Preface
The Ming and Qing dynasties both enjoyed the country for 276 years, so which of the last monarchs of these two dynasties was more mediocre?
The two dynasties flourished and declined, and the people were devastated. When this ancient empire faces its darkest hour, the actions and performance of the monarch are especially crucial. Chongzhen and Puyi, two unique emperors, had a difficult and bumpy life, but they each suffered the crimes pointed out by Qianfu. When we look back at history, we might as well put ourselves in their shoes - which of them is more important and less than mediocre?
Ming Chongzhen: Righteous and resolute, there is no way to act
In 1627, Ming Xizong died, and his son Zhu Youzhen succeeded him as Emperor Chongzhen at the age of 16. Chongzhen is upright by nature, and he is at odds with the weak Xizong. He was stubborn and self-serving, brave and ruthless, and vigorously eradicated the remnants of the eunuch party after he became pro-government, and the government and the opposition changed color for a while.
At the beginning of Chongzhen's accession to the throne, the Ming Dynasty was already suffering from internal and external troubles, and it was about to fall into decline. He knew that to turn things around was like ascending to the sky, so the ministers of the temple quickly took care of political affairs, working day and night, and did not slack off in the slightest. But he was resolute in everything, arrogant in heart, and angry all day long, and the Chinese martial arts were all afraid.
In order to save the crisis at the end of the Ming Dynasty, Chongzhen took various measures, and his intentions can be seen. He searched for corrupt ministers in many ways to clean up the government, and for a while, the party struggle intensified, and the reform was difficult to produce results. Chongzhen's personality is natural, he is not alarmed, he is not discouraged, and he still governs national affairs day and night, which can be described as exhausting and doing his best......
The middle period of Chongzhen: Misuse of employment and internal and external troubles
In the middle of Chongzhen, the reform gradually achieved results, but the mistakes of cronyism gradually appeared. He attached great importance to his henchmen Gao Panlong, etc., and excluded dissidents, resulting in many factions in the imperial court. The civilian-bureaucratic clique has lost checks and balances, party disputes are becoming increasingly fierce, and the government is on the verge of getting out of control.
At this time, the Manchu forces were also becoming more and more ready to move, frequently invading the frontier. Chongzhen had to promote and employ people, and appointed famous generals such as Yuan Chonghuan to guard the border passes. The Ming army won many battles and defended the security of the homeland. However, then Chongzhen suspected that Yuan Chonghuan had different intentions and scolded him, which aroused the revenge of the Manchus, causing the situation to deteriorate again......
At the end of Chongzhen: desperate and can't bear to make a comeback
In 1644, Li Zicheng's peasant army captured Beijing, and Emperor Chongzhen could not withstand the huge blow and hanged himself in the coal mountain at the age of 30. Before he died, he left a bloody letter, his tone was mournful, and he choked up to say goodbye to the people; It also reflects its noble integrity, and it can't bear to make a comeback and avoid disasters.
Looking back at this period of history, it is not difficult for us to see that Chongzhen is not a mediocre king. He worked diligently and tried to save the country, but his luck was not good, he was in difficulty both internally and externally, and his talent and courage could not support the collapse of the building. Chongzhen is stubborn and mishandles interpersonal relationships, which has become the root cause of his inability to resolve the crisis. Although it is difficult to escape the trap after all, its perseverance and integrity are still worthy of the admiration of future generations.
Pu Yi: Ignorance of the government and dereliction of duty and misguided country
In 1908, Emperor Guangxu died, and his nephew Zai Yan succeeded to the throne, Pu Yi was 3 years old at the time. The real power fell into the hands of the Empress Dowager Cixi. Cixi helped Nubu support in her early years, and she was in power for a long time. Now that the "righteous son" Pu Yi has ascended the throne, she is regent again, and her power is unparalleled.
The Empress Dowager Cixi was authoritarian and dictatorial, and Pu Yi lived a lonely life in the deep palace since he was a child. He only knows how to have fun all the time, and he doesn't care about any national affairs. Puyi's growth process has been deliberately delayed, and it has been the same for decades. Even if the Qing Dynasty was in danger, he was not interested in authority, and was only obsessed with airplanes and foreign sports, completely ignoring the withering of people's livelihood and the degeneration of national fortunes.
Although Pu Yi has no real power, he is also guilty of dereliction of duty. As the emperor, he should have worked for the interests of the people, even if he could not participate in politics, he should have cared more about the people's welfare. But Pu Yi is in the same vein as the Manchu elites, treating human life as a mustard, and there has never been those suffering ordinary people in his heart.
Puyi at the end of the Qing Dynasty: cowardly fled and lost his home and country
After the outbreak of the Wuchang Uprising in 1911, Pu Yi only cared about fleeing for his life, leaving the people alone. He and Cixi took the gold and silver in the palace, ran away in a hurry, defected to the Empress Dowager of the West and cried, praying for shelter and life. This cowardly and weak performance, which only knows how to protect itself, has long lost the dignity and integrity of a monarch. Eventually, the Xinhai Revolution broke out, and the Qing Dynasty was wiped out in chaos.
When the storm subsided and the Qing Dynasty abdicated, Pu Yi, who was only 6 years old, was already unaware of the rise and fall of the empire. He didn't understand or care about the people's livelihood and suffering, he only knew how to obey the instructions and act as a Japanese lackey in the puppet government. For the glory of his own power, he betrayed the country for glory and betrayed the nation...... Pu Yi's cowardice, cowardice and mediocrity directly led to the destruction of China in the 20th century, and the rise and fall of China once again fought for its life in troubled times!
Ming and Qing Dynasty, the vast sea is a reed to sail
To sum up, when we look back at history and examine the rise and fall of the two dynasties, we must finally distinguish the situation and distinguish its priorities. Chongzhen and Puyi have their own merits. But among them, those who are mediocre and derelict in their responsibilities and mislead the country and the people are quite different-
Emperor Chongzhen was upright and honest, diligent and diligent, and did his best. In the autumn of crisis in the Ming Dynasty, he was incompatible with the situation of fortune, and he made mistakes in employing people, and it was difficult to escape his fate; But he still shows his unique integrity and courage. It is this extraordinary righteousness and perseverance that has achieved his lofty image in the minds of future generations.
Pu Yi, on the other hand, was too cowardly and cowardly all his life, ignorant and unconscious. He disregarded the country and the nation, and lived for the pleasure of his own power. was derelict in his duties, missed opportunities, and even willingly acted as a traitor. If Chongzhen is doomed to fail but deserves to die, then Pu Yi deserves to be destroyed and will never be able to turn over.
The rise and fall of the Ming and Qing dynasties, God is selfless and impartial, and only the hearts of the people are created. When a single boat carries the fate of all the people in the vast sea, we must all the more prudently distinguish which is more important and which is more mediocre! This is not only a lesson of history, but also a revelation for the future......
epilogue
Although the trajectory of history is irreversible, we should still learn lessons and look at the present. Now that the world has changed, the Chinese nation has once again come to a once-in-a-lifetime critical moment. In the face of a complex situation, we need visionary leaders to lead the country and the nation to prosperity and strength.
Good doctors are high-minded, benevolent and love the people, and righteous and single-minded. We look forward to the new era, people with lofty ideals can stand up and work in unity. They may not be perfect, but they must have a selfless heart, share weal and woe with the people, and depend on each other for life and death. Only in this way can we turn danger into relief and recreate a new glory of China!