Zhou Gong, surnamed Ji Mingdan, is a native of Zhouyuan, Qishan, Shaanxi. His date of birth is no longer verifiable, and he died in 1,100 BC, more than 3,000 years ago. Because he was enshrined in Zhou, he was called Zhou Gongdan, and he is often called Zhou Gongdan in historical books. In his life, he experienced the three periods of King Wen, King Wu and King Cheng of the Western Zhou Dynasty, which was the period when the Zhou State gradually grew stronger, raised troops to destroy the Shang, and then ruled the whole country, and it was also the development period of China's slave society.
Zhou Gong was the earliest great politician with far-reaching influence in the history of our country and one of the most outstanding legal scholars in ancient times. He created a set of rules and regulations designed to maintain the rule of the slave owners and aristocracy, which played an important role in the establishment of the ancient political and legal systemHe summed up the achievements of the previous generation, adapted to the social needs of the Western Zhou Dynasty, and put forward an ideological system with the principle of patriarchy as the core, marking the academic and theoretical level of China's slave owner class, and becoming the ideological source of the later pre-Qin ConfucianismHis criminal law idea of "enlightened virtue and prudent punishment" was in a leading position in the development of legal thought in the world at that time, and had a significant impact on the judiciary of future generations. At the same time, his achievements, knowledge, and even personality were admired and highly praised by later generations. Therefore, Zhou Gong is not only a historical figure worthy of attention, but also has a position that cannot be ignored in the history of the development of China's legal system and legal thought.
The Duke of Zhou, the younger brother of King Wu of Zhou, was known for his filial piety as early as the time of their father, King Wen of Zhou, and often handled government affairs with his father and brother. In the period of King Wu of Zhou, he became his right-hand man, assisting King Wu of Zhou together with Jiang Ziya. Whether it was a major military matter or a trivial matter, King Wu of Zhou would consult with him. After all, fighting tiger brothers and going into battle is a father and son soldier. King Wu of Zhou's trust in this younger brother was unparalleled, and he plotted day and night to overthrow the rule of King Shang, and often consulted the Duke of Zhou for advice. The Duke of Zhou always advised King Wu of Zhou to respect the mandate of heaven and respect virtue and goodness.
Later, the Duke of Zhou also helped King Wu of Zhou to swear an oath with the princes in Mengjin, and called on more than 800 princes to come here to crusade against the king of Shang. This is enough to see the unpopularity of the Shang Dynasty, and it also shows that King Wu of Zhou is already expected. However, King Wu of Zhou felt that the time was still not ripe enough, so he chose to return to China and continue to wait. However, the king of Shang was still unaware of the crisis, and was still intoxicated in the wine pond and meat forest, greedy for beauty, and plunged the country into the whirlpool of corruption. As if under the skillful guidance of the Duke of Zhou, King Wu of Zhou led his troops and horses to defeat this unscrupulous Shang Dynasty, and finally won the victory. And the Duke of Zhou also became a powerful man under King Wu of Zhou and above 10,000 people through his outstanding military exploits. However, the heavy state affairs overwhelmed King Wu of Zhou's body, and he died the year after the establishment of the Zhou Dynasty. When the fashionable and young King Cheng was still in his infancy, the Duke of Zhou temporarily ascended to the throne and took charge of government affairs out of consideration for the overall situation of the country. But the snake of jealousy is everywhere, and Uncle Guan and others are jealous of Zhou Gong's position and begin to spread rumors everywhere. However, the Duke of Zhou was not afraid of gossip, and still patiently explained his behavior to everyone with an attitude of endurance and humiliation, and promised that when King Cheng grew up, he would return to the state government. Therefore, on the one hand, Zhou Gong worked hard to stabilize the political situation and develop production;On the one hand, it continued to eliminate the remnants of the Shang Dynasty and continuously expand the territory of the Zhou Dynasty. Uncle Guan and others saw that the rumors could not shake the position of Duke Zhou, so they took risks and colluded with the son of the king of Shang to openly rebel. Duke Zhou personally led an army to conquer and finally put down the rebellion. He also took the opportunity to recover many regions, and those small states that had been loyal to the Shang Dynasty were attached to the Zhou Dynasty and expressed their allegiance to the