Yao Guangxiao

Yao Guangxiao

Yao Guangxiao (1335-1418) was a young man named Tianfu. His name was daoyan. His name was Si Dao, and his name was Duan. He was called Duan old man and escaped Xuzi. Changzhou (now Suzhou, Jiangsu) people. Ming Dynasty statesman, Buddhist, writer, the main planner of Jingnan battle, the most famous prime minister in black in Chinese history.

Yao Guangxiao became a monk in Miaozhi temple in Suzhou when he was young. He was proficient in the three religions and had a good relationship with the academic leaders of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism in the early Ming Dynasty. In the 15th year of Hongwu, he was selected by the emperor Taizu of the Ming Dynasty. He got to know Zhu Di, the king of Yan, as a "minister with a white hat". He presided over Qingshou temple and became Zhu Di's main counselor. In the third year of Zhu Di's Jingnan, Yao Guangxiao stayed in Peiping and advised Zhu Di to march forward and take Nanjing, so that Zhu Di could successfully seize Nanjing and become emperor. It is unique in history that the army of the whole country was defeated by the land of Yandi and won the final victory.

After Chengzu succeeded to the throne, Yao Guangxiao was called "prime minister in black" as Zuo Shanshi, a monk, and a prince. Responsible for moving the capital and planning the layout of Beijing today. After his failure in compiling the book, Xie Jin became the highest editor of Yongle Dadian and Ming Taizu Shilu, especially Yongle Dadian, which was his greatest contribution to the history of Chinese culture. In his later years, when Buddhism was gradually declining in the early Ming Dynasty, Shaoshi took up the responsibility of protecting Buddhism and organized the daoyulu, which was a major event in the history of Buddhism.

Yongle 16 years (1418), died of Qingshou temple, posthumous title Gongjing. The Emperor himself wrote Shinto inscriptions and entered the ancestral temple of Ming Dynasty as a scholar. He was the first and only one in Ming Dynasty.

Life of the characters

Early deeds

Yao Guangxiao is a native of Changzhou. His family has been practicing medicine for generations. In 1348 (the eighth year of Zhizheng), Yao Guangxiao was only 14 years old and became a monk. Later, Yao Guangxiao worshipped Taoist Xi Yingzhen as his teacher and studied Yin Yang skills.

In 1375 (the eighth year of Hongwu), Zhu Yuanzhang ordered the monks who were proficient in Confucianism to take an examination in the Ministry of rites. Yao Guangxiao was called to the capital by the Ming Taizu as a monk, but he was not given a monk's official position. He was only given monk's clothes. In 1380, recommended by youjueyi Laifu and Youshan Shizong, the monk Lu Si, he entered Tianjie temple to seek a monk's position.

Serve the king of Yan

In 1382 (the 15th year of Hongwu), empress Ma died of illness. Emperor Taizu of the Ming Dynasty selected eminent monks to serve the kings, chanting sutras and praying. At that time, daoyan was recommended by Zuoshan Shizong he, the Secretary of Seng Lu, and had a good talk with Zhu Di, the king of Yan. He asked to go to Peiping with Zhu Di. After Yao Guangxiao arrived in Peiping, he was the abbot of Qingshou temple. He often went to the Yan palace and had a secret talk with Zhu Di.

In 1398 (the 31st year of Hongwu), Emperor Taizu of Ming Dynasty died and Emperor Jianwen succeeded to the throne. Zhu Yi, king of Zhou, Zhu Bai, king of Xiang, Zhu GUI, king of Dai, Zhu Yi, king of Qi, and Zhu Yi, king of min, were convicted one after another and their vassal states were abolished. Yao guangxiaomi advised Zhu Di to fight. Zhu Di said, "the people support the imperial court. What should we do?" Yao Guangxiao replied: "I only know the way of heaven, regardless of the people."

Later, Yao Guangxiao recommended Yuan Gong and Jin Zhong to Zhu Di, making Zhu Di make up his mind. Zhu Di secretly wooed officers, colluded with troops, and recruited warriors. Yao Guangxiao, on the other hand, trained soldiers and horses in the backyard of yanwang mansion. He also built underground caves surrounded by thick walls to make weapons, and used geese and ducks to cover up the sound.

