Tumu Village, located ten kilometers east of Huailai County, is one of the countless villages on the vast land of China. However, it once remembered its name Tumu Fort, but it is remembered by history because a war broke out here, which almost caused the collapse of the Ming Dynasty regime. On August 15th, 1449 AD, after more than 80 years of overthrow by the Ming Dynasty, 100000 cavalry from the Mongol Walla tribe retreated to the northern grasslands and besieged 200000 troops of the Ming Dynasty at Tupu Fort. The Ming army suffered a devastating blow, and the elite troops of the Ming Dynasty suffered heavy losses in this battle. The legitimate emperor Zhu Qizhen was also imprisoned, known as the Tupu Fort Incident. The series of events surrounding this war have staged a series of ups and downs on the stage of Chinese history, which are both poignant and poignant. On November 11, 1427 AD, a loud cry of a baby was heard in the imperial harem of the Forbidden City, and another dragon was born. He was the later Ming Emperor Yingzong Zhu Qizhen. This year, after a full 60 years of establishment of the Ming Dynasty, with the entrepreneurship and governance of Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang, Chengzu Zhu Di, Renzong Zhu Gaochi, and Xuanzong Zhu Zhanji, the Ming Dynasty had a clear political and economic development, ushering in a peaceful and prosperous era comparable to the Han Dynasty’s Wenjing rule and the Tang Dynasty’s Kaiyuan era, known as the Renxuan rule. According to historical records, while Zhu Qizhen was still babbling, Emperor Xuanzong held him in his lap and asked, “Can you make the world peaceful when you become emperor in the future?” Answer, yes, and ask again, “If anyone dares to interfere with the country’s rules and regulations, dare they lead the six armies to march? Answer, dare they.”. Upon hearing this, Emperor Xuanzong was overjoyed and immediately took off his dragon robe belt, draped it over Zhu Qizhen’s body, and lifted him onto the throne, shouting “Long live!” on both sides. Emperor Xuanzong Zhu Zhanji had unlimited expectations for the future of Crown Prince Zhu Qizhen, but the steering wheel of history often went out of control unintentionally. In January of the tenth year of Xuande, at the age of 37, Emperor Xuanzong Zhu Zhanji passed away, and Crown Prince Zhu Qizhen, who was nine years old, succeeded to the throne under the legitimate title. Seven years later, Empress Dowager Zhang passed away, and veteran officials such as Yang Shiqi, Yang Rong, and Yang Pu also withdrew from the political stage of the Ming Dynasty. At this time, eunuch Wang Zhen, who had been living with Zhu Qizhen since childhood, began to monopolize power and control the young Emperor Yingzong, becoming the spokesperson for imperial power. This is about Zhangjiakou, Hebei Province. As the cold dew approaches, the elderly in the village are busy harvesting corn from the fields. The place where Lao Zhang stores grain is a dilapidated house in the village. Although the house is dilapidated, it can still be seen that this courtyard was extraordinary that year. It is a quadrangle structure with early Ming Dynasty architectural style. Regarding the history of the house, the villagers can hardly say, but they remember that this ancient house is the former residence of Ming Dynasty eunuch Wang Zhen. More than 500 years ago, the owner of this house, Wang Zhen, set off from here to Beijing to seek career development, which was eventually written into history. Wang Zhen studied for two years in his childhood, and later entered the palace to study in the inner library. Later, he was promoted to the position of eunuch of the Imperial Household Department. Although he entered the court from a poor rural area and had a brief period of power, Wang Zhen always longed to find opportunities to make achievements like those civil and military officials, to prove his own value to the world. The President of the Chinese Ming History Society – Shang Chuan: We should also see his background as a scholar. After entering this eunuch team and achieving such a high status, he felt that after all, I am different from you (eunuchs). I have culture, and this is an aspect. Another thing is that he can use his cultural level to get closer to these officials. After Zhu Qizhen ascended to the throne, Wang Zhen became the head of the Imperial Household Department. Emperor Yingzong trusted Wang Zhen and referred to him as a gentleman rather than by his name. Wang Zhen began to abuse his power, collude with others for personal gain, interfere with court affairs, and became the first authoritarian eunuch of the Ming Dynasty. At this moment, a powerful enemy is rising on the northern grasslands, which is the Mongolian tribe of the Wala tribe. In 1368 AD, the hundred year rule of the Yuan Dynasty was ended, and the remaining forces