At the end of the Tang Dynasty, warlords were in power, the world was in chaos, and the people were struggling. Starting from 907 AD, Chinese history entered a chaotic era that lasted for more than half a century. There were only 53 years left before and after the five separatist regimes of the Liang, Tang, Jin, and Han dynasties. However, the emperors replaced 13 of them. As the saying goes, “After you sing, I will appear.” All the founding armies of the Five Dynasties were the important generals of the previous dynasty. They seized the throne through coups and killings, but had no ability to govern the country. As a result, they were quickly ousted from power and their country was destroyed. There were tyrants on top, cruel officials on the bottom, and rulers of all sizes fiercely competed on the ancient land of the Central Plains. War was chaotic, and life was ruined. This was the eve of dawn, and the people eagerly awaited someone who could end the chaotic era and save them from fire and water. Heroes are born.
This is a handicraft that has been passed down for over a thousand years: Bian embroidery, also known as palace embroidery or official embroidery during the Northern Song Dynasty. Emperor Taizu of Song, Zhao Kuangyin, established a silk and brocade courtyard in the capital to produce Bian embroidery. “Double Dragons Playing with Beads” is a traditional theme in Bian embroidery, showcasing the legendary story of Emperor Taizu of Song, Zhao Kuangyin, and his brother Zhao Guangyi. But due to its age, the original pattern has long been lost. For Guo Ning, today is an important day. He has browsed through a large amount of historical materials, and after more than two months of material selection, framing, painting, silk production, and embroidery, this embroidered piece of “Twin Dragons Playing with the Pearl” is about to be completed. In his view, every stitch and thread now is weaving the legendary life of Zhao Kuangyin.
On the night of March 21, 927 AD, in a garrison military camp called Jiama Camp in Luoyang, a loud cry was heard from a baby. This baby was the son of Zhao Hongyin, a military officer of the Later Tang Dynasty, and later the founding emperor of the Song Dynasty, Zhao Kuangyin. It is said that when Zhao Kuangyin was born, the house was filled with red light and followed by a large fire. What is even more incredible is that Zhao Kuangyin was born with a pungent aroma all over his body, and the Jiama Camp was fragrant for three days and three nights. For this reason, Zhao Kuangyin’s nickname was “Xianghaier”, and Jiama Camp was later renamed “Xianghaier Camp”. In the biographies of founding emperors throughout China, legends like Zhao Kuangyin’s miraculous birth are not uncommon. However, there is a unique legend in the body of Song Taizu Zhao Kuangyin, which originated from Shaolin Temple in Songshan.
Shaolin Temple, Dengfeng City, Henan Province
This world-renowned temple is renowned for its Shaolin Kung Fu skills. Among the Shaolin martial arts routines passed down through generations, there is a mysterious technique known as the “Taizu Long Fist 32 Style”. Zhao Kuangyin, who came from a military family, enjoyed horseback riding, archery, and martial arts practice from a young age. Later, he came to Shaolin Temple to learn martial arts and quickly showed exceptional martial arts talent. This Taizu Long Fist 32 Style, named after Zhao Kuangyin, integrates the essence of Shaolin Temple martial arts and has been passed down to this day. Shi Yan’ao inherited the legacy of his ancestors, and now he is an important inheritor of Shaolin Taizu Long Fist. People.
Shaolin Temple Monk – Shi Yan’ao: It is said that Zhao Kuangyin entered Shaolin Temple when he was young. During his practice, he excelled in this set of boxing. He liked this set of boxing and practiced it very well. Therefore, in order to respect him in the future, everyone named him Taizu Changquan.
Zhao Kuangyin not only excels in long fist combat, but also excels in multiple weapons, among which the most skilled iron rod also comes from Shaolin Temple. There has always been a saying in the Song Dynasty that “Taizu’s whistle rod hits four hundred provinces and mountains”. After Zhao Kuangyin, the Northern Song Emperor went on a tour and had someone carrying an iron rod following behind him. It is said to be Zhao Kuangyin’s weapon from the past, with his fingerprints on it. Nowadays, more and more people come to Shaolin Temple to learn stick and fist techniques. However, in Shi Yanao’s view, almost no one can achieve Zhao Kuangyin’s level, even if he himself doesn’t want to do it every day. Stop and suddenly realize the true essence of Taizu Long Fist.
