Chapter 36 (Thirty-six) Yongan Tuogu

When Liu Bei was dying, he entrusted his son Liu Chan to Zhuge Liang. This is the famous "Yong'an Tuogu". Later generations often regard this as Liu Bei's loyalty and trust in Zhuge Liang.However, some people think that this is Liu Bei's cunning, and it is a mental shackles put on Zhuge Liang to prevent Zhuge Liang from monopolizing and usurping power.So does Liu Bei's Tuogu reflect Liu Bei's benevolence and righteousness, or Liu Bei's deceitfulness?Please pay attention to it - Wing On Entrustment. In the previous episode, Lu Xun defeated Liu Bei in Xiaoting in 222 AD and burned Liu Bei's 700-mile company camp, causing Liu Bei to flee to Yong'an in embarrassment.After that, Liu Bei never returned to Chengdu, and finally fell ill due to anxiety and anger.In 223 A.D., Liu Bei summoned Zhuge Liang to Yong'an Palace to arrange funeral affairs. The core issue was how to better inherit the country of Shu.The explanation on this issue is the famous "Yong'an Tuogu" in history.

Liu Bei Tuogu was a major event in the history of the Three Kingdoms. It was this event that divided the Shu regime into two: Liu Bei was the leader in the early stage, and Zhuge Liang was the backbone in the later stage.So at this important historical moment, how did Liu Bei smoothly transition the Shu Han regime?What is Liu Bei Tuogu's purpose and real thoughts?How do later generations interpret Liu Bei's Tuogu?Professor Yi Zhongtian of Xiamen University will give you a wonderful talk about "Yongan Tuogu". Liu Bei was defeated in Xiaoting and retreated to Yong'an. He was exhausted physically and mentally, and could not afford to fall ill.In the spring of Zhang Wu's third year, Liu Bei arranged for his funeral.The arrangements for the funeral are recorded in "Three Kingdoms: The First Master's Biography". The original text is: "The former master was dying, and he entrusted Gu Yu to the prime minister, and the minister ordered Li Yan to be his deputy." That is to say, Liu Bei entrusted two people, Zhuge Liang and Li Yan. , Zhuge Liang was the principal, and Li Yan was the deputy.The detailed situation is recorded in "Three Kingdoms • The Biography of Zhuge Liang". This story is familiar to many people, but we must tell it again.

According to the records in "Three Kingdoms Zhuge Liang Biography", Liu Bei summoned Zhuge Liang from Chengdu to Yong'an, and said to Zhuge Liang: "A gentleman is ten times as talented as Cao Pi, and he will be able to rule the country and achieve great things in the end. If heirs can be assisted, assist him; if he is not talented , You can take it yourself." This means that the master's talent is ten times that of Cao Pi, and he will definitely be able to stabilize the country and complete our great cause.If my son can be assisted, please help him; if my son is useless, please do what you want.Zhuge Liang burst into tears, crying and said: "I dare to do my best to serve the festival of loyalty and chastity, and then die." To serve Your Majesty, until the sacrifice of my life.So Liu Bei issued an edict to Liu Chan, saying, you must treat the prime minister like your father.This is the famous Yongan Tuogu, also known as Baidicheng Tuogu.However, according to some scholars' research, Liu Bei's Tuogu was in Yong'an Palace in Yong'an County, not in Baidi City, so we call it Yong'an Tuogu.

For this story, there are different evaluations in history, some are fully affirmed, and some are doubted.In this episode, I will tell you both of these views, and then put forward my views. The first to express his affirmation was Chen Shou, the author of "Three Kingdoms".Chen Shou's evaluation is very high. Chen Shou said in the commentary of "Three Kingdoms • The First Master's Biography" that Liu Bei "entrusted the whole country to Zhuge Liang, and his mind was inseparable. Sincerity between the monarch and his ministers is the same as the prosperity of ancient and modern times." The so-called "mind and spirit are inseparable." "There is no reservation, and there is no taboo.That is to say, the relationship between the monarch and his ministers has reached the maximum selfishness here. Such a state is the highest model of the relationship between the monarch and his ministers throughout the ages. This is Chen Shou's evaluation.So why did Chen Shou make this evaluation?The problem probably lies in the eight words "If you are not talented, you can take it yourself".So what do these eight characters mean?Chen Shou didn't say, I can't guess randomly, but most people's understanding is that if my son is useless, please replace him, sir, and be the emperor of Shuhan himself.If this is the case, it is not only commendable, it is simply great.why?Because we know that before the Revolution of 1911, China’s traditional political system was hereditary monarchy. This hereditary system started at least from Xia, Shang and Zhou Dynasties. After the Qin Dynasty, the monarchy was hereditary and the bureaucrats were not.In such a long tradition of hereditary system, there is actually a person who breaks such a tradition and makes the virtuous one who can stabilize the country.Because it means that he puts the interests of the country and the people in the highest position, and for the benefit of the country and the people, he does not hesitate to give up the interests of his royal family and the theocratic power that is given to him by God according to the traditional concept.Because we know that the political system in ancient China was the power of the king and the power of the king.

