China knows everything for 5000 years

Chapter 43

Bao Zheng not only was an upright official, but also asked his relatives and descendants not to be corrupt officials.When Bao Zheng was the magistrate of Luzhou, he received many petitions from Hefei County people suing Bao Zheng's uncle for seizing the land and committing crimes.Bao Zheng asked the magistrate of Hefei County: "Why are these cases not tried?" How do you know that it is unreasonable? As a county magistrate, you should be the judge of the people! You did not investigate the case, but drove away all the complainants. Step up the trial." The county magistrate was conflicted, according to the law, Bao Zheng's uncle should be arrested, wouldn't this hurt Bao Zheng's face?He said hesitantly: "Master Bao, this case is considered..." "You can't try it, but you can report this case to the state." After finishing speaking, Bao Zheng turned and left.A few days later, Bao Zheng sent the police to arrest his uncle and try him himself.He put all the pleadings sent by the common people in front of him, and ordered the yamen servant to find the plaintiff and witnesses, and then asked the yamen servant to bring his uncle to the lobby.The uncle looked up and saw that the person sitting in the hall interrogating him was actually his nephew. He was so angry that he rushed forward to pack the police, but the yamen servant immediately pulled him away.But his uncle was still scolding Bao Zheng for being unkind, and Bao Zheng shouted angrily: "Bold criminal, you have committed crimes and disturbed the village. Not only did you not confess your crime honestly, but you insulted the official. What's the reason! Pull it down and beat it!" The yamen servants Immediately pull the uncle down and beat the forty big boards again.From then on, his relatives never dared to act recklessly.

Not only did Bao Zheng not bend the law to favoritism, but he was an official in the court, and he was also known for being upright and strict in the court and not afraid of the powerful.He repeatedly impeached Concubine Zhang's uncle Zhang Yaozuo, saying that he disturbed the law and order, that he was "the filth of the Qing Dynasty, the ghost of the day", and that Song?Renzong reused Zhang Yaozuo for "the fault of being intimate with the harem".Song Renzong had no choice but to say: "About Zhang Yaozuo's matter, wait until Fu summons Prime Minister Wen to discuss it." Bao Zheng knew that Prime Minister Wen had an old friend with Zhang Yaozuo, but he still spoke out in spite of the pressure. Go to Zhang Yaozuo's post.Sima Guang, a well-known scholar at the same time as Bao Zheng, once recorded in his works the people of the capital at that time about Bao Zheng's song: "If the joint (meaning bribe) is not enough, there is Yama Baolao."

Bao Zheng called for the reform of bad governance and opposed conformity to the old ways. In particular, he was not afraid of violence, eliminated violence, and dared to plead for the people, which was in line with the wishes of the people at that time.Later, the emperor formally appointed him as Minister of Rites, but he never accepted this position because of overwork.In 1061 AD, Bao Zheng resigned from office due to serious illness and returned to his hometown in Hefei. He died of illness in the winter of the following year.

●Zhao Yuanwu established Xixia
The Great Song Dynasty failed to unify the whole of China. In the north of it was the Liao Kingdom established by the Khitan people.There is another country in its northwest, which is the Xixia Kingdom.

The Xixia Kingdom was established by the Dangxiang clan.The Dangxiang nationality is a branch of the Qiang nationality. The Qiang nationality is an ancient minority in our country and is still a member of the big family of our nation until now.The Dangxiang people originally lived in the southeast of Qinghai and northwest of Sichuan.After the Tang Dynasty, the Dangxiang people gradually migrated to the northeast, and they lived together with the Han people.The Dangxiang tribe is also divided into many tribes, such as Dongshan tribe, Pingxia tribe and so on.The Pingxia tribe lived in Xiazhou (in present-day Shaanxi) and belonged to the Tuoba clan.During the Huangchao uprising, the Pingxia Department sent troops to help the Tang government suppress the uprising, so it was considered a meritorious service.Tang Xizong appointed the leader of the Pingxia Department as the envoy of the Nanjun Army, and canonized him as Xia Guogong.From then on, the Tuoba family changed their surname to the Li family.During the Five Dynasties, the Xiazhou Dangxiang Li family occupied the northwest to develop their own power.

