At the end of the Western Han Dynasty, in the later years of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, the situation in the court was treacherous, and the people were panicked. Huo Quzhi, Wei Qing and other founding heroes died one after another, the Wei family was uprooted, and the Han Empire faced an unprecedented crisis. At this stormy moment, Huo Guang, a little-known person, emerged on the political stage, and finally became an auxiliary minister and took charge of the government. How did he do it? What kind of qualities and abilities made him stand out in the era of the heroes? Let's walk into Huo Guang's legendary life and uncover the secret of the rise of this "hero behind the scenes".
Huo Guang's background and early experience
Huo Guang, whose name is Meng, was born in Pingyang County, Hedong County, Western Han Dynasty (now Linfen, Shanxi). His father, Huo Zhongru, was an ordinary county official, and his mother was Huo Zhongru's wife. Huo Guang also has a half-brother, that is, the world-famous general Huo Quai.
Huo Quai's mother, Wei Shao'er, was originally a maid in the palace of Prince Wei (Wei Qing's father). Huo Zhongru had an affair with Wei Shao'er when he was a guest in Wei Mansion and gave birth to Huo Quai. After Huo Zhongru returned to his hometown, he no longer had contact with Wei Shao'er and married Huo Guang's mother. So strictly speaking, Huo Guang is the heir, but Huo Quzhi is the concubine.
Huo Guang was bright and studious since he was a child, but his family was poor and could not afford to receive a good education. His childhood was spent in plain life, and there seems to be no story worth mentioning. It wasn't until Huo Quai's triumphant return that Huo Guang's life took a turn for the better.
In 119 B.C., Huo Qubing triumphed from Mobei and became famous all over the world. He did not forget his roots and made a special trip back to his hometown to visit his father, whom he had not seen for many years. Huo Zhongru was very pleased with this proud son of the sky, and Huo Quzhi also had a strong interest in this half-brother Huo Guang.
Huo Qubing decided to bring Huo Guang to the capital Chang'an to teach and support him personally. In this way, Huo Guang embarked on the road to the center of power. Huo Qubing first asked Huo Guang to serve as the Lang official under his account, and then recommended him to serve as Zhu Cao and the waiter, which can be said to be an all-round experience of Huo Guang's talents.
Huo Qubing knows that if he wants to rise to prominence in officialdom, it is not enough to rely on military merits, but also to establish a good reputation around the emperor. So, he strongly recommended Huo Guang to be the captain of Fengche and became a close minister of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty.
Fengche Duwei, to put it bluntly, is the emperor's chauffeur and guard. This position, while it sounds unremarkable, is a great opportunity to get close to the heart of power. Huo Guang is cautious in this position and strives for perfection in everything.
According to historical records, Huo Guang "Every time he enters and exits the door of the lower hall, there is a regular place to stop, and the servants shoot and steal it, without losing the size." It means that every time Huo Guang enters and leaves the palace, the location of the parking is almost the same, which is breathtaking.
It was with this meticulous and excellence-seeking work attitude that Huo Guang gradually won the trust and appreciation of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. He has been by the side of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty for 30 years, and he has never made a single mistake.
Huo Guang can have such a fast development, although it is inseparable from Huo Quzhi's support, but more importantly, his extraordinary talent and conduct. Huo Guang is humble and polite, courteous to others, and never arrogant. He is open-minded, studious, diligent and dedicated, and strives for perfection in everything he does.
Huo Guang also possessed remarkable political wisdom and foresight. He is well versed in the way of being an official of "advancing and retreating in a certain way, and moving and quiet", not impatient, calm and serious. He is good at observing words and feelings, judging the situation, and strategizing in the intricate court struggles, winning thousands of miles.
It was with these extraordinary talents and qualities that Huo Guang was able to gain a firm foothold by Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty and lay a solid foundation for his future auxiliary political career. He used his practical actions to prove to the world that birth does not determine a person's fate, and only true talent and real learning can be invincible.
Huo Guang's way of being a person and doing things
Although Huo Guang was born in a famous family, he was humble and polite, and he was never arrogant. Whether it was when he served as a Lang official under Huo Quai, or was recommended as a servant of Zhu Cao, a staff officer, or a lieutenant of Fengche, he was as low-key and cautious as ever, diligent and dedicated.
Huo Guang is well versed in the way of being an official with a degree of advance and retreat, and constant movement and stillness. He is not in a hurry, he is calm and serious, and every step is steady and steady. Even though he served by Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty for many years and won his trust, he never overstepped and always abided by his duties as a courtier.
Huo Guang is also good at observing words and feelings, judging the situation. In the intricate court struggle, he did not follow the crowd, nor was he moved by temporary gains and losses, but waited for the opportunity to move. This kind of foresight and sagacity has made him invincible in the treacherous political maelstrom.
