Chapter 33 Chapter 25: The Twelfth Century

In the middle of this century, civil strife broke out in the powerful Liao Empire. The Jurchen tribe it subordinated became independent in the northeast, established the Golden Empire, and defeated the Liao Empire with thunderous force.The Song Empire first secretly formed an alliance with the Jin Empire, but soon offended it.So the Jin Empire sent troops to defeat the Song Empire, captured the capital Kaifeng (Kaifeng, Henan), and captured the two emperors alive. The remaining forces of the Song Empire government retreated to the south of the Yangtze River. When the West was in the frenzy of the Crusades.The Jurchen nation has been invincible in all battles in the East and has become the pride of this century.

After the Song government retreated to the south of the Yangtze River, it did not change its past.The spirit of founding a country that embraces the crippled and the weak, is still firm.What surprised us in particular was that Neo Confucianism began to take root and had a huge influence on China for more than seven hundred years. a frivolous Zhao Ji In the first year of the twelfth century (1100), Zhao Xu, the seventh emperor of the Song Empire, passed away without a son.The mother-in-law advocated to the queen mother that Prince Zhao Ji should be the successor, but Zhang Dun objected. This bright-eyed and responsible politician said loudly, "Zhao Ji is frivolous!" Of course, it is to win the Queen Mother.Zhao Ji was also nineteen years old at the time. After he ascended the throne, he came to court with the Queen Mother.Empress Dowager Xiang is the second Dharma protector of the old party. She revoked the new law and system again and restored the original state.However, she had only been in power for seven months before she became ill.

It is the misfortune of the Song Empire, the misfortune of the Liao Empire, and the misfortune of Zhao Ji himself and his family that Zhao Ji became the emperor of the Song Empire. Zhang Dun stopped criticizing Zhao Ji for being frivolous, and the price he paid for his criticism was that he was demoted to death in Muzhou (Jiande, Zhejiang), 800 kilometers away from the capital Kaifeng.But the revenge against Zhang Dun does not prove that Zhao Ji is not frivolous.In fact, it proves that Zhao Ji is frivolous. In 1102, Zhao Ji dismissed Han Zhongyan, the last prime minister of the old party, and appointed Cai Jing of the new party as military minister.However, although Cai Jing made a political appeal as a new party, he is not a new party, but just a rebellious and opportunistic officialdom gangster.He also rejected Zeng Bu and Zhang Shangying, two successive prime ministers of the New Party.Although he also ordered the restoration of Wang Anshi's new laws and systems, it was only a means of propaganda, and he did not implement it seriously. What he was serious about was how to attack his political opponents. The old party is a "treacherous party", engraved on the stone tablet.Announcement nationwide.But Cai Jing's political enemies include Xin!The two parties in Japan, the new party and the old party members, disappeared in the government at the same time, leaving only a group of upstart bureaucrats. The new laws and systems were abolished soon, and everything returned to the original state, and it was worse than the original state.

Cai Jing served as prime minister four times in 24 years from 1102 to 1125.Zhao Ji also often visited his home for banquets, which was a special honor in the autocratic era.The reason why Zhao Ji used him so much was because of his unique flattery, Zhao Ji felt comfortable only in front of him.So sometimes Zhao Ji hated him a little (his position as prime minister was dismissed four times), but he still couldn't do without him in the end.Under such circumstances, Cai Jing led Zhao Ji into a vortex of waste that does not seem to be wasteful.A large number of artificial mountains were built in the palace, and strange flowers and stones were arranged.This kind of insignificant courtyard gardening was nothing at first, but the unlimited power of the emperor and the painstaking use of the Cai Jing Group soon became the biggest tyranny in the Song Empire for more than a hundred years.Officials transported those exotic flowers and stones from all over the country to Kaifeng, the capital, via the Yangtze River and the Yellow River.The ships are connected, which is called "Hua Shi Gang".Gang, the goods that travel in groups, were called a gang at that time.No matter what kind of house, a piece of grass or a piece of broken stone may suddenly be broken into by officials leading soldiers, mark it as "things for the imperial court", and order the owner to take care of it carefully.If the level of nursing care cannot satisfy the officials, then the crime of "disrespect" will be committed, and the principal culprit will be executed according to law, and the whole family will be demoted.When transporting away, the walls of the house were torn down, and the objects used by the imperial court were carried out respectfully.Therefore, "Hua Shi Gang" has become the simplest and miraculously effective magic weapon for extortion. ——This reminds us of the strange thing about "criminal beasts" in the Shihu era in the fourth century.

Cai Jing was able to gain power because of the support of the eunuch Tong Guan, who was Zhao Ji's only assistant who was always favored.Zhao Ji once appointed him as the commander-in-chief of the Hehuang War Zone (northeast of Qinghai Province), and represented the emperor in all directions. No one can be more popular than him.In 1111, the Song Empire routinely sent envoys to Dading Mansion (Liaozhongjing, Inner Mongolia Ningcheng) to congratulate the ninth emperor of the Liao Empire, Yelu Yanxi, on the birthday, and Tong Guan served as the deputy ambassador. In October of that year, Tong Guan returned to Lugouqiao, an important town in the southern border of the Liao Empire (in the 1930s and 1937, the Imperial Japanese Army stationed in China launched an attack on the Chinese Army here. , causing the eight-year-long Sino-Japanese War, in which Japan failed to surrender).On that day, Tong Guan stayed at the Shengouqiao Guest House.In the evening, Ma Zhi, a Chinese from the Liao Kingdom, quietly entered Tong Guan's room to meet him.Ma Zhi once served as a middle-level official of the Liao government and was originally from Yanjing (Beijing).He hoped that his hometown would return to the motherland. During this meeting, he proposed to Chongguan a secret plan to take back the sixteen prefectures of Yanyun.

——The sixteen prefectures of Yanyun, when they were ceded to the Liao Empire in the tenth century, the Liao Empire was overjoyed, but they didn't know that they had swallowed a time bomb.Here begins the first link in its chain of destruction, a knot impossible to untie without bloodshed. Ma Zhi used the long-distance and short-range attack policy invented by Fan Ju in the third century BC. He told Tong Guan: "There is a Jurchen tribe in the northeast border of the Liao Empire. They are brave and good at fighting. They hate the tyranny of the Liao Empire and have the possibility of rebellion at any time. Once there is a rebellion, the Liao government will never have the power to control it. If we send people to start from the Shandong Peninsula and form a military alliance with Jurchen from the sea, and attack from east to west, the sixteen prefectures of Yanyun will be within easy reach."

This plan was very practical, and Tong Guan was very excited, so he brought Ma Zhi back secretly and introduced him to Zhao Ji.After Zhao Ji talked with him, he adopted his opinion.So start implementing it immediately.In the name of buying horses, envoys (including Ma Zhi) were successively dispatched from the Shandong Peninsula to the Jurchen tribe. Ma Zhi is a typical patriotic hero. He has been ruled by a foreign nation for several generations, but he still fondly misses the motherland that abandoned him.It is a pity that the policy of long distance and close attack can only function with the backing of a strong military force.Ma Zhi overestimated the power of the motherland, and the corrupt and incompetent Song government failed him.