As soon as the Song Dynasty was established, it wanted to deprive the Dangxiang clan of their power.During Song Taizong's time, Li Jiyun, the leader of the Pingxia tribe, died, and there were conflicts within the tribe. Li Jiyun's younger brother, Li Jipeng, saw that he could not solve the conflict, so he wanted to join the Song Dynasty. He handed over 4 prefectures and 8 counties, and wanted to Move the whole family to the capital of Song Dynasty.But Li Jipeng's younger brother Li Jiqian said: "Our ancestors have lived here for 300 years. If we want to move to the capital, we will fall into a trap!" Li Jichong also said: "We can't leave our hometown no matter what." The tribe fled to Dijinze (in today's Inner Mongolia), 300 miles northeast of Xiazhou, and began to harass the Song border continuously.

When Song and Liao were in constant war, Li Jiqian defected to Liao and proclaimed himself a minister to Liao. Seeing this situation, the Song Dynasty also tried to pull Li Jiqian and gave him the name Zhao Baoji.

In 1004 AD, when Li Jiqian attacked the Tubo people, he was killed by an arrow. His son Li Deming succeeded to the throne, and Li Deming surrendered to the Song Dynasty.In the Song Dynasty, Li Deming was granted the title of King Pingxi, and he was given the surname Zhao, and he was given a lot of gold, silk and tea every year.Zhao Deming has ruled for more than 30 years, and the economy of the Dangxiang clan has developed rapidly.Zhao Yuanwu, Zhao Deming's son, was very upset when he saw his father's obedience to the Song Dynasty.After Zhao Deming died, Zhao Yuanwu became the leader.Zhao Yuanwu is proficient in Chinese and Buddhism, and he very much hopes to become the supreme emperor.

In 1038 A.D., Zhao Yuanwu officially declared himself emperor and his country name was Daxia.Because the Great Xia Kingdom was in the northwest of the Song Dynasty, it was called Xixia in history.Zhao Yuanwu is Xia Jingzong, and his capital is Xingqing (in Ningxia today).Xixia controlled what is now Gansu, Ningxia, Qinghai and Shaanxi, and parts of Inner Mongolia.Zhao Yuanwu imitated the system of the Song Dynasty to establish the official system of Xixia, and invented the Xixia script on the basis of Chinese characters.

When the Xixia Kingdom was established, the emperor of the Song Dynasty was Song Renzong Zhao Zhen.Zhao Yuanwu wrote a letter asking Zhao Zhen to recognize the Xixia Kingdom. After hearing this, Zhao Zhen became furious and ordered Zhao Yuanwu to be dismissed from office, and ordered the border gate to post a notice to arrest him.Zhao Yuanwu led troops to attack Yanzhou in 1040 AD.At that time, Song had 40 to 24 troops in the northwest, but these troops were scattered and stationed in hundreds of fortresses in the 1 states of the Five Routes. They did not communicate with each other and did not cooperate at all when fighting.Song general Fan Yong was guarding Yanzhou. Fan Yong did not dare to fight. Zhao Yuanwu used deception to make Fan Yong relax his vigilance.

The failure of Yanzhou made Zhao Zhen very angry. He dismissed Fan Yong and ordered Han Qi and Fan Zhongyan to go to the northwest to command the Anti-Liao Dynasty.Fan Zhongyan was a well-known statesman and strategist in the Northern Song Dynasty. After he arrived in Yanzhou, he practiced soldiers day and night, and the combat effectiveness of the Song army was greatly improved.There is a saying in the Xixia camp: "Little Fan Laozi (referring to Fan Zhongyan) has tens of thousands of soldiers in his chest, but he is not as easy to bully as Lao Fan Laozi (Fan Yong)." Zhao Yuanwu saw Yanzhou's tight defense and knew If it is not easy to attack, he will not touch this hard nail.

In 1041 AD, Yuan Wu personally led troops to attack Weizhou (in today's Gansu).Han Qi, the minister of the Song Dynasty, commanded there. Fan Zhongyan advised Han Qi to focus on defense, but Han Qi advocated taking the initiative to attack.As a result, the battle of Haoshuichuan was defeated.Since the Song Dynasty fought against Liao and had to fight against Xixia, and both were defeated, Zhao Zhen sent people to Xixia to seek peace.Due to the continuous wars for years, the life of the Dangxiang people is also very difficult. Coupled with the famine, the people of Xixia are unwilling to fight.Zhao Yuanwu saw that his strength could not destroy the Northern Song Dynasty, so he agreed to negotiate a peace.

