In the long history of the Qing Dynasty, there are two popular novels - "The Complete Biography of the Tang Dynasty" and "The Complete Biography of Yue Yue", which have become the treasures of classical Chinese literature with their twists and turns and bizarre plots and profound character portrayals.
These two works, despite their very different backgrounds, skillfully weave a complex story of hatred, nurturing and revenge.
In the chapter of "The Complete Biography of Tang Dynasty", a military general named Yang Lin cruelly took the life of Qin Qiong's father due to a misunderstanding.
Qin Qiong, this heroic young man, was forced to accept Yang Lin's upbringing and became his adopted son under the trick of fate.
However, the flame of revenge in Qin Qiong's heart has never been extinguished, he grew up under the protection of Yang Lin, but an earth-shattering revenge plan has always been brewing in his heart.
And in "The Complete Biography of Yue", Lu Wenlong's fate is also full of drama.
His parents died heroically in the invasion of the Golden Vultures, and he himself was adopted by the enemy general. Lu Wenlong became a brave warrior under the cultivation of the Golden Vulture, but he did not know his true identity.
Until one day, the truth was revealed, and Lu Wenlong's heart ignited a raging fire of revenge for his parents, and he was determined to fight to the death with the golden vulture that raised him.
The storylines in these two novels, although they have their own characteristics, both embody a classic theme in ancient Chinese literature - "Zhao's orphan story".
This theme originates from the Yuan Dynasty miscellaneous drama "The Great Revenge of the Orphans of the Zhao Family", which tells the tragic story of an orphan who grows up at the hands of his enemies and finally avenges his family.
It is not just a story about revenge, but a profound exploration of loyalty, filial piety, and humanity.
In the bright galaxy of traditional Chinese culture, there is a unique and dazzling star - "Zhao's Orphan".
Since its birth, this work has become a pearl in traditional Chinese drama fiction with its profound pathos and gripping narrative techniques.
Its story, like an endless spring, has been passed down by word of mouth among the people and has endured for a long time. The interpretation on the stage of opera, the reproduction on the screen, and the narration in the TV series all make the vitality of this work continue and penetrate into the hearts of the people.
And in the distant continent of Europe, this work is also brilliant.
Under the pen of literary giants such as Voltaire and Goethe, it has crossed the boundaries of culture and become a treasure in the treasure house of world literature. Wang Guowei once praised that "Zhao's Orphan" is among the world's great tragedies, and it deserves its name.
On the stage of the Yuan Dynasty, a playwright named Ji Junxiang gave new life to an ancient story with his brilliant pen.
The prototype of this story comes from the "Zhao Family" in the "Historical Records". With his unique historian's perspective, Sima Qian recorded the tragic fate of the Zhao family of the Jin Kingdom in the Spring and Autumn Period - "The Difficulty of Going to the Palace".
In this disaster, the Zhao family was almost wiped out, and only Zhao Wu, the widow of Zhao Shuo's wife and sister Zhao Zhuangji of Jin Jinggong, escaped under the desperate protection of loyal guests and friends.
In the long years, Zhao Wu, with the assistance of Han Ju and others, finally revived the prestige of the Zhao family.
Although this history is different from the dramatic plot of "The Orphan of Zhao", they all reflect the vicissitudes of an era and the complex and multifaceted aspects of human nature.
In the flames of the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, Tu Anjia, as the secretary of the Jin State, held heavy power, and he launched a cruel liquidation of the Zhao family on the grounds of tracking down the death of Jin Linggong.
Zhao Shuo, the pillar of the Zhao family, chose to stay under Han Ju's advice, and he said to Han Ju: "As long as the bloodline of the Zhao family continues, I have no regrets." This heroism and determination became a turning point in the fate of the Zhao family.
Tu Anjia ignored the authority of Jin Jinggong and sent troops without authorization, killing Zhao Shuo and his family members one by one, and the Zhao family almost suffered a catastrophe.
