Cats are the most beloved in the animal world, and their cute appearance has really captured the hearts of many people. Nowadays, many people have become "cat slaves" and are proud of calling themselves "shit shovelers". In fact, the relationship between humans and cats has been around for a long time. Whether it is out of religious habits, preventing and controlling rodent infestations, or out of love or looking for companions, the behavior of raising cats has been around since ancient times. Even the emperor was willing to become a "poop shoveler". Now let me take stock of the "cat slave" emperors in ancient China.
Zhu Zhanji's "Five Raccoon Slaves" (part)
Zhu Zhanji, Xuanzong of the Ming Dynasty: Painting cats to illustrate the way of kings and ministers
Xuanzong of the Ming Dynasty painted six civet cat scrolls, namely "Scroll of Raccoon Slaves Under the Flowers" and "Pot" "Scroll of Wealth and Honor in the Middle Ages", "Scroll of the Five Slaves of the Yuan Dynasty Wang Yuan", "Scroll of the Old Man in the Imitation of Xuanhe", "Scroll of the Palace Cat in the Imitation of Xuanhe" and "Scroll of Cat Scroll with Small Horizontal Clothes". Two of the more famous works, namely "Picture of a Slave Under the Flowers" and "Picture of Wealth in a Pot", are now in the collection of the National Palace Museum in Taipei.
"Picture of a Slave under the Flowers" Ming Xuanzong painted it in 1425. Zhu Zhanji borrowed Song Huizong's cat painting techniques. "Records of Paintings and Calligraphy Seen by Wu and Yue" said: "This volume is imitated by Xuanhe and is vivid. In the midst of rules and expressions, he worked with Huizong . "Xuanzong's paintings of cats combined fine brushwork, coloring, and ink to form his own unique style, making the painting style more natural, elegant, and vivid.
Part of "The Picture of the Slaves Under the Flowers"
"The Picture of Wealth and Honor in the Pot" This painting was awarded to Yang Shiqi by Xuanzong of the Ming Dynasty. On the upper left side of the painting is an ancient copper kettle suspended, with three white peonies inserted in the middle. The flowers are in full bloom, with green leaves lightly climbing up the kettle beam. A yellow, white and black tri-color cat is painted at the bottom of the painting. There is a long postscript by Yang Shiqi on the right. In addition to praising Xuanzong's martial arts and virtues, the postscript also gave a pertinent evaluation of Xuanzong's paintings, and used allusions to explain the responsibilities of monarchs and ministers. "The monarch and his ministers have the same virtue, and the superiors and subordinates are in harmony with each other. There is no thorn in the dynasty, and there is no thorn in the wild." The call of the great rat is like a cat."
"Picture of Wealth and Honor in a Pot"
In addition, in Volume 5 of Lu Shihua's "Records of Paintings and Calligraphy Seen by Wu and Yue" in the Qing Dynasty, "Pictures of Cats in the Yubi Palace" by Xuanzong of the Ming Dynasty was recorded. It is the inscription made by Yang Shiqi with "imitation Xuanhe pen" on the order of Ming Xuanzong on April 8, the third year of Xuande's reign (1428).
"There are raccoon dogs and raccoon dogs, either white or yellow. The yellow ones are huddled, powerful and hidden. The body is trembling, white and wild. My emperor's picture shows the wonderful appearance. Tigers are in the mountains, and hundreds of beasts are fighting. The quiet person accumulates power, and the moving person resists change. The people are chasing after each other, and the crowd is excited and cautious. The movement is leisurely and self-possessed. It may be like a dragon swimming around or a lion lying on its back. It is about enjoying the fruits and playing with them. The teeth and claws are the masters. )
The so-called "the quiet ones accumulate power, the active ones resist change" implies the way of monarchs and ministers, "I enjoy the emperor's way, my teeth and claws are the boss" clearly places the intention on being a competent minister. During the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of the Ming Dynasty, it was Yang Shiqi, Yang Rong, and Yang Pu who were counselors in government affairs. They jointly assisted Renzong of the Ming Dynasty and Xuanzong of the Ming Dynasty, and they created the "Government of Renxuan". Yang Shiqi, Yang Rong, and Yang Pu were collectively known as the "Three Yangs" in history. As the saying goes, "A wise prime minister in the Ming Dynasty must be the first of the Three Yangs." Yang Shiqi was the head of the "Three Yangs". "San Yang" lived in the early Ming Dynasty when imperial power was supreme and the emperor and his ministers were deeply suspicious. He was able to gain the emperor's trust and served as a cabinet minister for many years. ", to make a difference, Yang Shiqi can be said to be well versed in the cat-and-mouse ways of monarchs and ministers.
