Yao Guangxiao, a very famous figure in the Ming Dynasty, he integrated the three religions and assisted the three emperors.
At that time, Yao Guangxiao was selected by Zhu Yuanzhang as a monk, and entered the palace to serve the princes, because he had a very happy conversation with Zhu Di, and since then he has followed him to Beiping, often in and out of the palace of King Yan.
Later, Zhu Yuanzhang died, and Emperor Jianwen, the grandson, succeeded to the throne and began to cut the feudal domain, and the kings were deposed and killed one after another.
Yao Guangxiao persuaded Zhu Di to raise troops to resist, and recommended Neng Chen to him, which made Zhu Di make up his mind and plot to raise troops.
In the first year of Jianwen, the imperial court discovered Zhu Di's conspiracy and sent troops to arrest him, Zhu Di took advantage of the situation to raise troops, in the name of Fengtian Jingnan, and wanted to kill Qi Tai and Huang Zicheng, and started the battle of Jingnan.
Jing was difficult to succeed, Ming Chengzu Zhu Di was called emperor, Yao Guangxiao was named emperor as an official, but he still lived in the temple and assisted the government.
He was named the young master of the crown prince, assisted the prince, and taught the emperor's grandson Zhu Zhanji.
In the sixteenth year of Yongle, Yao Guangxiao was seriously ill, Zhu Di went to visit, Yao Guangxiao begged Zhu Di to release the monk Pu Qia, but Zhu Di entered Beijing, thinking that the monk Pu Qia knew Jianwen's whereabouts, and did not inform him, and imprisoned him for ten years. Zhu Di agreed to Yao Guangxiao's request, and Yao Guangxiao bowed to thank him.
Soon after, Yao Guangxiao died at the age of 84. Zhu Di has always respected him very much, because he also abolished the dynasty for two days, buried with monk rites, and enjoyed the Taimiao.
Yao Guangxiao's merits are also quite numerous, why is he called "the first demon monk of the Ming Dynasty"? First, it is because he practiced Buddhism, but he specialized in the art of yin and yang, and learned the art of power and war. Second, wearing the clothes of a monk, he still worries about Hongchen's affairs, and risks to assist Zhu Di in his rebellion, but he does not seek high-ranking officials. Third, a monk even knew how to literature, after Xie Jin's failure to be responsible for compiling the Yongle Canon, Zhu Di ordered Yao Guangxiao to re-compile it, and Yao Guangxiao took three years to compile this historical masterpiece. And in his later years, he sorted out the "Dao Yulu" against the Buddha, which is also his merit in Buddhism. Fourth, his three prophecies were all true, which is one of the reasons why he is called a demon monk.
(The picture comes from the Internet)