During the Xiande period, the rise of Later Zhou, Zhou Shizong's ambition to unify the Central Plains made the imperial court feel frightened, but the Southern Tang Emperor Li Jing took the initiative to call Zhou Shizong. Zhou Shizong, a generation of British lords, used troops against Southern Tang three times in a row, and Southern Tang lost half of the country, and Emperor Li Jing became the lord of Li Jing. After Li Yu ascended the throne, he was not familiar with political affairs, thinking that his father had been violently beaten by Later Zhou, he lost the strength to resist, and he obeyed the national policy of stealing his life, and barely maintained the position of the lord of the Southern Tang Dynasty through successive years of tribute. With the rise of Zhao Kuangyin and the fall of neighboring countries, the Southern Tang had lost its raison d'être. Once upon a time, why did the Southern Tang Dynasty, which had the strength to unify China, fall to such a point?
Zhou Shizong
Moved to Hongzhou
This also starts with Li Jing.
1. Li Jing's rashness
After Li Jing succeeded to the throne, his mind was a little hot, "since he was a descendant of Tang Dynasty, he had the intention of fixing the Central Plains and restoring the old capital." He completely forgot his father Li Fu's exhortations of "shou cheng ye", "making friends with neighboring countries", and "protecting the society" before his death, and despite the opposition of the Manchu ministers, he brazenly used troops against neighboring countries, and as a result, instead of expanding the territory, he greatly depleted the national strength of Southern Tang, and Southern Tang began to decline from prosperity to decline. Li Jing lost the frontier and suffered heavy losses, so he issued a voice of remorse: "Soldiers can not be used for life, how many decades!" ”
At this time, the general trend of the world: the decline of the Southern Tang Dynasty, the rise of the Later Zhou; Li Jing had a lingering palpitation, but Zhou Shizong was ambitious. Zhou Shizong, a generation of British lords, has already taken the step of unifying the world, and the Southern Tang Dynasty, which has turned from prosperity to decline, has borne the brunt of it. Zhou Shizong personally invaded Southern Tang and Huainan three times, and Southern Tang lost half of the rivers and mountains north of the Yangtze River, Li Jing wanted to cry without tears, and the mighty Emperor of Southern Tang became the lord of Southern Tang.
Zhou Shizong attacked the Southern Tang Dynasty
After Li Jing's defeat, the lost territory was incorporated into the territory of the Central Plains Dynasty, and the territory of the Central Plains Dynasty advanced to the Yangtze River. Jinling, the capital of the Southern Tang Dynasty, was separated from Jiangbei by only one water. The monarchs of the Southern Tang Dynasty were well aware that although the Central Plains did not cross the river to the south at this time, if the time was ripe, the Southern Tang capital Jinling would have no way to cope. At this moment, Li Jing had the idea of moving the capital.
2. Intimidation from Zhao Kuangyin
Zhao Kuangyin claimed to be the empress, and Huainan Jiedu made Li Chongjin raise an army to rebel, and he knew that he could not resist Zhao Kuangyin's army, "sending envoys to ask for help from Tang, and The Tang lord did not dare to accept." Li Chongjin stood alone in the cold wind shivering, waiting for Zhao Kuangyin's arrival. After Zhao Kuangyin quelled Li Chongjin's rebellion, Li Jing immediately sent emissaries to the imperial court.
Although Li Jing was very close, Zhao Kuangyin was still grumpy. Because Zhao Kuangyin knew that Li Chongjin had always communicated with the Southern Tang Dynasty. Although the Southern Tang did not intervene in this war, Zhao Kuangyin was still determined to take this opportunity to give the Southern Tang a little color to see. Therefore, he said: "The envoys of the various armies to learn the warships in Yingluan."
Li Jing
Zhao Kuangyin's sudden water military exercise was a bonus. Li Jing, the lord of the Southern Tang Dynasty, was frightened and more aware of the dangers of Jinling as a capital city, and staged such a general scene in the Southern Tang. Li Jing, who had always lacked initiative, showed unusual determination on the issue of moving the capital, and in the face of opposition inside and outside the court, he resolutely decided to move the capital to Hongzhou (present-day Nanchang, Jiangxi).
3. Short-lived capital city
When Li Jing first planned to move the capital, he was interested in the geographical conditions of Hongzhou's "staying upstream and controlling the fundamentals", where he could recuperate his strength, implement the strategy of retreating from the defensive line, and wait for the opportunity by relying on the favorable terrain of the Yangtze River and the advantages of the Southern Tang Water Division. According to the situation in the Southern Tang Dynasty at that time, this was a good expedient measure. However, the Southern Tang Dynasty moved its capital this time, which was extremely hasty.
First of all, when Li Jing moved the capital to Hongzhou, he did not have time to carry out large-scale repairs and construction of Hongzhou. Hongzhou was currently too narrow, Li Jing was acting too hastily, the palace treasury and military camp official offices were less than one-tenth of Jinling's, and the group of ministers had nowhere to stay and could not stand, so they cried bitterly.
