In the sea of philosophy, there is a proverb that will never shine: ".The new ones will wash away the old。This profound truth can also be found in the long river of history.
Those dynasties that are as gorgeous as the morning sun will eventually wither under the tempering of time, like the afterglow of the setting sun, eclipsed. Ming Dynasty, thatThe glorious empire founded by Zhu Yuanzhang, the emperor of cloth, has not escaped the cycle of history.
Although he was only a little learned, he governed the country with an iron fist and was in good order. However, his descendants failed to keep this inheritance and eventually changed hands. If Zhu Yuanzhang learns of the dereliction of duty of future generations, I am afraid that he will rise up in anger and beat his chest.
The volume of history is vast, and if we read it carefully, we will find that 24 hours before the fall of the Ming DynastyThere seems to be a silver lining
However, the god of fate threw two strange dice at this critical moment, which made the Ming Dynasty completely lose the opportunity to counterattack. These two bizarre things,To this day, people still wonder and speculate.
In the mid-to-late Ming Dynasty, the center of imperial power began to dim and gradually lost its former glory. The emperors, who were supposed to shoulder the heavy responsibilities of the state, indulged in personal pleasures and turned a blind eye to the governance of the country and the suffering of the people.
When the earth cracks, the drought rages like a beastWhen the people's table turned from abundance to famine, the imperial court was unable to provide timely assistance to the victims。At that time, it was bleak and desolate, a bleak scene.
Li Zicheng was once one of those farmers who toiled in the fields, and he was also the one who could not bear the suffering and stood up. He put down the hoe in his hand, raised the banner of resistance, and threw himself into the torrent of the uprising.
The spark of the uprising spread rapidly among the peasants, like wildfire. They are unitedWith their rough hands, pick up the ** and resist the oppression of power.
However, the emperors of the Ming Dynasty did not care about this, and the peasants in their eyes were just a bunch of ignorant people, and their anger was only a short-lived spark that would soon be extinguished. However, they were wrong. The strength of the peasants is infinite, and their tenacity and perseverance are like rocks in the ground, which have withstood the temper of time and shone more and more.
When the army of the Ming Dynasty began to suppress it, it was no longer able to stop this torrent。The rebel forces have penetrated into every corner of the Ming Dynasty, and they are ready to face any challenge.
Eventually, the emperors of the Ming Dynasty were horrified to find that the small flames that they had once ignored had turned into a raging fire. The peasant uprising could no longer be suppressedThe rule of the Ming Dynasty was gradually crumbling in their neglect.
On March 18, 1644, the storm in the capital was surging. Li Zicheng's army stormed the city of Beijing like a storm. But unexpectedly,At the moment of breaking through the city of Beijing, Li Zicheng actually proposed an agreement to Chongzhen.
He proposedAs long as Chongzhen agreed that he would establish himself as king in the northwest and give ** million taels of support, he would give up the idea of rebellionand even helped the Ming Dynasty against other rebel armies and the Qing army.
At this time, Li Zicheng's heart was actually full of doubts and uneasiness, he knew that although his subordinates were brave, it was difficult to compete with the well-trained Ming Dynasty army. He feared that a fierce battle with the Ming army might result in both defeats and other forces would take advantage of the opportunity。However, Chongzhen did not accept Li Zicheng's proposal.
He spent his life in power struggles and was skeptical of trust. He doubted Li Zicheng's sincerity and understood that concessions would make the fate of the Ming Dynasty even more dangerous.
This is the dramatic scene on the eve of the fall of the Ming Dynasty:The superior side wants to submit, but the inferior side can't believe it. In this game of power, no one can foresee where the future will go. And the competition between Chongzhen and Li Zicheng has also become an eternal mystery in the history of the Ming Dynasty.
Another strange thing is also related to Emperor Chongzhen, who seemed to be in a hurry when facing the challenge of Li Zicheng's army pressing the border, and did not have enough preparation and thoughtful planning.
He sought assistance everywhere and contacted four generals, including Wu Sangui, but the Ming Dynasty was already in turmoil, and none of them were willing to risk responding. Only Tang Tong was an exception, and he did not hesitate to shoulder the heavy responsibility of supporting the emperor.
However, Emperor Chongzhen's suspicions led him to send his cronies to spy on Tang Tong, who left in a chill, causing an army that might save the Ming Dynasty to retreat。Chongzhen's decision undoubtedly cut off the life of the Ming Dynasty.
After Li Zicheng broke through the palace,Chongzhen ordered the harem concubines and maids to commit suicide and killed their two young daughters with his own hands. In the end, he hanged himself under a large tree。Chongzhen's actions subverted people's perception of the emperor and his father, and his choice was painful.
This kind of damage to loved ones still seems like an unsolvable mystery today. Imagine, if Emperor Chongzhen could accept Li Zicheng's surrender at that time,Or fleeing the palace with his family at a critical moment, history may be different。Maybe the Ming Dynasty can last longer, and maybe the glory of the Ming Dynasty can shine again in the years to come.
But history has no ifs, and Emperor Chongzhen's decision-making has become an established fact. His approach was incomprehensible to future generations and sparked endless speculation. Some people think it is a spur of the moment in despair, while others think it is a helpless act after careful consideration.
But no matter what, Emperor Chongzhen's choice has become a sore point in history. We can't help but ask,At that critical moment, how did Emperor Chongzhen choose?
Perhaps, the only explanation is that Emperor Chongzhen, as the monarch of the country, the well-being of the people, and the strength of the country, how can he not worry. He refused to surrender because he didn't want to become Li Zicheng's puppet and didn't want the people of the Ming Dynasty to be controlled by othersHe refused to flee because he didn't want his family to live a life of displacement.
It may be difficult for later generations to fully understand Emperor Chongzhen's choice, because they have not personally experienced that turbulent era and cannot feel the emperor's helplessness and pain. However,We cannot deny the backbone and courage of Emperor Chongzhen
After the death of Emperor Chongzhen, the robe books left by his side are full of emotion. He wrote:
"Seeing the ancestors in the ground without a face, go to the crown, cover the face with hair, let the thief ** destroy the corpse, and don't hurt the people. ”These last words, full of affection, show his deep affection for the country and the people.
Emperor Chongzhen was born in the family of the emperor and shouldered the heavy responsibility of the country. However, the situation in the last years of the Ming Dynasty was chaotic, the country was in turmoil, and the people lived in hardship. He is well aware of his responsibility and strives to revitalize the country for the well-being of the people. However, as fate would have it, he failed to turn things around.
Despite this, Emperor Chongzhen was thinking about the country and the people until his death. His last words are not only a reflection on himself, but also a warning to future generations. He told us that as the monarch of the country and the well-being of the people, how can we not worry, and as ordinary people, we should always pay attention to the people around us and make a modest contribution to the society.
History is a mirror that reflects both the past and the future. The story of Emperor Chongzhen teaches us to think holistically. When looking at history, we should not simply judge heroes by their success or failure, but should dig deep into the connotation and draw wisdom and strength from it. Only in this way can we avoid risks and welcome the dawn of success.