Yuan Chonghuan is a person who has been bothering me for a long time.
The right and wrong around this man, whether a traitor or a hero, has been arguing for hundreds of years, and there is no sign of letting up.
But I've always been curious about Yuan Chonghuan. Because as far as history is concerned, the classification of historical figures can be roughly divided into three levels:
The first level: key figures, who have had a turning point in historical development, belong to this category.
Typical representative: Zhang. Without this person, there would be no Zhang's political reform. Comrade Wanli's young mind might thrive and the Ming Dynasty might perish at an early date. In short, it may be impossible. For example, Qin Gui is also a key figure. If he doesn't kill Yue Fei and negotiate with the government, it's hard to say what will happen later. In short, it is a person who can change the course of history.
The second level: important people, people who have a great influence on history, belong to this category.
Typical representative: Qi Jiguang. Without Qi Jiguang, pirates along the southeast coast can hardly calm down. But the difference between this class and the first class is that even without Qi Jiguang, the enemy will calm down, which is nothing more than a matter of time. In other words, such people can't change lanes, but run all the way to the road.
The third level: chicken ribs characters, but those named in the history books that do not belong to the above two types of characters belong to this category.
Typical representative: if there are too many, don't say it. These people are basically useful, but it seems that they don't need it and there is no problem. They are passers-by.
Yuan Chonghuan, is the second level.
The late Ming Dynasty was a particularly chaotic era. Zhu's company has reached the edge of the cliff and is about to collapse. Some people kicked it down (such as Huang Taiji) and others pulled it up (such as Chongzhen and Yang Sichang). There are many people, but most of them are second-and third-class people. Tossed and turned, still dead.
There are also first-class people, only one.
Only this man has the ability to change his destiny-as I said, it is Sun Chengzong.
The founders of Ning Guan defense line, such as Yuan Chonghuan, Zu Dashou, Zhao Lvjiao and Mangui, cleaned up the mess, recovered the four cities of Shanhaiguan and drove away the defenders of Huang Taiji.
From beginning to end, from beginning to end, he was very busy.
In fact, there is not much difference between the second-class Yuan Chonghuan and the first-class Sun Chengzong. He has firm determination, tenacious will and excellent combat capability, except for one thing-strategic vision.
He didn't know why he couldn't kill the company commanders casually, why he couldn't put Huang Taiji in and fight, and why he became a victim of party struggle.
So he can only be a second-rate figure all his life.
Well, now is the most critical moment:
Why is a second-class person so controversial? Either a national hero or a traitor.
A traitor is definitely not. The so-called identification of Yuan Chonghuan as a traitor mostly comes from the comments of officials at that time, or his home was burned by Huang Taiji in the suburbs; Either follow the example of Stylist and Zhou Yanru, or at least look at Yuan Chonghuan. These people are good at making materials. They write what they want in black, and occasionally a few copies are circulated outside. Today, they are still regarded as treasures.
Actually, you can ask me if you want to see this black material. I can hardly find anything outside, including political issues, economic issues and lifestyle issues. It is more than enough to compile The Complete Works of Yuan Chonghuan Black Materials.
As for national heroes, it seems a bit hanging. After all, his old man's house is too personal and has done some unnatural things. As far as the level is concerned, it is not as good as teacher sun, a little reluctant.
Therefore, I have been thinking about this issue for a long time, and I have never stopped, because I vaguely feel that there are unknown secrets behind the so-called national hero and traitor dispute.
Until one day, I found the secret answer: conspiracy.
Chatting with several historians that day, it was occasionally mentioned that, according to some historical data and textual research, in fact, Emperor Hong Guang (Emperor Zhu Yousong of Nanming Nanjing regime) was similar to Chongzhen, and he was also quite diligent and hard-working.
This comrade Hong Guang, in the history books, has always been the opposite of the emperor, eating, drinking, whoring and gambling, so I was surprised and asked:
"If so, why has he been a negative image for so many years?"
A:
"Because he was destroyed by the Qing Dynasty."
It's all untied.
Conspiracy 2
Chongzhen is diligent, Chongzhen is not the king of national subjugation, Hong Guang is very fatuous, and Hong Guang deserves bad luck. For hundreds of years, we have all thought so.
But we always think this way, just because someone told us so.
Some people tell us this because they want us to think so.
At that moment, the mystery in my mind was finally solved, and all seemingly unrelated clues were connected into a line.
Chongzhen doesn't deserve to die, because he was destroyed by Li Zicheng, so Li Zicheng's classification in Ming History compiled by Qing Dynasty is hooliganism.
I vaguely remember that when the Qing army entered the customs, their slogan was not to establish the Qing Dynasty, but to avenge Chongzhen, so Chongzhen should be just.
Hong Guang deserved to die, because he was wiped out by the Qing army, and the object that the Qing army wiped out must be evil, so Hong Guang should be evil.
Behind the dazzling historical comments, there are still only two words-interest.
