The 6th article of the "Seventeen Years of Zhenguan" series, let's talk about the Taishan Fengzen that Li Shimin failed to complete in his life!
One
On May 26, the twenty-third year of Zhenguan (649), Li Shimin, Taizong of the Tang Dynasty, due to the aggravation of dysentery, explained the aftermath to the eldest grandson Wuji and Chu Suiliang, and died in the Hanfeng Hall of Cuiwei Palace on Zhongnan Mountain at the age of 52.
When he was dying, Li Shimin always had a regret in his heart, that is, the Taishan Zen Ceremony that he could not complete in his lifetime.
Feng Chan has always been a major event in the hearts of ancient Chinese emperors, and Li Shimin, the first emperor of the ages, will not be an exception.
Sima Qian's "Book of Feng Zen" once said, "Since ancient times, the emperor has been appointed to the emperor, but can you try to seal the Zen?" Since the emperor is known as the Son of Heaven and the Son of Heaven is ordered by the Heavens, of course he must report his exploits to the heavens and the earth.
After Li Shimin ascended the throne, after more than four years of hard work, the Tang Dynasty finally moved from the turbulent situation at the end of the Sui Dynasty to the road of stable development, and the national strength grew rapidly.
On March 15 of the fourth year of Zhenguan (630), the Tang Dynasty destroyed the Eastern Turks and captured Jieli Khan.
On the 23rd day of the first month of the following year, Li Xiaogong, the king of Zhaojun, waited for the table, thinking that Siyi had surrendered and invited the emperor to Mount Tai to seal the Zen.
Li Shimin instructed on the spot "not allowed", and now the Tang Dynasty has just been revived, far from the point where it is worth it.
The ministers saw that the emperor was so decisive, so they didn't insist anymore.
Two
Soon, the time came to the beginning of the first month of the sixth year of Zhenguan (623), and the civil and military officials once again requested to seal Mount Tai.
Li Shimin shirked on the surface, but he was secretly happy in his heart!
He said to the ministers: "Aiqing thinks that Fengzen is an imperial event, but I don't think so. If the world is peaceful and the people are rich, what does it matter if you don't seal Zen? If you think that Qin Shi Huang was a Zen emperor and Emperor Wen of Han did not seal Zen, who would say that Emperor Wen of Han is not as good as Qin Shi Huang?"
After listening to the emperor's high-sounding words, the ministers knew that the emperor was tempted, and hurriedly persuaded them to advance. Finally, when his ears were about to be cocooned, Li Shimin reluctantly accepted the invitation of the ministers and agreed to seal the Zen.
When this good show of the monarch and the ministers was about to end perfectly, suddenly a discordant voice sounded: "The minister thinks it is impossible!"
Everyone followed the sound and looked over, and they saw Wei Zheng's untimely and serious face.
Li Shimin was unhappy in his heart and asked, "Does Aiqing think that my merits are not high enough?"
Wei Zheng said lightly: "It's high enough." ”
"Is that virtue not thick enough?"
Wei Zheng said lightly: "It's thick enough." ”
"Is it because the country is not yet stable?"
Wei Zheng replied: "It's settled." ”
"Haven't Siyi surrendered yet?"
"Surrendered. ”
"Is it that the valley has not yet been harvested?"
"It's abundant. ”
"Is Fu Rui still here?"
Wei Zheng still said lightly: "It's here." ”
Li Shimin was puzzled and asked, "Then why can't you seal Zen?"
Seeing that a displeased expression appeared on the emperor's face, his tone became more and more angry.
Wei Zheng still said lightly: "Although His Majesty has all these six articles, after the chaos at the end of the Sui Dynasty, the household registration has not been restored, and the people are not rich. To go to Mount Tai, you need to ride thousands of times, all kinds of expenses, labor and money. ”
After listening to Li Shimin, it seems that there is some truth!
Wei Zheng continued: "Besides, Your Majesty has sealed Zen, then the monarchs and chiefs of all countries will come to congratulate, and there are many followers;
Besides, according to the current state strength, even if a large amount of rewards are given to these people, it may not satisfy them, and it will only increase the taxes of the people. What is Your Majesty doing to do this kind of thing that is in vain and suffering from real harm?"
After listening to Wei Zheng's words, Li Shimin felt that it was very reasonable, so he issued an order to discuss it again. It happened that several states on the south and north banks of the Yellow River were flooded, and the matter of sealing Zen was shelved.
Three
It is human nature to love to show off, and as an emperor, it cannot be avoided. Li Shimin wanted to show off, but the civil and military officials repeatedly asked for it.
Li Shimin always has to be humble, and the "humble procedure" has become a process that must be followed. The emperor said no, and the ministers wanted to persuade him to die, and finally the emperor reluctantly accepted it.
When a good show was about to end successfully, it was disrupted by Wei Zheng.
What Wei Zheng said did make sense, and everyone couldn't refute it, the point was that Li Shimin really listened to it.
In December, the ministers repeatedly asked for the title of Zen, but Li Shimin resolutely refused! The ministers thought that the emperor was going through the "humble procedure" again, so they kept persuading him to enter.
Li Shimin was annoyed, he really didn't want to go this time! At first, he would patiently persuade the ministers, but with little effect. Later, he was really impatient, and Li Shimin directly gave a reason that the ministers couldn't refute!
He decreed: "I have an old problem with asthma, and I am afraid that it will worsen after ascending, so you should not say any more." ”
At this time, the ministers did not dare to say anything, the emperor's health is important, who will persuade him to enter when something really happens, but it is a big crime to kill the head!