The question is, is this possible?My conclusion is: impossible.Why is it impossible?First, unprecedented.No emperor in Chinese history was willing to give up his throne, the throne that could be passed on to his descendants, to a person with a different surname.All emperors hope that their family will rule forever. Even if his son is a fool, mentally handicapped, or disabled, he will not let him out. How could there be an exception?Second, even if Liu Bei is an exception, I don't know where his thinking comes from.Because ancient China has only changed dynasties, and there is no democratic idea of ​​taking turns to govern. If Liu Bei had this idea, wouldn't he become a Washington in ancient China?Third, even if Liu Bei was willing to be Washington, Zhuge Liang would not dare to be Adams.Think about it, what was the situation like at that time?Cao Cao was scolded as a traitor just because he emptied the emperor. If Zhuge Liang really replaced Liu Adou, what should he be called?How is this possible?

Chen Shou, the author of "Three Kingdoms", highly praised Liu Bei's act of entrusting himself to the lonely, and believed that Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang were the highest example of a harmonious relationship between monarchs and ministers throughout the ages.As an emperor in a feudal society, Liu Bei was able to give up the throne to a person of a different surname under conditions, which is really commendable.However, Mr. Yi Zhongtian believes that Liu Bei's so-called entrusting the lonely to the virtuous is unreasonable and reasonable.After all, even if Liu Bei really let the emperor take the throne, Zhuge Liang, who upholds Confucianism, would not dare to sit on the throne.So, what kind of mystery does Liu Bei's Tuogu's words contain?

So very early in history, some people questioned this period of Tuogu.Sun Sheng was the first to raise doubts. Sun Sheng's comments made it very clear that Liu Bei's Tuogu's statement was a "deceitful word." "Deceitful" means deceitful, and "false" means hypocrisy. They are deceitful and hypocritical words, which are not what Tuogu should say.Sun Sheng said, what should I say when I ask Gu Gu?Should be frank.Moreover, Sun Sheng said that the key to entrusting Gu is to choose the right person. If you entrust a person, you can choose the right person. Don't talk about these things.Sun Sheng said that if you "send loyalty and virtuousness", it means that the person you choose is a loyal and capable person, so you don't need to say anything; if you find the wrong person, let's use the following analogy, for example, find If you hired someone like Sima Yi, didn't you instigate him to rebel?Sun Sheng said that luck is good, Liu Bei is lucky, this Liu Chan is a careless person, and this Zhuge Liang has high prestige and can be restrained, otherwise the court would be full of gossip.This is Sun Sheng's point of view.

Mr. Zhang Zuoyao's "Liu Bei Biography" is even more unkind.Mr. Zhang's "Liu Bei Biography" says that Liu Bei's words to support Gu Gu are "deceitful and deceitful, and their meaning is very clear."Mr. Zhang said that in fact, Liu Bei had great doubts about Zhuge Liang. It was precisely because Liu Bei was suspicious of Zhuge Liang and had to rely on Zhuge Liang that he said such words to drive Zhuge Liang to a corner where he had no room for maneuver. Don't kneel down and say, "I dare to exhaust my strength, serve the festival of loyalty, and then die."This is called insidious and deceitful, and it is not at all mindless.

It seems that the words of Liu Bei's support for Gu Gu in history are also sticking to their own words, which involves the evaluation of Liu Bei's personality.Some people say that this is an act of benevolence and righteousness, which reflects Liu Bei's trust in Zhuge Liang, and the harmonious relationship between Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang is read from Liu Bei's words of trusting Gu.However, some people questioned this model of monarch and ministers, thinking how could Liu Bei give up the country he had worked so hard to conquer to Zhuge Liang?The so-called Tuogu words are a cunning and hypocritical trap, and they are intended to force Zhuge Liang to express his loyalty to the Shu Han.Then Liu Bei pointed to his son Liu Chan before he died, and said to Zhuge Liang personally, "If you are not talented, you can take it yourself". Are these words from the heart, and how should we understand it?Will Liu Bei really pass the Shuhan regime to Zhuge Liang under conditional circumstances?

