Empress Dowager Feng of the Northern Wei Dynasty is a heroic woman who holds up a world and is comparable to the Empress of Zetian
Do we remember a unique female politician in China's long history? She became empress at the age of 15 and went on to lead three generations of emperors who laid the foundation of the Northern Wei dynasty. She not only shoulders the heavy responsibility of governing the country, but also has a rich emotional world. She is the Empress Dowager Feng.
When power and beauty meet and shine, people are inevitably attracted to it. But it seems to be more than just looks that attracted Empress Dowager Feng's male suitors. Among them were warriors who protected her from war, counselors who helped her quell rebellions, and people who melted her heart with kindness. Behind these stories, there is a wise, decisive, powerful and extremely feminine Empress Dowager Feng.
What stories and legends did Empress Dowager Feng carry in her life as a great woman? In the face of power change and emotional loss, how did she resolve the crisis and rise again? We follow in her footsteps and explore this wonderful life.
A little girl entered the palace at the age of 11 and was crowned queen at the age of 15.
At the beginning of the accession to the throne of the Northern Wei Emperor Tuoba Jun, he was in the prime of life. He is erudite and talented, both civil and military, and has won the hearts of the people. However, Empress Liu was too old to give birth to a second son for him. For the sake of the royal family, she ordered the selection of a beautiful woman to enter the palace to continue the strings.
According to reports from the capital this year, there is a girl surnamed Feng in Hebei Province, who can be described as both talented and beautiful. She was born with clear eyebrows and beautiful eyes, and her skin was as white as oil. Although he is still young, he has a delicate figure. When Emperor Wencheng heard about this person, he was overjoyed and immediately sent someone to take her into the palace.
Emperor Wencheng was really impressed by Feng's natural beauty. Fung's long hair reaches to his waist, like a waterfall. Between the eyebrows, it is extremely charming, singing and dancing lightly, as if flying in the air. Emperor Wencheng summoned him to sleep every day and never left. In just one year, the eleven-year-old Feng sat like a nobleman.
15-year-old Feng Xiaogang is getting more and more beautiful. He quoted scriptures, was eloquent, and showed wisdom and wisdom. He is not only proficient in piano, chess, calligraphy and painting, but also knows the art of war, and can speak well, which often surprises Emperor Wencheng. In the end, Emperor Wencheng decided to depose the original Empress Liu and make the 15-year-old Empress Feng the new empress. Legend has it that Empress Dowager Feng was a beautiful woman worthy of a wise and martial emperor.
But the good times were short-lived, and Emperor Wencheng died in 465, leaving Empress Dowager Feng a widow at the age of 24. At the same time, the political situation in the Northern Wei Dynasty was turbulent, the crown prince was young, and the prime minister Tuoba Daohu rebelled. In search of a new ruler, the imperial court was in turmoil. How does a newly widowed young woman cope with such a difficult situation?
I swore allegiance to the column.
At the funeral of Emperor Wencheng, Empress Dowager Feng hugged the stone pillar of Emperor Wencheng and cried bitterly. She was in a trance and ran towards the crematorium! At this time, all the ** present were terrified, but no one dared to step forward. At this time, the young scholar Li Yi stepped forward and rushed into the fire to save her.
It turns out that Li Yi is an excellent young talent. He was not only handsome and dashing, but also brave and upright. He was born in a famous family, and because of his excellent character and learning, Emperor Wencheng valued him very much and promoted him to be an editor. At the funeral of Emperor Wencheng, he did not hesitate to rush into the sea of fire and risked his life to rescue the grief-stricken Empress Dowager Feng.
Li Yi's behavior left a deep impression on Empress Dowager Feng. This bold rescue not only showed Li Yi's extraordinary courage and courage, but also made Empress Dowager Feng very grateful.
They soon got to know each other and gradually developed feelings. For Empress Dowager Feng, who has just experienced the pain of losing her husband, Li Yi is undoubtedly a rain. He was kind and empathetic, and rescued Empress Dowager Feng from her grief. Li Yi was like a beam of light, bringing a touch of warmth to Empress Dowager Feng's heart that was gloomy due to the loss of her husband.
Soon, the prime minister Tuoba Daohu, who wanted to seize power, launched a rebellion. Empress Dowager Feng was in danger of being forced into power. In this coup d'état, Li Ru did not hesitate to support Empress Dowager Feng, used his ability, united his friends, helped Empress Dowager Feng give advice, and finally quelled the rebellion and seized power. It can be said that without Li Yu's strategy and support, it would be difficult for Empress Dowager Feng to change the situation and stabilize the regime.
However, the good times did not last long, and the situation in the DPRK and China was sinister. Under the surveillance of the imperial court, Emperor Xianwen had to order the execution of Li Mi in order to win the hearts of the people. This is undoubtedly a heavy blow to the Empress Dowager Feng. The pain of Emperor Xianwen's death has not completely subsided, and his confidant and friend Li Ju died suddenly. Empress Dowager Feng was heartbroken and washed her face with tears all day long. From then on, she began to hold a grudge against Emperor Han Xian. Soon, at her instigation, Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty was deposed, and the young Emperor Xiaowen inherited the throne, known in history"The Queen Mother"。It was the first period in which three dynasties were ruled by women in a row.
A brave general who swore allegiance.