The storm caused by the Erjin Empire Ma Zhi is not only a patriotic hero, but also a politician with great vision.His observations and opinions are all far-sighted. The Jurchen nation, in the ninth century, was called the (Gemo) (Gehao) nation.They made a living by fishing and hunting in the Heilongjiang area. Later, for some unknown reason, they changed their name to Jurchen.The long-term peaceful life of the Liao Empire, the extravagance of the court, and the inevitable toxins of an autocratic regime made its emperors inferior to each other.When the emperor and senior officials go hunting, a famous eagle called "Citongqing" is only produced in the Tatar Strait.The imperial envoys who hunted down Haidongqing passed through the Jurchen tribe incessantly, often excessively greedy and violent. The anger of the Jurchens was well known, but the imperial envoys didn't care, they remained greedy and violent, thinking that they had no strength to resist.

In 1096 (11th) of the last century, the Ashu incident occurred among the Jurchen tribes.As the chief of the Wanyan tribe, Wanyan Yingge launched an attack on the Heshilie tribe when he heard the news that the chief of the Heshilie tribe, Ashu, was about to confront him. ), sued Wan Yanying to the Liao government.The Liao government ordered Wanyanying to retreat, but Wanyanying hadn't fully fledged yet, so he had to accept it.But after entering this century (twelfth), the feathers have become full, but not handing over the "fugitive" Ah Shu is regarded as the biggest crime of the Liao Empire.

During the ten-year bloody battle between the Liao and Jin Dynasties, Ah Shu's name appeared in almost every battle.The Jin Empire insisted that the reconciliation could only be achieved by handing over Ah Shu, while the Liao Empire refused every time based on its responsibilities and obligations to the vassals.It seems that Ah Shu is a key figure in the rise and fall of the war, and the Jin Empire has a terrible hatred for him.But when the Liao Empire collapsed and the Jin Empire arrested Ah Shu, he only beat him a few times before releasing him.Later, whenever someone asked Ah Shu's name, he introduced himself humorously: "My name is Po Liao Gui." This historical fact allows us to understand the true meaning of the term "excuse".

In 1113, Wanyan Aguda, Wanyanying's nephew, succeeded to the throne.Next year (1114), we sent people to the capital Linhuang (Balin Zuo Banner, Inner Mongolia) to ask the Liao government for Ashu, but the Liao government refused.Wanyan Aguda took the heinous crime of the Liao government's refusal to hand over Ah Shu, sued heaven and earth, and rebelled.Wanyan Aguda was eager to take action because of his reasons.Emperor Yelu Yanxi of the Liao Dynasty was drunk, fatuous, and violent. He had already deserted his relatives, and the people were full of grievances.Wanyan Aguda once took the opportunity of an audience to observe him personally, and left a deep impression on him, thinking that Yelu Yanxi was the best enemy. Ningjiang Prefecture (East of Songyuan, Jilin), the important eastern town of the Liao Empire, fell first. Yelu Yanxi was hunting. Hearing the news, he ordered General Xiao Si to conquer first. He was killed by Jurchen at Chuhedian (Zhaoyuan, Heilongjiang) on ​​the north bank of the Huntong River (Songhua River). The Corps fought head-on, and the whole army was wiped out.There used to be a popular legend in the Liao Empire: "Jurchen soldiers cannot reach 10,000. If they reach 10,000, they will be invincible in the world."In the next year (1115), Wanyan Aguda established the Golden Empire.Yelu Yanxi led a personal expedition and fought a decisive battle at Hubu Dagang (Jilin Shuangliao Territory). The 700,000 national defense troops under his command could not withstand the fierce attack of the Jurchen Corps of the Jin Empire and collapsed instantly. Yelu Yanxi fled back to Zhongjing (Ningcheng, Inner Mongolia) alone. . It was already 1120 when Ma Zhi met Wanyan Aguda on behalf of the Song Empire.After occupying half of the Liao Empire, the Jin army arrived in Linhuang.Yelu Yanxi, who never stopped hunting and killing, was hunting outside at this time and dared not return to rescue. The city garrison entered the city and refused to defend, as strong as a copper wall.When Ma Zhi arrived, Wanyan Aguda told him: "You can see our strength first, and then discuss conditions." That is to say, he ordered the attack on the city, and in the rain of stone arrows, the sound of killing shook the world. From morning to noon, This huge city, the capital of Khitan, which is well-known everywhere, was immediately captured.Ma Zhi was taken aback by the strength of the Jurchen Corps. He knew that the Jurchen was strong, but he didn't know how strong it was. The Jin and Song secret attacks on the Liao Empire were signed in Linhuang not long after the fall, including the following three items: The first Jin army was responsible for capturing Dading Mansion in Zhongjing (Ningcheng, Inner Mongolia) of the Liao Empire, and then went south, passing through the flat pine forest (between Balin Zuoqi and Weichang County, Hebei, a huge forest dominated by pine trees that stretches hundreds of kilometers from east to west, called "Pingdi pine forest", also known as "Songmo", refers to this when the Khitan tribe was in the era, the Tang government of China once canonized its chief as the governor of Songmo), pointing directly to Gubeikou of the Great Wall (northeast of Miyun, Beijing).The Song army was responsible for capturing the Yanjing Xijin Mansion of the Liao Empire; Beijing), and then went north, also pointing directly at Gubeikou of the Great Wall.The two countries take the Gubeikou pass as the boundary and do not go