After we have accounted for these claims, we will find the crux of the problem.What's the point? "If you are not talented, you can take it yourself" What do these eight words mean?In this regard, Professor Fang Beichen from the History Department of Sichuan University has another opinion. Mr. Fang said that "self-acquisition" is not a replacement, that is, this "acquisition" is not for Zhuge Liang to seize Liu Chan's throne; what is it?It is "choose by oneself", that is, this "take" is not a take of "replacement", but a take of "selection".You can choose yourself. What do you choose?Choose another emperor.Where to choose?Choose from Liu Bei's other sons.In other words, the eight characters "If you are not talented, you can take it yourself" means: If Liu Chan is not good enough, you can choose another one among his younger brothers.In other words, Liu Bei gave Zhuge Liang the power to abolish and establish, not to let Zhuge Liang replace him.

So this explanation makes sense, why does it make sense?There are three reasons: first, Liu Bei has three sons, Liu Chan, Liu Yong, and Liu Li.The second point is that Liu Bei issued two edicts to his son, one was for Liu Chan, asking Liu Chan to treat the prime minister like his father, and another edict was for Liu Yong, saying that you brothers should treat the prime minister like a father. Treat the prime minister like a father.Two edicts, which shows that Liu Bei probably made Liu Yong the second echelon.The third point is that the power of abolition and establishment is already a great power. As an emperor of that era, it is already very important to say this, and it is impossible to say that you will replace it.I am more inclined to agree with Mr. Fang Beichen's explanation, so in my previous statement, what did I translate the four words "You can take it yourself"-Mr. can do what he wants. Liu Bei's words of Tuogu attracted infinite speculation from later generations. It can be said that the benevolent sees benevolence and the wise sees wisdom. Even Emperor Kangxi once commented.Liu Bei is the king of a country, and Kangxi is also the emperor, so Kangxi's evaluation of Liu Bei Tuogu is particularly concerned.So can Emperor Kangxi guess Liu Bei's heart?How did Mr. Yi Zhongtian understand Liu Bei's words of asking for loneliness? When Liu Bei said this, did he intend to put pressure on him, or did he make a slip of the tongue inadvertently?Is it a sincere trust, or a pre-set trap?There is only one person who can answer this question, and he is Liu Bei.Only he knows in his heart that any explanations from later generations are speculations, including Chen Shou, Sun Sheng, Wang Fuzhi, Zhang Zuoyao, and others, including me, can only guess.So since it's all guesswork, whose guess might be more accurate?Then we have to figure out who Liu Bei is?Liu Bei is the emperor, who is the person who understands the emperor's mind best?Also emperor.So Emperor Kangxi's point of view is worth noting. What is Emperor Kangxi's judgment on Liu Beituogu's words?Three words: "suspicious words", he said it was a suspicious word.And Emperor Kangxi said, why did Liu Bei say such suspicious language?Kangxi believed that this was a bad habit of the Three Kingdoms period. He said that people in the Three Kingdoms period did not tell the truth, and they all liked to say things like suspicion and deceit.Finally, he expressed his contempt with two words: "Contemptible". Then Kangxi's statement is just a family statement. I think Liu Bei's statement is not a bad habit of the Three Kingdoms, but the emperor's mind.We have to understand that no matter how good the relationship between Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang is, he is also a relationship between monarch and minister, and he cannot change the relationship between our modern people.No matter how much an emperor trusts his prime minister, he is also a monarch. They all have a deep-rooted concept in their minds, that is, their own country, especially the founding emperor like Liu Bei. I will never give up my country to others. I must pass it on to my son and grandson.People including Liu Bei and Sun Ce who have not yet become emperors, but are actually monarchs, all have this kind of thinking. But unfortunately, when the two of them died, their children were still very young. Sun Quan was 18 years old and Liu Chan was 17 years old.A minor came out to be a master at a young age, and the people under him were veterans and generals who had experienced many battles. Can he hold it down?If he can't hold it down, can their father and elder brother who are about to pass away feel relieved?Don't worry.Don't worry, there is no other way, only Tuogu.Then the person you choose for Tuogu must meet three