Discontent and mute protest among broad sections of the population resulted in open protests almost immediately after the death of Qin Shi Huang. The impoverished, desperate farmers were the main driving force behind these uprisings. Slaves also took part in them. Sources repeatedly testify to the participation of those in these uprisings, many of whom were state convict slaves.
The first and most powerful uprising began in the fall of 209 BC. e. in North Anhui. It was led by bankrupt farmers Chen Sheng and Wu Guang. According to sources, Chen Sheng and Wu Guang were sent along with a large group of people from among the poorest population to the northern border to serve military service. The road was very difficult, and the party was unable to arrive at their destination within the specified time, which was punishable by death according to Qin laws. Chen Sheng persuaded his comrades to flee. They killed the party leader and started an uprising. It quickly spread over a wide area. The rebels captured cities and entire regions and killed officials. In the winter of 208 BC. e. The most powerful detachment of Chen Sheng's army approached Xianyang. Panic began in the capital. Although government troops managed to defend the capital, the situation became threatening. Despite the fact that Chen Sheng was soon killed, and even before his death the rebels executed Wu Guang based on a slanderous denunciation, the movement flared up with increasing force. Almost simultaneously with the rebellion of Chen Sheng and Wu Guang, other uprisings broke out in various parts of the country. The main demand of the rebels was the overthrow of the Qin dynasty. Many units were led by opponents of the Qin Empire from the ranks of the ruling class. However, speaking out against the Qin Empire, their goal was to suppress a broad popular movement.
The imperial troops suffered one defeat after another. At the end of 207 BC. e. the Qin capital surrendered to the rebel troops who approached it; the Qin dynasty was destroyed. By this time, the armies led by the old aristocracy managed to lure some of the rebels to their side, split them and ultimately suppress the popular movement. A bloody struggle for power began between separate groups of representatives of the ruling class.
The struggle for the imperial throne
By 206 BC. e. Of the numerous armies operating in the country, two of the strongest stood out. One of them was headed by a representative of the aristocracy Xiang Yu, the other was headed by the former headman of a small village, Liu Bang, who raised an uprising in Jiangsu two months after the start of the uprising of Chen Sheng and Wu Guang. Sources report that Liu Bang in 208 was sent to accompany the Tu party to work on the construction of the imperial tomb. Many people fled along the road. Fearing punishment, Liu Bang hid with those who remained in the nearby mountains and started a rebellion. The surrounding population immediately began to join him, and the movement assumed significant proportions. Apparently, at first it had the character of a popular uprising, but soon Liu Bang, not counting on his own strength, united with the most powerful of the armies led by the aristocracy. Very flexible and cautious, Liu Bang managed to win both the favor of the masses and the sympathy of military leaders from the aristocracy. Everywhere Liu Bang went with his army, he announced exemption from taxes and duties, the abolition of Qin laws and the release of those sentenced to slavery for “crimes,” which attracted the broad masses to him. At the same time, Liu Bang tried in every possible way to emphasize his respect for the representatives of the aristocracy. This policy of maneuvering ensured his success.
In 206, Liu Bang strengthened himself in the territory of the modern provinces of Shaanxi and Sichuan and acted, along with Xiang Yu, as a contender for the imperial throne. The intense struggle between them lasted for four years. Skillfully using the contradictions in Xiang Yu's camp, Liu Bang attracted his most capable military leaders to his side. In 202 BC. e. Liu Bang won a decisive victory over Xiang Yu and proclaimed himself emperor. The city of Chang'an was declared the capital of the empire.
The dynasty founded by Liu Wang began to be called the Han Dynasty - after the name of the river in the area in which Liu Bang fortified himself before his victory over Xiang Yu. This dynasty went down in history under the name of the Elder, or Western Han (206 BC - 25 Although Liu Bang was actually declared emperor in 202 BC, traditional Chinese historiography dates the beginning of the Elder Han Dynasty to 206 BC, based on the fact that the last emperor of the dynasty Qin surrendered to Liu Bang at the very end of 207 BC.
Liu Wang's domestic policy
Many years of internecine wars between contenders for the imperial throne exhausted the country. The economy fell into disrepair, the irrigation system was destroyed. The majority of the population was cut off from their activities. The situation was aggravated by a number of lean years. Grain prices rose greatly, and severe famine began. As “The History of the Elder Han Dynasty” narrates, “... people ate human flesh, more than half of the population died out.” The Qin state apparatus was destroyed, a new one was not established. The Han historian Sima Qian describes the situation in the country at the beginning of the dynasty: “When the (dynasty) Han came to power, it (inherited) from the (dynasty) Qin inherited complete destruction... Adult men were in the troops. Old people and children transported provisions (for the army). It was extremely difficult to engage in any activity. The wealth has been depleted. (Even) for the departure of the Son of Heaven (i.e., the emperor. -Ed.) it was impossible to find four horses of the same color. Military leaders and high dignitaries rode in carts drawn by oxen (like commoners). The common people had nothing..."
The imperial government was faced with the difficult task of restoring and organizing the administration of the empire.
