In 202 BC, Liu Bang, the ancestor of the Han Dynasty, established the Han Dynasty and set the capital of Chang'an, known as the Western Han Dynasty. After the establishment of the Western Han Dynasty, Liu Bang adopted the national policy of "recuperation". Taxes for the domestic people have been reduced and exempted, and water conservancy projects have been built throughout the country to create conditions for the resumption of agricultural development; Externally, it used the friendly Huairou policy to pacify and unite the Xiongnu and maintain peace in the northern border areas. Liu Bang's national policy of recuperation played a significant role in the recovery of national strength and economic development of the Han Dynasty, and the Han Dynasty became increasingly prosperous.
However, Liu Bang, the ancestor of the Han Dynasty, also had his own troubles, in June of the second year of the Han Dynasty (205 years ago), Liu Bang and Liu Bang were still princes and kings, and Liu Ying was appointed as the prince. Liu Ying is the eldest son of Liu Bang and Empress Lu Pheasant, and the establishment of the eldest son as the prince is in line with the regulations. Three years later, Liu Bang became the emperor of the Han Empire, and Liu Ying naturally became the crown prince. However, there is no harm if there is no comparison, Liu Ruyi, the son born to Liu Bang and his concubine Mrs. Qi, is not only similar in appearance to Liu Bang, but also similar in personality and style to Liu Bang. In this way, Liu Ruyi, who has the style of a king, compared with Liu Ying, the prince who has a weak and generous personality, Liu Bang likes Liu Ruyi more. In addition, Liu Bang's original partner Lu Pheasant is old and decrepit and is not pampered, while Mrs. Qi is young and beautiful, so she is deeply favored by Liu Bang. Mrs. Qi was close to the water, so she wanted Liu Bang to set up her own son as the prince, and the wind on the pillow blew tightly. Over time, Liu Bang had the idea of abolishing the crown prince Liu Ying and setting up Liu Ruyi as the crown prince.
In the tenth year of Emperor Gao of the Han Dynasty (197 BC), Liu Bang convened his ministers to discuss the matter of replacing the crown prince, but the ministers all expressed opposition to Liu Bang's idea. The abolition of Chang Liyu has always been the main culprit for causing turmoil among princes or the royal family, and it is not in line with traditional etiquette. Since the decline of the Zhou Dynasty and the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, although everyone is not subject to the rule of the Zhou Dynasty, they have inherited the etiquette system of the Zhou Dynasty. For hundreds of years, the appointment of the eldest son as a prince or prince was strictly observed by the vassal states. Han Gaozu Liu Bang changed the prince, and he was dusty in front of the minister, so he could only put it aside for the time being.
Although the crown prince Liu Ying is weak by nature, his mother Lu Hou is a ruthless character. Empress Lu instructed Liu Bang to change the crown prince could not just pass, and she stepped up the pace of protecting her son as the crown prince. At this time, Empress Lü also had a certain amount of power among the ministers of the imperial court, and someone suggested to Empress Lü that if he wanted to keep the position of Prince Liu Ying, he must go to Liu Bang's adviser Zhang Liang for advice.
Zhang Liang, whose name is Zifang, is the founding hero of Liu Bang's establishment of the Han Dynasty, and is known as the "Three Masters of the Early Han Dynasty" along with Han Xin and Xiao He. The allusion to the famous "Hongmen Banquet" in history tells that Liu Bang was able to get out of the Hongmen Banquet set up by Xiang Yu in accordance with Zhang Liang's strategy. Liu Bang was able to win the battle between Chu and Han and establish the Han Dynasty, and Zhang Liang can be said to have made great contributions. After the establishment of the Western Han Dynasty, Liu Bang sealed Zhang Liang as a waiter. However, Zhang Liang had no interest in fiefdom and wealth, and began to pursue the study of Huang Lao, and traveled all over the world with people who had Taoism, living without a fixed place, and the dragon saw the beginning and the end.
In order to find Zhang Liang and ask for advice, Empress Lu ordered his brother Chengcheng Hou Lu Shizhi to send someone to find Zhang Liang. Finally, Lu Shizhi found Zhang Liang, but Zhang Liang adhered to the principle of "intimacy", thinking that the matter of replacing the crown prince was a family affair of the emperor and was unwilling to help Empress Lu. Lu Shizhi coerced Zhang Liang by force, but Zhang Liang had no choice but to offer a plan. Let the crown prince Liu Ying invite the "Shangshan Sihao" out of the mountain no matter what, and assist the prince. These four great sages are very old, and Liu Bang has repeatedly invited them to go out of the mountain to help him achieve the great cause of the world, but they have always been rejected. If "Shangshan Sihao" can come out to assist Liu Ying, he can prove to Liu Bang that the ability of the crown prince Liu Ying is not what it used to be, so as to dispel Liu Bang's idea of replacing the prince.
According to Zhang Liang's strategy, Empress Lu did everything possible to invite the "Shangshan Sihao" to the side of the crown prince Liu Ying. Since then, the four idlers have been accompanied by the prince Liu Ying all day long, and Liu Ying's knowledge of governing the country. After Liu Bang saw it, his opinion of Liu Ying changed greatly, thinking that Liu Ying's wings were now stiff, and if he considered replacing him, it would lead to unforeseen consequences. One day, Liu Bang went to the palace of his concubine, Mrs. Qi danced the fashionable Chu dance, and Liu Bang sang "Honghu Song" while building: "Honghu flies high, and it is a thousand miles in one fell swoop." Yu Xi has been completed, across the four seas. Across the world, what can I do? Although there is a forgiveness, what is Shang An? In this way, he expressed to his concubine that the crown prince Liu Ying was already full-fledged, and he was able to strike the sky, even if he had a bow and arrow in his hand, he was helpless. Liu Bang completely dispelled the idea of abolishing the crown prince.
In 195 BC, in the twelfth year of Gaozu of the Han Dynasty, Liu Bang died, and the sixteen-year-old crown prince Liu Ying finally succeeded to the throne as he wished. During his reign, Emperor Hui of the Han Dynasty continued to implement the national policy of "recuperation and recuperation" formulated by Liu Bang, so that the early Western Han Dynasty maintained political system and social stability, and sustained economic and cultural development. It laid a solid foundation for the peaceful and prosperous era of the later "Wenjing Zhizhi".