Zhao Kuangyin was the founding prince of the Song Dynasty, in 960 AD, Huang Pao added to the body to become the emperor, after becoming the emperor, for a period of time fascinated by a small palace girl, so that often delayed the time of the dynasty, the ministers had opinions, have been advised. Later, Taizu realized this and stabbed the palace maid to death while she was asleep.
This story is widely circulated, and the source is the Ming Dynasty literary scholar Feng Menglong's "Wisdom Tank". In a story that shows the foresight of Han Qi, a famous minister during the reign of Emperor Renzong of Song, the matter of Song Taizu's killing of the palace daughter is involved, the original text is as follows (modern translation follows):
Shi Shoudao edited the "Records of the Three Dynasties", which will be on. One day to ask for a question from Qi, Qi index things: First, Taizu confused a palace, and looked at Chaoyan. The courtiers have a word, Taizu enlightened, wait for him to sleep, and assassinate him. Qi Yue: "How can this be the Law of All Worlds?" He who has drowned, but he who has drowned in evil will drown and kill. What is his crime? If it is restored, it will be overwhelmed by its killing. "So I went to these things. Keep the way and obey its essence.
[Shi Shoudao (石介, Zi Shoudao) compiled the Records of the Three Dynasties, which will be presented to the emperor. One day he came to ask Han Qi for advice, and Han Qi pointed out several things, one of which was: Taizu was obsessed with a palace girl, delaying the time of the ascension to the court. The courtiers had an opinion. Later, Taizu realized that he killed the palace maid while she was asleep.
Han Qi said, "How can such a thing be used as a model for all generations to emulate?" He was already addicted to her, but he killed her because he hated his own indulgence. What is her sin? If there are someone who is favored in the future, it will not be killed. ”
So I deleted these few things. Shi Shoudao admired Han Qi's foresight. 】
The authenticity of this matter is questionable. First, let's look at what kind of book this "Three Pilgrimages" is. Finally, we analyze the irrationality of Song Taizu's killing of palace women.
Portrait of Song Taizu
The Records of the Three Dynasties was written during the reign of Emperor Renzong of the Song Dynasty, written by Shi Jie (1005-1045), a native of present-day Tai'an, Shandong Province, known to posterity as Mr. Lailai, a scholar and thinker of the Northern Song Dynasty, who studied under the famous Xiang Fan Zhongyun in his youth. He once entered the dynasty as an official and served as a judge in Jiazhou. The Records of the Three Dynasties was written by Shi Jie when he was a judge in Jiazhou, at the age of 33. Shi Jie's main achievements were in the ideological and educational aspects, not in the revision of history.
There are two interpretations of "sheng", one is the honorific title of the emperor, that is, the meaning of "shengshang", and the other is the meaning of "shengming". "Politics" means politics and political affairs. The "Three Dynasties" are the three emperors of the Song Dynasty, Taizu, Taizong, and Zhenzong. The Three Dynasties, as the name suggests, is the meaning of recording the political affairs of these three generations of emperors. On the one hand, the main purpose of the book is to record the "taiping cause" of the emperors of the Three Dynasties of the Song Dynasty and sing praises for them; on the other hand, it is to "help the latter saints" to learn from future emperors. Judging from the purpose of the book, the interpretation of "holy government" here as "the politics of the holy ming" is more accurate.
Since most of the contents of the Three Dynasties have been lost, its main content can no longer be examined, and its scales and claws can only be obtained through other means, such as anecdotes and anecdotes of historical figures related to it. The above-mentioned story of Song Taizu's killing of the palace daughter can be seen in Han Qi's anecdote.
In addition, the Records of the Three Dynasties also records a more widely circulated story, also about Song Taizu Zhao Kuangyin, telling the story of an official who knocked out his front teeth because song Taizu beat a bird with a slingshot. The content is as follows (modern translation follows):
Taizu took the bow and slings a bird one day later. Some ministers prostrated themselves in the temple, saying that there was an urgent matter to be seen. It is common for the Lord to see and hear what he hears. Taizu said, "Why is this urgent?" Right: "I am also anxious to play the sparrow." "Angered, he hit his mouth with a handle, and his teeth fell. Slowly, he took the tooth off and placed it in his arms. Shang was very angry, and said, "Ru will sue me with this tooth?" To him: "How dare a subject sue His Majesty, there is a history official book." "The Lord was relieved, and gave the gold to comfort him and went away.
