Chapter 13 The third section moved the capital to Luoyang and changed customs

In the fourteenth year of Taihe (AD 490), Empress Dowager Feng died of illness.In the second year, the 24-year-old Emperor Xiaowen was in charge.In the eighteenth year of Taihe (AD 494), under his leadership, the second stage of reform began. The main content was to move the capital to Luoyang, change the living customs of the Xianbei people, and promote the integration of northern ethnic groups. Move the capital to Luoyang and advance to the Central Plains.In November of the eighteenth year of Taihe, Emperor Xiaowen resolutely moved the capital from Kaiping to Luoyang.This was the first major event that shocked the government and the public after he came to power.It is also an integral part of Emperor Xiaowen's overall reform plan.

Not long after the founding of the Northern Wei Dynasty, Pingcheng was established as the capital, and it has been nearly a hundred years.The Tuoba tribe unified the north and entered the Yellow River Basin. The form of production gradually transitioned from a nomadic economy to an agricultural economy.Pingcheng is located in a frontier fortress, and the climate is very cold. Every June, it often rains and snows, and there are strong winds. The agricultural production conditions are poor and the grain output is low.In addition, transportation is inconvenient, which is not conducive to the control of the whole country.And Pingcheng is the place where the Xianbei nobles are concentrated, and the conservative forces are stubborn, which seriously hampers the feudalization process of the Xianbei people.Emperor Xiaowen decided to move the capital to Luoyang, further cooperate closely with the Han landlord class, get rid of the shackles of conservatives, change customs, and implement cultural rule.

Emperor Xiaowen knew that moving the capital was not easy, and he would inevitably encounter opposition from nobles and ministers.He first ordered Taichangqing Wang Chen to divination, and the result was an auspicious hexagram with the word "Ge".Emperor Xiaowen said excitedly: "This is the revolution of Tang and Wu, and it is the hexagram of Shuntian Yingren." "The drama.One day, Emperor Xiaowen summoned the ministers of civil and military affairs and announced to send troops to attack the Southern Qi Dynasty.Unexpectedly, Rencheng King Tuoba Cheng was the first to disapprove, and many officials also echoed.After retiring from the court, Emperor Xiaowen left Tuoba Cheng alone, and said frankly to him:

"Today's journey is not easy. But the country rose from the north and moved to Pingcheng. Although it is rich in the world, the style of culture has not been unified. The place where martial arts can be used here is not cultural governance; changing customs and customs is even more difficult. Xiaohan Emperor's house, In Heluo Wangli, Yinzi made a big move to light up the Central Plains. What does Rencheng (Tuobacheng) think?" ("Wei Shu Biography of Rencheng Wang") Tuoba Cheng immediately understood Emperor Xiaowen's intentions, and actively supported the idea of ​​moving the capital to the south.Emperor Xiaowen asked again: "Northern people are content with the status quo and don't want to make progress. What should we do?" Tuoba Cheng said: "Only extraordinary people can do extraordinary things. You can do it with confidence! What do they dare to do?" Emperor Wen said happily: "Ren Cheng, you are really my ovary (Zhang Liang)!"

In June of the 17th year of Taihe (AD 493), Emperor Xiaowen ordered to build bridges and pave roads on the Yellow River, preparing for a large-scale southern expedition.In September, Emperor Xiaowen led an army of 200,000 to Luoyang.He inspected the old base of the Luoyang Imperial Palace, saw the ruins, and was filled with emotion. He chanted a line from "The Book of Songs: Mi Li": "Those who know me say that I am worried; those who don't know me say what I want?" Emperor Xiaowen marched into the Central Plains My confidence is stronger.At that time, it was autumn, and it was raining heavily. Emperor Xiaowen was wearing armor. In the wind and rain, he jumped on his horse and raised his whip, and ordered his troops to continue southward.All the ministers knelt in front of the imperial horse, kowtowed and cried to persuade them to stop the crusade against Nanqi.When Emperor Xiaowen saw that the time was right, he said categorically: "If it is not Nanluan, the capital should be moved here, and the light house is in the soil, and the time is right. What do the princes and others think?" Those who want to move left, and those who don’t want to move to the right.” ("Wei Shu·Li Chong Biography") The accompanying nobles, from King Anding Tuobaxiu down, almost all stood to the right, expressing their unwillingness to move the capital.Tuobazhen saw that the situation was not good, so he said: "Those who achieve great success do not seek out others, but extraordinary people can build extraordinary things!" He agreed to stop the southern expedition and move the capital to the Central Plains.From the nobles and ministers to the Xianbei soldiers, most of them were reluctant to move south, but it was better than fighting in the south, and they reluctantly agreed to move the capital.In November of the following year, the capital was officially moved to Luoyang.

