In the 57 years following the death of Emperor Xuan of the Han Dynasty, a new religious movement quietly emerged and grew in the Western Han Dynasty – the Taoist movement known as the "Five Buckets of Rice Dao".
The founder of Wudou Midao was Zhang Daoling, an ordinary person born in the early years of the Eastern Han Dynasty. According to legend, in 142 AD, when Zhang Daoling was cultivating in Heizun Mountain in Heyang County, Henan, Lao Tzu apparition gave him "the way of Zhengyi Alliance". Lao Tzu warned Zhang Daoling that there would be a disaster in the world, and only 240,000 "breeders" would be spared. So Zhang Daoling began to spread his teachings among the people, attracting a large number of believers to join.
1. The rise of the Five Bucket Rice Road
This emerging religious movement soon gained a foothold in the Hanzhong region. Zhang Daoling established a theocratic state of 24 dioceses in Hanzhong, which was later expanded to 28 dioceses. Each parish had a clerk who recorded the names and ranks of the people. Every three years, the people's degree of faith must be re-checked, and the class should be adjusted according to the degree of contribution. The higher the rank, the more "gods" in charge, and the more calamities can be driven out.
The teachings of the Five Dou Rice Paths advocate attaining immortality through fasting and offerings. Unlike the philosopher-Taoists that preceded it, Wudou Midao was a true folk religion that attracted a large number of illiterate and non-Han Chinese to join. This movement also created an organized system of Taoist monks, which became the source of the patriarchs of the various sects of Taoism in later generations.
Although the theocratic state established by Wudou Midao in the Hanzhong region only existed for 25 years before being annexed by Cao Cao's Wei state, this emerging religious force was deeply rooted in the hearts of the people and had a profound influence on Chinese culture for later generations.
At the same time that Wudou Rice Road was prevalent, another related cultural phenomenon was also widely spread among the people of the Western Han Dynasty - that is, the myths and legends about the "Eight Immortals". The story of the Eight Immortals depicts the magical experiences of the eight immortals, which is regarded as the spiritual sustenance of the turbulent times and reflects the many contradictions of the society at that time. The stories of the Eight Immortals are colorful and fascinating, and have become an important source of literature and art for later generations.
2. The decline of the Western Han Dynasty
After the death of Emperor Xuan of the Han Dynasty, the Western Han Dynasty rapidly declined, a process full of drama.
At the beginning of the reign of Emperor Yuan of the Han Dynasty, although he had a cowardly personality, he still had the ambition to revitalize the Han Dynasty. However, during his reign, disasters and thieves were rampant, and social contradictions intensified. More seriously, Emperor Yuan reused Confucian scholars, laying the theoretical and public opinion foundation for Wang Mang's later usurpation of the Han Dynasty.
Then, Emperor Cheng of the Han Dynasty succeeded to the throne, and for 26 years, he basically ignored the government and only knew how to spend time and drink. The power of the government completely fell into the hands of their relatives, the Wang family, who engaged in nepotism and cracked down on dissidents, causing chaos in the political situation.
Emperor Ai of the Han Dynasty once had the ideal of revitalizing the Han Dynasty, and he tried to attack the powerful of the Kanto region and weaken the power of his cousin Wang. But soon, Emperor Wai was controlled by his relatives Fu and Ding, and he was unable to return to heaven. In the face of their opposition, the reform that Emperor Wai had wanted to implement to limit the amount of private land was aborted.
By the time of Emperor Ping of the Han Dynasty, the Western Han Dynasty had already passed. Outside the court, there were many displaced people, and the common people generally hoped that virtuous people could replace Liu's rule. In the court, Wang Mang was secretly arranged, cracking down on dissidents, buying people's hearts, and creating a public opinion foundation for himself to seize the throne.
In 8 AD, with the support of the ministers and the common people, Wang Mang finally seized the Western Han Dynasty and established a new dynasty. In this way, the Western Han Dynasty went to the fate of collapse in the environment of internal and external troubles and the people's lack of livelihood.
3. The root cause of the decline and fall of the Western Han Dynasty
After the death of Emperor Xuan of the Han Dynasty, the Western Han Dynasty rapidly declined, a process full of drama. At the beginning of the reign of Emperor Yuan of the Han Dynasty, although he had a cowardly personality, he still had the ambition to revitalize the Han Dynasty. However, during his reign, disasters and thieves were rampant, and social contradictions intensified. More seriously, Emperor Yuan reused Confucian scholars, laying the theoretical and public opinion foundation for Wang Mang's later usurpation of the Han Dynasty.
Then, Emperor Cheng of the Han Dynasty succeeded to the throne, and for 26 years, he basically ignored the government and only knew how to spend time and drink. The power of the government completely fell into the hands of their relatives, the Wang family, who engaged in nepotism and cracked down on dissidents, causing chaos in the political situation.
Emperor Ai of the Han Dynasty once had the ideal of revitalizing the Han Dynasty, and he tried to attack the powerful of the Kanto region and weaken the power of his cousin Wang. But soon, Emperor Wai was controlled by his relatives Fu and Ding, and he was unable to return to heaven. In the face of their opposition, the reform that Emperor Wai had wanted to implement to limit the amount of private land was aborted.
By the time of Emperor Ping of the Han Dynasty, the Western Han Dynasty had already passed. Outside the court, there were many displaced people, and the common people generally hoped that virtuous people could replace Liu's rule. In the court, Wang Mang was secretly arranged, cracking down on dissidents, buying people's hearts, and creating a public opinion foundation for himself to seize the throne.
In 8 AD, with the support of the ministers and the common people, Wang Mang finally seized the Western Han Dynasty and established a new dynasty. In this way, the Western Han Dynasty went to the fate of collapse in the environment of internal and external troubles and the people's lack of livelihood.
4. The influence of "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" in Eastern countries
"The Romance of the Three Kingdoms" was not only widely circulated in China and had a profound impact on Chinese culture, but it was also translated into many languages and spread in Eastern countries, becoming an important messenger of Chinese culture overseas.
[New Element 1] In Japan, there are dozens of translations of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, and a large number of recreations have been derived. Important translations include the "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" compiled by Shigeta Sadachi, and the "Romance of the Three Kingdoms of Allure" edited by Mokawa Tei Xuema. Japanese scholars have conducted extensive and in-depth research on the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, such as Kogawa Kanki's Research on the History of Chinese Fiction and other works.
[New Element 2] "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" has also had a huge impact on Japanese popular culture, from manga to game software, and is regarded as a good way to live in the world and a path to success. There are nearly 100 "Three Kingdoms Fan Clubs" across the country, and related websites are overwhelming.
[New Element 3] In South Korea, "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" is also a household name, regarded as an "encyclopedia of mankind" and a "textbook of life strategy". It not only influenced the creation of ancient Korean literature, but also had a significant impact on the lifestyle of the time, and even quite a few Gwandi temples appeared.
In addition, "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" has also had a profound impact on the literature of Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam and Thailand. In Vietnam, original Chinese books were circulated in the early days, and were later translated into Vietnamese or adapted into opera. In Thailand, the literary style of "Three Kingdoms" appeared, and a large number of works imitating "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" came out.
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It can be said that "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" is the most successful "cultural envoy" of Chinese classical literature in Oriental countries, which spreads the essence of Chinese culture to all corners of the Oriental world and becomes an important link to enhance cultural exchanges between China and Eastern countries. [End of article]