Why did Emperor Xian of Han recognize Liu Bei as his uncle?

Text: Tachiaki Idle Man (Shigeba Shinichi Original Team Member)

Both in history and in the folk, Liu Bei is Liu Huang's uncle (Emperor Nai's uncle), which is well known; and Liu Biao is Liu Huangbo (called Uncle), which is little known.

Emperor Pai Genealogy, then XuanDe is the uncle of Emperor Ye. Emperor Daxi, please enter the partial temple to tell the gift of uncle and nephew. This is a very small detail in the twentieth episode of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Although the details are small, liu bei is the heroic name of Liu Huang's uncle. (Emperor) General Bai Zhennan, Tin advocates the big car, and orders praise, called uncle. This is an obvious passage in the third paragraph of the Liu Zhennan Stele. Although the text is obvious, it obscures that Liu Biao is the good name of Liu Huangbo. Whether it is Emperor Liu's uncle or Liu Huangbo, they are the last emperors of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Han Xiandi's imperial title, or there is an imperial uncle first, and then there is an imperial uncle. Liu Biao was called uncle by Emperor Xian of Han, and it was probably before Emperor Xian of Han returned to Luoyang and moved the capital to Xuchang, that is, in July of the first year of Jian'an (196). Liu Bei was recognized as an uncle by Emperor Xian of Han, probably after Emperor Xian of Han moved from Luoyang to the capital Xuchang under Cao Cao's control, before Cao Cao and Liu Bei "cooked wine on heroes", that is, in the fourth year of Jian'an (199).

Whether it was Liu Biao who was called an uncle or Liu Bei was considered an uncle, it was the Han Emperor Liu Xie's Junnan Mian Shu. The details are as follows.

First, the Renjun South Face Technique.

The Art of The Southern Face of the Emperor is the ancient emperor's way of governing the country, the study of emperors, and the art of ruling the world. The emperor's art of ruling the world has the distinction of governing the people, driving officials, and gong already, and driving officials also have tricks such as establishing prestige, seducing affection and interests, supervising each other, exclusiving him, and dividing up duties and weak powers. The loyalty of the courtiers to the monarch is one for emotion and the other for interests. Emperor Xian of Han called Liu Biao his uncle and recognized Liu Bei as his uncle, which was nothing more than using the temptation of sentimental interests to make an emotional investment in Liu Biao Liu Bei in order to deeply impress Liu Biao's courtiers, so that the princes surnamed Liu who had supported the Han room would not hesitate to contribute to it and sell their lives at all costs.

Second, the plight of Emperor Xian of Han.

Liu Xie, the Emperor of Han, was a puppet emperor: first by Dong Zhuo, who was tyrannical and unkind, then by the cruel and unkind Li Daiguo, and then by the suspicious Cao Cao. Dong Zhuo and Cao Cao, although they overshadowed the power of Emperor Xian of Han, were treated with respect by the emperor, while Li Daoguo's disciples not only kidnapped Emperor Xian of Han, but also threatened his life and even trampled on his dignity. Emperor Xian of Han preferred to risk his life to flee Chang'an, and was willing to go into exile and return to Luoyang. Although Emperor Xian of Han escaped from the clutches of Li Daiguo and restored the emperor's dignity and returned to Luoyang, he fell into the crisis of starvation and crushed the Han Dynasty's chances of rising up and fell into trouble. Although Emperor Xian of Han moved the capital to Xuchang to ensure a safe and secure life, he still repeated the same mistakes and caused the imperial power to provoke the challenge of imperial power.

Third, the Han Emperor's tricks.

Even if Emperor Xian of Han was a puppet emperor who had lost his power, he was still a legitimate emperor granted by the emperor, and he systematically accepted and mastered the southern face technique of renjun, especially the means of seduction among the officials. After returning to Luoyang, when Emperor Xian of Han fell into a desperate situation of no house, no food, and no one to use, Liu Biao not only sent troops north from Jingzhou to help repair the palace, but also continuously sent military funds to Luoyang to fund the imperial court. As the saying goes, when a person falls, he does not choose to watch from the wall, but already helps; instead he draws his sword to help, which is really a gift. Whether it was commendation or solicitation, Emperor Xiandi of Han sent envoys to Jingzhou to worship Liu Biao as the general of Zhennan, and at the same time, he honored Liu Biao as the uncle of tianzi, and invested in friendship with the clan of the same surname and clan in exchange for a powerful foreign aid to protect the Han Dynasty. After moving the capital to Xuchang, when Emperor Xian of Han fell into the predicament of difficult government, difficulty in command, and difficulty in using power, Liu Bei, although temporarily dependent on Cao Cao for protection, left Cao Cao sooner or later in order to go it alone. Whether it was an alliance or a use, the Han XianDi Emperor arranged the genealogy of the clan on the spot in the court, and privately performed uncle and nephew etiquette in the partial hall, and emotionally indoctrinated with the affection of the same lineage, in order to obtain a heroic uncle, Kuangfu Liu's orthodoxy.

All in all, whether it was Liu Biao being named the uncle of Tianzi or Liu Bei being recognized as the emperor's uncle, it was Emperor Xian of Han who, when his imperial power was damaged and the Han room was in decline, used the tool of lure of affection and seduction to the han clan relatives and even the princes of the same surname, prompting warlords with the same surname as Liu Bei and liu Bei tongzong heroes to bundle the warships of the Eastern Han Dynasty, help each other in the same boat, and sail farther.

Author's Note: Taming officials refers to the method of commanding subordinate officials. Emperor Xian of Han, although he was a puppet emperor at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, was not only overpowered by his vassals, but also threatened by warlords, leaving only emotional investment. To this end, Emperor Xian of Han gave Liu Biao of "Weizhen Jiuzhou" the title of "Imperial Uncle" and Liu Bei of "Hero Gaishi" a title of "Imperial Uncle" respectively, in exchange for one powerful foreign aid after another, which was a very cost-effective deal. It's called: a book of profits.