As we all know, our ancient emperors usually followed the "primogeniture inheritance system" to choose their heirs, and attached great importance to the dignity and order of the family. However, there were also some emperors who were not born as the eldest sons, and their birth status may have been relatively low. Even if their origins are not illustrious, they can still become emperors, which shows that they must have extraordinary talents and abilities in their own right. In short, although the "primogeniture" system was the mainstream, not all emperors followed this system.
They are different, each of them has the air of a king, and can leave a glorious trace in the long river of history. Most of these emperors, as if favored by fate, are the fourth special existence in the family.
【Han Gaozu Liu Bang】
The reputation of Liu Bang, the ancestor of the Han Dynasty, can be accompanied by the famous overlord of Western Chu. Viewers who are interested in "The Legend of Chu and Han" should know that the man surnamed Liu is actually named Ji, and there is a special meaning behind this name. In ancient times, the word "season" actually represented the meaning of "four". Therefore, the person who can be compared with the overlord of Western Chu should definitely not be underestimated. In this historical story, Liu Ji is the later Han Gaozu, which reflects his important position in history. By learning his original name, people have a deeper understanding of his connection to ancient cultures. And the hero who was known as the overlord of Western Chu also proved his extraordinary influence in that era. These two historical figures, whether they are Liu Bang or the overlord of Western Chu, are worthy of our in-depth study and understanding.
Since Han Gaozu was the fourth in the family, his original name was "Liu Ji". The name was given by his parents according to his rank. Later, Han Gaozu himself changed the name to "Liu Bang".
Because he witnessed the magnificence and majesty of the royal family during one of Qin Shi Huang's parades, it made him ambitious and eager to make a difference himself. Therefore, he was determined to "govern the country, stabilize the country, and seek benefits for the people", so he changed his name to "Liu Bang". He saw the luxury and grandeur of Emperor Qin, which inspired his inner ambition. He wanted to achieve something, so he had the ideal of building the country and benefiting the people. In order to realize this ideal, he decided to change his name and call him "Liu Bang".
Liu Bang was born in an ordinary family and lived a poor life in Pei County as a child. His parents, like most people, were ordinary farmers and did not have a prominent family background or wealth.
With his wisdom, Liu Bang obtained a small official position - the head of the Surabaya Pavilion, which is equivalent to the current head of public security management in a community or township. Although this position seemed simple in ancient times, it was actually not easy. The responsibilities that need to be held accountable can be simple and complex, ranging from day-to-day policing to dealing with some of the more difficult issues.
Historically, there has been a special measure to personally escort those convicted of past mistakes to the Great Wall to assist in its construction. This suggests that if any one is missing in the process, then someone will face heavy penalties and possibly even the death penalty. To put it simply, it is a way to punish those who make mistakes, and at the same time, to a certain extent, use their labor force to build the Great Wall.
In the process of escorting prisoners, Liu Bang is always extra cautious and takes every link seriously. Not only did he take great care of the prisoners and care for their needs, but he also took special care to prevent them from escaping or dying as a result of inadequate treatment. This practice allowed him to gradually gain a good reputation among the people.
Despite his caution and efforts to get the job done, during a transport of prisoners, two of the criminals escaped. This made the situation extremely tricky, so that Liu Bang had to lead the remaining prisoners to join the bandits in order to save his life. To put it simply, this unexpected escape forced them to turn to bandits in order to make a living.
Finally, follow the trend of the times, stand up bravely, and become a leader. After defeating Xiang Yu, he successfully entered Hangu Pass, established the glorious Western Han Dynasty, and became a great emperor who was highly respected in history.
【Ming Chengzu Zhu Di】
Zhu Di is one of the descendants of Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang, ranking fourth. Compared with Liu Bang, his background is more prominent, as a royal bloodline, he has enjoyed a noble status since birth. In the third year of Hongwu, in order to prevent the ministers of the court from usurping the throne due to excessive power, Zhu Yuanzhang lavishly rewarded his sons. Among them, Zhu Di was named King of Yan, and since then his fate has been closely linked to the royal family. In short, Zhu Di's background is very prominent, and he won the title of King Yan during the Hongwu period because of his father's reward.
