“Flat nose, chicken breast, tracheitis, suffering from rickets.” Under the pen of Sima Qian, the originator of Chinese history in the Western Han Dynasty, Qinshihuang, the great emperor who unified the six kingdoms and established the first feudal imperial dynasty, was like this; CCTV invested 18million yuan to shoot the historical drama “Qinshihuang” which will be closed in February this year. The first emperor in the drama is headed by a hardline student, zhangfengyi. In the eyes of dramatists, historical figures can always “joke”, but in the eyes of researchers, history has really happened. Approaching the truth with scientific reasoning methods will allow us to obtain many unexpected discoveries.
Was Qinshihuang handsome or wretched?
In the book of the history of the first emperor of Qin, Lieutenant Liao said, “the king of Qin is a man with accurate peaks, long eyes, sincere birds and jackals.” Guo Moruo analyzed that the first emperor of Qin had physiological defects. The peak must be the saddle nose, the bird dummy is the “chicken breast” of modern medicine, and the Jackal sound indicates tracheitis; His chest shape, nasal shape variation and tracheitis often show that he is a patient with chondrosis. The first emperor of Qin, played by Li Xuejian in the film Jing Ke stabbing Qin, left an image of wretched and weak body to the audience, but many viewers did not recognize it. Most experts in the field of historiography believe that Qin Shihuang was a man of heroic and handsome appearance. Mr. Jian Bozan once concluded that the appearance of Qinshihuang should be quite beautiful. Mr. Du from the Academy of Arts and crafts of Tsinghua University told the reporter that Qinshihuang was born in the northwest of Qin. He should be a typical big man in the northwest, tall, burly and good-looking. So, is Qinshihuang handsome or obscene?
Professor dudakai of the Academy of fine arts of Tsinghua University told the reporter that the image of Qinshihuang we see now was deduced by modern people according to yanliben’s “the map of emperors of all dynasties”. When asked by the reporter that Yan Liben’s “picture of emperors of all dynasties” painted portraits of 13 emperors from the Western Han Dynasty to the Sui Dynasty, including founding emperors and conquering monarchs, but there was no portrait of Qinshihuang known as “one emperor for thousands of years”, Mr. Du said that since the western Han Dynasty advocated “ousting hundreds of schools of thought and respecting Confucianism alone”, all dynasties have always regarded Confucianism as orthodoxy, and Qinshihuang burned books and pitied Confucianism in history and was extremely opposed to Confucianism, The past dynasties have always held a negative attitude towards Qinshihuang, which may be the reason why Yan Liben did not draw a picture of Qinshihuang.
So what is the basis for later generations to deduce the portrait of Qinshihuang? Bo Songnian, a professor at the Academy of fine arts of Tsinghua University, introduced that all the founding monarchs in the “map of emperors of all dynasties” were depicted as powerful, resolute, dignified and magnanimous, and it is difficult for future generations to escape this pattern. It is likely that according to the portrait of Sima Yan, Emperor Wu of Jin Dynasty, the first emperor of Qin stood upright, with his mouth closed and his eyes divine.
Professor Du also told reporters that the founding emperors of all dynasties were painted with square faces, high noses and drooping ears. They were born with an imperial appearance, which is superstitious. A portrait is only the truth of an art, not the true face of a person. In particular, the statue of the emperor contains the individual imagination and artistic generalization of the portrait maker, and also reflects the praise and criticism of the emperor in an era.
A specific emotional experience will change a person’s external image. People like Qinshihuang who have an extraordinary imperial experience, whether powerful or obscene, must have their own special features in facial expressions.
Chaofulin, a professor in the History Department of Beijing Normal University, believes that great men are not all natural and unrestrained people. There are few records about the appearance of the first emperor of Qin Dynasty, which leaves a lot of room for literary works and film and television creation.
Zhangmingqia, a researcher at Shaanxi History Museum, said that Qinshihuang had never seen anyone today. In shaping characters in film and television works, we should pay more attention to a person’s external image as the externalization of his internal character. According to the analysis of various characters of Qinshihuang, I think the appearance of Qinshihuang should be thinner, with deeper eyes, longer eyebrows, higher bridge of nose and protruding upper cheeks.
Sunjiazhou, a professor in the History Department of Renmin University, believes that Wei Xuan’s remark about Qinshihuang at that time was not purely objective, with malicious exaggeration. Therefore, it is unreliable for Guo Moruo to infer that Qinshihuang had physiological defects.
Does Sima Qian really reform history privately?
As we all know, Qinshihuang’s surname is Zhao. Relevant experts in the history circle believe that Qinshihuang was born in the first month of the first month, so he was named Zheng. In ancient times, he was in charge of politics, so he wrote politics. As for why his surname was Zhao, it was pointed out that Qinshihuang was born in the state of Zhao. In ancient times, it was customary to take his birthplace as his surname. Professor chaofulin said that in ancient times, surnames were very complicated and different from surnames. The reason why Qinshihuang’s surname was Zhao was that Zhao and Ying were the same clan, and Zhao was a branch of Ying.
The first emperor of Qin not only said that his surname was Zhao, but also that his surname was Lu. How could the first emperor of Qin be surnamed Lu? Experts agreed that this was related to the life experience of Qinshihuang.
According to the historical records, when Ying Zheng’s father and son Chu were held hostage in the state of Zhao, LV Buwei, a political speculator in the state of Zhao, took advantage of the court of the state of Qin. LV Buwei conspired with Zichu to make Zichu the crown prince of Qin. And try every means to let Zichu combine with Zhaoji, a singer and dancer with her own flesh and blood. After giving birth to Ying Zheng, Zhao Ji naturally became the wife of the son Chu. After sitting on the throne for three years, Zichu died.