beyond each other. The Erjin Empire agreed with the Song Empire to take back the Yanyun Sixteen States. ——Among the sixteen prefectures, Ying and Mo prefectures were taken back during the Later Zhou Empire, but the Liao Empire occupied Yizhou (Yixian, Hebei) and established Jingzhou (Zunhua, Hebei) outside the sixteen prefectures. Calculated together, it is still sixteen states. The Three Song Empires agreed to change the tribute of goods and silver coins to the Liao Empire to the Jin Empire. However, there was no chance to implement this secret agreement to pay tribute on knees from the very beginning. The Jurchen Corps swept away the fallen leaves of the Liao Empire like a storm.After two hundred years of invincibility, the Khitan Corps, which forced the two empires of the Later Jin and Song to submit, was defeated.Yelu Yanxi fled to Jiashan (in the Yinshan area of ​​Wuchuan, Inner Mongolia). It was only then that he discovered the evil of Xiao Fengxian, who he thought was the most capable and loyal prime minister, but it was too late.In 1125, Yelu Yanxi fled west again, but was captured alive by the Jurchen regiment on the way. The capture of Yelu Yanxi did not mean the demise of the Liao Empire. The general Yelu Dashi, a descendant of the royal family, an outstanding military genius, gathered the remaining troops and tribes and fled westward.Arrived in Xunsi Gancheng (Uzbek Samarkand) in Central Asia, defeated the joint resistance of the local small countries, and arrived in Qierman City (Uzbek Navoi City), declared succession to the throne and organized a new central government.Soon after returning to the east, in the west of Issyk Lake, on the south bank of the Chuhe River (Chu River), Huen Ordu (Ordu, meaning palace; today's Kyrgyzstan Mark) was built as the capital. The Liao Empire, which moved westward, has since lost contact with China, and China has never heard of it again.Its cultural level was originally very low, but after turning upside down and fleeing to war, not many people even remember their own Khitan characters.Therefore, although it has continued the national line for ninety-four years, it has not contributed much to human culture.In the next century (thirteenth) in 1218, it was finally wiped out by the emerging Mongolian Empire.The Liao Empire was established for 303 years, and it is one of the longest dynasties on the Chinese territory. Three miserable victories The secret agreement between Song and Jin to attack the Liao Empire was originally scheduled to be implemented next year (1121) when the contract was signed.After Ma Zhi returned to his country, Emperor Zhao Ji ordered the eunuch Tong Guan to be the commander-in-chief to gather troops.But just after the assembly was completed, a civil uprising broke out in Muzhou (Jiande, Zhejiang, where Zhang Dun was demoted to death) 800 kilometers away in the south. This is the people's violent reaction to Hua Shigang's tyranny, led by Fang La from Qingxi (Chun'an, Zhejiang).They captured Muzhou, Hangzhou (Hangzhou, Zhejiang), Shezhou (Shexian, Anhui), and Quzhou (Quzhou, Zhejiang) in a row.He hated government officials to the bone. When officials were captured, their limbs were cut off, their stomachs were cut open, and their stomachs were dug out; or they were shot to death with random arrows and boiled into ointment.From these cruel acts of revenge, it can be deduced that officials must do a hundred times more poison to the people in ordinary times to drive these kind-hearted farmers into madness. Zhao Ji ordered Tong Guan to conquer. Although the National Defense Forces of the Song Empire could not go abroad, they still had strength inside.Fang La was killed and the civil uprising failed.Aware of the cause of the civil uprising, Tong Guan issued an imperial edict in Zhao Ji's name to revoke Hua Shigang and the organization "Yingfeng Bureau" that presided over Hua Shigang.However, the prime minister Wang Fu told Zhao Ji: "The civil uprising was caused by the harsh tea law and salt law, and had nothing to do with Hua Shigang. Tong Guan was too honest, and was deceived by treacherous villains. He blamed all the crimes on His Majesty." Zhao Ji was indeed arrested. Enraged, immediately restore Huashigang and Yingfeng Bureau. The Muzhou civil uprising ended in 1121, and the date of the pincer attack has been delayed.So it was postponed until next year (1122).In the first month of 1122, the Jin Empire captured Zhongjing (Ningcheng, Inner Mongolia) of the Liao Empire. Tong Guan quickly led the army to the north, and went out of Baigou (Baigouhe Town, northwest of Xiongxian County, Hebei Province), and attacked in two ways.At that time, Emperor Yelu Yanxi of the Liao Dynasty fled to Jiashan (in the Yinshan area of ​​Wuchuan, Inner Mongolia), and lost contact with the outside world.Yelu Yanxi's uncle, Prince Yeluchun, succeeded to the throne in Yanjing (Beijing), and resisted the Jurchen Corps steadily.The Song army's sudden military action was a bolt from the blue to Yanjing. They never thought that the Song Empire, which had always been servile, would put a knife in the back of a friend.Yeluchun was in danger of being attacked from both sides. He sent someone to see Tong Guan and said: "Jurchen rebelled and rebelled, and your country should also hate it. If you are greedy for small profits in the moment, abandon a century-old friendship, and make friends with wolves, it will only sow endless disasters in the future. Please consider your country." This is a diplomatic statement full of adjectives, and of course it will not be effective.Tong Guan continued to oversee the advance of the army.The Liao army had no choice but to fight. The two countries met at Lugou Bridge, and the two armies of the Song Corps