In the ancient period, when myth and historical facts were intertwined, there was a legendary figure named Chi You, whose origin was mysterious and his life history was a mystery, leaving a secret story in ancient Chinese history. To this day, Chiyou's true face is still hidden in the grandeur of history. Our understanding of him is like trying to catch a clear wave in the sea, which is difficult to really capture.
So, in that era that witnessed the germination of Chinese civilization, who was Chiyou? What kind of thrilling legend was staged between him and Emperor Yan and Emperor Huang? Thousands of years later, we still have infinite questions and endless imagination about Chiyou.
In ancient Chinese mythology, there was such a tribe known as "Jiuli". According to legend, the Jiuli are a tribe with magical powers, they are proficient in farming, know how to use the sun and moon to compile calendars, and are one of the first groups to make bronze and black pottery.
The Jiuli people live in the Jianghan Plain, which is rich in natural resources and has four distinct seasons. The Jiuli people chose to settle here, and gradually formed a clan alliance and multiplied.
According to legend, there was an outstanding leader of the Jiuli tribe, and he was Chiyou. Possessing superhuman strength and wisdom, this mysterious patriarch led his people to expand their territory and sphere of influence, gradually establishing the Jiuli tribe into one of the most powerful tribal alliances of the time.
But can we really trust all of these mythical descriptions? Or should this history be viewed from a more rational perspective?
Archaeologists have found a large number of cultural relics related to the Jiuli people from Neolithic sites in the Yellow River Valley. This proves that Chi You, as the leader of the Jiuli clan, is very likely to be a real person.
He led his people to live in the quiet and beautiful Jianghan Plain, expanding the territory and establishing early settlements. Under his rule, the agriculture and animal husbandry of the Jiuli people have made great progress, and the people of the Jiuli tribe have lived a stable life with abundant food and clothing.
It can be said that Chiyou and the Jiuli people led by him made important contributions to the gestation period of Chinese civilization. They exploited the resources of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River and laid the material foundation for the civilization of the Central Plains. Chiyou himself has also become a hero in the hearts of the Chinese ancestors with his outstanding leadership skills.
At the same time as the rise of Chiyou, there was another legendary figure active in the Central Plains - Emperor Yan.
Emperor Yan is said to have been one of the Three Emperors and Five Emperors, and his tribe lived in the area of present-day Shandong. Similar to Chi You, Emperor Yan also relied on his extraordinary courage and skill to build his tribe into an important political force at that time.
In the early years, Chiyou and Emperor Yan were allies who fought side by side. According to historical records, the two fought side by side and defeated a tribal chief named Xiangliu. The victory further strengthened the duo's strengths.
However, the good times did not last long, and the two eventually had a disagreement over the distribution of interests and formed a feud. In order to compete for the leadership of the Central Plains, the earth-shattering Hanquan War broke out between Chiyou and Emperor Yan.
In this historic decisive battle, Chiyou relied on the strong fighting strength of the Jiuli clan to defeat Emperor Yan. Emperor Yan could only withdraw from the Central Plains and settle in the northeast.
From that time on, Chiyou's influence in the Central Plains region reached its peak. The Jiuli Alliance led by him dominated almost the entire Central Plains region. Under his rule, the Jiuli people prospered in an all-round way in terms of economy and culture, and were known as the most powerful tribe at that time.
However, in the dark, the heavens are reincarnated, and the former allies have been transformed into mortal enemies. This also laid the groundwork for the saga of feud between Chiyou and another clan leader.
After being driven out of the core area of the Central Plains by Chiyou, Emperor Yan was unwilling. In order to take revenge, he decided to secretly join forces with another rising force, the Yellow Emperor.
The Yellow Emperor was the most famous of the three emperors and five emperors in ancient times, and he led his tribe to live in the area of present-day Shaanxi. With his outstanding political and military talents, the Yellow Emperor quickly rose to become the core of power in the world.
In order to counter the growing threat of Chiyou, Emperor Yan took the initiative to contact the Yellow Emperor to form an alliance. And the Yellow Emperor also saw an opportunity from it - teamed up with Emperor Yan to defeat Chiyou and win the hegemony of the Central Plains.
Thus, against the background of deep grievances between the two sides, a historic decisive battle affecting the development of the Chinese nation kicked off. This is the famous battle for the deer.
Legend has it that the war lasted for ten years, and the two sides won five battles and five victories, and it was difficult to distinguish between them. With his rich war experience and the strong combat effectiveness of the Jiuli tribe, Chiyou was on a par with the two emperors of Huang and Yan.
