Why did Zhu Yuanzhang have to kill Liu Bowen back then? History gives the truth, and Zhu Yuanzhang was right. Liu Bowen was the founder of the Ming Dynasty, and he assisted Zhu Yuanzhang to fight the world and establish the Ming Dynasty. However, shortly after the establishment of the Ming Dynasty, Liu Bowen died unexpectedly. Why did Zhu Yuanzhang kill this strategist who had made great contributions to him? Was it just because of suspicion and fear? What is the truth of history? Is Zhu Yuanzhang's method correct? Let us go into history together and uncover this mystery.
Liu Bowen's life experience and talent
Liu Bowen, formerly known as Liu Ji, was born on July 1, 1311 in a scholarly family in Qingtian County, Zhejiang. His father, Liu Ying, was a well-known local Confucian teacher, and his mother was also a virtuous person. Under the careful teaching of his parents, Liu Bowen has been brilliant since he was a child and never forgets it.
When he was only 13 years old, Liu Bowen left his hometown and studied in the county of the state capital. There, he devoted himself to the study of Confucian classics, especially the book "Spring and Autumn". At the age of 17, Liu Bowen worshiped under the then great Confucian Zheng Fu and specialized in science. Zheng Fu once praised Liu Bowen: "This son is very human, he will become a great weapon one day!"
At the age of 23, Liu Bowen participated in the imperial examination and entered high school. Since then, he has successively served as the deputy promotion of Gao'an County, Jiangxi Province, and the deputy promotion of Confucianism in Jiangsu and Zhejiang. However, Liu Bowen's talent and integrity also attracted the jealousy of the villain. He was falsely accused, which led to him being demoted several times.
Liu Bowen was unwilling to go along with the villain, so he resigned angrily and returned to his hometown to live in seclusion. In his spare time, he read a wide range of books, studied astronomy, calendars, the art of war, etc., and was very knowledgeable, especially proficient in the study of elephant latitude. He also wrote books and wrote the immortal masterpiece "Yu Ion", which became a famous Confucian at that time.
At the end of the Yuan Dynasty, the world was in turmoil, and the heroes rose together. Liu Bowen had insight into the current situation and believed that the Yuan Dynasty was exhausted, and the Mandate of Heaven would return to the new master. He decided to assist a virtuous and talented master to support the community and benefit the people.
In 1360, Zhu Yuanzhang admired Liu Bowen's name for a long time and sent three people to invite Liu Bowen out of the mountain. Liu Bowen thought that Zhu Yuanzhang was both benevolent and virtuous, and he was a person who could achieve great things, so he happily went. When he first saw Zhu Yuanzhang, Liu Bowen said to him: "The lord is the true son of heaven, and he should prosper forever." Zhu Yuanzhang sincerely admired Liu Bowen's talent.
Since then, Liu Bowen has wholeheartedly assisted Zhu Yuanzhang, strategized, and won thousands of miles. He gave advice to Zhu Yuanzhang, and successively formulated a strategy to eliminate Chen Youliang, Zhang Shicheng and other heroes and overthrow the Yuan Dynasty. With the assistance of Liu Bowen, Zhu Yuanzhang was like a bamboo, and soon unified the world and established the Ming Dynasty.
Liu Bowen was not only an outstanding military strategist, but also an outstanding statesman. After Zhu Yuanzhang ascended the throne, Liu Bowen served as Taishi Ling, presided over the revision of the calendar, formulated laws, and laid a solid foundation for the Ming Dynasty. He also made a statement to Zhu Yuanzhang, advocating "both gentleness and fierceness", sympathizing with the people's feelings, and clearly distinguishing rewards and punishments.
However, Liu Bowen's talent and exploits also aroused Zhu Yuanzhang's suspicion. Zhu Yuanzhang was worried that Liu Bowen was too powerful and would threaten the imperial power. In addition, Zhu Yuanzhang's crown prince Zhu Biaoren was kind and forgiving, and Zhu Yuanzhang was worried that he would be difficult to control Liu Bowen and other important ministers in the future. All kinds of concerns made Zhu Yuanzhang's attitude towards Liu Bowen gradually change.
In 1371, Zhu Yuanzhang ordered Liu Bowen to return to his hometown on the grounds of his advanced age. Liu Bowen had to leave the court. But he still often writes to Zhu Yuanzhang and advises him. Zhu Yuanzhang was even more uneasy about this, for fear that Liu Bowen would build up the party in the DPRK and China.
