In the torrent of Internet information, they are competing for the focus of the audience's attention. They sometimes resort to unique and controversial tactics of "violent theories" that seem to challenge the norm but are in fact thought-provoking.
This method is not new, as early as the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, the radical rhetoric of the Zongheng family was common. In contemporary times, Professor Yi Zhongtian has used this technique to the fullest with his influence in the Hundred Schools, and his bold remarks, such as his criticism of Zhuge Liang and Qianlong, are particularly eye-catching.
He once mercilessly criticized Goujian, the king of Yue, and even questioned the legend of "lying on salary and tasting courage". So, what is the true face of Goujian in history? The historical interpretation behind this is worth going deeper.
Yi Zhongtian can be called an innovator in the interpretation of online history, and his sharp rhetoric has shaped many popular online historical memes, such as Zhuge Liang's"Ambition is great and talented"and Qianlong's"Nothing has been accomplished", all stemming from his unique insights.
However, with Gou Jian suffered"Evaluation"These seem like a piece of cake in comparison. Fortunately, Gou Jian's attention on the Internet is not high, so Yi Zhongtian's controversial evaluation of him has not attracted widespread attention.
Unlike many self-leaders with limited ability, although Yi Zhongtian's remarks are radical, they are often based on historical facts, which makes people believe at first glance and once swept the whole country.
The main points of his criticism of Gou Jian can be analyzed from three key points.
There was a ruthless side hidden in Gou Jian's victory strategy, and after his victory over Wu Yue, he quickly alienated the two heroes, Fan Li and Wen Chong, and their departure was revealed"The cunning rabbit dies, and the lackeys cook"of ruthlessness.
Yi Zhongtian bitterly criticized his behavior, pointing out that even if the emperor purged the powerful ministers after his success, the long-term impact should be taken into account. Gou Jian's methods are too cruel, directly exposing his ingratitude and crossing the river and demolishing the bridge, which makes people question his character.
A deeper analysis of historical data, Gou Jian's ruthlessness on the battlefield can be seen, he once sent a large number of death squads to kill themselves to confuse the enemy and create chaos, this kind of cold personality is despicable.
Although Gou Jian's strategy gave the Vietnamese army the upper hand temporarily, the cruelty of its methods, sacrificing hundreds of lives, made Yi Zhongtian deeply feel cruel and ruthless. "Wu Yue Chunqiu" reveals a Yue State's unjust act against Wu State: in the face of famine, Yue Guo asked Wu for help.
Surprisingly, Wu Guo showed the demeanor of a great country and reached out in time to help. However, when Gou Jian returned the grain, he adopted the strategy of culture and seeds, and the seeds were heat-treated. This led to a poor harvest in the following year, and the people starved, and the national strength plummeted.
This story reveals the complexity and far-reaching implications behind Goujian's decision-making.
Yi Zhongtian denounced Gou Jian's ruthlessness in his interpretation of "Wu Yue Chunqiu", and after he gave assistance to Wu State, he actually used vicious means to harm the people, which was simply a loss of moral bottom line.
Therefore, he has a very low opinion of Gou Jian, and regards him as the most inhumane monarch in the Spring and Autumn period. Yi Zhongtian's emotional bias made him right"Lie down and taste the guts"The story has a negative interpretation, arguing that there is an implicit psychological motivation for unhealthy conditions.
He bluntly said in "Hundred Schools" that Gou Jian, as a despicable villain, does not deserve it at all"Lie down and taste the guts"This inspiring legend.
Yi Zhongtian, as rigorous as ever, seems to criticize Gou Jian, but not groundless, especially his arguments are based on detailed records in the "Historical Records", such as the tragic ending of Fan Li's expulsion and literature after Gou Jian's victory.
For a long time,"The bird is hidden"This interpretation has been dominant, and Yi Zhongtian is no exception, believing that Gou Jian's behavior has the shadow of betrayal and ingratitude. However, with the in-depth analysis of historical materials by historians of successive dynasties, they have revealed a new perspective: Gou Jian's treatment of Fan Li and the genre of literature did not originate"The bird is hidden"or"The power is high", but due to the inevitable result of the special status of the two people.
This is an in-depth interpretation and reflection on traditional views.
Yi Zhongtian explores the deep meaning of the Wuyue dispute, and the key is to understand that this is not a simple dispute between the two countries, but a stealth play of the Jin and Chu hegemony. Although it seems to be Wu Yue's wrestling on the surface, it is actually a showdown between the two powerful countries of Jin and Chu.
Although the five overlords of the Spring and Autumn Period had their own glory, only Jin and Chu always stood tall, influencing the historical pattern after the middle period, which can be called a confrontation between the two heroes. The Jin state was deliberate, stabilized its internal military, and strategically supported Wu as an ally externally.
The rise of the State of Wu was due to the contribution of the State of Jin. With the assistance of Wu Zixu and Sun Wu, Wu Wang Lu used the power of Wu to inflict heavy losses on the Chu army, and even put the capital of Chu into danger, and the results were outstanding.
