How to understand the historians of the Republic of China said that Yue Fei controlled military power and supported his own army, but he was actually a warlord

The historical position of the Yue family army and the warlord debate

1. Yue Fei's spirit stirs up national aspirations

Yue Fei is an immortal hero of the Chinese nation, and his heroic deeds of loyalty to the monarch and service to the country, resistance to gold and revenge are deeply engraved in the collective memory of the Chinese nation. During the Republic of China, some historians arbitrarily discussed Yue Fei as a warlord, and their arguments were obviously a serious misinterpretation of Yue Fei's great achievements.

Yue Fei was born during a turbulent period of external troubles at the end of the Song Dynasty. At that time, the Central Plains frequently mutinies and usurped the throne, and the imperial court was overturned. But unlike those warlords who only seek personal gain, Yue Fei regards the country above everything else, and is willing to fight for national independence and territorial integrity. He not only personally led the army to bravely resist Jin, but also established strict discipline in the army, which won the support of the soldiers. It is precisely this persistent belief in the supremacy of the interests of the country and the nation that has made Yue Fei's great achievements.

In the campaign of Yue Fei to lead the army to resist the Jin, he led his troops to perform many miraculous feats, and broke the Jin army many times, which made the people of the Central Plains support and admire. With his tenacious and tenacious will and astonishing strategic strategy, he defended the Chinese territory and aroused the pride and fighting spirit of the nation. This demeanor of a national hero and general is undoubtedly a concentrated embodiment of the strength of the Chinese nation, which will be admired by future generations. Yue Fei is not only a military wizard of a generation, but also a heroic benchmark for the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and his spirit stirs the aspirations of the Chinese people to save the country.

2. Yue Fei's military power was subject to the imperial court

If Yue Fei was really a warlord, he could completely follow the example of the Jiedu envoys during the Five Dynasties period, expand his sphere of influence, and pose a threat to the imperial court. But this is not the case in history, Yue Fei not only did not have the idea of rebellion, but served the Song Dynasty loyally. The main reasons for this are as follows:

First of all, the Song Dynasty, since Zhao Kuangyin, has eliminated the feudal town strength of the Jiedu envoys. Through a series of reform measures, the Song government effectively curbed the rise of warlord power and ensured the supremacy of imperial power. The military power of the Jiedu envoys was under the strict control of the imperial court, and it was impossible to form an independent force that threatened the imperial power. In this political situation, although Yue Fei was a general, as the commander of the regular army, his military power was strictly controlled by the imperial court, and he could not do whatever he wanted like the warlords of the Five Dynasties period.

Secondly, as a formed army, the operation of the Yuejia army required a large amount of grain, grass and financial supplies, all of which came from the support of the imperial court. Without the continuous supply of the imperial court, it would be difficult for the Yuejia army to maintain its combat effectiveness for a long time. In other words, Yue Fei's military operations were completely subject to the imperial court, and it was difficult for him to be independent of the imperial court. Therefore, no matter how strong Yue Fei's military strength was, he could not get rid of his dependence on the imperial court, let alone become an enemy of the imperial court and become an independent warlord.

Thirdly, under the institutional arrangement of the Song Dynasty, even if Yue Fei had the ambition of becoming a king and self-reliance, it was difficult to realize it. At that time, the monarchy of the Song Dynasty was highly centralized, and the local army was completely subordinated to the imperial power, and there was absolutely no possibility of independence. Therefore, even if Yue Fei made great achievements, he could not get rid of the constraints of the imperial court, let alone become a warlord.

Therefore, from the political, military, economic and other perspectives, Yue Fei could not meet the basic conditions of a warlord. Although he was a famous general, he always served the Song Dynasty loyally, which was very different from the nature of the warlord who dominated one side.

3. The biased discussion of Yue Fei by scholars of the Republic of China

During the Republic of China, some historians were biased in their evaluation of Yue Fei. Among them, the most representative is Lu Simian's related discussion.

