Chapter 6 4. Feudal Secrets

Although there is not enough evidence, it seems to be roughly inferred that the state system sprouted in Xia, started in Shang, and matured in Zhou.In fact, the so-called "feudalism" by later generations refers to the system in the Western Zhou Dynasty.The Xia-Shang system, even Confucius said that it is not very clear, and can only be based on the Zhou system (Yu Yu is Wenzai, I follow Zhou).What really had a profound impact on later generations was actually the Zhou system and Zhou culture.Therefore, the advantages and disadvantages of the state system and the later imperial system must also be attributed to the Zhou people.

Like the Greeks, the Zhou people were originally barbarians.Moreover, like the Greeks, when they appeared on the stage of history, they were already standing on the threshold of civilization.This is a nation that mainly relies on agricultural production and has quietly risen in the grass after dozens of generations of silent cultivation.They endured humiliation, endured hardships, persevered, and worked hard to create their own brilliant career and unique civilization.The leaders of this nation are also some wise people.They know how to mobilize the enthusiasm of farmers to increase productivity, know how to win the hearts and minds of neighboring tribes and tribal countries with soft policies, know how to deal with powerful enemies after the attack, know how to hide their strengths and bide their time when their strength is not strong enough, and finally "three-point world" The second is to use the method of "encircling the cities from the countryside" to seize the leadership of the "Tianxia", that is, the "National Alliance".

It now appears that the victory of the Zhou people over the Yin people was the victory of one culture over another, that is, the victory of farming culture over business culture, and the victory of humanistic culture over ghost culture.The Yin people were probably eminent merchants.Moreover, according to a speculative opinion in the academic circles, it is precisely because of their emphasis on commerce that later generations use their national title - Shang to refer to the industry of "doing business", and call businessmen (Jia people) "businessmen". "(Yin people), or used to distinguish two different types of businessmen (travelers and merchants).Yin people also value ghosts and gods.Their superstition and worship of ghosts and gods almost reached the level of divination every day.The handicraft industry of the Yin people is also very developed.They not only mastered, but probably also monopolized the bronze smelting technology.Perhaps, it was the monopoly of technology, the intimidation of ghosts and gods, the bribery of money, coupled with the high pressure of punishment, that the Yin people established and maintained their hegemony.

Zhou people did the opposite. "Book of Rites·Biao Ji" says that Xia Dao respected life, Yin people respected gods, and Zhou people respected rituals. The three nations and three cultures are more advanced than the other.The so-called "respect for etiquette" actually means emphasizing personnel, ethics, and emotions, replacing criminal laws with etiquette, replacing intimidation with human affection, using blood ties as ties, and ranking as rewards and punishments.This is undoubtedly a more popular approach than playing tricks and killing people, so it is very popular.Therefore, relying on the implementation of enlightened autocracy internally and the policy of gentleness externally, Zhou finally replaced Yin and Shang, and a theory was born from this-the one who wins the hearts of the people wins the world.Although the later facts proved that this is not a law, or even just a big lie - those who win the hearts of the people may not win the world, and those who win the world may not win the hearts of the people (please refer to Chapter 6 of this book), but for the Zhou people, it is true. Not false.It didn't take much time for King Wu to defeat Zhou, which is proof.

However, problems arose one after another. According to the conclusion of the "Xia, Shang and Zhou Dynasties Project", King Wu conquered Shang in 1046 BC.But wars on the land of China neither began nor ended here.As early as the legendary "Three Emperors and Five Emperors" era, the war began.Jiuli fought against Zhuolu; .Zhou people were able to "win the world" in the end, and they also relied on those tribes and tribal countries that were particularly capable of fighting.We know that, as Engels said in his book The Origin of the Family, Private Ownership and the State, wars between tribes were "carried out so cruelly that other animals could not be compared with humans".The reason is also very simple, because in their view, plundering "is easier and even more honorable than creative labor."