Jingnan Jiangong

In June of 1399 (the first year of Jianwen), Ni Liang, the guard of King Yan's mansion, denounced Zhu Di for plotting rebellion, and the imperial court ordered the arrest of the official family of King Yan's mansion. They all commanded Zhang Xin to report to Zhu Di secretly, and Zhu Di decided to fight immediately. In the name of killing Qi Tai and Huang Zicheng, Zhu Di was known as Fengtian Jingnan. Yao Guangxiao assisted his son Zhu gaochi to stay in Peking.

In October of the same year, Zhu Di attacked Daning (now Ningcheng, Inner Mongolia), and Li Jinglong, commander in chief of the southern army, took the opportunity to besiege Peiping. Yao Guangxiao commanded the soldiers to guard the city and repel the attack of the southern army. At night, he hanged the soldiers out of the city with ropes and attacked the southern army with Zhu Di's reinforcements. Li Jinglong and Ping'an were defeated one after another.

In 1400 (the second year of Jianwen), Zhu Di besieged Jinan for three months. Yao Guangxiao sent a letter to Zhu Di, saying: "the soldiers are tired. It's better to be a teacher in charge." Zhu Di then returned to Peiping. Later, the Yan army was defeated in Dongchang (today's Liaocheng, Shandong Province). General Zhang Yuzhan died, and Zhu Di withdrew again.

At that time, Zhu Di intended to take a rest, but under Yao Guangxiao's strong advice, he continued to March, defeated Sheng Yong, and broke the Xishui stronghold. Later, Yao Guangxiao said to Zhu Di, "don't attack the city, but take the capital as soon as possible. The capital's military strength is weak, and it will be able to conquer. " Zhu Di took his advice, defeated the southern army in Feishui and Lingbi, and crossed the river into the capital.

Assist the government

In 1402 (the fourth year of Jianwen), Zhu Di became emperor, which was the ancestor of Ming Dynasty. Yao Guangxiao was appointed as Zuo Shanshi. After Chengzu became the emperor, he was granted Taoism and became a monk.

In 1404 (the second year of Yongle), Yao Guangxiao paid homage to Zishan's doctor and Prince Shaoshi, and changed his surname to Yao. Every time Ming Chengzu talked with Yao Guangxiao, he called him Shaoshi instead of calling him by his first name.

Later, the Ming emperor ordered Yao Guangxiao to return to the secular life and was rejected by Yao Guangxiao. Yao Guangxiao still refused to accept that emperor Chengzu of the Ming Dynasty gave him a mansion and palace maids. He just lived in a temple and put on his court clothes when he went to court. After retiring from the court, he still changed into monks' clothes. When he went to Su lake for disaster relief, he went to Changzhou and distributed all the gold to the clansmen.

Since then, Ming Chengzu traveled between Nanjing and Beijing, and made several expeditions to Mongolia. Yao Guangxiao stayed in Nanjing to assist Prince Zhu gaochi to supervise the country. In 1407 (the fifth year of Yongle), Yao Guangxiao was instructed to teach Zhu Zhanji, the eldest grandson of the emperor.

Death of illness

In 1418 (the 16th year of Yongle), Yao Guangxiao was seriously ill and could not go to court. He lived in Qingshou temple. Chengzu visited him several times, gave him a golden spit pot, and asked him what he wanted. Yao Guangxiao said: "monk puqia has been in prison for a long time. I hope he can be pardoned." Puqia was the main recording monk of emperor Jianwen. At the beginning, when Chengzu entered Nanjing, some people said that emperor Jianwen had fled pretending to be a monk. Puqia knew about it, while others said that emperor Jianwen was hiding in puqia's home. The emperor imprisoned puqia on the ground of other affairs, but ordered Hu to wait until he could find the whereabouts of Jianwen emperor. Puqia has been in prison for more than ten years. Until then, Chengzu agreed to Yao Guangxiao's request and immediately ordered him to be released. Yao Guangxiao kowtowed thanks.