of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty withdrew to the north of the desert. Soon after, the Mongol forces were divided into three tribes: Wuliangha, Tatar, and Wara. Among them, the power of the Wara tribe gradually increased. In the fourth year of the Zhengtong era (1439 AD), the Wara tribe also inherited its father’s power and basically agreed with the various Mongol tribes. The Wara tribe also became the most serious threat to the Ming Dynasty, and the northern border became a troubled area. In the 14th year of the Zhengtong reign (1449), he also divided his troops into four routes to attack the Ming Dynasty in the south. The central route was the focus of the attack, divided into two branches. One branch directly attacked Xuanfu and besieged Chicheng, while the other branch, led by Yuya, personally attacked Datong. When the news came, Wang Zhen was not worried but happy because he had been waiting for such an opportunity to prove his ability and gain the respect of the civil and military ministers. Wang Zhen’s next task was to persuade Emperor Yingzong to personally lead the expedition, and Emperor Yingzong’s inner desires were exactly the same as Wang Zhen’s. Emperor Yingzong always hoped to lead the Sixth Army like his great grandfather, Emperor Yongle, and father, Emperor Xuande, to conquer the desert, make achievements, and leave a lasting impression on history. In this way, when it comes to the issue of going on an expedition, the two officials, Jun and Chen, came to an agreement at once. A decision to go on an expedition involving the fate and safety of the empire was disregarded by the opinions of all the officials. The two of them patted their heads and settled on it. On July 11th, the 14th year of the Zhengtong reign, General Wu Hao of Datong and Yexian’s troops engaged in battle at Maoerzhuang, and the entire army was destroyed. The news spread to the capital, but Wang Zhen did not take it seriously. On the fifteenth day, Emperor Yingzong issued an edict to personally march, and Ming’s half brother, Prince Zhu Qiyu, stayed in Beijing to defend himself. Zhu Qiyu was the second son of Emperor Xuanzong of the Ming Dynasty, and there are various opinions about his background. In the third year of the Xuande reign of the Wu family, his birth mother was granted the title of virtuous consort for giving birth to Zhu Qiyu. After the death of Emperor Xuanzong of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Qizhen succeeded to the throne, and Zhu Qiyu was conferred the title of King of Han. Obviously, Zhu Qiyu’s status was incomparable to that of Zhu Qizhen. Chairman of the Chinese Ming History Society – Shang Chuan: In our Chinese history, the power of this patriarchal system was very strong. In fact, he was a major and minor sect, belonging to the minor sect. Your brother was orthodox, and your brother’s son was the main line, like the trunk of a big tree. You were just a branch. On July 16, 1449 AD, Zhu Qizhen led a large army to hastily depart from Beijing, claiming to be 500000. Wang Zhen and the Chinese military ministers of the court almost mobilized their forces. Whether it was for Emperor Yingzong, Wang Zhen, or Zhu Qiyu who stayed in the capital, this was a fate changing expedition. The army marched out of Juyongguan in a mighty force, arrived at Xuanfu on July 23rd, and arrived in Datong on August 1st. It was only then that Wang Zhen received news. In the battle on July 16th, Governor General Datong’s Marquis of Xining, Song Ying, and General Zhu Mian were both killed in battle, and the entire army was destroyed. That night, with lightning, thunder, and heavy rain, the soldiers witnessed the corpses of their comrades lying on the battlefield, causing chaos throughout the night in the camp. Only then did Wang Zhen feel afraid. Due to the hasty expedition, the army only prepared a month’s worth of rations. With such reserves, it was obviously too risky to go north and fight against the strong Vara cavalry. Emperor Yingzong finally realized that the personal expedition was not a military parade, which made him restless, but he did not expect a disaster to come soon. Chairman of the Ming History Society of China – Shang Chuan: Sometimes, after seeing this disastrous defeat, he would inspire another spirit. For example, when Emperor Chengzu launched his northern expedition, the first time he let Qiu Fu go on an expedition was also a disastrous defeat, with the entire army destroyed. Then Zhu Di made up his mind to personally conquer. When he personally conquered there, the battlefield was still there, with corpses scattered everywhere. However, he was not frightened, but he also inspired this soldier’s confidence in victory. In the end, he defeated his opponent, so the key was the leadership. At that time, they truly wanted to explore the country and make contributions. At this time, when Emperor Yingzong and Wang Zhen arrived, I… I