The war has greatly benefited the tribe that lost it.Relying on this method of getting something for nothing and seeing immediate results, the tribe that succeeded quickly expanded.Correspondingly, the total number of tribes is decreasing: in Xia Yu’s time there were tens of thousands, in Shang Tang’s time there were 3,000, and by the time of King Wu of Zhou, there were only 800 left, and most of these 800 tribes were no longer tribes. It is a "tribal nation" that has begun to take shape.How to deal with these "countries" that have not yet formed, but still carry barbaric social habits and traditions, and will use violence at every turn, is a test for Zhou people who have just become leaders of alliances or federations.

At this time, King Wu and his right-hand assistant Zhou Gong showed amazing political wisdom. Their method is to buy, that is, to buy these tribal countries and their armed forces in the form of conferring land and nobility.This is also the old way.For example, Ji Li, the leader of the Zhou people, was named "Xibo" by the king of Shang.Mr. Zhou Gucheng said that the so-called feudalism has taken shape since the tribal wars, but it is only a rudimentary form.This argument, I think, is justified.In fact, the so-called "feudalism" was originally a product of political compromise by force groups in a barbaric society. It was the use of enfeoffment to redeem tribal force and establish tribal alliances.Although force is an important means of occupying resources and distributing wealth in the barbaric era, it is not the only means.Fighting, there are times when you can't win; eating, there are tribes you can't eat.At first, the scale of the war between the tribes was still small, so it is natural to drive out all the losers.But when the war becomes a "world war", the "three light policy" can no longer be practiced.So the feudal system flourished.

The so-called "feudalism" is actually dealing with the land and people of the defeated.The land cannot be moved; the people cannot be killed.Then everyone settles down to his own place and remains intact.What needs to be moved is the boundaries of these lands and the heads of these lands.Re-dividing the territory is called Feng; re-appointing the chief is called Jian.The chiefs appointed by the Zhou people were either the descendants of the ancestors (such as Chen), or their own clansmen (such as Cai), or the allies who participated in the war (such as Chu), or the heroes with different surnames (such as Qi).The descendants of the previous generations were rewarded, so they were naturally grateful; the allies who participated in the war were rewarded, and they were naturally satisfied; the heroes with different surnames were rewarded, and they were more loyal to the royal family;Of course, King Zhou will not forget to leave a piece of land for himself.This land became their last stronghold.

It was certainly a strategy, but a brilliant one.It is even a conspiracy, but a conspiracy that benefits society and the nation.Therefore, in order to ensure that the victorious situation can be maintained, and to ensure the long-term stability of the state system, King Wu and Duke Zhou fabricated the lie of "Mandate of Heaven". According to King Wu and Duke Zhou, the world we live in is bestowed by heaven and is called "Tianxia".The ruler of the world is the son of heaven, called "Tianzi".Since the Son of Heaven is the Son of Heaven, all the lands belong to him of course.Since all the land belongs to the emperor, the people living on this land are of course his servants.In this way, King Zhou gained supreme power and status, and his division of the world also had a legal basis.

It's a pity that this doesn't make sense and doesn't fit the situation.Because the world was not only originally not owned by the king of Zhou, nor by the emperor of Yin, but belonged to everyone, or each person himself.The princes who participated in the war were originally the leaders of various countries.Some were tribal chiefs, some were de facto kings, each with their own lands and people.They participated in the battle against Yin, not only dissatisfied with the exploitation of the Yin people, but also wanted to get a share of the victory after victory.Now, the peaches haven't been picked yet, so why is the family tree named Ji?

