Controversial figure Wang Mang set five firsts, a record that no one can break today
In ancient Chinese feudal society, either the princes were born in troubled times, or the orthodox succeeded the emperor. Wang Mang is an exception. Although he held power, he did not rule for long. However, because his ascension to the throne was not an orthodox succession, he was criticized by the literati for thousands of years.
Because Wang Mang implemented a series of new policies, later scholars jokingly called him"Ronin"。Because his ideas were so far ahead of his time, every policy he proposed revealed a strange sense of modernity, but at the same time it made sense to the people.
Wang Mang has always been a very controversial figure, is this the reason why he is so famous, or is it because he created the Five Uniques, which are unique among all emperors and have never been able to be broken, why is this?
First, Wang Mang usurped the Han.
Wang Mang usurped the Han Dynasty, which is also one of the reasons why literati and writers have criticized him for millions of years. Throughout the history of yellowing, people still vaguely feel that the people at that time usurped the throne because of such behavior, and almost all of them were scolded, in the final analysis, because it was not an orthodox inheritance.
1.Nephew of the Empress of the Western Han Dynasty.
Although Wang Mang was born to the sister of the rare queen, their family was not favored by the royal family. Although his father and brother died early, his aunt and noble mother are better than nothing. It can often be said that the life of a teenager is ten thousand times more difficult than the life of an ordinary person.
The reason is, first of all, Wang Mang is always full of sympathy for ordinary people. He understood even the suffering of the people better than the ministers who had no worries about food and clothing. When he was an official, he did everything possible to reduce the taxes of the people.
But what about after becoming an emperor?When he became emperor, he grasped the financial power of the world. Of course, Wang Mang did not give up the tax cut, and the series of policies he implemented were also feasible in the eyes of the people, but the historian still criticized him and accused him of not wanting to make progress.
Of course, Wang Mang's later series of new policies were also judged from the perspective of the people, and Wang Mang implemented these policies at a time when his own prestige and prestige were at their peak. Wang Mang also realized that the reforms he introduced were not in fact explicitly accepted by the people, but they were more likely to be accepted wholeheartedly by relying on ancient teachings and ancient sayings.
In this way, whether the policy is implemented or not, whether the goal is achieved or not, he at least eliminates people's psychological resistance to reform. In general, Wang Mang's thinking is far-reaching, and he is indeed worthy of his identity as a ruler.
2 The example of the emperor.
Although the history books often trace back to the incident of Wang Mang's usurpation of the Han Dynasty, this event is also used as a negative textbook to compare with other orthodox successors. However, is there anything that Wang Mang has done that cannot be used for reference?
No, you can't. Although many of Wang Mang's policies were radical, they were progressive enough to be seen as a model for successive emperors to follow. His ideas were like treasures in that feudal, ignorant, and backward ancient times, and he made great contributions to society.
The fact that these emperors created a series of new policies and ideas is also quite an astonishing phenomenon. In the past, the general criticism seemed to be to slander Wang Mang, but the emperors of all dynasties were good objects of study and reference, so it has to be said that Wang Mang is indeed a controversial figure.
His name has surpassed that of the emperor, which is also worthy of recognition, because it is important to know that the history books will only record the victories of the victors, and it will be a general shame for the losers. Wang Mang changed from a victor to a loser, and of course could not escape the criticism of later scholars.
Secondly,"Travelers"Say.
As for Wang Mang's second identity, everyone should know that he may be a time-traveler most of the time, and it is likely to be a time-traveler from modern times to ancient times. His identity was not acquired in modern times, but in ancient times, but many of his New Policies were indeed far ahead of his time.
However, in the author's opinion, Wang Mang's new policy was not ahead of its time, because he was one of the few people in that era who tasted the suffering of the bottom. It is not surprising that he was in power, but when he came to power, he was able to reflect on the living conditions of the people, which was rare among emperors.
If we take a closer look at each of Wang Mang's policies and behaviors, we will find that these policies and behaviors reveal his concern for the people at the bottom. For example, if we take his statement that he wanted slavery to be abolished, it is not difficult to see that he actually hated slavery.
Wang Mang is not a prodigal, but has too long-term vision. Like Confucius, he dreamed of helping the world. But he also failed, because he constantly challenged the princes and powers.
iii.Five firsts.
For Wang Mang's criticism, the author ends here. What I want to say is that Wang Mang's first five reigns, that is, the successive emperors, could not succeed. In the process, Wang Mang has also achieved a wonderful life.