In "Vernacular National History", Lü Simian demoted Yue Fei to a "warlord". He believed that some of the officers and men in the "Yuejia Army" led by Yue Fei were not orthodox soldiers, but "thieves and civilians", and they suffered many defeats in battles with the Jin army. In addition, Lü Simian also pointed out that Yue Fei "controls the military, financial, and personnel rights within his jurisdiction" and actually has the characteristics of a warlord.

This argument is obviously biased. First of all, Lu Simian's denial of the combat effectiveness of the Yuejia army is inconsistent with historical facts. Yue Fei defeated the Jin army many times and defended the territory of the Central Plains, and his military talent can be seen. Secondly, as mentioned earlier, although Yue Fei had a powerful army, his military power was actually subject to the imperial court, and it was difficult for him to be independent of the imperial court. Even if Yue Fei had this intention, it would be difficult to achieve it. Finally, as a regular army, the operation of the Yue family army does require a large amount of financial supplies and personnel arrangements from the imperial court, but this is not the same as Yue Fei's personal "control".

Therefore, Lu Simian and other scholars of the Republic of China have a negative evaluation of Yue Fei, which is obviously biased. They simply equated Yue Fei with the warlords of the Five Dynasties period, completely ignoring the special political background of the time and the constraints imposed on Yue Fei by the institutional arrangements of the Song Dynasty. Such a comment taken out of context is undoubtedly unfair, and it is not conducive to our comprehensive understanding of Yue Fei's historical status.

Fourth, the contemporary value of Yue Fei's spirit

As pointed out above, although Yue Fei was a great military wizard, he was not a warlord independent of the imperial court. On the contrary, he served the Song Dynasty loyally, defended the territory of the Central Plains, and achieved great achievements that were admired by later generations.

It is this lofty spirit of putting the interests of the country and the nation above all else that makes Yue Fei a heroic benchmark for the Chinese nation. In this day and age, this spirit of patriotism still has far-reaching significance.

First of all, Yue Fei's spirit embodies a high degree of loyalty to the interests of the country and the nation. In contemporary society, some people only pursue personal interests, ignore social fairness and justice, and even do not hesitate to harm national interests. However, with the spirit of selfless dedication, Yue Fei defended the unity and territorial integrity of the motherland and became a model for national rejuvenation. This kind of patriotic spirit is worth learning from and inheriting.

Secondly, Yue Fei's spirit embodies the noble pursuit of serving the country militarily. In his eyes, personal glory is closely linked to the prosperity and strength of the country. He did not fight for personal fame, but stood up for the defense of national interests. This kind of value of "loyalty to the monarch and patriotism" is also an important content that our contemporary military personnel should learn. In today's world, there are constant disputes, and the security of the motherland cannot be ignored, and we need military heroes like Yue Fei more to safeguard national interests.

Thirdly, the spirit of Yue Fei has stimulated national self-esteem and fighting spirit. Under his leadership, the people of the Central Plains defeated the powerful Jin army and defended national independence. This demeanor of a national hero has undoubtedly inspired the pride of the Chinese people and strengthened the cohesion of the nation. In the face of many challenges today, we should learn from Yue Fei's spirit, strengthen cultural self-confidence, and work hard for national rejuvenation.

Finally, Yue Fei's loyal character is also worth learning from. Even when he was treated unfairly, he still chose to serve his country and never had the idea of betrayal. This spirit of selfless dedication to the country and the nation is undoubtedly a model that we, ordinary citizens, should emulate. Only when each of us can put our personal interests under the public interest of society like Yue Fei can the future of the country and the nation be brighter.

In short, although Yue Fei is in the long river of history, his patriotic spirit still shines brightly and has become an immortal heroic model of the Chinese nation. We should profoundly study and carry forward Yue Fei's spirit and make unremitting efforts to realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Only in this way can we continue to write Yue Fei's brilliant achievements in the new era and make new great contributions to the Chinese nation.