Looking at all kinds of things about the imperial edict from ancient times to modern times, we can sum it up in one sentence: the so-called imperial edict problems are all about living people speaking through the mouth of the dead, reflecting the interests of living people. The dead say well, the living say; The dead did not say, but the living said for him; The dead don’t speak well, but the living revise and speak again.
The issue of the imperial edict of the first emperor of Qin has been raised and questioned for thousands of years. Did Emperor Qinshihuang really leave an imperial edict before his death? This imperial edict was really lost by Zhao Gao and others. Did the Qin Empire really die because of this imperial edict? We might as well investigate.
In July of the 37th year of the first emperor of Qin Dynasty, after the first emperor of Qin Dynasty cruised around the world and shot a big fish in Zhifu (now Yantai, Shandong Province), he sailed westward along the coast and embarked on the return journey back to Xianyang. The first emperor suddenly fell ill when he arrived in pingyuanjin (now in Shandong plain). The result of divination is haunted by mountain ghosts in the north. The first emperor urgently sent his confidant Meng Yi to Dai County (now Yuxian County, Hebei Province) to sacrifice the famous mountain gods instead of himself, praying for disaster elimination and disease elimination.
When the car crossed the Yellow River and arrived at the dune platform (now in Guangzong, Hebei Province), the first emperor’s condition deteriorated rapidly and had to stop. The first emperor had an ominous foreboding, and urgently dictated a posthumous edict in front of his sickbed to arrange the aftermath. This is the famous imperial edict of the first emperor in history, and it is also a controversial historical mystery. The historical records of Qin Shihuang recorded this matter as follows:
To the plain Tianjin and disease. The first emperor spoke ill of death, and the ministers dared not speak of death. The illness was very beneficial, but he gave the prince Fusu a written seal saying, “meet with the funeral and bury in Xianyang.”
This is the problem recorded in ancient history. Such a major event related to the fate of the empire is few words and vague. This letter, which was later called the imperial edict, had only seven words “to be buried in Xianyang with the funeral”. From the above record, we only know that the first emperor hated talking about death in front of him, and no one dared to talk about death in front of him. He has always cherished the expectation of immortality and fought tirelessly with the God of death. For a long time, he did not give a clear account of what happened behind him. However, at the last moment of his life, he finally conceded, bowed to death, and had to admit that his death was coming. He realized from the illusion of immortality and decided to arrange his own affairs. He entrusted his eldest son Fusu with the aftermath, and ordered Fusu to return to Xianyang from Shangjun to preside over the funeral and other matters.
When the first emperor dictated the edict, Hu Hai, the youngest son, was the only son around, and he was also the beloved son of his intended successor. However, when it came to the end, at the last moment of decision, he did not tell Hu Hai, who was close by, but Fusu, who was far away in Shangjun. We can only explain this matter as follows: after ten months of personal investigation, the first emperor finally thought that Hu Hai was not suitable to be his successor. He swayed from Fusu to Hu Hai’s heart, and from Hu hai to Fusu.
When the first emperor dictated the imperial edict, there were three important figures present, Hu Hai, Li Si and Zhao Gao. As we have mentioned, Hu Hai was originally a young man without political ability and ambition. He frankly accepted his father’s decision without unnecessary reverie. However, Zhao Gao, Hu Hai’s teacher, had other ideas. At that time, Zhao Gao’s official position was to issue the order of Zhongche mansion and also to issue the seal. After the written record of the last imperial edict of the first emperor was recorded, he was required to affix the emperor’s seal and send it out sealed. He detained the imperial edict, persuaded Hu Hai and the Prime Minister Li Si, destroyed the original of the imperial edict, and forged a new imperial edict, ordering the eldest son Fusu to commit suicide and establishing the youngest son Hu Hai as the heir. This matter is called “the plot of sand dunes” in history.
The key to the strategy of sand dunes is the issue of imperial edicts. Did the first emperor really leave an imperial edict before his death? What is the content of this imperial edict? Was this imperial edict really detained by Zhao Gao first and then changed?
This question about the imperial edict of the first emperor has been raised and questioned for thousands of years. In fact, it is not limited to the last imperial edict of the first emperor. In the whole history of China, the last imperial edict is a complex problem that constantly appears and remains unclear. But why do you say that? The so-called imperial edict, because it is the last words of the late emperor, the person who left the message has died, and there is no proof of death; The people who accept the imperial edict are often only a few people around the sickbed of the late emperor. They are all privy figures deeply involved in the center of the political vortex. Of course, they will deal with various problems left by the late emperor according to their own interests, including the so-called imperial edict. So, how will these people deal with the issue of the imperial edict?
From the examples of the past dynasties, the so-called imperial edicts generally have three situations: first, there was no imperial edicts at all, and the so-called imperial edicts that later appeared were made by the people who dealt with the dying matters according to their own wishes. As far as we know now, most of the imperial edicts of the Ming Dynasty are like this. 2? There was an imperial edict, and the content of the imperial edict was also in line with the interests of those dealing with dying matters, so the imperial edict was publicized and implemented. Things entrusted by Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty to his young son and Huo Guang before his death should belong to this category. 3? There was an imperial edict, but its content was not in line with the interests of those dealing with dying matters, so the imperial edict was destroyed and concealed, and a new one was forged. Then, what kind of imperial edicts should the first emperor belong to? We might as well make a judgment based on the above three situations.
It seems that the imperial edict of the first emperor of Qin belongs to the third category. The treatment of “historical records” is more in line with historical events and reason. The sudden death of the first emperor left a message before his death and entrusted the afterlife to his eldest son Fusu. Because the recorded last words had been destroyed, only an intentional testimony was left: “meet with the funeral and bury in Xianyang.”
And, participate. Funeral, funeral. Yes, meet. Fusu is the eldest son. His participation in the funeral is to preside over the funeral ceremony. Qin Shihuang died in the sand dune of Julu County, and his body will be transported back to Xianyang. Fusu is in Shangjun, so he was recalled to Xianyang to join the coffin and die for his father.
We can’t know who left this intentional testimony. However, Zhao Gao, one of the parties, once made a relatively clear explanation of the great political significance of the letter given by the first emperor to Fusu. This explanation can be found in the biographies of Shi Ji Li Si. The article describes that after Zhao Gao withheld the last imperial edict of the first emperor, he directly came to Hu Hai and said, “when the first emperor collapsed, there was no imperial edict to seal the king’s sons, but only the letter of the eldest son was given. When the eldest son arrives, he will become the emperor, and the son has no inch of land. What can he do?”
This sentence says: “when the emperor passed away, there was no imperial edict to bestow on all the princes, only a letter to the eldest son Fusu alone. After the eldest son Fusu arrived in Xianyang, he was immediately established as the emperor, while you didn’t even have the size of the seal soil, so what do you do?” Zhao Gao’s “letter of giving the eldest son” is the destroyed imperial edict. Although the content is unclear, the fact that Fusu will ascend the throne and become the emperor is clear.
Looking at all kinds of things about the imperial edict from ancient times to modern times, we can sum it up in one sentence: the so-called imperial edict problems are all about living people speaking through the mouth of the dead, reflecting the interests of living people. The dead say well, the living say; The dead did not say, but the living said for him; The dead don’t speak well, but the living revise and speak again.
I often lament that through the ages, history is changing, but human nature has not changed. Similar political dramas are staged from time to time on similar political platforms. In 1976, the farce of true and false imperial edicts was once again staged on the political stage of China. Chairman Mao’s last words, whether “you do things, I rest assured”, or “follow the established policy”, suddenly became the focus of the political situation. The truth and historical lessons during this period deserve our deep reflection and reflection.