This can only be threatened by Yin's demise.King Wu and Duke Zhou said, why did the Yin people "own the world" (in fact, they became the leaders of the tribal alliance)? It was because the ancestors of Yin were virtuous, loved by heaven, and destined to be king.Later, Emperor Xin (King Zhou) lost his morality, disrespected the heaven, violated the law of the ancestors, did not work diligently, and did not love the people.How to change it? It's very simple, "abolish" the "Mandate of Heaven" received by the Yin people, referred to as "revolution".God entrusted this task to Zhou, so this revolution is called "Zhou Ge Yin Ming".This is the inevitability of history, the objective law, and the irresistible will of the emperor and heaven. Those who follow it will prosper, and those who go against it will perish. "Yin Jian" is the proof! This set of "revolutionary theories" of King Wu and Duke Zhou probably convinced the princes.What's more, they discovered that Zhou people only want a name, and the benefit is their own.It not only increases the land and people, but also can do whatever they want in their own fief.The barbarian leaders were even more elated.They used to feel ashamed because they were behind the Chinese races.Now that he has been granted the title, he has become a lieutenant, and he can sit on an equal footing with the countries in the Central Plains, and reciprocate courtesy.This is really salty and refreshing! So they all accepted it happily and held a grand ceremony.On the altar is a whole sacrifice of pure color (the pure color is called sacrifice, the whole body is called sacrifice), and various ritual vessels are placed around it.The Son of Heaven built altars with soil in five colors of blue, white, red, black, and yellow, symbolizing east, west, north, south, and middle.Wherever the feudal lords enfeoff, they will take the soil from that side, mix it with the loess representing the center, wrap it with white grass, and give it to the lords.After receiving the land, the feudal lords took the near branch (Shuai Qizong's clan), led the distant branch (organized its clans), and led the common people (the ugly ones), and happily rushed to seal the country, set the territory, seal the children, and collect land rent. , very busy. The feudal kingdom is almost completely self-governing.The monarch can subdivide his own land and distribute it to his clansmen and followers. This is a doctor.The doctor can then distribute it to his own clansmen and followers, which is called a scholar.In this way of subcontracting layer by layer, the princes have the country, the doctor has the town, and the scholar has the land.They are "workers".Common people and slaves without land contributed.They are "labourers".Those who work hard govern others, and those who work hard govern others, and a state system of class division has been established. The relationship between the princes and the emperor is very loose, nothing more than a pilgrimage meeting (seeing the court in spring, seeing the court in autumn, meeting when meeting, and meeting when everyone sees), that is, a courtesy visit and paying some symbolic taxes.As for the internal affairs of various countries, the Son of Heaven generally doesn't care about them, which is a bit like "a republic of virtual monarchs" or "self-government of virtual monarchs".As the "co-lord of the world", the emperor may have some prestige at first, but later he was just a bodhisattva enshrined in the temple, and then he was used by the princes as an excuse to attack others.For example, the reason why Qi State attacked Chu State in the fourth year of Lu Xigong (656 BC) was that the Chu people did not pay timely tribute to the thatch used to shrink wine, which prevented the emperor of Zhou from offering sacrifices to his ancestors. If the sacrifices are not shared, there is no way to shrink the wine, and the widow is a sign).Now it seems that this kind of excuse is completely deliberate finding fault, and it is no more reason than "weapons of mass destruction", but it was very grandiose at the time.Therefore, even though the people of Chu have made it clear that "the king lives in the North Sea, and the widow lives in the South China Sea", there is no relationship between you and me, so why do you attack me? Qi Guo is still confident "Hitting you is not discussed." This is the so-called "feudalism".In other words, this is "feudalism" in the original sense.Obviously, such a kind of "feudalism" cannot have autocracy (Zhou Tianzi is beyond his reach), and it is impossible to have peace (the princes of all walks of life have not disarmed).In fact, as Liu Zongyuan said in "On Feudalism", the so-called "Western Zhou feudalism" (including the feudalism of the Yin and Shang Dynasties) was actually a last resort (Tang Wuzhi had no choice but to do so).Because most of those vassal states have completed the evolution process from family, clan, tribe, tribe to tribal state.Their leader had already become a climate and a prince.The so-called "feudalism" is nothing more than crowning the kings in the form of enfeoffment.Therefore, King Wu and Duke Zhou could only use this coaxing and deceiving method to symbolically redeem their force, but it could not change the nature of their force group, nor could they truly eliminate war.In fact, even Qin Shihuang, who "received the soldiers of the world and gathered them in Xianyang", failed to realize his dream of a truce.In this historical period of transition from barbarism to civilization, war remains the easy and quick solution to problems.What's more, Zhou Tianzi only obtained the "supreme" status, and there is no guarantee that he will always be "the strongest".Therefore, the vassals will still compete for hegemony (to be the leader of the alliance), to compete for supremacy (to be a superpower), until they create a dominance of the whole world. Therefore, sooner or later, the feudal system will withdraw from the stage of history and be replaced by the system of prefectures and counties.The state will also change its nature and eventually develop into an empire.It's just that in this development, we should also see something more profound and essential.