1368, Zhu Yuanzhang established the Ming Dynasty in Yingtian Mansion . As a founding emperor, later generations spoke highly of him. Emperor Shunzhi once said "I believe that there is no wiser emperor in history than Hongwu "; Emperor Kangxi even praised "Hongwu is a heroic and mighty master." , comparable to an extraordinary emperor."
However, even with such a high evaluation, Zhu Yuanzhang also had his faults. Just like the enfeoffment system that was widely criticized by later generations, he originally enfeoffed various scholars, but he hoped to "defend the country at the top, and provide peace and security to the people at the bottom... and be a vassal of the country forever." can reach the clan population index caused by enfeoffment in the late Ming Dynasty. Super-expansion not only fails to bring peace to the country and the people, but also becomes one of the important reasons why the fiscal budget cannot make ends meet.
As for the children of various clans who were enfeoffed, most of them were reduced to idle and dandy children who only knew about pleasure because of the patriarchal laws and the ancestral precepts of the emperor and Ming Dynasty.
However, there are also some alternatives. As the legitimate successor of Prince Zheng who was supposed to be hereditary, and the ninth grandson of Zhu Yuanzhang, Zhu Zaiyu not only took the initiative to resign from the title of prince when he inherited the title, but also made outstanding achievements in his field of expertise and became famous. Overseas, he is revered as the "Oriental Renaissance-style saint."
was registered as the crown prince, but had no intention of doing so.
In the fifteenth year of Jiajing (1536), Zhu Zaiyu was born in Hanoi County, Huaiqing Prefecture, Henan. His father was Zhu Hounan, King Zheng Gong.
Historical records indicate that Zhu Houtan was good at writing, proficient in music, and had a pure and stubborn personality. These all had an indelible impact on Zhu Zaiyu's growth.
Because of his intelligence and his fondness for music, Zhu Zaiyu was also deeply loved by his father, King Zhu Houtan. When he was 10 years old, King Zheng Zhu Houtan had already appointed him as his heir apparent.
According to common sense, Zhu Zaiyu can live a prosperous and prosperous life as long as he waits to inherit the royal title. However, Zhu Hounan was a stubborn and warm-hearted person. Seeing that Emperor Jiajing was superstitious in Taoism and ignored government affairs and only knew how to make elixirs, he wrote a letter to advise him. This made Emperor Jiajing furious and reduced his rank to Common people imprisoned Fengyang.
Although Zhu Zaiyu was just 15 years old at that time, he was obviously very dissatisfied with his father being demoted to prison, and he lived a life of "Xi Gao alone" until 1567, when Emperor Muzong of the Ming Dynasty came to power, and his father Zhu Hounan was rehabilitated. Then he returned to Zheng Wang's palace.
I have to say that father is the best educational template.
Zhu Hounan's lifestyle, personality and hobbies have all become the template for Zhu Zaiyu's future growth. In 1591, Zhu Hounan died of illness, and Zhu Zaiyu, who was the crown prince according to the legal system, should inherit the title of Prince Zheng.
But this title, which was precious and valuable in the eyes of others, was not what Zhu Zaiyu wanted. For this reason, he even wrote to Emperor Wanli seven times to resign from the title of Prince Zheng. In desperation, Emperor Wanli had no choice but to agree, but he still regarded his clan identity as , saying "he will be rich throughout his life, and his descendants will still be crowned kings of Dongyuan."
Pursue what you love and become famous overseas
Without the constraints of his title, Zhu Zaiyu can finally act with peace of mind, without having to worry about clan etiquette all the time. To this end, he stayed alone for 19 years and devoted himself to music, literature, mathematics, science and other fields, and realized his ambition.
At that time, China's Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism was prevalent, ideological restrictions were imposed, and stereotyped writing was prevalent. However, as a scholar, Zhu Zaiyu was different. His works have an obvious critical realism color. In "The Sheep on the Hillside: The Rich Cannot Be Friends", Zhu Zaiyu vividly and unabashedly depicts the turbulent world style and the cold world in the middle of the Ming Dynasty; "The Sheep on the Hillside: Ten Insufficiencies" "In ", he vividly portrays his greedy and vicious nature.
If the criticism in Sanqu works is only Zhu Zaiyu's superficial criticism, then the changes in "technique" are Zhu Zaiyu's strongest voice against reality.
He created twelve equal temperament . This theory is widely used by keyboard instruments . For this reason, Zhu Zaiyu is also praised as the originator of piano theory.After all, the first piano made by Bach was based on his twelve equal temperaments (at that time, the twelve equal temperaments spread to the West along the Silk Road).
In addition, Zhu Zaiyu made the world's first fixed-tone instrument, Xianzhun; he pioneered dance studies, improved dance, and improved the pipe, suona.
In mathematics, he even developed sequence equations and solved decimal conversions in different place systems; in metrology, he proposed calculation methods and formulas for nozzle correction, and measured the density of mercury ; astronomical calendar On , he worked out the formula for calculating the length of in the tropical year of , and accurately located the longitude and latitude of Beijing.
For Zhu Zaiyu, he is defined as an encyclopedic scholar in the soil of traditional Chinese culture. It is precisely based on his achievements in all aspects that he is respected as a world historical and cultural celebrity. Joseph Needham even praised him as "Chinese Renaissance Saint".
Summary
1 In 1611, 75-year-old Zhu Zaiyu passed away. At that time, due to the restriction of Neo-Confucianism, Zhu Zaiyu's skills were not taken seriously by the Ming Dynasty. Instead, they caused a sensation only after they were spread to the West.
This is no different from Song Yingxing 's " Tiangong Kaiwu " being shelved. But in fact, when Dr. Needham raised the "Needham problem" - why the scientific and industrial revolution did not happen in modern China, we can get the basic answer.
There is no doubt that this is a difference in scientific thinking , cultural methods, core, social structure and other aspects. However, for Zhu Zaiyu, who voluntarily resigned from his title and worked hard for 19 years, the name of a world historical and cultural celebrity and saint is not All well deserved.