Shaolin Temple Monk – Shi Yan’ao: Learning martial arts is a method of practice, and then practicing the Zen within it. Every person who does great things lacks a calm heart first. Zhao Kuangyin went to Shaolin Temple and studied there with a Zen mind. Once the Zen mind is cultivated, he can better think about big problems.
To achieve great success, one must move towards a broader world. At the age of 21, when Zhao Kuangyin left Shaolin Temple, he seemed to be ready. Next, Zhao Kuangyin, who had honed his martial arts skills, would begin to perform his life’s “32 moves”.
But it seems that Zhao Kuangyin has not yet found the direction of his life. At first, he went south, and one day he walked to Xiangyang and lived in a temple. The abbot of the temple helped him redefine the coordinates of his life. The abbot was a century old monk, who guided him. The various political regimes south of the Han River were relatively stable, and only in times of chaos could heroes emerge. He should go north instead of south. At this time, the northern region was in a turbulent era, where a hero had been waiting to clean up the mess. Now, this hero has embarked on a journey.
Professor Deng Xiaonan from the Department of History at Peking University: In the northern region, five dynasties were replaced within 53 years. There is a saying in history that it was a state of frequent changes, with eight surnames and thirteen monarchs. In fact, there were not only thirteen monarchs, but at least fourteen emperors. Therefore, the northern region has indeed gone through wars and has been relatively turbulent for a long time.
In 948 AD, Zhao Kuangyin found a good opportunity. At that time, Guo Wei, who was serving as the Governor General of Later Han, was ordered to suppress Li Shouzhen, the governor of Hezhong. Zhao Kuangyin joined Guo Wei’s banner. Two years later, Guo Wei overthrew the Later Han regime and established Later Zhou. Zhao Kuangyin became a military officer in the Forbidden Army. Soon after, Chai Rong ascended to the throne and became Emperor Shizong of Zhou. Zhao Kuangyin quickly became an important minister beside Chai Rong. But as a soldier, his promotion requires more capital, and what is currently most lacking is that Zhao Kuangyin urgently needs to win a war to prove his true value to Emperor Zhou Shizong.
The opportunity came quickly. Shortly after Emperor Zhou Shizong ascended the throne, in February 954 AD, the Northern Han Dynasty contacted the Khitans to invade the Later Zhou Dynasty. Emperor Zhou Shizong personally launched an expedition, and Zhao Kuangyin accompanied him on the expedition. In March, the two armies engaged in a fierce battle in Gaoping. The battle began, and the Northern Han army immediately gained the upper hand. Several high-ranking generals in the Later Zhou dynasty, seeing the situation was not good, unexpectedly escaped from the battlefield, and the Later Zhou army immediately became chaotic. At this time, Zhao Kuangyin was fearless in the face of danger. He decisively divided the imperial army into two parts according to the deployment of Emperor Zhou Shizong. One part suppressed the enemy’s attack, and he personally led the other left flank to attack the enemy camp of Northern Han, reversing the defeat in one fell swoop. Zhao Kuangyin became famous in one battle, not only for saving the country, but more importantly, he saved the land of Later Zhou for Emperor Zhou Shizong.
Professor Li Xiao from China University of Political Science and Law: So the role of this war is not only reflected in this aspect, but more importantly, he won the great appreciation of Emperor Shizong of Zhou, Chai Rong. Without the trust and appreciation of Emperor Shizong of Zhou, Chai Rong, there would have been no story of Zhao Kuangyin’s rapid promotion later on.
