In ancient times, the eldest son of the king usually succeeded to the throne, while the other second sons and concubines could also obtain their own thrones. For example, the parallel system of counties and states implemented by the Han Dynasty made Liu Bang's concubine Liu Fei the king of Qi.
During the Rebellion of the Seven Kings, King Zhao, King Jinan and others openly rebelled against Emperor Jing. By the time of the Tang Dynasty, Li Shimin was the king of Qin, and later ascended to the throne during the Xuanwumen Rebellion.
At the end of the Tang Dynasty, Li Keyong and Zhu Wen were awarded the title of prince for their contribution to the suppression of the Huangchao Uprising, and what they had in common was that the name of the prince was canonized by the name of the place or the name of the ancient country. In the Qing Dynasty, although the princes were canonized with auspicious characters, and there were princes and county kings, but when entering the customs, they were also divided into three princes named after the place, they were Wu Sangui, the king of Pingxi in Yunnan, Shang Kexi, the king of Pingnan in Guangdong, and Geng Jingzhong, the king of Jingnan in Fujian.
This is because they helped the Qing army enter the customs and were canonized. These princes wield a lot of power, and if left unchecked, could lead to rebellion. Therefore, the Qing Dynasty adopted the method of canonization of place names to prevent the rebellion of its princes.
The imperial system in Chinese history has been replete with power struggles and ruthless purges. From the lack of actual fiefdoms of princes in the Tang and Song dynasties to the centralized rule and royal purges of the Qing Dynasty, family affection often appears fragile in the face of power.
The fiefdom system of the Ming Dynasty and the punishment system for entering Beijing in the Qing Dynasty also showed the ruthlessness and cruelty of power.
After the Qing Dynasty entered the customs, it was natural to create a set of its own system. Among them, the implementation of "shaving hair and making it easy to wear" and the abolition of the crown dress system have changed the living habits of the people in the Central Plains.
In addition, the Qing Dynasty also made a distinction between princes and feudal systems, which allowed the Qing army to establish the world and weaken the influence of the Ming Dynasty. In order to further distinguish the previous dynasties, the Qing Dynasty also adopted the practice of banning the prince and preventing the prince from leaving Beijing for activities.
The Qing Dynasty did this to consolidate its rule and limit the power of the princes.
Lessons from History, Prudent Approach to the Knighthood System In history, the knighthood system has often brought more problems than help. Just like Liu Bang's parallel system of counties and states, the result was that the heirs in various places competed for power and profit, and even became the leading factor in the rebellion.
The princes of the Qing Dynasty also died and could not leave the capital, which is a lesson in history. Therefore, when we implement the knighthood system, we must carefully consider it to avoid sealing without building and avoiding future troubles, and at the same time, we must not let the title become a breeding ground for dissatisfaction and rebellion.
The emperor was reluctant to give his land to others, not even his own brother or son. People who have tasted power are usually reluctant to let go easily. The centralized system of the Qing Dynasty reached its highest peak, and it can even be said to be a morbid embodiment.
Before the Ming Dynasty, there were prime ministers who fought against the imperial power, but after the Hu Weiyong case, the imperial power was gradually improved, and no one could stop the emperor's actions. The emperor must have wanted to be in power in his heart, and he didn't want others to get a piece of the pie.
For thousands of years, the ancient imperial power has been continuously concentrated. The Qing Dynasty's captive policy was nothing more than a conformity with the trend of history. They did not want to give the prince a fief, but the name of the country or place.
If he uses the name of auspiciousness, such as Prince Li, he will always pay attention to his ceremonial image, so as not to tarnish the word etiquette. It can not only restrain himself, but also avoid the dissent caused by the absence of a fief.
The princes of the Qing Dynasty were like canaries in captivity, without fiefdoms. Before entering the customs, they did not have much land, so the princes naturally could not use the name of the country or the name of the place as a headhead.
Once you enter the customs, this tradition will naturally continue. The Qing Dynasty's policy of demotion was also ingenious. Only some Iron Hat Kings can be hereditary, and the rest will be lowered in the next generation, saving some of the burden for the country.
The Qing Dynasty's decision not to use place names as titles was mainly to maintain the emperor's authority and stable rule. In doing so, we can avoid excessive local power and a threat to **.
At the same time, not using place names as titles can also reduce the burden on the imperial court and avoid unnecessary disputes caused by fiefdom taxes. The Qing Dynasty was well aware of the lessons of the rebellion of the three feudatories and did not want this situation to happen again, so it took this decision.