China has a long history and has witnessed countless amazing figures who have left their own unique mark on the stage of history for a variety of reasons. There are those heroes who have opened up the territory and expanded the territory, scolding Fang Xuan and creating the national movement;There are also those heroic generals who have made great achievements and worshiped the generals, and their heroic spirit is admired by future generations;There are also scholars who have read poetry and books and left books for future generations, and their stories have been sung from generation to generationAnd love is a gorgeous color in the long river of history, and there are legendary characters who are breathtaking and forever recorded in history because of love.
However, there are not only famous people in the long history of history, but also some people who have left their names for posterity for grotesque, mysterious, or unexpected reasons. Perhaps because of their special hobbies, or because of the distortion of circumstances, these people have become unique beings in history. They are like an unexpected surprise in history, a strange splendor of those distant eras. In the thick scrolls of history, these characters are like meteors dotted with the starry sky, although fleeting, they have left gorgeous traces for history. They may not be the brightest star, but they add a different kind of excitement to history and enrich people's understanding of history. One of the "Four Beauties of Spring and Autumn", Wen Jiang, is such a person.
Background
Wen Jiang is a historical figure in the Spring and Autumn period. She is the daughter of the monarch of Qi and the younger sister of Qi Xianggong. She and her sister Xuanjiang became the objects of competition between the princes and princes of various princes and states at that time because of their beauty (Feng Menglong's ** "Chronicles of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty" called her and Xuanjiang "stunning". At that time, Duke Qi intended to marry Wen Jiang to Zheng Guo's crown prince Hu, but the prince Hu politely rejected the proposal on the grounds that "Qi is not a coincidence". He may have rejected the marriage proposal because he felt that his identity and status did not match him, or because there were other political or family factors. This allusion is recorded in "Zuo Biography": "The public is not faint in Qi, and the Marquis of Qi wants to ignore the eldest son of Zheng with Wen Jiang's wife." The eldest son suddenly resigned, and when people asked why, the eldest son said: 'Everyone has their own coupling, Qi is big, and I am not coupled. ’
Married to Lu State
In 709 BC, Duke Huan of Lu sent an envoy to the state of Qi to ask for a marriage, which was readily agreed, and this marriage led to Wen Jiang becoming the wife of Duke Huan of Lu. This political marriage not only affected the family relations between the two countries, but also laid the groundwork for the subsequent political pattern. A few years later, Wen Jiang and Huan Gong welcomed their first child and were named crown princes. Later, he was enthroned as the Duke of Lu Zhuang, and his special life experience became a unique stroke in the history of Lu State.
Soon after the Duke of Qi, the state of Lu planned to use troops against the state of Zheng, and the Duke of Huan needed to go to the state of Qi to seek support. The action involved a great deal of urgency, and Wen Jiang insisted on going along, but many ministers of the state of Lu strongly opposed it. They felt that it was inappropriate for a woman to accompany them, and perhaps feared that such an action would have a negative impact on the country. Despite facing strong opposition, Duke Huan insisted on his wishes and resolutely decided to go to Qi with Wen Jiang. This move not only demonstrated Huan Gong's trust and respect for Wen Jiang, but also highlighted the importance he attached to diplomatic relations and his firm determination to lead.
Then pass Qi Jun
It turned out that before Wen Jiang got married, she had an improper private relationship with her brother Gongzi Zhu'er, who later became Qi Xianggong. When Lu Huangong went to visit Qi State, Qi Xianggong had been on the throne for many years, and the reason why Wen Jiang insisted on accompanying him may be to meet Qi Xianggong again, or to rekindle the old relationship. As soon as she arrived in Qi State, she had an affair with Qi Xianggong again. Paper can't hold the fire, this improper relationship was soon known, and after Lu Huangong learned about it, although he had special feelings for Wen Jiang, in other countries, he could only blame Wen Jiang. However, Wen Jiang did not realize his mistake, but informed Qi Xianggong of Lu Huangong's reprimand. This act angered Qi Xianggong and deepened his hostility towards Lu Huangong, who began to plan a murder against him.
