In Jin Yong's martial arts world, there is a mysterious group that has existed in the rivers and lakes for many years. They are well-organized and have congregations all over the world. Whenever there is wind and grass, they can't escape their eyes. Under its name, the number of government and private property is huge, and its influence can be described as intertwined, ranging from high-ranking officials to the poor and refugees. This group has a leader's token that has been handed down from generation to generation-hitting the dog stick, and there is a martial arts unique that only the gang master can master, that is, "the eighteen palms of the dragon."
The beggar gang is known as the world’s largest gang. It has produced true heroes Hong Qigong and Xiao Feng, as well as hypocrites Chen Youliang and Zhuang Juxian. Are the beggars ridiculed by Jin Yong, or are they real in history?
The beggars emerged in the Song Dynasty
In fact, begging, as a way of survival, appeared very early in our ancient society. "Zuo Zhuan" recorded in the 23rd year of Gong Xi: Jin Gongzi Chong'er "begged for food in the wild", this is regarded as the earliest and highest beggar in historical records. However, beggars formed a gang-like organization of the beggar gang, and the earliest records appeared in the Song Dynasty.
Feng Menglong’s "Ancient and Modern Novels" has an article called "Golden Jade Slaves Beating Lovers", which mentioned a Song Dynasty Hangzhou group leader "Golden Boss", according to Historians have verified that this group leader is the so-called leader of the beggar gang. It can be seen that the gang of beggars in Jin Yong's works is not completely fictional, but the so-called "peerless martial arts drop the dragon with eighteen palms" is the artistic creation of Mr. Jin Yong. The real beggars in history are active in the economically developed big cities. Although they are powerful, they have nothing to do with the grievances in the arena.
The beggar leader "Golden Boss" in the novel "Golden Jade Slaves Beating Lovers" in Song Yuanhua's novel "Golden Boss" in his hand is the mark of the team leader, which can govern the beggars of the whole city and rely on the crowd. The silver that the disciples of the beggar gang turned in on time can actually become the leading rich man in Hangzhou. This proves that the beggar gang has become a certain climate in the Song Dynasty and is a social group with a certain degree of organization.
Many Song Dynasty documents actually involve the Beggar Gang. There is such a record in the "Tokyo Dream Hualu" written by Meng Yuan in the Song Dynasty: the beggars in the capital Kaifeng "also have specifications, a little slack, and are not tolerated by everyone." It probably means that the beggars wear standard clothing and are in a specific area or Begging for specific objects is also subject to group constraints, and corresponding regulations and obligations must be fulfilled.
Getting Started Etiquette of the Beggar Gang
Joining the Beggar Gang is not as simple as imagined, it has its own set of rules. According to many existing records in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the sects of the beggars need an introducer just like the marriage of a wife. The introducer is called "Mr. Wenwu" in the industry. Moreover, the internal ranks of the beggars are strictly divided, and the newcomers have special teachers to teach, and there is a period of probation, and they can enter the industry after passing the teacher's assessment. Those who enter the industry first are called "senior brothers" and those who enter the industry later are called "senior brothers", which is no different from other martial arts sects.
The etiquette when officially joining the Beggar Gang is also very particular, not only to bow to the teacher, but finally everyone will also have a good meal with the food and wine that they have negotiated. Use this A special way to welcome new members.
The ritual of the beggar gang’s apprenticeship is quite famous. It’s like taking an oath. The apprentice not only has to kneel on a wooden stick in front of the master and show loyalty to the portraits of the ancestors of the beggar gang, but also learn the techniques of begging and begging. Help rules. In this process, the money that the apprentice handed over to the master is often used for emergency relief, such as living expenses for not being able to go to the streets to beg on rainy and snowy days. The master will also take the money to buy old clothes for the undressed apprentices for the winter, buy medicines for treatment, and if a beggar dies, he will also collect his body for funeral.
The beggars gang is regulated and rigorous
The beggars have developed in the Yuan and Ming dynasties since the formation of the two Song dynasties. They flourished in the Qing Dynasty and the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China. especially inIn the Ming and Qing dynasties, many leaders of beggar gangs were officially identified by the government, and the gangs also formed strict rules to maintain the normal operation of the organization. In short, they are "Ten Poor", "Eight Needs" and "Ten Commandments". The content includes respecting teachers, respecting parents, and observing the laws of the country.
This set of rules gives considerable respect to the peers. It is not allowed to interfere with the wives of the peers, and are not allowed to say the right and wrong of the peers. The beggars also despise stealing. If they find that their hands and feet are dirty, they will be punished severely. If they are found to be dirty, they will be punished by kneeling, or gouging their eyes and cutting their hands and feet.
The beggars also have their own professional ethics and accomplishments. For example, beggars help their peers to meet each other. They have to say "work hard" first. When they meet an unknown beggar, they say "high people Short Legs". There are no rules and no radius. If there are no strict rules, these refugees who are at the bottom of society will be more like a mess. With this set of rules, the beggar gang walks the rivers and lakes like fish in water, and is highly respected by black and white.
