The Khitan Yelu Chucai saved the Han people in the Central Plains
Yelu Chucai, this name sowed the seeds of heroes in the hearts of many people, his deeds were widely spread, known as the savior, once assisted the monarchs of the Mongolian two dynasties, and made indelible contributions to the establishment of the Yuan Dynasty.
But we may have only heard of the name and knew that he made a great contribution, but most people know very little about what he did. Today, let's take a closer look at this character and explore this Khitan hero and why people say that he saved tens of millions of Han people in the Central Plains.
Yelu Chucai, a descendant of Khitan nobles, the son of the right Cheng of the Jin Dynasty, a Khitan in the early Yuan Dynasty, the word Jinqing, the name Zhanran Jushi, also known as"Jeruman"、"Long-haired man"。
He believes in Buddhism and has written books such as "Journey to the West" and "Five-Star Secret Words". He was tall and bearded, and his family background gave him an in-depth understanding of Han culture, and he grew up in such an environment, developed a strong interest in the breadth and depth of Han culture, and formed his own opinions in his studies.
In addition, he also greatly admired Confucianism, was influenced by Confucianism since he was a child, and was determined to use Confucianism to govern the world and create a stable and prosperous world. With a strong cultural atmosphere and his own efforts, he was erudite and talented at a young age, proficient in many academic subjects, and proficient in Chinese.
He had a tenacious and self-reliant personality, and although he could serve as a provincial governor under the Jin Dynasty system, he did not want to be controlled by others, and despite many persuasions, he finally decided to take the imperial examination.
In the examination, he stood out for his extraordinary talent, was recruited by the imperial court and promoted to the position of Kaizhou Tongzhi. When the Mongols attacked Yanjing, he proposed a practical strategy to help Genghis Khan successfully capture Yanjing, and from then on he became Genghis Khan's favorite vassal and was promoted to auxiliary minister.
He also followed Genghis Khan on his expeditions to the west and Western Xia, and assisted Genghis Khan in achieving brilliant results. After the death of Genghis Khan, Ögedei ascended to the throne of Khan, and he continued to assist Ögedei in his loyal and dutiful duties.
After three years in power, he was promoted to Zhongshu Ling, the prime minister we know as prime minister. He then put forward the idea of "governing the country with Confucianism", and successfully implemented it, making the country richer and stronger, and the people's lives richer and richer.
He devoted his life to assisting the two generations of Mongolian khans, was loyal and patriotic, and was deeply loved by the people. However, after Ogedei's death, his fortunes took a turn. After the death of Ögedei, Genghis Khan's son-in-law Chagatai temporarily took power, while Empress Tregona was in charge of the regents.
However, the relationship between Yelu Chucai and Delegona is not good, because Delegona is too fond of Odura Heman, Yelu Chucai has ** her many times, which has caused the queen's dissatisfaction, and the relationship between the two has deteriorated, and Yelu Chucai has been repeatedly excluded in the future.
In 1244, Yelu Chucai died of grief and anger at the age of fifty-five. After this news came out, the people of the Central Plains and Mongolia were extremely saddened, as if they had lost their parents.
He was posthumously crowned King of Quang Ninh and given the nickname "Wenzheng", which is also a manifestation of the people's deep love and respect for him.
He is loved by the people, and it must be because he has made many contributions to the country. During his reign, the country's laws were not perfect, resulting in a difficult life for the people, and they were often oppressed and even killed indiscriminately by local **.
Yelu Chucai was deeply saddened by this and decided to take action to change the situation. He racked his brains and repeatedly observed public opinion, and finally proposed the temporary law "Cheap Eighteen Things".
Although this law was only temporary, it had a profound impact on the lives of ordinary people. Under the management of the law, the ** began to abide by the regulations, the people were no longer oppressed, their lives became rich and stable, and the country became more orderly.
In the early days of the founding of the Mongolian state, due to the implementation of the system of integration of military and government, there was a lack of governors who specialized in managing government affairs, which led to difficulties in the governance of the country. However, Yelu Chucai proposed to set up Zhongshu Province in **, and used the way of Confucius and Mencius as the criteria for selection**, which made Mongolia's government affairs gradually clear.
In terms of culture, Yelu Chucai vigorously advocated Confucianism and advocated the cultivation of Confucian talents, and cultivated many knowledgeable talents for Mongolia. He also attached great importance to the preservation of culture, establishing the Editing Institute and the Pingyang Sutra Institute, which provided important support for the editing and printing of books during the Mongol period.
This initiative has not only cultivated many talents for Mongolia, but also made great contributions to the preservation and dissemination of culture, and greatly enhanced Mongolia's cultural soft power. In the face of these achievements, we are full of admiration for this capable minister.
As the minister of Mongolia, it is his duty to work for the welfare of Mongolia, but he is not only loved by the Mongolian people, but also supported by tens of millions of people in the Central Plains.
The minister dissuaded his first assistant monarch, Genghis Khan, who was also a monarch who grew up on horseback and often led his troops into battle. After Genghis Khan captured Hebei, Shanxi and other places in the Jin Kingdom, he decided to continue the expedition to the west.
However, the expedition to the west was not a short-term thing, so it was necessary to elect a person to help him manage the Han lands in the north. However, there were no civil officials around him at that time, so he handed over this mission to the general Mu Huali, who was fully responsible for the affairs of the Jin State that had just been successfully conquered.
Although he was a martial artist, he lacked management experience. When he was in charge of the northern Han lands, his management caused the people to live in poverty, and the people began to revolt. Mistaking the people's revolt as hostile to the Mongols, Muhuali suggested to Genghis Khan that the rebellious people be killed and the north turned into pastures.
However, Yelu Chucai came forward and opposed this suggestion. He had insight into Genghis Khan's focus on interests, so he advised him that if these Central Plains people were left to engage in production, they could not only get animal power, but also manpower, which was a long-term plan.
After careful consideration, Genghis Khan accepted Yelu Chucai's suggestion, so that tens of millions of people in the Central Plains avoided the disaster of death.
During the reign of Ogedei, Yelu Chucai was still valued despite his advanced age. He adhered to the principle of excellence in character and learning, and served the Mongolian people with a more rigorous attitude.
Ogedai also adhered to his father's will and led the Mongolian people to continuously expand their territory. However, in a battle with Kaifeng, although the Mongol army broke through the city, due to the stubborn resistance of the Kaifeng soldiers, the Mongol army suffered a heavy loss.
It has been suggested that the people of Kaifeng should be exterminated to vent their anger, but this extreme behavior was not only seen during the reign of Genghis Khan, but also during the Ögedei period.
This kind of massacre not only fails to solve the problem, but also puts the lives of innocent people at risk. Therefore, Ogedei chose tolerance and understanding over blind revenge.
He stressed the need to deal with war in a fair and rational manner and to protect every innocent life, which is the responsibility and mission of a ruler. Despite the difficulties and challenges, Ogedai has always adhered to justice and reason, and his actions have set an excellent example for us to understand that only by treating war with a fair and rational attitude can we truly protect every innocent life.
Yelu Chucai's suggestion swayed Ogedei, and he agreed to leave the people of the Central Plains behind, not only using their labor but also acquiring many skilled craftsmen.
Thus, the people of the Central Plains once again avoided danger. Yelu Chucai's two rescue operations made him establish a noble and kind image in the hearts of the people of the Central Plains. His talent and loving heart deserve our praise, and we thank him for always having a kind heart and helping the Central Plains compatriots successfully escape from danger twice.