Preface
It was a flash in the pan, but it affected a thousand years - what is the charm of the shortest-lived dynasty?
The desert is lonely, and the sun sets over the long river. In China's 5,000-year-long history, there is such a dynasty, which came and went suddenly, and it was only a flash in the pan in the long river of history; it only existed for 10 years, and its ruling scope was far less than that of the whole country.
However, this shortest-lived dynasty left a profound impact on the Central Plains, and it was a cornerstone of Chinese history that lasted for nearly 1,000 years. So, what is this dynasty, and what is its charm to shine so brightly in such a short period of time?
1. A poor young man, fighting for his life to open up the royal industry
The founder of this dynasty was a young man named Guo Wei. He was born in a poor family, and his family was poor since he was a child, and he had a rebellious personality, making a living from farming and herding. He was tall and strong, more like a ruffian. No one would have thought that this seemingly unlearned young man would create a dynasty in the future and become the emperor and hegemon.
At the age of 18, Guo Wei left his hometown and came to Houtang to begin his career in the army. Perhaps life in his hometown was too difficult, and he was determined to change his fate with his own hands. In the barracks, Guo Wei effortlessly stood out with his strength and courage, and was soon appreciated by the general Li Jitao and was promoted to escort his own soldiers.
In 936, Shi Jingjiao overthrew the Later Tang Dynasty and established the Later Jin Dynasty. He took a fancy to Guo Wei's talent, promoted him to a confidant, and sent him to Hedong Jiedu to serve under Liu Zhiyuan. Under Liu Zhiyuan, Guo Wei gradually emerged and began his journey of soaring.
In 947, Liu Zhiyuan saw the decline of the Later Jin State and decided to proclaim himself emperor and establish the country. With the support of Guo Wei and others, Liu Zhiyuan soon overthrew the Later Jin Dynasty, established the Later Han Dynasty, and became the founding emperor. And Guo Wei, under his great credit, became the top minister in the Middle Han Dynasty.
However, the good times were short-lived. Just after Liu Zhiyuan drove the crane to the west, the successor Emperor Liu Chengyou became suspicious and intended to get rid of Guo Wei, a confidant. Under the persuasion of the strategist Wei Renpu, Guo Wei was determined to turn against Liu Chengyou, so he raised troops to rebel. However, Liu Chengyou brutally killed Guo Wei's entire family, and none of his wife and children were spared.
Grief-stricken, Guo Wei led his subordinates to counterattack bravely, and finally killed Liu Chengyou on the way. At this time, Guo Wei was 52 years old, from a poor teenager to the point where he could be called a king and an emperor. In 951, with the support of the ministers, Guo Wei officially ascended the throne as emperor, and the founding name was "Zhou", which was known as "Later Zhou" in history. A dynasty was established at great cost in the Central Plains.
2. A young monarch of great talent
In 953, Guo Wei died young at the age of 55 when he reigned for only two years. Because his family was ruined in his early years, he had no heirs, so he passed on to his adopted son Chai Rong. Chai Rong, who was 34 years old at the time, officially succeeded to the throne as emperor, and he was known to later generations as Zhou Shizong. In 955, the Northern Han and Khitan united and took advantage of the change of domestic power in the Later Zhou to attack the Later Zhou border. Zhao Pu, who was the prime minister of the Northern Han Dynasty at the time, mobilized the army and strongly advocated attacking the Later Zhou. In the face of border troubles, the young Zhou Shizong resolutely decided to personally lead the army to conquer.
Zhao Kuangyin and other important ministers tried their best to persuade them, believing that the Northern Expedition was too risky. However, Zhou Shizong was determined to go, and he needed to establish his prestige on the battlefield and consolidate his dominance. Finally, with the support of Zhao Kuangyin, Zhou Shizong personally led the elite troops to Gaoping City.
This battle was personally commanded by Zhou Shizong and took the lead. He charged on horseback, took the lead, and finally defeated the Northern Han army. This victory not only consolidated Zhou Shizong's imperial power, but also made him more prestigious and desirable in the eyes of his civil and military subordinates. A wise ruler is on the rise.
3. Enlightened reform, national strength is growing day by day
Since ancient times, the combination of civil and military forces is the right track. After returning from victory, Zhou Shizong began a series of measures to govern the country. He followed the style of his adoptive father Guo Wei, greatly admired the rule of literature, reused the civil ministers, and restored the imperial examination system to select talents.
Not only that, Zhou Shizong did not stick to the rules in the introduction of talents, and boldly promoted capable ministers with outstanding vision and courage. The principle of employing people he put forward is to "pull out the strange and take the handsome", and he has won the essence of the idea of "the capable person is the teacher". For example, there was a small official Wei Renpu at that time, and Zhou Shizong was promoted to prime minister because of his wit and intelligence, which shocked the government and the public.
On the military front, Zhou Shizong also adopted vigorous and resolute measures. He severely punished civilian and military generals who escaped from the battle, and promoted meritorious officials. He attached more importance to the soldiers' will to fight, and put forward the idea of "soldiers are in generals, and generals are in ambition." In addition, he also trained the new army all year round and adhered to the principle of selecting and employing personnel, which soon made the Later Zhou army strong and terrifyingly combative.
On this basis, Zhou Shizong also formulated a far-sighted three-step plan. He planned to put down the rebellion in the country for 10 years and stabilize the situation, then restore the people's livelihood and economy in 10 years and make the people prosperous, and finally implement the rule of inaction in the last 10 years to ensure peace in the country.
If this plan is implemented, the great cause of reunification will be completed within 30 years, and the foundation of a generation of ZTE will be achieved. However, it seems that the heavens never intended to give Zhou Shizong much time. In 959, when he was leading his troops on the Northern Expedition, this illustrious king suddenly drove west due to illness at the age of 39. A wise master of Zhongxing left in a hurry in the long river of history, giving people infinite regret.
Fourth, 10 years of trials and hardships, affecting the millennium
Zhou Shizong's 7-year-old son Chai Zongxun ascended the throne as emperor and was Emperor Gong. However, at this time, it is difficult for this childish man to support the operation of a dynasty after all. The following year, Zhao Kuangyin was supported by the ministers and proclaimed emperor, and the latter Zhou perished. Since the founding of Guo Wei, the Later Zhou Dynasty has only existed for 10 years. In just 10 years, the Later Zhou Dynasty has experienced 2 emperors and countless ups and downs. It ended in a short life on the stage of history, but it had a profound impact on later generations and the rise of the Northern Song Dynasty. As the last dynasty of the Five Dynasties, Zhou inherited the past and the future, and was an important part of the Central Plains Dynasty's transition from dispersion to stability and unification.
His cultural and martial arts, selection of talents, and outstanding political achievements also directly influenced the founding policy of the Northern Song Dynasty in the early years. Countless post-Zhou relics were outstanding in the Northern Song Dynasty, and Zhao Kuangyin, Taizu of the Song Dynasty, also deeply understood the ideological essence and governance of Guo Wei and Zhou Shizong. It can be said that without the eradication of the split situation and the accumulation of cultural rule in the Later Zhou Dynasty, there would have been no stable and unified unified empire of the Northern Song Dynasty. Although the past 10 years have passed like a white horse, they have led the Chinese nation to a prosperous era of close unity and unification that lasts for thousands of years.
epilogue
Although the epiphany is short-lived, it blooms brilliantly, and although the next week passes for a while, it has a far-reaching impact. In just 10 years, Hou Zhou has forever carried on Chinese history and bloomed with dazzling light. This is the unique charm of this short-lived dynasty that is still talked about today.