As a node in China's history, although the Qing Dynasty eventually fell lonely, but there were also brilliant, in the early days of the Qing Dynasty, the domestic wind and rain were smooth, and the external world was very strong, and it was inseparable from those organ ministers to achieve such achievements.
During the Qing Dynasty, the most famous minister was undoubtedly Hezhen, whose experience was widely circulated in the folk and was remade into many TV dramas, but if the highest-ranking minister was undoubtedly Zhang Tingyu, the minister who had gone through three dynasties, he was awarded the supreme honor: worthy of the Taimiao Temple.
What is taimiao
Founded in the eighteenth year of Yongle, the Temple was used by the Ming and Qing dynasties to worship ancestors, and it enshrined the princes and ministers who had made great contributions to the country by the emperors of previous dynasties, and in that feudal era, the only Han minister who could enjoy this honor was this one person.
The Ming Dynasty can enjoy the Taimiao Temple, chang Yuchun, Xu Da, these great heroes who helped Zhu Yuanzhang build the country, and in the entire history of the Qing Dynasty, there are only 13 ministers who can enjoy the Taimiao Temple, so what does Zhang Tingyu mean to be able to rank among these 13 people?
Of these 13 people, nearly half of them were the founding heroes of the Qing Dynasty, such as nurhaci's elders, Nurhaci's younger brothers, etc., who may not have had much merit, but their help to Nurhaci was crucial, so they entered the temple.
The remaining few are brave warriors who have experienced hundreds of battles, such as Dolgun, Hauge and others, in the entire Taimiao Temple, there are only two Wenchen, that is, Ortai and Zhang Tingyu, Zhang Tingyu is also the only Hanchen, which shows what kind of honor he has received.
The most critical point is that many of the positions in the Taimiao Temple belong to the "posthumous sealing", which means the reward after death, except for Zhang Tingyu, who during his lifetime, the Yongzheng Emperor personally promised to enjoy the Taimiao Temple, which was unique in the entire history of the Qing Dynasty.
Whether Zhang Tingyu is qualified
However, many people have maintained a skeptical attitude toward Zhang Tingyu's devotion to the Taimiao Temple, including the Qianlong Emperor, who personally instructed Qianlong on the occasion of Yongzheng's death, and Zhang Tingyu was entitled to the Taimiao Temple, but after Qianlong succeeded to the throne, he never mentioned it at this time, which was clearly a questioning attitude.
So much so that Zhang Tingyu, who had always been cautious in his work, had to personally inquire about the matter of enjoying the Taimiao Temple, which made Qianlong stir up the liver fire, bluntly saying that Zhang Tingyu he de he could enjoy incense with the ancestors, and once ordered the cancellation of the appointment of the Taimiao Temple.
After Qianlong gave his order, Zhang Tingyu became depressed and died of illness not long after, and Qianlong may feel deeply guilty, so he used the excuse of following his father's last wishes and resumed his original arrangements for him.
From the perspective of courtiers, Zhang Tingyu was worthy of a generation of famous courtiers, and under Yongzheng's hands, he gradually improved his national strength and handed over a powerful Qing Dynasty to Qianlong. From the overall point of view, Zhang Tingyu is at most counted as the secretary general under Yongzheng, his execution is very strong, and he has also obtained the status of military aircraft minister, but Zhang Tingyu himself has led very few things.
In the 13-person list of the Taimiao Temple, Ortai and Zhang Tingyu's identity are the closest, and in contrast, Zhang Tingyu does not seem to be eligible for the Taimiao Temple.
Ortai entered the dynasty during the Kangxi period, but he was reused in the Yongzheng period, Ortai himself experienced a rich spleen and stomach, from a local official, all the way through the administration, inspector, governor, is one of the four viceroys of the Yongzheng period, the prestige of the people is quite high.
In terms of merit, Ortai led the land reform at that time, making indelible contributions to the overall development of the national strength of the Qing Dynasty, and Ortai's behavior influenced future generations for several years, which Qianlong also deeply recognized.
In terms of military merit, although Ortai's military merits were not as good as those of Dorgon and others in the founding period, he also suppressed the Tusi rebellion in Sichuan with his own strength, and finally won the title of count, reaching the peak of the minister's reward, such a feat, worthy of the expectations of the Taimiao Temple.
The importance of Zhang Tingyu
In terms of merit, Zhang Tingyu was not qualified, but why Zhang Tingyu was able to make Yongzheng make a decree before his death and arrange the affairs of the Taimiao Temple was because of Zhang Tingyu's real role.
In a country, many people can be added to the rank of knight, its own strength is important, but the opportunity given by the imperial court is equally important, Ortai quelled the Toast rebellion and made great achievements, but this matter can also be successful in other people, ortai's victory lies not in his use of troops like gods, but in the strong combat effectiveness of the Qing army.
In other words, on the basis of the combat effectiveness of the Qing army, the role of the commander is not large, even if Zhang Tingyu himself goes to command the battle, he can still win, from this point of view, Ortai's merits are actually rewarded to him by the imperial court.
In the same way, in terms of merit, although Zhang Tingyu does not seem to have much merit, like a small secretary by Yongzheng's side, Zhang Tingyu is indispensable to the overall operation of the country.
Zhang Tingyu was the elder of the Three Dynasties, as early as the Kangxi period began to emerge, Kangxi conquered all his life, the vision was extremely poisonous, Zhang Tingyu was the kangxi special trip to Yongzheng to govern the country talent. From this point, it can be seen that at least Kangxi was very recognized by Zhang Tingyu, but Zhang Tingyu was still very young at that time, and he needed some political achievements and more experience.
After Yongzheng ascended to the throne, Zhang Tingyu immediately became a courtier and did a lot of things for Yongzheng, these things seem to be easy, but they involve all aspects, which are not ordinary people can do, plus Yongzheng himself is a workaholic, who can keep up with the rhythm of Yongzheng's work, and is not an ordinary person.
Before Yongzheng's death, he tried to leave such a useful minister to Qianlong like his father Kangxi, so that he could continue to govern the country, and in order to make Qianlong trust Zhang Tingyu more, Yongzheng deliberately gave him the honor of enjoying the Taimiao Temple, which on the surface was aimed at Zhang Tingyu, but in fact it was also aimed at Qianlong.
But Qianlong had a different idea, before Yongzheng's death, Qianlong had already begun to participate in government affairs, coupled with the love of his grandfather Kangxi, qianlong was a bit blind, he did not like the political team left to him by his father, and had been trying to find his own minister.
The real reason for Qianlong's opposition to Zhang Tingyu's appointment to the Taimiao Temple was not that he was absolutely unqualified, but that he was dissatisfied with his father's arrangement before his death, so Qianlong deliberately harassed Zhang Tingyu, and even in Zhang Tingyu's later years, he also raided his mansion in Beijing.
However, after Zhang Tingyu's death, Qianlong recognized his ability, as a famous courtier in the early Qing Dynasty, Zhang Tingyu's deeds were obvious to all, and he became the only Han chinese in the Taimiao Temple, although controversial, but few people directly opposed it.