In the long river of history, the Warring States period is undoubtedly a magnificent picture, with princes rising together, hundreds of schools of thought contending, beacon fires, and frequent changes. During these turbulent years, countless heroes and wise strategists competed on the stage, trying to rewrite the chapter of the times with their wisdom and courage. However, among the many attempts to change the law to become stronger, only the Shang Dynasty of the Qin State, like a bright star, illuminated the sky of history, which not only made the Qin State rise rapidly, but also laid a solid foundation for the later unification of the Six Kingdoms. So, why was it that only the Shang Dynasty reform was able to achieve such great success during the Warring States Period?
1. The times create heroes, and Qin Xiaogong is thirsty
First of all, we have to mention Qin Xiaogong, a far-sighted monarch. In the early Warring States period, although the Qin State was located in the west, but the state was weak, repeatedly bullied by foreign powers, and was in internal and external difficulties. He opened up his talents and issued the "Seeking Talent Order", with the generous words of "the guests and ministers have those who can make surprising plans to strengthen Qin, I will respect the officials and share the land with them", showing his thirst for talent to the world. This sincerity and determination, like a magnet, attracted countless people with lofty ideals to come to join, including Shang Ying, who later became famous all over the world.
Second, the talent of Shang Ying, the essence of Legalism
Shang martingale, formerly known as Wei martingale, was later sealed in the commercial land, so it was called Shang martingale. He was originally a descendant of the patriotic aristocracy, but he was not bound by the old system, but instead studied the doctrine of Legalism and studied the way of governing the country. Shang Ying is well versed in human nature and has insight into the current situation, and his proposal for changing the law is not only a profound reflection on the traditional system, but also an accurate grasp of the needs of the emerging era. He emphasized the "rule of law in the country", advocated the abolition of the Shiqing Shilu system, the establishment of a military merit awarding system, and at the same time implemented a series of measures such as valuing agriculture and suppressing business, rewarding farming and weaving, and unifying weights and measures.
3. Thorough reform and resolute implementation
The success of the Shang Dynasty Reform also lies in the thoroughness of its implementation and the resoluteness of its implementation. In that era of decay, there was often a lot of resistance to changing the law, but Shang Ying successfully overcame all kinds of difficulties with the full support of Qin Xiaogong, as well as his extraordinary wisdom and courage. He dared to face the obstruction and resistance of the old aristocracy, and did not hesitate to use harsh punishment to maintain the authority of the law. For example, in order to establish the prestige of the new law, Shang Ying did not hesitate to punish (cut off his nose) at the cost of the prince's master, Gongzi, which was cruel but also made everyone see the unshakability of the new law. It is this thoroughness and resoluteness that made the Shang Yang reform deeply rooted in the hearts of the people in the Qin State and became a powerful driving force for the development of the country.
Fourth, the people's aspirations, the country's prosperity is growing
The reason why the Shang Dynasty reform was able to achieve great success was also because it conformed to the will of the people and satisfied the people's desire for a stable life and a prosperous country and a strong army. Before the reform, the people of Qin were living in poverty and social turmoil, but the Shang Dynasty reform greatly stimulated the people's enthusiasm for production and improved the country's economic strength by rewarding cultivation and weaving and reducing taxes. At the same time, the implementation of the military merit knighthood system gave the common people the opportunity to change their fate through heroic performances on the battlefield, and this mechanism of fair competition greatly enhanced the combat effectiveness and cohesion of the Qin army. With the increasing strength of the country, the international status of the Qin State has also been significantly improved, and it has gradually changed from a weak country to a strong country, and finally completed the great cause of unifying the six countries.
5. Mirror of History
Looking back at the Warring States Period, it is no accident that only the Shang Dynasty Reform Law was able to achieve great success. It is the perfect combination of the times and heroes, and the crystallization of wisdom and courage. The Shang Dynasty not only changed the fate of the Qin state, but also had a profound impact on Chinese history. It tells us that in the era of change, only those who dare to innovate, practice and persevere to the end can become the trendsetters of the times and write their own brilliant chapters. At the same time, it also reminds us that although the road to change the law and become strong is difficult and tortuous, as long as we conform to the trend of the times and the aspirations of the people, we will definitely be able to create a better future.