Preface
In ancient times, eunuchs for Yue Fei, tomb robbers for Cao Cao, business for Guan Gong, and Qinglou for Lu Dongbin, this sentence is full of mystery.
Yue Fei, Cao Cao, Guan Gong and Lü Dongbin are all high-profile figures in ancient history, and they each showed outstanding talents and achievements in different fields.
However, these characters are somehow connected to different fields such as eunuchs, tomb robbers, business, and green houses, and how did this connection come about?
The Emperor's Shadow Guard
In the Ming Dynasty, eunuchs could be described as shadow guardians of the emperor's power. However, Zhu Yuanzhang was wary of them. In order to prevent eunuchs from interfering in politics, Zhu Yuanzhang not only set up a warning at the palace gate that "eunuchs are not allowed to interfere in politics", but also asked the eunuchs to worship Yue Fei to show their loyalty.
Yue Fei, the famous general of the Southern Song Dynasty, can be described as a model of loyalty and patriotism. Zhu Di believes that only with the heart of serving the country with loyalty like Yue Fei at all times, the eunuchs will not have suspicions about the imperial power.
As the emperor's cronies, the eunuchs were naturally guarded by Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Di. After all, in history, there have been many cases of eunuchs interfering in politics, and they often take advantage of their special status for personal gain. This also made Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Di deeply distrust them.
In order to guard against the eunuch's ambitions, Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Di had to take some special measures. Asking the eunuchs to worship Yue Fei is a good way. As a model of loyalty and patriotism, Yue Fei's image is in stark contrast to that of the eunuchs.
By offering Yue Fei, Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Di hoped to remind the eunuchs that loyalty to the emperor was the most important thing. Only by being like Yue Fei and never betraying can they gain a foothold in front of the emperor. This kind of spiritual restraint can undoubtedly effectively curb the ambitions of the eunuchs.
However, the eunuchs' worship of Yue Fei was not sincere. They are just trying to show their loyalty and cover up their schemes. As time passed, these eunuchs gradually forgot their original intentions and began to do whatever it took for their own gain. It was the troubles of these people that eventually led to the fall of the Ming Dynasty.
The grandfather of the tomb robbers
In ancient times, tomb robbing can be described as a rather elaborate "craft". As the originator of this industry, Cao Cao's name is undoubtedly resounding throughout the ages. It is said that Cao Cao in the late Eastern Han Dynasty led his cronies to successfully open the tomb of King Xiao of Liang and steal a large amount of gold, silver and jewelry.
At that time, the situation was treacherous and the war was continuous. In order to raise military salaries, Cao Cao had to take risks and dig up imperial tombs to gain wealth. Although it was difficult to enter the mausoleum, with the help of the tomb finders, they finally opened the tomb door, and the scene in front of them was dizzying.
Inside the tomb are countless gold and silver vessels, pearls and gemstones. Cao Cao quickly pocketed all this wealth and injected a steady stream of money into his army. From then on, he gained the upper hand in the warlord melee, expanding his territory along the way, and finally established the foundation of the Wei state.
Cao Cao's tomb robbery deeds are widely spread, and later generations of tomb robbers regard him as an immortal ancestor. Before they commit theft, they always worship Cao Cao and pray to be like him and make a fortune.
These tomb robbers may not have been motivated by reverence for Cao Cao, but by a utilitarian consideration. In those turbulent times, they desperately needed money to make ends meet, and Cao Cao's success story gave them great confidence and courage. As long as they can swagger into the imperial tomb like Cao Cao, they can get rich overnight and live a worry-free life.
Of course, this practice is inevitably against morality and the law. But for the destitute grave robbers, they have no choice. Under the pressure of survival, they have to do whatever it takes to find a shortcut out of poverty. And Cao Cao's story has undoubtedly become a beacon in their hearts, guiding them in the direction of progress.
Perhaps in the eyes of some, these grave robbers are a bunch of criminals who do all kinds of evil. But if you look at it from their point of view, they are just trying to survive in a difficult environment. When survival is at stake, greed and selfishness in human nature are magnified, and morality and law become less important.