However, in this bloody massacre, Zhao Shuo's wife, Zhao Zhuangji, with a posthumous child, fled to the palace of Jin Jinggong and escaped.
At this life-and-death juncture, Zhao Shuo's loyal disciple Gongsun Pestle and his friend Cheng Ying made a shocking plan.
Gongsun Pestle asked Cheng Ying: "Is it more difficult to avenge the orphans, or is it easier to die now?" Cheng Ying knew that in order to revive the Zhao family, he must first protect the bloodline of the Zhao family.
So, Gongsun Pestle decided to sacrifice himself to buy time and opportunity for Cheng Ying.
Cheng Ying skillfully disguised other people's babies as Zhao's orphans and hid them in the mountains.
And he himself revealed false news to the pursuing generals, at the cost of his own life, in exchange for the safety of the real orphans of the Zhao family.
This strategy not only shows Cheng Ying's wisdom and courage, but also reflects his loyalty and sacrifice to the Zhao family.
Gongsun Pestle, a loyal minister of the Zhao family, played the role of a victim in an elaborate scheme.
Faced with the accusation of betrayal, he issued a tragic cry to the sky with a noble attitude: "Cheng Ying, why did you betray me?
Even if you can't avenge him, how can you bear to betray him to the enemy?" In this life-and-death performance, Gongsun Pestle protected the real Zhao orphan - Zhao Wu at the cost of his own life.
The generals were not moved by Gongsun Pestle's grief, and they coldly executed the killing, thinking that the bloodline of the Zhao clan had been completely cut off.
However, what they don't know is that Cheng Ying, the "villain" who is spurned by the world, is actually a hero who endures humiliation.
Burdened with the misunderstanding and infamy of the world, he lived in seclusion in the mountains with Zhao Wu, waiting for the opportunity for revenge.
Fifteen years passed in a flash, Jin Jinggong was seriously ill, and the fortune teller in the palace claimed that it was the work of the unjustly killed minister.
Han Ju, an ally of the Zhao family, seized the opportunity to reveal the truth to Jin Jinggong and inform him that the Zhao orphan was still alive.
Jin Jinggong was deeply touched and decided to secretly summon Zhao Wu into the palace, laying the groundwork for the revival of the Zhao family.
When the generals of the Jin Kingdom gathered in the palace to inquire about the condition of Jin Jinggong, Jin Jinggong, with the support of Han Ju, forced them to confront and recognize Zhao Wu's identity.
At this moment, Zhao Wu's life story was made public, and his fire of revenge was ignited. Cheng Ying, Zhao Wu and the generals joined forces to launch a fierce attack on Tu Anjia, and finally wiped out his people.
Cheng Ying said to Zhao Wu affectionately: "In that disaster, many people chose to go to Huangquan with their masters.
I am not greedy for life or afraid of death, my dream is to rebuild the glory of the Zhao family. Today, you have grown into a valiant warrior and restored your family's prestige.
I will go to the Nine Springs and report this good news to the ancestor of the Zhao clan and Gongsun Pestle. ”
Zhao Wu burst into tears and knelt on the ground and pleaded: "Lord Cheng Ying, your great kindness, I, Zhao Wu, will never forget." How can you bear to leave me?" Cheng Ying replied firmly, "I have to do this."
Gongsun Kijiu-sama believed that I could accomplish this mission, and he went before me. If I don't report it to him, he will think that I have not succeeded. After that, Cheng Ying committed suicide with a sword, and died a clear will.
In order to commemorate Cheng Ying's loyalty and sacrifice, Zhao Wu mourned for him for three years and established a sacrificial city, which will be held in spring and autumn, so that Cheng Ying's reputation will be passed on to future generations.
Under Sima Qian's pen, the story is told in a fascinating way, with ups and downs in the plot.
The later drama "The Orphan of Zhao" made some adaptations on the basis of the original: the time of the incident was advanced to the period of Jin Linggong, because the mediocrity and incompetence of Jin Linggong added more drama to the story;
The tragic color of Cheng Ying's self-sacrifice is enhanced, and the plot of Cheng Ying lurking under Tu'an Jia with Zhao Wu is also added, making the theme of revenge more prominent and tense.