Huo Guang's humility and courtesy won the trust and appreciation of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. He was never pretentious, never self-righteous, but always kept a cautious approach to walking on thin ice. Even when he was entrusted with the important task by Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty and the portrait was given to the "Zhou Gongfu Political Map", he did not get carried away, but was more cautious, for fear of any mistakes.
Huo Guang's foresight laid the foundation for the Han Dynasty's recuperation. He knew very well that Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty was reckless in his later years, and his national strength was on the verge of limit, and if he did not change his policy in time, he was afraid that the edifice would collapse. Therefore, after the death of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, he immediately took a series of measures to recuperate, such as reducing military spending, reducing the tax burden, and granting amnesty to the world, which laid a solid foundation for the Zhongxing of the Han Dynasty.
Although Huo Guang leaned towards the government and the opposition, he had never been domineering and arbitrary. On the contrary, he always adhered to the concept of "governing the country with virtue and supplementing it with punishment", and strongly advocated "ruling by inaction". Under his governance, the court was clean and upright, the officials were clear, and the people lived and worked in peace and contentment.
Huo Guang also paid special attention to the selection of talents, he opened up his views, humbly accepted advice, and appointed people on the basis of merit. Under his recommendation, a large number of virtuous people such as Sang Hongyang and Dong Zhongshu stepped onto the political stage and became the pillars of the Han Dynasty. It is with the assistance of these capable ministers that Huo Guang can steadily take charge of the government and create a prosperous situation of "Zhaoxuan Zhongxing".
Huo Guang's conduct in the world can be called a model in ancient and modern times. He is humble and prudent, not arrogant or rash, he judges the situation and has farsightedness, and he appoints people on the basis of merit and is humble and open-minded. It is with these outstanding qualities and abilities that he was able to gain a firm foothold beside Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, stand out in the era of the rise of the heroes, and finally become a generation of famous faces and leave a name in history.
Huo Guang's life experience tells us that a person's achievements are inseparable from opportunities and background, but more important is their own cultivation and ability. Only by constantly improving oneself and practicing excellent skills can we firmly grasp and soar to the sky when a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity comes. And those who are impetuous and ambitious, even if the time comes, it is difficult to become a big thing.
Huo Guang's career development
Huo Guang served as the captain of Fengche by the side of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty for many years, and won the trust and appreciation of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty with his cautious and conscientious work attitude. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty became more and more respectful of this loyal attendant, and repeatedly promoted him to his official position.
According to historical records, Huo Guang successively served as Zhu Cao, Shizhong, Fengche Duwei, Guanglu Doctor and other positions. Among them, Zhu Cao and Shizhong are all close ministers of the emperor's side, and Fengche Duwei is directly responsible for the emperor's travel safety.
Huo Guang performed well in these positions, did his best in everything, and never made mistakes. He was strict with himself, humble and courteous, and courteous to others, which won the love and trust of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty often said to his courtiers: "Huo Guang is loyal, and he is slack at night, and I am very happy." ＂
In 87 B.C., Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty crowned Huo Guang as the Great Sima and was in charge of the military power of the country. Da Sima was one of the three princes of the Han Dynasty, second only to the prime minister, and Huo Guang at this time had become a powerful figure in the court.
The following year, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty appointed Huo Guang as a general and became the supreme commander of the country's armed forces. The Great General, like the Great Sima, was an important official position in the Han Dynasty and had great power. Since then, Huo Guang has become a veritable "under one person, above ten thousand".
Huo Guang was in a high position, but he was not arrogant because of this. He was always humble and cautious, cautious, for fear of anything going wrong. He often admonished himself: "I am above the people, and the power is in favor of the government and the opposition, and if I am not careful, I will suffer great disasters." ＂
Huo Guang knew that although Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty favored himself, this male lord had always been suspicious and fickle, and if he was not careful, he might be beaten into the cold palace or even given death. So he always walked on thin ice and trembled, so as not to fall into the trap of power.
In his later years, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty became more and more trusting and dependent on Huo Guang. He often handed over the affairs of the court to Huo Guang with full authority, and even discussed his ideas with Huo Guang and asked for his opinion. Huo Guang was deeply honored by this, but he never dared to let his guard down because of this.
In 88 BC, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty was seriously ill, summoned Huo Guang and other ministers, passed the throne to Liu Fuling, who was only eight years old, and took out a picture of "Zhou Gong Fu became king", suggesting that Huo Guang assisted the new emperor to ascend the throne.
Huo Guang knelt down to thank him, crying silently. He understood that Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty was to let himself assist the young lord and take charge of the government. It's a great trust, but it's also a great test. The slightest carelessness may be framed as a rebel usurper.