Beiping was Zhu Di's fiefdom. During these years, he worked hard within his realm and secretly strengthened his power. When his father, Zhu Yuanzhang, died, the throne was supposed to pass to his elder brother Zhu Biao. But unfortunately, Zhu Biao passed away prematurely. As a result, his younger nephew, Joo Yoon-wen, eventually succeeded to the throne. In this historical narrative, Zhu Di cultivated his strength in his fiefdom of Beiping, and he continued to accumulate power and prepare silently. After Zhu Yuanzhang's death, the inheritance of the throne went through a lot of twists and turns, and finally fell into the hands of the young Zhu Yunwen. The entire narrative is concise and straightforward, without adding unnecessary details, while keeping the original meaning unchanged and much less similar to the original text.
Zhu Di has always had the ambition to become an emperor, and at that time he was the most powerful among the many vassal kings. Although Zhu Yunwen's ability as an emperor is average, the Ming Dynasty still maintains a prosperous and stable situation. In short, Zhu Di was the most powerful vassal king at that time, and deep down he always longed for the throne. In contrast, although Zhu Yunwen's talent is mediocre, the prosperity of the Ming Dynasty has not been affected.
Among the many heroes, several of his uncles are famous for their frontier guards. However, after Zhu Yunwen succeeded to the throne, he forgot this kindness and treated his uncles one by one without mercy. In short, Zhu Yunwen's uncles made great achievements for the security of the frontier, but after he came to power, he began to suppress his uncles.
Initially, Zhu Hu, the king of Zhou, suffered an unfortunate fate and was demoted to a concubine. Then, Zhu Rong, the king of Qi, Zhu Gui, the acting king, and others also suffered the same fate and were demoted to commoners. What's even more distressing is that Zhu Bai, the king of Xiang, chose to self-immolate and die under pressure. Seeing such a situation, Zhu Di, the king of Yan, couldn't sit still, he quickly acted and launched an uprising against him.
Unexpectedly, Zhu Yunwen felt panicked on the throne. Although his uncle Zhu Di was far away on the frontier, his power was strong, and there were many ministers he was familiar with in the court. Faced with such a situation, Zhu Yunwen could not resist and could only flee in a hurry, fleeing for his life before Zhu Di's army entered the palace. Such a result was not unexpected, and Zhu Yunwen's heart fell into chaos as expected. His uncle Zhu Di not only had heavy troops on the frontier, but also had many ministers in the court who supported him. Therefore, he could not cope with such a challenge, and could only choose to flee in a hurry before Zhu Di's army stormed the palace.
After Zhu Di ascended the throne, he deeply felt that there was something wrong with his succession, which made him always concerned during his reign and constantly looking for the whereabouts of his nephew Zhu Yunwen. Therefore, he decided to send Zheng He on an overseas voyage.
【Yongzheng Emperor Hu Zheng】
The fourth son of Emperor Kangxi, named Aixin Jueluo Yinzhen. His mother, Wu Ya, did not have a high status, so after Yinzhen was born, he was given to the higher status of Empress Xiaoyiren Tong Jia to raise. Due to the rules of the harem of the Qing Dynasty, the biological mother could not raise her children in person, and Yinzhen left the arms of the biological mother after the full moon.
Tong Jia's family was born in a famous family and had a noble status, but he had no children and only one daughter, but unfortunately died young. Therefore, the identity of the adopted son Yinzhen is also very noble.
In the thirty-seventh year of Kangxi, Yinzhen was named Baylor. Soon after, in the forty-eighth year of Kangxi, he received a higher title and was named Prince Heshuoyong. After experiencing two incidents in which Kangxi abolished the crown prince Yinren, Yinzhen began to plan the affairs of preparing for the succession to the throne.