Luoyang was once the capital of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, Eastern Han Dynasty and Western Jin Dynasty, and has always been the political, economic and cultural center of the North.Moving the capital to Luoyang undoubtedly had great strategic significance for the development of the Northern Wei Dynasty and the Tuoba tribe of Xianbei. After moving the capital to Luoyang, Emperor Xiaowen put the focus of reform on his own nation, changed the original living customs of the Xianbei, and actively learned and accepted the advanced culture, laws and regulations and lifestyles of the Han. Once, when Emperor Xiaowen summoned civil and military officials in the palace, he said: "You want to make the Wei Dynasty more beautiful than the Yin and Zhou Dynasties, so that the Han and Jin Dynasties can be better than the previous dynasties?" Luck, I really wish to follow the example of the former king." Emperor Xiaowen said: "If so, what will cause it? Is it for self-cultivation and change of customs, for the desire to continue to touch the past?" Tuobaxi said: "It is appropriate to change the old, Make it a new beauty every day." Emperor Xiaowen asked again: "Do you want to stay together, and pass it on to your descendants?" Tuobaxi replied: "Since it is known to the world, I wish to pass it on to the future." Emperor Xiaowen said: " If so, it must be changed, and the Qing and the others should obey it and not disobey it." Tuobaxi said firmly: "The command of the superior and the subordinate are like the wind blowing grass." ("Wei Shu · Xianyang King Biography")

Emperor Xiaowen immediately promulgated a series of Sinicization measures. The Xianbei clothes of the scholars and civilians were changed to Hanfu.In December of the eighteenth year of Taihe (AD 494), just one month after Luoyang was established as the capital, Emperor Xiaowen ordered to reform the Xianbei clothing system.In the past, to adapt to the nomadic production and life style, Xianbei people used to wear their hair loose, their clothing opened on the left side, and women wore hats and short jackets with collars and small sleeves.After entering the Central Plains, the dress of the Xianbei people was very inconsistent with the large number of Han people.Emperor Xiaowen ordered that the nobles and civilians of Xianbei should not wear Hu clothes, and they should all wear Han clothes.In December of the following year, when Emperor Xiaowen met with the officials in the Guangji Hall, he rewarded the officials with Han-style crown clothes on the spot, and Yi Xianbei's official clothes were Han official clothes.When Emperor Xiaowen went on a tour, when he saw women on Luoyang Street still wearing Xianbei decorations, he immediately reprimanded his subordinates and demanded strict control.Soon there will be no more people wearing Xianbei costumes in the city.

Officials of the imperial court switched to Chinese and banned the use of Xianbei.Since the founding of the Northern Wei Dynasty, although Han officials were required to speak Xianbei, Xianbei and Chinese were often used mixed in the court, and there was a great language barrier. For this purpose, a translator "Translation Association" was established.With the expansion of the ruled area, the contradiction of language barrier became more and more prominent.In June of the 19th year of Taihe (AD 495), Emperor Xiaowen issued an edict: "You must not use the language of the northern vulgar in the court. If you violate it, you will be exempted from the official residence." ("Wei Shu·Gao Zu Ji") he emphasized Said: "Today, if you want to break down the northern languages ​​(Xianbei), you must follow the correct pronunciation (Chinese)." Gradually switch to Chinese. Xianbei officials under the age of 30 must speak Chinese immediately. If they deliberately speak Xianbei, they will be demoted and dismissed from office.” This measure promoted the development of Han and Xianbei cultural undertakings.Xianbei people began to study Chinese phonology. In the Lu family (Buliugu family), a famous phonologist in my country, Lu Fayan, appeared.The folk songs of the Xianbei people were also translated into Chinese, and most of the folk songs of the Northern Dynasties collected in the book were translated after Emperor Xiaowen switched to Chinese.

Use Han surnames to establish family status.The surnames of Xianbei people are mostly compound surnames, such as Tuoba, Dugu, Helou, Qiumuling and so on.In the first month of the 20th year of Taihe (AD 496), Emperor Xiaowen said in the imperial edict: "Northern people call Tuo as Tuo, and later as Postscript. Wei Zhi first came from the Yellow Emperor, and he was the king of Tude, so it was the Tuoba family. The husband of Tuo , the color of yellow, the origin of all things, it is appropriate to change the surname to Yuanshi. If the surnames of the old clans of the heroic officials are repeated, they should be changed." (Volume 140) Therefore, it was decided to change Xianbei's compound surname to a similar one. Monophonic Chinese surname.Emperor Xiaowen first changed the Tuoba family of his royal family to the Yuan family, making it the highest family.Then change Qiumuling to Mu family, Dugu family to Liu family, Buliugu family to Lu family, He Lai family to He family, He Lou family to Lou family, Wuxi family to Yu family, The Hexi (he xihexi) family was changed to the Ji family, and the Yuchi family was changed to the Wei family.The eight surnames of the Xunchen were determined to be the same as the four surnames of Qinghe Cui, Fanyang Lu, Zhaojun Li, and Xingyang Zheng of the northern Han family.The status of the rest of the nobles after changing their surnames is also comparable to that of the Han gentry.Among the Xianbei aristocrats, the family system of "the nobles conquer the nobles, and the humble conquer the humble" has been established.Emperor Xiaowen changed more than 100 Xianbei surnames into Han surnames.He also encouraged intermarriage between the royal family, the Xianbei nobles and the Han people.Emperor Xiaowen appointed the daughter of Hanchen Li Chong as the queen, and also made his younger brother the daughter of the Nahan family as the concubine.Through marriage, the relationship between the Xianbei nobles and the Han landlord class became closer.

Emperor Xiaowen changed the old customs of the Xianbei people with great fanfare, trying to eliminate the differences among ethnic groups and alleviate ethnic conflicts, thus accelerating the feudalization of the Northern Wei Dynasty and consolidating the rule of the Xianbei nobles in the Central Plains.