think this is just playing around. So Wang Zhen decided to withdraw his troops. After hundreds of thousands of troops had settled in a large circle, they turned around and returned to the capital. Cabinet scholar Cao Ding suggested that the army take the Zijingguan Pass to return to the capital, which could ensure safety. But this place is not far from Wang Zhen’s hometown of Wei County. So Wang Zhen requested Emperor Yingzong to return to the capital in the direction of Juyongguan, and on the way, he could tour his hometown of Weizhou. The “Weizhou Annals” during the Guangxu period recorded the retreat of Emperor Yingzong’s army, but there was no mention of Wang Zhen. In today’s Weixian, the story of Wang Zhen is also rarely known. Xiang Yu, the hegemon of Western Chu, said that if wealth and prosperity do not return to his hometown, it is like a night trip in brocade. Wang Zhen needed such an opportunity to return home in glory. Therefore, Emperor Yingzong gladly agreed to Wang Zhen’s request. However, as the army was about to arrive in Weizhou, Wang Zhen suddenly realized that hundreds of thousands of troops passing through his hometown would inevitably trample on maturing crops. He changed his mind and asked the army to change direction, taking the path of Xuanfu to return to Beijing. The sudden change in the marching route caused great panic in the military. Shang Chuan, President of the Chinese Ming History Society: I think this completely exaggerates the importance of a country’s expedition and defense of national security. This is a big problem for Wang Zhen. He neither understands military affairs nor has political acumen. He is not a politician or military strategist. It is hard to say whether Wang Zhen is a bad person, but his mistakes in these aspects did cause the Tumu Fortress Incident, including the major crisis in the early Ming Dynasty. He is a culprit. The geographical location of Tumubao in Huailai County, Zhangjiakou City, Hebei Province is crucial. It is a relay station on the transportation route from Juyongguan to Xuanfu Datong. Today, Tumubao Village is just an ordinary village, with only a few remaining city wall ruins, which vaguely recall the turbulent years of the past. The most brutal war in Ming Dynasty history occurred in such an inconspicuous village. On August 14, 1449 AD, when the army retreated through Xuanfu and returned to Beijing, they arrived at Tumu Fortress. At this time, it was still early, but Wang Zhen ordered his troops to camp on high ground and wait for a thousand logistics vehicles that had not yet arrived. Minister of War Kuang Ye requested that the emperor enter the border first to prevent any unforeseen circumstances. However, Wang Zhen refused. Professor Mao Peiqi from Renmin University of China: At this time, whether to continue advancing or stay in place has caused disagreements within the military. According to military law, everywhere is high, and this is a flat river without water sources, which is a major taboo for military personnel. On the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, which is a traditional Chinese holiday, the Spring Festival. On this day of family reunion, the Ming Dynasty army was like a tiger watching its prey, and the Wala cavalry followed and surrounded it with iron walls. They cut off a stream 15 miles upstream of the Ming army camp, causing 250000 people to run out of water and panic. They dug a well two zhang deep but couldn’t see any water, and it was chaotic. The Wara army was gathering more and more, and the Ming army’s defense line was in great danger. The situation was on the verge of collapse. Therefore, he suddenly sent someone to negotiate and made a withdrawal gesture. Emperor Yingzong was overjoyed and ordered the cabinet scholar Cao Dingcao to issue a peace treaty. Wang Zhen took the opportunity to order the relocation of the camp to the water. President of the Ming History Society of China – Shang Chuan: In such a situation where two armies are facing each other, if you move your camp, the threat of attack will be great. At this time, you need to stabilize your position. If you really defend a city, they cannot attack it and are not good at attacking it. However, if you are in the wilderness and engage in a field battle with them, they are all cavalry, and the impact is quite strong. Yexian finally found an opportunity. When the Ming army moved about three or four miles, the Valar cavalry immediately rushed forward and surrounded the Ming army. The Ming army was in chaos, with countless soldiers rushing east and west, some of whom were killed by the Valar cavalry, and the vast majority trampled on each other and died. The battlefield was littered with corpses, and abandoned weapons turned into a jungle of swords. Faced with the rain of swords and swords, Emperor Yingzong appeared surprisingly calm. Waiting for the final moment to arrive, the