In the long history of the Qing Dynasty, the stories of Emperor Qianlong's southern tour are endless, and one of the most dramatic events occurred in the 16th year of Qianlong. It was a sunny day, and a spicy girl named Liu Ruolian rode a donkey to get married, but accidentally blocked the emperor's way. Imagine what kind of sparks would be sparked between an ordinary woman and the Qianlong Emperor with supreme power? How did this confident girl make the Qianlong Emperor speechless with a brilliant couplet, and finally had to give in? Was this just a simple "give way" incident? Or was there a hidden deep meaning in it?
During the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, the land of China under the prosperous era of Kangqian was prosperous, and the Qianlong Emperor Hongli took his grandfather Kangxi as an example and toured the south many times to show his closeness to the people. However, Qianlong's southern tour was different from the Kangxi era, and every trip was a huge pomp and circumstance, using countless manpower and material resources. In the sixteenth year of Qianlong (1751), Emperor Qianlong made his first southern tour, and his convoy was mighty, with thousands of horses, mules, and camels, and tens of thousands of personnel.
During this southern tour, Qianlong deliberately went to Zhongmu County, Henan Province to inspect the Yellow River dam project. As the mother river of China, the Yellow River has been a source of nourishment for life since ancient times, and it is also a fierce river that brings disasters. Historically, the Yellow River has burst its banks many times, bringing countless floods that have claimed countless lives. Emperor Qianlong was deeply concerned about this and hoped that the embankment project he personally deployed would be stable and protect the people from living and working in peace and contentment.
Just as Qianlong was passing through Zhongmu County with his huge convoy, an unexpected thing happened. A bride named Liu Ruolian was riding a donkey to get married, but she couldn't move forward because of the convoy of the Son of Heaven. According to local customs, the bride is very particular about getting married, and she can't turn back or take a detour, which will affect the auspiciousness of the marriage.
Liu Ruolian had a pungent personality, ignoring the obstruction of the soldiers, and shouted: "When a woman gets married, the good day and auspicious day cannot be delayed." These words caused an uproar in the entire convoy. When Qianlong learned of the situation, he decided to deal with the emergency himself. He was quite interested in Liu Ruolian's pungent personality, so he ordered someone to summon her to him.
In the face of Qianlong, who is the respect of a country, Liu Ruolian is neither humble nor arrogant, and her generous and decent attitude and attitude of not fearing power make Qianlong quite admired. Qianlong decided to use couplets to decide whether to let the bride go all the way. He came out of the Shanglian: "Jiangshan Sheji, the king of the world." This is a typical couplet that shows the supremacy of imperial power, which is intended to test Liu Ruolian's wisdom and response.
Liu Ruolian didn't flinch, she pondered for a moment, and then responded: "Flower Candle Cave Room, female with man." This lower couplet not only skillfully coped with Qianlong's upper couplet, but also reflected the importance of a woman's marriage, which was on a par with the itinerary of the Son of Heaven, and its wit and courage surprised everyone present.
After Qianlong heard this, he was stunned for a moment, and then burst into heartfelt laughter. He didn't expect that an ordinary country woman could answer so brilliantly, not only wisely, but also daring to face power. This kind of courage and intelligence is difficult to compare even with the talented women in the court. Qianlong not only ordered to get out of the way and let Liu Ruolian marry smoothly, but also gave her a palace car to show his appreciation for her wisdom and courage.
This incident became a good story among the people, and Qianlong's generosity and Liu Ruolian's cleverness and wit became a hot topic of street discussion. But the deeper meaning behind this is that even the supreme emperor should respect the customs of the people and the feelings of the people. Although the purpose of Qianlong's southern tour was to demonstrate imperial power, this incident made him realize that the hearts and minds of the people are won not only by showing majesty, but also by understanding and respect.
The impact of Qianlong's southern tour on the local area was a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it did allow the emperor to understand the people's situation more directly and strengthen the connection between the central and local governments, but on the other hand, the consumption of human and material resources and the interference with local daily life should not be ignored. All kinds of red tape during the southern tour not only cost a lot, but also increased the burden on the people.
This unique encounter also made Qianlong pay more attention to the voice of the common people in his future governance, try to reduce unnecessary pomp, and pay more attention to practical results. Emperor Qianlong's southern tour, although it had its political purpose, there was also no lack of moments when the people were moved, which is what makes Qianlong unique.
The couplet story of Qianlong and Liu Ruolian not only allows us to see the elegance of an emperor and the wisdom of an ordinary woman, but also reflects the importance of respect and understanding. In the face of power and tradition, Liu Ruolian's persistence and Qianlong's understanding show the diversity and inclusiveness of society. Does all this also remind us that in today's day and age, no matter what position we are in, understanding and respect are always the bridge of communication?