Zhou Dynasty, greatly expanding the territory of the Zhou Dynasty and stabilizing the situation. In order to consolidate the rule of the nascent Zhou dynasty and strengthen its control over the whole country, the Duke of Zhou proposed a shrewd strategy: move the capital to Luoyi (present-day Luoyang). This decision was significant, as it not only enabled the Duke of Zhou to better grasp the legacy of the Shang Dynasty, but also laid the foundation for the development of the Zhou Dynasty. In order to further consolidate the defense of the capital, the Duke of Zhou took the measure of dividing loyal vassals. These loyal vassals were divided around the capital, and their duty was to defend the capital and ensure its peace and stability. On the economic front, Zhou Gong implemented the well field system. This land system has unified the planning and management of land throughout the country, making land distribution more fair and reasonable. These measures greatly strengthened the political stability and economic prosperity of the Zhou dynasty. Due to the young age of King Cheng, the Duke of Zhou often carried the young King Cheng on his back to sit in the court, showing his feelings of worrying about the country and the people. In order to recruit talents, he even heard someone asking to see him when he was eating or washing his hair, and he would immediately put down his affairs and go out to greet him. This kind of thirsty mentality has amazed future generations, leaving a beautiful talk of "one bath and three grips, one meal and three spit feeding". Zhou Gong was in a high position, but he always maintained humility and awe. He knew the importance of talents, so even after King Cheng grew up, in order to strengthen the authority of King Zhou, he still formulated a strict system of etiquette. This system gradually formed a strict hierarchy, which laid a solid foundation for the stability and development of the Zhou dynasty. Eventually, when the political situation stabilized, the Duke of Zhou decided to return power to King Cheng and returned to the feudal kingdom himself. This act of his demonstrated spirit of high integrity and selfless dedication, and set an example for future generations. Before leaving, the Duke of Zhou gave a earnest exhortation to King Cheng, and like a wise old man, he affectionately instructed the young monarch. Duke Zhou's eyes flashed with vicissitudes and insight, and in a calm and affectionate tone, he exhorted King Cheng to remember the lessons of the fall of the Shang Dynasty. He used the ancient times as a mirror to reflect the importance of the people's power, and he said earnestly: "My lord, the people are like water, they can carry a boat or overturn a boat, and if they love them like a son, they will win the hearts of the people." Zhou Gong's words were like a spring breeze and an autumn moon, so that King Cheng understood the importance of cherishing the people's power in the ever-changing history. He also admonished the king to be close to the virtuous and the young, and to rule the country with virtue. He said: "A virtuous minister is like good gold and beautiful jade, and if he obtains it, the country will prosper;The villain is like a poisonous weed and a willow, and if it is close, the country will decline. Our lord should take virtue as the foundation and virtue as the wall, so as to build the cause of eternity. The vivid metaphor of the Duke of Zhou made King Cheng understand the importance of being virtuous and far away. After completing his mission, Duke Zhou left the palace and returned to his own feudal state for retirement. Three years later, he died peacefully. When the news came, the whole country grieved, and King Cheng burst into tears. King Cheng buried him in the cemetery of King Wen of Zhou as a way to express his deep respect for the Duke of Zhou. In King Cheng's heart, the Duke of Zhou has long surpassed the ordinary courtiers, he is the king of the Zhou Dynasty, a witness of history, and a prophecy of the future. Zhou Gong's life is full of wisdom and loyalty, and his story is like a melodious epic, which not only illuminates the long river of history, but also guides the direction of the future. His soul fluttered in the wind, like an immortal phoenix, rising again in the ashes of history, spreading its wings high. At the end of "Tanka Xing", Cao Cao showed his infinite admiration and yearning for the Duke of Zhou with an affectionate aria. He used the magnificent scene of high mountains and deep seas as a metaphor to express his reverence and admiration for Zhou Gong. The image metaphor of Zhou Gong spitting and feeding, and the image of the world returning to the heart pushed Cao Cao's admiration for Zhou Gong to a climax. Cao Cao, as a famous traitor in history, has a heart of loyalty and good looks who are eager to help the country. In the poem, he expressed his reverence and admiration for Zhou Gong, and also showed his expectations and pursuits for himself.