In 1375, Liu Bowen was bedridden due to illness. Zhu Yuanzhang sent the imperial doctor to diagnose and treat him, but Liu Bowen's condition worsened after taking the medicine. When Liu Bowen saw Zhu Yuanzhang, he euphemistically said that there was a problem with the prescription. Zhu Yuanzhang turned a blind eye and only let him recuperate. Liu Bowen had an epiphany and decided to go on a hunger strike. In April of the same year, Liu Bowen died with hatred at the age of 65.
Liu Bowen opened up territory for Zhu Yuanzhang and did his best, but in the end he ended up like this, and he couldn't end up well. Zhu Yuanzhang's suspicion of Liu Bowen stems from his extreme maintenance of imperial power. In his opinion, no matter how loyal a courtier is, he cannot threaten the supreme monarchy. Therefore, he would rather kill by mistake than leave a hidden danger.
刘伯温辅佐朱元璋建立大明王朝
In 1360, Zhu Yuanzhang asked Liu Bowen to go out of the mountain to help. Liu Bowen saw that Zhu Yuanzhang had both benevolence and virtue and was a person who could achieve great things, so he happily went. When he first saw Zhu Yuanzhang, Liu Bowen said to him: "The lord is the true son of heaven, and he should prosper forever." Zhu Yuanzhang sincerely admired Liu Bowen's talent and appointed him as a military advisor.
At that time, although Zhu Yuanzhang was already a prince, the situation was not optimistic. Inside, he had to face the challenges of Chen Youliang, Zhang Shicheng, and other heroes; outside, the iron cavalry of the Yuan Dynasty was still eyeing him; and above, Han Lin'er, the titular "King of Xiao Ming," was still his top boss. Zhu Yuanzhang urgently needed a resourceful military advisor to assist him through the difficulties.
Liu Bowen judged the situation and formulated a set of careful strategies for Zhu Yuanzhang. He suggested that Zhu Yuanzhang first destroy his immediate rival Chen Youliang and seize the Yangtze River valley, then take advantage of the situation to attack Zhang Shicheng and occupy Jiangnan, and finally break away from Han Lin'er's control and establish himself as king.
Zhu Yuanzhang adopted Liu Bowen's strategy and decided to send troops to attack Chen Youliang first. In 1363, the two armies fought a decisive battle at Poyang Lake, Chen Youliang was killed by an arrow, and his son Chen Li surrendered. Liu Bowen expected that Chen Youliang would be defeated, and prepared an edict for Zhu Yuanzhang to appease Chen Li in advance. Chen's father and son were defeated by Liu Bowen's clever calculations.
Next, Zhu Yuanzhang staged a coup d'état against Han Lin'er. In 1366, Han Lin'er was drowned in Guazhou by Zhu Yuanzhang's henchman, and Zhu Yuanzhang got out of his control. Liu Bowen had long seen that Han Lin'er was an incompetent person, and persuaded Zhu Yuanzhang to get rid of him as soon as possible, so as to clear the way for him to become emperor in the future.
In 1367, Zhu Yuanzhang waved his army south and smashed Zhang Shicheng's old nest Suzhou. Zhang Shicheng fled in a hurry and eventually hanged himself. Liu Bowen predicted that Zhang Shicheng would die, and prepared a text for Zhu Yuanzhang in advance to appease the people in Jiangnan. So far, Zhu Yuanzhang has unified Jiangnan and become a veritable overlord.
However, the real challenge has only just begun. Although the Yuan Dynasty has been shaken, the foundation has not been removed. Liu Bowen judged the situation and offered Zhu Yuanzhang's Northern Expedition to the Yuan Dynasty. He drew up a detailed march route and battle strategy, and personally led the army into battle.
In the first month of 1368, Zhu Yuanzhang proclaimed himself emperor, established the Ming Dynasty, and changed the Yuan Hongwu. At this time, the Yuan Dynasty Longtan Tiger's Den still had stubborn resistance. Liu Bowen successively participated in a series of battles such as the attack on Dadu (now Beijing) and the pacification of Shanxi, and made great achievements.
Under Liu Bowen's planning, the Ming army was like a bamboo, and conquered the important towns of the Yuan Dynasty one after another. In September 1368, the Ming army invaded the capital, and Emperor Yuan Shun fled in a hurry and went into exile in Mobei. At this point, the Yuan Dynasty fell, and the Ming Dynasty dominated the world.