1.Wonderful life.
Wang Mang's first characteristic was that he was the first emperor to introduce large coins. Entering the museum, you can see that the most distinctive coin of Wang Mang's era is called the Golden Lack Knife, which was believed to be equal to 5,000 at that time.
During the Western Han Dynasty, people used five baht coins as coins, which were the most expensive currency at that time. However, Wang Mang strictly regulated the value of the erroneous gold knife coin, so that it could be equal to half of the ** and 5,000"Five baht money", Wang Mang is really a brave emperor.
Wang Mang's second priority was the public ownership of the land. During the Western Han Dynasty, these fields were in the hands of landlords and haoqiang, and very little was distributed to farmers. As a result, peasants had to pay high rents for their land and live on a meager income. The more oppressed the peasants became, the richer the landlords became.
Wang Mang wants to change this, which I didn't mention in my last article. He came from a poor background and understood the plight of the people at the bottom. Therefore, he wanted to implement the fertile land system, so that all the land in the world would be owned by the public, and then the state would distribute the land to the peasants for cultivation, so as to realize the socialization of the whole people.
Wang Mang's move seems familiar, right?In the early days of liberation, China also practiced such a policy. Public ownership of land, state redistribution, and peasant self-sufficiency are all key words that abound in Wang Mang's new policies.
It is said that Wang Mang's third principle was something he was proud of throughout his life. Wang Mang destroyed the Han Dynasty, and the emperor had to abdicate. Wang Mang became the first person in history to be deposed by the emperor, which can be said to be even more shocking than the previous two championships.
It should be said that since the era of Yao, Shun and Yu,"The public world"became"Home to the world", the abdication system disappeared in the long river of history. Then, the absolute legitimacy of the royal lineage was established, that is, the primogeniture, which was the prototype of the patriarchal system of ancient Chinese feudal society.
Subsequently, Qin Shi Huang ruled the world and pushed the throne to the top, and the succession to the throne symbolized the country, that is, the throne is where the glory lies. Even Liu Bang, the founding emperor of the Western Han Dynasty, wanted to use the name of the White Snake to establish the Western Han Dynasty, which is orthodox to put it bluntly.
The fourth first can be a bit dramatic. Wang Mang was the first person to eat abalone, and before Wang Mang, no one wanted to eat abalone, because abalone was ugly and couldn't be beaten at first sight. Usually the first person to eat abalone is the bravest person, and Wang Mang is such a person.
It is said that Wang Mang was on a business trip at that time, but he suddenly fell ill, so he had no choice but to return, and settled in a mountain village halfway. This matter is very important to Wang Mang, and it has also become a piece of his heart. When he thought that many villagers would not cooperate, he wanted to kill them.
So someone informed the village chief, and the village chief brought the treasure abalone in the palace, cut it and boiled it for Wang Mang to eat. Wang Mang ate it and thought it was very delicious. The fire, of course, was extinguished, and the chaotic rage did not kill the village.
Wang Mang also said some frustrating words last time. He was the first emperor of the empire and the longest-reigning emperor, with a total of 272 years. His beheadings can even be compared to those of Confucius and Gaozu in the Legend of the White Snake.
Wang Mang's ending was very unfortunate. Not only was he beheaded, but his head was preserved for 272 years. Since there was no legal heir, the descendant wanted to use his head to warn those who wanted to seize power, which was also a symbol of victory.
At that time, people were still relatively ignorant and feudal, and people like Wang Mang who were not the legitimate heirs to the throne were regarded as demons and monsters. Now that he is dead, his head has naturally become a thing to ward off evil spirits, and if you can get his head, you can get rid of demons and monsters and restore your health.
No wonder at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Cao Cao and Dong Zhuo both wanted to get Wang Mang's head. If they had obtained Wang Mang's head, they would have avoided all calamities. However, this is only a feudal superstition, and the human head does not ward off evil spirits, nor does it guarantee good health.
Sum up. Wang Mang was a successful reformer, and history's evaluation of him is almost a regularity, because he was ultimately a loser, and history only talks about the victory of the winner. Wang Mang was also not a very good politician because his dynasty was a mirage.
Of course, I think that if Wang Mang could find a better reason to usurp power, he would not be where he is today, and then his position today would not be equally deserved, and it would also be a bad record, because he has been abused and criticized by historians of all dynasties, and in general, he is often a very far-sighted person.