Preface
In the long river of history, sometimes behind some seemingly ordinary scenes, there is a wit and humor that makes people laugh. There was a scene in the story of Zhu Yuanzhang hunting a black bear, but Tang He unexpectedly refused the invitation to take this adventure.
Everyone was puzzled, and it was not until he easily proposed to "take the bear character apart and take a look" that it suddenly became clear. Does the light-hearted and humorous wisdom of this scene make you wonder how this historical figure showed such wit and humor at a critical moment?
Born from the same roots, deep friendship was formed in the war
On the seventh day of the seventh lunar month in 1325, under the background of the turbulent times at the end of the Yuan Dynasty, in a small village called Xiaocheng in Fengyang, Anhui Province, two boys whose fates were closely linked were born at the same time - Zhu Yuanzhang and Tang He.
Zhu Yuanzhang was born in a dilapidated peasant family, he has a tough personality, and he has a maturity and stability that is not commensurate with his age. Tang He is more lively and cheerful than him, often leading the children in the village to play games, showing excellent leadership and attraction.
The two families live next to each other, and the two have become close friends since childhood. Tang He often encouraged Zhu Yuanzhang with confidence, saying that he would definitely make great achievements in the future and his future was limitless. And Zhu Yuanzhang also trusts Tang He very much, and the two often sit under the big tree at the head of the village, chatting about their dreams and ambitions, and encouraging each other.
Seeing that his family was getting poorer and poorer, 13-year-old Zhu Yuanzhang was forced to leave his hometown and go to Huangjue Temple, a hundred miles away, to become a monk, and began the first major turning point in his life. Although he was reluctant, he also understood that this was a great opportunity to change his fate.
Tang He remained in his hometown, and was later selected by Guo Zixing's rebel army with his superb martial arts, and was quickly promoted to the head of a thousand households with a thousand people, in charge of a small army. He was brave and good at fighting on the battlefield and was deeply appreciated by Guo Zixing.
Five years later, Tang He finally had the opportunity to contact Zhu Yuanzhang, who had been a monk in the monastery for many years. He immediately wrote a letter to Zhu Yuanzhang, describing in detail the situation of the rebel army, and sincerely invited him to leave the monastery and devote himself to the great cause of resisting the Yuan Dynasty and fighting for the liberation of the nation.
The messenger hurried for two days and two nights, and finally handed over the letter to Zhu Yuanzhang. Zhu Yuanzhang read repeatedly under the candlelight, his expression was solemn at first, then excited, and finally firm. Early the next morning, he decided to give up his life as a monk and leave the monastery to come to the rebel garrison to reunite with Tang He.
In the rebel army, Zhu Yuanzhang was just an ordinary soldier at first, but Tang He's respect and courtesy for him exceeded ordinary people. Whenever he went on an expedition, Tang He always let Zhu Yuanzhang walk in front, and he followed behind to escort him. He is well aware of Zhu Yuanzhang's talent and potential, and firmly believes that he can achieve great things.
The two fought side by side in the flames of war and gunsmoke, rescued each other's dangers, and formed a deep brotherhood. In this way, they also met many like-minded people from all over the world, and the core backbone of the future founding of the country came from this period.
The Ming Dynasty opened the country and hunted the power of the black bear
In 1368, Zhu Yuanzhang proclaimed himself emperor in Nanjing, Yingtianfu, and established a unified Ming Dynasty, ending the rule of the Yuan Dynasty in the Central Plains, so that this land ushered in the first Han regime since the fall of the Song Dynasty. As the founder of the Ming Dynasty and the de facto ruler of power, Zhu Yuanzhang's desire to control power became increasingly strong. He became suspicious, wary and suspicious of the heroes around him, worried that the military power and popularity they gained would be unfavorable to him.
As a result, Zhu Yuanzhang began to frequently design "tests", partly to examine the talents and loyalty of his courtiers, and partly to be the product of power struggles. This made the court at that time permeate the court with hidden hostility and panic. One day in autumn, Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly proposed to let his subordinates hunt a fierce black bear for him in the forest, which seemed to be a test of the courage of the ministers on the surface, but in fact it was a game of power.
It is true that this black bear is indeed extremely ferocious and has hurt the mountain people. But more importantly, the bear hunt is a good way to consider the attitude of the subordinates towards the imperial power, whether they are loyal and obedient, or reserved. When the other courtiers vied with each other and showed their martial arts to win the emperor's favor, Tang He chose a meaningful silence.
This abnormal behavior immediately attracted Zhu Yuanzhang's attention and suspicion. That night, he specially sent his confidants to ask Tang He's reason in private. Tang He thought for a moment and said indifferently: "Take apart the word 'bear' and take a look." It turns out that the word "bear" is "can", which represents the capable ministers of the current dynasty; The following four points are metaphors for the resentment they may have because they have lost power.
Through the literal analysis, Tang He reflected Zhu Yuanzhang's inner jealousy and suspicion, ignoring the courtiers. As an important general under Zhu Yuanzhang, Tang He realized that this black bear was just a part of the power game. Participating in it will only lead to death.
Therefore, although Zhu Yuanzhang is his old friend, Tang He would rather face suspicion than take unnecessary risks. He hopes to maintain a friendship of innocence and trust with Zhu Yuanzhang, and not be disturbed by the whirlpool of power. This subtle move reflects his sober analysis of the court situation, and also reflects his pure heart for the country and the people.
Exit in time and spend your old age smoothly
As the Ming Dynasty got on the right track, Zhu Yuanzhang's suspicions deepened, and he began to frequently devise traps to purge dissidents. Under the impact of the Hu Weiyong incident, Tang He realized that the time for retirement and seclusion was near. So, in the early morning of a spring day in 1388, Tang He came to Zhu Yuanzhang's palace and earnestly resigned and returned home
So with a wave of his hand, he not only agreed to Tang He's request to retire, but also rewarded him with a large amount of gold and silver, and ordered him to build a mansion in Tang He's hometown Fengyang for him to spend the rest of his life. Tang He vividly remembered this favor and Zhu Yuanzhang's friendship.
After retiring, Tang He lived a life of idle clouds and wild cranes. He often invited local literati and artists to drink in his mansion, or stroll alone among the mountains and rivers, enjoying the great rivers and mountains, and enjoying themselves. He also often helped poor families repair houses in the village, and sponsored some smart and studious teenagers to study in the county seat. The villagers loved him and called him a "living bodhisattva".
In that era of suspicion and insecurity, Tang He's exit can be said to be the best ending. He not only bid farewell to the ups and downs in the court, but also successfully saved his life and retained the sincere friendship with the monarch. This precious friendship also became an important pillar for Ming Chengzu to eliminate the Mongol power in the later Jianwen period.
Conclusion: The Historical Dialectic of Power and Human Nature
The story of Tang He and Zhu Yuanzhang reflects the epitome of an era. We have seen that in the midst of turmoil and change, the essence of human nature has not changed, and friendship and ideals are still the spiritual pillars.
Power, on the other hand, is a test of human nature again and again. In the face of pressure and temptation, standing still is the true warrior. Tang He was unwilling to help Zhu Yuanzhang hunt black bears, and the wisdom contained in it is also the essence of what we need to learn in this era.
We still have a long way to go to become such a person as Tang and Zhi. But the way forward is clear, and every step we take today brings us one step closer to true strength.