After the Battle of Gaoping, Zhou Shizong began to reorganize the Forbidden Army. At the same time, in order to weaken the power of local warlords, Zhou Shizong recruited brave warriors from all over the world into the capital, and then carefully selected them to form a new army called the “Palace Front Groups”, making it the most elite Forbidden Army unit directly controlled by the emperor. Zhao Kuangyin was responsible for the selection and formation of this Forbidden Army unit. In 959 AD, during the Northern Expedition against Khitan, Zhou Shizong fell seriously ill and was forced to return to Daliang. Half a month later, he passed away at the age of only 39. Zhou Shizong passed away young, and his son Chai Zongxun, who had just turned seven years old, succeeded him to the throne and became known as Emperor Gong. After only nine years of establishment, the Later Zhou regime immediately fell into a state of “suspicion and uncertainty” and was on the brink of danger. When Zhou Shizong was critically ill, he suspected the inspection of the front hall at that time. Zhang Yongde, the son-in-law of Zhou Taizu Guo Wei, was suspected and his military power was lifted. Zhao Kuangyin was appointed as the inspection of the front hall, which seemed to be destined by fate and reorganized. The historical responsibility of mountains and rivers actually fell on Zhao Kuangyin’s shoulders ahead of schedule.
On the first day of the first lunar month in 960 AD, which was the first New Year after the seven year old Emperor ascended to the throne, the world was not peaceful due to the arrival of the New Year. News came from the front that the Northern Han Dynasty colluded with the Liao army to invade the Later Zhou Dynasty. According to later research, this was likely a conspiracy carefully planned by Zhao Kuangyin. The so-called Northern Han invasion was purely fictitious. In a hurry, Empress Dowager Fu ordered Prime Minister Fan Zhi to urgently convene a meeting in front of the emperor to discuss sending troops to defend the enemy. The result of the discussion was that Zhao Kuangyin was the most suitable candidate to lead troops, but such a result did not represent everyone’s opinion.
On the day before Zhao Kuangyin’s expedition, rumors spread throughout the capital that he was going to rebel and seize the Later Zhou Dynasty. Some of the rumors were often undisclosed truths, and the rumors were rampant. Zhao Kuangyin, who was pushed to the forefront of the storm, had entered the most critical moment in his life. If Zhao Kuangyin, who was holding a heavy army, immediately launched a mutiny in the capital, it would offend public anger, cause people to deviate, and only when facing danger can he achieve great success. For Zhao Kuangyin, this was not only reflected in the battlefield, but also in the preparation for the expedition. Zhao Kuangyin has always been well-organized. He was not influenced by the theory of rebellion in his deployment.
According to historical records, on the third day of the first lunar month, it is said that two suns appeared simultaneously in the sky above Kaifeng Prefecture. There was a young officer named Miao Xun in Zhao Kuangyin’s army. After discovering this strange celestial phenomenon, he approached Zhao Kuangyin’s confidant Chu Zhaofu and said, “It seems that a new emperor will emerge again.”.
Chenqiaoyi is located in Fengqiu County, 50 kilometers away from Kaifeng City. Although the famous Chenqiao mutiny occurred here in Chinese history, due to its remote location, few people have come here to visit. Li Zongtang has been waiting here for most of his life. Every year on the third day of the first lunar month, the elderly Li Zongtang would offer three glasses of wine to the host Zhao Kuangyin worshipped here. This is a tradition that gatekeepers have always followed, because everyone knows that on this day, Zhao Kuangyin cannot be without wine.
On the third day of the first lunar month in the year 960 AD, Zhao Kuangyin led his troops to march and stayed overnight at Chenqiao Post. That night, he was drunk. The next morning, he suddenly shouted with his face on. In his drunken dream, Zhao Kuangyin quickly jumped up. As soon as he left, a group of people rushed forward and draped a yellow robe over him. Before Zhao Kuangyin could react, he had already knelt down in front of him, and everyone shouted long live. Just between the transition of dreams and reality, Zhao Kuangyin became the founding emperor of the Song Dynasty. This is the legendary Chenqiao mutiny in Chinese history, with the protagonist being Zhao Kuangyin. The statue of Zhao Kuangyin, enshrined in the Xianlie Temple of Chenqiao Post, is still adorned with a yellow robe.
