Preface
If there is a prince who once attracted the attention of the world, from the favor of a generation of Ming monarchs to the end of betraying the rebels, how would you interpret the trajectory of his life? Or perhaps, you will sigh for this prince who should have been a glorious lintel, and lament that a person's fate can be so bumpy?
In the long course of history, such stories are not isolated cases. However, when we recreate what happened to the prince named Li Chengqian in the Tang Dynasty, we can't help but ask: what made a person with a bright future finally fall to this point? Who or what caused him to end up like a sinner?
The early growth of the pride of the sky
In 626 AD, Li Shimin, the son of Tang Gaozu Li Yuan and a man of great military achievements, finally took the throne after the Xuanwumen Change. As a generation of Ming monarchs, Li Shimin was worried about the future inheritance of the throne after he ascended the throne, and naturally set his sights on his eldest son, Li Chengqian.
I saw that Li Chengqian, who was only 8 years old at the time, had already been named the crown prince in the admiration of everyone. Li Shimin had high hopes for this son, and since he was 3 years old, he arranged a group of civil and military ministers to serve him and single-handedly manage his education.
From "Poems" and "Rites" to military affairs, the talented and intelligent Li Chengqian was proficient in everything, and soon showed amazing talent in front of his father. It is this talent that makes Li Shimin favor him.
Records show that in the early years of Zhenguan, not long after the crown prince Chengqian took office, he was able to "be wise and intelligent, govern the country frequently, and manage affairs harmoniously." This performance naturally strengthened Li Shimin's determination to pass on the throne to him.
As a result, Li Chengqian, who was carefully cultivated by Taizong, had a bright future on the road to the pinnacle of power step by step, and won the favor of his father. However, at this time, a dark cloud quietly shrouded the future of this proud son of the sky.
A turning point in fate
In 636 AD, two major events occurred and became a key turning point in Li Chengqian's life. The first major event was that Li Shimin ordered the kings to be stationed in various states, leaving only his second son Li Tai in Beijing.
This undoubtedly strengthened Li Tai's position of power and fostered his eyesight on the crown prince's position. For Li Chengqian, who is the crown prince, his father favors his younger brother so much, and he will inevitably feel uneasy and neglected.
The second major event is the death of Li Chengqian's mother, Empress Changsun. This loving mother, who worked hard for her son, unfortunately died at the age of 36.
For Li Chengqian, who is disabled, losing his mother's love at this time is undoubtedly a heavy blow. The occurrence of these two major events cast a shadow in Li Chengqian's heart, and also became a key opportunity for him to fall.
From good to depraved
When these two major events came one after another, it affected Li Chengqian's psychological state, making him gradually move from his early intelligence and wisdom to the opposite. According to the Book of the Old Tang Dynasty, Li Chengqian began to exhibit some abnormal behaviors during this period:
"And he has a good voice, roaming excessively, but he is afraid that Taizong will know it, and he does not dare to see his traces. Every time you look at things in the court, you must say the way of loyalty and filial piety: after retreating from the court, you will blaspheme with the group. The palace ministers or those who want to move forward quickly, the cadres must first find out their feelings, and then sit down and blame themselves. "
That is to say, on the surface, he can still maintain the prestige of his son, speak appropriately and show loyalty and filial piety at the court meeting, but in private he indulges his voice and is in the company of his cronies and villains. As for the palace ministers who want to be promoted, he will also listen in advance, and then pretend to be humble to cover up his misconduct.
This kind of inconsistent style also made the auxiliary ministers of the Eastern Palace, who were ordered to teach him, worry about his future. Several ministers, such as Yu Zhining, Kong Yingda and others, wrote many times to persuade them to try to save the crown prince's mind. Regrettably, however, the approach they adopt to education is often counterproductive.
Improper teaching exacerbates conflicts
For a prince like Li Chengqian, who is uninhibited and vulnerable, the "straightforward admonition" of the auxiliary ministers of the East Palace is not a good policy. They often openly criticized Li Chengqian's wrong behavior in the court, which not only made the crown prince lose face, but also deepened his disgust.
To make matters worse, although the criticisms of these ministers were indeed justified, Li Shimin often blindly agreed with them and rewarded them, which further strengthened Li Chengqian's distrust of them.
The setbacks and humiliations again and again made Li Chengqian, who was already inferior and sensitive, feel heavy pressure from his father and teachers. In this environment, he gradually gave up his self-cultivation, and simply went against the norm and openly confronted him.