Immediately upon coming to power, Liu Bang issued a decree disbanding all private armies. The population was called upon to return to their previous occupations, and officials were called upon to carry out their duties. All surviving land owners were asked to return to their lands. They began to repair and restore destroyed irrigation structures.
In a difficult and tense environment, Liu Bang had to act with great caution. Having come to power as a result of a popular uprising, Liu Bang, first of all, could not help but take into account the demands of the broad masses. The Qin laws, hated by the people, which turned people with entire families into state slaves, were destroyed. Many slaves were freed already during the uprising, and Liu Bang himself, during the period of struggle for power, repeatedly issued edicts on the release of state slaves from convicts; the same broadcast edict was proclaimed during his accession. Even before coming to power, Liu Bang issued a temporary judicial code, according to which only three crimes were punishable by law: murder, bodily harm and robbery. However, when power was firmly in the hands of the new emperor, the nature of his policy changed noticeably. The Temporary Code was replaced by a more severe one, which included some articles from the Qin code, although the Qin law extending punishment to relatives of the criminal was not renewed. If at first, during the struggle for power, Liu Bang exempted the population from taxes and duties wherever he went with his army, then he established a flat land tax in the amount of 1/15 of the harvest. The Qin order of collecting taxes was preserved, and a new tax was introduced - a capitation tax, which was levied on the entire population of the empire aged 15 to 56 years.
The Qin law on the free purchase and sale of land remained in force. And already during the reign of Liu Bang, the practice of accumulating large land holdings among individuals began to spread again. Thus, sources report that Xiao He, a prominent statesman and adviser to Liu Bang, “bought several tens of millions of lands and houses from the people.”
Modeled after the Qin Empire, the Han Empire was divided into regions (jun) and counties (xian), which were subdivided into smaller administrative units (xiang). The Xiang sometimes included up to a hundred villages (li). However, this administrative division was not extended to the entire territory of the empire. The Qin system of government was gradually restored, but certain changes and additions were made to it. Thus, using the forms of self-government of the ancient rural community, Liu Bang introduced an order that was outwardly a restoration of the ancient institution of san lao (three elders). In each village it was ordered to choose a reliable person over 50 years old, who was called San Lao. Of these San Lao, one stood out in each Xiang and was considered a representative of the people. Then, from among them, one person was selected in each district, who, along with officials, participated in the management of the district. These San Lao were entrusted with police and fiscal functions. By creating the illusion of participation of representatives of the people in government, the institution of san lao actually had the goal of creating reliable grassroots bodies of state power, with the help of which the government carried out its policies towards the community members.
In his decrees, Liu Bang sought to emphasize the contrast of his rule to the despotic rule of Qin Shi Huang and to show himself not as an autocratic despot king, but as a ruler following the advice of his entourage.
Liu Bang and his successors relied mainly on the landed aristocracy. For merchants and moneylenders, who occupied a privileged position in society under Qin Shi Huang, Liu Bang introduced humiliating restrictions. They were forbidden to dress in brocade and silk clothes, carry weapons, ride in chariots and ride horses. Neither they nor their descendants were allowed to hold public office. Merchants were subject to increased taxes. Many representatives of the pre-Qin clan aristocracy joined Liu Bang during the struggle against the Qin dynasty. To please this aristocracy, Liu Bang restored the two highest ancient aristocratic titles destroyed by Qin Shi Huang - the titles of wang and hou, which were granted to Liu Bang's associates, as well as to relatives of the imperial family - people from the village and county where the founder of the new dynasty came from. Along with their titles, the Wangs and Hou received hereditary land holdings from the emperor.
However, the position of this titled nobility was radically different from the position in which the pre-Qin clan aristocracy had previously found itself. High-ranking officials and honored military men who received titles lived off tax revenues from the territories granted to them, which were part of regions and counties and were governed by government officials. In contrast, members of the imperial family had possessions that were not part of the regions of the empire, they themselves appointed officials in the territories under their control, and even had their own courts. But they were not absolute rulers in their domains, since they were under the constant control of the imperial court. They could be moved from one possession to another and even completely deprived of their granted lands. Nevertheless, the practice of granting lands to titled nobility, introduced by Liu Bang, created a serious threat to the unity of the empire. The greatest danger in this regard was posed by the Vans, who in some cases owned very significant territories and repeatedly tried to rebel against the emperor. Not trusting the titled nobility and extremely fearing its strengthening, Liu Bang gradually destroyed almost all of his former comrades who did not belong to the imperial family, and by this measure achieved the strengthening of his power.
Suppressing the Vanir rebellion and strengthening the unity of the empire
However, already under the first successors of Liu Bang, some of the Vans acquired significant independence in their domains. Their strengthening and separatist tendencies were all the more dangerous because constant raids by the Huns began in the north of the empire. In 177 BC. e. The Huns crossed the Yellow River, again invaded Ordos and captured it. From that time on, the predatory raids of the Huns deep into the territory of the Han Empire did not stop. External danger made the need for internal strengthening of the empire even more urgent. The central government tried through various measures to reduce the power and strength of the Vanir and reduce their territorial possessions. On charges of violating laws, the lands of many of them, in whole or in part, were confiscated by the government and turned into administrative units of the empire. The possessions of the deceased Vanirs, who had no direct heirs, were divided into smaller ones. The central government began, in a number of cases, to appoint government officials to senior positions in the Vanir courts. The policy of weakening the Vanir began to be pursued especially decisively under Emperor Liu Qi (Jing-di1, 156-141) by his closest adviser Chao Tso.