Professor Deng Xiaonan from the Department of History at Peking University: It is usually said in official historical records, but I think if we take a look at the clues left by historical materials at that time and put these contents together, we can actually grasp the full picture of the event. The entire process of the Chenqiao mutiny, I believe, was carried out step by step under the overall planning of Zhao Kuangyin and his group of advisors, including intelligence figures, around him.
The meticulous deployment of the mutiny plan began on the first day of the first lunar month. When Zhao Kuangyin received an order from the imperial meeting to lead troops on the expedition, he first supported Murong Yanzhao, who was not a trusted confidant, and asked him to lead the front army to set off one day ahead of schedule. Gao Huaide and Zhang Lingduo, the guards of the Imperial Guards, followed him on the expedition, freeing up the military strength of the guards of the capital and arranging the two beloved generals, Shi Shouxin and Wang Shenqi, in the city of Kaifeng for internal and external coordination. At the same time, Zhao Kuangyin had already considered the safety of his family. According to Sima Guang’s “Su Shui Ji Wen”, when he left the army, Zhao Kuangyin’s family all hid in the scripture collection building of a temple called Dingli Temple to prevent accidents. Therefore, it seems that Zhao Kuangyin was not a muscular warrior with well-developed limbs and a simple mind. The reason why he was able to achieve great success was entirely due to his extraordinary courage, superb wisdom, and meticulous deployment. However, if the matter only ends here, then Zhao Kuangyin’s behavior is no different from all the warlords who relied on rebellion to seize power during the Five Dynasties period. However, Zhao Kuangyin’s subsequent actions truly demonstrated the style of a politician who opened up a great dynasty.
The Song Taizu Cave opens its doors and the Beijing Palace Museum
Zhao Kuangyin, who was dressed in yellow robes at Chenqiao Post, had to lead his army back to the capital city of Kaifeng to force his young master Chai Zongxun to abdicate. However, the protagonist of the mutiny issued a special order, requiring all soldiers to protect the Empress Dowager and young master of the Zhou Dynasty after returning to the capital, not to infringe upon court ministers, not to plunder the national treasury, those who obey the order will be rewarded, and those who violate the order will be executed. A seemingly simple order distinguishes Zhao Kuangyin from all the councilors of the Five Dynasties period.
Professor Li Xiao from China University of Political Science and Law: Other councilors, in order to achieve success in the coup, even indulged and encouraged their soldiers to plunder, resulting in the killing of former leaders, minister murder, and constant acts of rebellion. This practice has brought about even greater social unrest.
On the fifth day of the first lunar month, Zhao Kuangyin returned to the capital with his rebel army. Sure enough, the military discipline was strict and there were no offenses. However, this was not enough to successfully ascend the throne. He only had one last step left, which was to make the ministers of Later Zhou submit to him. Faced with the stern condemnation of the ministers of Later Zhou, Zhao Kuangyin cried and blamed himself. This was a very awkward moment for Zhao Kuangyin, who was about to usurp power and ascend the throne. At this time, someone must stand up and push history forward. As Zhao Kuangyin’s personal guard, Luo Yanggui walked out from Zhao Kuangyin’s side and drank with his sword: “Our generation is ownerless.” Today I will surely have the emperor. With such a reprimand, the history of Later Zhou was ended, and Zhao Kuangyin officially ascended to the throne, renaming Emperor Gong of Later Zhou, Chai Zongxun, as the Prince of Zheng.
Because Zhao Kuangyin, who served as the military governor of Guide, was located in Songzhou, the new dynasty took “Song” as its national name and established its capital in Tokyo (now Kaifeng, Henan), which became known as the Northern Song Dynasty in history. Zhao Kuangyin was the founder of the Song Dynasty. The news of Zhao Kuangyin’s accession to the throne spread to Chen Chuan, a hermit from Huashan and a master of the Book of Changes. This old man said this sentence, and the world was pacified from then on.