In addition to his military contributions, Liu Bowen also made a lot of achievements in court politics. After Zhu Yuanzhang ascended the throne, Liu Bowen served as Taishi Ling, presiding over the revision of the calendar and the formulation of laws. He participated in the formulation of the "Da Ming Law", which laid the foundation for the rule of law in the Ming Dynasty.
Liu Bowen also made a statement to Zhu Yuanzhang, advocating "both leniency and fierceness", sympathizing with the people's feelings, and clearly distinguishing rewards and punishments. He advised Zhu Yuanzhang to implement "thin endowment and provincial conscription" to reduce the burden on the people. At Liu Bowen's suggestion, Zhu Yuanzhang adopted a series of policies to benefit the people, such as abolishing the silk weaving tax and salt tax, which won the support of the people.
In addition, Liu Bowen also presided over the construction of many water conservancy projects, such as dredging the Yellow River and harnessing the Huai River, to effectively prevent floods and benefit the people. He also proposed the construction of an imperial palace in Nanjing as the capital of the Ming Dynasty, which later became known as the Ming Imperial Palace in Nanjing.
Zhu Yuanzhang's suspicion and fear of Liu Bowen
In the first year of Hongwu, Zhu Yuanzhang ascended the throne as emperor and established the Ming Dynasty. Liu Bowen has made great contributions, and Zhu Yuanzhang trusts and relies on him very much. He appointed Liu Bowen as the Taishi Ling, in charge of the astronomical calendar and the revision of historical books, and at the same time concurrently served as the Zhongcheng of the Imperial History, supervising hundreds of officials. Liu Bowen leaned towards the government and the opposition, becoming the second person after the emperor.
However, as Liu Bowen's power grew, Zhu Yuanzhang's heart gradually became suspicious. He feared that Liu Bowen's talents would threaten his imperial power. In Zhu Yuanzhang's view, Liu Bowen is not only strategic, but also erudite and talented, and has won the hearts of the people. Such a character, if he has bad intentions, the consequences are unimaginable.
Zhu Yuanzhang's concerns are not groundless. At that time, there were many people in the DPRK who had a grudge against Liu Bowen. When they saw that Liu Bowen was in a high position, they slandered in front of Zhu Yuanzhang, saying that Liu Bowen had formed a party for personal gain and deliberately plotted rebellion. Zhu Yuanzhang was already suspicious, and when he heard these gossips, he was even more restless.
Zhu Yuanzhang also has a layer of concern, that is, Liu Bowen will become a threat to the crown prince. Zhu Yuanzhang's crown prince Zhu Biao is benevolent by nature and is not good at scheming. Zhu Yuanzhang was worried that he would be unable to control Liu Bowen and other important ministers in the future. If Liu Bowen relies on the old and sells the old and controls the government, Zhu Biao may only be at the mercy of others. Thinking of this, Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't sleep and eat.
All kinds of concerns made Zhu Yuanzhang's attitude towards Liu Bowen gradually change. He no longer trusts and relies on Liu Bowen as before, but is on guard everywhere, for fear that Liu Bowen will plot against and seize power. Zhu Yuanzhang began to reduce Liu Bowen's power, transferring him out of the center and appointing him as a doctor of martial arts. Although this position sounds like a big title, it is actually an idle position.
Liu Bowen knew this, but he didn't say much, he was still conscientious and dedicated. However, this only made Zhu Yuanzhang more suspicious. In his opinion, Liu Bowen's humility and courtesy may not be sincere, maybe he is waiting for an opportunity and has been planning for a long time.
Zhu Yuanzhang's suspicions are increasing day by day. In the fourth year of Hongwu (1371), he ordered Liu Bowen to return to his hometown on the grounds of his advanced age. This is actually exile in disguise. Liu Bowen had to leave the court and return to his hometown Qingtian to live in seclusion.
However, even in his hometown, Liu Bowen still often wrote to Zhu Yuanzhang and gave advice. He was worried about the government and hoped to do his best for the country. However, in Zhu Yuanzhang's view, this is tantamount to condescending and provocative to the imperial power. He was afraid that Liu Bowen would build up the party in the DPRK and China for personal gain, so as to prepare for rebellion in the future.
Zhu Yuanzhang's doubts finally reached their peak in the eighth year of Hongwu (1375). This year, Liu Bowen was bedridden due to illness. Zhu Yuanzhang sent the imperial doctor to diagnose and treat him, but Liu Bowen's condition worsened after taking the medicine. When Liu Bowen saw Zhu Yuanzhang, he euphemistically said that there was a problem with the prescription. Zhu Yuanzhang turned a blind eye and only let him recuperate.
