A short life, diligent government and love for the people
The most tragic emperor in history, who was diligent in his life but was forced to commit suicide, did not even have his own imperial tomb after his death.
More than 1,600 years ago in the Central Plains, a child born into a royal family experienced too much loss and pain in his life. He was the last emperor of the Ming Dynasty - Chongzhen.
Chongzhen was born on December 21, the 47th year of Wanli, and was the half-brother of Zhu Youxiao of Ming Xizong. His biological mother, Liu, was given death by Mingguangzong when he was five years old. A child without mother's love, growing up in an environment of vicious fighting in the deep palace, is destined to be unhappy in his life.
At the age of twenty, Chongzhen was made the crown prince by Mingguangzong. Later, Mingguangzong died, and he successfully ascended the throne as emperor at the age of twenty-four. As a young new emperor, Chongzhen was full of longing and enthusiasm for the future of his motherland. He first eliminated Wei Zhongxian, the chief assistant of the cabinet who had accumulated shortcomings for a long time, and emancipated his mind. Then he led by example and lived a frugal life, hoping to inspire the people to tide over the difficulties together.
However, the good times did not last long, natural disasters, peasant uprisings and foreign invasions followed, so that Chongzhen, who was still accumulating strength, was unable to return to the sky. In this way, the Ming Dynasty gradually collapsed in the hands of Chongzhen. The crisis that had been weak for a long time in the Ming Dynasty erupted in his hands.
Faced with the situation of the people being devastated and the morale of the army in the midst of the chaos, Chongzhen was in great pain. He understood that the root cause of all this was the government of his ancestors, but as the emperor, he was powerless to save the situation, and he blamed himself in his heart.
The day before Li Zicheng captured Beijing, Chongzhen made the final decision. He changed into civilian clothes, went to the coal mountain, hanged himself on an old tree, and ended his life as a civilian.
When he was dying, Chongzhen left his last words, asking Li Zicheng not to hurt the people. This sincere concern for the people touched Li Zicheng, and Li Zicheng ordered Chongzhen's body to be buried in Changping. However, at this time, it was found that Chongzhen had never had time to build the imperial tomb for himself.
Li Zicheng relocated the remains of Chongzhen and Empress Zhou to the tomb of his concubine Tian Guifei, and renamed the cemetery "Siling". An emperor born at the core of the supreme power, but without even his final resting place, is too bleak.
Chongzhen was diligent in government and loved the people all his life, but he could not recover the situation of the fall of the Ming Dynasty because of the long-standing malpractice. He blamed himself for his suffering, and even in his dying moments, he did not forget the suffering of the people. Such a well-intentioned king has experienced the destruction of a country alive, and at the same time has experienced too much loss and pain.
Chongzhen's life was a mirror of those in power when China's feudal dynasty fell. Doing good deeds will not necessarily bring good rewards, but we should still uphold the heart of loving the people, and do our best to bring some warmth and hope to others, so that even if the results are not satisfactory, we can also face the world and blame ourselves and feel at ease, but Emperor Chongzhen fulfilled the promise of his ancestors: "The Son of Heaven guards the country, and the king dies!"This is worthy of his ancestors.
Author: Wang Gongjian.