Despite this, this widely circulated story, starting from the record of "Historical Records of the Zhao Family", is likely to be a fictional legend, far from the real history.
But that doesn't stop it from becoming a timeless symbol of Chinese culture, inspiring generations to pursue loyalty, justice, and glory.
The historical book "Zuo Biography", with its concise brushstrokes, records the beginning and end of this event for us, which is very different from the description in "Historical Records of the Zhao Family".
In the thirteenth year of Jin Jinggong, a news that shocked the government and the opposition spread throughout the Jin Kingdom - Zhao Zhuangji, Zhao Shuo's wife, fell in love with Zhao Shuo's uncle Zhao Yingqi.
This secret love affair was finally exposed in the fourteenth year of Jin Jinggong, which caused a storm in the Zhao family. Zhao Yingqi's two brothers, Zhao Tong and Zhao Kuo, expelled Zhao Yingqi from the Jin Kingdom for the sake of the family's reputation.
Time passed to the seventeenth year of Jin Jinggong, and the news of Zhao Yingqi's death came, and Zhao Zhuangji took this opportunity to slander Jin Jinggong and frame Zhao Tong and Zhao Kuo for plotting against him.
The Luan family and the Hao family also came forward to testify, which made the turmoil more intense. In the end, under the orders of Jin Jinggong, Zhao Tong and Zhao Kuo were wiped out.
In this family tragedy, the young Zhao Wu was not implicated, he lived peacefully in the palace of Jin Jinggong under the protection of his mother.
Jin Jinggong originally planned to give the Zhao family's fief to Qi Xi, but under Han Ju's persuasion, Jin Jinggong changed his mind. Han Ju reminded Jin Jinggong that the Zhao family had made indelible contributions to the Jin Kingdom, and if they were to cut off their heirs, it would definitely chill all the heroes.
Jin Jinggong followed Han Ju's advice, made Zhao Wu the suzerain of the Zhao family, and returned the fief to him.
This history, although far from the story of "The Orphan of Zhao" that we are familiar with, reveals the cruelty and complexity of the ancient power struggle.
Zhao Zhuangji's revenge, Zhao Yingqi's tragedy, and Zhao Wu's eventual rise constitute a picture of the rise and fall of the family in the Spring and Autumn Period.
In the record of "Zuo Biography", Jin Jinggong did not carry out a comprehensive purge of the Zhao family, but targeted the two family members of Zhao Tong and Zhao Kuo.
At the same time, the other branches of the Zhao clan were not affected, and still maintained their position and influence in the political arena of the Jin Kingdom.
In this version of the story, we do not see the figure of the traitor Tu Anjia, nor does it have a plot where Zhao Wu is hunted down.
Those loyal heroes who were praised in later generations, such as Cheng Ying and Gongsun Pestle, also do not appear in this version.
This is not a narrative of loyalty and treachery, life and death struggle, but a complex power game between the internal office of the Jin State and the Qiang Qing, and between several major families.
In this game, there is no side that is absolutely good or evil, and they are all fighting for their own interests and status.
The reason is that the records of the Zuo Biography have been repeatedly corroborated in other pre-Qin historical sources, such as the Chinese language, while the records of the Shi Ji Zhao Shijia are relatively isolated.
It is worth noting that Sima Qian's "Historical Records of the Jin Family" actually uses the same version as "Zuo Chuan", which provides us with an important clue.
In addition, historians throughout the ages have always been skeptical of the version of the "Records of the Zhao Family", believing that it has many flaws.
For example, the Zhao family's extermination of the Zhao family recorded in the "Historical Records of the Zhao Family" occurred in the third year of the reign of Jinggong of the Jin Dynasty, but other historical sources show that the Zhao clan was still active in politics after that.