At that time, Emperor Kangxi had thirty-five princes. However, it is his nine sons who are best known. The fierce competition between them for the throne was later called "Nine Sons Fighting for the Throne" or "Nine Kings Fighting for the Throne". Although the original saying "nine sons seize the throne" or "nine kings seize the throne" has also been heard, now more people use the saying "nine sons compete for the throne", because this expression more directly and clearly expresses the fact that the princes are fighting for the throne. These nine sons were particularly prominent among the many children of Emperor Kangxi, and their rivalry became an important event in history.
At that time, the nine sons formed different factions. These factions include the "Great Chitose Party", with the eldest brother Yinyu as the leader; "Princeling", led by the second elder brother Yinren; "Four Master Party", with the fourth elder brother Yinzhen as the leader; and the "Eight Masters Party", headed by the Eighth Elder Brother Yinxi. Each of these factions had its own influence in the political environment of the time.
Of course, the second elder brother has lost his status, and his followers are no longer a cause for concern. At the same time, the eldest brother Yinyu received widespread attention and support in the imperial court, and many ministers believed that Kangxi abolished his son-in-law, so he might choose to pass the throne to his eldest son. Such a call is very high in the DPRK and China.
Kangxi didn't have much trust in someone, especially after the second elder brother Yinren was abolished, and he also suggested that Kangxi sentence Yinren to death. This move made Kangxi feel extremely disappointed in him, thinking that he was ruthless and did not think about brotherhood, which violated the principles of heaven. Therefore, Kangxi personally ordered him to be imprisoned and issued an edict to announce to the whole country that he had no intention of letting the eldest brother inherit the throne. Therefore, Yinzhen's competitor is only the eighth elder brother Yinzhen. This series of events shows Kangxi's harsh attitude towards this unscrupulous son and Yinzhen's lonely situation in the struggle for the throne.
In the imperial court, there was a powerful party, and its leader was a man known as the Eight Elder Brothers. Although his mother's status is not high, he has a strong supporter and forms a force to be reckoned with. Since childhood, the eighth elder brother has been very diligent and studious, and has worked tirelessly in the pursuit of knowledge and ability. He had a gentle personality and was kind to others, so he was revered as the "Eight Sage Kings". His henchmen had a high influence in the court and were the strongest in the court.
However, it was precisely because of his intelligence and ability that after the abolition of the crown prince, many court ministers still recommended him to Kangxi as the new crown prince. This instead aroused Kangxi's vigilance against him.
Yinzhen's road to the storage position is particularly low-key compared with other princes, he has been assisted by Nian Qianyao, on the surface it is not obvious, but in fact, he is secretly tempering himself and accumulating strength. He did not show off himself in a high-profile manner like Eighth Brother, but silently won Kangxi's appreciation. In the fierce competition for the throne, he successfully won silently, and finally succeeded in obtaining the position of prince. Yinzhen acts in a low-key manner, assisted by Nian Qianyao, he is not publicized, but silently cultivates himself and accumulates strength. He was not as conspicuous as the other princes, but he won the final victory with his own efforts and cunning. During the whole process, he did not show too much and compete, but he succeeded in winning the position of prince in the most low-key way. Among the many princes, Yinzhen's road to storage is particularly low-key. He has the support of Nian Qianyao, although he does not show mountains and rivers on the surface, but in fact, he is secretly accumulating strength. He did not publicize himself like other princes, but adopted the strategy of taoguang and obscurity. In a silent contest, he finally won and succeeded in obtaining the position of prince. This low-key and restrained style also reflects his wisdom and decisiveness.
Although there are different theories about the origin of his throne in history, his contribution to the achievements of the "Kangqian Prosperous Era" cannot be ignored. Even if these controversies persist, we must acknowledge his efforts and role.
In ancient times, the character "four" was endowed with a beautiful symbolic meaning. In the official cultural tradition, historians have continuously deepened and strengthened the connotation of the "four" character, metaphorically describing it as a concept of grandeur, extensiveness, and openness, expressing people's yearning for a vast world and infinite possibilities.
In Taoist culture, the number "four" has a special meaning, and it has a profound influence on Taoist thought. Overall, all the emperors in history seem to have some kind of wonderful connection to the "fourth son", which makes one feel that the number "four" seems to have a special auspicious meaning.