Chao Tso began by fighting against the most powerful of the Vanir, the nephew of LiuBan-LuPi, whose possessions were located in the territory of the modern provinces of Jiangsu and Zhejiang. At one time (205 BC), Liu Bang abolished Qin money and allowed the free casting of coins. Liu Pi, whose possessions contained rich deposits of copper ore, began to cast money in such quantities that, according to Sima Qian, his coins “spread throughout the Celestial Empire,” and he himself “was equal in wealth to the Son of Heaven.” Another source of its enrichment was the boiling down of sea salt. Liu Pi began to behave so independently that he even refused the annual visits to the emperor, obligatory for all Vans, expressing submission and offering gifts. Chao Tso accused Liu Pi of violating loyalty to the emperor and demanded the seizure of a significant part of his possessions. Similar accusations were brought against several other powerful Vanir. In response to these actions, the largest representatives of the titled nobility, led by Liu Pi, launched a rebellion against the emperor in 154, known as the “revolt of the seven wangs.”
The rebellious Vanir entered into a secret alliance with the Huns, calling on them to invade the territory of the empire at the time of the uprising. The rebels demanded the execution of Chao Tso. Hoping to restore peace in the country at this high price, the emperor gave them the head of his dignitary. However, this measure not only did not calm the rebels, but, on the contrary, they began to act even more decisively. Liu Pi even declared himself a contender for the imperial throne. Only a few months later the rebellion was suppressed with great difficulty. Some of the rebellious Vanir were executed, some committed suicide, and their families and relatives were enslaved.
After the suppression of the “rebellion of the seven Vanir,” the government continued to pursue a policy of weakening the power of the Vanir and seizing their territories. If previously, after the death of the Van, only the eldest son inherited his possessions and title, now the lands granted to the Vans in a number of cases began to be divided among all their direct heirs. The Vans were deprived of administrative power: officials appointed by the central government now began to actually manage their lands. The strength and power of the Vanir was finally broken under the next emperor - Liu Che, better known by his posthumous name Wu Di (140-87).
On the morning of March 2, General Ruzsky reported to Nicholas II that General Ivanov’s mission had failed. Chairman of the State Duma M.V. Rodzianko, through General Ruzsky, stated by telegraph that the preservation of the Romanov dynasty is possible subject to the transfer of the throne to the heir Alexei under the regency of Nicholas II's younger brother, Mikhail. The Emperor instructed General Ruzsky to request the opinion of the front commanders by telegraph. When asked about the desirability of Nicholas II’s abdication, everyone answered positively (even Nicholas’s uncle, Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich, commander of the Caucasian Front), with the exception of the commander of the Black Sea Fleet, Admiral
A.V. Kolchak, who refused to send the telegram. The betrayal of the army leadership was a heavy blow for Nicholas II. General Ruzsky told the emperor that he must surrender to the mercy of the winner, because... the high command, standing at the head of the army, is against the emperor, and further struggle will be useless.
The king was faced with a picture of the complete destruction of his power and prestige, his complete isolation, and he lost all confidence in support from the army if its heads went over to the side of the emperor’s enemies in a few days.
The Emperor did not sleep for a long time that night from March 1 to 2. In the morning, he handed over a telegram to General Ruzsky notifying the Chairman of the Duma of his intention to abdicate the throne in favor of his son Alexei. He himself and his family intended to live as a private individual in the Crimea or Yaroslavl province. A few hours later, he ordered Professor S.P. Fedorov to be called into his carriage and told him: “Sergey Petrovich, answer me frankly, is Alexei’s disease incurable?” Professor Fedorov replied: “Sir, science tells us that this disease is incurable.” There are, however, cases when a person obsessed with her reaches a respectable age. But Alexei Nikolaevich, nevertheless, will always depend on any chance. The Emperor said sadly: “That’s exactly what the Empress told me... Well, since this is so, since Alexey cannot be useful to the Motherland, as I would like, then we have the right to keep him with us."
The decision was made by him, and on the evening of March 2, when the representative of the Provisional Government A.I. Guchkov, the Minister of War and Navy and a member of the executive committee of the Duma, arrived from Petrograd
V.V. Shulgin, he gave them an act of renunciation.
The act of renunciation was printed and signed in 2 copies. The king's signature was made in pencil. The time specified in the Act, 15 hours, corresponded not to the actual signing, but to the time when Nicholas II made the decision to abdicate. After signing the Act, Nicholas II went back to Headquarters to say goodbye to the army.
