 417, he "began to tour the Forest Hall in the Inner Garden, and the statue of the ancient sages of Tulie", often feasting on the Qunchen Yutang and talking to the Qunchen on the Confucian scriptures. He built the "Lu Shen Pavilion" in Xiyuan, invited Liu Xun, a famous scholar in Xiliang, to teach his apprentices, write books and establish studies, let all the civil and military officials be trained in the north, listen to Liu Xun's lectures, and personally went to offer condolences, calling him "Mr. Xuanchu", and making his son Liu Fu a national teacher.
Meng Xun also ordered the Dunhuang man Kan Hua, who was proficient in the "Chronicle of the Thirteen States", to often consult with his secretary, Kao Langzhong, and often consulted on political affairs. He once gave Kan "thirty literary officials, canonical school scriptures, and published more than 3,000 volumes of Zhuzi." (The Biography of Wei Shu Liechuan kan) Far exceeds the buddhist scriptures translated by the entire Beiliang, and has made great contributions to the inheritance of Chinese cultural heritage.
In the winter of 429, Meng Xun "sent envoys to the Song Dynasty to pay tribute", in addition to "offering the green sparrow head Dai BaiJin", "and asked Zhou Yizi to collect all the books, edicts and give them, combined in seventy-five volumes." He also asked Situ Wang Hong for the "Collection of Search gods", and Hong wrote with it. At that time, although there were many separatists on the way to liu song in the western region, Meng Xun still asked for a book, which showed that his heart of learning Confucianism was urgent. He so admired Confucianism, honored the sages, and reused talents, which played an important role in the development of Northern Liang's political culture.
Meng Xun not only admired Confucianism, but also believed in Buddhism, and was a good monk, digging grottoes, building pagoda temples, proofreading and translating scriptures, and popularizing Buddhism. In 400, the Western Jin Dynasty Middle-earth monk Fa Xianxi went to Tianzhu (present-day India) to seek ordination, and when he arrived in Zhangye, he was treated with courtesy by Mengxun, not only providing all expenses, but also asking Fa Xian to "sit in summer" in Zhangye, and the two later became close friends. After returning to China, Faxian wrote the "Record of the Kingdom of Buddha", which introduced his interaction with Zhangye Gong: "Frustrated Canal Mengxun, both literary and martial talents, corporal Li Xian, won the hearts of the people... Happy comrade. ”
In 412-425, Meng Xun invited the tianzhu monk Tan Wuchen to come to Guzang to teach Buddhism and translate the scriptures, which led to the flourishing of Liangzhou Buddhism. Tan Wuchen successively cooperated with Hexi Shamen Huisong and Liangzhou senior monk Daolang to translate more than ten and one hundred volumes, such as the Dabang Nirvana Sutra, the Da ji jing, the da yun jing, and the sad Hua jing, making great contributions to the wide spread and popularization of Chinese Buddhism.
During the Northern Liang Dynasty, Mengxun summoned craftsmen to excavate the Liangzhou Tiantishan Grottoes, Sunan Wenshu Mountain, horseshoe temple and part of the grottoes of Jinta Temple, as well as caves 272 and 275 of Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes, which became the treasures of Hexi culture. At the same time, it expanded cultural exchanges with countries in the western region, and combined local Huqiang music, song and dance with guizi music to create a new music "Qin Han Trick", so that Xiliang music has a long history.
The spread of Buddhism during the Sixteen Kingdoms period not only cultivated a large number of technical personnel who excavated grottoes and prospered religious art, but also played a positive role in stabilizing society, alleviating ethnic contradictions, and promoting the exchange and development of Eastern and Western cultures.
Frustrated Canal Mengxun, the hero of the Xiongnu tribe, after 33 years of vigorous rule in northern Liang, the area around Zhangye under his rule presented a scene of abundant grass, prosperous population, abundant treasury, prosperity and prosperity, and also laid the foundation for the historical scenery of Zhangye's "half city reeds and half city tower shadow". Li Hui, the lord of Western Liang, who was overthrown by him, said: "Frustrated Canal Mengxun, Hu Yizhijie; internal cultivation of political affairs, external courtesy of Yingxian; when attacking the war, the body is a soldier; the people cherish it, and enjoy it for use" (Zizhi Tongjian). Li Wei and Meng Xun were not only in the same era, but also were inseparable political enemies, and Li Wei's evaluation of Meng Xun could be described as pertinent.