Qin was not a vassal state of the Seven Heroes of the Warring States from the beginning, which doomed it to win the final victory. Except Han Yan, Chu, Wei, Qi and Zhao all seem to have the possibility of complete reunification. Although all these four vassal states showed signs of decline, many people thought that Chu was the most regrettable vassal state. Think about it, too. As a Chu state entrenched in the south of the Yangtze River, the territory in its heyday was the largest among the vassal states, and it was actually the hegemonic capital. After all, in the era of cold weapons, land is wealth, and land is also the focus of the Warring States period. However, although Chu and Han had an advantage at the beginning, the final victory was taken away by Qin, which also led to Chu and Han creating brilliant history thousands of years ago, but today people know little about it. Of course, many people don't know that the first section of the Great Wall, the first county seat, the first writing brush and even the first iron sword in China's history all appeared in Chu. Chu has a glorious past. Why was it destroyed by Qin? When we looked at the history of thousands of years with puzzled eyes, Wu Qi presided over the political reform for a period of time, which made Chu strong for a period of time. He didn't stir up any waves, but said calmly, "From the moment I died, it was doomed." Starting with Wuqi's official career, this paper discusses the reasons why Wuqi's political reform failed and why Chu was finally destroyed by Qin.
The Perfect Interpretation of Chu Bronzes
Wu Qi was a professional bureaucrat during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period.
When Wu Qi was young, his family was rich and his career was not smooth. His family was ruined and everyone in the village laughed. -"Historical Records and Biography of Sun Tzu Wu Qi"
At first, Chi WU was just a young man who refused to accept his fate. Although his family is neither poor nor rich, his goal is to become a senior official. So, in order to find a job, he gave up the wealth of his family. However, Guo Wei let Wuqi down, because even though he lost all the wealth in his family, he didn't get what he wanted. As a result, he was laughed at by his neighbors. Wuqi couldn't help but "kill more than 30 people who slandered themselves"
So Wuqi couldn't stay in Wei, but Wuqi didn't panic, because there were many governors in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. Chi WU believes that there is always a place of his own. After careful consideration, Wuqi chose to go to Lu. Why did he go to Lu? Because "Zhou Li is this week".
The Qing Dynasty said that Zhou Zhi was like Lu, and Lu Zhi was like Zhou. The meaning of this sentence is that the princes of the world and the Zhou royal family are closest to Lu, and Lu's biggest supporter is the Zhou royal family. In addition, Lu was also the birthplace of Confucianism at that time. Wu Qi, who cares about the world, naturally wants to get a "diploma" issued by Confucianism. Therefore, Wuqi's defection to Lu is also the starting point of his career.
After arriving in Chu, Wuqi joined the Confucian Ceng Zi. There are different opinions about whether this Ceng Zi was a Zeng Shen or a Zeng Shen, but Zeng Shen died 435 years ago, so it is almost impossible for Zeng Shen to teach Wuqi Confucianism.
Wuqi statue
Wang Yinglin's textual research is quoted from Liu Xiang's other records: Zuo Qiuming gave Zeng Shen and Shen Qi. So Wuqi's teacher should be Zeng Shen, not Zeng Shen, but Zeng Shen is Zeng Shen's son, so it makes sense to call him Ceng Zi.
In 4 12 BC, Gong Xuan of Qi attacked Lu, and Lu was very worried. After all, the etiquette advocated in daily life can't stop Qi soldiers from attacking. However, Lu Jun did not mention it. Lujun thought of Wuqi after this. However, Wuqi's wife is Qi. This put Lu Jun in a contradictory position, and everyone was dumbfounded at Wuqi's next move, because Wuqi "wanted to be famous, so he killed his wife to show that he was not Wuqi".
There is still something to say, so Lu Jun appointed Wu Qi as the general, and as a result, Wu Qi failed greatly. However, this is not the starting point of Wuqi's promotion in Shandong, but the end point. Because Lu people can't tolerate Wuqi's achievements, they speak ill of Wuqi. Lu Jun also suspects Wuqi, so he can't stay in Wuqi, Lu.
Wars in the Spring and Autumn Period
Lu's experience made Wuqi understand that the monarch understands the importance of benevolence and responsibility, and only Wei deserves these four words. So Wuqi abandoned Lu for Wei. Wei Wenhou is indeed an enlightened ruler. When he heard that Wu's vote was rising, he asked Li Ke. Li Can replied that he was greedy and lustful, but he couldn't beat Sima Yan.
Let's start with Sima Lang, who was a famous master of military science in the Spring and Autumn Period. Tai Shi Gong commented in Preface to Tai Shi Gong that there has been a king and a Sima Fa since ancient times, which is certain. Thus, in Li Ke's eyes, Wuqi's military ability is quite outstanding. As a result, Wuqi became one of the brave generals in Wei Wenhou.