March 3, Friday: “Slept long and soundly. Woke up far beyond Dvinsk. The day was sunny and frosty. Talked with my people about yesterday. Read a lot about Julius Caesar. At 8.20 arrived in Mogilev. All ranks of the headquarters were on the platform. Received Alekseev in the carriage. At 9.30 he moved into the house. Alekseev came with the latest news from Rodzianko. It turns out that Misha (the tsar’s younger brother) abdicated in favor of elections in 6 months of the Constituent Assembly. God knows who advised him to sign such a nasty thing! The riots in Petrograd stopped - If only this continues."*
So, 300 years and 4 years after the shy sixteen-year-old boy, who reluctantly accepted the throne at the request of the Russian people (Michael I), his 39-year-old descendant, also named Michael II, under pressure from the Provisional Government and the Duma, lost it, having been on the throne for 8 hours from 10 to 18 o'clock on March 3, 1917. The Romanov dynasty ceased to exist. The final act of the drama begins.
Six secret teachings. Instructions for Effectively Overthrowing a Dynasty
© "Tsentrpoligraf", 2017
© Artistic design, Tsentrpoligraf, 2017
* * *Part one. Civil secret teaching
Ruler Wen's teacher
Ruler Wen decided to go hunting, and therefore the scribe Pian began to tell fortunes to find out whether it would be successful. And so the scribe announced:
– While hunting on the northern bank of the Wei River, great prey awaits you. And this is not a dragon in one of its guises, not a tiger or a large bear. Signs indicate that you will meet there a Hun or Khou, whom heaven itself has sent to you to become your teacher. If you make him your advisor, you will ensure prosperity and various benefits for three generations of Zhou rulers.
Ruler Wen asked the scribe:
“Did the signs really tell you that?”
To this he responded like this:
“My supreme ancestor, scribe Chou, once told fortunes for the wisest Emperor Shun and saw approximately the same signs. And then Emperor Shun took Gao-yao as his advisor.
Wen ate only vegetables for three days to cleanse himself, and then got into his hunting chariot. He directed the horses to the northern bank of the Wei River. There he saw Tai-kung, who was sitting on the grass and fishing. Wen greeted him politely and asked:
– Do you enjoy fishing?
Tai Kung replied:
– A noble person takes pleasure in satisfying his ambition; The common man takes pleasure in achieving success in business. Fishing is very similar to this.
– What do you mean when you talk about similarities? - asked the ruler.
And Tai-kung answered him again:
– Fishing contains three forms of power: reward, death and office. Fishing gives you the opportunity to get what you are looking for. Its nature is deep, and many great principles can be drawn from it.
Ruler Wen, wanting to continue the conversation, said:
- I'd like to hear about it. Tai Kung began to develop his idea:
– When a spring is deep, the water flows quickly. When the water flows quickly, fish breed there. That's nature. When the roots go deep into the ground, the tree is tall. When the tree is tall, it bears fruit well. That's nature. When noble people have common views and goals, they unite with each other. When they unite, their business goes much better. That's nature.
Speeches and responses to them are decorations of inner feelings. Reasoning about true nature is the pinnacle of all matters. Now, if I now start talking about true nature, without avoiding any topics, won’t you find it disgusting?
Ruler Wen responded to this as follows:
– Only a truly kind person can accept comments and objections. I have no bias against any topics. So what do you want to talk about?
Tai Kung said:
– When the line is thin and the bait is shiny, only small fish will bite on it. When the forests are thicker and the bait spreads a scent, medium-sized fish will fall for it. But when the line is strong and the bait is generous, big fish will take it. When a fish swallows the bait, it can be caught by pulling on the line. When people receive rewards, they obey the ruler. When you pull a fish that has taken the bait, you can kill it. When you catch people using rewards, you can force them to give you all their abilities and talents. If you use your family to acquire a state, the state may be plundered. If you use your state, then with its help you can conquer the whole world.
Alas! Those who speak flowery and pompous, even if they unite together, will not achieve a good union! And the glory of a calm and wise ruler will inevitably spread very far! The virtue of a wise ruler - unobtrusive and hidden - will definitely attract people! He is the only one who sees her. The plans of a wise ruler are wonderful and joyful, and people find their way through them, through them they return to their places, while the ruler sets the measure that is collected in their hearts.
Ruler Wen asked him:
- How can we find this measure so that the entire Celestial Empire expresses its devotion to us?
Tai-kung answered him like this:
– The Celestial Empire is not the possession of one person. The word “Celestial Empire” itself means "All, what is under the sky." He who shares the income with all the people who live under heaven will gain the whole world. The one who takes everything for himself will lose the whole world. The heavens have their seasons, the earth has its riches. True humanity lies in the ability to share it all with ordinary people. And where there is genuine humanity, loyalty to the Celestial Empire will also manifest itself.
The desire to protect people from death and from the difficulties of life, to save them from disasters and to support them in difficult times - this is what virtue is. People will always go where she is.
All people hate death and love to enjoy life. They love virtue and are inclined to do what is beneficial to them. The ability to generate benefits is consistent with Tao. Where there is tao, there will also be loyalty from the Celestial Empire.
Ruler Wen bowed twice to his interlocutor and said:
- This is real wisdom! Do I dare not accept the laws of heaven and the powers they give me?
With these words, he invited Tai-kung into his chariot, then returned home with him and announced that this was his teacher.