were defeated at the same time. However, Yeluchun died within four months of his reign, and his wife, Empress Xiao, continued to rule.Guo Yaoshi, the commander of the Liao Empire's "resentment army" (composed of exiled youths whose hometown fell to the Jurchen) stationed in Zhuozhou (Zhuozhou, Hebei) and Yizhou (Yixian, Hebei), was at odds with Empress Xiao , then surrendered to the Song Empire and offered the land of the two states.This was an encouragement to the Song government, and Zhao Ji ordered Tong Guan to make the second Northern Expedition.Empress Xiao sent an envoy, Han Fang, to see Tong Guan, presenting a surrender form, requesting to remember the 119 years of diplomatic relations and not to attack again.Tong Guan refused and kicked Han Fang out of the account. Han Fang wailed in the courtyard, "The Liao and Song Dynasties have been reconciled for a hundred years. The oath of alliance is written in every word. You can bully the country, but you cannot bully the sky." Crying away.After Tong Guan reprimanded Han Fang, Tong Guan launched a surprise attack on Yanjing. Under the confrontation of the Liao army, almost the entire army was wiped out. He was chased by the Liao army to Lugou Bridge, and the Song army, with nearly 200,000 soldiers, was sprinted by the enemy's iron cavalry. When all is done, the dead body makes its way.The Liao army composed songs and sang them.To ridicule the heartlessness and incompetence of the Song Empire. ——With such a force that makes people laugh, they dare to destroy the alliance and challenge, which once again shows that there is indeed such a thing as overreaching in the world. The Jin Empire was also taken aback when they received the news of the Song Army's defeat. Although they knew that the Song Army was weak, they didn't know that it was so weak. This was a new temptation for them.Knowing that the Song army could not join forces at Gubeikou (northeast of Miyun, Beijing), Emperor Wanyan Aguda abandoned Gubeikou after passing through the flat pine forest, and went south from Juyongguan (Changping, Beijing) to attack Yanjing.Those Khitan regiments that beat the Song army to pieces were defeated as soon as they came into contact with the Jin army.Empress Xiao fled, and Yanjing fell. In this embarrassing situation, the Song Empire sent Ma Zhi to Yanjing, and still asked the Jin Empire for the Sixteen States of Yanyun.A group of stupid high-level officials such as Cai Jing and Wang Fu were even more whimsical, and ordered Ma Zhi to ask for not only the sixteen prefectures of Yanyun, but also for additional money. Fashion is the three states of the Khitan tribe - Pingzhou (Lulong, Hebei), Luanzhou (Luan County, Hebei), and Yingzhou (Changli, Hebei).Wanyan Aguda told Ma Zhi that there is no need to think about things in the three states, and even the Linhuang (Balin Zuoqi, Inner Mongolia) secret treaty was invalidated, because the Song army did not fulfill the treaty to join forces at Gubeikou.However, Wanyan Aguda was greedy for tribute, and he agreed to hand over the seven states in front of the mountain (east of Taihang Mountain) to the Song Empire.The proviso is that Yanjing (Beijing) was captured by the Jin army, so Yanjing's taxes should be paid to the Jin Empire.Ma Zhi returned to Xiongzhou (Xiong County, Hebei) dumbfounded, and played to Zhao Ji. Zhao Ji was eager to win this victory and accepted it all. The two countries then signed a treaty of friendship in 1123 in the 1920s: 1. The Jin Empire divided the six states east of the Taihang Mountains, namely Yanjing (formerly Youzhou·Beijing), Jizhou (Jixian, Tianjin), Tanzhou (Miyun, Beijing), Shunzhou (Shunyi, Beijing), Jingzhou (Zunhua, Hebei), Zhuozhou (Zhuozhou, Hebei) and Yizhou (Yixian, Hebei) were returned to the Song Empire (in fact, only Wuzhou was returned, and Yizhou was donated by the resentful army last year). 2. The Song Empire pays the Golden Empire 200,000 taels of silver coins, 200,000 bolts of silk and satin, and 1,000,000 guan in Yanjing’s tax payment (the Jin Empire said that Yanjing’s tax collection is only one-sixth of the year, which is lenient enough. ). 3. Both sides are not allowed to surrender and accept rebellion (in fact, this article is only for dealing with the Song Empire. The Liao Empire is disintegrating, and a large number of Chinese and Khitans are running southward). 4. The Song Empire paid the Jin Empire 200,000 shi of military rations at a time. When the five states were handed over and the Jin army retreated, all the residents of Yanjing were taken away, claiming that this was the meaning of the Song Empire: only the land, not the people.As a result, what the Song Empire got was only an empty city in Yanjing, and it needed thousands of miles to transport food to support the troops stationed there and relieve the poor residents who had slipped through the net.But in any case, the Song Empire finally stood on the side of victory and regained the territory that had been lost for 188 years.Zhao Ji became the savior of the Chinese people, Tong Guan was named a prince, and the whole country celebrated with carnival. The Fall of Four Kaifeng The Jin Empire stared at the next prey, the Song Empire. Only Ma Zhi was aware of the hidden crisis. He warned the officials in power: "Peace will last for two or three years at most, and China must make early preparations." But no one paid attention to it. , high-level figures, including Zhao Ji, are like blind pigs, slamming left and right, trying to get some leftover food from the monster's bloody mouth. Yanjing barely recovered in April 1123.In May, Zhang Juejue, the left-behind governor of Nanjing (that is, Pingzhou, Lulong, Hebei), surrendered to the Song Empire.Ma Zhi warned again: "The covenant