vrcanaries Chapter 291 Monument to the Yuanyou Party Members
Chapter 291 Monument to the Yuanyou Party Members
"However, there's a legend about the Yuanyou Party Members' Stele, which supposedly dates back to a certain morning in 1106 AD."
"A meteor suddenly streaked across the sky during the Northern Song Dynasty and struck this Yuanyou Party Members Stele."
"Heaven knows perfectly well what's going on, so the stele was split in two. Emperor Huizong of Song felt this was an ominous sign; it was Heaven's way of telling him what to do."
"So he ordered the destruction of the Yuanyou Party members' monuments all over the country. That's right, Zhao Ji actually erected monuments all over the country."
"Actually, at this point, Cai Jing's target is no longer solely the New Party or the Old Party; he's probably targeting everyone who disagrees with him."
"If Wang Anshi had known that his new laws would be used as a tool to ultimately lead the Northern Song Dynasty to this state, it's hard to say whether he would have regretted it."
Fang Xuanling of the Tang Dynasty: He was a very stubborn person when it came to reforms. He probably didn't regret it, but he never expected that the Northern Song Dynasty would turn out like this!
A bystander from the Ming Dynasty commented: But at this point, were the New Party and the Old Party collectively expelled, leaving only the Cai Party?
An official from the Sui Dynasty: It lasted for more than 30 years, but I never thought that in the end we would end up being neither faction nor the other!
A peasant woman from the Qin Dynasty: Did even Heaven take it all in and strike it down?! Why not strike down the culprit?!
At another moment, Wang Anshi heard Lin Ke's words and fell silent, which was unusual for him. He truly would not regret his path of reform.
I never expected that the later conflict between the two factions in the Northern Song Dynasty would be sparked by him, and even... sigh...
……
"After targeting both the New Party and the Old Party, Cai Jing began to target the books of the Yuanyou Party members, such as Su Shi. Many of his poetry collections were banned and destroyed for a period of time."
"Take Sima Guang's Zizhi Tongjian for another example. If it weren't for the preface written by Emperor Shenzong of Song, it would most likely have been lost. Wouldn't that be a waste of Sima Guang's hard work?"
"However, at that time, there were still people who openly expressed why such practices were shameful. For example, Lin Lingsu was a Taoist priest during the reign of Emperor Huizong of Song. It was rumored that Lin Lingsu was Su Shi's page, but it is unknown whether this was true or not."
He challenged Emperor Huizong of Song, saying: "The people listed on this stone tablet are all transformed from celestial stars." From then on, he and Cai Jing became enemies. However, he was not the only one who was at odds with Cai Jing!
Su Dongpo, the epitome of optimism: Cai Jing!!! You just wait!!
Sima Guang of the Northern Song Dynasty: ...How audacious!
A Ming Dynasty official: If it were me, I would have given him a good beating long ago!
A spoiled young man from the Tang Dynasty: He's too domineering and independent! It's almost impossible for Emperor Huizong of Song not to have brought about the downfall of the country!
……
Song Dynasty
At this time, Cai Jing had not yet come to power, and the bigwigs were still above him. However, he knew in his heart that he had really offended a lot of people!
They probably...wouldn't...come gang up on him and beat him up, would they?!
Meanwhile, Su Shi, who was serving as an official in a local area, smiled sinisterly. "So Cai Jing burned my poetry collection, huh?"
Just wait, I'll beat him up too!
Su Zhe and the others nodded in agreement: Seconded!
……
"In the early years of the Southern Song Dynasty, as mentioned before, many people in the Southern Song Dynasty attributed the fall of the Northern Song Dynasty to Wang Anshi, since the reform movement was initiated by him."
"As soon as Zhao Gou ascended the throne, he immediately exonerated the Yuanyou Party members and called them Yuanyou Zhongxian. Therefore, the descendants of the Yuanyou Party members were finally able to hold their heads high and defend their ancestors."
"This list has become a source of pride; I wonder if Cai Jing would be furious if he knew."
"After that, the spirit of the Yuanyou literati inspired many scholars and writers, who often visited the site of this stele."
"For example, Xu Xiake of the Ming Dynasty once went there and stayed for more than ten days."
"In fact, this factional strife, which began in the Eastern Han Dynasty and lasted until the late Ming Dynasty, often marked the beginning of a period of decline."
Zhu Baba of the Ming Dynasty: Wanyan Gou did do a good deed too!!!
Cheng Yaojin of the Tang Dynasty: It's no exaggeration to say that the Song Dynasty perished because of it; it was truly a terrifying struggle!
Emperor Zhao Kuangyin of the Song Dynasty: ...
A Qing Dynasty official: People have been going to that place!
……
"Let's also mention this: Emperor Huizong of Song had six important ministers who were known as the Six Traitors, and Cai Jing was the leader of the Six Traitors. Others, such as Tong Guan, Wang Fu, and Liang Shicheng, were also somewhat related to him."
"The court at that time was similar to the Ming Dynasty's 'Nine Thousand Years Old' (a high-ranking official). If you didn't have some connection with Cai Jing, you really couldn't become an official. So the later officials all had some connection with him."
"So someone summarized the roles of these six people, and that person was Chen Dong, a student at the Imperial Academy."
"In the seventh year of Xuanhe (1125 AD), he wrote a memorial stating: 'The Northern Song Dynasty has come to this point. Cai Jing has caused chaos in the past, Liang Shicheng has been plotting behind the scenes, Li Yan has made enemies in the northwest, Zhu Mian has made enemies in the southeast, and Wang Fu and Tong Guan have made enemies with the Liao and Jin dynasties.' This is the origin of the name 'Six Traitors.'"
Zhu Bajie of the Ming Dynasty: ...
Cai Bian of the Northern Song Dynasty [（ ' - ' * )]: He's really capable!
Emperor Zhao Kuangyin of the Song Dynasty: Damn it, these six great villains at the end of the Northern Song Dynasty!!!
Cheng Yaojin of the Tang Dynasty: With such a knack for it, how could the Northern Song Dynasty not fall?
……
"However, there is an unofficial history here. Liang Shicheng, one of the Six Traitors, is said to have claimed to be Su Shi's illegitimate son after he rose to power."
"Legend has it that when Su Shi was exiled, he gave his concubine to a friend named Liang. The concubine became pregnant and gave birth to Liang Shicheng."
"Su Shi's descendants reportedly did not deny this, and the two were quite close. When Su Shi was labeled a member of the Yuanyou faction, Liang Shicheng took good care of his descendants."
"Even when Su Shi's poetry collection was destroyed, Liang Shicheng repeatedly pleaded with Emperor Huizong, and it was indeed thanks to him that Su Shi's poetry collection was not destroyed later."
"However, the truth of this claim is unknown."
Su Dongpo, the epitome of optimism: !!!
A spoiled young man from the Song Dynasty: (???) Really?!
A bystander from the Ming Dynasty: You'll have to ask the person involved!
A romantic scholar from the Tang Dynasty: ...This is really explosive, hahaha!
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