Fullness and Emptiness
Ruler Wen asked Tai-kung:
– The world amazes with a dazzlingly huge number of states; some of them are full, others are empty; some are well managed, while others are in chaos. Why is this so? Is it because their rulers are endowed with different moral qualities? Or are all these changes and differences due to the natural course of things, which is directed by heaven?
Tai-kung answered him like this:
– If the ruler lacks moral virtue, the state will be in danger and the people will be subject to unrest. If the ruler is virtuous or wise, then his state will live in peace, and people will obey the authorities. Success and failure depend on the ruler, and not on the seasons.
Lord Wen asked again:
– Can I hear about the wisest rulers of ancient times?
Tai Kung replied:
– Past generations considered Emperor Yao to be a noble ruler and his rule to be wise.
Lord Wen asked again:
- How did he rule?
Tai Kung began his story:
“When Yao was the ruler of the world, he did not adorn himself with gold, silver, pearls, or jade. He did not wear brocade robes with intricate embroidery or ornate decorations. He did not look at strange, incomprehensible, rare or unusual things. He did not see much use in entertainment and did not listen to dissolute songs. He did not whitewash the walls of the palace and other buildings, did not decorate beams, square and round rafters or pillars with carvings. Moreover, he did not even cut down the reeds that grew around the ruler's palace. To save himself from the cold, he covered himself with deer skin, and generally wore very simple clothes. He ate only coarse millet and wild rice, and a thick soup of simple vegetables. He never assigned labor duties beyond measure and did not interfere with the very people who were engaged in agriculture and sericulture. He moderated his desires and restrained his will, managing affairs with the help of non-interference in them.
He respected those officials who were loyal, honest and followed the laws. He generously rewarded those of them who were distinguished by purity of thoughts, accuracy and love for people. He loved and appreciated those who treated others with care and compassion. He encouraged those who spent their energy on agriculture and sericulture. Banners were placed on the gates of village houses to distinguish those who were committed to virtue and did not accept evil. He pacified his heart and reduced compulsions of various kinds. Following laws and measures, he prohibited evil and deception.
If suddenly something good appeared in one of those whom he hated, then he would definitely reward such a person. If one of those whom he loved turned out to be guilty of anything, he would certainly punish such a person. He protected and fed widows and widowers, orphans and lonely old people; he also helped families if they suffered from misfortunes and troubles.
He assigned himself an extremely meager allowance, and taxes and duties during his reign were very small. And so it happened that many, many people prospered and were happy; no one suffered from hunger or cold. Hundreds of clans revered their ruler, as if he were both the sun and the moon for them. They felt for him as if he were a parent to all of them.
© "Tsentrpoligraf", 2017
© Artistic design, Tsentrpoligraf, 2017
* * *
Part one. Civil secret teaching
Ruler Wen's teacher
Ruler Wen 1
Wen-wang, ruler of the Zhou kingdom (1152–1056 BC). He belonged to the Shang Dynasty and was known for his wise and fair rule. Wang is a king or head of kingdoms in ancient China. ( Note here and below. trans.)
He decided to go hunting, and therefore the scribe Pian began to tell fortunes to find out whether it would be successful. And so the scribe announced:
– While hunting on the northern bank of the Wei River, great prey awaits you. And this is not a dragon in one of its guises, not a tiger or a large bear. Signs indicate that you will meet a Hun there 2
Gong is a member of the nobility in Ancient China.
Or howe 3
Howe is a military leader.
Whom heaven itself sent you to become your teacher. If you make him your advisor, you will ensure prosperity and various benefits for three generations of Zhou rulers.
Ruler Wen asked the scribe:
“Did the signs really tell you that?”
To this he responded like this:
“My supreme ancestor, scribe Chou, once told fortunes for the wisest Emperor Shun and saw approximately the same signs. And then Emperor Shun 4
Shun is a legendary Chinese emperor who, according to legend, lived in the 23rd century. BC e.; the last of the "Five Ancient Emperors".
He took Gao-yao as an adviser.
Wen ate only vegetables for three days to cleanse himself, and then got into his hunting chariot.
He directed the horses to the northern bank of the Wei River. There he saw Tai-kung, who was sitting on the grass and fishing. Wen greeted him politely and asked:
– Do you enjoy fishing?
Tai Kung replied:
– A noble person takes pleasure in satisfying his ambition; The common man takes pleasure in achieving success in business. Fishing is very similar to this.
– What do you mean when you talk about similarities? - asked the ruler.
And Tai-kung answered him again:
– Fishing contains three forms of power: reward, death and office. Fishing gives you the opportunity to get what you are looking for. Its nature is deep, and many great principles can be drawn from it.
Ruler Wen, wanting to continue the conversation, said:
- I'd like to hear about it. Tai Kung began to develop his idea:
– When a spring is deep, the water flows quickly. When the water flows quickly, fish breed there. That's nature. When the roots go deep into the ground, the tree is tall. When the tree is tall, it bears fruit well. That's nature. When noble people have common views and goals, they unite with each other. When they unite, their business goes much better. That's nature.
