Have you ever heard of it? In order to save state expenditures, Emperor Kangxi actually decided to eat only wowotou at every meal! This longest-reigning emperor in history not only created a prosperous Kangqian era, but also set an example by implementing an extreme economy policy.
Surprisingly, just when Kangxi thought that he could save a lot of state finances in this way, an old minister cried: If you continue to eat like this, the treasury will collapse!
Why did an emperor's thrift bring the treasury to the brink of collapse?
Emperor Kangxi, the great monarch of the Qing Dynasty, his name is almost equated with "Ming Jun" and "Thrifty". Emperor Kangxi's concept of governing the country was deeply influenced by Confucian culture, and he believed that as the master of the world, he should first lead by example, starting from himself, practicing frugality, and governing the country with thrift. This was extremely rare at the time.
In Emperor Kangxi's view, the emperor's every move symbolizes the image of the country, and he knows that every choice he makes is related to the economy and the will of the people of the entire country. He decided to start with the most basic living expenses and change the lavish lifestyle of the emperors of the past.
Emperor Kangxi once pointed out that the emperor's food expenses were a big burden, and the cost of each meal was as high as 300 taels of silver, which was a huge amount of money at that time.
The traditional emperor's diet was extremely rich, and a meal could require hundreds of dishes, but not only that, but each dish was prepared with great care and quality. Behind this luxury, there is a huge waste.
When Emperor Kangxi learned of these circumstances, he was determined to make a change, and he began to reduce the number of dishes in the imperial diet, from the original 100 to 60 or 70, but despite this, this change still failed to get to the heart of the problem.
By chance, Emperor Kangxi learned that the food of ordinary people was simple and economical, such as wowotou and tofu, which were extremely inexpensive but could meet basic nutritional needs.
So, he had an idea and decided to try to change his eating habits and eat wowotou with the people. Emperor Kangxi believed that this would not only reduce the state's expenses, but also strengthen the connection with the people and reflect the king's image of being close to the people.
The good times did not last long, and although Emperor Kangxi's decision had good intentions, it led to unexpected consequences. It turned out that the emperor's every move was part of royal etiquette and tradition, and the sudden change upset the balance of the entire royal supply chain and the palace economy.
Emperor Kangxi's frugality unexpectedly led to the dismal business of a series of court suppliers, and many craftsmen and farmers who specialized in supplying the palace faced livelihood problems due to the sharp drop in orders. What's more, these suppliers originally supported their high-cost production model through high royal orders, but once the orders decreased, their cost sharing became difficult, and many began to go bankrupt.
The plight of these suppliers is not unique, and their economic activities are closely linked to local officials and tax revenues. The reduction in the revenue of suppliers has led to a significant drop in the taxes they pay, which has a direct impact on the finances of local governments.
Emperor Kangxi's private economy, which was originally intended to reduce state spending, failed to take into account the ripple effects of the entire economic system.
Just when Emperor Kangxi was immersed in the satisfaction of saving money for the country, one of his old ministers came with a group of suppliers to plead in tears.
The old minister knelt in front of Kangxi and said earnestly: "Your Majesty, we deeply admire your frugality, but if this continues, the entire country's economy will be in trouble due to the collapse of the supply chain, and the treasury revenue will be reduced as a result!"
Emperor Kangxi was deeply shocked when he heard this, he did not realize that his actions would trigger such a serious chain reaction.
As a result, he began to reassess his frugality policies, surveying the country's economic situation and engaging in in-depth discussions with economists and officials.
They pointed out that although the emperor's personal frugality was a virtue, the operation of the country's economy needed to find a balance between thrift and consumption, otherwise excessive frugality would inhibit the vitality of the economy.
After some careful consideration, the Kangxi Emperor decided to adopt a more meticulous and scientific approach to saving state spending while ensuring the healthy functioning of the economy. He instructed to reduce unnecessary extravagant consumption, while ensuring that royal consumption could support the country's economic development and stability to a certain extent, such as maintaining a certain number of palace orders to maintain the stability of the supply chain.
Emperor Kangxi also initiated a series of measures to promote agricultural and industrial development in order to enhance the country's self-sufficiency, reduce foreign dependence, and fundamentally improve the country's economic strength and people's living standards. These measures not only succeeded in stabilizing the country's economy, but also further strengthened the prestige of the Kangxi Emperor among the people, and his policies were hailed by later generations as "the actions of the Ming Emperor".
The story of Emperor Kangxi's thrift gives us much more than just saving itself. It reflects the fact that even the personal character and frugality of the supreme leader must take into account the economic activity of the country as a whole and the well-being of the population. Through this story, we can see how a wise man constantly adjusts his policies in practice to meet the actual needs of the country, ensuring that the policies reflect both personal values.