In the long history of the Chinese nation, turbulent dynastic changes have continuously promoted the development of Chinese civilization. From the pre-Qin period to the present day, the acquisition of the "imperial throne" often determines the survival and demise of a dynasty, and the way it is obtained has also become the core of controversy and judgment in later generations.
In this magnificent historical drama, there are some founders of dynasties who eventually reached the pinnacle of power, but their process of achievement is not widely recognized. They often used violence, intrigue and even defection to foreign clans to obtain the throne, which not only violated the political ethics of the time, but also caused widespread controversy in later generations.
Let us savor these stories of "improper position", feel the joys, sorrows and sorrows of these historical figures, and also appreciate the grand context of the historical development of the Chinese nation.
The founding of the Northern Song Dynasty - Zhao Kuangyin's controversy was put in place
Zhao Kuangyin, known as the founding emperor of the Northern Song Dynasty by later generations, jumped from the leader of the first Chinese army to the throne. However, his path to rise is controversial because he seized power through a "mutiny".
Zhao Kuangyin's approach did conform to the mandate of heaven and public opinion at that time. In the chaos of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, the people eagerly awaited a new dynasty that could achieve national unity and social stability. As the commander of the Later Zhou Dynasty, Zhao Kuangyin had outstanding martial arts and received widespread popular support, and his appearance was undoubtedly an opportunity to save the country and the people. Through a decisive mutiny, Zhao Kuangyin ended the division of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms and established a unified Song Dynasty, which was undoubtedly a major event for the benefit of the world at that time.
In general, although Zhao Kuangyin's ascension to the throne resolved the chaotic situation and achieved national reunification, there were also some improprieties in his methods and behaviors. This became a point of contention in later generations, with people affirming his political achievements on the one hand, and criticizing his way of getting to the throne and governing his methods on the other.
The founder of the Sui Dynasty, Yang Jian, won the throne by controversy
The Sui Dynasty was the first dynasty since the Qin and Han dynasties to unify the north and the south, and its founder was none other than Yang Jian. Yang Jian has made extraordinary achievements in his life, creating a glorious and prosperous era of the Sui Dynasty, and can be described as a well-deserved hero. However, his accession to the throne was once considered improper by later generations.
Yang Jian's rise mainly relied on his daughter Yang Lihua. In the Northern Zhou Dynasty, Yang Lihua gradually grasped the power of the court by virtue of her status as the empress of Emperor Xuan. After Yu Wenyun's death, Yang Lihua used her influence to quickly support Yang Jian to ascend to the throne of the Northern Zhou Dynasty, and helped him concentrate power and eliminate dissidents.
In this process, Yang Jian did not make too many achievements, but mainly relied on family relationships and the support of his daughter. This practice of seeking the throne through the forces of foreign relatives was naturally criticized and questioned by later generations.
However, we should also see that Yang Jian realized the great cause of great unification and laid the foundation for the later Sui and Tang dynasties. He had outstanding achievements in politics, economics, military and many other fields, and was widely respected at the time. Perhaps if Yang Jian practices meditation after unifying the world, he may be able to get more recognition.
The founder of the Southern Qi Dynasty, Xiao Daocheng, won the throne in controversy
Among the four dynasties of the Southern Dynasties, most of the founding monarchs had some merits to speak of, but only the founding monarch of the Southern Qi Dynasty, Xiao Daocheng, was highly controversial.
Xiao Daocheng was originally just a son of a poor family, but with his own talent and hard work, he became a powerful minister under the heavy use of the Liu clan. After the death of Emperor Song Ming, Xiao Daocheng used the well-known "abolishing the emperor" method to force the clan to rebel, and took the opportunity to eradicate political opponents and monopolize the power of the court. In the end, he personally deposed the then emperor Liu Yu and ascended the throne himself.
Xiao Daocheng's ascension to the throne was full of violence and conspiracy, and he not only overthrew the legitimate regime, but also committed the crime of killing the monarch. This behavior clearly violated the political ethics of the time, and it is no wonder that later generations will harshly criticize his accessibility.
However, we should also see that Xiao Daocheng rose after all under the cultivation of Emperor Song Ming, and his talent and political wisdom are also obvious to all. Perhaps if he can wait for the opportunity to establish a new dynasty through other more legitimate and legal means, it will be more in line with the will of the people and the mandate of heaven.
The founder of the Later Jin Dynasty, Shi Jingjiao, was controversial
The last thing to mention is Shi Jingjiao, the founding monarch of the Later Jin Dynasty, whose process of ascending to the throne is undoubtedly the ugliest and most heinous.
Shi Jingjiao, as the envoy of the Hedong Festival, was once loyal to the Later Tang Dynasty. But in order to seek the throne, he actually colluded with Khitan Goryeo and other foreign races, asking these foreign tribes to send troops to help. With the support of the Khitan army, Shi Jingjiao invaded Luoyang, destroyed the Later Tang Dynasty, and ascended the throne as emperor himself, establishing the Later Jin Dynasty.
In order to repay the Khitan for his help, Shi Jingjiao even did not hesitate to cede the territory of the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun, so that the Central Plains Dynasty completely lost this important national defense barrier.
Shi Jingjiao's actions not only violated the political morality of the time, but also harmed the interests of the country. He did not hesitate to defect to foreign tribes for the sake of his own power, regardless of the survival of the country, which is undoubtedly very despicable and shameful. Later generations naturally did not have a good evaluation of him.
In general, the founding monarchs of the above dynasties all had some more or less controversial and improper factors in the process of obtaining the throne. Either they used violence and intrigue to seek power, or they relied on foreign forces to attack cities and seize land, all of which seriously violated the political ethics of the time and the will of the people.
However, we cannot simply dismiss the significant contribution of these monarchs to the creation of new dynasties and the advancement of history. The key is to judge historical events objectively and fairly, without favoring right and wrong, and without disagreement with past misdeeds.
Only in this way can we better understand the truth of history, draw wisdom and lessons from it, and find the right path for future development.
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