Moreover, according to historical data, Zhao Wu's birth time should be six years later, which makes the so-called posthumous son theory self-defeating. If the incident is located in the seventeenth year of Jin Jinggong, Zhao Wu is already a child about 8 years old, which does not match the description of the posthumous son.
Through the comparison and analysis of these historical materials, we can see a more realistic and complex picture of the power struggle of the Jin State in the Spring and Autumn Period.
This story, although different from the "Zhao orphan" we are familiar with, provides us with a richer and more three-dimensional historical perspective.
In this story, we can see the complexity of human nature, the cruelty of power, and the true face of history.
In the Jin Kingdom of the Spring and Autumn Period, the political situation was unpredictable, and the power game between the monarch and the nobles with different surnames was like an elaborate drama.
On this stage, the monarch and the nobles with different surnames are sometimes allied, sometimes opposed, sometimes turned against each other, and everyone is constantly fighting for more power.
This is an era full of uncertainties, and any family, no matter how prominent it once was, may face extinction if it takes one wrong step.
The Xian family, the Hu family, the Zhongxing family, the Tai family, and the Luan family, these former powerful families, could not escape the reincarnation of this fate in the end.
In this struggle for power, the political structure of the Jin State gradually formed a special model of joint governance.
The relationship between the monarch and the nobles with different surnames is complicated, including cooperation, competition, and even secret competition.
In order to compete for more power, they constantly formed alliances and betrayed, making the political situation of the Jin State like a rough sea, full of uncertainty and crisis.
In this context, the fate of the Zhao family has also experienced ups and downs. From the story of "The Difficulty of the Palace" to the story of "The Orphan of the Zhao Family", the truth of history has been rewritten and beautified layer by layer.
The Jin Kingdom during the Spring and Autumn Period was an era of fierce power struggles and frequent family ups and downs.
In such a context, the truth of history is often obscured by later legends and artistic processing, and the story of the "Zhao orphan" as we know it today may only be a possible interpretation of this history.
Through the long river of history, we can see that whether it is the rise and fall of the Zhao family or the changes in the political pattern of the Jin Kingdom, it is a true portrayal of the power struggle of that era.
Although these stories may be different from the original historical truth, the conflict of human nature, power and morality they reflect is worthy of our deep thought.
In the Jin Kingdom during the Spring and Autumn Period, the Zhao family, with its extraordinary wisdom and courage, wrote a legend in the treacherous political arena.
In 654 BC, the Jin kingdom fell into the whirlpool of civil strife, and Zhao Yuan, the outstanding representative of the Zhao family, chose to follow the Jin prince Chong'er on the path of exile that lasted for 19 years.
This difficult journey not only tested Zhao Yuan's loyalty and wisdom, but also laid the groundwork for the future rise of the Zhao family.
Chong'er was finally restored to the throne and became the Duke of Wen of Jin, and Zhao Yu also became a high-level political figure in the Jin State because of his outstanding contributions, laying a solid foundation for the prosperity of the Zhao family.
After Zhao Yuan's death, his son Zhao Dun inherited his father's legacy and held the military and political power of the Jin State for 20 years.
Under the leadership of Zhao Dun, the power of the Zhao family reached its peak, and even in the incident of the murder of Jin Linggong, the figure of Zhao clansman Zhao Chuan can be seen, which is enough to prove the influence of the Zhao family in the Jin Kingdom.
After Jin Chenggong succeeded to the throne, in order to consolidate his rule, he set a precedent for nobles with different surnames to join the princely family, and rewarded the eldest son of an important minister.
Zhao Dun, as a powerful minister of the Jin State, was also awarded the honor of "Doctor of the Prince". However, one of Zhao Dun's decisions laid a hidden danger for the future of the Zhao family.
He transferred the position of "Gong Doctor" to his half-brother Zhao Kuo, a move that strengthened the overall power of the Zhao family in the short term, but also laid the fuse for power struggles within the family.
After Zhao Kuo's status as a "public doctor", his status in the clan rose to the top, but his status in national politics was not comparable to that of Zhao Dun. This imbalance of power, if not handled properly, can easily lead to contradictions and conflicts within the family.
