The life of an emperor in a day Qianlong's early work schedule, 12 hours a day
Why can't the emperor get rid of the bureaucracy?
The Forbidden City is quiet before dawn. The palace was inhabited by Emperor Qianlong, a wise monarch who reigned for 60 years. But at this very moment, the ruler's seemingly unlimited power was confronted with an ingenious trick - the bureaucracy that comes with being emperor.
When the first rays of morning light shone through the window, Emperor Qianlong opened his eyes. After 60 years of reign, at the age of 60, he knew that although the throne of the emperor was admired by all the people, it was like a shackle on a rock, and he seemed to cherish his time very much. He must observe the strictest etiquette, perform endless political duties, and let the bureaucracy dictate to him.
The birdsong in the Forbidden Garden reminded us of another sunny morning. This was followed by the king's compulsory course"Hard labor"。
Early in the morning, the eunuchs began to relay messages according to the ritual.
Before dawn, the Forbidden City was already bustling. Dozens of eunuchs and courtiers knelt beside the dragon's bed with carefully prepared golden basins, washing and changing clothes for the dragon. In order to welcome the arrival of the emperor, items such as beard combs, hair combs, mouthwashes, and court clothes were carefully prepared.
After a soft whistle, Qianlong opened his eyes slightly, and the eunuchs immediately lowered their hands and knelt down to greet them. Years of court life made him insist on waking up early, and he quickly adapted to the life of a courtier. There are strict rules for every detail of washing and dressing, and there can be no sloppiness.
The eunuchs took care of Qianlong carefully, for fear of any abnormal situation. The emperor had to follow this bureaucracy in his daily life.
When he was dressed, the innkeeper who was in charge of conveying the king's orders stood respectfully at the door. Everything is ready, just waiting for the king's order.
The Court is responsible for political matters and analytical documents.
The bell struck six o'clock, and bright sunlight poured into the hall. Qianlong walked into the hall in a palace robe and sat on a high seat with an expressionless face. The civil and military officials were already ready, and they all knelt in the hall.
Before the meeting, Qianlong recited the true texts of his ancestors and the teachings of the sages as usual, and reviewed the inheritance of his ancestors in order to fulfill the responsibilities of a king. He then immediately turned to the most tense political affairs of the time.
Several cabinets were filled with official documents, and these urgent reports from all over the Vault filled almost the entire room. Qianlong quickly flipped through these documents, giving instructions directly on simple matters, but important decisions needed to be discussed repeatedly. Sometimes, he had to meet with a group of ministers to make a decision.
After the palace meeting, the government affairs continued. Qianlong continued to meet with the civil and military ** and think tanks...The paperwork seems endless. The king was physically and mentally exhausted by the intense public affairs, but he had to be vigilant at all times, because every decision he made was related to the fate of the entire people.
Writing official documents before and after meals is still a thankless task.
At noon, the eunuch respectfully presented the meal to the dining room. But Qianlong can't enjoy himself, he must abide by etiquette, eat according to the rules, and no more than three mouthfuls of the same meal. He needs one hand to read the folds and the other to eat, handle government affairs or parcels.
You can't take a break after eating. Qianlong has been busy all the time, and occasionally has to study for the Pope's son. It wasn't until the official document was about to be processed that he was able to take a break.
A short meeting needs to be held in the afternoon to discuss *** issues.
In the afternoon, after making a slight adjustment, Qianlong found that it was difficult to separate official affairs from government affairs. In his spare time, he occasionally studies calligraphy and painting, which is a pleasure for his body and mind. But after a while, the heavy paperwork will pull him back to reality, and government affairs will still fall in piles, and he has to deal with official duties such as folding, grading, and issuing orders.
This ebullient work continues late into the night until sunset. In addition, Emperor Qianlong had reached the age of the most accomplishments, and it was not easy to endure such high-intensity work.
The hectic harem shuffle day is over.
After the meal, the attendants carefully placed the plates with the names of the concubines on them. Qianlong began the final process - to inspect the concubines and select the beauties he liked. This seems simple, but in fact, Qianlong still has more work to do, because he has been tired for a long time, and he has to be busy coloring the harem with his heart.
After playing cards, the long day is over. After a short rest, Qian Long fell asleep, temporarily freed from the shackles of power and responsibility. Their only hope is that they will wake up the next day without a mountain of papers and files.
He worked hard and was strong-willed, but he could not break the shackles of power.
Over the past 60 years, the Qianlong Emperor has led the country carefully and prudently, effectively ushering in the prosperous Kangqian era. However, under the weight of bureaucracy, the Qianlong Emperor was not as strong as the outside world believed. Under his dragon robe, there is not only the shackles of diligence and love for the people, but also his unavoidable shackles of power and responsibility.
In front of the toiling masses, what difference does it make if there is one more emperor? Qianlong's inability to get rid of the bureaucratic system reflected the various shortcomings of the feudal imperial system and also reflected the other side of power.
When you envy an immortal emperor who looks down on the world, you must realize that he is not only burdened with supreme power, but also with infinite responsibilities and shackles. This kind of temperament to deal with change calmly is not something that everyone can have.
There are two sides to everything. Looking back at history, we must not be satisfied with criticism or praise of a particular ruler or system, but must objectively identify its limitations.
Qianlong's diligent government and love for the people in the past were a model for later generations, but at the same time, he could not get rid of the power in his hands, which indicated the inevitable collapse of the feudal system. The failure of history is not only the failure of dynasties and kings, but also the failure of the ** system itself.
Today, we are fortunate to live in an era of more civilization and openness. To jointly promote the harmonious progress of social civilization, we should not only pay attention to the lessons of the past, but also cherish the development and progress of the present, seek common ground while reserving differences, and pursue fairness and justice in integration.
Only when the wisdom of the people grows day by day can the country prosper. Let us move forward hand in hand to create a better tomorrow for the country and the nation.