Liu Bowen had an epiphany that Zhu Yuanzhang was going to put him to death. He decided to go on a hunger strike and stop taking medicine. In April of the same year, Liu Bowen died with hatred at the age of 65.
Liu Bowen's tragic ending and Zhu Yuanzhang's choice
In April of the eighth year of Hongwu (1375), Liu Bowen died of illness at home at the age of 65. On the surface, this is the death of an old minister, but behind it lies an unknown tragedy.
As early as the fourth year of Hongwu (1371), Zhu Yuanzhang ordered Liu Bowen to return to his hometown on the grounds of his advanced age. This is actually exile in disguise. Zhu Yuanzhang was worried that Liu Bowen's power was too strong and would threaten the stability of the imperial power. He would rather let the founding hero leave the center of power than leave the hidden dangers.
Although Liu Bowen left the court, he still often wrote to Zhu Yuanzhang and gave advice. He was worried about the government and hoped to do his best for the country. However, in Zhu Yuanzhang's view, this is tantamount to condescending and provocative to the imperial power. He was afraid that Liu Bowen would build up the party in the DPRK and China for personal gain, so as to prepare for rebellion in the future.
In the eighth year of Hongwu, Liu Bowen was seriously ill. Zhu Yuanzhang sent the imperial doctor to diagnose and treat him, but after taking the medicine, Liu Bowen's condition did not improve, but worsened. When Liu Bowen saw Zhu Yuanzhang, he euphemistically said that there was a problem with the prescription. Zhu Yuanzhang turned a blind eye and only let him recuperate.
Liu Bowen had an epiphany that Zhu Yuanzhang was going to put him to death. He decided to go on a hunger strike and stop taking medicine. Soon, this once powerful military advisor passed away like this, with disappointment and helplessness for the king.
Zhu Yuanzhang's suspicion and defense of Liu Bowen eventually led to the tragic end of this founding hero. In Zhu Yuanzhang's view, no matter how loyal a courtier is, he cannot threaten the supreme imperial power. He would rather kill a thousand by mistake than spare one.
However, is Zhu Yuanzhang's choice really correct? From a historical point of view, his approach is not entirely unreasonable. As an entrepreneurial monarch, Zhu Yuanzhang is well aware of the importance of power. He wanted to ensure the stability of imperial power and not tolerate any threat. Although Liu Bowen is loyal, his talent and prestige may indeed become a hidden danger to the imperial power.
Moreover, Zhu Yuanzhang also has to consider the crown prince Zhu Biao. Zhu Biao is benevolent by nature and is not good at scheming. Zhu Yuanzhang was worried that he would be unable to control Liu Bowen and other important ministers in the future. In order to ensure the smooth succession of the throne, Zhu Yuanzhang chose to eradicate potential threats.
From this point of view, Zhu Yuanzhang's choice is not entirely unreasonable. He is thinking about the long-term peace and stability of the Ming Dynasty. However, his approach also laid the root of the problem. There is a lack of basic trust between monarchs and ministers, and no matter how loyal the courtiers are, they will inevitably be suspicious and abandoned. This kind of atmosphere will inevitably lead to the loss of talent and the chaos of the government.
In fact, after Zhu Yuanzhang's death, his grandson Zhu Yunwen ascended the throne at the age of ten. Zhu Yuanzhang eradicated dissidents during his lifetime, but the result was that the emperor and grandson were young and empty. His fourth son, Zhu Di, took the opportunity to launch the Battle of Jingjing and seized the throne of his nephew. This coup d'état dealt a heavy blow to the foundation of the Ming Dynasty.
It can be seen that Zhu Yuanzhang's suspicion and defense of Liu Bowen, although out of consideration for maintaining imperial power, also laid the root of the bane. It reflects the lack of basic trust between monarchs and ministers, and reflects the ills of feudal society. This left a profound lesson for later monarchs: appointing people on the basis of merit and trusting their courtiers is the foundation of governing the country and securing the country.
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Liu Bowen's tragedy is a personal misfortune and the sorrow of the times. He opened up territory for Zhu Yuanzhang and did his best, but in the end he ended up unhappily. His story is worth pondering for future generations. The relationship between the monarch and the minister should be based on trust and compassion. Only in this way can we achieve a long-term foundation.