has just been signed. Surrender and rebellion are not allowed, and you must not abide by it." The frivolous Zhao Ji immediately demoted Ma Zhi to five ranks. With a single gesture of the Jin Empire, Nanjing was taken back. Zhang Jue fled to the Song Empire and asked for asylum.Under the severe pressure of the Jin Empire, Zhao Ji had no choice but to kill Zhang Jue and return his head.This reckless move caused the hearts of the descendants of the Liao Empire, including the resentful army, to collapse.Soon after, the Jin army found Zhao Ji's imperial edict in Zhang Jue's archives. Not only were they overjoyed, A Shu made them break the Liao Dynasty, and Zhang Jue made them break the Song Dynasty.It just so happened that the Jin Army asked Tan Zhen, the commander of the North China Military Region of the Song Army (the Xuanfu envoy of Yanshanfu Road and Hedong Road, Hebei), to ask for 200,000 shi of military rations.Tan Zhen refused and said: "What is Ma Zhi? He promised, how can it count." The Jin Empire got a Zhang Juewai, and was lucky to get a Tan Zhen. In February 1125, Emperor Yelu Yanxi of the Liao Dynasty was captured.In October, the Jin Empire launched a general attack on the Song Empire, going south in two ways.Marshal Wanyanwoli of the East Road did not attack Yanjing, but aimed at Kaifeng; Under the soldiers city.When the East Route Army attacked Yanjing, the resentful army in charge of Yanjing's defense rebelled, so Yanjing fell.The Jin army took advantage of the victory and drove southward.The urgent documents from the front line of the Song Empire and the Jin Empire's accusation of treason and breach of the contract rushed to the capital Kaifeng one after another, hitting Zhao Ji's head like a thunderbolt, making him fly out of his mind.The ministers believed that Zhao Ji's abdication was not enough to appease the anger of the Jin Empire.So Zhao Ji had no choice but to pass on the throne to Prince Zhao Huan. He said sadly, "I can't imagine that Jurchen would dare to do this." He suddenly fainted and fell from the dragon bed to the ground. After Prince Zhao Huan ascended the throne, he dispatched General He Guan with 20,000 National Defense Forces to protect the Yellow River Crossing Bridge.The soldiers climbed onto the horses with great difficulty, but they held the saddle tightly with both hands, not daring to let go.The Kaifeng citizens who sent them off were greatly shocked.Han Qi opposed Wang Anshi's training of the National Defense Forces, which was the result of the victory of the old party. In January 1126, the East Road Corps of the Jin Army arrived at the Yellow River. The soldiers with their saddles in their hands dispersed as soon as they saw the banner of the Jin Army.The defenders on the south bank were braver, and they dispersed after setting fire to the bridge.When Zhao Ji heard the news, he led his old bureaucrats out of the city and fled to the south of the Yangtze River.Zhao Huan convened an emergency meeting. The ministers unanimously advocated moving the capital, and only Li Gang, the deputy minister of the sacrifice department (Taichang Shaoqing), advocated sticking to it and waiting for help.Before the discussion was over, the Jin army had crossed the Yellow River and arrived at the city.Put forward the following peace conditions: five million taels of gold, five million taels of silver coins, 10,000 cattle and horses, one million pieces of silk and satin, respect the emperor of the Jin Empire as his uncle, and return the seven states in the east of Taihang Mountain to the Jin Empire, and then cut off Zhongshan (Dingzhou, Hebei), Taiyuan (Taiyuan, Shanxi), and Hejian (Hejian, Hebei) towns.Zhao Huan had no choice but to accept it, and immediately sent people to search for gold and silver from folks and brothels, and paid them in batches.Wanyanwoli was not unable to join forces because the West Road Corps was blocked, but King Qin’s army of the Song Empire was gradually gathering and felt weak, so he did not wait until the gold and silver were paid in full, so he brought what he had obtained and the documents for ceding the three towns, retreat north.The Song government ordered that anyone who dared to invite the Jin army halfway would be charged with treason. After the Jin army retreated, the Song government resumed its traditional spirit of adhering to the incomplete and surviving. Li Gang was exiled from Kaifeng, and Zhao Ji also fled back.Apart from being busy talking about "peace" and "war", the officials did not take any defensive measures in terms of national defense, so as not to offend the enemy.However, a naive and terrifying conspiracy is being carried out in secret, trying to cause the fall of the Golden Empire with some small tricks and tricks.First, Zhao Huan wrote a secret letter to the general of the Jin Empire, Yeluyu (see) (Yeluyu (see) was originally a general of the Liao Empire, but was forced by Yelu Yanxi to surrender gold in 1121) , please Yeluyu (see) launch a mutiny.Second, Zhao Huan wrote another confidential letter to the Liao Emperor Yelu Dashi who was far away in the western world, apologizing for the past rebellion against the alliance, asking for the restoration of the century-old traditional friendship, and attacking the Jin Empire. The most exciting thing is that Zhao Huan actually handed over such an important secret document that could cause tens of millions of deaths to Xiao Zhonggong, the envoy sent by the Jin Empire to Kaifeng to collect the arrears, and asked him to hand it over to Yeluyu with a heavy bribe. .As expected, Xiao Zhonggong presented the secret letter immediately after returning to China.The envoys sent to the west of the Liao Empire were also caught by the patrols of the Jin Empire on