976, Song Taizu Zhao Kuangyin suddenly died at the age of 50. When Zhao Kuangyin was alive, he did not make a crown prince and did not leave any will. He had four sons in total, and two of them still survived when he died, one was 26 years old and the other was 18 years old, but his subsequent successor was not his own son, but his brother Zhao Guangyi.
Therefore, Zhao Guangyi's legitimacy of governing was questioned. "The sound of the candle shadow and axe" and "The Alliance of Golden Chambers" are two interpretations of Zhao Guangyi's succession in later generations.
Zhao Kuangyin's stills
01 Candle Shadow Axe sound
"Candle Shadow Axe sound" was first published in the Northern Song Dynasty book "Such Xiangshan Yelu". The story is as follows:
Zhao Kuangyin summoned Zhao Guangyi to the palace to discuss matters the night before his violent death. The two brothers talked at night, and even sent all the left and right servants away.
Palace people couldn't hear what they were saying specifically, and only saw the figures of the two under the candlelight from afar. Then Zhao Guangyi suddenly left the seat and made a dodge gesture. Then people heard the sound of a pillar hitting the ground, and Zhao Kuangyin shouted loudly: "Well done, do well!" It should be that the two of them had a dispute over something.
Candle Shadow Axe Sound
Then Zhao Kuangyin fell asleep and soon snored like thunder. By the fourth morning of the next day, the servants discovered that Taizu had passed away.
After the queen learned the news, she immediately sent eunuch Wang Jien to summon Zhao Kuangyin's youngest son Zhao Defang into the palace, but Wang Jien went to report to Zhao Guangyi first, and then Zhao Guangyi and his group entered the palace first.
When Wang Jien brought Zhao Guangyi, the queen was obviously surprised and quickly showed weakness to Zhao Guangyi and said, "From the future, we mother and son will all ask you." Zhao Guangyi replied, "Don't worry about sharing wealth."
Zhao Guangyi's stills
The next day, Zhao Guangyi ascended the throne and became emperor.
In later generations, some people suspected that it was Zhao Guangyi who killed his brother and then gained power.
02 Jinkui Alliance
According to "History of the Song Dynasty: Biography of Empress Dowager Du", the second year after Taizu Zhao Kuangyin established the Zhao Song regime, the Empress Dowager Du fell ill and felt that he had not had much time, so he summoned Zhao Kuangyin and founding hero Zhao Pu to accept the orders together.
Jinkui Alliance
Mrs. Queen Mother asked Zhao Kuangyin: "Do you know how you got the world?"
Zhao Kuangyin replied: "You are inseparable from your ancestors and mother doing good deeds and accumulate blessings."
Mrs. Queen Mother replied: "No, it is because Hou Zhou chose to let his youngest son rule the world. If the Zhou family's successor was an older monarch, is this world yours?"
Half Du stills
Half Du said: "After you die, you should pass the throne to your younger brother to protect the country." Zhao Kuangyin thought that his mother made sense and agreed.
The Queen Mother asked Zhao Pu to keep this agreement in mind, write it on paper, put it in a golden box, and instruct a palace servant with a strict tone to take charge of it.
or above is the plot of "Golden Chamber Alliance". According to the records of "Song Records" and "National History" in official documents of the Northern Song Dynasty, the first time the Jinkui Alliance was officially disclosed in the court was in the sixth year of Zhao Guangyi's ascension to the throne.
Zhao Pu stills
03 Confusing historical unsolved cases
Revolving around the "candle shadow and axe sound" and "Golden Chamber Alliance", historians have argued endlessly for thousands of years. Because of the lack of evidence, these two things have become unsolved cases for the ages and have never been concluded.
"Candle Shadow and Axe Sound" has not been written into the official history, but it still cannot be explained that it is fake. After all, it is contrary to Zhao Guangyi's legitimacy of governing, and it is not uncommon for related remarks to be banned.
And the "Golden Chamber Alliance" sounds more logical and is generally accepted by the academic community, but it also lacks key evidence and no official original text leaked, so there is naturally the possibility of "making it up to maintain Zhao Guangyi's orthodoxy."
Zhao Guangyi's stills
From my personal opinion, Zhao Guangyi's "candle shadow and axe sound" kills his brother is not trustworthy. Relatively speaking, the "Golden Chamber Alliance" is more credible. Zhao Kuangyin died suddenly, but it should not have been done by Zhao Guangyi; and Zhao Guangyi's ascension may have been something that his brother had already agreed to, and it may even be just a verbal agreement and no actual text is left.
973, the third year before Zhao Kuangyin's death, Zhao Pu proposed to him to make his son Zhao Dezhao the crown prince, but Zhao Kuangyin refused and sent Dezhao to another place to take office. At the same time, Zhao Kuangyin appointed Zhao Guangyi as King of Jin and his position was above the prime minister. Since 961, the second year of the establishment of the Song Dynasty, Zhao Guangyi has been serving as the Yin of Kaifeng.
According to historians' research, in the custom of the Five Dynasties, most of the founding crown princes were confirmed by the form of being crowned kings and being appointed as Kaifeng Yin. So Zhao Kuangyin probably continued this convention and had already decided to let his younger brother Zhao Guangyi ascend the throne.
Zhao Guangyi's stills
979, Dezhao followed Zhao Guangyi to attack Youzhou in the north, and was severely damaged by the Liao army in the Battle of Gaolianghe. Zhao Guangyi was defeated and disappeared. There was no leader in the army, so some people suggested supporting Dezhao as emperor. Later, people found Zhao Guangyi, who was shot in the butt, and the support was stopped. But Zhao Guangyi was very unhappy when he found out.
After the troops returned to the court, Dezhao mentioned in the court that he had rewarded the meritorious ministers. Zhao Guangyi angrily retorted: "It's not too late to reward him when you sit in this position." Dezhao was ashamed, so he retreated to the court and committed suicide. This incident seems to be used as the logical basis for the establishment of the "Golden Chamber Alliance".
or above are some summary of "Candle Shadow and Axe" and "Golden Chamber Alliance". Which situation do you think is more in line with history? Welcome to leave a message to discuss together.
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