Lu Pheasant , as the first queen in Chinese history and the second actual ruler of the Western Han Dynasty, she was a resolute and intelligent woman. Because of her important position in the history of the Han Dynasty, Sima Qian wrote a special chapter for her in "Historical Records", and she was the only woman in this chapter.
The character Lu Pheasant usually portrayed in TV dramas gives people the impression of killing heroes and being dictatorial and ruthless. Speaking of cruelty, the most famous one is that in order to vent his anger, he created a torture method tailor-made for Mrs. Qi - human pigging. Mrs. Qi had a grudge with Lu Pheasant over the dethronement of the crown prince. Fortunately, with the help of Zhang Liang, she was able to retain Liu Ying's position as prince. After Liu Bang died, his hair was shaved by Lu Pheasant and made into a human pig.
I wonder if the later Wu Zetian was inspired by her. She cut off the hands and feet of her political opponent Xiao Shufei . The method was very similar to that of human pigs, and she could sacrifice the interests of her children and even her life for the sake of power.
But putting aside this incident, looking at Lu Pheasant from the perspective of historical materialism, she can be regarded as a ruler with relatively good political skills and ability to govern the country. During his reign, the economy recovered and developed, and politics was stable. He adopted a policy of reconciliation with the Huns and recuperated. Although he was relatively autocratic and vicious in order to consolidate his rule, he made his own contribution to the long-term development of the Han Dynasty.
Let’s look at Lu Pheasant’s early life. After marrying Liu Bang, he has always been hard-working and uncomplaining. He followed Liu Bang and wandered around without any regrets. Even though he was ignored and neglected by Liu Bang, he did not give up this relationship. However, it was this experience that, while sharpening Lu Zhi's character and will, made her understand the futility of being kind and forbearing, and her character gradually became cruel.
Compare Empress Wu Zetian of the Tang Dynasty . In fact, she was kind and simple in her early years. However, after encountering various suppressions and internal strife, she realized the cruelty of reality, her personality began to alienate, and she gradually became scheming, even doing whatever it took to gain power.
Looking at political figures in history, those who have achieved success are indispensable for being ruthless and tough. The most typical example is Cao Cao. His phrase "I would rather betray the world than let the world betray me" has become a classic. Quotes. Although Lu Pheasant is vicious, he is very accomplished in the general direction of politics. During his reign, he adopted the policy of light corvee, thin taxes , and resting with the people. The Han Dynasty's national power gradually recovered and developed, laying a solid foundation for the emergence of " Wenjing's rule ".
Sima Qian's evaluation of her in "Historical Records: The Chronicles of Empress Lu" is that "the government does not leave the house, and the world is in peace; punishments are rarely used, and sinners are rare; civil affairs are cultivated, and food and clothing are used to breed." Give Empress Lu her governance. Big yes.
To sum up, although Lu Zhi has an alienated personality and has done embarrassing things to potential political opponents, he can continue to push the wheel of history forward by stabilizing a country's politics and focusing on production. Generally speaking, it can be considered He is a qualified politician.
