There are different theories about the reasons for the fall of the Northern Qi Dynasty, among which the corruption of officials and the corruption of the rule are regarded as the main reasons. However, there is one key factor that is often overlooked: ethnic division.
This article will analyze the real reasons for the demise of the Northern Qi Dynasty from this perspective. As a dynasty in history, the Northern Qi does not seem to have a high sense of existence.
However, the history of the North and South Dynasties, which was full of blood and tears, is an unavoidable fact for our entire nation.
Many people may be reluctant to understand and study history because of their fear and avoidance. However, we must understand that when looking at historical issues, we must have a concept of time and space, and if we look at the past from the historical perspective of the present, it is easy to have different views.
However, if you can understand history from the perspective of time and space at that time, you may be able to gain a deeper understanding of this issue.
Although there were frequent wars during the Northern and Southern Dynasties, they still occupy an important place in Chinese history. Without silt, how can there be lotus? It was the chaos of the Northern and Southern Dynasties that created the prosperity of the later Sui and Tang dynasties.
Let's get down to business and talk about the Northern Qi Dynasty. During this period, a powerful and unified Xianbei regime emerged in the north, the Northern Wei Dynasty.
Although Emperor Xiaowen admired Han culture and promoted a large number of sinicization measures to greatly improve the economy and culture, this also buried hidden dangers.
Later, the Northern Wei Dynasty became the Eastern Wei Dynasty and the Western Wei Dynasty, and the general Gao Huan controlled the Eastern Wei Dynasty and actually controlled the dynasty. His son forced Emperor Chan Rang and established the Northern Qi Dynasty. This is the background of the Northern Qi Dynasty.
The reform of Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty was an important part of the historical process, although it played a role in promoting social progress, but it also caused ethnic division to a certain extent.
When implementing reforms, Emperor Xiaowen was too impatient and relied on political violence to implement policies, which made some Xianbei nobles choose to compromise, which hid great risks.
Although the sinicization measures seem to be going smoothly on the surface, they actually hide a lot of hidden dangers.
The samurai of the Northern Wei Dynasty, because of the implementation of the Sinicization policy, the aristocratic society was divided into two parts. Some of them in Luoyang have fully accepted the sinicization, intermarried with large Han families, and learned the culture and customs of the Han people.
There is no trace of their descendants of the Xianbei people. The other part of the nobility, who were deployed on the northern border for military reasons, fought against the powerful Rouran, and still retained the traditions and culture of the Xianbei people.
Although they are both Xianbei people, the two parts of the people have looked down on each other. The Sinicized Xianbei people thought that these military men in the north lacked education and were rude and ignorant. The Xianbei people who did not have sinicization thought that the nobles of Luoyang were too weak and lacked martial spirit.
On the surface, this is just a cultural difference, but in fact it has caused a real **.
Gao Huan: Regardless of Gao Huan's character, his military and political talents are commendable, and he can be called a "hero".
Regarding his origin, there are different theories, some people think that he is a Xianbei person, some people think that he is a Xianbei Han Chinese, and the specific situation is difficult to investigate.
However, what is certain is that even if he is a Han Chinese, he has been deeply influenced by Xianbei culture.
Based on Gao Huan's charm and birth background, he has the natural advantage of reconciling the contradictions between the Xianbei and Han people. Before the reform of Emperor Xiaowen, the status of Xianbei aristocratic soldiers was high, and it was also the guarantee of the combat effectiveness of the Northern Wei Dynasty.
After the reform, the status of the Han people rose sharply, while the status of the Xianbei soldiers declined sharply, and the conflict and hatred between the two deepened.
For example, in the 157th volume of the "Zizhi Tongjian", it is written: He said to the Xianbei people: The Han people are your slaves, the men plough the fields for you, and the women weave cloth for you, give them millet and cloth, so that they can be fed and clothed, why do you oppress them?
He said to the Han people, 'Why do you hate the Xianbei people, who are your guests, and they give you a piece of corn and a piece of cloth to repel the thieves and keep you safe?'
Gao Huan's clever rhetoric reflects his wise understanding of the relationship between the Xianbei and the Han Chinese, emphasizing their contribution to the Xianbei people and their protective role in front of the Han Chinese.
However, despite his high emotional intelligence, the complexity of human nature is such that conflicts will eventually erupt. Therefore, Gao Huan's biggest mistake was not institutionalizing his ideas to prevent possible conflicts in the future.
Gao Huan laid the foundation for the Northern Qi Dynasty, but gave up the opportunity to usurp the throne and let future generations enjoy the fruits of his efforts. His son, Gao Cheng, was young and promising, but he was also assassinated when he was preparing to usurp the throne, leaving a legacy of resentment.
As a result, Gao Yang took over the baton of victory and became the de facto ruler of Northern Qi.
After Gao Yang ascended to the throne, he was well aware of his own instability and the control of the country's armed forces by the Xianbei aristocracy. In order to stabilize his position, he began to reward Xianbei nobles on a large scale, and in just one day, he crowned 30 kings, and promoted hundreds of officials and former border officials in the six states.
This move made the entire imperial court cheer, especially the Xianbei soldiers of the Six Towns, because they received the greatest benefits.
Although the Han Chinese in Northern Qi were rewarded, the Xianbei knights occupied the cornerstone of their rule. Gao Yang only has violence and butcher knives in his eyes, and Xianbei soldiers are his pillars.
According to the statistics of the Chronology of the Ministers of the Northern Qi Dynasty, among the more than 110 generals, ten of them are Xianbei people or Han people with a high degree of Xianbei. Han Chinese aristocrats could only hold auxiliary positions, and they were often suppressed and suspicious, and few ended well.
Gao Yang is a murderer, and many of the unlucky people are Han Chinese. The emperor's leadership exacerbated the contradictions between the Xianbei and Han Chinese, and by the end of Gao Yang's reign, the two sides were already incompatible.
Although the warrior figures in the mural represent the fact that the military power of the Northern Qi Dynasty was mainly dependent on the Xianbei people, the Han Chinese played a cornerstone role in the economic construction of the entire country.
If military power is completely separated from economic power, the consequences will be unimaginably severe.
Under Gao Yang's protection, the Xianbei aristocracy quickly degenerated, and once these nobles with a low level of education took control of the entire country's ruling apparatus, they would lose their sense of awe, and the whole country would fall into the quagmire of corruption, and this situation would be difficult to reverse.
The corruption of these aristocratic groups was based on the exploitation of the peasants, which led to the bankruptcy of the peasants, so that the economic situation of the country was almost on the verge of collapse.
The fall of the Northern Qi Dynasty was like a dead end, and the Northern Qi, which was originally stronger than the Western Wei and Southern Liang, became the weakest of the three countries, and also laid the groundwork for the Northern Zhou troops in the future.
The decline and fall of a state is often made up of a variety of causes, like cooking small dishes, seemingly trivial mistakes, which, if not corrected in time, can also become the end of the dynasty.