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Text/Editor/Dayu said Begonia
The origins of the Zhou people are rooted in the Loess Plateau and the Weishui Basin, and this ancient family has a long history. According to the myths in the Book of Songs, the ancestor of the Zhou people was abandoned, and its birth was accompanied by a mysterious legend that brought us back to the ancient matriarchal society.
At that time, Jiang Yan was a woman who longed for a child, and she prayed to the gods to give her a child. Heaven finally heard her sincere prayer, and let her step on the huge footprints left by the gods. This mysterious and miraculous sign means that Jiang Yan is about to become pregnant, and she has become the center of attention.
Jiang Yan's pregnancy is not just an ordinary pregnancy, but carries a profound historical significance. At that time, the society was still under the system of matriarchal society, and the family bloodline and power inheritance were mainly passed on through the mother. The birth of abandonment brought about a great change in society.
With the birth of abandonment, society began to gradually transition to a patrilineal society. This transition means that the family and power will be transferred from the mother to the father. This transformation ushered in a new era, creating an opportunity for him to make a career and become the ancestor of the Zhou people.
The surname of the Zhou people is "Ji Shui", so the ancestor of the Zhou people, Ji Qi, took "Ji" as his surname, and this naming became the symbol of the Zhou people. Ji Qi was later revered as the "god of agriculture" by later generations for his important contribution to agriculture. With the passage of time, many major changes have taken place in the historical process of the Zhou people.
In ancient times, the Zhou people began to realize that the area they were in was not suitable for the nomadic life of Rong Di, so they made a large-scale migration. The destination of this migration was Fen, in the area of present-day Shaanxi. In this land with a superior natural environment, the Zhou people quickly began agricultural production, reclaimed wasteland, built houses, and started a new life.
This migration and the development of agricultural production brought political and social progress to the Zhou people. The rulers of the Zhou tribe began to focus on establishing a well-ordered political system, implementing rituals such as sacrifices and banquets to maintain social order.
During the reign of King Wu of Zhou, with the advancement of the campaign against the Shang Dynasty, the Western Zhou state controlled the original ruling area of the Shang Dynasty. This also brings a new challenge, namely the issue of land separation. With the expansion of the national territory, the distribution and management of land has become an urgent issue.
King Wu of Zhou and his ruling team had to deal not only with the political issues brought about by territorial expansion, but also with the complexities of land division. The political reforms of this period laid the foundation for the further prosperity and unification of the Zhou dynasty, and also reflected the wisdom and determination of the Zhou people in managing state affairs and social development.
King Wu of Zhou soon found an ingenious strategy to solve the problem of land separation. He adopted a policy that had far-reaching implications, which later generations called the "feudal system". Under this system, King Wu of Zhou divided clans and meritorious officials with the same surname into different fiefdoms, requiring them to establish their own vassal states in these regions and pay regular tribute to Zhou Tianzi. This policy not only solved the problem of land separation, but also consolidated the unity and authority of the Zhou dynasty.
With the implementation of the feudal system, the political situation during the reigns of King Cheng and King Kang gradually became enlightened and stable. During his reign, King Cheng vigorously reused virtuous ministers, emphasized the concept of governing the country by virtue, and regarded morality and good governance as the core principles of the country. This policy not only brought clarity and justice politically, but also created favorable conditions for the harmonious development of society.
In the early years of his reign, King Kang continued the policy of becoming a king and continued to implement enlightened rule. Not only that, he was also sympathetic to the people's feelings, and actively provided relief to the victims, so that the people were fully cared for. This concern is not only manifested in words, but also in deeds, which greatly enhances the social cohesion of the country.
Political enlightenment and social harmony during this period contributed to the rapid development of the productive forces of society. The people lived and worked in peace and contentment, the vassal states in various places prospered, and there were remarkable advances in culture and science and technology. It was with the joint efforts of King Cheng and King Kang that the Zhou Dynasty ushered in an enlightened political pattern, which was called "the rule of Cheng Kang" by later generations.
Entering the Zhaomu era, the history of the Zhou Dynasty began to undergo new changes. King Zhao continued the policy of King Kang's rule, but he also decided to continue the southern expedition to expand his territory. This decision further reduced the economic strength of the Zhou Dynasty, and the lives of the common people became miserable in the midst of the war.
With the coming to power of King Zhao's successor, King Li, the living conditions of the people deteriorated further. King Li carried out wanton expropriation, brutalized the people, and monopolized the country's wealth and resources for himself. The princes lost their fiefdoms, and the lives of the people fell into deeper difficulties.
King Li's tyranny triggered the sharpening of domestic contradictions, but instead of reflecting on it, he intensified his repression and punishment, trying to suppress disgruntled voices with an iron fist.
By 841 B.C., the anger in the country reached its peak, and the people revolted and King Li was forced to flee to Yi. The departure of King Li did not end the tragedy of the Zhou Dynasty.
After King Xuan succeeded to the throne, he learned the lessons of King Kang and King Li, and was determined to deal with Rong Di quickly, accurately, and ruthlessly. He adjusted his strategy and won the defensive battle of Rongdi, achieving a series of successive victories, including the war against Jingchu and other places.
These victories did not bring about the revival and development of the country. After years of war, the common people of the Zhou Dynasty had long been disappointed with the royal family. Especially when the Central Plains entered the Bronze Age, the surrounding barbarians were still relatively backward and the economic situation was not good.