enemy sent him to Yexian’s camp. They also learned that the Emperor of Ming had become a captive under their command, ecstatic, and the hope of reviving the Mongol Yuan was in his chest. Burning brightly. The army was defeated, and the emperor was in a difficult situation. Fan Zhong, the general of Emperor Yingzong’s guard, was extremely angry. He swung a hammer and smashed it hard at Wang Zhen’s head. A month ago, Wang Zhen, a great eunuch who was dreaming of glorifying his ancestors and establishing achievements, has now passed away in the blink of an eye, his soul returning to the West. At this station, almost all of the 250000 strong army of the Ming Dynasty were annihilated, and almost all of the accompanying civil and military ministers perished in foreign lands. This was the Battle of Tu Tu Fort. Professor Mao Peiqi from Renmin University of China: Wang Zhen hopes to be a good eunuch and establish achievements, Zhu Qizhen hopes to be an emperor and also hopes to establish achievements. At this point, the two of them came together, but unexpectedly, they led to a mistake. On the night of August 16th, the sound of drums rang in the city of Beijing. After midnight, at three o’clock, a letter was delivered to the Forbidden City, conveying the news of the capture of the legitimate emperor. The messenger came from Huailai Wei and brought a handwritten letter from Zhu Qizhen. In the letter, Zhu Qizhen said to ask the palace to bring more treasures and quickly redeem him. Professor Mao Peiqi from Renmin University of China: From the perspective of the military situation between the entire Ming Dynasty and the Walla at that time, the Ming Dynasty did not weaken to the point where it could be easily defeated by the Walla. They did not expect this war to be so easy to obtain, and even captured the Ming Emperor Yingzong. Therefore, they regarded Ming Emperor Yingzong as a rare commodity and threatened the Ming Dynasty. On the 17th, disabled soldiers and defeated soldiers appeared one after another on the streets of Beijing, and the situation could no longer be concealed. Empress Dowager Sun summoned officials to announce her defeat and ordered the defending Prince Zhu Qiyu to supervise the country. Soon after, she issued an edict, appointing Zhu Jianshen, the son of Zhu Qizhen, as the crown prince. For a while, people were in a state of panic, and some officials were afraid that the capital would not be safe, so they began to send their families to the south. At the same time, voices calling for the capital to move south were rampant. Some of the main battle factions firmly opposed abandoning the city and fleeing south, and the two factions were in dispute. At this time, the Minister of War, Yu Qian, stood up. Shang Chuan, President of the Chinese Ming History Society: One important reason for Yu Qian at that time was that Emperor Wen built his tomb here, which was a land that his descendants would not uproot because they wanted to move south and run with me to Nanjing. They just gave up Beijing. However, Yu Qian said they couldn’t give up because Emperor Wen, who had built all the tombs here, told him that his descendants couldn’t leave. Can we throw our ancestors’ graves to the enemy and then run on our own. This is the former residence of Yu Qian, located at No. 42 Citang Lane, Hangzhou. At the age of fifteen, Yu Qian passed the imperial examination as a scholar, and at the age of twenty-four, he passed the imperial examination. At a young age, Yu Qian was determined to save the country, and he admired Wen Tianxiang from the late Southern Song Dynasty the most. He admired his spirit of sacrificing himself for the country and sacrificing himself for righteousness. The year before the Tumu Fortress Incident, Yu Qianzhi, who served as the governor, returned to the court and served as the Left Assistant Minister of the Ministry of War at the age of 50. The Tumu Fort Incident will be brought to the forefront by Yu Qian, who also serves as the Minister of War and is in charge of Beijing’s defense, becoming another prime minister in Chinese history to save the times. The supervision of the country by King Zhu Qiyu was not a long-term plan. After all, Yu Qian joined forces with various ministers to announce the Empress Dowager Sun’s request to appoint Zhu Qiyu as the emperor, in order to reassure people. Although the Empress Dowager agreed, Zhu Qiyu seemed to be a bit anxious and gave in. After repeated persuasions from the courtiers, Zhu Qiyu agreed to succeed to the throne. On the sixth day of September. Zhu Qiyu succeeded to the throne and honored his elder brother Zhu Qizhen as the Supreme Emperor, with next year being the first year of Jingtai. The Tumu Fortress Incident, the Ming Dynasty lost its ruler first, then gained it, and gained control of the overall political situation. However, with a different throne, what kind of tragic and joyful