conditions: first, good relationship, second, high prestige, and third, strong ability.If the relationship is not good, you dare not entrust it to him; if the relationship is good, but the prestige is not enough and the ability is not strong, it is useless for you to entrust him.But whoever is doing this will think, he has high prestige and ability, so he won't replace him?Comparing his heart with his heart, he will definitely have this kind of doubt.As I said in the previous program, both Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang are extraordinary people. Liu Bei is Qianlong, Zhuge Liang is Crouching Dragon. These two dragons have worked together for so many years. Who doesn’t know who? At this time, there must be a lump in my heart.When entrusting Gu, there should be no suspicion, so the best way is to speak up openly and speak clearly.After talking it through, both parties were relieved, and each was at ease.Liu Bei can die with peace of mind, and Zhuge Liang can do it with peace of mind. Isn't this the best of both worlds?Isn't this beneficial to the country and the people?Doesn't this guarantee the stability and unity of the Shu Han regime for at least ten or twenty years? Mr. Yi Zhongtian believes that Liu Bei's support for Gu is the emperor's mind, that is, as the founding emperor, Liu Bei will never give up the throne to his courtier Zhuge Liang.However, his son Liu Chan was incapable. In order to continue his career, he had to openly and honestly entrust himself to the prestigious and capable Zhuge Liang, hoping that Zhuge Liang would devote himself to the cause of Shu Han.What Liu Bei said before his death, "If you are not talented, you can take it yourself", is likely to be a temptation to Zhuge Liang.So Liu Bei's confusing words, is he reassured or worried about Zhuge Liang?What position does Zhuge Liang occupy in Liu Bei's heart?What is the relationship between their monarchs and ministers? Before Tuogu, the relationship between Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang was not as intimate and comfortable as most people imagined and understood.The "honeymoon period" of the relationship between these two people was after the Three Visits to the Thatched Cottage and before the Battle of Chibi.After the Battle of Chibi, Liu Bei had the conditions to realize Zhuge Liang's strategic plan for Longzhong's countermeasures, but we are surprised to see that Zhuge Liang's figure is rarely seen in history books, and his voice is rarely heard.Who did Liu Bei bring to Shu?Pang Tong.Who attacked Hanzhong?Fa rectification.What is Zhuge Liang's job?Adjust its taxes to replenish the army, and guard Chengdu with enough soldiers and food. Translated into modern Chinese, it is the head of the General Logistics Department and the head of the General Armament Department.Of course, this does not mean that Liu Bei does not trust Zhuge Liang, nor does it mean that I want to belittle Zhuge Liang and stop thinking about it.Because whose work is Zhuge Liang taking on at this time?It is similar to Xiao He's work back then.After Han Gaozu Liu Bang conquered the world, Xiao He was designated as the number one hero.Although Zhuge Liang did such a job, he was still the number one hero of the Shu Han. But there is a problem that is difficult to explain, not very easy to explain, that is, after Zhuge Liang became the prime minister of the Shu Han, Liu Bei did not let him open a mansion, that is, he did not have his own independent office.We will talk about this issue again in future programs. The founding of the mansion was in the era of Liu Chan.Of course, this can also be explained. It can be said that the Shu Han had just established the country at this time, and the system was not yet perfect. Slowly, it can also make sense.The most inexplicable thing is such a problem, that is, Guan Yu attacked Xiangfan and Liu Bei conquered Sun Quan. These two wars proved to be wrong, and they were military adventures at the wrong time. Why didn't Zhuge Liang stop it?One explanation is that Zhuge Liang didn't expect to fail. This doesn't make sense. Isn't he an outstanding military strategist?How could it be unexpected?Then there is another reason why he doesn't say it, because he knows it's useless to say it.Is there any evidence?yes, where? "Three Kingdoms·Fazheng Zhuan", after the battle of Yiling and Xiaoting, Zhuge Liang said this sentence: "If the law is filial and straight, it will be able to control the Lord, and the order will not go east." Will stop our emperor from starting this war.So what does this mean?That is, firstly, Liu Bei will definitely listen to Fazheng's words; secondly, Liu Bei only listens to Fazheng's words, and he does not listen to anyone else's words, including Zhuge