In ancient times, there was a remarkable phenomenon: why did soldiers prefer to recognize the tiger talisman rather than directly agree with the emperor's orders? This unique tradition has sparked widespread curiosity. What is the reason for the Tiger Fu's status in the army to surpass the emperor's will? These two reasons, let us unravel this ancient and mysterious historical mystery together.
In this fascinating historical episode, we'll dig deep into the unique status of the Tiger Talisman in ancient armies. How did the Tiger Talisman become the supreme symbol in the hearts of the soldiers, rather than directly obeying the emperor's orders? There are two profound reasons for this, revealing the mysteries of this ancient tradition.
By unraveling this historical mystery, we will go back to the organizational structure of ancient armies, the mechanisms of trust, and the delicate relationship between soldiers and rulers. It's a historical journey through military culture, trust-building, and power dynamics, and a journey back in time to the battles of ancient warfare.
In the eventful autumn of the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, Zhao Xiangzi was tragically stabbed to death by Lin Hu's rebellion. Since then, Zhao's civil strife has been frequent, and the already strong national situation has plummeted. At that time, Xin Lingjun, the wife of Pingyuan Jun of Wei State, as the daughter of Xiangzi, begged his brother Xin Lingjun to send troops to rescue Zhao State. However, Xinling Jun spoke twice, but King Wei was still unmoved. The war was imminent, and Xinling Jun finally managed to steal the Tiger Talisman of King Wei in all his anxiety.
It stands to reason that Xin Lingjun, who has obtained the certificate of military power, already has a heavy army in his hand at this moment, and he can kill and rescue Zhao State. However, Zhu Hai, the top general of the army, was still skeptical and resolutely refused to lead the troops when he confirmed that although there was no edict in one of the tiger talismans. Xinlingjun had to come to explain in person with a military talisman, but Zhu Hai was knocked to the ground with a painful sweep.
We can't help but ask, why can these generals and officers be so indifferent in the face of the autumn of the country's survival? Do they not understand righteousness? Or perhaps, righteousness was originally a vague word in their hearts?
To guess what these officers were thinking, we also need to understand the composition of the army at that time. Most of the military officers in ancient times came from humble backgrounds. Many of them are fierce generals who have been determined to join the army since childhood. In order to alleviate the burden on their families, these children often leave home at a very young age to enlist in the army, learn the art of war, and gradually start as military attachés at the lowest level.
Such a starting point is doomed, these generals have little understanding of words and classics, and even the basic characters are difficult to read. The famous military generals we are mentioning today, such as Meng Tian, the centurion of the Qin State, when he attacked the Zhao State and won a great victory, he only simply conveyed orders verbally, and did not understand the written and written words.
Looking back a few decades, look at Chang He, the general manager of the Tang Dynasty, who bravely crowned the three armies, but looked for Ma Zhou to write official documents all day long. If it weren't for Ma Zhou's outstanding talent, Li Shimin would not have discovered that he was planning to usurp the throne. It can be seen that the literacy rate among military officers in ancient times was extremely low. They were born and died for the country, but they could not even recognize the emperor's decree.
In ancient times, in order to prevent the army from rebelling without authorization, the emperor sent generals to various places were required to hold a tiger talisman as proof. This tiger talisman is often split in two, half of which is left in the hands of the emperor and half is given to the generals. Only when the two tiger talismans are put together can the words and patterns on them finally match, which is the proof of the granting of power.
In order to inform the army of the details of the mission, the emperor also needed to attach a separate edict detailing the destination of the army's movement, the number of people on the route, and other information for the military generals to convey orders. On the one hand, such a system ensures that the transfer orders of military generals are clear, and on the other hand, it also restricts the unauthorized power of military generals.
Back to Xinlingjun and Zhu Hai, Zhu Hai faced a single tiger talisman, and it was inevitable that he would be suspicious in his heart. After all, the army is a blade that serves loyally, and the consequences of sloppiness are unimaginable. As an old general, Zhu Hai naturally does not easily believe in the transfer of power.
Therefore, even if Xinlingjun said it, it would be difficult to shake the general's insistence without an edict to prove it. Illiterate officers are not without honor and loyalty, they are simply sincerely guarding the system they know best.
When the seal of power deviates from the real power, where should the ordinary officers and soldiers who are kept in the dark go? They can only face the systems and rules that they are most familiar with. Even though this rule exists in name only, it still stands in their limited cognitive world.
Zhu Hai stubbornly adhered to the principle of the inseparability of the tiger talisman and the edict, not because of stubbornness, but because he warned all over him that the unauthorized transfer of troops might be the beginning of the mutiny. For a military general, the safety of the country is far more important than the increase or decrease of imperial power.
And we tend to focus only on the choices made by historical figures and heroes. However, they often ignore that it is the tens of thousands of ordinary officers and soldiers of the Zhuhai style who have made unimaginable choices in the cracks of history by virtue of their limited knowledge and attitude.
Maybe we can't empathize with Zhu Hai's situation. But looking back at the past, Zhu Hai did not have the confidence to rely on words to judge everything, all he knew was the rules he was most familiar with so far, and he did his best to protect the righteousness of ordinary officers and soldiers under the rules.
We cannot ask an illiterate military general to transcend the limitations of the times and correctly understand the flow of power. However, Zhu Hai's attitude seems to warn us: the foundation of the country is not all in the prestigious power center, but more from the perseverance and perseverance in the hearts of thousands of Zhu Hai.
In the process of pursuing the truth of history, have we also ignored the voices of such groups of ordinary officers and soldiers? Does their disappearance in the long river of history also remind us that returning to the perspective of people's livelihood and ordinary people is the key to understanding history?
History is not only about the deeds of a few heroes, nor is it only about the joys and sorrows of fate brought about by the change of power. Behind ordinary people hurrying by, there are also thousands of endless historical clues. These clues connect the aspirations and efforts of countless ordinary people, and are finally intertwined into the clockwork that pushes the history of the Chinese nation forward.
And we also need to find the starting point of those clockwork in the long river of history. When power swells to the point of unattainability, the perspective of ordinary people and the posture of sticking to their duties may be the last habitat after the collapse of power.