They are the rebels of the times, the reckless heroes, and the heroes of Liangshan. In that troubled era, they were burdened with different destinies, but one thing was the same: they were all faced with a choice, whether to defect to Song Jiang in Liangshan, or to support Fang La's rebel army. However, for thousands of years, the choice of history seems to be unfair, why did the heroes of the Water Margin all defect to Song Jiang, but no one took care of Fang La? Among them, there are three practical reasons, which are profound and thought-provoking.
Geographical advantages and the choice of Liangshan heroes
Yangsan is located in the north, the traditional Central Plains region. Compared with the south, especially the south during the Northern Song Dynasty, the geographical location of Liangshan was relatively more favorable. This geographical reason is the primary factor for Yangsan to become a gathering place for many heroes.
During the Northern Song Dynasty, the Central Plains region was relatively prosperous. It is easily accessible, crisscrossed by rivers, fertile land, and thriving agricultural production. The economic situation of this area provided a solid foundation for the prosperity of Yangsan. On the contrary, although the south was developed by the Eastern Jin Dynasty, it was not as developed as the Central Plains during the Northern Song Dynasty.
The geographical location of Yangsan makes it an ideal place for many talented men. Not only can these heroes easily carry out their activities in the area around Yangsan, but they can also take advantage of the prosperous economy of the Central Plains region to gain more support. That's why most of the heroes with ambition and ability chose Liangshan instead of Fang La.
Time flies, the prosperity of the Northern Song Dynasty and the relatively lagging development of the south make Liangshan an attractive place to go. Not only are there plenty of opportunities here, but many more possibilities await those who are eager to change their destiny. At the same time, the development of the south is not satisfactory and does not provide opportunities comparable to those of the Central Plains.
Heroes have chosen to defect to Liangshan, which is based on their rational choice of geographical location. This geographical reason makes Liangshan the first choice for them to gather. These heroes want to be able to create their own legends and fulfill their ambitions in this land. And Yangsan's Central Plains geographical location provides them with ample opportunities to make their dreams come true.
The choice of geographical location directly affects the fate of these heroes. They come from different backgrounds, but they all converge in Yangsan and become a powerful force. This is a unique historical phenomenon in the Northern Song Dynasty, and it is also the result of geographical advantages. The Central Plains region in the north provided a solid foundation for the prosperity of Liangshan and the rise of heroes.
The factors of the times and the inevitability of Liangshan Zhao'an
The peculiarity of the Northern Song Dynasty is that its demise did not stem from economic collapse or the misery of the people, which was very different from other dynasties. This profoundly affected the historical trend of the Northern Song Dynasty and also provided a deep reason for Zhao'an.
During the Northern Song Dynasty, the emperor's prestige and appeal were very great, and he was regarded as the "Son of Heaven". This special factor of the times gave the emperor a unique legitimacy, and also made Song Jiang and other heroes recognize the rationality of Zhao'an. When implementing the surrender plan, Song Jiang always emphasized: "Liangshan will recruit sooner or later." This sentence is not only a declaration, but also a deep understanding of the background of the times.
At that time, the heroes were faced with a choice, whether to choose Zhao'an, or choose to continue on the uncertain road. Zhao'an represents a relatively stable future, and choosing it means a higher success rate. In contrast, Fang La did not show the same willingness to recruit An, which seemed out of place in the environment at the time.
This factor of the times also created a favorable background for Song Jiang's recruitment plan. Not only is he an aspiring leader, but he also knows how to take advantage of the trends of the times to drive his plans. His recruitment plan is based on rational considerations of reality, not simple risk-taking. This plan brought together a group of important heroes, such as Hu Yanzhuo, Guan Sheng, Lu Junyi, etc., all of whom rationally chose the road of Zhao'an under the pressure of the times.
The particularity of this era also made the emperor's eldest brother a very important figure. He had a charismatic power and was recognized as a legitimate leader by many good men. Song Jiang is well aware of this, and he knows that the key to the recruitment plan is to win the support of heavyweights. The presence of the emperor's eldest brother provides a solid backing for Zhao'an, making the Zhao'an plan more likely to succeed.
In the context of this era, choosing Zhao'an is not a sign of weakness, but a rational decision. Heroes are facing a road full of uncertainties, while Zhao'an is a visible and stable road. Therefore, Song Jiang and others' recruitment plan was implemented, but Fang La failed to adapt to the situation and ultimately failed.
In short, the particularity of the times in the Northern Song Dynasty, the prestige and appeal of the emperor, and the rational choices of the heroes together formed the background of the Liangshan heroes' choice of Zhao'an. The deep-seated reasons of this era have affected the trend of history, and also provided rationality and the possibility of success for Zhao'an. In this environment, Song Jiang's firm leadership and recruitment plan became an important chapter in history.