Chaofulin, a professor in the History Department of Beijing Normal University, said that this is a mystery for thousands of years. Although many people have questioned the records in the historical records, there is no strong argument to overturn Sima Qian’s argument. Therefore, we have to agree with Sima Qian.
Sunjiazhou believes that this is just a legend. Although “historical records” has literary color, it does not replace flowers and trees. According to the records of the historian, (Zhao Ji) had a son when he was in his prime. Period, the ancient sound is Ji, that is, the first anniversary. That is to say, one year after Zichu married Zhao Ji, Zhao Ji gave birth to Ying Zheng. In this case, Ying Zheng was born to Zi Chu. What’s the problem.
Is Qinshihuang really an illegitimate son? Due to the long history, the facts can no longer be verified, but some experts have questioned the records of the first emperor in the historical records. In this historical book, the image of Qinshihuang is not very good. Sima Qian was subjected to cruel palace punishment because of disaster. In his works, cruel officials and tyrants of all dynasties were painted with bad ink, “it can not be ruled out that Sima Qian exaggerated his words because of disgust when recording the first emperor of Qin Dynasty.” The expert said.
Qinshihuang and the women around him
It is reported that the four women who have an emotional relationship with Qin Shihuang are Zhaoji, Li Jiang, a Ruo and min Dai. Is Ying Zheng, the first emperor of Qin, really a man of iron courage and tenderness?
According to historical records, Zhaoji, the mother of Qinshihuang, was the woman who had the closest relationship with Qin Yingzheng. She gave birth to Ying Zheng with LV Buwei and lied to Zi Chu. After Ying Zheng ascended the throne, Zhao Ji became the empress dowager, and LV Buwei became the prime minister and continued to commit adultery. Later, she committed adultery with others and gave birth to two sons. When Ying Zheng learned about this, he ruthlessly drove his mother out of the house. The ministers of the state of Qin advised one after another, but he did not listen. And give a shocking order that anyone who advises on this matter will be shot to death! However, the ministers continued to admonish. The king of Qin repeatedly shouted to kill, killing 27 ministers before and after, and their bodies were under the gate.
However, after Mao Jiao risked his life to remonstrate, when he learned that driving his mother out of the house would cause hundreds of harm but no benefit, Qinshihuang personally welcomed the Empress Dowager back to Xianyang. But Zhao Ji became more and more indulgent, bringing disgrace to Ying Zheng. He hated his mother, so much so that he would have no scruples about his mother’s and son’s affection, and drive him out of his house and into the palace. Therefore, the king of Qin had a special dislike for prostitution. He once tried his best to commend the chastity and integrity of Bashu widows who were light and rich but not lusty. This kind of woman is his ideal mother image.
There is a beautiful woman in the film Jing Ke stabbing the king of Qin, which is Zhao Nu played by Gong Li. When Zhao was his daughter, she had childhood friends with Ying Zheng, who was a hostage in the state of Qin. Later, he returned to the state of Qin with Ying Zheng. Unexpectedly, in order to find an excuse for Ying Zheng to attack Yan state, he went to Yan state to find an assassin, but fell in love with Jing Ke. The TV series “Qinshihuang and a Fang Nu” also shows a life and death love between Ying Zheng and a Fang Nu.
Experts agree that such stories, although beautiful, are fictional. There is no such record in historical materials. Pengwei, the History Institute of the Academy of Social Sciences, said that after Qin Shihuang unified the world, all the concubines of the six countries were escorted to Qin. In addition, there is no detailed record of the harem, so there is no personal feelings about Qinshihuang.
Was Qinshihuang just a tyrant?
Throughout the ages, they have always held a negative attitude towards Qinshihuang, believing that he was a tyrant. “Killing the father and expelling the mother” and “burning books and burying Confucianism” are all powerful evidence to expose the “ferocity” of Qinshihuang. Is Qinshihuang really so cruel?
Professor sunjiazhou told reporters that, like everyone, the character of Qinshihuang was complex. His cruelty was not personal behavior, but the need of feudal autocracy at that time. However, the cruelty of his nature was the greatest shortcoming of Qinshihuang, which was related to his childhood experience and life experience.
Chao Fulin believed that Qinshihuang was not as cruel as he thought. Some things do have other secrets. “Killing the father and driving away the mother” did not come from his original intention. Caring for his flesh and blood can only threaten his throne. In this case, it just shows the great talent of Qinshihuang.
Qinshihuang was a man of deep hatred. In those days, the young Emperor Qinshihuang and his mother lived in the state of Zhao in order to avoid being chased and killed. They lived in hiding and were enslaved by others. They were uneasy about living and eating. They were bullied and despised by others. More than twenty years later, he became king of Qin. The experience of being angry in the state of Zhao is a lingering shadow. This kind of revenge mentality has been suppressed for more than 20 years, and it has become unbearable. When the first emperor of Qin attacked and destroyed the state of Zhao, he returned to Handan again, arrested all the people who had enemies with his mother’s family, and buried them alive, so as to vent his hatred at that time. It seems common for the people of Zhao to see how the former fugitives became the masters of their destiny today.
However, according to historians, Ying Zheng did bury some people who had made enemies in the state of Zhao when he attacked Handan, but the cruel scene of burying children alive on a large scale was somewhat exaggerated. “This does not mean that Emperor Qinshihuang was narrow-minded. To say that he was narrow-minded, Xiang Yu attacked Xianyang and killed hundreds of thousands of people. He burned the Afang palace. He also felt a sense of revenge.” Pengweisheng of the Institute of history of the Academy of Social Sciences explains this.