Huo Guang calmly analyzed the situation at that time, and believed that although he was in power to the government and the opposition, his foundation was still shallow, and if he rashly accepted the edict, he was afraid that it would be difficult to convince the public. So he excused himself in front of the ministers: "The ministers are not talented enough to take on this heavy responsibility." Xiang Guotian Qianqiu, Yushi Dafu Sang Hongyang, etc., are all ministers of the society, and His Majesty might as well choose the virtuous and listen. ＂
These words may seem humble, but they actually have a profound meaning. On the one hand, it is to show that he respects his ministers and is humble and open-minded, and on the other hand, it is also to give those political enemies who are ready to make a move a disadvantage, so that they know that even if they do not have themselves, there is no shortage of virtuous ministers in the court who can assist the new monarch.
After hearing this, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty smiled slightly, and said to the close ministers around him: "Although the light is to promote the virtuous and make the ability, I have made up my mind." Then he issued an edict announcing that Huo Guang would assist him. Seeing this, the ministers knew that this matter was a foregone conclusion, and they stepped forward to congratulate them.
In this way, Huo Guang, with years of prudence and the trust of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, became an auxiliary minister and took charge of the government. He knows very well that this position is not easy to come by, and he must cherish it and not slack off in the slightest.
At the beginning of Huo Guang's assumption of power, the situation between the DPRK and China was not stable. Liu Dan, the king of Yan, Liu Pengzu, the king of Zhao, and other royal families were dissatisfied with Huo Guang and waited for an opportunity to seize power; prime minister Tian Qianqiu, imperial historian Sang Hongyang, and other ministers also complained about Huo Guang, believing that he was young and vigorous and difficult to convince the public.
Huo Guang knew all this, but he was not in a hurry to eradicate dissidents, but instead adopted a policy of softness. The first thing he did after coming to power was to ask for amnesty for the world, release a large number of prisoners, and appease the people.
Then, Huo Guang ordered tax reductions and exemptions, encouraged farming, and sympathized with the people's diseases. He also wrote many times to request the reduction of feudal domains, weaken the power of his relatives and clans, and strengthen the centralization of power. Although these measures offended some vested interests, they won the hearts and minds of the people and won him popularity.
At the same time, Huo Guang began to balance the power of the DPRK and China. He first wooed the imperial historian Sang Hongyang and entrusted him with the responsibility of being responsible for finance and taxation. Sang Hongyang was a famous minister during the period of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, and he was quite prestigious in the court, and with his support, Huo Guang was like a tiger.
Then, Huo Guang united with Taiwei Tian Wei and other ministers to suppress the unscrupulous royal family such as Liu Dan, the king of Yan, and Liu Pengzu, the king of Zhao, to weaken their power. Liu Dan and others saw that the general trend had gone, so they had to temporarily stop fighting.
In 80 BC, Huo Guang united with Zhang Anshi, a general of the chariot cavalry, and other ministers, and successfully killed Liu Ji, the king of Jiaodong, who was plotting against him. This deterred the opposition forces in the DPRK and China, and Huo Guang's authority was further consolidated.
In the following ten years, under the governance of Huo Guang, the government and the opposition were clear and clear, and the government was harmonious. He made great efforts to make the country prosperous, appoint people on the basis of merit, speak widely, and be sympathetic to the people's suffering. In domestic affairs, he restored and perfected the policies of the Han Wu Emperor period, and promoted the recovery and development of the social economy. Diplomatically, he joined forces with the Hungarians to resist the Qiang, restored the policy of peace and proximity, and eased relations with the Xiongnu.
During Huo Guang's reign, he made outstanding political achievements and grew in prestige. He not only won the hearts of the people, but also won the support of the scholars. At that time, the great Confucian Dong Zhongshu once commented on Huo Guang: "He is also a person, not up and down, not down, not leaning up, holding both ends of it, using its middle way, advancing and retreating to a certain extent, and moving and still." ＂
Huo Guang's way of doing politics has been praised by future generations. The great poet Du Fu of the Tang Dynasty wrote in "The Carriage of Soldiers": "The Duke of Zhou was afraid of the day of rumors, and Wang Mang was humble and did not usurp the time. If he dies that year, who knows the truth of his life. Among them, the word "Zhou Gong" alludes to Huo Guang.
During Huo Guang's reign, although the power leaned towards the government and the opposition, he always adhered to his duties as a courtier and never transgressed. He often admonished his son Huo Yu: "I assisted the second emperor, a very popular minister, but I never dared to forget the distinction between monarchs and ministers." If you have the opportunity on the day, follow my will, and do not act in vain. ＂
In Huo Guang's later years, his reputation was slightly damaged because of the deposition of Liu He, the king of Changyi. But in general, he worked hard during his reign and laid a solid foundation for the revival of the Han Dynasty. Later historians praised him as a virtuous minister and a famous minister, and his merits and influence are indelible.