the border.The Golden Empire gets an excuse for the second time. In August of the same year (1126), six months after the first siege of Kaifeng, the Jin Empire made its second general attack on the Song Empire.Still divide the troops into east and west and go south.Nearly 300,000 Song Empire National Defense Forces were ordered to stop them along the way, but they did not dare to fight at all. As long as they heard the sound of the Jurchen soldiers' drums, they would flee in panic.This time, the Jin army fought steadily and took two months to occupy more than 300,000 square kilometers of land in North China, except for a few towns.With no worries, in November, the two regiments met at the foot of Kaifeng City.Announced that Zhao Huan was guilty of betraying the alliance and breaking the contract, and demanded to cede the entire area north of the Yellow River that was already in their hands. Zhao Huan once again accepted everything, but at this time a rogue Han Guo Jing appeared, claiming that he knew the magical "Liujia method" and could wipe out the Jin army and capture the two marshals alive.The Liujia method is to select 7,779 men, who will be invulnerable after being trained with spells.Sun Fu, Minister of Defense (Shangshu of the Ministry of War), and some senior officials were convinced, so Zhao Huan decided to fight again.When the day appointed by Guo Jing arrived, he ordered the defenders on the city to retreat, and no peeking was allowed (he said: peeking would make the magical power fail).Then he opened the city gate wide and ordered his divine soldiers to attack. The result of the attack was predictable, and they were all wiped out.If it weren't for the soldiers guarding the city gate to close the city gate in a hurry, the Jin army might take advantage of the momentum to rush in.Guo Jing said: "I have to do it myself." So he led the remaining magic soldiers down the city, and after going down, he fled south without looking back.At this moment, the Jin army attacked violently and climbed up the city. There were no defenders on the city, and Kaifeng, the capital made of steel, fell instantly. At the beginning of the fall of Kaifeng, Zhao Ji and Zhao Huan were still living in the palace. The Jin army did not express any action, but asked them for astronomical amounts of gold and silver and Lao Jun's beauties, and the father and son searched the residents of the whole city.However, it only lasted for four months. In March next year (1127), the Jin army finally arrested Zhao Ji and Zhao Huan, announced the order of the emperor of the Jin Empire, and the two were deposed as civilians.More than 3,000 members of the royal family surnamed Zhao, including concubines and eunuchs, were driven by a team of bullock carts to the remote Northeast region, 3,000 kilometers away, where the wind roared. They had the same fate as Shi Chonggui's family in the tenth century. In 1135, 118 years later, Zhao Ji died of illness on an earthen kang in a dilapidated house in the desolate Wuguo City (Yilan, Heilongjiang) , can make the soil warm), another 21 years later, that is, in 1156, Zhao Heng was escorted back to the capital Zhongdu (Beijing) by the then Emperor Wanyanliang of the Jin Empire. Xi Tong was imprisoned in a temple in the suburbs.One day, the generals of the Golden Empire were playing polo, and Wan Yanliang ordered them to participate.Zhao Huanwen was weak and not good at riding a horse. He fell off his horse and was trampled to death.The eighty-one-year-old Yelu Danxi, who was full of sins, was still very strong. He tried to escape from the siege and died under random arrows. The government of the Five Song Dynasty moved south If the Jin Empire kept Zhao Huan on the throne and used it as a puppet, the Song Empire might melt in the mouth of the Jin Empire like an ice cube.Those upstart Jurchen leaders naturally couldn't have such highly intelligent political minds.After the Jin army escorted the royal family surnamed Zhao to the north, they also retreated from Kaifeng.Pay attention to the expansion of the Golden Empire. In just over ten years, it has expanded from a small barbaric tribe with only 10,000 troops to more than 100 times. It has a huge empire of more than 2 million square kilometers. Detained for a long time in the south of the Yellow River.It appointed Zhang Bangchang, who had been a prime minister in the Song government, as emperor and ordered him to maintain the situation in the Hehuai area.But Zhang Bangchang waited until the Jin army crossed the Yellow River and returned north, and returned the power to Zhao Gou, the only prince of the Zhao royal family who slipped through the net. Zhao Gou is the younger brother of Zhao Huan. He was gathering troops north of the Yellow River, and he was not in Kaifeng, so he was lucky to escape from the clutches of the clutches and announced his ascension to the throne in Yingtianfu (Shangqiu, Henan).The reconstruction of the Song Empire led to the third general attack of the Jin army. This time, the Jin army took more than a year to conquer the south of the Yellow River and the north of the Huaihe River, including several important cities such as Kaifeng, Luoyang, and Chang'an (Xi'an, Shaanxi). 