Everything that can win the support of the Ming people should be used, and everything that is removed by the Qing dynasty is the enemy. Just for the same purpose-to safeguard the interests of the Qing dynasty and stabilize its rule.
Mastering this key will solve all the mysteries of the Yuan Chonghuan incident.
In fact, Yuan Chonghuan has been in the forefront for hundreds of years, just because of an accident.
When the Qing army entered the customs, it played the slogan of revenge for Emperor Chongzhen. Therefore, the Qing Dynasty expressed extreme sympathy for the emperor's murder, and expressed extreme spit on Li Zicheng, Zhang and others who were evil (see "Biography of Bandits in Ming History" for details).
Therefore, for Emperor Chongzhen, the evaluation of the Qing Dynasty is still quite high. Later, Shunzhi went to Chongzhen grave and cried. It is said that he also called his eldest brother several times, each time as a brother, very buddy. However, during the Kanggan period, life was stable and something happened.
Because in the final analysis, Chongzhen was also the last chairman of Daming Company, saying how good Chongzhen was and how wronged he died. Finally, there will be a paradox:
Since Chongzhen is so good, why should it accept the rule of the Qing Dynasty?
So we should do something like gossip and scandal to stink people up.
However, it is impossible to pour sewage directly. After all, I have boasted and cried, and even recognized my brother. It's too low to go back and do it again.
To solve this problem, we must not slam it with a sledgehammer, but stab it in the back with a soft knife.
The best soft knife is Yuan Chonghuan.
The ins and outs of the conspiracy are roughly as above. If you don't understand, the answer is as follows:
To vilify Chongzhen, we don't need to abuse and slander, we just need to praise one person-Yuan Chonghuan.
Because Yuan Chonghuan was killed by Chongzhen, so as long as Yuan Chonghuan was savagely praised and described as a great man by people throughout the ages, such a great man was actually killed by Chongzhen. The so-called self-destruction of the Great Wall is as easy as blowing off dust. In history, Chongzhen and Song Gaozong (who killed Yue Fei) can be classified into one category.
Of course, the work of appeasing Daming people still needs to be done, so we should praise Chongzhen, but the content of praise should be changed, and we should try our best to publicize his diligence, seriousness and persistence. As for his intelligence and ability, it can be ignored. In short, we must show the impatience and impulsiveness of the characters, but we can't do it if we want to.
And to establish this image, we must borrow Yuan Chonghuan.
After that, it is natural to make Yuan Chonghuan a hero. He has no shortcomings and is invincible. As long as he is here, there will be great rivers and mountains. Then properly render the atmosphere, make a record and tell a story by the way. Then, at the climax of the plot, the great hero Yuan Chonghuan-
Killed by Chongzhen.
How stupid, how suicidal, how desperate.
In this way, in Yuan Chonghuan's sigh, the image of Chongzhen appeared:
An emperor with great thoughts and abilities but no brains, luck and patience was suffocated alive.
Finally, type the subject:
Such an emperor, how can Daming not die?
Let's call it a day.
In this way, Yuan Chonghuan became the antithesis of the Ming Dynasty. Because he is held too high, everyone who opposes him (especially Chongzhen) has become a villain.
Affirming Yuan Chonghuan means denying Chongzhen and Ming Dynasty. It is natural for the Qing Dynasty to get such a good shield and throw caution to the wind. Therefore, for hundreds of years, many people had a hard time with Yuan, and they fought for it until today.
After all, this is a set.
For hundreds of years, Chongzhen and Yuan Chonghuan, as well as countless people, have been tossing and turning in this condom, arguing and arguing without knowing it.
So, stick it.
Of course, all this is just my opinion. I can't guarantee that it is all true, but I am sure it is not fallacy.
In fact, no matter the disputes in previous lives or the conspiracy in later generations, it is meaningless to Yuan Chonghuan himself. He did his best, made great achievements and became a hero, but he died on charges of being a traitor.
Do you like or hate Yuan Chonghuan?
For me, this is a meaningless question, because I firmly believe that the judgment and evaluation of history, all defects and glories, will be revealed in the face of eternal time, without disguise.
So I tried my best to describe a real Yuan Chonghuan: not a genius, not high flyers, but extremely lucky, cultured, determined, impatient, in the same boat, but intolerable, an extremely simple but extremely complicated person.
In this world, as long as it is a person, it is not complicated.
Yuan Chonghuan is complicated. He is extremely clever and stupid. He is right and wrong. In fact, it is not his fault that he is controversial, because that's what he is. When he is simple, we think he is complex. When he is complicated, we think he is simple.
In fact, whether a traitor or a hero, he has never changed, but only ourselves.
After hundreds of years of smog, the Yuan Chonghuan I saw was not so complicated. He is just an ordinary person, holding his own ideals and persisting in that stormy era.
Even if this ideal can never be realized, even if it is destined to be a tragic ending, even if it is the last moment of my life, I will never give up.
Sometimes, I think of this man, his legendary life, his glory and his regret.
Sometimes, I see him standing in front of me and saying:
I have never given up in my life.