Chongzhen and "Water Margin": Why is it set as **? The deep-seated reasons behind it are thought-provoking
There are always some secretive chapters in the historical records, but "Water Margin" is undoubtedly one of the most controversial masterpieces. What's even more surprising is that how did this legacy during the Chongzhen period of the Ming Dynasty become **? Why did the well-known heroes and heroes and wonderful stories of the rivers and lakes cause so much dissatisfaction and disdain at that time?
This article will delve into the historical context of the Chongzhen Dynasty and analyze"Water Margin"The deep reasons behind it, revealing the details of those glorious years. Let's work together in the long river of time, in this confusing and fascinating historical mystery, to find the deep reasons and ban them"Water Margin"。
i.What is the spiritual essence of folklore?
"Water Margin" is the representative work of the Ming Dynasty writer Shi Nai'an, which was first published in the early Ming Dynasty. The work is set against the background of the social reality of the late Northern Song Dynasty, and through the stories of one hundred and eight heroes such as Song Jiang, Wu Yong, and Wu Song, who formed a righteous and chivalrous battle in Liangshanbo, the work expresses their dissatisfaction with the corrupt rule at that time and praises righteousness.
After the publication of the book, it was widely circulated among the common people and was very popular. There is no other reason, because the enthusiasm and wit in the book coincide with the sincere feelings of the people at the bottom.
At that time, the ruling class was corrupt, excessive taxes and miscellaneous taxes were rampant, and the people's lives were overwhelmed. Land grabbing is rampant, and many farmers have lost their livelihoods and been displaced. The authorities are extremely greedy and exploit and plunder without mercy. This kind of ** has caused widespread dissatisfaction among the people.
Song Jiang and others united and helped each other, upheld justice, and became the spiritual pillar of the masses. Song Jiang was born in a scholarly family, but he didn't want to be a pedantic scholar, he just wanted to live a hard life. He made friends and eliminated harm for the people, but for the sake of justice and crime, he had to fall into the grass. Such an image, full of blood and justice between the lines, deeply impressed the reader's heart.
Hence this one"Jungle Legends"It soon became a household name and affected all walks of life. Even women and children can easily chant and recite these beautiful passages, which shows how popular the song is. It is like a clear stream, washing away the wind and snow, washing away the hollowness and decay of the pen of vulgar literati, and bringing vitality and righteousness to people.
The most surprising thing about the book is that all the characters have memorable nicknames. Such as Lu Zhishen, Hua Monk, Zhu Wu, Lei Laohu, Li Kui, Double Whip, etc., these nicknames give full play to the characters' character traits and martial arts, making readers feel good and admire.
Arguably, these nicknames enlivened a dry history and were the main reason for Sue Kenneally's rapid rise to popularity. Through these nicknames, readers can gain insight into the image and behavior of the protagonist and realize the ideal hero image in their minds. This is fully in line with the inner needs of the people at the bottom, that is, the need for spiritual pillars and beliefs to dispel the doom and haze of reality and ignite the flame of hope for struggle.
ii.The tide of the uprising was high, and the ruling class was terrified.
In the middle and late Ming Dynasty, the imperial court became increasingly corrupt, and popular revolts occurred frequently. In the second year of the Apocalypse (1622), the White Lotus Rebellion broke out in Shandong; In the seventh year of the Apocalypse (1627), a peasant uprising led by Wang Er broke out in Chengcheng, Shaanxi. These events have sent the ruling class into a panic.
Especially the Chengcheng uprising. It was a time of great drought, food was scarce, and a large number of people were starving. Instead of failing to do their duty to rescue, the local ** continued to plunder. A case in point is Magistrate Cheung Tak-yiu, who sold his official position in the face of drought in an attempt to reap the last bit of benefit from the suffering people. Eventually, public outrage erupted, the county order was killed, and the number of participants quickly reached tens of thousands.
It is surprising that the authorities, who should have been aware of the seriousness of the situation, did not realize it in the slightest. The provincial governor, Hu Tingyan, even described the peasant uprising as yes"Hooligan riots"。Yue Shenghe, the border general, reported the problem to the mainland authorities. As a result, wherever the rebels went, they arrogantly killed each other and looted the countryside.
The corrupt atmosphere in the civil service has led many people to lose their ideals and beliefs and become short-sighted, selfish, mediocre and incompetent. They instinctively tend to avoid problems rather than confront them and solve them. Accustomed to high status and extravagance, they are overwhelmed and unable to take responsibility when their rights are threatened.