In the face of the strong rise of Wu, Chu did not sit idly by and adopted a two-pronged strategy. On the one hand, he actively carried out military countermeasures, and on the other hand, he learned from the wisdom of the Jin State, and through careful layout, he chose the Yue State as a potential ally.
The clever instigation of the state of Chu escalated the friction between Wu and Vietnam, which was already tense, and eventually led to a tragic war. However, at that time, there was a huge disparity in the strength of the Yue State and the Wu State, and the result was naturally a complete defeat.
After the defeat, the Yue State fell into the control of the Chu State, and the Chu State took the opportunity to send a large number of capable people with lofty ideals to infiltrate, and these talents infiltrated the high-level of the Yue State with various identities and channels, including the two pillars that were trusted by Gou Jian later - Fan Li and Wen Chong, who were all outstanding talents from the Chu State.
Fan Li's birthplace has sparked heated debate, and although there is controversy that he was a Xu or Wu person, the generally agreed opinion is that he was born in Wansanhu, an ancient land now located in Xichuan County, Nanyang City, which imprinted him deeply on the culture of the Chu State.
Although the history books record that he is talented, both civil and military, and once studied under the wise man Ji Ran, but in-depth, such a resume seems unbelievable in the Spring and Autumn Period. At that time, books were carried by bamboo slips, and poor families had very little access to books and famous teachers.
Therefore, historians have put forward two speculations about Fan Li's life experience: either his background was not as poor as the literature suggests, and he may have hidden an unknown family background; Either he did come from the bottom, but he won the favor of the magnates of the Chu State by virtue of a special opportunity.
This makes Fan Li's story even more mysterious and legendary.
Regardless of the speculation, Fan Li's origin seems to reveal a fact: he may be the pillar of the Chu State carefully sent to the Yue State, shouldering the heavy responsibility of helping the Yue State rejuvenate. Similarly, Wen Chong, as the ** person of Dou Bobi (Ziwen), enjoys a high status in the Chu State, and as Wan Ling, he has broad political prospects, and it is not out of reach to be a marquis.
However, it is surprising that Wen Chong actually gave up the bright future of Chu under the influence of Fan Li and chose to throw himself into Yue. This may imply that, like Fan Li, Wen was a behind-the-scenes elite sent by the King of Chu, whose goal was to work together to increase the strength of the Yue State in order to contain the powerful Wu State.
In ancient historical records, Gou Jian is familiar with the genre and Fan Li's background as a Chu person, and may have an insight into their thoughts. During the period of working together against the state of Wu, they were able to work closely together because of their common goals.
However, with the fall of the state of Wu, Gou Jian's hegemonic heart made his conflict of interests with the state of Chu increasingly prominent. An all-out contest between Chu and Yue ensued, and despite the defeat of the Yue Kingdom, Wen suggested that he should give in, which led to the rupture of the already fragile alliance.
Gou Jian was full of suspicion of the Chu people around him, and Wen Chong bore the brunt of it because he advocated a peaceful settlement. Fan Li was astutely aware of the change in the situation and wisely chose to withdraw to avoid the center of the storm, while Wen Chong failed to escape due to his desire for power, and finally died.
Wen and Fan Li's experience is not"The bird is hidden"but the reality of the power struggle.
Yi Zhongtian's doubts about Goujian, the king of Yue, are far more than two incidents, especially the story of the hero's self-slaughter on the battlefield and the gift of boiled rice seeds, which is actually doubtful. However, these"The dead man killed himself"'s heroic deeds are not recorded in the official history, and are only mentioned in the stories passed down by word of mouth, so it is not appropriate to use this as a basis for judging and attacking Goujian.
As for"The seeds are boiled and sacrificed"There is also a lack of conclusive historical evidence, and there are great doubts about their authenticity.
Even if there is a problem with the seeds provided by the Yue Kingdom, the farmers of the Wu Kingdom have a keen insight enough to see through it, and they have a backup on hand, and they will never rely on the seeds of the Yue Kingdom for sowing.
This so-called cunning strategy is more like a literati fabrication, lacking feasibility in practice, and only sounds surprising. Yi Zhongtian is right"Lie down and taste the guts"The questioning seems too subjective, and even if Gou Jian does fall short, the inspiration of the story does not diminish because of this.
Similarly, Kuang Heng's late infidelity did not decrease"Chisel into the wall to steal the light"The didactic value of the story.
Although Yi Zhongtian's criticism of Goujian, the king of Yue, seems to be quite convincing, in fact most of his arguments are untenable. His key points are either due to ignoring the importance of Fan Li and the genre, or relying on unproven folklore.
Objectively speaking, Gou Jian does have flaws in his personal morality, but to disparage him as "useless" is to be overly demeaning. In fact, Gou Jian's moral standards were comparable to those of most monarchs of the time.
The depth can be seen, "I also talk about Yue Wang Goujian.""Tenacity and perseverance"The research of Luo Shuirong, the author of "Tao Zhugong Fan Li's New Interpretation", and Yang Chaoliang and Liu Junmei, the authors of "Tao Zhugong Fan Li's New Interpretation", provides us with a more comprehensive perspective.