Preface
The alternation of imperial power is often the most dangerous moment for a country. When the heir is young and ignorant, how will the government and the opposition deal with it? Will the powerful ministers take the opportunity to seize power? Will the country fall into turmoil?
Then, in the history of the Western Han Dynasty, there was a puzzling experience - after the death of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, Emperor Zhao of the Han Dynasty, who was only eight years old, succeeded to the throne, but the government did not show the slightest turmoil, but created the prosperous era of "Zhaoxuan's rule". How, exactly, is this done?
The will of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty
In the heyday of the Western Han Dynasty, although Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, a generation of British lords, had many heirs, but it was not easy to find a truly suitable heir. As a wise monarch, Emperor Wu of Han was well aware of the serious consequences of the interference of his relatives in history, and he was determined to prevent such a situation from recurring during Liu Fuling's reign.
After meticulous investigation, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty finally chose his youngest son, Liu Fuling. Although Liu Fuling's mother, Mrs. Gou Yi, was young and beautiful, her family power was not strong, which minimized the phenomenon of dictatorship of relatives that might occur in the future.
Since childhood, Liu Fuling has shown extraordinary intelligence and calm character, his burly body and temperament are very similar to that of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty when he was young, which makes Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty firmly believe that Liu Fuling has the necessary conditions to become a new generation of emperors.
However, in order to prevent the recurrence of the historical lesson of "the son is young and the mother is strong, and the heroine is indulgent", Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty ordered the execution of the young Mrs. Gouyi before Liu Fuling ascended the throne. This seemingly cruel decision actually reflects the courage and wisdom of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty to make difficult choices for the sake of the country's long-term peace and stability.
He knew very well that only by cutting off the root of the power of his relatives could he ensure the independence and stability of the imperial power and pave a relatively stable road to governing the country for his successors.
The path of reform of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty
As the seventh emperor of the Western Han Dynasty, Emperor Wu of Han implemented a series of far-reaching reforms during his reign, laying a solid foundation for future generations.
In terms of political system, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty weakened the power of the prime minister and created the system of Chinese and foreign dynasties, in which officials from the inner dynasty assisted decision-making, and the prime minister of the outer dynasty was responsible for implementation, which effectively dispersed the power of the prime minister and reduced the risk of the ministers covering the sky with one hand.
At the same time, he also established the system of assassination, strengthened the supervision of local counties, curbed the expansion of local power and princely power, and ensured the effective control of the central government over the localities.
In the economic field, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty implemented the policy of "monopoly of salt and iron", firmly controlled the production and sales of salt and iron in the hands of the state, and increased fiscal revenue. He also implemented the system of "reckoning" and "suing" and severely cracked down on tax evasion by wealthy businessmen and tycoons, thus greatly enhancing the country's financial resources.
These measures not only consolidated the centralization of power and strengthened the state, but also provided abundant financial resources for future generations. Militarily, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty greatly expanded his territory, improved the country's military strength, and laid the foundation for the management of the frontier areas through his successive campaigns against the Xiongnu. This creates a relatively stable external environment for the successor and relieves the pressure of dealing with external problems.
In the field of culture, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty established the orthodox status of Confucianism by "deposing the hundred schools of thought and respecting Confucianism alone", a move that had a profound impact on the ideology and education system of later generations, and strengthened the cultural cohesion of the country and the people's sense of identity with the imperial power.
Overall, these reforms of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty established a strong centralized system for his successors, reduced the risk of local divisions and usurpation of power by powerful ministers, and paved a relatively stable path of governance for them.
Huo Guang's way of assistance
In 87 BC, Liu Fuling, who was only eight years old, succeeded to the throne as Emperor Zhao of the Han Dynasty. Due to his young age, the government was mainly handled by Huo Guang and other important ministers.
Huo Guang is the half-brother of Huo Quzhi, a generation of famous generals, who has lived a simple life since he was a child and has a cautious and low-key personality. During his long career in the forbidden palace, he won the deep trust of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty with his pious reverence for imperial power and almost harsh self-discipline.
Huo Guang knew that every step of court life needed to be cautious, so even the daily pace of marching was to be standardized and orderly, and this high degree of self-control and professionalism made him stand out among many important ministers of the court and became an irreplaceable pillar in the eyes of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty.
Before his death, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty carefully examined all aspects of Huo Guang's qualities, and although Huo Guang's position in the court became increasingly prominent, he did not have a large family background and intricate factional relationships, which made Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty firmly believe that he was the most suitable candidate to assist the young Emperor Zhao of the Han Dynasty in stabilizing the government.
Therefore, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty solemnly designated Huo Guang as the head of the four auxiliary ministers, and shared the important task of cultivating and assisting Emperor Zhao of the Han Dynasty with the other three important ministers. After Huo Guang took over power, on the one hand, he strictly followed the legacy of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty and followed the existing policies, and on the other hand, he flexibly adjusted to deal with the actual situation of the country.
He decisively quelled the rebellion conspiracy of Liu Dan, the king of Yan, and others, and effectively maintained the stability of the regime. At the same time, Huo Guang vigorously rectified the administration of officials, severely punished corrupt elements, selected meritocrats, promoted agricultural development, and lightened the burden on the people. Under his wise leadership, the Han Dynasty gradually recovered, and the government and the opposition flourished.
Huo Guang's use of power is exemplary. Although he leaned towards the government and the opposition, he always adhered to his principles, never exceeded the awe of imperial power, wholeheartedly defended the Liu family, and never had the idea of coveting the imperial throne. This kind of restraint of power and absolute maintenance of imperial power effectively avoided the risk of usurpation of power by powerful ministers and ensured the normal operation of state power.
The growth process of Emperor Zhao of the Han Dynasty
With the assistance of Huo Guang and other important ministers, the young Emperor Zhao of the Han Dynasty gradually grew up and slowly took over the government. He fully trusted and followed Huo Guang's decision-making, and this absolute trust in his assistants was the key to Emperor Zhao of Han to stabilize the overall situation.
Emperor Zhao of the Han Dynasty showed extraordinary wisdom and calm character since he was a child. He was diligent in learning the way of governing the country, humbly accepting advice, and treating people with humility and courtesy. Gradually, he became familiar with the complex politics of the dynasty and mastered the overall situation of rule. With the assistance of Huo Guang and others and his own extraordinary talents, Emperor Zhao of Han soon showed excellent leadership skills.
Emperor Zhao of the Han Dynasty inherited the eloquence of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, and during his reign, the national strength was undiminished, and the government and the opposition were healthy, which can be described as a generation of Ming monarchs. His growth process fully proves that as long as he is assisted by loyal and reliable ministers, even if he is still young, he can stabilize the government and maintain the stability of the country.
epilogue
Looking at the overall situation, the Han Dynasty was able to maintain stability at the beginning of the succession of Emperor Zhao of Han to the throne, which was actually forged by the subtle but solid cooperation between Emperor Wu of Han, Huo Guang and Emperor Zhao of Han.
Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty laid a solid foundation for his successors, Huo Guang was loyal and devoted himself to assisting the younger emperor, while Emperor Zhao of the Han Dynasty trusted and respected the decisions of his assistants with an open-minded attitude. Only by trusting each other and checking and balancing each other can the crisis be resolved and a prosperous era can be created.
The rise and fall of a dynasty actually stems from the wisdom and mind of the ruler. With the foresight of the sages, the full assistance of loyal ministers, and the humble advice of the Lord, the efforts of generations will eventually converge into a river, and what flows through is the vein of a country that never stops.