Map of Southern Tang
Secondly, southern Tang officials have always enjoyed life, they can't bear hardships, they think about the prosperity of Jinling day and night, they have no intention of sharing hardships with Li Jing, they always complain about the simplicity of Hongzhou and the hardships of life, and as time goes on, even Li Jing feels remorse. "The palace and the government cannot tolerate it, and the courtiers are thinking of returning day and night, and the lord of the country is remorseful."
In June of the second year of Jianlong (961), Li Jing died in the humiliation of defeat and the depression of moving the capital, and his son Li Yu took the throne. Li Yu returned directly to Jinling with Manchu Wenwu, and the short-lived capital of Hongzhou was abandoned in only three months. The abandonment of the capital of Hongzhou marked the abolition of the Southern Tang strategy of using Hongzhou as a base to make a comeback. Then, what measures would Li Yu, who had just taken the throne, take to save this precarious Southern Tang?
Li yu
Lower your status and commit yourself to perfection
The identity of the Emperor of the Southern Tang Was lost during the time of Li Jing, and Li Yu's position after he ascended the throne was the lord of the Southern Tang Dynasty. In the face of the increasingly powerful Song Dynasty, the Southern Tang completely gave up the dignity of a great power: in name, it lowered its status and carefully served the Great Song Dynasty; it paid a large amount of tribute to the Great Song every year to maintain the status of the Southern Tang Dynasty. He constantly adjusts his identity, constantly lowers his level, and constantly gives up self-esteem, which is manifested in the following five aspects.
1. Changes in the categories of official documents
"Express Chen Shao's intention." If you know that if you are a little bit more inclined to your original intentions, and if you have different ambitions, you will not obey your ancestors, but you should be condemned by the gods." Immediately after Li Yu returned to Jinling and ascended the throne, he sent emissaries to report to Zhao Kuangyin, the grandfather of the Song Dynasty, on the transfer of the supreme power of the Southern Tang, and repeatedly affirmed that the Southern Tang was willing to submit to the Great Song, and made a poisonous oath for this, and if he harbored a bad heart, he would be punished by heaven.
Song Taizu was naturally very happy to see such words, and immediately issued an edict to appease him. Since Li Yu's current table, the book has been changed to an edict, and this change is of profound significance. The form of "book" in ancient times often represented equality, while "edict" meant that the emperor issued orders to subordinates, which was a style of official document used in the relationship between superiors and subordinates.
Li Yu has done a very good job in this regard. The above is the change in the style of official documents between the Southern Tang And the Great Song Dynasty. At the beginning of Li Yu's reign, he still used the official form of "edict" internally, which means that the emperor was still Li Yu on the territory of the Southern Tang Dynasty. With the intensification of the great unification of the Song Dynasty, Li Yu was deeply frightened, and in order to minimize the suspicion of Zhao Kuangyin, the grandfather of the Song Dynasty, he adopted the form of "teaching" internally.
2. Changes in titles
During the reign of Emperor Shizong of Zhou, three crusades were carried out against the Southern Tang, but Li Jing was defeated and the land of Jiangbei was returned to Zhou Shizong. Between Zhou Shizong and the Southern Tang correspondence, the Southern Tang Emperor had disappeared, "but only called the lord of the country." Li Jing had become the head of the country from emperor due to his defeat. Although the lord of the country does not sound domineering, the good villain does not name the name, indicating that this title still has a certain sense of respect.
The title of "Lord of the Nation" in the later period of Li Yu was like a piece of "hot potato", Li Yu was worried about this title all day long, and repeatedly asked for a name on the table, "Lord Tang begged for a name on the table, and the call was not allowed." In 971, Li Yu watched the Southern Han disappear under the force of Zhao Kuangyin. As the sun set, Li Yu seemed to see the Southern Tang Dynasty heading for the end, and he begged for a name again, and this time Zhao Kuangyin happily agreed to him.
3. Changes in etiquette
The purple robe saw the Song envoy" The lord of the country began to see the messenger in the purple robe, and the envoy retreated, such as the first dress." As we all know, the yellow robe is the symbol of the emperor, and when the envoys meet the emperor, they generally have to meet the emperor on a ceremonial day. When Li Yu arrived, in order to survive in the Southern Tang Dynasty and to alleviate Zhao Kuangyin's suspicion of himself, when Li Yu met the envoys of the Great Song Dynasty, he would take off his yellow robe and change into a purple robe to show his respect and submission to the Great Song Dynasty. It was not until the envoys of the Great Song Dynasty retreated that Li Yu changed into his yellow robe.
The palace except for the partridge kiss is a symbolic decoration on the palace. According to legend, the bird kiss was the son of a dragon, and its image was placed on the corner and ridge of the palace during the Han Wudi period. Since Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty was also a symbol of greatness in the eyes of ancient emperors, the partridge was used and became a decoration symbolizing the majesty of the emperor.
