Chapter 14 Section 14 Politics is Performance

the student surpasses the master.After all, Zhu Yuanzhang was born in Kusano, and he was the emperor for the first time. There were many shortcomings in his political skills. As the second generation emperor of the Zhu family, Zhu Di inherited the political wisdom of the old emperor, with a higher level of education, a more sinister personality, and more mature and sophisticated methods.The point that is more clever than the old emperor is that enough is enough and there is a limit to the cruelty.After achieving his goal, he stopped at the right time and began to mend his image. The cruelty of the old emperor was often to satisfy the perverted desires in his heart, which went beyond political needs.

The mysteries of power are universal.As Machiavelli said: "In order to keep his position, the monarch must learn to use power without mercy, but he must know when to be benevolent and when to be inhumane." "If necessary, the monarch should abandon traditional morality at any time. However, as long as If possible, he should stick to the righteous way." He has shown his lion-like face to the world, but this kind of display should be done occasionally, and it must not become a constant image in the hearts of the people.Intemperate tyrants often end badly.Morality is a tool that should be placed in the monarch's toolbox for daily use.

Now, people all over the world are well-behaved, and it is time for Zhu Di to show his kindness and benevolence.This is exactly what Zhu Di is good at.US President Nixon said: "Politics is acting." And Zhu Di is a natural actor, who likes and is good at creating some legendary stories to achieve the desired political effect. On May 20th of the fifth year of Yongle (1407 A.D.), Zhu Di offered incense at Linggu Temple in Nanjing.When passing under a locust tree, a small bug landed on the emperor's sleeve.The emperor gently shook the bug to the ground, and his followers were about to trample to death when they came up. The emperor gave them a very unhappy look, and ordered them to put the bug back on the tree, and taught: "Although this is a small thing, it is easy to eat." If you have a physiology, don’t hurt it lightly!” The monks hurriedly recited Amitabha Buddha, praised the emperor for being a bodhisattva, and guessed which bodhisattva the emperor might be the reincarnation of.Of course, these little tricks alone don't do much.

Zhu Di also has a big hand.He knew that the people in the world who were really dissatisfied with him were those scholars.Although he was silent after the massacre, he did not have a good impression of him in his heart.Therefore, after the massacre, he was particularly lenient and generous to the scholars who were attached to him.Soon after he came to the throne, he arranged for the implementation of the imperial examination, expanded the number of admissions, and broadened the way for scholars to get promoted.For some literati who were wronged when he was in Zhu Yuanzhang, he actively rehabilitated and restored many hearts.

From the first year of Yongle (AD 1403), he began to organize the compilation of the largest class book (ancient "database") "Yongle Dadian" in history with his unique grandeur, in order to express his respect for culture. Pay attention to.This move won the great favor of scholars.As soon as they hit and pull, the naive scholars immediately fell into the trap (gou, trap).Scholars of letters forgot Zhu Di's ferocity, and began to praise the great achievements of Emperor Yongle enthusiastically, thus forming a new school in the history of Chinese literature - Taige School.

The central content of their works is to praise Zhu Di's merits and auspiciousness, and to praise the prosperity and peace of the country. Comparing Zhu Yuanzhang, Zhu Di and his son, we often find some interesting phenomena.The old emperor was born as a commoner, so he felt very kind to Han Gaozu who was also a gangster. He often compared himself to Han Gaozu, and consciously or unconsciously followed Liu Bang as an example in administration.And Zhu Di usurped the throne, so he had a good impression of Tang Taizong who also used bloody means to win the throne. Tang Taizong not only succeeded in usurping the throne, but also became the most successful emperor in Chinese history.Whenever Tang Taizong is mentioned, Zhu Di's admiration is beyond words.Therefore, he was an administrator, and he also followed Tang Taizong everywhere.

When speaking in ordinary times, you must use benevolent government as an excuse, repeatedly emphasizing the dogma of Confucianism, and talk about the well-being of the common people all the time.He often calls on ministers to give advice, and indeed he has sincerely accepted other people's opinions many times and has the courage to change his mistakes. He changed the old emperor's policy and put forward the principle of "usage should be lenient rather than violent".He repeatedly expressed his opposition to the old emperor's harsh punishment laws, revised many too harsh legal provisions, and specially stipulated that any death penalty should be "five times", that is, it must be reviewed five times.In a blink of an eye, the kind face of the tyrant who took human life as nothing and unreasonably "copied melons and vines" was so kind that people couldn't help but be moved.

However, no matter how self-controlled people are, there will be times when they lose control.In his later years, an accidental loss of control exposed his beast nature again.In a struggle for favor in the harem, a concubine's maid was beaten into a trick and confessed that she had tried to murder the emperor.In a fit of rage, he went on a killing spree and went so far as to kill 2,800 people in one fell swoop.Only at this time, people are surprised to find that the devil has not turned into an angel.