Speeches and responses to them are decorations of inner feelings. Reasoning about true nature is the pinnacle of all matters. Now, if I now start talking about true nature, without avoiding any topics, won’t you find it disgusting?
Ruler Wen responded to this as follows:
– Only a truly kind person can accept comments and objections. I have no bias against any topics. So what do you want to talk about?
Tai Kung said:
– When the line is thin and the bait is shiny, only small fish will bite on it. When the forests are thicker and the bait spreads a scent, medium-sized fish will fall for it. But when the line is strong and the bait is generous, big fish will take it. When a fish swallows the bait, it can be caught by pulling on the line. When people receive rewards, they obey the ruler. When you pull a fish that has taken the bait, you can kill it. When you catch people using rewards, you can force them to give you all their abilities and talents. If you use your family to acquire a state, the state may be plundered. If you use your state, then with its help you can conquer the whole world.
Alas! Those who speak flowery and pompous, even if they unite together, will not achieve a good union! And the glory of a calm and wise ruler will inevitably spread very far! The virtue of a wise ruler - unobtrusive and hidden - will definitely attract people! He is the only one who sees her. The plans of a wise ruler are wonderful and joyful, and people find their way through them, through them they return to their places, while the ruler sets the measure that is collected in their hearts.
Ruler Wen asked him:
- How can we find this measure so that the entire Celestial Empire expresses its devotion to us?
Tai-kung answered him like this:
– The Celestial Empire is not the possession of one person. The word “Celestial Empire” itself means "All, what is under the sky." He who shares the income with all the people who live under heaven will gain the whole world. The one who takes everything for himself will lose the whole world. The heavens have their seasons, the earth has its riches. True humanity lies in the ability to share it all with ordinary people. And where there is genuine humanity, loyalty to the Celestial Empire will also manifest itself.
The desire to protect people from death and from the difficulties of life, to save them from disasters and to support them in difficult times - this is what virtue is. People will always go where she is.
All people hate death and love to enjoy life. They love virtue and are inclined to do what is beneficial to them. The ability to generate benefits is consistent with Tao5
Tao, or the path, is one of the most important concepts in Chinese philosophy.
Where there is tao, there will also be loyalty from the Celestial Empire.
Ruler Wen bowed twice to his interlocutor and said:
- This is real wisdom! Do I dare not accept the laws of heaven and the powers they give me?
With these words, he invited Tai-kung into his chariot, then returned home with him and announced that this was his teacher.
Fullness and Emptiness
– The world amazes with a dazzlingly huge number of states; some of them are full, others are empty; some are well managed, while others are in chaos. Why is this so? Is it because their rulers are endowed with different moral qualities? Or are all these changes and differences due to the natural course of things, which is directed by heaven?
Tai-kung answered him like this:
– If the ruler lacks moral virtue, the state will be in danger and the people will be subject to unrest. If the ruler is virtuous or wise, then his state will live in peace, and people will obey the authorities. Success and failure depend on the ruler, and not on the seasons.
Lord Wen asked again:
– Can I hear about the wisest rulers of ancient times?
Tai Kung replied:
– Past generations considered Emperor Yao 6
Yao, or the Tall One, is the fourth of the “Five Ancient Emperors” (2353–2234 BC). According to legend, he combined human and divine traits.
A noble ruler, and his reign - wise.
Lord Wen asked again:
- How did he rule?
Tai Kung began his story:
“When Yao was the ruler of the world, he did not adorn himself with gold, silver, pearls, or jade. He did not wear brocade robes with intricate embroidery or ornate decorations. He did not look at strange, incomprehensible, rare or unusual things. He did not see much use in entertainment and did not listen to dissolute songs. He did not whitewash the walls of the palace and other buildings, did not decorate beams, square and round rafters or pillars with carvings. Moreover, he did not even cut down the reeds that grew around the ruler's palace. To save himself from the cold, he covered himself with deer skin, and generally wore very simple clothes. He ate only coarse millet and wild rice, and a thick soup of simple vegetables. He never assigned labor duties beyond measure and did not interfere with the very people who were engaged in agriculture and sericulture. He moderated his desires and restrained his will, managing affairs with the help of non-interference in them.
He respected those officials who were loyal, honest and followed the laws. He generously rewarded those of them who were distinguished by purity of thoughts, accuracy and love for people. He loved and appreciated those who treated others with care and compassion. He encouraged those who spent their energy on agriculture and sericulture. Banners were placed on the gates of village houses to distinguish those who were committed to virtue and did not accept evil. He pacified his heart and reduced compulsions of various kinds. Following laws and measures, he prohibited evil and deception.
If suddenly something good appeared in one of those whom he hated, then he would definitely reward such a person. If one of those whom he loved turned out to be guilty of anything, he would certainly punish such a person. He protected and fed widows and widowers, orphans and lonely old people; he also helped families if they suffered from misfortunes and troubles.
He assigned himself an extremely meager allowance, and taxes and duties during his reign were very small. And so it happened that many, many people prospered and were happy; no one suffered from hunger or cold. Hundreds of clans revered their ruler, as if he were both the sun and the moon for them. They felt for him as if he were a parent to all of them.