Xuanzong of the Ming Dynasty Zhu Zhanji, as one of the few serious emperors of the Ming Dynasty, not only managed the country in an orderly manner, but also had the leisure and elegance to paint and play with cats, not to mention whether he painted cats just to hint to his subordinates. Relationship, but it is said that I have drawn countless "cat paintings" in my life. Now, is it equivalent to the cat-showing maniac in the circle of friends?
Zhu Houcong, Emperor Shizong of the Ming Dynasty: made a gold coffin for the cat and buried it
Emperor Shizong of the Ming Dynasty Jiajing The emperor is most famous for his obsession with alchemy. In order to pursue immortality, he ignored the government for more than 20 years, but he was also the emperor who loved cats most in Chinese history. . Perhaps they believe that cats have nine lives and regard cats as a symbol of longevity.
Emperor Jiajing had two cats, always called "Shuangmei" and "Lion Cat" .
"Frost Eyebrow" Its whole body is light green, only its eyebrows are like snow, so it is called "Frost Eyebrow". Shuangmei is considerate, docile and well-behaved. She is the personal cat of Emperor Jiajing. But the experience comes and goes as soon as it is summoned. If Jiajing takes a rest and a nap, Shuangmei will quietly stay by Jiajing's side and will not drink or eat until Jiajing wakes up. This kind of "other people's cats" not only makes us He was so envious that the emperor loved him so much that he followed her everywhere, going in and out together, and was even named the "Horned Dragon".
When "Shuangmei" died of old age, Emperor Jiajing was very sad. He ordered the palace officials to bury "Shuangmei" on the north side of Long live mountain . The tomb number was "Qiulong Tomb", and he also specially established it. The monument is used for worship.
Long Live Mountain Qiu Dragon Tomb
After "Shuangmei" died, Emperor Jiajing raised another lion cat. After this lion cat died, "he regretted it, made a gold coffin, and buried it at the foot of Longevity Mountain; and his fate was Worthy of writing, highly recommended. " A scholar named Yuan Wei was appreciated by Emperor Jiajing for writing a sentence about "turning a lion into a dragon" and was later promoted to Shaozai. Known as the "Prime Minister Qingci".
Wanli Zhu Yijun: "Girl" serves the emperor every day
Wanli Emperor Zhu Yijun is also a "cat crazy". During the Wanli period, the trend of loving cats in the palace reached its peak. Everyone kept cats, whether in the palace or in the palace. People at that time once wrote a poem about the palace: "The red flag is dust-free and the days are long. The girl serves the king every day. I am used to the kitchen leftovers, but I don't envy the fragrance of the earth." The "girl" here who serves the king every day is not a palace maid or a maid. Concubines, but female cats. At that time, the female cats in the palace were called "a certain girl", the male cats were called "a certain young man", and the castrated male cats were given the title of eunuchs, called "a certain master". There is also a palace cat favored by the Sacred Heart, which is given a title and is called "a certain steward" , or directly called "cat steward" . When the emperor rewarded the eunuchs who served nearby, the "cat steward" would also receive the reward.
Zhu Zhanji's "Five Slaves Picture Scroll" (Part)
The eunuch Liu Ruoyu, the author of " Zhuizhongzhi", recalled that because Emperor Wanli loved cats, the palace cats could roam around the palace without any taboos. , when encountering young princes and daughters, they would not be lured away, but would go straight forward, "escape and fight with each other, seduce each other and howl." In the final moment, the pampered prince and princess "twitched and became ill" and died. The wet nurses and eunuchs who served the prince did not dare to speak to the emperor for fear of getting into trouble.
Qianlong: How to raise cats elegantly
Emperor Qianlong was also a cat slave. There are records that he raised at least 10 cats, including local civet cats , and Persian cats paid tribute by foreign countries. The names given to cats are also very elegant, including Feidi, Fanxue, Pufu, Miaojing, Renzhao, Hanxu, Qingning, Lingxiang, Caifang, Wucang... These have all been drawn by the artist into a book. Included in "Raccoon Shadow".
Part of "The Shadow of the Slave"
A serval cat paid tribute by an Italian envoy in the ninth year of Qianlong's reign (1744). This cat's food utensil is of great value and is a celadon lotus-style warming bowl from Ru Kiln from the Song Dynasty. In order to make it easier for it to eat, it is also equipped with a rosewood seat. This cat food container is currently housed in the National Palace Museum in Taipei.
Ru Kiln Narcissus Basin
The Forbidden City has experienced dynasty changes, and later the decline of the royal family. It has now become the Forbidden City Museum. In the current Forbidden City, there are still more than 200 palace cats roaming in this once graceful palace. They still It is the "clawed guards" who continue to guard the Forbidden City.
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