Soon after, Yao Guangxiao died at the age of 84. On the second day of emperor Chengzu's abolishment of the dynasty, Yao Guangxiao was buried in the ritual system of a monk. He was awarded the posthumous title of Gongjing and was buried in the northeast of Fangshan County. He wrote a Shinto inscription for him and was granted the official post of his adopted son Yao jishangbao Shaoqing.

In the 22nd year of Yongle, Zhu Di, who had great respect for Yao Guangxiao, died in yumuchuan on the way to the northern expedition. Prince Zhu gaochi succeeded to the throne for Renzong. Yao Guangxiao once assisted Zhu gaochi, the son of the world, to stick to Peiping in the "battle of Jingnan". Later, he took the post of Prince Shaoshi and assisted Zhu gaochi to stay in Nanjing to supervise the country. Zhu gaochi was also full of respect for Yao Guangxiao. After Zhu gaochi became emperor, he praised Yao Guangxiao again. On March 20 of the first year of Hongxi, the seventh anniversary of Yao Guangxiao's death, Zhu gaochi wrote a memorial ceremony in person, and sent his son Yao Ji to offer a memorial ceremony. He praised Yao Guangxiao's contributions to the dynasty. He also praised Emperor Zhu Di for "cooperating with each other in virtue, making sure of great difficulties, and achieving great success." he also said, "Emperor Taizong Wen's virtue should be used to deal with people in heaven, to secure the country, to make the sea peaceful, and to build peace." He gave Yao Guangxiao the title of "Shaoshi San Guan Lord, whose posthumous title is known as the old", and specially assigned Yao Guangxiao to share the Ming Taizong temple. It should be Yao Guangxiao's greatest honor as Zhu Di's counselor to enjoy the Temple Court. Looking at Taizu of the Ming Dynasty, in the list of temples that Taizong was entitled to in the two dynasties of founding, 16 meritorious officials were all military ministers who went from life to death. Yao Guangxiao was the only one who ranked the second place among the meritorious officials. This shows Yao Guangxiao's special position in the early Ming Dynasty.

Anecdotes and allusions

Like a sick tiger

When Yao Guangxiao visited Songshan temple in his early years, the prime minister Yuan Gong said to him, "you are a strange monk! His eyes are triangular, just like a sick tiger. He has a natural instinct and is fond of killing. He is like Liu Bingzhong! " Yao Guangxiao is very happy.

Poetry and nostalgia

During the Hongwu Period, the Ming Taizu ordered the monks who were proficient in Confucianism to take an examination in the Ministry of rites, and daoyan returned with the monk's clothes. Through Dantu Beigu mountain, he wrote poems in memory of ancient sages to express his ambition. The poem said: "Qiao Lu has been fighting for years, and the fireworks are still half withered. Wuzhou mountain near Chaoyun chaos, long live building empty night cold. There is no tide in the river, which leads to the iron urn. Yetian has a way to Jintan. Where is the industry of emperor Xiao Liang? Beigu Qingke tired to see. " After listening to this, the fellow monk Zong he said, "is this what the Buddhist disciples said?" Yao Guangxiao smiles but does not speak.

Ingenious solution to falling tile

When Chengzu set out to fight, a sudden storm came and blew the eaves tiles of the palace to the ground. The wind blowing down the tiles was regarded as a bad omen at that time, so Chengzu couldn't help changing his color. Yao Guang filial piety: "this is a good omen! Since ancient times, when the Dragon flies in the sky, there must be wind and rain. The green tiles of the palace fall to the ground, which indicates that your highness will use the yellow tiles of the emperor. "

The monk made a mistake

Yao Guangxiao wrote Tao Yu Lu in his later years, which denigrated the former Confucianists. People who knew this book began to despise him. When Yao Guangxiao went to Su lake for disaster relief, he went to Changzhou to see his elder sister, but she did not see her behind closed doors, so he visited his old friend Wang Bin. Wang Bin did not want to meet each other, but let people say: "the monk is wrong, the monk is wrong." Yao Guangxiao went to see his sister again, but he was scolded again. He could not help but feel lost.

Character evaluation

personal works

Yao Guangxiao once presided as a supervisor

Chinese PinYin : Yao Guang Xiao