And then Governor Wen exclaimed:
– Indeed, a great noble and virtuous ruler!
State affairs
Ruler Wen said to Tai-kung:
– I would like to learn about how to govern the state. If I want people to respect the ruler and live in peace, then what should I do?
Tai Kung replied:
– You just need to love people.
Lord Wen asked:
– What does it mean to love people?
And Tai-kung answered him again:
– Take care of their benefit and not offend them. Help them succeed without ruining their plans. Letting them live rather than killing them. Reward and do not take back your awards. Give them pleasure, not pain. Making them happy, not allowing them to slide into anger and despondency.
Ruler Wen said:
– May I dare and ask you to explain to me the reasons for this?
Tai-kung began to speak:
– If people do not leave their main activities, you are already benefiting them. If the peasants do not miss the right time to engage in farming or something else, you are already helping them. When you impose easy taxes, you give them a good life. When your palaces, houses, terraces and pavilions are few, the people rejoice. When your officials are pure in their thoughts, do not irritate people and do not interfere with them, people feel happy.
But if people lose their core activities, you're hurting them. If the peasants miss the right time to farm or do anything else, you deal them a severe defeat. When they are innocent and you punish them, you kill them. When you burden them with heavy taxes, you condemn them to a difficult life. When your palaces, houses, terraces and pavilions are too numerous, their construction exhausts the people, and the people are filled with pain and bitterness. When your officials are corrupt, annoying and obstructive, people feel only anger.
This means that the one who succeeds in governing the state is the one who manages people the way parents manage their adored and dear children, or the way an older brother behaves towards his beloved younger brother. When they see that their charges are hungry and cold, they worry about their charges. When they see the hard work and suffering of their immediate family, they feel sadness in their hearts.
Rewards and punishments should be what you would like to see for yourself. And taxes need to be set the way you would like to pay. This is what it means to love people.
Great Rules of Etiquette
Ruler Wen asked Tai-kung:
– What are the generally accepted rules of etiquette between a ruler and a minister?
Tai-kung answered him:
“The ruler just needs to be close to the people; subordinates should only be submissive and nothing more. He must be among people and not shy away from anyone. They must obey and not hide anything. The ruler just needs to be attentive and listen to everything; if the ruler is omnipresent, he will become like heaven. One sky, one earth - and is it great? 7
According to Confucian teachings, everything around us permeates whether And qi. Lee, or tao, people and things receive at the moment of their origin. Exactly whether determines the nature of things.
It will be full.
Lord Wen asked again:
– How should a ruler act if he occupies such a position?
Tai-kung's answer was:
– He should be reserved, dignified and calm. Above all, he must take care to be gentle and modest. He should purify his mind and calm his will in order to accept all events with calmness and integrity.
Lord Wen asked again:
– How should a ruler approach affairs?
Tai-kung answered him:
“He should not carelessly and thoughtlessly let them take their course, but he should not go against opinion and oppose them. By allowing them to take their course, he would lose his power over them; but even if he takes a position of sharp opposition to them, he will lose access to all matters.
He should be like the top of a mountain, which - if you look up from below - cannot be understood and comprehended; or to be like a great abyss, the depth of which cannot be determined if one tries to measure it. Such spiritual and enlightened virtue is the pinnacle of integrity and tranquility.
Ruler Wen asked:
– What should be the wisdom of a ruler?
Tai Kung's answer:
“The eye appreciates clarity, and the ear appreciates subtlety, but the mind appreciates wisdom.” If you look with your eyes at the entire Celestial Empire, then there is nothing in it that cannot be seen; If you listen with your ears to everything that happens in the Middle Kingdom, there is nothing that cannot be heard. If in your thinking you use the mind of the Celestial Empire, then there is nothing that you cannot recognize. When you have information from everywhere, it is like the hub of a wheel where all the spokes converge, which means your clarity will not be obscured.
Clear instructions
One day, Lord Wen was forced to go to bed due to a serious illness. And then he called Tai-kung and Crown Prince Fa to him 8
Fa – ruler Wu, or Wu-wan; began to be called so when he won a number of serious victories and laid the foundation for a new dynasty in the history of Ancient China - the Zhou Dynasty.
- Alas, the heavens are about to leave me. It seems that the altars of the Zhou State will soon be entrusted to you. And today I want, my teacher, to discuss with you the great principles tao, in order to be able to correctly pass them on to my son and my grandchildren.
Tai-kung asked:
“My lord, what exactly do you want to ask me?”
Ruler Wen explained:
– Can I hear about Tao sages of the past - where does it disappear and where does it begin?
Tai Kung said this:
– If someone sees good, but hesitates, if the time for action has come, and he doubts, if you know that something is going wrong, but you condone it, then these are exactly the three cases when Tao stops. If someone is gentle and calm, full of dignity and deserves respect, strong, but warm-hearted, tolerant of many things, but firm, then these are precisely the four cases when Tao begins. This means that when virtue overcomes your desires, you will prosper; when desire overcomes virtue, you will perish. When reverence overcomes slowness, it leads to success; when slowness overcomes respect, it leads to destruction.
Six Guardians
Ruler Wen asked Tai-kung:
– How can a ruler of a state and a leader of a people lose his position?