This history of the Zhao family is like a wonderful political drama, full of scheming, wisdom and human nature.
This history is not only the history of the rise and fall of the Zhao family, but also a microcosm of the political struggle of the Jin State in the Spring and Autumn Period.
In the Jin Kingdom of the Spring and Autumn Period, the fate of the Zhao family was like an epic of ups and downs, full of power struggles and the rise and fall of the family.
After the death of Zhao Dun, the prominent leader of the Zhao family, in 601 BC, his son Zhao Shuo inherited the family's political mantle, but found that he could not match his father's former glory.
The political map of the Jin Kingdom was undergoing subtle changes, and the two major families of the Luan and Hao clans were in full swing, and their rise not only divided Zhao Dun's power, but also became Zhao's new political opponents.
After Zhao Shuo's death, he left behind a young widow, Zhao Zhuangji, and a young son, Zhao Wu.
This branch of the Zhao family, because of Zhao Wu's young and ignorance, is facing a power challenge from Zhao Kuo's branch. The three brothers, Zhao Kuo, Zhao Tong, and Zhao Yingqi, although their official positions were low, their ambitions and actions had a profound impact on the future of the Zhao family.
Zhao Tong and Zhao Kuo took advantage of the family scandal to expel Zhao Yingqi from the Jin Kingdom, which not only made Zhao Zhuangji's mother and son lose their internal protection, but also laid the fuse for the internal strife of the Zhao family.
In order to protect the young Zhao Wu, Zhao Zhuangji had to take extreme measures. Her indecent love affair with Zhao Yingqi may be her helpless move to find refuge in the complicated family power struggle.
After Zhao Yingqi died in a foreign country, Zhao Zhuangji did not hesitate to falsely accuse Zhao Tong and Zhao Kuo of rebellion in order to protect her son's rights and interests. This false accusation was like a bombshell, causing a violent shock in the political arena of the Jin Kingdom.
Out of the dual consideration of strengthening the monarch's power and personal feelings, Jin Jinggong supported his sister Zhao Zhuangji and nephew Zhao Wu, and took harsh measures against Zhao Tong and Zhao Kuo.
And Luan and Hao also took the opportunity to intervene, and their testimony made Zhao Tong and Zhao Kuo's rebellion a foregone conclusion.
This history is not only a true portrayal of the power struggle within the Zhao family, but also a microcosm of the political struggle of the Jin State during the Spring and Autumn Period.
It allows us to see how the strife within the family affected the political landscape of the country as a whole, and also reflected the complexity and cruelty of the society at the time.
The story of the Zhao family, like a mirror, reflects the power struggle and social changes of that era, and provides us with valuable historical experience and life wisdom.
Zhao Dun's children and grandchildren once stood like a mountain in the political arena of the Jin Kingdom, but they encountered a great change of fate overnight. In 589 BC, Zhao Shuo died young, leaving behind the young Zhao Zhuangji and the young Zhao Wu.
Zhao Zhuangji, the sister of Jin Jinggong, had to take extreme measures in the face of the power struggle within the family.
Under the joint planning of Jin Jinggong, Zhao Zhuangji, Luan and Yin, a purge against the Zhao family, the difficulty of going to the palace, was launched.
The two clans of Zhao Tong and Zhao Kuo suffered a devastating blow, and Jin Jinggong took advantage of this to weaken Zhao's power, and Luan and Hao took the opportunity to attack their political opponents.
Zhao Zhuangji skillfully cleared the obstacles on the way for his son Zhao Wu to inherit the family business, and all parties got the results they wanted in this power game.
However, when Zhao Tong and Zhao Kuo's families were exterminated, Jin Jinggong did not reward the Luan family and the Hao family according to common sense, but unexpectedly gave the land of the Zhao family to Qi Xi, who had nothing to do with this incident.
Behind this decision was Jin Jinggong's thoughtful thinking - he did not want to see the Luan and Hao clans grow in power as a result of the reward, and at the same time, he did not want Zhao Wu to directly inherit the Zhao clan's land, thus exposing the true purpose of this incident.