Wuqi didn't disappoint Wei Wenhou. After Wei Wenhou was appointed as a general, Wuqi made proud achievements. According to Sun Tzu's The Art of War Historical Records Biography of Wuqi, Wei Wenhou thought that he would attack Qin and uproot five cities. Since then, Wei Wenhou has appointed Wuqi as commander-in-chief of Xihe River to "repel Qin and Han Dynasties".
After Wei Wenhou's death, the scepter of Wei was given to Wei Wuhou, but Wei Wuhou was very afraid of Wuqi. In addition, once the emperor is a courtier, Wuqi can't be Wei Wuhou's confidant. In addition, Prime Minister Wei framed Wuqi, and Wuqi was expelled by Wei's leadership. As a result, "Wu Hou was suspicious and credulous, and Wu Qi was afraid of offending, so he became Chu".
Wu qi
Wu Qi left Wei State for Chu State, where he will end his last life. In addition, Wuqi also carried out political reforms in Chu, which can be said to have burned the last light and heat in his life. From Lu to Wei and then to Chu, Wuqi was one of the few professional bureaucrats in that era. It can be said that Wu Qi was a scholar in cloth at that time, and he pointed out a good way, that is, "good birds choose wood to live in."
Wu Qi's political reform in Chu State.
With the rapid change of social and economic living conditions, the political structure of society is by no means a corresponding reform. Engels' Anti-Turin Theory
Engels' above remarks show that the inherent conservatism of social and political structure exists in various social forms experienced by human beings. Before Wuqi entered Chu, there was undoubtedly a contradiction between the political system and social economy of Chu. Compared with other vassal States at that time, this contradiction of Chu was more prominent.
It was against this background that Wu got up and went to Chu. Wuqi knows Chu very well. This understanding is clearly recorded in the History of Han Fei He Zi: the former Wuqi church eulogized the king of Chu with Chu Feng, saying that "there are too many ministers and too many monarchs; If so, God will abuse the people, and poor countries will have weak armies. "
Weapons unearthed from the tomb of the king of Chu
The meaning of this sentence is that Wuqi thinks that the minister of Chu has too much power and the nobles have different opinions. These people will force you to get up and insult the people. This will make the country poor and weaken the army, which is not conducive to the country's strength. In other words, in Wuqi's view, the key to Chu's strength lies in politics.
When Wu Qi was in Wei, he also participated in the political reform. Many people think that Wuqi's political reform in Chu is actually a step of Li Kui's political reform. In fact, this is not the case, because the core of Li Kui's political reform is "teaching the best soil fertility" and "peaceful purchase method", both of which are aimed at social and economic life.
Politically, although Li Kui proposed to abolish hereditary aristocratic privileges, it did not involve the most basic political system. However, Wu Qi's political reform in Chu was mainly political. Therefore, Wuqi's reform in Chu needs the right medicine, and Wei's reform cannot be completely copied. So what happened to Wuqi in Chu?
According to the laws of the Ming Dynasty, those who don't need emergency donations and alienate their families to support those who are fighting should be based in Qiang Bing, while those who violate the law should abide by the law. -"Historical Records and Biography of Sun Tzu Wu Qi"
Wu Qi is a powerful legislator of Tao. He is incompetent, useless, useless. He is a leisurely official. He was asked to close the door. He is a layman in Chu, a citizen who forbids tourists, and a hardworking and brave fighter. -Historical Records of Fan Ju Cai Zechuan
It is very painful for a noble to go to a real and empty place. -Lu returned to his ancestors during the Spring and Autumn Period.
Armor of Chu soldiers in Warring States Period
The consequences and interruption of Wuqi's reform.
Nanping has Baiyue in the north, Sanjin in the west and Qin in the west. -"Historical Records and Biography of Sun Tzu Wu Qi"
Wu Qi's political reform in Chu was very effective. According to the above records, in a very short time, Qiang Bing, a rich country of Chu, defeated the vassals. Of course, this rich country, Qiang Bing, was only a flash in the pan, because with the death of Chu Wangdao, the supporter behind Wuqi, Wuqi's political reform came to an abrupt end. We'll talk about this later.
In addition, the Southern China was not very happy when the Southern Han Dynasty recorded that Wu Qi was the king's funeral. So Dongting Lake and Cangwu were established. In other words, under the reform of Wuqi, the territory of Chu has indeed expanded.
The Influence of Chu State on the Ancient Great Wall Site of Qin State
During Wu's political reform, Chu also saved Zhao and attacked Wei. As a result, Wei suffered a fiasco. According to the National Warring States Policy, the State of Qi fought in western Henan and left Liangmen. The horses were drinking water in the barracks and rivers in the Woods. From these records, we can also know that Chu fought on both sides of the Yellow River in the war to save Zhao from attacking Wei. This is a proud achievement, and of course it also illustrates the power of Wuqi's political reform from the side.
