In the long river of Chinese history, Zhu Yuanzhang's legendary life has always aroused the interest of countless people. From a poor peasant boy to the emperor who founded the Ming Dynasty, his story is full of dramatic twists. After he ascended the throne, Zhu Yuanzhang's personality became more suspicious and cruel, and even because of a simple couplet game, a talented Wenchen died.
Zhu Yuanzhang's story can be said to be a typical example from the grassroots to the emperor. Born in a poor family in Suzhou, he lost his father at an early age, and his life was difficult as you can imagine. Such an experience gave him an unforgettable understanding of the dark side of society. It is this experience of the bottom society that shaped his later character traits - tenacious and cunning, and at the same time, he also buried an infinite desire for power.
Back in the turbulent late Yuan period, the world was in turmoil, Zhu Yuanzhang was initially just a small monk in a temple, and then was forced to leave due to the war. Instead of continuing to wander, he joined Guo Zixing's rebel army, where his military talent began to be revealed, and he soon became a leader from a small soldier. In 1368, Zhu Yuanzhang finally proclaimed himself emperor in Nanjing and established the Ming Dynasty, known as "Emperor Hongwu" in history.
However, Game of Thrones is never as simple as a simple military struggle. When Zhu Yuanzhang sat on the throne, he began to worry about internal stability. His extreme thirst for power and deep insecurity made him extremely wary and even paranoid about the ministers and scribes in the court. This personality eventually led to numerous tragedies, including the death penalty of the talented man.
How did this genius anger Zhu Yuanzhang? It turned out that on a sunny day, Zhu Yuanzhang had nothing to do and decided to play pairs with the Chinese courtiers of the court. Zhu Yuanzhang proudly made a couplet: "Lao Tzu is invincible in the world." This coupling shows his conceit and domineering, but at the same time, it also hides the intention of tempting the courtiers.
None of the ministers dared to directly deal with the next couplet, but just blindly flattered, which satisfied Zhu Yuanzhang's vanity even more. At this moment, a young Wenchen stood up, he was not afraid of the powerful, and directly said a sentence that made everyone tremble. Although this sentence matched seamlessly, it touched Zhu Yuanzhang's sensitive nerves. It is said that the following sentence is: "The courtier is the second in the world." This not only expresses respect for Zhu Yuanzhang, but also implies that he follows closely, which in Zhu Yuanzhang's view is undoubtedly a challenge to his authority.
Zhu Yuanzhang was extremely suspicious, he believed that this talent's intelligence might become a threat in the future, and he didn't like others to surpass him, even in literature. Driven by this suspicion and power, Zhu Yuanzhang finally ordered the talented man to be sentenced to death. This decision caused a great shock in the DPRK and China, but it also deeply demonstrated the harshness and cruelty of Zhu Yuanzhang's governance of the country.
Zhu Yuanzhang's approach reflects from one side how he consolidated his rule through iron-fisted means. Not only did he ruthlessly attack his would-be political opponents, but he also tightly controlled the court's civil servants, fearing that they would collude and threaten his position. In fact, Zhu Yuanzhang's reign did consolidate his rule through a series of political purges, including the repression of literati.
But is this really done out of concern for the country? Or is it Zhu Yuanzhang's personal fear and insecurity that makes it necessary for him to prove his power in this way? Zhu Yuanzhang's experience from the bottom to the emperor undoubtedly made him have an unusually deep understanding and desire for power, and he knew that only absolute power could ensure that he would not fall into that poor and helpless situation again.
In Zhu Yuanzhang's view, anyone who might threaten his power is intolerable, even if this person only shows a talent that surpasses himself in poetic couplets. This extreme sense of insecurity and lust for power formed the psychological basis of Zhu Yuanzhang's brutal rule. Although his approach effectively stabilized the regime, it also left a lot of controversy for future generations. After all, a country's prosperity is not based on fear and repression, but on more open-mindedness and tolerance.
Zhu Yuanzhang's story makes us think again, what is the essence of power? How can an emperor who started from the bottom find a balance between maintaining his rule and being responsible for the country? The dust has settled on history, but Zhu Yuanzhang's series of practices undoubtedly provide us with a deep reflection on power, humanity and politics.