Huang Chao, the leader of the peasant uprising in the late Tang Dynasty, his name has left a deep mark on Chinese history. His life was full of war and brutality, but he was supported by many Tang Dynasty people. Why is that? To answer this question, we need to analyze from the following aspects:
Background to the Yellow Nest Uprising
The background of the Huangchao Rebellion was political corruption and social unrest in the Tang Dynasty. At that time, the emperor of the Tang Dynasty was mediocre, corrupt, and the people lived in poverty. The national strength of the Tang Dynasty was also gradually declining, with constant external troubles and frequent internal strife. The rule of the Tang Dynasty was based on the feudal town system, that is, the country was divided into dozens of military regions, which were led by jiedu envoys. These festivals made them have their own army and finances, and their loyalty to the imperial court was not high, and some even rebelled against independence, forming a situation of separation. The Tang Dynasty was unable to control these feudal towns, and could only maintain the apparent unity through rewards, appointments, transfers, and other means. Such a system has led to local exploitation and oppression, and the discontent and resistance of the common people. In such an environment, the emergence of Huangchao has given hope to the people. His slogan was "Eliminate violence and be peaceful," which was exactly what the people were looking forward to. Therefore, Huang Chao has the support of many people.
Measures of the Yellow Nest
In the course of the uprising, Huang Chao took a series of measures to win the trust of the people. He fought against the powerful and protected the people, so that the people's lives were improved. He also implemented policies such as reducing taxes, protecting the land rights of farmers, abolishing draconian laws, prohibiting slavery, implementing equal distribution, encouraging production, and developing the economy, all of which made the people feel that Huang Chao was a person to rely on. Huang Chao also respected the wishes of the people and did not force them to join the army, but let them join voluntarily. He also educated the people to raise their consciousness and unity. He also offered condolences to the people and gave them clothing, food, gold and silver and other materials to increase their faith and loyalty. These measures of Huang Chao all show his benevolence and wisdom.
Huang Chao's military talents
In the course of the uprising, Huang Chao showed his military talents. The peasant rebel army he led repeatedly defeated the regular army of the Tang Dynasty, making his prestige increase among the common people. Huang Chao's military prowess made the people see the possibility that he could change the status quo and establish a new political order. Huang Chao's military talent is mainly manifested in the following aspects:
He was good at making use of the terrain, using mobile warfare, avoiding the real and attacking the weak, and traveled all over the country, shaking the rule of the Tang Dynasty. His army marched fast, was combative, risk-taking, elusive, and caused great distress and losses to the enemy.
He was good at commanding, using flexible tactics, adapting to changes in the enemy's situation, and achieving many victories. His army was well-organized, well-disciplined, had high morale, obeyed orders, was not afraid of strong enemies, was not afraid of difficulties, dared to fight, and showed tenacious fighting spirit.
He was good at using troops, using a variety of troops, such as cavalry, infantry, navy, archers, etc., to cooperate with each other and form a strong combat effectiveness. His army was well-equipped, such as knives, spears, bows, arrows, shields, armor, etc., all captured or copied from the enemy, and had high quality and power. His army also used some new types of **, such as gunpowder, artillery, rockets, etc., to increase the range and effect of the attack.
The brutality of the Yellow Nest
Huang Chao's brutal behavior is also one of the reasons why he has the support of the people. Although he was brutal, his brutal behavior showed the people his determination and courage. His brutal behavior made the people feel that he was a person who could fight for their interests. Huang Chao's brutal behavior is mainly manifested in the following aspects:
He showed no mercy to the enemy, killing excessively, regardless of age or age, male or female, regardless of relatives, whether high or low, as long as it was the **, soldiers, heroes, wealthy merchants, foreigners, etc., all of them were the targets of his killing. Wherever his army went, they burned and killed, and did all kinds of evil, causing countless losses of life and property. His aim was to completely destroy the rule of the Tang Dynasty and take revenge for their oppression and exploitation of the people.
He is also cruel to his subordinates, and does not tolerate any betrayal and disobedience. Among his army, many of them were originally Tang Dynasty feudal envoys, assassins, generals, etc., who took refuge in Huangchao to protect their own interests, rather than sincerely supporting his cause. In the army, some of them are corrupt, some leave their posts without permission, some plot rebellion, and some surrender to the enemy. Huang Chao severely punished these people and killed them without mercy, so as to set an example and maintain his authority and unity.
Huang Chao won the support of the people of the Tang Dynasty, not for nothing. He has won the trust of the people by accurately understanding their needs and meeting them with practical actions. At the same time, his military talents were also fully displayed. However, his brutality was also a double-edged sword that won him the hearts and minds of the people, both winning him support and sowing the seeds of defeat in the future. Dare to laugh at Huang Chao is not a husband