Preface
What is the love of an emperor? Is it the affection of father and son whose blood is thicker than water? When the imperial power and the righteousness of the family and the country are placed at both ends of the scale, how should a wise monarch choose? This is a difficult problem that plagues every emperor. In the face of the heavy imperial power like a mountain, many monarchs just want to hide in the deep palace and enjoy the glory and wealth; And in the face of the various princes in the alliance, they are afraid of losing power.
However, when we see Emperor Wen of Han's decision to abandon his son and choose a virtuous minister, we see more than just a change of power and imperial infighting. Behind his unwavering gaze is his great love for his subjects and his struggle for selfless dedication.
1. Eventful times, embattled times
In 180 BC, during the reign of Emperor Liu Heng of the Han Dynasty, it was an eventful time for the Han Dynasty. The country has just gone through the cruelty of the war of reunification, and while there are many things to be done, it is also difficult to return. At the beginning of Liu Heng's ascension to the throne, the Han Dynasty had just quelled the rebellion of the Seven Kingdoms, and the country's strength had increased greatly, and there were several mutinies on the frontier and the border disputes between the Xiongnu, and Liu Heng had to face an embattled situation. At the same time, the people have been suffering from serious floods and droughts for many years, the people's lives are difficult, and the social order is disrupted.
In this critical autumn of survival, Liu Heng was overworked and exhausted. He often stared out the window alone, looking at the tired figures of the people, and couldn't help but redden. The palace maids around him repeatedly persuaded him to cherish the dragon body, but Liu Heng shook his head and sighed: "I share weal and woe with the people of the world, and I am all self-cultivation and family affairs, how can I be alone?"
Repaired trade with the Xiongnu to meet the needs of the border people, and at the same time, sent troops to strictly guard the border passes; Disaster relief and poverty alleviation, the establishment of regular liquidation, and the alleviation of the people's forced labor. Liu Heng worries about the country and often loses sleep, but what worries him the most is the suffering of his thousands of subjects. He often asked himself, "If I can't do my best to keep the people safe and benefit the people, how can I rule the world?"
Second, it is difficult for the Ming monarch to give up my relatives, and it is necessary to give up my son to build a country
With Liu Heng's unremitting efforts, the country has gradually entered the right track, and the people's lives have improved. At the same time, his son Liu Wu grew into a handsome teenager with great talents. Liu Heng was pleased to find that this young man actually adhered to the king's family style, often listened to the master's lectures, and asked the teacher to guide him on how to govern the country and the people.
One day, Liu Heng tasted tea and admired the moon alone in his spare time. He looked at Liu Wu's free-flowing calligraphy, and his heart was full of mixed feelings. A voice told him: Do you know that establishing a military force as a prince is an opportunity to bring good fortune to yourself! In the future, you can live a carefree old age, sitting around your children and grandchildren, and that should be the bliss of life.
However, Liu Heng immediately realized that if I only cared about my personal feelings and only wanted to leave a way back for myself, wouldn't I have failed the great trust entrusted to me by my ancestors! A king should treat the people as his son. What I am doing now is to stabilize the political situation and ensure long-term peace and stability in the country, and we must not take reckless measures to split the country.
Faced with these two dilemmas, Liu Heng couldn't sleep all night. He paced back and forth in the hall, and the solemn look on his face revealed the entanglement in his heart. He asked himself, how do I choose, to be truly loyal to the people's hearts and conform to the will of God? In the end, justice triumphed over selfish desires, and at dawn, he ushered in the most difficult and great moment of his life.
3. Wise and decisive, and establish a virtuous prince as the prince
In the winter of 157, Liu Heng finally made a wise decision. He made his nephew Liu Xian the crown prince, and refused to let his own son Liu Wu inherit the throne. Because he knows that Liu Xian is smart and studious, has lofty ambitions, and more importantly, cares about the people of Limin. With him to assist in promoting the reform of the Han Dynasty, he can sit back and relax. This young man will achieve a peaceful and prosperous world, and he can join this interlocking world without distraction.
When Liu Heng announced the candidate for the crown prince, the government and the opposition were in an uproar. Many ministers believed that this was a product of Liu Heng's power struggle, and refused to pass it on to their own flesh and blood. Several courtiers even wept outside the palace, thinking that the emperor's move was ruthless and unjust. However, in the face of criticism, Liu Heng was unmoved: "The rise and fall of survival is all in this move; I am so virtuous because he will achieve prosperity and peace!" He proved the wisdom and foresight of his choice with the majesty of a king.
Fourth, the virtuous prince, the country and the people
Facts have proved that Liu Heng Lixian's decision to be the crown prince is indeed extremely wise. Under his careful cultivation and supervision, Liu Xian gradually revealed his extraordinary ability to govern the country and his profound knowledge. He built water conservancy and developed agriculture, so that the common people had enough food and clothing; He reused his ability to govern the country, making the Han Dynasty stronger and stronger. Even when the Xiongnu invaded the south, they used tactics to win, so that the frontier returned to a quiet and peaceful scene. The people have no worries about food and clothing, live and work in peace and contentment, this is exactly the peaceful scene that Liu Heng dreamed of.
After Liu Xian officially ascended the throne, he followed Liu Heng's policy of benevolence and love for the people, so that the Han Dynasty entered its heyday. Nowadays, the history books are full of praise that it is precisely because of the succession of virtuous monarchs that the Han Dynasty was able to move towards glory and prosperity in the bloody storm. The people sacrificed Liu Heng's portrait to show their gratitude to this ancestor. Today's scholars also believe that the decision of Emperor Wen of the Han Dynasty changed the trajectory of the rise and fall of the dynasty and brought the Han Dynasty to long-term stability.
epilogue
When we look back at Emperor Wen of Han's choice to make his son the crown prince, we can clearly realize that this was by no means the product of a power struggle, but his selfless dedication to the well-being of his people. As a generation of Ming monarchs, Emperor Wen of the Han Dynasty looked at it, and all he was concerned about was the suffering of the common people. For the sake of national peace and security, he should only give up his personal feelings and choose talents and promote energy. It is precisely because of this selflessness and fearlessness that Emperor Wen of the Han Dynasty made a candle for future generations through the ages and became a model for Confucian kings.
There are many contemporary historical dramas that imitate and interpret this story. However, the most authentic version still depends on how historians evaluate it. Behind Emperor Wen of the Han Dynasty as the crown prince, in fact, is the incomparably pure love in his heart. As the wise Zhuge Liang said, the king regards the minister as a son, and the minister regards the king as a father. Emperor Wen regarded the people as his son, in exchange for the people's love and praise for his father. This is the true emperor's love.