Tai Kung replied:
– Maybe, if you don’t worry about choosing the right assistants. The ruler has six guardians and three treasures.
The ruler asked:
– What are these six guardians?
Tai Kung replied:
“The first is called kindness, the second is justice, the third is loyalty, the fourth is honesty, the fifth is courage, and the sixth is prudence. These are the six guardians.
Lord Wen asked:
– How should people be selected correctly with the help of six guardians?
Tai-kung answered him like this:
- Give them wealth and see that they do nothing wrong. Give them ranks and see that they do not become arrogant. Give them responsibility and see if they change. Give them the opportunity to serve and see if they start holding something back. Put them in a dangerous situation and see if they get scared. Let them run things and see if it gets them into trouble.
If you endow them with wealth and they do nothing wrong, then they are good.
If you gave them ranks and they did not become arrogant, then they are fair.
If you give them responsibility and they don't change, then they are committed.
If you give them the opportunity to serve, and they do not hold anything back, then they are honest people.
If you put them in a dangerous situation and they are not afraid, then they are brave.
If you left them in charge of affairs, and they are not at a loss, it means that they are able to carry out what was planned and have prudence.
The ruler should not trust other people with the three treasures. If the ruler transfers them to others, then he will lose his awesome power, or the reverence that people should feel for him.
Lord Wen asked again:
“May I know what these three treasures are?”
Tai-kung told him:
– Good agriculture, good crafts and good trade - these are the three treasures. If your peasants live only in villages, then five grains will be enough. If your artisans live only in those places where artisans should live, then there will be enough tools for them. If your merchants live only where merchants should live, then there will be plenty of goods.
If these three treasures live exactly in the places intended for them, then people will not weave intrigues. Unrest and unrest in places of residence must not be allowed, and unrest between clans must not be allowed. Ministers should not be richer than their ruler. And no city can be larger than the capital of the state where the ruler lives. If the six guardians are strictly and completely followed, the ruler will prosper. If you treat the three treasures carefully and carefully, then the state will be safe.
Preservation of the territory of the state
Ruler Wen once asked Tai-kung:
Tai Kung replied:
– Don’t alienate your relatives. Don't neglect the people. Be peaceful and considerate towards neighboring states, manage all four sides.
Do not trust the management of the state to other people. If you transfer control of the state into someone else's hands, you will lose your power. There is no need to deepen valleys to make hills larger. Don't give up important things to do just one thing. When the sun has reached midday height, it is time to dry things, that is, to finish things. If you grab a knife, you must cut. If you're holding an axe, attack.
If you don't dry your clothes in the sun in the middle of the day, it means you're wasting time. If you grab a knife but don't cut anything with it, you're missing out on getting the benefit. If you hold an ax but do not attack, expect the arrival of robbers.
If the babbling streams are not blocked, they will turn into large rivers. If you don't put out a tiny fire, what will you do with a serious raging fire? If you don’t cut down a young shoot of a tree that still has only two leaves, then even an ax won’t help you.
That is why a ruler must be especially attentive to ensuring that his state prospers. Without wealth, he will not be able to be kind to people. If he does not do good deeds, then he will have nothing to use that would help him bring all his relatives together. If he keeps his relatives at a distance, it will be a great harm. If he loses the favor of the common people, he will be defeated.
Sharp weapons should not be passed on to other people. If you give them a sharp weapon, then they can inflict a wound on you with it, and you will not live the years that are allotted to you.
Ruler Wen said:
– What do you mean when you talk about kindness to people and justice?
Tai Kung replied:
– Respect ordinary people, gather relatives around you. If you respect the common people, they will live peacefully. If you gather your relatives around you, they will be happy. This is the path of kindness to people and justice, which consists in following the most important rules.
Don't let other people rob you of your ability to inspire awe. Rely on your wisdom, follow consistency. Treat with virtue those who obey you and follow you. But use force against those who oppose you. If you respect people, but are decisive, the whole Celestial Empire will be in peace and tranquility.
Preservation of the state
One day, King Wen asked Tai-kung:
Tai Kung replied:
– For some time you should eat only a little vegetables, because I am going to talk to you about the most important principles of heaven and earth, about what the four seasons produce, about Tao genuine kindness towards people and wisdom, and also about the nature of human motives.
So the ruler limited himself to food for four days, then he turned his face to the north, bowed twice and asked what he should do next.
Then Tai-kung said:
– Heaven gives birth to four seasons, earth gives us countless things. People live under the sky, and wise men must act as their shepherds.
So, Tao spring is born, and countless things begin to bloom. Tao In summer there is growth, and countless things ripen. Tao In autumn there is a gathering, and countless things become complete. Tao of winter there is storage, and countless things are at rest. When they are full, they are stocked up; after being stored, they come to life again. No one knows where the end of this is, and no one knows where the beginning is. The sage comes into agreement with this and organizes himself in accordance with heaven and earth. So, when everything goes on as usual and correctly in the human world, his kindness and wisdom are hidden. When anxiety begins in the Celestial Empire, his kindness and wisdom flourish. This is true Tao.