"Water Margin" is one of the four great masterpieces of ancient China, which tells the story of a group of heroic heroes who rebelled against the corrupt government during the Song Dynasty and finally gathered in Liangshanbo. Among them, Song Jiang was the leader of Liang Shanbo, and his decisions and actions had a profound impact on the fate of the entire rebel army. Among them, Song Jiang's decision to choose Zhao'an occupies an important position in the novel. So, why did Song Jiang choose Zhao'an? What are the complex factors behind this? This article will conduct an in-depth discussion on Song Jiang's personal character, Liang Shanbo's internal situation, the external environment, and Song Jiang's political ideals.
1. Song Jiang's personal personality and recruitment decisions
Song Jiang, whose name is Gongming, nicknamed Hu Baoyi, Timely Rain, and Xiaoyi Hei Saburo, is a character in Shi Nai'an's classical novel "Water Margin", one of the one hundred and eight generals of Liangshan, ranking first. Song Jiang is righteous and good at employing people, but he always wants to recruit peace. He was born in a small landlord family, studied scriptures and history since he was a child, was educated by traditional Confucianism, and entered the society as a priest (small official) in the county government. His background experience and education have formed his character characteristics of loyalty and filial piety. Although Song Jiang was in the rivers and lakes, he always had expectations for the imperial court in his heart, hoping to change the social status quo and realize his personal political ideals through his own efforts. Therefore, when Liang Shanbo's power grew to a certain extent, Song Jiang began to think about how to find a better way out for Liang Shanbo, and Zhao'an became the most suitable choice for him.
Second, the internal situation of Liangshanbo and the demand for recruitment
Although Liangshanbo gathered a group of heroic heroes, with the expansion of power, internal contradictions and differences gradually emerged. On the one hand, the members of Liangshanbo came from different social classes, and their values and interests were different; on the other hand, the growth of Liangshanbo also aroused the vigilance and suppression of the imperial court, making Liangshanbo's living space smaller and smaller. In this case, Song Jiang believes that only through Zhao'an can Liangshanbo get out of trouble and achieve long-term stable development. Zhao'an can not only eliminate the hostility of the imperial court and fight for the legitimate status of Liangshanbo, but also enable the members of Liangshanbo to be protected by the imperial court and avoid being eliminated by other forces.
3. The pressure of the external environment and the necessity of recruitment
During the Song Dynasty, when Song Jiang lived, the society was in turmoil, the government was seriously corrupt, and the people lived in hardship. However, although Liangshanbo provided shelter to the common people to a certain extent, their presence also threatened the rule of the imperial court. The imperial court's suppression of Liangshanbo never stopped, and constantly sent troops to encircle and suppress. Faced with the strong pressure of the imperial court, Liang Shanbo's survival was in jeopardy. In this case, Song Jiang believed that Zhao'an was the only way out for Liangshanbo. Through Zhao'an, Liangshanbo can get rid of the oppression of the imperial court and obtain a legal status, while also creating a better living environment for the people.
Fourth, Song Jiang's political ideals and motivation for recruiting peace
Although Song Jiang was in the rivers and lakes, he always cherished political ideals in his heart. He hoped that through his own efforts, he would change the corruption in society and achieve prosperity and stability in the country. For Song Jiang, Zhao'an is not only a realistic choice, but also an important way for him to realize his political ideals. Through Zhao'an, Song Jiang could integrate into the imperial court's system and use his influence to promote political reforms and contribute to the country's prosperity.
5. The impact and consequences of the decision-making of recruitment
Song Jiang's decision to recruit an had a profound impact on the development of Liang Shanbo and the whole story. After Zhao'an, although the members of Liangshanbo were protected by the imperial court, they also lost their original freedom and independence. They had to obey the decrees of the imperial court and obey the dispatch of the imperial court, which made many Yangsan heroes feel lost and dissatisfied. At the same time, Zhao'an also accelerated the internal division and disintegration of Liangshanbo, and some members who were unwilling to accept Zhao'an left Liangshanbo, and the remaining members gradually lost their fighting spirit in the subsequent struggle.
From a more macro perspective, Song Jiang's decision to recruit also reflects a kind of helplessness and compromise in the social context at that time. In front of the powerful imperial court, Liang Shanbo's strength seemed insignificant, and Zhao'an became their only way out. However, this also exposed the shortcomings and corruption of the social system during the Song Dynasty, which prevented Song Jiang and other people with lofty ideals from realizing their true political ideals.
VI. Conclusion
To sum up, there are many reasons why Song Jiang chose Zhao'an. His personal character, Liang Shanbo's internal situation, the pressures of the external environment, and his political ideals all contributed to this decision. Although Zhao'an brought temporary tranquility and legal status to Liangshanbo, it also brought long-term negative effects and consequences. This decision not only changed the fate of Liang Shanbo, but also profoundly reflected the reality and contradictions of the society at that time. Through the discussion of Song Jiang's decision-making, we can have a deeper understanding of the rich connotation and value of the classic work "Water Margin".
From today's point of view, Song Jiang's decision to recruit security may not be the best choice, but it is an inevitability under specific historical conditions. It makes us think about how to find a balance between reality and ideals, how to find a way out of difficult situations, and how to maintain our beliefs and pursuits in a complex social environment. These questions are not only present in ancient novels, but are also the challenges and topics we face today.