Since then, the matter of sealing the Zen has been put on hold for as long as 5 years.
Four
The time came to the eleventh year of Zhenguan (637), and the Tang Dynasty at this time officially entered the heyday of "Zhenguan's rule", and the people were healthy and all countries came to the court.
The ministers asked for Feng Chan again, and Li Shimin ordered the secretary to discuss the specific etiquette with Yan Shigu and others, and Fang Xuanling ruled it. This time, Li Shimin was really tempted, but God just didn't let him go with it.
On July 1 of that year, due to the long-term heavy rain in Guanzhong, the water flooded the Luoyang Palace, the water was four feet deep, destroying 19 palaces and temples, and destroying more than 600 houses.
On 6 September, when the Yellow River overflowed, it washed away Hebei County in Shaanzhou and destroyed Zhongtan in Heyang.
Disaster relief is like fighting a fire, and at this time, Li Shimin has no mind to think about the matter of sealing Zen again; after finally solving the matter of the flood, he originally wanted to go to seal the Zen after a year of repair.
Time came to the thirteenth year of Zhenguan (639), God seemed to deliberately oppose Li Shimin, and there was a major drought in the country that year, "since last winter did not rain until May", and normal sowing could not be carried out in many places.
On 12 May, Li Shimin ordered officials above the fifth rank to discuss disaster relief matters, reduce meals in the palace, exempt them from hard labor, release prisoners, and provide relief to the poor.
In December, the war of the Tang Dynasty against Gaochang broke out again!
In this kind of situation, there are things inside and outside, Li Shimin still has the heart to think about the matter of sealing Zen, so the matter of sealing Zen, which he began to prepare three years ago, has to be put on hold for the time being.
Five
Until October 10 of the following year (the fourteenth year of Zhenguan), Li Yuanjing, the king of Jing, and others went to the table again and asked to seal Mount Tai.
At this time, the floods and droughts in the Tang Dynasty had passed, and Gaochang was also destroyed by the general Hou Junji. Tubo also sent envoys to the Tang Dynasty to make peace, and the relationship between them was eased.
This year, it can be said that the government is harmonious and the internal and external stability is stable.
Jing King Li Yuanjing's performance represents the meaning of most people, and Li Shimin was also moved, and after enduring it for more than 4 years, he finally had the time and experience to consider sealing Zen.
However, the "modest process" that should be taken still has to be followed, so Li Shimin was humble again and approved "not allowed"!
The ministers saw that the emperor was going to go through the process, and they cooperated very tacitly. On the thirteenth of the following month, this time it was jointly signed by hundreds of officials, requesting that Mount Tai be sealed.
Li Shimin saw that the ministers were so sensible, and he was very happy to approve it, and asked the Confucians to agree on the details of the ceremony in detail, and appointed Taichangqing Wei Ting and others as the envoys of Feng Zen.
This time, Li Shimin was full of confidence to go to Mount Tai to seal the Zen, and after making all the preparations, the time had come to April of the 15th year of Zhenguan.
Li Shimin felt that it was time to announce this feat to the outside world, and issued an edict to seal Mount Tai in February next year.
It's a pity that God made a joke with Li Shimin again.
On June 19, a star appeared next to Taiwei Star, and Taishi Ling Xue Yi said: "Don't seal Mount Tai." Immediately afterwards, Chu Suiliang also went up to dissuade him.
In desperation, Li Shimin could only issue an edict to suspend the closure of Zen again, which lasted for another 4 years.
Five
The time came to December of the twentieth year of Zhenguan (646), and the ministers who had been holding back for several years once again asked for the enshrinement of Mount Tai.
This time, Li Shimin readily agreed, and all the "modest processes" were left behind, and he issued an edict to make a guard of honor for Yuwei and send it to Luoyang Palace.
On the 10th day of the first month of the following year (the twenty-first year of Zhenguan), the emperor announced that he would go to Mount Tai in the middle of spring next year to seal Zen, and the process would be according to the 15th year of Zhenguan. This time, Li Shimin is really in a hurry, don't want the "modest process", just follow the old preparations, anyway, it is to complete the Zen Sealing Ceremony anyway, and it doesn't matter what the effect is.
The reason why Li Shimin is so anxious may also be that he realizes that his physical condition is getting worse and worse, and if he doesn't complete the canonization ceremony, he may not have a chance.
It's a pity that it backfired!
In February, Li Shimin again launched a war against Goguryeo. Due to the frequent conquests, the people of Shu were conscripted to build ships, and the forced labor was heavy, so that the local people could not supply them by selling their fields and houses, and selling their sons and daughters.
In the end, the rebellion of Yazhou, Qiongzhou, and Meizhou broke out.
At this time, God was not idle, and there was a major flood in Hebei Prefectures.
Natural and man-made disasters, coupled with the frequent use of foreign troops, Li Shimin still had the heart to consider the matter of sealing Zen, so he issued an edict on August 8 to stop sealing Zen next year.
This stop is forever!
From the sixth year of Zhenguan to the twenty-third year, for 17 years, Li Shimin wanted to go to Mount Tai many times to enshrine Zen, but he stopped because of the actual situation.
Li Shimin really wanted to do this in his heart, and it can be seen from the more than one decision to enshrine Zen; whenever he had already made the preliminary preparations, he would immediately give up when he found that the national situation was not suitable for such a large-scale ceremony.
This kind of courage and self-discipline cannot be done by ordinary emperors, and this is also where Li Shimin is great.