Song Jiang's persistence and the way to success
Song Jiang's success is not just an accidental result, but a profound reflection of his leadership skills and care for his brothers. He has demonstrated exceptional decision-making and strong conviction at critical moments.
In Liangshan's predicament, Song Jiang experienced many life and death tests. He had been besieged in Zhongyitang and faced a situation where he was outnumbered, but he did not waver, believing that his brothers would come for him. This unwavering belief fueled his leadership potential and inspired his brothers to stand behind him unwaveringly.
Song Jiang's care and emotion also played an important role in team building. He was not only a leader, but also a friend who cared about his brother's well-being. He always has the safety of his brothers in mind, and this care makes them feel that they are not only a team, but also a close-knit family.
In the implementation of the recruitment plan, Song Jiang's leadership ability has been fully demonstrated. He knows how to motivate his brothers and how to use everyone's strengths to make the team stronger. Not only did he lead by example, but he also encouraged his brothers to get involved and share risks and responsibilities. This style of leadership has earned the respect and trust of the brothers.
Song Jiang's persistence and emotion have made Liangshan a solid team. In Yangsan, brothers are not only partners, but also friends and family to each other. This close relationship allows them to face difficulties together and work together to achieve the recruitment plan. Song Jiang's persistence and leadership ability became the key factors for success, and it was also one of the reasons why many heroes in Liangshan chose to defect to Liangshan.
Song Jiang's success was not accidental, but was the result of his outstanding leadership skills and care for his brothers. His firm belief and team building at critical moments have laid a solid foundation for the rise of Liangshan and the implementation of the recruitment plan. His story reflects the important qualities of a leader and leaves a lasting inspiration for future generations. Song Jiang's success stems from his persistence and emotion, which has led his team to a brilliant future.
Fang La's failure and Zhao'an's choice
Unlike Song Jiang, Fang La's failure to successfully establish his own Zhao'an plan is a notable difference in the Water Margin. Although Fang La was also an aspiring leader, there were many complex reasons behind his failure to win the support of many heroes.
First of all, geographical factors played a key role in Fang La's failure. The area where Fangla is active is relatively far away from the Central Plains, compared to Liangshan. This made him lack direct contact with the emperor in the Central Plains, and could not rely on the emperor's prestige to promote the Zhao'an plan like Song Jiang did. In the context of the times, geographical distance has become an insurmountable obstacle, restricting Fang La's actions and influence.
Secondly, Fang La's appeal is not as good as Song Jiang. Song Jianggang escaped life and death, but he still cares about the safety of his brother, and this persistence and emotion make his leadership position fully recognized. He was not only a leader, but also a friend who cared about his brothers, which made them willing to fight for him. In contrast, Fang La failed to show the same charisma, and he failed to win the hearts of many heroes.
Fang La's leadership style is also different from that of Song Jiang. When it comes to team building, Fang La is not as proactive as Song Jiang, he fails to fully motivate his brothers and makes good use of everyone's strengths. On the contrary, his leadership style appears to be relatively passive, which makes the team's cohesion and combat effectiveness inferior to Liangshan.
With the passage of time, history has left the mark of different leaders. Although Fang La had ambitions, he failed to overcome obstacles such as geographical distance and lack of appeal, failed to build a strong team, and ultimately failed to achieve his ambitions. In contrast, Song Jiang showed concern and persistence for his brother at critical moments, and this emotion and leadership allowed him to successfully implement the Zhao'an plan and become an outstanding leader in the Water Margin.
On the big stage of history, leadership, emotion and team building are all important factors that affect destiny. Fang La's failure was not only due to geography, but also to his leadership style and charisma. Song Jiang's success is due to his persistence and emotion, and it also provides profound historical enlightenment for future generations. Historical choices are not accidental, but are a multitude of factors that have shaped the fate of different leaders.
The reason why the heroes of Liangshan chose to defect to Liangshan instead of Fang La is intertwined with multiple factors. Geographical advantages, factors of the times, the prestige of the emperor's eldest brother, the ingenious planning of the Zhao'an plan, and Song Jiang's persistence and leadership all influenced their choice to a certain extent. The combination of these factors made Liangshan the ultimate destination of many heroes, and it also demonstrated Song Jiang's extraordinary charm and leadership skills. In the context of complex times, reasonable choice and firm belief are the keys to success.
Bibliography:
- "Water Margin", Shi Nai'an, Ming Dynasty.
- 2. 《宋史》，司马光，元代