Professor Li Xiao from China University of Political Science and Law: After the An Lushan Rebellion, for over a hundred years, the entire political landscape in China has been plagued by wars and disasters, with the people suffering from chaos and fear. Therefore, the desire for peace and stability is the direction of the times, the trend of society, and the direction of people’s hearts.
For Zhao Kuangyin, “wearing a yellow robe” only meant the beginning, because Chenqiao Post was just a small post station in his seventeen year imperial career. To completely put an end to the chaos since the Five Dynasties and create a prosperous dynasty, Zhao Kuangyin still had a long way to go. The first thing Zhao Kuangyin faced was the fragmented country after the warlord chaos since the end of the Tang Dynasty. The mission of unifying the territory and revitalizing the Central Plains called for him, but before the prelude to unification began, someone raised the banner of rebellion, which Zhao Kuangyin had not anticipated.
Shortly after Zhao Kuangyin ascended the throne, Li Yun and Li Zhongjin successively rebelled against the Song Dynasty in Luzhou, Zezhou, Shanxi, and Yangzhou, Jiangsu. Emperor Taizu of the Song Dynasty personally led an expedition and quickly suppressed the rebellion. After eliminating the two Li tribes, no one dared to rebel again, and the world returned to peace. However, Emperor Taizu of Song fell asleep because of this. He believed that the vicious cycle of chaos in the Five Dynasties had not been eradicated in his hands, and there was a possibility of it continuing to spread. Every time Zhao Kuangyin suffered from insomnia, he would think of his troubled brother Zhao Pu, who had been fighting with him for many years and is now the prime minister of the dynasty.
Professor You Biao from the School of History at Beijing Normal University: Whether it was during his conquest of the country or his later establishment of the Song Dynasty, he always valued Zhao Pu in the process of governing the country and ensuring stability. The reason why he valued him so much is because Zhao Pu indeed had outstanding qualities in certain aspects, especially in his politics, strategy, and other aspects, which is why Emperor Taizu of Song valued him.
It was a snowy night, and Emperor Taizu of Song braved the heavy snow and knocked on Zhao Pu’s door. Regarding the conversation on that evening, there is a detailed record in Sima Guang’s “Su Shui Ji Wen” of the Northern Song Dynasty. Four months later, the famous “release of military power by drinking wine” incident occurred, which once again wrote a legendary chapter in Zhao Kuangyin’s life.
Longting, Kaifeng City, Henan Province
Even now, Kaifeng people still talk about it with great enthusiasm. As a full-time actor playing Zhao Kuangyin, Li Baotian cannot remember how many times he has portrayed the story of releasing military power through drinking over the past twenty years.
Cup wine releases military power, Longting Scenic Area, Kaifeng City, Henan Province
One day in the early autumn of 961 AD, Emperor Taizu of Song held a banquet to entertain a group of senior generals such as Shi Shouxin and Wang Shenqi who had made remarkable military achievements with him. After three rounds of drinking, Emperor Taizu looked worried. Shi Shouxin and others quickly asked about the reason. Emperor Taizu said that it was really difficult to be an emperor because everyone wanted to be an emperor. Upon hearing this, Shi Shouxin and others were terrified and confessed that they had no ulterior motives. Emperor Taizu said, although you have no ulterior motives, if your subordinates wear yellow robes on you, you also have to be an emperor. When the generals heard this, they were frightened and left the table together, kowtowing and pleading. Indicating a way of life, Emperor Taizu gave them an idea: to retire from their armor and return to the fields, buy more good fields and beautiful houses, set up a permanent inheritance for their descendants, and buy some songs, dances, and women to drink and celebrate, all day long. The generals finally understood Taizu’s intentions. The next day, Shi Shouxin and others all resigned due to illness and requested to retire from their armor and return to the fields. Taizu followed the tide and transferred them to other places to serve as officials, effectively reclaiming the military power of the Forbidden Army.