Speaking of the failure of Wei, it reminds me that when Wuqi was in Wei, Wei Wuzu swept the world and set the strategy of "seventy-six wins the vassal and sixty-four wins the Zejun". However, when Wuqi arrived in Chu, the Chu army defeated Wei Wuzu. Is this really because Chu has become stronger, or is Wuqi too strong?
Whatever the factors, Wuqi strengthened the State of Chu. There is no doubt about it. With Wuqi's political and military ability, the trust of the king of Chu and the infinite potential of the king of Chu, Wuqi could have made great efforts in front of the ministers, but the good times did not last long because the king of Chu died.
Centigrade thermal unit
Because of the political reform, Wuqi has long been a thorn in the side of the old nobles of Chu, and now there is no tree to lean on. After the death of the king of Chu, the old nobles couldn't wait to fight back, that is, to mourn the king of Chu and the imperial clan minister rebelled against Wuqi. The powerful Wuqi became the fish on the chopping block of the old nobles, and finally Wuqi was shot.
The death of Wuqi was the inevitable result of the struggle between two incompatible political forces, which interrupted the political reform of Chu. Although Wuqi made a final effort and buried many old nobles, after development, the old nobles finally occupied the ruling class of Chu, which means that Chu returned to the old road before Wuqi's political reform.
The failure of Wuqi's reform and the demise of Chu.
Chu Dao's appointment of Wuqi Reform seems to be a new landlord class, which has gained the upper hand in the political arena of the king of Chu, but in fact this force is very weak, at least it has not yet gained a foothold. So what is the relationship between the failure of Wuqi reform and the demise of Chu?
Wuqi's political reform in Chu can be said to be a military success. Of course, this is also the goal of Wuqi. After all, he built an army in Chu that could sweep the world like Wei Wuzu. For the purpose of "making money", he declared war on the old nobles and armed soldiers with money. This is the so-called "raising soldiers".
Quyuan Temple in Miluo, Chu
When Wu Qi was in Wei, he didn't have to worry about money, because his political reform provided an economic foundation for Wei's military reform. What Wuqi needs to do is to train wholeheartedly. Chu is different. The royal family is not rich. The old nobles and slave owners shared the wealth of Chu. Wuqi had to put all your eggs in one basket to fight against the old aristocracy, which also led to irreconcilable contradictions between the two major political forces, which can be said to be immortal.
With the support of the King of Chu, Wuqi gained the upper hand, so in a very short time, Chu became a rich country, Qiang Bing, which was vividly demonstrated militarily. However, after the death of King Chu, the old aristocratic forces immediately made a comeback. Therefore, if we ignore Chu's military achievements, Wuqi's political reform is actually a failed political reform.
This is not only the personal sorrow of Wuqi, but also the sorrow of the whole State of Chu. Wuqi's comprehensive political reform failed to solve Chu's stubborn, conservative and backward political system, which made Chu lose the best opportunity to avoid being destroyed by Qin.
From the death of Wuqi to the demise of Chu, there has been no major political reform in Chu for more than 100 years. The old political system firmly controlled the fate of Chu, not to mention the feudal political reform. Although the "Qu Yuan Reform" appeared in Chu Huaiwang period, it was only a flash in the pan. It can even be said that his reform measures ended before they were put into practice.
Wuqi reform
In contrast, since Shang Yang's political reform, Qin established a feudal political system. Buyi scholars are active in the political arena of Qin State. This not only dealt a blow to the old aristocratic forces, but also injected fresh blood into Qin politics. Although Qin experienced the "four big noble governments", it did not form a hereditary system in the end. This is also due to the political system of Qin State.
Conclusion:
Why was Chu destroyed by Qin? In fact, from the moment Wu Qi died, it was already doomed. Wuqi did not reform the backward political system of Chu, and neither did future generations. Therefore, from a political point of view, Qin's destruction of Chu was not accidental, but the inevitable result of historical development. Of course, there are many reasons why Qin destroyed Chu. Corrupt politics is the most basic factor, though not the only one.
Qin's destruction of Chu seems to be the victory of the war, but it is not only the embodiment of military superiority. It is a concentrated expression of military politics. How can a vassal state with a decadent political system have invincible military power? Therefore, it can be said that it was not Qin who destroyed Chu.
In 200 AD, Qin took the army as his home and the generals as his parents. They met, trusted each other, worked together, and then died immediately. The Chu people are fighting in their own way and taking care of their families. Everyone has his own heart and no fighting spirit. Isn't this a sign of the gap between Chu and Qin?