In ancient China, there was such a strange phenomenon. Most kings, especially those who have fallen into a country or have a node from prosperity to decline, the emperors at this time basically have a common characteristic: multi-talented but unable to govern the country. This was the case with Lord Li Hou and Emperor Huizong of Song. The one we are going to talk about today is not so unlucky, not the king of the fallen country. But it is also regrettable, because in his hands, the Western Han Dynasty officially turned from prosperity to decline. He was the eleventh emperor of the Western Han Dynasty, The Han Yuan Emperor Liu Yi.
So how did he drag the mighty Western Han into the quagmire step by step?
<h1 class= "pgc-h-arrow-right" > good rhythm, versatile and respectful</h1>
As the saying goes: "Tiger father has no dog". But history has proven time and again that tiger fathers are mostly dogs. Under the years of operation of his father, Emperor Xuan of Han, the national strength of the Western Han Dynasty reached its peak, and he thought that his son would continue to work hard to inherit the great cause. However, Zhizi Moruo's father, if he had not remembered his deep affection with Empress Xu, would have deposed Liu Yi long ago.
Emperor Yuan was multi-talented and good at history books. Drums, blowing holes, self-composing, being sung, divided into knots, poor and young. - Book of Han
He is proficient in playing and singing, but does not evaluate Liu Yi's way of governing the country, which is very telling.
Liu Yi, who was deeply influenced by Confucianism from childhood, was given the title of "Soft Ren and Good Confucianism". He was deeply disdainful of many of the practices of his father, Emperor Xuan of Han. Emperor Xuan of Han was good at ruling the country with the punishment of the Dharma, while Liu Yi was good at Confucianism. Every time he saw his father punish his subordinates with punishment, Liu Yi often said to his father next to him: Father, your punishment for these people is too heavy, there is no need to do this, don't use severe punishment at every turn. We should conform to Confucianism and subdue people with virtue.
Emperor Xuan of Han replied: The Great Han dynasty has a way, the two laws are used at the same time, and the combination of punishment and Confucianism is the best policy, and as for the moral government of the Zhou Dynasty, it has long been outdated. Then he sighed deeply: "Mess with my family, the prince also!"
Emperor Xuan of Han's comments on this son were too precise, and from the perspective of consequential theory, there was a eunuch dictatorship in the Han Yuan Emperor's dynasty, and foreign relatives abused their power, laying the groundwork for the demise of the Western Han Dynasty.
In Confucianism, it emphasizes loyalty and filial piety. Loyalty is put first. It is said that when Emperor Yuan of Han was crown prince, one of his favorite concubines, Sima Liangdi, was seriously ill, and when he died, he said: I have only been loyal to the prince in my life, and my illness is only that other Liangliangdi are jealous that I am favored by the prince and curse me. As soon as he finished speaking, Sima Liangdi died immediately. Sima Liangdi's words also had a great impact on emperors of the Han Dynasty. The phrase "I am only loyal to the prince" seemed to Emperor Yuan of Han as the inevitable result of his adherence to Confucianism. Because he usually obeyed people with virtue, Sima Liangdi was extremely loyal and from then on he was even more determined in his future ruling policy.
<h1 class= "pgc-h-arrow-right" > weak and incompetent, with unclear rewards and punishments</h1>
The most important thing as an emperor is to be both en-wei and generous to the ministers, and to reward and punish the ministers with distinction and courtesy to corporals. Excessive "coercion" can only make the minister afraid and unconvinced, and in the same way, too much "grace" will also make the minister have no fear.
Let's take a look at the three auxiliary ministers left to Emperor Yuan of Han after the death of Emperor Xuan of Han. Confucian ministers Xiao Wangzhi, Shi Gao, and Zhou Kan. It is reasonable to say that the three ministers need to balance each other, and they should not favor one over the other. However, emperor Yuan of Han, because he was himself a Confucian admirer, paid special attention to Xiao Wangzhi, who was also a Confucian courtier, and snubbed other auxiliary ministers.
Another vassal, Shi Gao, was dissatisfied and opposed the joint eunuch Shi Xian's reform proposals against Xiao Wangzhi.
Xiao Wangzhi immediately went to Cambodia:
"Zhongshu is the foundation of state affairs and should be run by wise and just people, and Emperor Wuyouyou feasts in the backyard and appoints eunuchs to take charge of Zhongshu, which is not in line with the old system of the state and violates the "ancient righteousness of the criminals" and must be corrected. - Book of Han
As a result, the Han Yuan Emperor left these reforms laissez-faire. Indulge in the rhythm of calligraphy and painting. Indirectly, Xiao Wangzhi offended the eunuchs. Mutilated by Scott's forces. After finding out the truth, Shi Gao and the others should have been severely punished according to the law, but who knew that Emperor Yuan of Han actually let them go and reused them.
As the ultimate enforcer of the empire, he could not do "a bowl of water and level", allowing the villains to engage in party strife and persecute Zhongliang, but he did not pay attention to it. Instead of punishing, reuse. How could such a king govern a good country? Zhuge Liang said in the "Table of Renunciation": It is not appropriate to be selfish, so that the internal and external laws are also different. That's the same thing.
<h1 class= "pgc-h-arrow-right" > trust eunuchs and indulge in social order</h1>
In fact, eunuchs interfered in politics, not only in the Ming Dynasty, but also in the Han Dynasty. According to historical records, when the Han Yuan Emperor was seriously ill, he could not personally handle major state affairs and entrusted state affairs to Shi Xian. Emperor Yuan of Han tasted the sweetness, he did not need to deal with major state affairs, just hand it over to Shi Xian. On the contrary, it is easy to play with musical instruments. It is precisely because of this that Shi Xian's power is getting bigger and bigger, and he is doing evil everywhere.
"Emperor Yuan was ill and did not pro-government affairs, Fang Long was better than music, he was good at showing things for a long time, there were no foreign parties in China, and he was able to trust him, so he entrusted the government." - Book of Han
As we said above, Xiao Wangzhi wrote to him long ago that Zhongshu had ordered that this position could not be held by a eunuch. Failure to conform to the system is also endless. The appointment of eunuchs in charge of the Zhongshu was inconsistent with the old system of the state and violated the "ancient righteousness of the inmates" and must be corrected. However, after Honggong's death, Emperor Yuan of Han appointed Shi Xian as the Zhongshu Ling (中書令) and asked him to handle state affairs. Putting a eunuch in charge of the state does not yet have any power to restrain him. When imperial power falls, the country will fall into crisis. This kind of emperor does not look like a Ming Jun.
"Even so, filial piety is the king, easy to deceive and difficult to understand" - Zizhi Tongjian
Vivid image, The Han Yuan Emperor was deceitful and difficult to understand. The eunuchs were in power, and they didn't know how to stop them, so they still went their own way. Just as he knew that he wanted to reform and deal with the people who killed Xiao Wangzhi, but he refused to do it for a long time, being kind to the enemy was being cruel to himself.
The Western Han Dynasty ended because of the Han Yuan Emperor, and the Yang Yang Han blew the mourning song of the fall of the country, and the initiator was none other than the Han Yuan Emperor.