Victor's Pursuit of Serenity Chapter 14

Don’t read “Zhenguan Zhengyao”

The ideal politics in the minds of the ancients was originally the era of Yao and Shun. However, the events of ancient times are ambiguous and difficult to verify, just like there is Lei Feng but no diary. How can we learn from him? Wu Jing compiled "Zhenguan Zhengyao" and emphasized choosing the good and following it, "Why must we follow the example of Yao and Shun and the constitution of civil and military affairs?" Not only Wu Jing, but many people in later generations believed that the government during the reign of Emperor Taizong of Tang could be a model. More than one emperor said that he did not dare to think of being on par with civil and military affairs, and he would be satisfied if he could imitate Emperor Taizong of Tang.

The politics of Zhenguan was not as good as described in official history, but according to the ancient political design, the Zhenguan period was indeed a glorious moment. The wise ruler and virtuous ministers required by that kind of politics were all present in one dynasty, and the Tang people inherited the style of the Northern Dynasties, were broad-minded and optimistic, and did not have to enjoy fighting each other. Li Shimin was originally a man who loved fame, and there was also the disgraceful Xuanwu Change, which made him even more cautious and cautious in his words and deeds. He himself completed the system of daily records to check and balance the monarch with external forces. His feeling was that every word he said in the court had to think about how others would see it after it was spread out, and what future generations would think. Here, don't trace his motives, whether it was from his heart or constrained by customs and systems. This is not important and difficult to verify. The key is that he really said reasonable words and did reasonable things.

The daily records are the records of the emperor's words and deeds recorded by the historian (called "Qiujiulang" during the reign of Emperor Taizong) who followed the emperor. After recording so many things, Emperor Taizong became curious and wanted to ask for the daily records to see what was recorded in them. He said it beautifully, "using it to know the gains and losses", which means to know what he did not do well so as to correct it. In fact, what he cared about most was the record of the Xuanwu Gate Incident. The Imperial Counselor Zhu Zishe submitted a memorial to refute, saying that it was okay for you to take a look, but he was afraid that once this precedent was set, the monarchs of later generations would not be as wise as you, --- "If you cover up your faults and protect your shortcomings, you will not reflect on yourself when you see the historian speak directly and describe the good and evil, but will only blame the historian. ... (The historian) should only follow the will of the emperor and stay away from harm. For thousands of years, what has been heard of? That is why the previous generations did not read it, probably for this reason."

Zhu Zishe used the words of future monarchs to point out Taizong's intention, and Taizong had to give up. A few years later, Taizong asked to see the daily records again, but was blocked by Chu Suiliang. Taizong had to ask Fang Xuanling for the national history compiled based on the daily records, which was the "Records of the Present Emperor". Fang Xuanling led two assistants, carefully deleted and handed the compiled records to the emperor. Li Shimin saw the part about the Xuanwu Gate incident, which was full of obscure words, so he said that my killing of Jiancheng and Yuanji was comparable to Zhou Gong's killing of Guan and Cai, which was nothing shameful, "it is better to change the superfluous words and write the facts directly."