In order to protect their interests and economy, the barbarians often invaded the territory of the Zhou Dynasty, causing the Zhou Dynasty to be forced into constant wars. In the later years of King Xuan, the Zhou Dynasty also began to show signs of decline.
In his later years, King Xuan interfered in the dispute over the succession to the throne of the Lu State, which caused discontent and strife among the princes, and laid the fuse for the complete demise of the Zhou Dynasty.
In 711 B.C., a great story was staged in Chinese history - "The Princes of the Beacon Opera". The story begins with King Zhou You, who adopts a beautiful girl, Bao Xi. Although Bao Xi has a beautiful appearance, she never wants to smile because of her depressed mood. This scene deeply troubled King Zhou You, and he tried to make Bao Xi laugh, but to no avail.
In order to make Bao Xi smile, King Zhou You looked at the court and the opposition, and invited strange people to come to perform, but the result always made him feel depressed. Until one day, Yu Shifu, a traitorous minister, came up with a unique plan, he proposed to light the beacon tower, attract many princes to come and guard it, and create a shocking scene, hoping that this magnificent scene would make Bao Xi happy. This plan may seem simple, but in fact, there is a clever scheming behind it.
Father Yu's plan was so ingenious that it provided both an excuse to entertain the princes and a demonstration of the reign of King Zhou You. As soon as the idea was adopted, it was immediately implemented. The moment the beacon tower was lit, the smoke was filled, the flames were soaring to the sky, and the princes rushed to hear the news, and they all came with their full clothes. Their lineup of soldiers and horses is huge, and the soldiers have a distinct guard of honor, decorating the land of beacon fire into a splendid scene.
When Bao Xi heard the news, she also came to admire this magnificent scene. When she saw such a magnificent scene for the first time, she couldn't help but be dumbfounded. The princes vied to show off their talents, play music, offer dances, and even perform martial arts. Bao Xi was deeply attracted by these wonderful performances, and her mood gradually brightened.
The most incredible scene occurred. When Bao Xi watched a funny clown performance, she finally couldn't help but laugh out loud. King Zhou You was overjoyed when he saw Bao Xi's smile. This scene can be called the pinnacle of life, and it is also the moment of victory of Yu Shi's father's ingenious strategy.
The laughter of Bao Xi was like a spring breeze, warming the whole palace. Her smile not only made King Zhou You feel good, but also infected many of the princes present, and they were all pleased with the laughter. This day has become a legend in history and has been sung through the ages.
In 711 B.C., the ancient Chinese beacon tower became an emergency tool to warn of the threat of foreign invasion.
The beacon tower was a vital communication tool in ancient times, and once lit, the flame would spread rapidly, and if the other beacons were ignited, the news would be quickly transmitted to the capital and various places, calling for urgent support from all the princes. At this moment, King Zhou You did not fully consider the chain reaction that this decision might trigger.
When King Zhou You lit the first flame of the beacon tower, the flames soared into the sky and the smoke billowed out, and this signal immediately spread all over the country. The officials of the capital hurriedly set off and rushed to the place where the beacon tower was located, preparing for urgent action. At the same time, the princes in various places also learned the news, and they did not dare to slack off, and immediately mobilized their troops and horses and rushed to the capital to prepare to meet the foreign enemy.
King Zhou You did not set the beacon on fire as just an emergency alarm, but also held a grand banquet on the castle tower, inviting many guests and nobles. At the banquet, the beautiful Bao Xi became the focus of the banquet in gorgeous costumes, and her beauty and mystery made the people present fall in love with her.
The atmosphere of this feast contrasted sharply with the crisis of the country, and the guests enjoyed the food, music and dancing as if they had forgotten the crisis the country was facing. King Zhou You was immersed in the beauty of Bao Xi, and seemed indifferent to the emergency situation outside.
At this moment, it was clear that Father Yu's strategy had worked. He carefully planned, took advantage of the emotional weakness of King Zhou You, and combined the alarm beacon with the banquet, plunging the country into an unprecedented crisis. The incident turned out to be a thought-provoking episode in history, a reminder of the importance of calmness and thoughtfulness when it comes to major decisions to avoid falling into irreparable predicament.
A few years later, when the Inurong tribe in the west really attacked, King Zhou You lit the beacon again, trying to send an urgent signal for help. Due to the frequent lighting of the beacon tower to make the audience laugh, the princes mistakenly thought that this time it was still a joke and did not immediately come to support. They may have thought that this was just another tease by King Zhou You, so they didn't take action.
This crisis is a real invasion by foreign enemies. Haojing, the capital of the Western Zhou Dynasty, was finally breached by the dog Rong, and the king of Zhou You was unfortunately killed, Bao Xi was taken captive, and the entire city was also destroyed. It wasn't until after the defeat of Hokyo that the princes realized that the threat from the west was real, but by this time it was too late.
After this catastrophe, the princes had to jointly decide to support the son of King You of Zhou as the new son of Zhou. Since Hojing had fallen, the new Son of Heaven had to move to Luoyi in the east, later Luoyang, marking a new chapter in the Zhou Dynasty. The Zhou Dynasty was divided into the Eastern Zhou Dynasty and the Western Zhou Dynasty, and this historical event also became the legend of the "Beacon Opera Princes", which profoundly influenced the course of Chinese history. This history not only reflects the consequences of King You's indiscretion and teasing, but also highlights the importance of mutual trust and cooperation among the princes in times of emergency.