It was the existence of a "grandfather" like Cao Cao that gave them a glimmer of hope. As long as they can show their skills like Cao Cao, they can get rid of poverty and live a prosperous and healthy life. This desire also became the root of their worship of Cao Cao.
The patron saint of merchants
In the eyes of ancient merchants, Guan Yu can be described as one of the most revered gods. This famous general of the Three Kingdoms period is not only outstanding in martial arts, but also known for his loyalty.
Guan Yu was born in poverty, and later met Liu Bei and Zhang Fei, and the three of them formed a friendship of life and death. When Liu Bei started his business, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei were always by his side and went through difficult and difficult periods together.
Once, Guan Yu was accidentally captured by Cao Cao's army, and Cao Cao tried to tempt him with a beautiful woman with a lot of money, hoping that he would serve him. However, Guan Yu turned a blind eye to these temptations and always had a deep affection for Liu Bei. In the end, Cao Cao was impressed by his loyalty and had to release him back to Liu Bei.
It is this dedication to friendship and adherence to ideals that allows Guan Yu to establish an image of loyalty in the hearts of businessmen. They believe that as long as they worship Guan Yu sincerely, they will be able to value love and righteousness like him, and their business will be prosperous.
For those in business, the competition in the business field can be described as ruthless. In this uncertain environment, they are at constant risk of being defeated by their competitors. And Guan Yu's story undoubtedly gave them a kind of spiritual sustenance.
As long as they are loyal and reliable like Guan Yu, they can gain a foothold in the mall and gain the trust of customers. Even if you encounter setbacks, as long as you persevere, you will be able to succeed one day. This belief has allowed them to find the motivation to move forward on the difficult road of doing business.
At the same time, Guan Yu is also regarded as the "God of Martial Wealth", who can bless business prosperity. For those businessmen who are just starting out, whether they can obtain the favor of wealth is directly related to whether they can gain a foothold in the market. And offering to Guan Yu has become a way for them to pray for wealth.
Of course, this kind of worship is not out of reverence for Guan Yu himself, but more out of a utilitarian consideration. But even so, Guan Yu's image of loyalty still deeply influenced the hearts of ancient merchants. They hope to be like Guan Yu, who can maintain integrity in the mall and build deep friendships with others.
This kind of spiritual pursuit has also become the root of the ancient merchants' worship of Guan Yu. They believed that as long as they worshiped Guan Yu religiously, they would be able to obtain his protection and have smooth sailing in the shopping mall.
The spiritual sustenance of the dusty woman
In ancient times, Qinglou can be described as an existence that people love and hate. For those women who have fallen into the dust, Qinglou is undoubtedly a place full of despair and pain. There, they not only have to endure physical torture, but also face social discrimination and prejudice. This kind of pressure makes their hearts full of helplessness and despair.
And the appearance of Lu Dongbin has become a ray of dawn in their hearts. He not only listened to their stories, but also gave them warmth and support with his own actions. This empathetic attitude makes these women feel the warmth of being loved and understood.
So, they began to worship Lu Dongbin, hoping to obtain his protection and guidance. Whenever they felt hopeless, they would worship Lu Dongbin religiously, praying that he would give them strength and help them regain their strength.
This kind of worship is not only a religious belief, but also a kind of spiritual sustenance. In a society full of discrimination and prejudice, these women desperately need a spiritual support to help them get through it. And Lu Dongbin's image has just become the spiritual sustenance in their hearts.
By worshipping Lu Dongbin, these women not only gained spiritual solace, but also regained hope in life. They believed that as long as they worshiped Lu Dongbin religiously, they would be able to obtain his protection, and finally get rid of the troubles of the wind and dust and embrace freedom again. This belief has become a source of strength for them to find in desperate situations.
epilogue
Whether it is a eunuch, a tomb robber, a merchant, or a woman in a green house, they are all looking for spiritual sustenance in their lives. Yue Fei, Cao Cao, Guan Yu, and Lu Dongbin became the spiritual pillars in their hearts and gave them the motivation to move forward.
This kind of spiritual pursuit not only enriches the inner world of the ancients, but also makes the whole society more vibrant. Even in difficult circumstances, they are still able to find meaning and value in life in their own way. This kind of perseverance and tenacity has also become a unique charm of ancient society.