stories will follow. Professor Mao Peiqi from Renmin University of China: Although the military strength of the Ming Dynasty at that time was not so weak as to be vulnerable, after all, the emperor’s detention was a major event. If this situation cannot be immediately reversed, it is likely to arouse even greater ambition. This was a major problem faced by the Ming Dynasty at that time. At this time, the Minister of War, Yu Qian, stepped forward and took on the important task of defending Beijing. On August 19th, Yu Qian began to deploy defense in the capital, issued a national mobilization order, and quickly recruited Henan. Troops from various defense stations in Shandong and the northern and southern Zhili regions, as well as grain transport officers along the canal, were mobilized to guard the capital. The people were mobilized to bring their own vehicles to transport grain to Tongzhou, in order to alleviate the worries of the military and civilians in the capital. Artillery guns and stones were placed at the nine gates of the capital, roadblocks were set up, and gates and fences were set up outside the city walls to block the enemy’s entry into the city. Yu Qian also personally visited the front line of defense to supervise and prepare for the war. Professor Mao Peiqi from Renmin University of China: Under the humble organization, not only were military forces mobilized from various regions, but also many capable generals were appointed. At the same time, he also mobilized the local people to participate in the defense of Beijing. This is a battlefield war to defend peaceful life in the pass and protect the existing order of agricultural culture. On the first day of October in the 14th year of the Zhengtong reign, he first took Emperor Yingzong as a hostage and launched an attack on the Ming Dynasty in three routes. On the ninth day of the month, he also led his main force to reach Zijingguan and personally supervised the attack. Zijingguan fell, and the Wara army approached Beijing from Baiyangkou and Zijingguan on the west route. Deshengmen, located on the roadside of the North Second Ring Road in Beijing, was first built in the second year of the Ming Dynasty’s Zhengtong era. It was one of the nine gates in the inner city of Beijing during the Ming and Qing dynasties. It is a group of military defense buildings composed of city towers, arrow towers, gate towers, and Wengcheng. It is the gate for sending troops to fight, hence the name Deshengmen. Deshengmen is known as the military gate. Emperor Yongle of the Ming Dynasty marched northward, Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty quelled the Galdan rebellion, Emperor Qianlong suppressed the Zhuo rebellion, and all of them joined Deshengmen. However, just twelve years after the construction of this city defense position by Emperor Yingzong of the Ming Dynasty, a brutal war broke out. On October 13, 1449 AD, starting from Deshengmen, they launched a total attack on the capital city of Ming Dynasty, Beijing. There was a fierce battle outside Deshengmen, but they were defeated first. They then turned their troops to point directly at Xizhimen, and another fierce battle occurred. Both sides suffered heavy casualties and were unable to take advantage of the situation. The Wara army turned and launched an attack on Changyimen, but they were unable to break through for a long time and were forced to retreat. The Valar army retreated to the frontier, and Beijing lifted martial law, restoring the previous calm. Zhu Qiyu issued an edict to pacify the world. According to tradition, the following year’s almanac was promulgated at the end of the first year, and it was about to enter the first year of the Jingtai era, which was marked by Zhu Qiyu’s reign title. The President of the Chinese Ming History Society – Shang Chuan: The result of the Beijing defense war was the continuation of a country that unified the Ming Dynasty. If you really give up Beijing and go south, the north will be completely chaotic. If the north is all about this Mongol, it will be difficult for you to revive the Northern Expedition. He first took Emperor Yingzong as a hostage to attack Beijing, but failed to gain any benefits. Instead, he suffered losses and took Emperor Yingzong back to the northern desert. On the first day of the first lunar month in the first year of Jingtai (1450 AD), it was the first day of the traditional Chinese New Year in the early Han Dynasty. At this time, the vast sky and earth in the northern desert were cold and the earth was frozen. Emperor Yingzong relied on only one tent to keep warm. He was so cold that he couldn’t sleep all night. Looking at the southern sky, he couldn’t help but burst into tears. In the midst of loneliness and sorrow, the words of the father echoed in Zhu Qizhen’s ear. If you become emperor in the future, can you bring peace to the world? Three months ago, when Zhu Qizhen commanded a hundred civil and military officials and a 250000 strong army to march north, all that was in his mind was to return triumphantly. Now that Emperor Yingzong is detained in the Shuo Desert, his home is hard to come back to, and winter nights are long and bitter, he misses his hometown. Zhu Qizhen often goes out to look up at the sky, muttering to himself, “With the will of heaven, I will eventually return.”