Professor Li Xiao from China University of Political Science and Law: Zhao Kuangyin was able to become emperor thanks to the Chenqiao Rebellion. He was not a local powerhouse, but a senior general of the central government. With his position as a checkpoint in front of the palace, he successfully launched a coup, and his success precisely means where the greatest danger lies. Therefore, to release his military power through a cup of wine, he solved the problem of a new and old alternation of senior generals in the central forbidden army.
Since the An Lushan Rebellion until the Five Dynasties period, social theft has become rampant, and mutinies seem to have become an unsolvable problem. Although they also benefited from the mutinies, Zhao Kuangyin knew that this situation must be changed, otherwise the Northern Song Dynasty would become the sixth short-lived dynasty after the Five Dynasties. The release of military power through the cup of wine cannot fundamentally solve the problem. If one does not want to become a fleeting memory of history, Emperor Taizu of Song must more effectively strike his Long Fist 32 moves.
In the Five Dynasties period, the governor’s power was limitless and the central government lost control. In response to this situation, Song Taizu canceled the system of governor and receiving sub prefectures in the late Tang and Five Dynasties period, and the central government sent civil servants to be prefects, Supervisor of the County and other posts, directly responsible for the central government. Song Taizu also took advantage of the governor’s transfer, sent scholars, and met in Beijing to remove their power, and put them idle, making them no longer possible to threaten the central government.
In order to seize the military power of the vassal town, Song Taizu sent the brave men to the capital and incorporated them into the Central Forbidden Army. In this way, the essence of the armies in all places was concentrated in the capital, and there was no more elite and brave soldiers in the local area. But the mutiny was not only out of the vassal town. The Chenqiao mutiny was originated from the Forbidden Army, and it was even more important to control the Forbidden Army.
Emperor Taizu of Song established the “Three Yamen” system, which was jointly led by the Palace Front Department, the Guard Horse Army Department, and the Guard Infantry Department, to constrain the generals of the Forbidden Army and ensure the emperor’s position as the overall commander of the army.
Professor Deng Xiaonan from the Department of History at Peking University: These three departments, also known as the Three Yamen, have the importance of holding military power, but they do not have the power to deploy troops. Therefore, by separating the right to invention and the power to wield military power, a system of checks and balances was formed from the system. This so-called military system of the Three Yamen and the Privy Council almost eliminated the possibility of his forbidden army launching a mutiny in the Song Dynasty to an impossible state. This also paved the way for the stable development of the later Song Dynasty.
Emperor Taizu of Song deployed half of the more than 200000 forbidden troops in the capital, while the remaining half were dispersed and stationed in other places, making the garrison in the capital sufficient to prevent possible unrest in other places. It also allowed the garrison in other places to merge, which could prevent possible unrest in the capital. Emperor Taizu also implemented the “more garrison law” and the “more garrison law”. The forbidden troops stationed in the capital and stationed in other places were often mobilized and rotated, and the military leaders must be changed frequently to prevent the formation of a strong relationship between generals and soldiers, and to prevent arrogant soldiers from committing rebellion.
The measures taken by Emperor Taizu of Song were not only reflected in the military system, but also formed a central decentralization pattern with the Central Secretariat in charge of administration, the Privy Council in charge of military and political affairs, and the Three Departments in charge of finance. They also added the Counselor in Chief as the Deputy Prime Minister, who jointly participated in the decision-making of court affairs with the Prime Minister. This pattern dispersed the real power of the Prime Minister, prevented excessive expansion of individual power, and caused mutual restraint and balance within the ruling group, thereby strengthening monarchy. Emperor Taizu of Song effectively curbed the mutiny at the institutional level and ended the cycle of history by implementing a series of measures in politics, military, and finance.
Professor Deng Xiaonan from the Department of History at Peking University: Personally speaking, during his sixteen or seventeen year reign, Zhao Kuangyin successfully transformed his role from a warlord to a relatively successful monarch. So, in terms of the political situation under his rule, it effectively shifted from that kind of turmoil to a relatively stable one. In the words of the people at that time, it was to suppress chaos and transform it into a period of relative governance. So, I think Zhao Kuangyin’s political legacy is not only important for the Northern Song Dynasty, but also has enlightening significance for subsequent monarchs.