150,000 square kilometers of land, all occupied.Zhao Gou crossed the Yangtze River, fled to the south of China, and set his capital in Lin'an (Hangzhou, Zhejiang).General Wanyan Wushu of the Jin Empire chased after him. In 1129, Chen Bangguang, the commander-in-chief of the Yangtze River Defense of the Song Empire (the envoy of the capital along the river), surrendered to the enemy and led Wanyan Wushu across the river to attack Lin'an.Zhao Gou fled to Mingzhou (Ningbo, Zhejiang), and the Jin army captured Mingzhou again.Zhao Gou floated to the sea in a boat. The Jin army was a lone army, which had been deep for a long time and could not pursue it.After the massacre, he retreated to Jiangbei. Wanyan Wushu retreated all the way to the Yangtze River, and encountered difficulties when he was about to cross the river.Han Shizhong, the general of the Song Empire, met at Huangtiandang (northeast of Nanjing, Jiangsu Province), and Han Shizhong's wife, Liang Hongyu, personally beat the drums.The Jurchen Corps suffered their first setback since the founding of the country.But it still broke through. The reason is very simple. The Jin army has 100,000 people, while the Song army has only 8,000 people. The reason why the Jurchen Corps was invincible was their strong horses, hard bows, iron armor and persistent fighting.The battle between the Song Army and the Xixia Empire came to an end when the sun came into contact, and the victory and defeat were already divided between Japan and China.But the Jurchens were different. Once the attack started, it was in full swing. The Song army was exhausted, but the Jin army's attack became more violent.The strong physique and the most rigorous combat training of the people in the bitter cold region of Northeast China enable this kind of offensive to be fought fiercely for days and nights after it is launched, and it will not stop without victory.Even the brave and fierce Khitan Corps could not resist, let alone the Song Army who could not withstand a blow from the Khitan Corps. However, the heavy foreign aggression aroused the awakening of the people. When most of the Song government’s army was destroyed and disintegrated, the civilian resistance against the enemy took its place, and it thrived in the battle and became a strong force. Only then did the Jurchen Corps meet its nemesis.Among all generals, Yue Fei, who was born as a farmer, is the most outstanding.This national hero, who was originally from Tangyin, Xiangzhou (Tangyin, Henan), has a perfect personality and literary accomplishment. His calligraphy and poems are first-rate works even from a purely literary point of view.In that era when military discipline was so corrupted that it was no different from bandits, the Yue Fei Corps had strict military discipline. Even in the middle of the winter night, they would rather sleep on the streets than enter private houses. The defeat of Wanyan Wushu in Huang Tiandang cast a shadow over the glorious era of the Jurchen Corps.The militiamen of the Song Empire launched effective resistance in various places, making it impossible for the Jin Empire to continue to expand.In 1130, the Jin Empire government established a puppet regime in Daming (Hebei Daming), canonized Liu Yu, who had served as the governor of the Song Empire, as emperor, called his regime the Liu Qi Empire, and attempted to make the Hehuai area It became a buffer zone between the Song and Jin Dynasties.But this traitorous regime is too obvious to be of substantial help to the Golden Empire.Seven years later (1137), the Jin Empire revoked it and directly incorporated the Hehuai area into its territory. One thing is very strange. The Xixia Empire in the northwest still exists, but it has been reduced to a vassal of the Jin Empire.For some unknown reason, the Golden Empire never attacked it, let alone thought of destroying it.The only explanation is that it may be dismissed because its place is too poor. Death of Liu Yuefei The folk force of the Song Empire against the enemy, which had been honed over thousands of years, soon became powerful.In 1140, Yue Fei’s corps made a northern expedition and arrived at Yancheng (Yancheng, Henan). Hangzhou) issued an order to Yue Fei to deal with it carefully.The decisive battle finally began, and the whole army used "kidnapping horses", which is a terrible riding formation. Three war horses are linked together horizontally. When charging on the Great Plains, they are as powerful as modern tanks.This time Wanyan Wushu invested 2,000 kidnapped horses, that is, 600 tanks, and prepared to wipe out Yue Fei's corps together.Yue Fei used his infantry to lay down on the ground, and exchanged a man's life for a horse's foot. As long as a horse's horse's foot was cut off, the entire kidnapping horse would fall down.As a result, the Jurchen Corps collapsed, and when it collapsed, they wailed and cried out.完颜兀术大恸说：“自从故乡起兵，靠此制胜，今竟如此。”他再集结部队反攻，在小商桥（河南临颖南）跟岳飞兵团向北挺进的先头部队杨再兴相遇，金军十二万，宋军只八百。杨再兴即行攻击，八百人全部战死，但金军被杀二千余人。只不过十年之前，宋军闻风丧胆的往事，已如云烟。完颜兀术大为惊骇，他发现情势严重，急缩短战线，退回开封固守。岳飞兵团尾追，进抵距开封仅二十公里的朱仙镇，一场更大的决战迫在眉睫。岳飞本来不喝酒的，这时下令军中说：“我们要打到黄龙府（吉林农安），迎接二位皇帝陛下回国，再庆祝痛饮。”（黄龙府跟金帝国首都会宁——黑龙江阿城，相距二百公里。当时宋、金两国首都相隔太远，会宁又是一个新兴都市，黄龙府则在辽帝国时便已闻名。）这时沦陷区各地人民，纷纷起义，切断金军粮道，准备迎接祖国部队。完颜兀术束手无策，打算放弃黄河以南地区，退守燕京（北京）。但他的一个智囊阻止他说：“世界上从没有听说过，当权人物在政府内部猜忌掣肘，而大将能够在外建立功勋的。岳飞生命都有危险，岂能有所作为。”完颜兀术立刻领悟。 这位智囊的判断完全正确。赵构自从登上皇帝宝座，他日夜恐惧的有两件事，一是恐惧他的哥哥赵桓突然被释放回国，他的皇帝便做不成，而且有被控非法篡夺的可能性。二是恐惧民间武力和从民间崛起的将领，万一发生“陈桥”式兵变，他的皇帝同样也做不成。这是一个沉重的心理负担，但又无法说出口。只有一个人洞察他的肺腑，即不久之前才从金帝国逃回的总监察官（御史中丞）秦桧。他抓住赵构心理上的要害，提议跟金帝国和解，并暗示和解只是一种手段，目的在于解除帝位的威胁。赵构大喜过望，任命秦桧当宰相，跟金帝国接触，而且有过数次谈判。正当岳飞挺进到朱仙镇时，谈判也进入重要阶段，岳飞日夜不忘迎还二位被俘皇帝的言论，更使赵构憎恶。于是，赵构下令撤退，并在一天之内，连续颁发十二道命令，每道命令都用“金字牌”送达（金字牌送达的命令，驿马每天飞奔二百公里），用以造成严重压力，使岳飞不能反抗。岳飞在接到第十二个金字牌时，他不能不退，否则就是叛变。他向拦在马前恳求不要撤退的民众垂泪说：“十年准备反攻，呕尽心血。而今一天之内，化为乌有。” 赵构把所有将领召集到首都临安（浙江杭州），论功行赏，擢升韩世忠当国防部长（枢密使），岳飞当国防部副部长（枢密副使），乘着这机会，一律解除他们的军权。但岳飞不知道赵构的隐情，强烈的爱国心，使他反对和解。金帝国不得不暗示说，如果赵构没有能力整顿内部，金帝国就把赵桓放回来，由赵桓整顿。赵沟遂决心铲除岳飞，命秦桧诬陷岳飞谋反，逮捕岳飞下狱。韩世忠向秦桧质问岳飞是不是真的谋反时，秦桧回答说：“莫须有。”韩世忠叹息：“莫须有三个字，怎么能服天下人心？”赵构大概也知道如果把岳飞公开绑赴刑场斩首，可能激起事变，于是岳飞遂被秘密处死，同死的还有他的儿子和他的几位忠心部将。 ——“莫须有”是一个不合文法的句子，无法解释。秦桧是江宁（江苏南京）人，或许是当时江宁方言。根据情况推测，应是“不见得没有”之意。从此，“莫须有”三字在中国就成为“诬陷”和“冤狱”的代名词。 岳飞于四十年代一一四一年——距他挺进到朱仙镇仅只一年，在临安监狱风波亭被杀，没有人知道他的死法，民间坚信他们父子都受到剥皮惨刑。明年（一一四二），金、宋和约签订。和约规定，宋帝国降为金帝国藩属，赵构向金帝国的皇帝称臣，由金帝国册封赵构为宋皇帝。