Preface
The Ming Dynasty, a once brilliant dynasty, had two strange and bizarre events on the eve of its demise, as if they were a mystery given by history. These two enigmatic events became a non-negligible episode in history at the moment of the fall of the Ming Dynasty, which is thought-provoking.
On the eve of the fall of the Ming Dynasty, what forces created these two strange things that make people feel incredible? Are these strange things a joke of fate, or are they the ruthless arrangements of history?
It all happened 24 hours before the fall of the Ming Dynasty, is this time node that makes these two events seem more mysterious? Perhaps it is this strange time coincidence that makes people wonder how history weaves this bizarre story?
First, the long-standing weak Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty is an unprecedentedly glorious empire. After Hongwu Taiding, the country reached its heyday, not only with a vast territory, but also with clear politics and prosperous culture, and was regarded as the highest representative of the orthodox Han regime. However, under this resplendent surface, the system of the Ming Dynasty is constantly being eroded. All signs indicate that it is only a matter of time before it declines.
Whether it is the dictatorship of eunuchs, the party struggle in Donglin, or the change of Tumubao, all of these have shaken the foundation of this huge empire to varying degrees.
In the Chongzhen period, the original strong national strength was already at the end of the strong crossbow, the frontier wars were frequent, and the people revolted one after another. At the same time, the peasant rebel army led by Li Zicheng was in full swing towards the city of Beijing.
When Li Zicheng took the lead in the first lunar month of 1644, only 40 miles away from Beijing, the fate of the Ming Dynasty was a foregone conclusion. There seems to be a suffocating layer of despair in the city, and everyone is waiting to see and wait for the choice of fate. And the key to this choice is in the heart of Chongzhen, the last Ming Emperor in the Forbidden City.
2. The turbulent waves of the peasant uprising at the end of the Ming Dynasty
Before analyzing the situation faced by Chongzhen, it is necessary to recall how thrilling the impact of the peasant uprising on this dynasty was at that time. A series of peasant uprisings represented by Li Zicheng are the epitome of this era, and they are also the catharsis of thousands of civilians to reality. They used their hands to push the wheels of history and ultimately changed the course of the country's destiny.
Li Zicheng was not born strong, he was just a poor Shanxi peasant, but by chance he joined the anti-Ming uprising. He relied on his extraordinary bravery and courage
Soon emerged in the rebel army, from a small captain to a deputy general, and then to the position of "king", all the way to the invincible. The forces behind him were more than 50,000 bare-handed peasant rebels, as well as widespread dissatisfaction with the rule of the Ming Dynasty.
After Li Zicheng became king in Luoyang in 1641, his popularity increased day by day, and there were even rumors that the peasant army was going to attack Beijing. This was undoubtedly a bolt from the blue for the ruling class of the Ming Dynasty. They are horrified to find that the seemingly impregnable regime under their feet is facing collapse in the undercurrent, fueled by the huge civilian class.
3. The dilemma: surrender or resistance
When Li Zicheng's vanguard came to the city of Beijing, the Ming court fell into unprecedented panic and chaos. The previous military defense line had completely collapsed, and now that the peasant army was slaughtered, they had almost lost all will and courage to resist.
And Emperor Chongzhen, who is located in the middle of the Forbidden City, is even more unimaginable at this time. He once tried to rectify the government and restore the majesty of the Ming Dynasty, but he did not expect to usher in an unprecedented defeat. Now that he has succeeded, how should he choose? Should he choose to compromise with the peasant clique and temporarily preserve the Ming Dynasty, or should he make a desperate gamble and fight to the death with it? This psychological struggle undoubtedly overrides the survival of the entire dynasty.
According to historical records, Li Zicheng sent envoys to the city of Beijing with the conditions of surrender. The Chinese and foreign ministers on the city tower knelt down to greet them, and on the main hall of the Forbidden City, the pale-faced Emperor Chongzhen was in the surging emotions, making the final game. He understood that this might be the only hope for saving the entire Ming Dynasty, but how could his dignity as the Son of Heaven bow to a peasant leader?
In the end, in the confrontation between love and reason, Chongzhen made a choice. In the face of the messenger's surrender, he waved his hand and ignored it. At this moment, he is no longer a king, but a loser fighting for what little dignity remains, a character who is about to be abandoned by history. In his heart, there was probably only heart-rending despair left.
Fourth, a desperate choice in a desperate situation
When Li Zicheng learned of Chongzhen's refusal to surrender, he immediately ordered the siege of the city of Beijing. At this time, the Forbidden City had fallen into a rest, and all the ministers were trembling for their lives. And in the deep palace, an even more tragic scene was staged.
Chongzhen ordered all the concubines in the palace to commit suicide. This was his last mercy to his deep secret room. In that moment, he was not a husband or father, but a failed emperor who understood that the tide was turning. He understands that an unimaginable fate awaits his beloved. So in times of despair, letting them sleep forever may be the only mercy that this age can bestow on them.
What's even more shocking is that Chongzhen ended the lives of his two young princesses with his own hands. As a father, he used to pamper them with his entire empire, but at this time, he ruined their future with his own hands.
At that moment, his heart must have been tormented like never before in history. This is his cruelty to his own flesh and blood, and it is also his desperate indictment of this troubled world. That feeling of being like a knife is probably only qualified to be expressed by those who have experienced it.
5. The dynasty is overthrown, and a new era is coming
After experiencing these two strange things, Chongzhen's heart has little left. When he climbed to the top of the city and watched Li Zicheng's army surging like a flood, there was only endless despair in his heart.
At that moment, he was no longer an emperor, but a loser trampled by fate. So, he chose to end his life, and also drew the final end to the entire Daming country.
When the news of Chongzhen's fall from the coal mountain spread, the entire city of Beijing fell into a shock and trance. Li Zicheng's army entered Beijing, and the glorious capital was silent overnight, and everyone was waiting to see and wait for the new arrangement that fate had given them. For the witnesses of history, it is only the beginning of the collapse of a great empire, but also a signal that a new era is coming.
So, what is the subtle connection between the fall of an empire and the choice of the last monarch? Can we say that it was Chongzhen's choice that led to the fall of the entire Ming Dynasty? What kind of profound historical enlightenment does this contain? When we look back at this thrilling history today, we may be able to find all kinds of answers hidden behind it.
epilogue
To sum up, 24 hours before the fall of the Ming Dynasty in 1644, two strange events were staged in the Forbidden City, which not only deeply reflected the absurdity and drama of an empire at the end of its existence, but also made future generations more emotional about human nature and the laws of history. It reveals the relationship between personal choices and the trend of the times, which is an unavoidable proposition. Looking back on this period of history today, it still feels absurd, and the revelations contained in it are always worth chewing on and thinking about.