Liang's words.So Zhuge Liang didn't speak. Why didn't Zhuge Liang dissuade him?That can only be guessed.My guess is that Zhuge Liang has already sensed Liu Bei's incomplete trust in him. Please pay attention to my statement, not complete trust, nor complete distrust, incomplete trust, limited trust, not unlimited trust, discounted trust.Why not trust it completely?Because at this time the two of them have different political ideas.Zhuge Liang of the Liu Bei Group and Xun Yu of the Cao Cao Group are very similar. What they have in common is that they have political ideas and ideals, and their ideals happen to be the same, which is to restore the Han Dynasty and restore the Han Dynasty. Han Dynasty.And the leaders of these two groups, Cao Cao and Liu Bei, are also very similar, what is it?Even in the early stage, we also had this ideal, but it disappeared in the later stage.Cao Cao originally had this idea, and Xun Yu would assist him, but it changed later; Liu Bei may have this ideal at first, but later forgot.When did you forget?Wang Fuzhi's "Du Tong Jian Lun" tells us that after dividing Jingzhou and gaining benefits, that is, after Jingzhou was divided up and Yizhou was obtained, Liu Bei forgot the ideal of restoring the Han Dynasty and restoring the Han Dynasty.His idea at this time is to separate one side and become the emperor of the country. As for "Han and thief are not equal", that is a political slogan and a political method.The problem is that Liu Bei forgot Zhuge Liang, and this ideal still exists with Zhuge Liang.And such a change is subtle, invisible, or even unspoken, so Zhuge Liang couldn't persuade Liu Bei that you don't forget your ideals, and Liu Bei said I didn't forget, so there was the so-called later. There is a saying that "the first emperor and the Han thieves are incompatible".But everyone knows it in their hearts, and in the end both parties can only tacitly agree, what is it?Zhuge Liang worked hard, did his job well, and stopped meddling in his own business. Well, this is my guess about the relationship between their monarch and his ministers before Tuogu, it is very delicate, it is trust but not complete trust, there is a little problem.Then someone will ask, why do you still have to entrust Zhuge Liang?There is no one to trust.Pang Tong is dead, Fazheng is dead, Guan Yu is dead, Zhang Fei is dead, Huang Zhong is dead, Ma Chao is also dead at this time, and there are only three people left to rely on, Zhuge Liang, Zhao Yun, and Wei Yan.Well, Zhao Yun has already said before that he is not very trusted and has always been a miscellaneous general; Wei Yan is someone Liu Bei trusts very much, but you can't rely on Wei Yan; besides, Zhuge Liang is now the prime minister, so you can only rely on Zhuge Liang .But because he didn't fully trust him, he had two reservations: the first was to be transparent, to speak out publicly; Woolen cloth?It was six months before Liu Bei's death, and it must be felt that this was Liu Bei's deliberate arrangement. The above are some of my views on the incident of Yongan Tuogu. Again, it is just a guess.In any case, Liu Bei relied on Zhuge Liang. Since then, the Shu Han regime has entered a new historical era, which we can call the Zhuge Liang era.Zhuge Liang took over the burden left by Liu Bei, which is a very heavy burden.To overcome this burden, Zhuge Liang had to handle many relationships in various aspects. It was in this series of processes that Zhuge Liang showed the genius of an outstanding statesman.So what is the first relationship Zhuge Liang has to deal with?I think it should be his relationship with Liu Chan, because although Liu Bei said that Liu Chan should treat the prime minister like a father, he is a monarch and minister after all, so what is the relationship between Zhuge Liang and Liu Chan?Please see the next episode - Very Monarch and Minister. As of today, the first three chapters of the series - "Wei Wu Swings the Whip", "Sun Liu Alliance", and "Triple Standing" have accompanied us through 2006.Mr. Yi Zhongtian used his humorous language and humanistic perspective to explain the heroes of the Three Kingdoms period, and analyzed the success and failure of these heroes.Then, after Liu Bei's death, the Shu Han entered the era of Zhuge Liang. Due to the dedication and meticulous governance of this genius politician, the Shu regime lasted for decades; but in the end it was still helpless.After that, Cao Wei and Sun Wu also perished one after another, and the world was unified in Jin.So why did Zhuge Liang fail to realize his political ideals in the end, and why did Cao Cao and Sun Quan's successors fail to unify the world?Please see the fourth part - "Return to Unity", launched in the spring of 2007, so stay tuned!