[Taizu hit birds and finches with a slingshot one day in the back garden.] An official confronted him and said there was an urgent matter. The emperor hurried out to see him, and when he finished listening to what he played, it was just a normal thing. Taizu said, "What is the urgency of this?" He said, "It's also more urgent than playing birds and finches." Taizu was furious and hit him in the mouth with the handle of the axe, losing two teeth. The officer turned around and slowly picked up his teeth and placed them in his arms. Taizu was furious and said, "Are you going to sue me with your teeth?" The official replied, "How dare a minister sue the emperor, naturally there will be a historian to write it down." When the emperor heard this, his anger subsided, and he gave him a consolation and asked him to retreat. 】
The veracity of this story is equally questionable. First of all, there are several versions of this story alone, and I found four. The versions are chronologically as follows (each version is largely the same, so it is no longer translated):
I. The edition of the Records of the Three Dynasties by Emperor Renzong of Song Dynasty Shi Jie, the content of which has been described above.
2. The song shenzong dynasty Sima Guang's notebook "The Story of Shuishui" edition, which reads as follows:
Taizu tasted the finches in the back garden, and some courtiers said that there was an urgent matter to see, and Taizu urgently saw it, and the music he played was a common thing. Angered, he questioned him and said, "The subject is still anxious to play the sparrow." "The upper is more and more angry, and the handle of the axe of the pillar hits its mouth, and it falls into two teeth, and its man Xu leans down to pick up his teeth and put it in his arms. Shang scolded: "Ru Huai teeth want to sue me for evil? "The subject cannot sue His Majesty, but should have a history official book." "It says, give him gold and comfort him."
"Records of Shuishui" is an anecdote recorded by Sima Guang from Song Taizu to the Song Shenzong Dynasty, and its content is all told by others, so it is called "Record".
Sima Guang, the great historian of the Song Dynasty
3. The "Eight Min Tongzhi" compiled by Chen Dao and Huang Zhongzhao during the Chenghua period of the Ming Dynasty is as follows:
Zhang Xia zi Bo Yun. Chong'an people. Chu Shi Zhou was the History of Jin Prefecture, and Jianlong Zhong, except for the Imperial History. Taizu Fang played the Bird Queen Garden, and the mist was urgently invited to enter the play. Seeing that what was played was a common thing, Taizu was angry, and mist said: "The subject thinks that he is still anxious to play the sparrow." Taizu's color became stronger, and the axe handle hit its mouth, falling two teeth, and the mist slowly picked it up. Taizu said, "Want to sue Yahweh?" Mist: "A subject cannot sue His Majesty, but has the ear of a historian." He was appointed judge of Hezhong Province. Taizong Li, summoned back, official to the left division of the outer lang.
The first two versions do not specify who the official who played the work was. But this version clearly states that it is Zhang Xia. Zhang Xia is a native of Wuyishan City, Fujian Province, and the Eight Fujian Tongzhi is the Tongzhi of Fujian Province. Zhang Yi began to serve as an official in the Later Zhou period at the end of the Five Dynasties, for the History of Jin Prefecture. The "Taizu" in this version does not know whether it refers to the founding prince of the Later Zhou Dynasty, "Zhou Taizu" Guo Wei, or "Song Taizu" Zhao Kuangyin. This version also states that after this incident, he was sent by Taizu as a judge, and was not recalled to Beijing until the Taizong Dynasty.
Zhang Xia is not mentioned in the "History of Song", but because he was a Fujianese, it is mentioned in the "Eight Min Tongzhi", although this version is recorded later, but his life experience is more detailed. The credibility of this version should be higher than the first two.
Fourth, it is the edition of "Night Sailing Ship" written by Zhang Dai in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, which is included in the category of "Election Department Counselor", and the title is "Picking Teeth".
"Night Sailing Ship" is an encyclopedic work written by the literary scholar and historian Zhang Dai in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. The book records the knowledge of disciplines from the three religions and nine streams to the gods and ghosts, from political personnel to the canon system. The original text is as follows:
Song Zhang xia, Taizu Fang played the bird Hou Yuan, and Xia Urgently asked to enter the play. And seeing that what is played is a common thing, the anger, the mist: "Stealing is anxious to play the sparrow." "Hit his teeth with the handle of the axe, and the teeth fell, and Xu Shizhi." Shang: "Want to sue Yahweh? Mist said, "Why would a minister dare to sue Your Majesty?" But there are historians in the ear. ”
This version also clearly states that the performer was Zhang Xia, but since the book of "Night Sailing Ship" was written later than the "Eight Min Tongzhi", it is not known whether it was borrowed from the "Eight Min Tongzhi" or obtained from another historical source.