Soon after, Qi Xianggong held a grand banquet for Lu Huangong. However, at the banquet, Qi Xianggong took the opportunity to get Lu Huangong drunk, and then ordered someone to carry him into the carriage, killing Lu Huangong in the carriage. The death of Lu Huan Gong in Qi caused strong anger and dissatisfaction among the people of Lu and **. This assassination incident aroused the indignation and dissatisfaction of the entire Lu country, and the Qi country was filled with strong anger. In order to alleviate the anger of the Lu State, Qi Xianggong was forced to take action. In order to appease the dissatisfaction of the Lu State, Qi Xianggong ordered the execution of Peng Sheng, the ** son who killed Lu Huangong. The Book of SongsIn Daya Zhan Wei", "The bandits descended from heaven and were born from women" is talking about this thing.
Stay in Qi country
After the death of Duke Lu Huan, her son succeeded to the throne and became the monarch of Lu Zhuanggong, who was the monarch of Lu in "Cao Di's Polemic". Although Lu Huangong's body was sent back to Lu and buried in his homeland, Wen Jiang chose to stay in Qi to avoid the embarrassment and pressure brought by returning to China. She chose to settle in a place called "Zhen" on the border, which in Wen Jiang's eyes belonged to neither the Qi nor the Lu country, as if it had become a safe haven for her from the world. Later, after the death of Qi Xianggong, Wen Jiang still stayed in Zhendi, but she did not sit back or live passively. On the contrary, she used wise diplomacy to actively assist her son Lu Zhuang Gong in governing the country. She has demonstrated remarkable wisdom in the field of politics and diplomacy and contributed to the stability and prosperity of the country.
Assist Lu Jun
With the changes in the political situation in the Qi State, Wen Jiang saw an opportunity in the political upheaval after the death of Qi Xianggong. She decided to return to Lu and began to assist Lu Zhuang Gong in government affairs. Wen Jiang's return is an important political support and boost for Lu Guo, who has used her rich experience and wisdom to help her son deal with political challenges and play a huge role in diplomacy. It is worth mentioning that Wen Jiang tried his best to facilitate the marriage between the daughter of Duke Lu Zhuang and Duke Xiang of Qi, and this political marriage consolidated the relationship between Lu and Qi. This marriage not only eased the tension between the two countries, but also laid a solid foundation for friendly exchanges and future cooperation between the two countries.
First of all, Wen Jiang's return to her hometown means her sense of responsibility and loyalty to the state of Lu. At the moment of alternation of political power and confrontation of family interests, she chose to return to her hometown, not only as a support for the Lu country, but also as a firm statement of family bloodline and leadership. Her return during this turbulent period stabilized people's hearts and provided solid support for the smooth transition of the political situation in Lu.
Second, Wen Jiang showed excellent political strategy and diplomatic skills. She assisted Lu Zhuanggong in handling state affairs, not only providing valuable advice, but also showing superb skills in domestic and foreign exchanges. Her wisdom and decisiveness have made her an important advisor and decision-maker for the country's political stability and national interests.
Finally, Wen Jiang carried out diplomatic activities between Lu and Qi with wisdom and flexibility. She sought cooperation and compromise in the crisis, which led to the marriage between the two countries, enhanced the friendly relations between the two countries, and made a major contribution to maintaining peace and stability in the region. As a woman, Wen Jiang has demonstrated excellent leadership and diplomacy in times of change and turmoil, and her return and decision to contribute to the stability and prosperity of the country of Lu have demonstrated her preeminence as a political figure. She not only made outstanding contributions to the country with her wisdom and ability, but also set an example full of wisdom and courage for future generations.
In historical records, Wen Jiang frequently met with Duke Qi Xiang after the death of Duke Lu Huan, involving the events of Duke Lu Zhuang several times, and each meeting seems to have given rise to different interpretations. Some interpretations believe that these meetings were private collusion, and the evaluation of "adultery" implies the private relationship between Wen Jiang and Qi Xianggong. Another interpretation, however, emphasizes that these meetings were intended to promote relations between the two countries and to repair, maintain, or develop diplomatic cooperation between the states of Lu and Qi. Others interpret these meetings as private deals, or even collusion with the state of Qi, which has caused damage to the political stability and credibility of the state.