After Li You was killed, Empress Dowager Feng's heart was empty. During this period, her eunuch Zhao Xi often referred to a general named Wang Rui. She said that this Wang Rui can be said to be a true man who is brave and good at fighting, and is happy to take revenge. Empress Dowager Feng was very curious when she heard this, and when she left the palace, she specially asked people to call him to take a look.
It is not surprising that Empress Dowager Feng fell in love with Wang Rui at first sight, because he has a dignified appearance and awe-inspiring temperament. He was highly skilled in martial arts and suggested that Empress Dowager Feng implement a moderate criminal law to calm the people's minds. Empress Dowager Feng admired his insight. Soon, this brave general won the favor of Empress Dowager Feng.
Once upon a time, Empress Dowager Feng and Emperor Xiaowen were watching tigers in the garden and suddenly encountered a crisis. A tiger suddenly jumped out of its cage and was in critical condition. At this time, Wang Rui's life and death were uncertain, and he raised his halberd and shouted that the tiger had returned to the cage. The Empress Dowager Cixi praised him and thanked him for his wisdom and bravery. The Empress Dowager Cixi was impressed by Wang Rui's fearless composure and courage.
Since then, Wang Rui has been accompanying the Empress Dowager Cixi in and out of the palace and becoming her personal bodyguard. He was also proficient in political strategy and made many military exploits. The Empress Dowager Cixi trusted him and let him participate in important matters. The relationship between them is getting closer and closer. Although Wang Rui sympathized with the Empress Dowager Cixi, he kept a low profile, was loyal to the Empress Dowager Cixi, and did not make any concessions.
But the good times didn't last long. When he was in his 40s, Wang Rui died of illness, and the Empress Dowager Cixi was very sad. The Empress Dowager Cixi personally handled Wang Rui's funeral and took care of his wife and children, which shows the depth of their friendship. Wang Rui served the country all his life, and finally retired under the grace of the Empress Dowager Cixi, enjoying the peace of the beginning and the end. His spirit of serving the country with loyalty has become a model for future generations.
A kind man, a confidant in the bedroom.
After Wang Rui's death, Empress Dowager Feng had another close friend. In the palace, Li Chong was very politically minded, and Empress Dowager Feng admired it very much; In the cabinet, he also won the affection of Empress Dowager Feng with his kindness and thoughtfulness. Li Chong is gentle and polite.
The Wen Taowu strategy in his speech was highly appreciated by the Empress Dowager Cixi. It can be seen that the personable young scholar and the mighty Wang Rui are completely different in nature. He often accompanied the Empress Dowager Cixi and talked about major events in the world to advise the Empress Dowager Cixi; Sometimes he would play the piano and compose poems, and play word games to pass the night to calm the mood of the Empress Dowager Cixi.
The Empress Dowager Cixi, of course, was very supportive of him. In less than a month, the Empress Dowager Cixi made him a duke and promoted him to an important position. Li Chong is also politically diligent, conscientious and responsible, and always stands at the height of the overall situation to give advice to the Empress Dowager Cixi.
For example, at his suggestion, the capital was moved to Luoyang. It can be said that this is a political relationship of grace and power, and it is also a rare friendship. In the end, under the wise judgment of the Empress Dowager Cixi, this difficult reform was carried out smoothly and brought new vitality to the development of the Northern Wei Dynasty.
Beautiful plans, peace and harmony.
When the Southern Dynasty heard that Empress Dowager Feng liked beautiful women, he decided to send the handsome envoy Liu Ziyuan to the Northern Wei Dynasty. As expected, he immediately won the favor of Empress Dowager Feng. Liu Zigen was handsome and generous, and soon won the favor of Empress Dowager Feng. But she is not just a pretty girl, she is also a skilled political messenger. She skillfully used her position to impress Empress Dowager Feng, and at the same time made the Northern Wei court of Southern Qi impress her.
Since then, the Southern Qi Dynasty has often sent Liu Ziyuan as an envoy, and he is indeed a peaceful man, who can influence the Empress Dowager Feng every time and ease relations between the two countries. It can be said that this very close diplomatic relationship between Empress Dowager Feng and Liu Ziyuan brought long-term peace to the two countries.
Of course, this kind"Beauty diplomacy"It seems somewhat anachronistic today. But we must also remember that this was a feudal period, with a low status for women and it was difficult for them to participate directly in politics. Empress Dowager Feng had to use all her strengths, including her beauty, to gain influence. Fortunately, she played an active role in winning a precious peace for both countries.
She had a rough life and was known as the patriarch of the Three Dynasties. Empress Dowager Feng's life is full of legends. She succeeded three emperors and helped them consolidate power and implement reforms. She was regent twice and reigned for a particularly long time. She braved hardships and obstacles and bravely led the country, which was praised by future generations.
As a woman, she can be said to be an outlier. Empress Dowager Feng's love life is also quite colorful. She falls in love with several male suitors and gives everything she has for them. Li Can's life-saving grace, Wang Rui's dedication, Li Can's resourcefulness, these men made Empress Dowager Feng unforgettable.
At the same time, it is also entrusted with important responsibilities and gives them the opportunity to display their talents. These moving stories allow us to create a vivid and three-dimensional image of the Empress Dowager Feng. She is a woman who hides her merit and fame and regards power like dung. For thousands of years, people have had mixed evaluations of Empress Dowager Feng.
But it is undeniable that she is a pioneer of female political participation in Chinese history. In a world dominated almost by men, she uses her wit, courage, and perseverance. This is a great encouragement to all women who have the courage to act. We can also follow the example of Empress Dowager Feng, live consciously and work hard.