According to historical records, in the fateful battle of Zhuolu, Chi You almost wiped out the Yellow Emperor's coalition army. At that time, he took advantage of the right time and place to create a fog to trap the Yellow Emperor's army. It was also the strategist beside the Yellow Emperor who broke the situation in time after the East China Sea Wind and invented a guide car to help the Yellow Emperor get out of danger.
However, the situation did not turn around, and the Jiuli warriors of Chiyou still had the advantage on the battlefield. At this time, the Yellow Emperor received the guidance of the Heavenly Maiden and got a magical **-Thunder Hammer. Only then did the decline gradually turn around in the battle.
In the end, the Yellow Emperor used the combination of the Thunder Divine Hammer and the Heavenly Fire attack to defeat Chi You in the final battle. Chi You was seriously wounded and could only lead the remnants to retreat in a hurry. At this point, Chiyou Star fell into the Central Plains, and the Yellow Emperor replaced him as the new overlord of the Central Plains.
In that era of heroes, the grievances and hatreds between Chiyou, the Yellow Emperor and the Yan Emperor achieved a magnificent epic of Chinese civilization. The earth-shattering contest between them was an important battle that laid the political map of the Chinese nation.
After the Battle of Zhuolu, in order to seize the ruling power of the Central Plains, the Yellow Emperor made up his mind to kill Chiyou. What kind of truth and considerations are hidden behind this move?
Some scholars have pointed out that the reason why the Yellow Emperor killed Chi You may be related to the latter's personal behavior. Chiyou has a brutal personality and a penchant for force, often leading troops to harass other tribes. This aroused strong dissatisfaction among the surrounding tribes and threatened the overall stability of the Central Plains.
As the newly rising overlord, the Yellow Emperor has the responsibility to maintain the harmony and tranquility of the tribal alliance. Therefore, we must take severe measures to crack down on "untamed" characters like Chiyou to set an example.
However, according to historical records, the great drought in the world occurred after the battle of the deer. Some scholars believe that the two sides used supernatural forces such as witchcraft in the Zhuolu War, which led to climate imbalance and disaster, and the Yellow Emperor, as the victorious party, had the obligation to blame Chiyou for all this. Therefore, in the end, he must be killed in order to calm people's hearts and stabilize people's livelihood.
However, no matter what justifications are used to justify himself, in reality this cannot hide the true motives of the Yellow Emperor's seizure of power. In that era when big fish eat small fish, violent conflicts often occur. The Yellow Emperor defeated Chi You to seize the hegemony of the Central Plains, not so much out of justice, but more of a contest of power and interests.
This also reflects from one side that in the turbulent and changeable ancient period, there were constant conflicts of interest between tribal chiefs and frequent changes of power. The strong man who is in power in the Central Plains today may be the loser who will be driven out tomorrow. And a hero like Chi You can only become a victim of the changes in the troubled times in the end.
In that era of heroes, the name Chiyou once shocked the Central Plains. However, after the unfortunate defeat, this former man of the moment quickly fell from the center of the historical stage to the margins.
In the documents and myths and legends of later generations, we can see the multiplicity of Chiyou's image. There are both colors that portray him as a weird yokai, and positive comments that portray him as a heroic tribal hero. This just reflects the complexity of the evaluation of Chiyou as a historical figure.
Looking back from the perspective of today, we should not simply judge a historical figure in black and white. Chiyou has a heroic and warlike side, as well as a brutal and belligerent side. Just like the world we live in, many things are full of contradictions, and there is no absolute right or wrong.
In the face of the tide of history, no one is immune. The political environment at that time determined that violent conflicts occurred frequently, and the law of the jungle dominated the social order. This is also an important reason for the eventual demise of Chiyou.
Despite the ill-fated results, Chiyou also once represented the most advanced tribal civilization. In later cultures, this legendary hero is still revered by ethnic minorities and is revered as a spiritual symbol. This proves from the side that his fiery life is still crushing the shining light in the hearts of future generations.
In the long river of foggy history in ancient China, there are too many details that have been annihilated in the torrent of time, and it is difficult for us today to understand the truth. Chiyou is one of the most mysterious and representative figures.
Is he a mythical hero, or a real Jiuli patriarch? Did he really stage that thrilling plot of hegemony between him and Emperor Yan and Emperor Huang? It is difficult for future generations to fully guess that era has passed.
However, it does not matter, history will eventually give the heroes of this nation a reasonable position. The image of Chiyou varies from time to time, but it always represents the heroic and legendary ancient era of the Chinese nation. Perhaps, as the poet said, "Heroes see the same thing, but the language and genre are very different." ”