Wen Jiang and Xuan Jiang
The background and plot of the aforementioned allusion to "Qi Da Fei Couple" illustrate the intricate disputes between politics and families at that time. Gongzi's rejection of Wen Jiang may be due to considerations for Wen Jiang and his family, such as the fact that the matter of the brother and sister ** may be known, or it may be due to the family background of Zheng Zhaogong and the prestige of his father Zheng Zhuanggong, these factors may have played an important role in Gongzi's decision-making. But later Gongzi suddenly ascended the throne as Zheng Zhaogong, and his fate was also bumpy. He went through the ups and downs of usurpation, exile, and re-reinstatement, but even after being reinstated, he was still mired in the power struggle within Zheng Guo, and finally unfortunately suffered an assassination. If Wen Jiang marries Zheng Zhaogong, he may be deeply involved in the power struggle within Zheng Guo and face greater risks and challenges. It is worth mentioning that after the assassination of Zheng Zhaogong, his younger brother ascended the throne, but was killed by Qi Xianggong.
In addition, Wen Jiang's younger sister was married to Wei Xuangong, the monarch of the Wei Kingdom, who was known as the most lustful monarch of the Spring and Autumn Period. Originally, she was going to marry Xuangong's son, but because of her beauty, she was married by Wei Xuangong as his wife, and gave birth to two sons, Gongzi Shou and Gongzi Shuo. Because of this, Xuanjiang resented Wei Xuangong, so he conspired with his son to slander Xuangong, causing Wei Xuangong to depose the crown prince Qizi and kill him. However, this act also led to the accidental death of Childe Shou (he drunk his brother and then died for him), and the crown prince was killed. His other son ascended the throne, but the throne was unstable, so under the operation of Qi Xianggong, she married another son of Wei Xuangong and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Compared with the rebellious Wen Jiang, Xuan Jiang is too rebellious and submissive.
Mixed reviews
Since the Spring and Autumn Period, the sisters have been criticized by later generations for their bewitching and lascivious images. In the pen and ink depictions of literati for more than 2,000 years, they have been accused of being the best and disregarding traditional morality. Especially in some works, such as "Zuo Chuan" (by Zuo Qiu Ming), "The Legend of the Martyr" (by Liu Xiang), and Feng Menglong's "Chronicles of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty" in the Ming Dynasty, this accusation is more prominent. These writings portray them as glamorous and lascivious, and severely criticize their actions for violating traditional values such as the three obediences and four virtues of antiquity.
However, unlike other works, Lu Guo's literature has a very different evaluation of the sisters, especially Wen Jiang's evaluation is quite positive. This positive assessment may be based on her contribution to the state of Lu: during the reign of Duke Lu Zhuang and Duke Qi Xiang, there was no war between the two countries, and she made efforts to maintain and develop relations between the two countries. and helped Lu to achieve some diplomatic benefits, such as the situation of Lu Zhuanggong and the combined forces of Qi, Song, Chen, and Cai to defend the country. This fact is partly a testament to her contribution and impact on the country. It is worth mentioning that Wen Jiang's nickname is "Wen", and if she is called "Huan Jiang" according to the title norms at the time. These details may reflect a positive assessment of her in the country of Lu, rather than a view of her negative image.
The changes of history and the limitations of society made it extremely difficult for women like Wen Jiang and Xuan Jiang to live in that era. As the daughters of princes, especially beauties with peerless faces, their life trajectories are often limited by family political and diplomatic considerations, rather than independent choices. At a time when women were generally low and patriarchal societies were prevalent, they often married for political ties, family interests, or to maintain relations between vassal states. Their beauty and marriage often fall victim to political wrestling and exchange of interests. These women were forced to marry different princes such as father and son because of their beauty and background, reflecting the cruelty of the political struggle at the time and the powerful influence of family interests. Their tragedies are victims of political struggles and diplomatic games, and their real personal lives and emotions are often overshadowed and forgotten by the wheels of history. (*Taken from the Internet, invaded and deleted).