. Finally, it was revealed that Emperor Yingzong had become a useless card in his own hands. Despite winning the battle involving hundreds of thousands of soldiers in Tumu Fort cleanly and beautifully, this intelligent leader of the Wara tribe was at a loss in the imperial power struggle between the Zhu Qizhen brothers. But at first, there was sufficient political wisdom and measures were taken to treat Emperor Yingzong kindly. According to historical records, one sheep and one cow were introduced to Emperor Yingzong every two days and one cow every seven days. Feasts were held every five, seven, and ten days, and mare’s milk and sheep’s milk were introduced day by day. On August 2nd, in the first year of Jingtai, after being a prisoner of war outside the Great Wall for a year, Emperor Yingzong was welcomed back to the south by court officials Yang Shan. He also led his troops on a half day journey, and the generals bid farewell to Emperor Yingzong with tears. After spending a year together, the two sides were unable to part ways. Finally, Zhu Qizhen embarked on the journey back to his hometown. When he arrived at Xuanfu, Emperor Yingzong ordered people to pay tribute to the souls of the soldiers who had shed blood on the battlefield during the Battle of Tupu a year ago. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers fell forever due to his decision-making mistake. It was another year of Mid Autumn Festival, coinciding with the full anniversary of the Tumu Fortress Incident. Emperor Yingzong finally returned to his familiar Forbidden City, where officials welcomed him outside the Anding Gate. Zhu Qizhen entered from Dong’an Gate, Emperor Jingtai greeted him, Emperor Yingzong replied, brothers met, and each expressed their wishes. The two of them exchanged gifts for a long time. This was a ceremony that had been arranged in advance, and behind the slight concession, the two brothers were embarrassed. The former emperor returned, but the new emperor’s throne in the Forbidden City had not yet heated up, waiting for the fate of Emperor Yingzong. The polite scene came to an end, and Zhu Qizhen was immediately sent to the Chongzhi Hall of the Southern Palace. He had just escaped the imprisonment of foreigners and soon became a prisoner of his younger brother. From then on, as a young emperor, Zhu Qizhen began his solitary confinement life for more than six years. Pudu Temple in Beijing is located in the southeast corner of the Forbidden City, separated by a river from the Forbidden City. It was once the residence of Regent Dorgon in the early Qing Dynasty. In the Ming Dynasty, the location of Pudu Temple was in the East Garden of the Imperial City, which was the southern palace where Emperor Yingzong Zhu Qizhen was imprisoned. The life of a prisoner was very difficult, so his virtuous wife, Empress Qian, had to personally embroider every day to supplement Zhu Qizhen’s scarce food, which made him feel a little relieved. Zhu Qizhen’s time seemed to have stopped, but Emperor Jingtai had been planning his future. Zhu Qiyu, who had already tasted the taste of power, did not want to… Living under the shadow of his older brother, any disturbance from the Southern Palace would make it difficult for him to sleep and eat. The heavy gates of the Southern Palace were tightly locked, and every meal was delivered through the hole. Such strict precautions still could not reassure Emperor Jingtai. In the end, he ordered the trees in the Southern Palace to be cut down, To prevent anyone from crossing the high wall and conspiring to restore the throne. In the third year of Jingtai (1452 AD), Emperor Jingtai brazenly abolished the former crown prince Zhu Jianshen and replaced him with his only son Zhu Jianji. However, Zhu Jianji unfortunately died young the following year, and the call for the restoration of the original crown prince’s position became even more prominent. Emperor Jingtai was very frightened and implemented ruthless suppression. Looking back on Zhu Qiyu, who was elected to inherit the throne by everyone, he refused in every way, treating the emperor’s throne as a terrifying demon and avoiding it. Now, only a year old, he is obsessed with imperial power and has put in a lot of effort. The corruption of power on people’s hearts is evident. For over six years, Zhu Qizhen, the Supreme Emperor of the Southern Palace, has been deeply imprisoned. It is unclear whether he has cut off his thoughts on the return of imperial