At the end of 1044 A.D., Song and Xixia made a covenant, and Xixia became a vassal of Song, but Song would give Xixia 15 bolts of silk, 7 taels of silver, and 3 catties of tea every year.Zhao Yuanwu is nominally the king of the Song Dynasty, but in fact he is the emperor of Xixia.After the peace talks between the two countries, many markets were opened on the border, and Xixia people traded with inland people through the market, and the regime of Xixia continued to stabilize.In 1227 AD, Xixia was destroyed by the Mongolian army and ruled for 90 years.

●Fan Zhongyan's reform failed
In the middle period of the Song Dynasty, internal superiority and external aggression were particularly serious. The crisis situation of intertwined development of ethnic conflicts and class conflicts prompted some more sober literati to call on the Song court to get rid of the long-standing abuses and stabilize the rule. The famous politician and writer Fan Zhongyan was one of the more prominent ones. a member.

In 1025 AD, Fan Zhongyan once wrote a letter against the unhealthy atmosphere of overflowing grace.In 1027 AD, he went to Shu to criticize the corrupt officials and lax military equipment of the Song Dynasty.The two petitions did not attract the attention of those in power.In 1029 AD, Fan Zhongyan "ridiculed the current affairs" and was supported by Yin Zhu and Ouyang Xiu, and all three were demoted.

In 1043 A.D., Zhao Zhen, Emperor Renzong of the Song Dynasty, faced internal and external difficulties. Driven by the call for reform, he appointed Fan Zhongyan as a political adviser, Fu Bi and Han Qi as deputy envoys, and Ouyang Xiu as admonishers. ", implement reforms.With the support of Han Qi, Fu Bi, Ouyang Xiu and others, Fan Zhongyan synthesized his reform thoughts over the years, and wrote "Answer to Shou Zhao Tiao Chen Ten Things" in September of that year, and presented it to Zhao Zhen as his basic plan for reform.The content of the plan includes assessing officials and rectifying the administration of officials; punishing corruption and eliminating redundant officials; reforming the imperial examinations and selecting talents;Subsequently, the Song Dynasty carried out political, economic and military reforms, which were called "Qingli New Deal" at that time.

In politics, Fan Zhongyan advocated strict examination of officials at all levels, elimination of corrupt criminals, and restriction of privileged forces.In order to rectify the administration of officials, Fan Zhongyan reviewed the achievements of local officials from all over the country and replaced a group of incompetent officials.When Fu Bi saw that Fan Zhongyan had ticked off the names of a group of "supervisors" (that is, various officials such as transfer envoys) from the official book, he felt a little unbearable. He said to Fan Zhongyan: "It's very difficult to tick off the names of these people." It's easy, but if these people lose their official positions, wouldn't the whole family cry?" Fan Zhongyan immediately replied: "Instead of letting these bad officials harm the common people along the road and making everyone cry, it's better to let their whole family cry." Go cry. It's better to cry as a family than all the way."

Economically, in order to save the financial crisis, Fan Zhongyan advocated "persuading farmers to teach mulberry", thinking that this is "the foundation of a rich country".He also advocated the reduction of forced labor "to broaden the strength of the people", and those who should not serve as guards should be allowed to engage in agricultural production.

In the military, Fan Zhongyan advocated that the army should engage in production and implement the military-agricultural integration system that "soldiers belong to the people, and they farm and fight".Soldiers farm three seasons and train one season in a year, so as to save military expenses and enhance the combat effectiveness of the army.He believed that military generals should be promoted from among the soldiers, and that they should be "selected for the army" and the wise and brave should be promoted as commanders.

