Wen | Flying Fish says history
The dynasties of the Central Plains in ancient China and the forces established by the surrounding ethnic minorities were always in a complex relationship that was sometimes hostile and sometimes harmonious.
And this relationship is changed with the balance of power between the two sides, the Central Plains Dynasty is strong, the surrounding forces will be honest, while the Central Plains Dynasty is weak, the surrounding forces will take the opportunity to attack the Central Plains Dynasty and gain some benefits.
However, when the Zhongyuan Dynasty was weak, it usually adopted a more effective approach to seek stability in the surrounding areas, that is, he was close, that is, the emperor of the Central Plains Dynasty gave princesses to the leaders of ethnic minority forces in exchange for peace.
Of course, this princess is usually not the emperor's daughter, after all, the border is so far away, how can they let them go to other places to suffer, these princesses who go to kiss and kiss, usually are palace women or women in the side branch of the clan room, crown them as princesses, and then go to kiss.
There are two most famous peace incidents in history, one is the Zhaojun out of the Han Dynasty, and the other is the Tang Dynasty Princess Wencheng into Tibet.
It is easier for us to understand that Zhaojun went out of the plug, because the Xiongnu were strong at that time, and it was the Han Dynasty that made a compromise, so Princess Wencheng's entry into Tibet occurred during the tang taizong Li Shimin period, when the tang dynasty's national strength was strong, why did peace and kinship still happen?
In addition, for Princess Wencheng to enter Tibet, we have always seen Princess Wencheng's contribution to national peace, and few people know how Princess Wencheng lived after marrying Songzan Gampo.
In fact, after Princess Wencheng entered Tibet, she lived in the local area for 40 years, but only lived with Songzan Gampo for 9 years, because Songzan Gampo died nine years after Princess Wencheng married him, and then Princess Wencheng has been widowed in Tibet for 31 years, why did she not return to the Tang Dynasty again?
Let's take a look.
In the eighth year of Zhenguan, Songzan Gampo of Tubo Zampu sent a special envoy to the Tang Dynasty to pay respects to the advanced civilization of the Central Plains, and for the sake of friendship between the two sides, Tang Taizong Li Shimin also sent Feng Dexiao to Tibet, and the two sides concluded a friendship.
Songzan Gampo saw that the Tang Dynasty was so polite, he naturally could not be more polite, so he sent an emissary to the Tang Dynasty again, indicating that he wanted to marry a Princess of the Tang Dynasty, Li Shimin heard this request, and immediately refused it sternly, thinking in his heart, I am prosperous in the Tang Dynasty, the princess is what you want to marry, you want to be a son-in-law, you have to see if I, the old man, is willing or not.
Songzan Gampo was rejected and was very injured, so he decided to do a big vote and give Li Shimin some color to see, that is, he wanted to use force to force Li Shimin to submit, so as to achieve his goal of marrying the Princess of Zhongyuan.
On the pretext that Tuguhun was dishonest, Songzan Gampo immediately sent troops to defeat the forces of tuguhun and Dangxiang ethnic minorities, and then pushed into Songzhou in the Tang Dynasty, and threatened that if they did not get along, they would not blame themselves for being rude.
Li Shimin was not afraid, and ordered Niu Jinda to lead the vanguard of the Tang army to attack the Tubo army, and after a small battle, Songzan Gampo threw away his armor, and later the Tang Dynasty general Hou Junji led the main force to arrive, Songzan Gampo was very panicked, so he hurriedly withdrew from Tuguhun and Dangxiang and other places, and sent emissaries to apologize to Li Shimin.
Li Shimin was also very good at talking, and when he saw that Songzan Gampo was so good at talking, he no longer pursued his arrogance, but Songzan Gampo was still not dead-hearted, and he wanted to marry a Tang Dynasty princess in his dreams.
However, this time Songzan Gampo learned to be obedient, he let Xue Ludongzan bring five thousand gold and other countless treasures to Li Shimin again to ask for peace and kiss, the so-called reaching out and not hitting the smiley face person, Li Shimin saw the situation, naturally embarrassed to refuse again, so he named a woman from a side branch as a princess, let her go into Tibet to marry Songzan Gampo, this woman is Princess Wencheng.
On the fifteenth day of the fifteenth month of the fifteenth year of Emperor Taizong's reign (641 CE), Li Shimin formally married Princess Wencheng to Songzan Gampo of Tubo, and ordered Li Daozong, the king of Jiangxia, to personally escort him, and princess Wencheng embarked on a westward journey accompanied by Tubo's envoy Lu Dongzan.
Princess Wencheng and her party set out from Chang'an, passed through Xining, over the Sun Moon Mountain, and finally reached Tubo after a long journey, Songzan Gampo personally led the group of courtiers to Baihai near heyuan to greet them, met Li Zongdao, and performed the ceremony of son-in-law, after which Songzan Gampo returned to Lhasa with Princess Wencheng and built a palace for Princess Wencheng.
The famous Potala Palace in Tibet was originally built by Songtsen Gampo for Princess Wencheng.
Songzan Gampo is very fond of Princess Wencheng and insists on adhering to three policies, Princess Wencheng's words should be listened to, Princess Wencheng's people should be hurt, and Princess Wencheng's dislike should not be done, just as Princess Wencheng did not like the ochre noodles (colored red on the face) custom in Tubo, Songzan Gampo abolished this custom.
Of course, these alone are not enough, Songtsen Gampo also gave Princess Wencheng a high status, as recorded in the "Feast of the Sages":
Songtsen Gampo ascended to the throne of celebration and crowned Princess Wencheng as queen.
With a husband like Songtsen Gampo, Princess Wencheng was extremely happy although she was married far away, but the good days were always short-lived, because only 9 years later, that is, in 650 AD, Songzan Gampo, who was more than 30 years old, died young.
Princess Wencheng entered Tibet at the age of 16, and when Songzan Gampo died, she was only 25 years old, so good youth, Princess Wencheng's life can be said to have just begun, but she did not return to the Tang Dynasty, but has been widowed in Tubo for 31 years, until 680 AD, because of smallpox and died.
When Princess Wencheng died, the Tubo Dynasty held a solemn funeral for her, and the Tang Dynasty also sent envoys to Tubo to make sacrifices, and Princess Wencheng ended her legendary life.
So why didn't she return to the Tang Dynasty after songzan gampo died, in fact, this is exactly the old saying - marrying a chicken with a chicken marrying a dog with a dog, Songzan Gampo was very good to Princess Wencheng, even if he died, Princess Wencheng did not want to betray him.
Princess Wencheng is very respected in Tubo, even if Songzan Gampo is gone, the respect of the local people for her has not diminished, rather than returning to the Tang Dynasty to spend the rest of her life in obscurity, it is better to end up alone in Tubo, who is highly respected.
In addition, Princess Wencheng's identity is special, from the moment she embarked on the journey into Tibet, she shouldered the identity of "ambassador of peace", how could she return to the Tang Dynasty for herself, so Princess Wencheng, who is public and private, and who understands the great righteousness, only has the path of lonely old age.
Princess Wencheng knew the book and made a ceremony, did not avoid hardships and dangers, married Tubo far away, and made historic contributions to promoting economic and cultural exchanges between Tang and Tibet and enhancing the close, friendly and cooperative relations between the Han and Tibetan peoples, so she is destined to be remembered in history.
What do you think about that?
References: Old Book of Tang, New Book of Tang, Feast of the Sages, Hereditary MingJian of the Tubo Dynasty, etc.
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