宋帝国每年向金帝国进贡银币二十五万两，绸缎二十五万匹。两国东以淮河为界，西以大散关（陕西宝鸡西南）为界。这时赵佶已死，金帝国归还赵佶的棺柩和赵构的母亲韦太后。并承诺继续囚禁赵恒和其他所有亲王。 岳飞死时只三十九岁，这是中国历史上最悲痛的冤狱之一。专制政体下，人们不敢公开指责主凶赵构，只好把罪恶全部推给帮凶秦桧。后来人们就在杭州西湖，为岳飞修筑一座坟墓，墓前跪着用生铁铸成的四个塑像：秦桧、秦桧的妻子王氏和担任审判法官的万俟高、张俊。这四个铁像，一直到二十世纪，仍跪在那里。游客们每每故意地便溺到他们头上，或锤击敲打，以泄心中愤怒，以致那些铁像必须不断重铸，才能承当。 七又一个大头症——完颜亮 岳飞死后，金、宋两国第一次和平，维持了二十年，被完颜亮破坏。 完颜亮是金帝国第三任皇帝完颜亶的宰相，以生活简朴和对人谦恭，受到举国尊敬。一一四九年，他杀掉完颜亶，自己即位。完颜亮跟七世纪隋王朝的暴君杨广好像是一个模子里浇出来的，都具有使人失笑的大头症。无限权力到手之后，他那一向艰苦克制的兽性，全部爆发。 完颜亮即位的明年，五十年代的第一年（一一五○），即对皇族大肆屠杀，本世纪（十二）初那些开国功臣元勋，如完颜斡里不、完颜粘没喝、完颜兀术的后裔，几乎全部灭绝。最有趣的是，完颜亮杀了他们之后，却把他们的妻子和女儿，纳入后宫，以供淫乐。而这些妇女正是完颜亮的叔母、姑母、姐妹，完颜亮对乱伦有特别的喜爱。 首都上京会宁（黑龙江阿城）是一个荒远寒冷、建筑简陋的地方，完颜亮认为无法炫耀他的伟大。一一五三年，他迁都燕京（北京），把燕京改称中都。但这不过是第一步，他的终极目标是柳永词中“三秋桂子，十里荷花”的江南。完颜亮要顺序地灭掉宋、西夏、辽（西辽），而成为中国的唯一元首。于是，有一天，他召集群臣，宣布说：“我梦见到上帝那里，上帝派我当天策上将，命我征讨一个国家。受命出来，刚要上马，看见无数鬼兵。我射出一箭，他们大声呼喊。醒了之后，耳边仍听到声音。教人到马厩察看，发现我平常所骑的那匹马，满身流汗。再察看我的箭袋，也少了一枝箭。这个奇异的梦，证明上帝将用我的手去削平江南。”群臣一致表示相信他的连篇鬼话，并一致高呼万岁。 一一六一年，完颜亮把首都从中都（北京）再南迁到南京开封（河南开封）。他的嫡母徒单太后对他的穷兵黩武，略微表示忧虑，他立刻宣称徒单太后谋反，把她用铁锤击死。接着向宋帝国提出最后通牒，要求割让淮河以南、长江以北约十八万平方公里土地。当赵构吃惊的嘴巴还没有闭住的时候，完颜亮已发动攻击。这次南征兵团六十万人，分为三十三军，五道并进。 完颜亮是八月把嫡母击杀的，消息于九月传到东京（辽宁辽阳），大家深信这是对皇族展开第二次屠杀的信号，就拥立东京留守长官（东京留守）完颜雍亲王即位，进据中都（北京），声讨完颜亮罪状，下令南征兵团回国复员。 完颜亮还不知道这些，攻击照常进行。大军渡过淮河，宋帝国江淮军区司令官王权的部队，望风逃散。金军毫无阻挡地到达长江北岸的和州（安徽和县），对岸即是采石（安徽马鞍山采石一镇），完颜亮命准备船只渡江。就在这千钧一发的时候，宋帝国中央政府的一位秘书职务（中书舍人）的官员虞允文，奉命到前方劳军，适时地抵达采石。这时采石已一片混乱，人民逃走一空，从江北溃退下来的败兵，三三两两，在四方游荡。虞允文立刻把他们集结起来，自任统帅，激励他们的斗志，沿江布防。布防刚毕，金军已经渡江，抢岸登陆。虞允文指挥他的乌合之众，分从水陆两路，作殊死抵抗。金军只善于骑马，不善于驾船，大批战舰被击沉，已登陆的金军因无后援而被歼灭，全线崩溃。完颜亮气得发疯，把逃命回去的战士，全体驱到江边敲杀。然后放弃和州，向东前进至瓜洲（江苏扬州瓜洲镇），虞允文的乌合兵团也向下游行动，到达瓜洲对岸的京口（江苏镇江）。完颜亮这时已得到东京（辽宁辽阳）叛变的消息，更怒不可遏。依正常情况，他应该回军讨贼，但被激起的怒不可遏的情绪，使他不能静下来作深远的考虑，他认为完颜雍不足挂齿，消灭宋帝国之后，完颜雍自会瓦解。 完颜亮念念不忘一一二九年完颜兀术轻而易举地渡过长江的往事，认为他当然也能够。他没有想到那时候有高级汉奸投降，作为向导。而现在完颜亮必须强渡，但制江权握在宋帝国水军手中，强渡等于自杀。完颜亮不管这些，他下令三日内渡江，败退者即斩。军令惨急，部队大批逃亡，扬言投奔新皇帝，军心动摇。 就在渡江前夕，爆发兵变。当变兵攻击御营时，完颜亮还以为是宋军偷袭，等到发现竟是自己部下，他知道他的大头症即将痊愈。乱箭把他射倒，但手足仍动，最后被判军绞死。 完颜亮死后，金军撤退。宋帝国国防军只敢遥遥跟踪，不敢进击。 明年（一一六二），赵构传位给他的堂侄赵伯琮（赵构没有儿子）。赵伯琮乘金帝国内乱，委任老将张浚当总司令，大举北伐。可是，除了辽、宋那一段长期和解外，宋帝国似乎是屡次都在选择错误的时机，作错误的决策，不应和解时和解，不应作战时作战。张浚是一位非常爱国而又非常有名望的将军，但他却是一个草包。三十一年前的一一三一年，当他担任关中军区（陕西省中部）司令官（处置使）时，他诬陷全军最尊敬的名将曲端谋反，酷刑处死，以致军心瓦解，一战而溃，关中（陕西省中部）从此沦丧，不能夺回。用这种人北伐，结果自在意料之中。一一六三年，主力十三万人在符离（安徽宿州）被女真兵团击败，全军覆没。 不过，这是本世纪（十二）金、宋两国最后一次战争。和约恢复后，屈辱的和平维持了四十一年。这四十一年之中，金帝国在北中国它所鲸吞的土地上，耐心地消化，并加速自己的汉化。宋帝国则在南中国，它所剩留下来的土地上，恢复社会繁荣。 八高度物质文明的社会 我们的篇幅几乎全部在叙述宋政府的政治形态，以及因这个颟顸的政治形态所引起的灾难。不可避免地会产生一种印象，认为那时的中国社会跟它的宋政府一样，也是堕落的。其实不然，而且恰恰相反。整个宋帝国时代，起自上世纪（十一），经过本世纪，再到下世纪（十三），二百余年间，它的物质文明，有辉煌成就，不但超过中国过去任何一个时代，并超过，同时代的西方世界。最保守的观察，中国至少比欧洲进步一百年。 这种情形，我们作五项叙述： 一、火药这是中国最重要的发明之一，我们不能确切指出它发明于某年，但可确定至迟本世纪（十二）已经大量生产。二十年代一一二六年首都开封之围，守城的宋军，就使用过火药反击，名“震天雷”，从这个名字可看出它的威力。宋军把火药制造的铁炮埋在城下，等金军攀城时引发，发出巨响，能爆炸出一个巨洞。同时还制成一种“飞天炮”，即二十世纪火箭的始祖，用火药的后射力推进炮火，击入遥远的弓箭射不到的金军大营。女真兵团对这个魔鬼般的新武器，大为震恐，成为它第一次撤退的原因之一。而第二次围城，如果不是郭京荒唐，开封在火药保护下，不是一个容易陷落的城市。一一六一年采石战役，虞允文也曾使用一种“霹雳炮”，轰击金舰。它可以说没有什么杀害力，因为它不能瞄准，但它的声音能使女真战士心惊。张浚北伐时，一个平民发明家魏胜，曾用他发明的“炮车”，作为野战攻击的武器。不过它无法阻止张浚的挫败。再好的武器，在不能作战的部队手中，都没有用。 跟其他的中国古发明一样，火药的功能到此为止，没有进一步发展。中国只用它来制造鞭炮，在庆典时点燃，以驱逐邪神恶鬼。下过，它却透过金帝国，流入蒙古人之手。在下世纪（十三）时，蒙古帝国得到中亚科学家们的合作，制造出精确的巨炮，反过来摧毁金帝国。并于一二七三年，一炮击碎襄阳（湖北襄樊）城楼，襄阳投降，宋帝国门户洞开，不久即亡。 二、纸币（交子）纸币的发行，起于上世纪（十一）○○年代。益州（四川成都）商人对金钱携带，感到困难，十贯（一万钱）的重量就是五十公斤，不仅携带不方便，面庞大的体积，又容易引起盗匪注意。于是纸币应运而生，以一贯（一千钱）为一张纸币的单位金额，如此，十贯不过十张钞票。最初由地方富豪以财产担保，联合发行，每次发行一百二十五万贯——即一百二十五万张纸币。只有在进步的印刷术支持下，才能供应这么巨量的发行。时间以三年为期，到期即可兑换现款。后来由政府主办，设立国家银行（交子务），禁止私人发行。这是世界上使用纸币的开端。 ——纸币对宋帝国社会有繁荣安定的作用，并被其他国家所仿效。金帝国发行过五贯（五千钱）和十贯（一万钱）大钞，以后的蒙古帝国更发行十两银币的大钞，后来发现钞票既有如此奇妙功用，遂大量印刷，以致引起严重的通货膨胀和农村破产，促成遍地民变。到了更后的明王朝，在排外的情绪下，认为纸币也是外国工具，下令取消。这对商业的发展，是一个打击。 三、罗盘姬轩辕于纪元前二十七世纪发明指南车的神话，一直盘旋在中国人脑海之中。但真正的航海罗盘，要到上世纪（十一）才出现。不过跟火药一样，我们不知道它的发明人，只知道中外海上贸易，原来只靠定期的贸易风和星象的观察，对方位的辨别力，十分薄弱。首先使用罗盘的，可能是中国海盗，他们把磁针放在稻草上，使它浮在一碗水上，装在一个小匣子里，它在阴霾和大雾中，就能始终保持所指的方位不变。这种简陋的设备被引用到商船上之后，加以改良，使贸易风的价值顿时减低。本世纪（十二）赵构泛海逃亡，金军曾用掳掠到的船舰出海追击，就使用罗盘导航。只因女真战士不能忍受海上的风涛，才告放弃。 ——罗盘至迟在本世纪（十二），就经由阿拉伯船队传到欧洲，这对整个人类文化有很大的贡献。发现新大陆，以及欧洲那些海上帝国，都在有了中国罗盘之后，才成为可能。 四、瓷器这是手工艺术和科学技术结合的产品之一。自上世纪（十一）以降，直到十九世纪，瓷器始终是中国最大的出口货物，使东方西方保持一千余年的惊奇。十九世纪时日本帝国曾苦心仿造，不能成功，欧洲更不足论。瓷器生产在本世纪（十二）进入黄金时代，中国共拥有三大名窑：景德窑，在景德镇（江西景德镇），由政府经营，称为“官窑”、“御窑”。汝窑，在汝州（河南汝州），也是政府经营，宋帝国皇帝赵舍有一次曾给它下命令说：“雨过天青云破处，这般颜色做将来。”于是汝窑出产一种雨过天青色瓷品，成为特殊珍品。制造时把玛瑙研成细粉，作为主料，调成釉汁。出窑后，形成隐约像螃蟹爪一样极美观的细纹（古物鉴别家，就靠此种细纹，判断瓷器的真伪）。哥窑，在龙泉（浙江龙泉），当地章氏兄弟二人，同是伟大的艺术家和企业家。哥哥章生一，弟弟章生二。最初合造一窑，名琉田窑。后来兄弟分造，章生一的窑称哥窑，章生二的窑称龙泉窑。哥窑出品因土质奇润，呈现一种鱼子般的纹路。龙泉窑则没有这种纹路，但彩色同样优异。 ——景德窑和汝窑，是国营企业成功的先例。章氏兄弟世界性的贡献，使二百余年衰弱的中国生色。 五、其他纺织、刺绣，都十分发达，尤其杭州刺绣，它的领导地位保持到二十世纪不衰。棉花经阿拉伯人引进中国，大量在江南种植。天文浑天仪已用水力发动，气压测量计（浮漏景表）也开始使用。数学家秦九韶，对平方根的计算方法有很大贡献。在建设上，在江南的水利灌溉系统i在世界上首屈一指。三百年间，江南（半个欧洲那么大）几乎年年丰收，很少水灾旱灾（宋帝国把黄河移交给金帝国，它永不停止泛滥溃决的特性，使金帝国焦头烂额）。本世纪（十二）的江南，已不是小分裂时代，更不是大分裂时代的江南，而是一个富庶繁华、锦绣般的世界。 中国高度文化盛况，类似罗马帝国在蛮族入侵之前的情形，武装力量跟文化水准不能配合。七世纪第二个黄金时代已经过去，不再重现。但广大的社会在被长期的蹂躏破坏后，自动复苏，而且更加蓬勃。这是中国人所具有的一种雄厚潜力。靠此潜力，永远屹立在地球之上。假如有李世民大帝一样的人物作为国家领导人，而不是赵匡胤之类，中国第三个黄金时代当比第二个黄金时代更伟大。 然而，中国没有再出现李世民大帝，却出现道学。 九道学与圣人系统 道学，即上世纪（十一）萌芽的理学。 进入本世纪（十二）后，理学改称道学，我们不知道为什么要改，可能是理学只是纯学术性的学派，而道学则由意识形态领域，进入到实际的行为，成为一种政治上或社会上的党派。士大夫在理学思想指导下，一面自卫，一面打击异端。我们似乎可以称道学是“应用理学”。 道学一开始就以儒家学派的正统自居，而儒家学派的思想又一直被认为是中国的正统思想，所以道学自然顺理成章地成为中国的正统思想。此一正统，靠一个道学家所拟就的、庄严的圣人系统维持，所以这系统有时候也被称为“道统”，道统由下表所列一系列的圣人组成： 从这个表可以看出，中国自纪元前三世纪到纪元后十世纪，凡一千二百年之久，所有的人都是凡夫俗子，没有出现过圣人。而在上世纪（十一）和本世纪（十二），却连续产生两位：程颐和朱熹，由此可知道学家的重要地位。朱熹的哲学基础是程颐的“敬畏”，他把它阐扬为“居敬穷理”。于是他发现“天”是宇宙的自然法则，同时也是道德（个人的）法则和政治（国家的）法则。一个道德上没有暇疵的人，才有资格去治理国家；一个道德上有暇疵的人，即令再有才干，也不会把国家治理完善。至于道德的内容和标准，则由道家学订定。 道学家认为，人类只有两种：“不是圣贤，便是禽兽。”这跟“君子”、“小人”的二分法同样严厉。圣人是一种凝固剂，主要功能在维持社会秩序的安定，维持既定的名分和既定的尊卑，使不作任何改变，以免名分和尊卑紊乱。这种道德法则的精神和形态，被称为“礼教”（又称为“名教”）。怎么样使礼教达到至善，朱熹认为关键在于“天理人欲”。天理是善，人欲是恶，所以必须尽量发扬善而摒斥恶。礼教的正常运行，是天理、是善。企图予以变革的，是人欲、是恶。一个人必须努力减少自己的欲望，减少越多，越接近圣人的境界。减少欲望最有效的方法是：无时无刻不在思念圣人们所下定义的道德，无时无刻不在思念忠君爱国，除此一念外，别无他念。 ——自从纪元前二世纪，西汉政府罢黜百家，独尊儒家学说为中国法定思想，中国人的思想开始受到拘束，经过一千余年的累积，到了本世纪（十二），更加严厉的拘束，在理学家道学家手中完成。 问题就恰恰发生在这里，因为道学家的要求太高，所以很难有人能够达到际准，连道学领袖，圣人系统中最重要人物朱熹都不能。朱熹担任浙东地区（浙江省）高等法院院长（提举浙东刑狱）时，跟台州（浙江临海）州长（知台州）唐仲友，为了争夺一