The measures of the Qingli New Deal violated the vested interests of some bureaucrats and nobles, and they met with fierce opposition.Prime Minister Zhang Dexiang united with Taiwan officials to attack Fan Zhongyan, Ouyang Xiu and others as "cliques", saying that they "deceitful and arbitrarily powerful" and "conceived treachery and disloyalty"; Xia Song framed Fu Bi for plotting to abolish Renzong.Fan Zhongyan and Fu Bi were forced to leave the court, and the opposition took the opportunity to crowd out officials who supported the New Deal.In 1045 AD, Du Yan, Han Qi, and Ouyang Xiu were also demoted from the court successively, and the "Qingli New Deal" ended in failure.It failed to change the internal and external difficulties of the Song Dynasty, but it sounded the prelude to Wang Anshi's reform.

●Wang Anshi presided over the reform
After Song Renzong's Qingli New Deal failed, social conflicts in the Song Dynasty did not ease, and the financial crisis became more serious.Under such circumstances, scholar-bureaucrats called for reform one after another, and a larger and more profound reform movement was already brewing.

During the Song Shenzong period, Wang Anshi presided over the reform movement.Feeling the sharpness of social contradictions, Wang Anshi advocated reforming politics in order to reverse the decline of the country. He first published "Wan Yan Shu", hoping for reform, but was treated coldly.After Song Shenzong succeeded to the throne, the Song Dynasty faced sharp social conflicts, continuous popular uprisings, serious problems of redundant troops, redundant staff, and redundant expenses, empty treasury, and financial difficulties. The economy of the north also threatened the existence of the Song Dynasty regime.

The fundamental purpose of Wang Anshi's reform is to achieve "rich country and strong army", change the poor and weak situation of Song Dynasty, enhance the ability of external defense and internal suppression, and consolidate and strengthen feudal rule.Through more than ten years of hard work, although the goal of "strengthening the army" of the reform has not been achieved, the goal of "rich country" has been partially achieved.

In Wang Anshi's reform, he successively promulgated laws such as Junshu, Qingmiao, Farmland Water Conservancy, Recruitment, Market Change, Fangtian Average Tax, Baojia, Baoma, and Jiangbing. It can be said that when Wang Anshi formulated the new law, he hoped that the country would be rich and the people strong. Increase the tax and the country will use enough", but good motivation does not necessarily lead to good results.

The young crop method is one of the most important contents of the reform.It stipulates that the interest rate is two or three cents.In the early days of the implementation of the Young Crops Law, loan sharks were forced to borrow money from young crops and pay interest to the government on a regular basis.The activities of loan sharks were restricted to a certain extent after the implementation of the Young Crops Law, but the government increased a large amount of interest income.

The use of hired labor instead of official labor in the Recruitment Law also conformed to the historical trend of the development of commodity money economy and employment relations at that time.In addition, the government has obtained a huge amount of income from this, and the financial situation of Song Dynasty has improved significantly.During the reign of Emperor Shenzong of the Song Dynasty, the savings of keeping the treasury could provide the financial expenses of the imperial court for 20 years.

农田水利法实施后，仅在1070年至1076年的7年间，兴修水利就有1万多处，受益的土地有民田36万多顷、官田2000顷。大量的薄地成了良田。

However, due to improper employment during the reform process, there have been some situations that endanger the people.But generally speaking, the progressive significance of the reform should be affirmed.In 1086 AD, when Sima Guang became prime minister, almost all the new laws were abolished, and the reform failed.

●Aguda established the Kingdom of Jin
In the spring of 1112 A.D., Yelu Yanxi, Emperor Tianzuo of the Liao Kingdom, went to Chunzhou (in present-day Heilongjiang) for a cruise, happily fishing on the Huntong River (now Songhua River), and ordered all the local Jurchen chiefs to come to Chunzhou for an audience.According to the local custom, the earliest fish caught in spring must first be offered to the dead ancestors, and a feast of wine is held to celebrate, which is called the feast of head fish.This year, Emperor Tianzuo held a fish feast in Chunzhou.During the head fish banquet, Emperor Tianzuo drank a few glasses of wine and got a little tipsy, so he asked the Jurchen chiefs to dance for him.Although the chiefs were reluctant, they did not dare to disobey the order, so they danced one by one. There was only one young man with an indifferent expression, staring at Emperor Tianzuo, and did not move at all. Shu's son was named Wanyan Aguda.Emperor Tianzuo was very upset when he saw that Aguda dared to go against his will, and urged him to jump again and again.Some chiefs were afraid that Aguda would offend Emperor Tianzuo, so they persuaded him from the sidelines.But no matter what he said, Aguda just didn't dance, which prevented Emperor Tianzuo from stepping down.The head fish feast broke up unhappy.