Partridge kisses
Li Yu handled these details very well. When the Great Song sent envoys to come, he would order someone to remove the partridge, he tried his best to avoid the misunderstanding of the Song Taizu Zhao Kuangyin, did not want to cause trouble, and waited until the Song envoy left, he then ordered someone to put the kiss back. After the Southern Han disappeared under the iron horse, Li Yu no longer had to bother so much.
"After the Lord establishes, when the Song envoy arrives, he will go to it, so that it will be restored, and then it will not be reused."
The psychological shadow caused by the demise of the Later Han Dynasty to Li Yu can be imagined, and Li Yu was completely intimidated by zhao Kuangyin, the grandfather of the Song Dynasty, and removed the partridge and never reused it.
4. Change of country name
In 971, Li Yu sent his younger brother Li Congshan to pay tribute to the Song Dynasty. Li Yu went to the table and changed the Lord of Tang Guo to the Lord of Jiangnan, and the Seal of Tang guoyin to the main seal of Jiangnan State. Li Yu very consciously removed himself from his so-called Southern Tang emperor status, which meant that the Southern Tang was no longer an independent state headed by Li Yu, but was dependent on the Great Song Dynasty.
5. Change of official and official numbers
Li Yu's change of official name in Jiangnan was after the fall of the Southern Han Dynasty, and Li Yu, like a bird of fright, not only made the above behavior, but in order to survive, he further accelerated the change of related names. Shangshu Province was changed to SihuiFu, Yushitai was changed to SixianFu, and Hanlin Academy was changed to Xiuwenguan. At the same time, all the kings of Jiangnan were demoted to one rank.
The above behavior seems to be a retreat, but in fact it is not false at all. Li Yu gave up the dignity of the emperor in order to be able to survive, and Li Yu was indeed very diligent in pragmatic aspects.
"Whenever Yu hears of the court's dispatch of Master Kejie and Jiaqing, he will send his envoy to pay tribute." Its big celebration, that is, more in the name of buying a feast, do not give treasures as a sacrifice. Don't pay tribute to each other." It can be seen from this that Li Yuzhen can be said to have hollowed out his mind and exhausted all means to seize all possible opportunities and show his loyalty.
Li Yu calligraphy
Respond to change without moving
Li Yu's comprehensive compromise was also manifested in his outright rejection of his subordinates' proposals for military action.
First, reject Lu Chen's suggestion to attack Wu Yue
Lu Dai is a patrol along the river in Jiangnan. We can glimpse this man's military ability and vision from the history books: "Recruiting outlaws, learning water warfare, repeatedly asking Wu Yue to join the army at haimen and obtaining hundreds of boats and ships." He single-handedly formed a new army for water training, and used such an army to defeat Wu Yue at sea many times, capturing hundreds of Wu Yue warships.
When the Southern Tang form was in jeopardy, Lu Dai suggested to Li Yu: "Wu Yue, Qiu Yanye. He will be the guide of the northern dynasty, attack me at all angles, and destroy me first." However, at this time, Li Yu adopted a strategy of full submission to the Great Song, and Wu Yue was also a vassal state of the Great Song, and he believed that this move would only accelerate the demise of the Southern Tang, so he categorically rejected Lu Chen's proposal.
Lin Renzhao
Second, reject Lin Renzhao's proposal to recover the lost land in northern Jiangsu
Lin Renzhao was a famous general of the Southern Tang Dynasty, and his name made Zhao Kuangyin, the grandfather of the Song Dynasty, fear three points. He secretly submitted a statement to Li Yu, requesting that troops be sent to recover the old Japanese territory north of the Yangtze River. He knew that Li Yu was very afraid of Zhao Kuangyin and used his loyalty to make the worst plan. "On the day of the rise of the army, please raise troops with your subjects to rebel against the Song Dynasty, and the country will enjoy its benefits, and if it is defeated, the clan will be the family, and Your Majesty ming will have no second thoughts."
At this point, Li Yu still did not dare to make a difference, considering that once the country's military strength was greatly reduced, Li Yu, who did not dare to take risks, rejected Lin Renzhao's proposal.
brief summary
Why did Li Yu repeatedly back down and seek perfection?
Whether in terms of fame, material or military, Li Yu bowed to the Song Dynasty, obeyed orders, and did not dare to slacken off in the slightest, and his fundamental purpose was to seek the existence of Jiangnan by wronging himself. What he did was to tell Zhao Kuangyin that I could not do it in name, and I could give up my dignity, as long as I could keep my ancestral inheritance.
But Zhao Kuangyin's determination to unify will not change because of him. In the final analysis, what Li Yu did was nothing more than a dying struggle, and he could only prolong the existence of the Southern Tang.
Reference: Spring and Autumn of the Ten Kingdoms, Vol. 15, "The Ancestors of the Spirits"
Volumes I and II of the Continuation of the Zhizhi TongjianChang
Southern Book of Tang Dynasty
History of the Song Dynasty, vol. 478, Southern Tang Dynasty
Book of Southern Tang, Vol. 3, Later Lord Benji