From the later actions of Li Chengqian recorded in the "Old Tang Book", it can be seen that he has completely fallen into a state of self-abandonment:
Since then, he has been protesting against Taizong for more than a few months. Hundreds of people are constantly ordered to practice tricks and music, looking for and jumping swords in the palace, day and night. Recruit dead slaves, steal people, cattle and horses, cook food, imitate the Turks to fight in two teams, and 'shout and stab for fun'. "
It can be said that the crown prince, who was once regarded as the pride of the sky by his father, has completely walked into the abyss of depravity. He blatantly violated the law, ignored the admonitions of his father and ministers, and marched towards the road of no return.
This kind of behavior of cutting himself from the righteous path and confronting his father also made Li Shimin's heart ache. However, Li Shimin did not change his approach and still connived at the criticism of Li Chengqian by those auxiliary ministers.
Father's mistakes and estrangement
For a son with low self-esteem and sensitivity, the father should give more love and understanding, but unfortunately, Li Shimin did not do so. On the contrary, instead of correcting the practices of the auxiliary ministers of the Eastern Palace, he also rewarded them, which further strengthened Li Chengqian's disgust.
In the above-mentioned records, we can see that when Yu Zhining, Kong Yingda and others frequently admonished Li Chengqian, Li Shimin not only did not stop him, but "praised him, and each of them rewarded 100 horses of silk and 10 catties of gold".
Similarly, when Zhang Xuansu repeatedly wrote to admonish, Li Shimin also "promoted the doctor of Yinqing Guanglu and the left concubine of the prince". This practice undoubtedly deepened Li Chengqian's suspicion and distrust of his father and those ministers. He may think that his father did not really want to correct himself, but chose to side with those who criticized him.
In such a situation where the relationship between father and son is deteriorating day by day, Li Chengqian's heart will inevitably accumulate huge resentment and resentment. He may feel that he is being treated unfairly, believing that his father and ministers are framing him.
It can be seen from this that Li Shimin's mistake in educating his son was undoubtedly an important reason for Li Chengqian's eventual degeneration. He did not fully understand his son's inner needs, but instead contributed to the escalation of the conflict.
The gloom of the struggle for the throne
We have analyzed the improper education methods and the deterioration of the relationship between father and son, which are important factors that contributed to Li Chengqian's depravity. But in addition to this, we cannot ignore another figure - Li Chengqian's younger brother, Li Tai, the king of Wei.
Judging from historical records, Li Tai is undoubtedly a selfish and scheming figure. He has won Li Shimin's special favor since he was a child, and even the monthly "materials" he gives exceed that of the crown prince Li Chengqian. This kind of treatment naturally aroused Li Chengqian's dissatisfaction and jealousy.
What is even more disturbing is that Li Tai also "saw that the prince had a foot disease, and he had the ambition to seize the heir, so he broke the corporal to seek fame". In other words, this younger brother is quietly plotting to usurp the crown prince's throne.
In such a family environment, Li Chengqian, who was already sensitive, fell even more into suspicion and fear of his younger brother. He inevitably wondered if his disability would be taken advantage of by his ambitious brother and steal his throne.
This fear of power will also make Li Chengqian feel helpless and hopeless. He had to do something to secure his position, and he went down a more radical path. It can be said that the struggle for power within this family has also become another important reason for Li Chengqian's eventual degeneration.
The end of fate
Faced with intensifying family conflicts and inner gloom, Li Chengqian finally chose to resist. In 643 AD, he was found to be plotting against him, and was finally deposed as crown prince by Li Shimin. A year later, Li Chengqian died of illness in the penal colony, and Li Shimin was so grief-stricken that he even stopped the court for several days to mourn.
From a crown prince who once attracted worldwide attention to finally becoming a sinner, Li Chengqian's life can be called a tragedy. And it was the wrong education and family environment that caused this tragedy.
Father Li Shimin's educational mistakes not only cast a shadow on a generation of Ming Jun, but also ruined a son who should have a bright future. We can't help but ask, if Li Shimin could have gained insight into his son's inner needs, changed his own education methods, or resolved family conflicts, would it have changed Li Chengqian's ultimate fate?
However, perhaps fate is an unchangeable path. We can only learn from this, and hope that future parents and educators can learn this lesson and give their children the care and understanding they deserve, so that they will not follow in the footsteps of Li Chengqian and become a tragedy in history.
epilogue
In fact, Li Chengqian's story is not unique. In the long course of history, there are many tragedies in which the proud sons of heaven eventually become sinners. These cases all tell us about the importance of education and the responsibilities of parents and teachers.
A child's growth requires careful care from family members and teachers. If we only know how to criticize and scold, but neglect to understand and support them, it is likely to cause irreparable damage.
Therefore, when we look back on Li Chengqian's life again, we can't help but ponder: How can we avoid repeating the mistakes of the past, so that more children will not fall victim to history? This is perhaps the greatest lesson from this tragic story.
Let us work together to build a society that is more understanding and caring for children, and I believe that only in this way can we prevent more "Li Chengqian" tragedies from happening again in the future.