power. However, the more than a year of imprisonment outside the Great Wall and the more than six years of confinement in the Southern Palace have made Zhu Qizhen calm. He knows that the timing needs to wait. On the early morning of January 17th in the eighth year of Jingtai (1457 AD), just after the fourth shift, a heavy knocking sound came from outside the Southern Palace. Soon, the palace gate, which had been locked for more than six years, was finally knocked open. Marquis Shi Heng of Wuqing, Left Deputy Censor Xu Youzhen and Emperor Yingzong boarded the chariot, and the group hurried towards Donghua Gate. At this moment, the sky suddenly opened with clouds and moonlight, shining like mercury on the ground. As they reached Donghua Gate, the guards shouted loudly, and Emperor Yingzong shouted, “I, the Supreme Emperor,” and Donghua Gate opened in response. This event is known as the restoration of the Southern Palace or the change of the Gate. For over seven years, it has been thrilling and lonely, and now it has finally come to an end. Zhu Qizhen has staged a grand play about the return of the king. On February 1st, Zhu Qizhen deposed Emperor Jingtai. Seven years later, the two brothers swapped roles and Zhu Qiyu began his life of confinement. However, Zhu Qiyu clearly did not have the strength and patience of his brother. He was depressed and died in less than half a month at the age of only thirty. As soon as he gained power and gained great power, those who had made contributions to the restoration immediately began to eliminate the old officials of Jingtai. It was natural for Yu Qian to become the culprit. This person who had once strongly recommended Jingtai Emperor to rise to power was imprisoned on unfounded charges of plotting to establish a foreign domain. The President of the Chinese Ming History Society – Shang Chuan: Emperor Yingzong fully knew that Yu Qian was unjustified. If Yu Qian did not fight there, then Walla could release you. But when the problem arises, what should be done with the excuse? We can only find these officials from the Jingtai Dynasty at that time, and Yu Qian should be the head of the charge. On the 21st day of the first month in the eighth year of the Jingtai reign, in the dim morning light, Emperor Yingzong once again walked towards the throne of the Fengtian Hall in the Forbidden City. Emperor Yingzong issued an edict, announcing the restoration of the throne and granting amnesty to the world, changing the eighth year of the Jingtai reign to the first year of the Tianshun reign. At the age of nine, Zhu Qizhen ascended to the throne and became a prisoner at the age of twenty-three. He was a prisoner for a year, imprisoned for seven years, and finally succeeded in seizing the throne. He once again became the emperor of the empire. In this year, Zhu Qizhen was only thirty-one years old, and the burden of his young life was too heavy. Jingtai Mausoleum is located at the foot of Yuquan Mountain in Haidian District, Beijing. After the death of Emperor Jing, Emperor Yingzong abolished his imperial title and deprived him of the treatment of co burying with the Ming Dynasty emperor at Tianshou Mountain in Changping. He was only buried as a king. After Emperor Xianzong ascended the throne, he disregarded past grievances and bestowed the posthumous title of Emperor Jing on Emperor Jingtai. It was not until nearly 200 years later during the Hongguang period of the Southern Ming Dynasty that Emperor Jing was given a posthumous title of 17 characters and the temple name was Daizong. Today, the Jingtai Mausoleum is lonely and hidden deep in a lush forest. Looking back at Zhu Qiyu’s life, he was tricked by fate and involuntarily ascended to the throne. Later, he was taken away and became a prisoner of his elder brother. After his death, he was stripped of his imperial title. Both before and after his death, due to his title, his eight year imperial career seemed like a dream in life and death. This is the tomb of Yu Qian located at the foot of Santai Mountain in Hangzhou City. On January 22, 1457, Emperor Yingzong ordered him to be executed in the city. He did not come from his home, but his family defended the border. In the second year after Yu Qian’s death, the governor’s assistant Chen Kui transported his coffin back to Hangzhou and buried his loyal bones on the green mountains by West Lake. In the second year of the Ming Hongzhi reign, Emperor Xiaozong vindicated Yu Qian’s wrongful case, commended his achievements, and built a temple next to the tomb to commemorate him. Today, a continuous stream of tourists came to the front of Yu Qian’s tomb and the Yu Qian Memorial Temple, paying tribute to this national hero. In the midst of a long sigh, the line of poetry that was said to have been written by Yu Qian broke through the air and echoed endlessly: I am not afraid of breaking into pieces, I must remain innocent