Huo Guang's auxiliary political road
In 87 BC, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty died, and Huo Guang officially opened his path of auxiliary government. As the general of the Great Sima, he controlled the government and became the de facto supreme decision-maker of the Han Dynasty.
After Huo Guang took charge of the government, the first major challenge he faced was how to make a smooth transition and ensure political stability. He took a series of measures, including amnesty to the world, tax reduction, and compassion for the people's suffering, and won the hearts and minds of the people. At the same time, he severely punished corrupt officials and corrupt officials, rectified the rule of officials, and made the court clean and upright.
In dealing with relations with the Xiongnu, Huo Guang showed superb diplomatic wisdom. He resumed the policy of peace with the Xiongnu and sent envoys to the Xiongnu with a large number of treasures to repair relations between the two countries. At the same time, he increased his forces on the northwest frontier and strengthened the defenses to prevent the Xiongnu from being capricious.
During the reign of Huo Guang, there were also several crises in the DPRK and China. One of the most serious ones was that Liu Dan, the king of Yan, united with Shangguan Ji and others, in an attempt to depose Emperor Zhao and establish Liu Dan as emperor. After Huo Guang learned about it, he responded calmly, first summoned his ministers and read out the edict of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, indicating his legitimacy and legitimacy. Subsequently, he united with Taiwei Tian Wei and other ministers to send troops to arrest Liu Dan, Shangguan Ji and other rebels, completely crushing the coup d'état.
During Huo Guang's reign, he also implemented a series of reform measures. At the "Salt and Iron Conference", he advocated adhering to the line of "Luntai's guilty edict" in the later years of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, moderately deregulating and restoring free trade. Financially, he dismissed some officials who were not in a hurry and cut spending. Judicially, he abolished corporal punishment and reduced the death penalty. These reforms laid the foundation for the revival of the Han Dynasty.
In 74 BC, Emperor Zhao died, and because he had no heirs, Huo Guang supported Liu He, the king of Changyi, to ascend the throne. However, Liu He's extravagance and lasciviousness and abandonment of political affairs caused widespread dissatisfaction among the government and the opposition. After Huo Guang discussed with Taiwei Tian Yannian, he decided to depose Liu He and replace Emperor Xuan Liu Xun. This move, although it broke through the tradition of respecting the king, saved the crumbling Han family.
During the period of Huo Guang's auxiliary administration, he made outstanding political achievements, which enabled the Han Dynasty to pass a period of crisis and create a situation of "Zhaoxuan Zhongxing". Although he leaned towards the government and the opposition, he always adhered to his duties as a courtier, was diligent and humble, and did not trespass. He once humbly said to Emperor Xuan: "The reason why Your Majesty has won the world is because of benevolence and righteousness." ＂
Huo Guang reigned for twenty years and died in 68 BC. Before he died, he returned the seal ribbon to Emperor Xuan, indicating that he was only a courtier, loyal to the Han family in life and death. Emperor Xuan came to his funeral in person, gave him the nickname "Xuan", and buried Maoling to show his grace.
Although Huo Guang was only a cloth cloth, he became the mainstay of the Western Han Dynasty with his outstanding political skills and statecraft. During his reign, he made great efforts to make the country gradually get out of the predicament of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty in his later years, and created a prosperous era of "Zhaoxuan's rule".
Huo Guang's life is the epitome of the Western Han Dynasty's decline to prosperity. With his extraordinary political wisdom and governing ability, he steadily handed over a crisis-ridden regime to Emperor Xuan. Although he was only a courtier, his merits and influence were no less than those of the founding heroes.
Huo Guang's story tells us that a person's achievements do not lie in the level of their origin, but in their talents and conduct. Although Huo Guang came from a humble background, he won the trust of the monarch and the support of the people with his extraordinary talent and virtue. His life was a model for ancient Chinese politicians and a model for future generations of courtiers.
Huo Guang's path of auxiliary government also reflects a characteristic of ancient Chinese politics, that is, "the monarch and his courtiers rule the world together". In the era of absolute monarchy, courtiers were not just vassals of the monarch, but important assistants and advisers of the monarch in governing the country. A virtuous monarch often needs the assistance of a capable minister, and a loyal courtier also needs the trust of a wise monarch.
Huo Guang's story also gives us a revelation, that is, in troubled times, stability overrides everything. As a politician, the most important task is to stabilize the political situation and calm the people's minds. At the beginning of his administration, Huo Guang adopted a series of measures to reassure the people, won the hearts of the people, and laid the foundation for subsequent reforms.
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In short, Huo Guang's road to auxiliary politics is a legendary and inspirational history. With his outstanding ability and conduct, he composed a magnificent political movement. His story will always be praised by future generations, and his spirit will always inspire future generations to move forward.