Now, it is time for Emperor Taizu of Song to present the most important and historically controversial move of his life, which is: governing the country by literati. As is well known, the late Tang and Five Dynasties were the most domineering periods in Chinese history for martial artists, and the status of literati fell to the bottom of history.
Although Emperor Taizu of Song himself had a military background, he was very fond of reading. In his early years, Zhao Kuangyin accompanied Emperor Zhou Shizong on an expedition to Huainan and returned to the capital with several large boxes. Someone falsely accused him of plundering gold, silver, jewelry, and preparing to embezzle them. Emperor Zhou Shizong was very angry and sent someone to search for all the books.
The Kaifeng Museum of Song Dynasty Literature
He said that during the Five Dynasties period, the martial artists caused suffering to the people. Now, he uses scholars to manage the world, hiring around a hundred literati. Even if these scholars are no longer as bad and corrupt as a martial artist, the harm they cause is not as great as that of a single martial artist. He often educates his ministers: today’s martial artists should also be taught to study, hoping that they will know the way to govern. In fact, wise emperors all understood a truth: military power can conquer the world, and only then can the rule of culture usher in a peaceful and prosperous era. In order to suppress the powerful generals, Emperor Taizu of Song promoted a large number of literary bureaucrats and placed them in important positions. He repeatedly advocated that prime ministers should use scholars, and in order to cultivate a culture of valuing literature and learning, Emperor Taizu of Song not only set an example, but also constantly urged his subordinates to study seriously. Under the strong advocacy of Emperor Taizu of Song, the trend of learning became increasingly strong, in stark contrast to the Five Dynasties period. The status of the entire generation of Chinese people in the Song Dynasty was elevated to an unprecedented level in Chinese history.
Emperor Taizu of Song left behind a “family law” that did not kill scholars and officials or those who spoke. Before each new ruler of the Northern Song Dynasty ascended to the throne, he must swear on the “oath tablet” left by Emperor Taizu of Song, one of which is a scholar official who wrote a memorial. No matter how sharp and intense his words were, they must not be killed.
Songyang Academy, Dengfeng City, Henan Province
However, reform emphasizes balance, and going too far will lead to heavy lessons. Due to the one-sided implementation of the policy of advocating literature and suppressing martial arts, the culture of practicing martial arts as a shame and taking pride in learning literature became increasingly prevalent in Song Dynasty society. Due to excessive emphasis on the mutual restraint between government departments and officials, it seriously affected the performance of administrative efficiency and caused many drawbacks in the politics of the Song Dynasty. The hidden dangers gradually unfolded and became prominent in the following years, bringing a series of insurmountable problems and opportunities to the rule of the Song Dynasty, resulting in the decline of the Song Dynasty’s martial arts and seriously weakening its ability to resist foreign invasion. This led to most emperors of the Northern Song Dynasty, after Emperor Taizu of the Song Dynasty, having difficulty sleeping and eating. Even after eliminating the threat of a coup from within the regime, Zhao Kuangyin still couldn’t sleep at night. It was another snowy night, and Zhao Kuangyin knocked on the door of the Zhao Pu family again. His younger brother Zhao Guangyi also came with him. This time, the problem was that Zhao Kuangyin felt that the bed he was sleeping on was too small. Zhao Pu quickly understood that the emperor didn’t mind that the bed he was sleeping on was too small, but rather that the territory of the Song Dynasty was too small.
After Emperor Taizu of Song seized the power of Later Zhou, he inherited only the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River and various parts of the Huai River basin. The vast land of China is still mostly occupied by the remnants of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms. In Zhao Kuangyin’s own words, this form is described as: on the side of the bed, there are enemies who are sleeping soundly.