At this critical moment, Han Ju, a loyal minister who had been favored by Zhao Dun, stood up.
He admonished the Duke of Jin Jing, strongly advocated the return of the land of the Zhao family to Zhao Wu, and established Zhao Wu as the suzerain of the Zhao family, so as to protect the incense of the meritorious family of the Jin State. Impressed by Han Ju's loyalty and wisdom, Jin Jinggong accepted his advice.
In the end, this political storm caused by contradictions within the family ended with the rise of Zhao Wu.
Zhao Wu, the young orphan, became the biggest winner of the whole incident.
In this incident, from the family scandal at the beginning to the final political struggle, there is no so-called loyalty and treachery, only the trade-offs and strategies of all parties for their own interests.
In the troubled years of the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, the glory and stain of the family were often intertwined into a complex picture.
The legend of the "Zhao Orphan" depicted in "Historical Records of the Zhao Family" is a careful modification and recreation of the disgraceful history of the "Difficulty in the Palace" by the Zhao State during the Warring States Period.
After the catastrophe of the family, Han Ju, a powerful minister, seized the opportunity to promote his son Han Qi and Zhao Wu, the "orphan of the Zhao family", to the secretary of state, and the two families joined forces and firmly controlled the power of the Jin State from then on.
Zhao Wu's grandson Zhao Ying was even more powerful, and his authority even surpassed that of the Jin monarch, and he listened to the government like a prince.
The wheel of history rolled forward, and in 453 BC, Zhao Wuxian, the son of Zhao Ying, united the Han and Wei families, destroyed the Xun family in one fell swoop, divided the Jin Kingdom, and established himself as a prince.
The Zhao family, with its powerful power, became the dominant force at this turning point in history.
With the establishment of the Zhao State, the history of the Zhao family has been given a new brilliance, and those inglorious past events need to be rewritten to highlight the glory and greatness of the Zhao monarch.
In this context, the "Difficulty in the Palace" recorded in "Zuo Biography" - a family infighting caused by fornication, and the story of the mother framing her opponent for the benefit of her lover and children to rebel against her is obviously incompatible with the image of the Zhao family.
Therefore, the historians who served the Zhao State rewrote it as the "Zhao Orphan" version, telling the heroic story of a man who was born to be killed by his parents, survived with the help of loyal people, and grew up to take revenge and win the hearts of the people.
This new version of the story, although it is far from the real history, is loved and celebrated for its loyalty, justice, bravery and sacrifice.
The images of these two heroes, Cheng Ying and Gongsun Pestle, have become models in people's hearts, and their stories have inspired people's yearning for loyalty and hatred of evil.
Especially during the Song and Song dynasties, the official publicity of the story of the "Zhao orphan" made this legend widely recognized by the government and the people.
The Song Dynasty, as the regime established by the Zhao clan, was naturally willing to look for positive strength from this period of history. During the Song Dynasty, Cheng Ying and Gongsun Pestle were named marquis and built temples to show their loyalty and righteousness.
During the Southern Song Dynasty, whether it was the Jingkang Revolution at the end of the Northern Song Dynasty or the Battle of Yashan at the end of the Southern Song Dynasty, the Zhao royal family faced a similar dilemma to the "Zhao orphans".
After entering the Yuan Dynasty, the story of "The Orphan of Zhao" was widely circulated in the form of Yuan miscellaneous dramas, preaching the spirit of justice and revenge, and becoming a metaphor for the Han nation's desire to oppose the Yuan Dynasty and restore the Song Dynasty. With the passage of time, the historical truth of the "Difficulty of the Lower Palace" was gradually forgotten, and the story of the "Zhao Orphan" became the mainstream narrative of history.
Nowadays, when we appreciate the literary value of "The Orphan of Zhao", we should also remember to remind ourselves that although this story is deeply moving, it belongs more to the category of literature than to the true record of history.