Introduction:
The Ming Dynasty and the Qing Dynasty were two important periods in Chinese history, and the Ming Dynasty and the Qing Dynasty dealt with the prince differently, mainly to prevent the prince from leading troops to rebel. During the Ming Dynasty, the princes were divided into various places outside the capital and restricted to their respective palaces, while during the Qing Dynasty, all princes had to operate in the capital and could not leave the capital without the emperor's order. This difference can be explained by the change in the system of princely knighthood.
The evolution of the knighthood system
Since the Han Dynasty, the emperor's sons and brothers were usually made princes, an early system of knighthood.
During the Wei and Jin dynasties, this system evolved further, and it was divided into two ranks: prince and county king. A prince is a person who is related to the emperor by blood, while a county king is a title that the emperor used to bestow on important ministers.
However, over time, the division of titles gradually decreased. During the Northern Qi Dynasty, in addition to the three levels of king, duke, and marquis, there were also uncles, sons, and men.
However, in the Sui and Tang dynasties, only the three ranks of king, duke, and marquis remained, and the status and number of kings were strengthened. This means that the position of the prince has become more important in history.
During the Ming Dynasty, the princes were usually divided by the emperor into various places outside the capital, and at the same time, they were also confined to their respective palaces. The purpose of this was to better help the emperor defend the border.
Ancient emperors believed that the country was a family, and only those closest to him would not betray him. Dividing the prince to various places can also help the royal family consolidate power and suppress rebellions in various places.
The hidden dangers of the knighthood system
However, this system of sub-enclosure also brings a series of problems and troubles.
During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, the division of princes and the rise of the heroes brought many troubles to Qin Shi Huang. Therefore, when Qin Shi Huang unified the six kingdoms, he abolished the feudal system to prevent the princes from dividing the country.
Liu
After the establishment of the Han Dynasty, Liu Bang restored the feudal system and maintained a stable and prosperous era for a period of time. However, it was not long before the divided princes were largely on the same side, and they developed a desire to rebel, leading to constant counterinsurgency wars.
Both the Western Jin and Ming dynasties adopted this system, but encountered a series of problems and confusion.
During the Western Jin Dynasty, in order to consolidate his power, Sima Yan frequently divided the princes of the clan. He thought that this would appease the Quartet and ensure his dominance. However, after his death, the "Rebellion of the Eight Kings" broke out quickly, and the situation was out of control. This shows that although the system of partitioning helps to stabilize the country temporarily, it also has many potential problems and hidden dangers from the perspective of long-term development.
Zhu Yuanzhang
Zhu Yuanzhang of the Ming Dynasty also faced this problem. After he established the Ming Dynasty, he took more stringent measures against the feudal system. Before him, the emperor could confer the title of prince with a different surname, but Zhu Yuanzhang could only trust the children of the Zhu family to feel at ease. Therefore, he divided all his sons and sent them to guard the various places.
However, even the smart Lao Zhu is difficult to control the psychology of all his sons. After his death, Zhu Di, the king of Yan, led his troops to rebel, overthrew the then emperor Zhu Yunwen, and became the third emperor of the Ming Dynasty.
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty in Chinese history, and they learned from the lessons of the Ming Dynasty and made corresponding adjustments. The Qing Dynasty decided to keep all the princes in the capital in order to maintain a relatively stable internal situation. However, this initiative also brings new problems. The princes who have lived in the deep palace for a long time lack an understanding of the sinister human heart, and do not know how to weigh the pros and cons. They often became tools for the court ministers to play with power.
As a result, these princes may only be superficial in their governance. They seldom participate in strategic affairs, and their activities are mainly confined to the capital, participating in some idle civil inspection and supervision activities.
Of course, there are exceptions. For example, Kangxi's fourteenth son, Yinyu, once went to Tibet as a general of Fuyuan and contributed to the country's border defense.
Jiuzi-夺嫡
In the short term, the princes' defense of the capital did help the emperor concentrate on his rule. But in the long run, this approach can lead to the result of "internal and external troubles". From the perspective of "internal worries", the princes have been together for a long time, and they often fight openly and secretly in private, calculating each other, which can easily lead to a farce of fratricide. In order to compete for the right to inherit the throne, they often do whatever it takes. "Nine sons seizing the heir" is a clear proof that the princes formed gangs, which led to chaos within the court.
From the perspective of "external troubles", when the princes are concentrated in the capital, the courtiers of the frontier will inevitably bear heavy responsibilities. This may lead to the frontier soldiers being too self-respecting, or even rebelling, which will bring difficult problems to the imperial court.
Jiuzi-夺嫡
Epilogue:
To sum up, although the sub-feudal system has certain benefits in the short term and stabilized the situation in the country, in the long run, there are many hidden dangers and problems in this system. This is a typical case in the history of the Ming Dynasty and the Qing Dynasty.
In short, whether it is to keep the prince in Beijing or send the prince to other places, there are advantages and disadvantages, and it is difficult to weigh the two, so the ancient emperor's political and military affairs were not all relied upon, and the art of attacking the heart must also be Xi to make the level stable.