Professor Li Xiao from China University of Political Science and Law: Zhao Pu said, Your Majesty, although your current territory is small, expanding territory and unifying the whole country is also happening at this time. Zhao Kuangyin asked, what is your opinion? Zhao Pu said that the Northern Han Dynasty relied on the support of the Khitans behind us, so they have always been enemies with us. If we fight, they can also take it down. However, once the Northern Han Dynasty is resolved, we will have full borders with the Khitans. The Khitans are a strong enemy, and it is not easy to deal with them due to the presence of the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun. Therefore, he advocates to fight south first. So, a proposal of unifying the whole country from south to north was proposed by Zhao Pu, which coincided with Zhao Kuangyin’s idea. Starting from January 963 AD, Zhao Kuangyin began his hegemonic campaign of unifying the whole country. He successively eliminated Jingnan, Hunan, Later Shu, Southern Han, and Jiangnan, and in thirteen years, basically ended the separatist situation of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms. Except for Wu Yue and Northern Han, the country was generally unified.
Zhao Kuangyin had a lifelong affinity with snow. He visited Zhao Pu twice on snowy nights and obtained good governance strategies. In the end of his life, snow was his companion.
On October 20, 976 AD, the city of Kaifeng was filled with wind and snow. This was the first snow of the year, which came earlier than any other year. Looking at the snowflakes flying in the sky and the silver world on the ground, Zhao Kuangyin was in a good mood. He sent someone to invite his younger brother Zhao Guangyi to drink. When the two brothers were drinking until their ears were warm, for some reason, Emperor Taizu of Song escorted all the eunuchs and palace maids who were waiting beside him.
Regarding this night wine, according to historical records, under the shadow of a candle in the distance, Zhao Guangyi occasionally left his seat and seemed to be humbly retreating. When he restrained himself from leaking three drums, the night wine was finally finished. At this point, the snow in the courtyard had already fallen several inches. Emperor Taizu of Song, holding a jade axe, poked the snow on the ground and later returned to his house. He undressed and went to bed, snoring like thunder. That night, the founding emperor of the Song Dynasty, Zhao Kuangyin, suddenly passed away at the age of only 50. Emperor Taizong of Song succeeded to the throne, marking the end of the era of Emperor Taizu of Song.
Yongchangling, Gongyi City, Henan Province
The death of Emperor Taizu of Song left a timeless mystery to future generations with the sound of candles, shadows, and axes. Some people say that Zhao Kuangyin died of murder, while others say that he died from years of excessive drinking or sudden cerebral hemorrhage, with the river of time flowing endlessly. Today, more than a thousand years later, it is no longer important to investigate the cause of death of this founding emperor of the Song Dynasty. What is important is that, like the dragon wearing clouds and breaking fog on this Bian embroidery, Zhao Kuangyin’s limited life radiates tremendous positive energy. With his outstanding wisdom and superhuman courage, he ended the chaotic era, brought long-awaited peace to the people of the world, and wrote the legendary life of Emperor Taizu of Song.
90 Seconds of History: Frozen Suicheng
The city of Sui in October was already extremely cold. When the garrison soldiers climbed up the city tower early in the morning to look out, they suddenly became shocked. The mountains and fields outside the city were filled with Liao soldiers, full of murderous spirit. Fortunately, the defending general of Sui was Yang Yanzhao, also known as Yang Liulang. Sui was very small and weak in military equipment. Faced with the pressure of a large army, everyone felt anxious. In addition, the cold weather and freezing water would inevitably affect the combat effectiveness of the army. As the city was about to be breached, at a critical moment of life and death, the defending general Yang Yanzhao came up with a quick idea and seized the strength of the entire city. The young men gathered together and asked them to prepare water transportation tools. Yang Yanzhao ordered the defending army and the people to water the city wall. The army and the people were busy all night, and thick ice armor formed on the city wall. The next day, the Liao army came to attack the city as usual and found that Suicheng had become a transparent ice city, If the Liao army wanted to attack the city again, it would be even more difficult. The Liao army suffered heavy losses in this battle, which is the famous Frozen Suicheng in history. The war between the Song and Liao dynasties would continue until the two sides formed an alliance.