Looking at the four versions, the story content is generally the same, but the narrative is slightly different. The main difference is that the officials who play the work, some are nameless and surnameless, and some indicate that they are Zhang Xia. It can be speculated that this story is not from a specific historical record, at least not at the time, otherwise the names of the parties would not even be recorded. This story should be just a verbal rumor, whether it is true or not, or whether the Taizu in the story is Song Taizu Zhao Kuangyin is also doubtful.
Moreover, even if the Taizu in this story is Song Taizu, the Song Taizu shown in this story is the image of a wayward, grumpy and even tyrannical emperor. After Taizu knocked out the front teeth of an official, when he heard the official say that there was a historian who recorded his disgraceful behavior, he immediately rewarded the official with gold, not so much as a reward as a bribe, to prevent the official from speaking out. Even if Song Taizu later changed the vice of playthings, recording this incident could only damage the image of the emperor. What does this have to do with the so-called "politics of the holy light"? Is there no more valuable deed in Song Taizu's life of Wenzhi martial arts?
Therefore, this story is most likely made up by someone or Zhang Guan Li Dai'an was on the head of Song Taizu.
Analyze the story of Song Taizu's killing of the palace girl. The source of this story is even less, and the author only found the record in Feng Menglong's "Wisdom Tank". And this record is also quoted from Shi Jie's "Records of the Three Dynasties", but there is no evidence to prove that this matter was recorded in the "Records of the Three Dynasties", which is a second-hand goods that do not indicate "manufacturers", and the authenticity is even more questionable.
From this story we see that Song Taizu was a murderous emperor, but is this really the case?
In Sima Guang's notebook "Notes on The Story of Shuishui", there is such a historical material:
Taizu took the throne at the beginning of the reign, quite good at hunting, tasted the fall of the horse because of the hunt, angry, and pulled out his sabre to stab the horse and kill it. Then he sighed: "I am indulging in pleasure, taking advantage of dangers, and taking advantage of my own troubles, what is the crime of the horse?" "I will not hunt again."
[When Song Taizu first ascended the throne, he was very fond of hunting, and once he fell off his horse on horseback hunting, and he was very angry, so he pulled out his sabre and killed the horse.] Then he sighed and said, "What is the sin of a horse when I indulge in amusement myself, ride a dangerous horse, take a dangerous road, and fall off my horse myself?" "Never hunt again." 】
Petite and cute palace girl image
For an emperor, this was just a trivial matter, but Sima Guang recorded it. The purpose is to show that Song Taizu was a very disciplined and reflective emperor with a sense of compassion. Although he killed the horse in anger, he regretted it afterwards and never hunted again in his life, which was not easy to do. Just think, Song Taizu even regretted killing a horse, let alone killing a living person? And as Han Qi said, if there are still favored people in the future, how can they kill them all? Couldn't Song Taizu have imagined this truth?
The "Tale of Shuishui" also records:
During the taizu period, there were less than three hundred palace people, and they thought that there were too many, but because of the long rain, there were dozens of them.
[When Taizu was in power, there were less than three hundred palace ladies and concubines, and Taizu was still too many, and because of the continuous rain, dozens of them were released from the palace. (I hope that this kind of good deed can move the heavens and stop the rain to prevent flooding)]
From this point, it can be seen that Song Taizu is an emperor who indulges in female color? Are the palace ladies, concubines, and emperors of thousands, or even tens of thousands, still like an emperor in Taizu Palace? Do you still need the minister's advice?
It is not credible to analyze this matter according to common sense.
Even if Song Taizu repented and did not want to be like Ji Yi because he was fascinated by his sister Xi and Dai Ji and expelled the palace women from the palace, why should he be killed and bear the charge of a murderous king?
Even if you want to kill, do you still need to do it yourself as an emperor to kill a palace girl? For those who have slept with themselves, are you so willing to do it yourself? Although a palace maid is nothing less than a grassy mustard for an emperor, this kind of behavior can probably only be done by a cruel and violent person.
Conclusion: From the founding of the Song Dynasty in 960 AD, Zhao Kuangyin's yellow robe and his body as emperor to the compilation time of the Renzong Dynasty's "Records of the Holy Politics of the Three Dynasties" in 1038 AD, nearly 80 years have passed. The authenticity of many historical stories circulating is uncertain, and it is inevitable that the phenomenon of false rumors will occur in the 80 years of circulation, and the phenomenon fabricated by historians is also very common. We must respect historical figures, and we must not think that historical figures are true without thinking because they cannot argue, and quote, render, and disseminate them.
Stories can be written, but history cannot be made up.
References: "History of the Song Dynasty", "Wise Men", "Records of the Three Dynasties", "Records of Shuishui", etc.