Recently, historical dramas of the Ming Dynasty such as "Daming Fenghua" and "Mountains, Rivers and Moonlight" have become popular again, and many people are deeply attracted by the image of Zhu Yuanzhang in the play. This hero who went from the grassroots to the throne is undoubtedly a legend. But among his many surprising policies, one is particularly puzzling – strictly forbidding the royal family and the common people from eating ginseng. Why is that?
Zhu Yuanzhang, this name has an indelible mark on Chinese history. His life can be described as a miracle that climbed from the bottom to the top. How could a little monk finally sit on the throne of the emperor? But Zhu Yuanzhang did it, he not only did it, but also defeated countless opponents along the way and established the powerful Ming Dynasty.
Zhu Yuanzhang's policies are often highly controversial, especially the treatment of officials and wealthy businessmen, which can be described as extremely ruthless. He was well aware that if these people were not tightly controlled, they would most likely become a threat to his rule. He exerted extremely severe control and repression on these people. But not only that, but he even banned something that seemed unrelated to politics – ginseng.
Ginseng, in ancient times, was an extremely precious medicinal material, which not only replenished the body, but was also believed to have the miraculous effect of prolonging life. Why did Zhu Yuanzhang order to prohibit everyone, including the royal family and ordinary people, from taking ginseng? The reasons behind this can actually be analyzed from several aspects.
Zhu Yuanzhang was born in poverty, and he knew the suffering of the people. In his opinion, precious ginseng should not be reserved only for the rich and powerful. If ginseng becomes a luxury for high-ranking officials and nobles, then ordinary people can only look at the medicine and sigh, which is contrary to the spirit of "Zhu Chongba" advocated by him.
Zhu Yuanzhang attaches great importance to the will of the people, and he knows that a stable regime needs not only military and political control, but also the support and love of the people. If a rare resource like ginseng becomes a symbol of inequality in society, it is likely to cause dissatisfaction and resentment among the people, which is very detrimental to maintaining social stability.
Moreover, Zhu Yuanzhang may also have taken into account the economic value and strategic significance of ginseng. In ancient times, ginseng was not only a medicinal material, but also an important economic commodity and a bargaining chip for foreign trade. By controlling the use and circulation of ginseng, Zhu Yuanzhang could manage the economy more effectively and use this resource for diplomatic negotiations and strengthen the international standing of the Ming dynasty.
Zhu Yuanzhang's policy also caused a lot of controversy at the time. Some people agree that his forward-looking and far-sighted thinking is a wise move to protect resources and balance society; He has also been criticized for restricting personal freedoms and even being somewhat too authoritarian. However, it is undeniable that this policy does reflect Zhu Yuanzhang's sense of responsibility and protection for the country and the people to a certain extent.
In addition to his control over ginseng, Zhu Yuanzhang also demonstrated his strong political skill and foresight in other aspects. For example, he attached great importance to agriculture and implemented a series of policies to support agriculture, which ensured the country's food security and the basic livelihood of the peasants, which to a large extent stabilized the basic plate of the Ming Dynasty - the broad peasant class. He also attached great importance to the reform of education and the imperial examination system, and selected talents through the imperial examination, so that more capable talents could enter the imperial court and serve the country.
Under the rule of Zhu Yuanzhang, the Ming Dynasty presented unprecedented prosperity. Just as "one will make ten thousand bones dry", there is also a huge price behind this. His brutal treatment of opponents, as well as his extreme control of power, have left him with mixed evaluations in history.
Back to our original question, why did Zhu Yuanzhang ban ginseng? Judging by the information revealed behind the policy, it is not difficult to see that this is not just a simple ban, but a deliberate strategy. By controlling ginseng, Zhu Yuanzhang balanced the gap between the rich and the poor to a certain extent and stabilized the social order, while also protecting this precious resource and avoiding the depletion of resources caused by overexploitation. From today's point of view, this practice undoubtedly has a certain forward-looking and valuable sense of protection.
Although Zhu Yuanzhang's policies sometimes seem extreme, it is undeniable that many of his decisions were based on far-reaching considerations for the future of the Ming Dynasty. The decree banning ginseng may have seemed incomprehensible at the time, but from today's perspective, it is indeed an effective way of resource conservation and social management. History is the best textbook, and Zhu Yuanzhang's story tells us that every seemingly inexplicable decision may have a far-reaching meaning behind it.