In the long history of China, there are often some insignificant little people who, with their unexpected behavior, affect the fate of entire dynasties. Among them, the story of Sun Zhiqi is a typical example.
Sun Zhiqi was not only a courtier in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, but also known as "the first traitor in the world" by later generations. His life, full of unpredictable turns, ended in an extremely tragic way.
Sun Zhiqi, the word dragon whisk, a native of Zichuan, Shandong, has read sage books since childhood, talented, and finally became a jinshi in one fell swoop during the apocalypse of the Ming Dynasty.
However, under the favor of Wei Zhongxian, the powerful minister, he joined the eunuch party and lived a rich and luxurious life. After Chongzhen succeeded to the throne, Wei Zhongxian lost power, but Sun Zhiqi cried bitterly because he hugged the "Three Dynasties Classics" to Taimiao, was spurned by Shilin, and was finally cut back to his hometown.
Soon after, the Manchu Qing Dynasty entered the customs, and Sun Zhiqi quickly surrendered to the new master, and the old feelings were all thrown away. At the beginning of the Qing Dynasty, in order to appease the Han people, the Han people's clothing and hairstyle were not forcibly changed. In the court, there are two classes of officials from the Han and Manchurian groups, each of whom keeps his own position and lives in harmony. However, all this was ruined by Sun Zhiji's thoughts.
Sun Zhiqi wants to use his speculation to make himself prominent again. At a meeting of the Shunzhi court, he dared to shave off his forehead, leave Manchu pigtails, and wear Manchu clothes in an attempt to blend in with Manchu officials. This move aroused the ridicule and rejection of the Manchu and Han officials, and put him in an embarrassing situation of incompatibility.
After that, the angry Sun Zhizhi actually made an extremely insidious suggestion to the Qing Emperor Shunzhi, the so-called "shaving order". He said that since the Qing Dynasty had pacified China, why didn't it change the style of the Han people's clothing and hair to demonstrate the thoroughness of its rule?
This suggestion was adopted by the regent Dorgon, and in 1645, the historical cruel "shaving order" was issued, requiring the Han people to shave their hair in a bun and leave braids, marking the submission of the Han people and the change of identity.
As soon as the "shaving order" came out, the land of China was suddenly turbulent. This order not only offended the profound cultural traditions of the Han Chinese, but also aroused strong resentment among the people against Manchu rule. From the brutal execution of "keeping your head without hair, leaving your hair without leaving your head" to the resistance of ordinary people, China has been mired in hundreds of years of national contradictions and struggles.
Sun Zhiji, the former "No. 1 traitor in the world", although he was appreciated by Dolgon for his advice and was named the secretary of the military department, his good fortune did not last long. Because of his corruption, he was soon dismissed by the Qing court.
In the fourth year of Shunzhi, in the anti-Qing uprising initiated by Xie Qian, the peasant leader of Gaoyuan in Shandong, Sun Zhiqi was captured. The enraged people sentenced him to the most brutal death - burrowing holes in his bald head and implanting pig and duck feathers, and then dismembering him in a horrible death.
Sun Zhiji's life was full of speculation, betrayal, greed and cruelty. His fate is not only a tragedy of his personal character, but also a historical microcosm of that turbulent period. His existence and behavior have profoundly affected the historical course of the Chinese nation.
It was not until after the Xinhai Revolution that the Qing Emperor abdicated and the "Hair Shaving Order" was officially abolished, and the Han people were able to get rid of this painful memory that lasted for 300 years.