* The looseness and weakness of the rebel army led to the rapid development and expansion of the rebel army, which spread all over Shaanxi. According to records, at the end of the Ming Dynasty and the beginning of the Qing Dynasty, there were more than 100 rebel armies of various types in Shaanxi, and the size of each rebel army ranged from more than 100 to tens of thousands, which shows that the trend of civil strife was very high at that time. These rebel armies were like firecrackers, and some even conquered cities, which made the imperial court look very strange and confused, and they repeatedly issued edicts, forcing the generals to abolish them quickly, but it was difficult to work after all.
iii.Violence and ideological speech are prohibited.
The Ming court's response to social unrest was simple and numb.
In order to suppress the peasant armed forces that had arisen throughout the country, the imperial court not only used force to eliminate them, but also set about reforming the minds of the people.
In the fifteenth year of Chongzhen (1642), the Ming court suddenly issued an order to clearly determine the "Water Margin", which was all the rage before, as ** and not allowed to circulate. Whether it is a private edition or a private possession, if it is discovered, it will be severely punished. That's right"People have no foresight, but they must have near-term worries"。
The purpose of this move is not difficult to guess. In the eyes of the rulers, the more popular the **, the more likely it is to become a spiritual source of revolution. In fact, many of the leaders of the peasant uprisings in the last years of the Ming Dynasty took as their titles the nicknames of the characters in The Dream of the Red Chamber. Li Zicheng, like Song Jiang, was called"Eight teams will"；There were even peasant leaders who directly took Song Jiang's name.
In the eyes of those in power,"Coast"It is a major issue that needs to be solved urgently. The implementation of ** is the embodiment of this mentality. For the Ming court, this is another step on the road to totalitarianism. It takes cultural censorship and ** as an important management tool to manipulate **, suppress people's hearts, and reshape values. But the more it does so, the more it loses the legitimacy of its rule.
However, the subtext of this initiative is just as clear: it is a recognition of the extraordinary impact that Waterfrontier has had on people. It is precisely because it expresses the hearts of ordinary people and their desire for justice.
Therefore, even the use of violence to ban the publication of this book could not stop the pursuit of freedom and resistance in the hearts of the people. The wheels of history will eventually turn this wish into reality.
iv.From drama to real name, learn lessons from historical interpretation.
It is worth noting that at different times of the peasant uprisings in the late Ming Dynasty, the self-identity of the chiefs underwent subtle changes.
At first, many of the leaders of the uprising were inspired by the heroes of The Water Margin, giving them resounding nicknames. For example, the Great Thief King II is called"Gold thread", Li Zicheng is called"Eighth Route Army", Zhang Xianzhong is called"Little Overlord"。
This method has two main purposes: first, to win hearts and minds and increase attractiveness. By using the familiar image of the water's edge, people are more receptive, which increases the momentum. The second purpose is to demonstrate courage. Acquired"Water Margin characters"'s nickname is tantamount to promoting his own ingenuity, which means that he must have the ability to defy power.
In the mid-to-late Ming Dynasty, as the scale of the rebellion grew, many leaders began to appear publicly under their real names, such as Liu Zongmin and Tian Xiao. This means that they have increased power and self-confidence, can act in public, and no longer need to rely on external image to increase their prestige.
This subtle change in language reflects the historical trajectory of the growing rebel forces. It heralds the disappearance of all unrest. Leaders who hid behind the scenes, relying on mysticism to gain influence, can now rightly lead their people, gloriously declaring war on the Old World.
From these details, it is not difficult to see the growing strength of the insurrectionary masses. The energy stored up by this iron-clad army will explode with an invincible force that will eventually threaten the corrupt rule.
v.History goes on, and justice has never been absent.
History is not static, it rises and falls like the Yangtze River.
When the old world became more decaying, new life was born. Every time darkness seems to fill every corner of the world, the light reappears and becomes brighter and brighter.
The more clouds there are in the sky, the less you can stop the sun from breaking through the clouds to illuminate the earth.
The sharp and happy characters in "Water Margin" are still circulating among the people. It shows that the righteous people will never be missed, and the new Song Jiang and Wu Song will appear on the stage of history from time to time...
When the Ming Dynasty court imposed a heavy literary punishment on this **, it may not be really comfortable in his heart. Because they clearly see that the forces that want to resign themselves to their fate and are loyal to the old order are decreasing. Young talents who dare to resist the authorities and fight for justice are coming to the fore. They will unite the people and lead the progress of society.
This is the inevitability of the wheel of history. What we need to do is to overcome obstacles and pave the way for this group of righteous people to develop their ambitions in the new era.
As we look back on this exciting history, this eternal revelation is immediately apparent. From the past to the future, justice has not disappeared and will not disappear. It will go through a new era with humanity!