in the world. Temples are widely distributed in the city of Beijing, including Zhihua Temple. It was originally the home temple of eunuch Wang Zhen, who served as a ceremonial eunuch, located on the north side of Lumicang Dongkou Road in Dongcheng District, Beijing. After the restoration of Emperor Yingzong, a Jingzhong Temple was erected for Wang Zhen in the Zhihua Temple, and a statue was erected for worship. In the seventh year of the Qianlong reign, the statue was destroyed, leaving only the stone tablet from the time Emperor Yingzong sculpted Wang Zhen. Nowadays, Zhihua Temple has become a Buddhist temple, with a solitary stone tablet standing in a corner of the temple, and its owner has been forgotten by the world. Like many other villainous characters in history, Wang Zhen has been frozen by history. Today, we can only imagine that Emperor Yingzong’s persistent longing for Wang Zhen must have a reason rooted in the depths of human nature. Chairman of the Chinese Ming History Society – Shang Chuan: He believes that Wang Zhen is very good and loyal. What do you think about his relationship with Wang Zhen? He was so young as a crown prince, and when he was a few years old in the palace, he followed him and watched him grow up. Then he became emperor and followed him for so many years. After all, he died by his side. If we were to classify him simply as a good person or a bad person, I think Yingzong or Wang Zhen are not that kind of bad person. It makes us feel like they are bad people at first glance. So, he still has this kind of emotion towards Wang Zhen, from beginning to end, I think it is understandable. The Xianzhong Temple, located in Tumu Village, Huailai County, was built in the early years of Jingtai to worship over a hundred civil and military officials and 250000 military heroes who sacrificed their lives for the country during the Tumu Fort Incident. Despite the erosion of wind and rain and the hardships of war, only three main halls remain. This Xianzhong Temple, hidden deep in the village, has long been forgotten like the people and events of the past. In the long years, few people are willing to touch that painful memory. In the face of time, history is so ruthless. People who emerge from the dilemma of humiliation can be roughly divided into two categories: one type becomes more enterprising because they want to wash away their shame and prove themselves, while the other type becomes more timid and conservative, and unfortunately, Zhu Qizhen becomes the latter type of person. After experiencing disasters and social upheavals, Zhu Qizhen became more cautious in his control of power, and his descendants also became more obedient. After the Tumu Fortress Incident, the Ming Dynasty shifted from offensive to defensive in the northern border areas, and the power between the Ming Dynasty and various Mongolian tribes tended to balance. The Ming Dynasty began a wave of large-scale construction of border walls. Over the next hundred years in Huailai County, Zhangjiakou City, Hebei Province, the Ming Dynasty spent a lot of manpower and material resources to build large-scale border walls and fortresses, constructing a defense system centered around nine towns along the Ming Great Wall, and basically defining the boundaries between agricultural and pastoral areas. The long river of history flows endlessly, and every person who has gone through the Tumu Fortress transformation floats and falls in this long river. Hundreds of years later, the historical relics scattered on this ancient land are either remembered or forgotten, but they are all telling people about that period of vicissitudes. 90 Seconds of History: The road from Heart to Mind to Guizhou is extremely difficult, but this path of exile is also the path to achieving Yangming’s Mind Learning. In the spring of 1508, Wang Yangming experienced countless hardships and dangers, and traveled a long distance to reach Longchang. In the vast forests of northwest Guizhou, poisonous snakes, witchcraft, malaria, and plagues were scattered all over Longchang. Most of the people in Longchang were Miao and Yi indigenous people, and their language was not clear, making it difficult to communicate. The only people who could talk to him were Han bandits who fled to this area. This piece of land became Wang Yangming’s spiritual home. He built a grotto for himself, living day and night in it. Meditating on life, one must understand life and death. After a long period of contemplation, one night, during the middle of the year, it seemed as if someone was talking to him in a dream, and Wang Yangming was shouting and cheering in a daze, He finally found a satisfactory answer to the long-standing problem of exhaustion of reasoning, which is that the mind is reason. The Wang Yangming School of Mind, which he founded, has profound significance in the history of Chinese thought.
Know China From Here