Emperor Tianzuo didn't have an attack on the spot, and after the banquet was over, he angrily told Minister Xiao Fengxian that it would be better to kill Aguda as soon as possible to avoid disasters in the future.But Xiao Fengxian persuaded Emperor Tianzuo that it was not worth fighting with A Gu, and Emperor Tianzuo put the matter aside.

Later, Emperor Tianzuo summoned Aguda several times, but Aguda pretended to be ill and did not go.Soon, Aguda's father, Wu Yashu, died, and Aguda succeeded him as the leader of the Wanyan Tribe. He built castles, trained troops, and gradually unified the Jurchen tribes, preparing to rebel against the Liao Dynasty.In 1115 A.D., Aguda officially proclaimed himself emperor in Huining (in today's Heilongjiang) and established the Kingdom of Jin. He was Jin Taizu.

●Emperor Calligrapher Zhao Ji
Song Huizong Zhao Ji was a standard literati, a famous calligrapher and painter at that time, especially in calligraphy.On the basis of learning from Xue Yao and Chu Suiliang, Zhao Ji's calligraphy created a unique "thin gold body", which is thin and sharp, with side edges like orchids and bamboos, which contrasts with the heavy colors of his fine brushwork.Thin gold body means that the beauty of its books is gold, taking the meaning of wealth and honor, and boasting of its strength.There are many calligraphy works handed down by Zhao Ji, and all kinds of calligraphy works in regular script, running script and cursive script are popular in later generations, and their strokes are vigorous and elegant, full of distinctive personality.Among them, "Zong Fang Yi Cui E Poetry Post" with sharp brushwork, silver hooks painted on iron, and elegant style is a large-character regular script, which is a masterpiece of Zhao Ji's thin gold style.

Zhao Ji's calligraphy has the shortcomings of softness and frivolity, which may be caused by the times and his own artistic accomplishment, but the unique artistic personality of the thin gold style he pioneered has been imitated by later generations.

●Emperors of the Liao Dynasty personally collected gold
After Wanyan Aguda became emperor and built Jin, he ordered to attack Huanglong Mansion (now Nong'an, Jilin Province), an important town in the northeast of Liao Kingdom.Emperor Liao Tianzuo sent more than 20 infantry and cavalry to the northeast to defend, but was defeated by the Jin soldiers.Afterwards, Aguda mobilized all the ministries to join forces in Lai Liuhe (now Lalin River), called on all the ministries to destroy the Liao Kingdom, and held a swearing-in meeting.After the swearing-in meeting, he preemptively took advantage of the lack of assembly of the Liao army, and captured Ningjiang Prefecture (in today's Jilin) ​​with 2500 troops. Two months later, he was in Chuhedian (in today's Heilongjiang) with less than ten thousand troops Defeated the [-] army of Liao.

Emperor Tianzuo of Liao made peace with the Jin Dynasty, but Aguda refused, insisting that Emperor Tianzuo surrender.In 1115 A.D., Emperor Tianzuo of the Liao Dynasty became angry from embarrassment, organized a force of 70, and personally led the troops to Huanglong Mansion to fight.Aguda ordered the soldiers to build camps, dig trenches, and prepare to resist.In November of the same year, the Liao army arrived at Tuomen (in today's Heilongjiang).At this time, Yeluzhangnu, the deputy capital of the Liao imperial battalion, defected to Beijing with 2000 cavalry.Emperor Tianzuo learned of the civil strife and had no intention of fighting again, so he led his troops to retreat halfway.Aguda took advantage of the panic and laziness of the Liao army and led Qingqi to launch a surprise attack on the Liao army.The Liao army fought in a hurry, the main force was hit hard, and was finally defeated and defeated with heavy casualties.Emperor Tianzuo abandoned his army and fled. He ran 600 miles a day and a night before he saved his life.So far, Liao Tianzuo Emperor's personal conquest of the Kingdom of Jin failed.

●Songjiang Fangla Uprising
(End of this chapter)