【Description】
Fate is profound and mysterious. Everyone was born and destined to live differently. As such, how should we perceive fate? While we listen to Grandmaster JinBodhi tell the stories of emperors from Ancient China, let us contemplate and analyze what fate really is.
There was Emperor Huizong of Song dynasty who loved art more than his throne, Zhengde Emperor who led his officials to open stalls and become businessmen, Jiajing Emperor who was fascinated with alchemy, and the Tianqi Emperor who kept himself busy with woodworking and carpentry.
What do their hobbies imply about the fates of these emperors? Why did some emperors live only for a short while, while some remained on the throne for a long time and led their country to prosperity?
Listen to these stories and you will surely obtain inspiration that can help you open the mysterious door to a positive fate.
【You will learn】
- The story of Emperor Taizu of Song dynasty, the founding emperor
- The story of art-loving Emperor Huizong of Song dynasty
- The story of Zhu Yuanzhang, founding emperor of Ming dynasty
- The story of Zhengde Emperor, who loved sales
- The story of Jiajing Emperor, who loved Chinese alchemy
- The story of Wanli Emperor, the number-one playboy
- The story of Taichang Emperor, who was on the throne for 28 days
- The story of Chongzhen Emperor, who failed to turn the tide
- The story of Cao Bin, who changed fate through compassion
- How to become a good emperor in our own lives
【Content】
Hello, friends. (Hello, Master.) Today we are on the topic of fate. What exactly is fate? I don’t know, as it is too complicated. Today I want to tell you stories about some historical figures. One session is not enough to cover the concept of fate. You can’t solve problems related to fate by just having one lesson. There is a need to listen, think and reflect more. Only then is it possible to make a general summary of fate. You need to have the idea of summarizing.
One type of fate is the life a person is born with. From the time he’s born, his fate has been determined. What is it like? If your parents are typical poor farmers, your fate won’t be far from theirs. You continue to farm and plant vegetables. You would repeat what your parents and grandparents went through. Slightly better is being born and seeing all kinds of woodworking tools. Everyone knows the father is a carpenter. So growing up, he learned all things about carpentry. When he is 18, he can build beautiful tables, chairs and furniture easily. At 48, he is at master level. He creates tables and chairs better than his dad. But he remains a carpenter until death. More noble than this is to be born into a splendid house with several maids. We are talking about families of royalty and wealth. He spends his whole life being rich; nothing changes. This is the life one is born with.
Next, a life that seems to change over time. A most obvious change is a change in wealth and riches. He was born with gold and splendor. Throughout his life, he was always thinking of ways to turn this gold and splendor into straw and even homelessness. He might freeze on the streets or be murdered. This kind of life sounds tragic. Don’t feel sad; let’s talk about a better one. When he was born, there wasn’t even a midwife. He just arrived somehow. In childhood, he never wore a single intact outfit. But after 18 or 28, he could eat and wear whatever he wanted. He was even richer than the king. Fate made a big turnaround. People love to hear this kind of story, right?
Let’s talk about people in history whom most of us know; their stories contain ups and downs. The way Zhao Kuangyin became the founding emperor of Song dynasty seems odd and bizarre, right?
(It was 960 AD at that time.) 960 AD. (Right. He was a very important general at that time.) A general in the Later Zhou dynasty. (Right. The emperors of Later Zhou went through several generations. The previous old emperor had recently died. The new emperor was only 7.) 7 years old! (A young emperor just ascending the throne.) The age of entering elementary school. Many probably still have their pacifier. And he was already the emperor. What was the result?
(He definitely knew nothing of politics, and relied on the generals and officials. Back then, the country of Liao kept invading them. And then one year, on New Year’s Day, Liao came again to invade the border and attack Later Zhou. “OK, General Zhao, attack Liao as soon as possible and protect our cities.” So, Zhao Kuangyin brought the soldiers to war. After walking to the Chen Bridge Post Station, his soldiers started hyping and supporting him: “Let’s not fight Liao. We don’t want to be subjects of Later Zhou anymore. We support you. You are our boss. You are our true emperor. We support you as the emperor and will follow you.” Then someone took a yellow robe and put it on him.)
It seemed planned. (It is called “draping the yellow robe.”) Coup at Chen Bridge. (It is not clear if he accepted this arrangement willingly or was forced.) But he agreed to it. (He did. So he turned around and gave up on fighting Liao. He went back to Later Zhou, and wanted to replace the emperor of this country. When he reached the capital, the guards protecting the gate were all his friends. So they opened the gate and let him in. He urged the little emperor to step down and give the throne to him.) “You are still a baby.” (Of course, the little emperor did what he said.) He was too scared. (The throne was given to Zhao and he became the emperor; he named the country “Song”. That is how the Song dynasty began.) It was the beginning of the Northern Song dynasty. It turned out quite well.
Later, he had a successor. Those who like art will most likely know his name, Emperor Huizong of Song. He liked art and famous ceramic pieces. What kind of person was he? He was rumored to be a master in arts. First of all, he was the emperor, the emperor of Song. What were his main duties every day? He focused mainly on his hobby. It was rumored to be drawing. His drawings of flowers and birds looked very realistic. Very gorgeous. What about his calligraphy? Chinese wrote with writing brushes. It is not easy to write with them. He created his own font and named it “Slender Gold”.
(He was also a collector.) He was a collector. (A great collector. There is a very famous painting from Song dynasty called “Along the River During the Qing-ming Festival”. It depicted the lifestyle of the Northern Song dynasty very well. He was the first collector of this completed painting. He used his “Slender Gold” writing style to name this painting: “Along the River During the Qing-ming Festival”.) So artists in history regarded him as an originator in the art realm.
He also loved sports. (He liked playing soccer. In Song, it was called “Cuju”. It is the predecessor of soccer. Gao Qiu was really good at this. Due to his exceptional skill at Cuju, he performed on the streets. Then he was invited to play with the emperor.) As he was good at Cuju, the emperor was full of praise for him. So the emperor gave him a post equivalent to a general. It was a very important post. (He became an official.) And he was also one with great power.
Then something happened; Emperor Huizong didn’t expect it. One day, enemy troops didn’t just come to rob; they intended to conquer his country. When the army was at the palace gate, Huizong quit his post as an emperor. He gave up his throne to his son. In the end, the foreign troops took both of them. When they left, the entire Song government collapsed. He brought along over 100 officials and also more than 100 servants and maids; thousands of carpenters and countless treasures including the calligraphy, paintings and artworks collected by Huizong were all taken away.
OK, this is part of Chinese history. We won’t say if it is a good or disgraceful part. It is just an event in history. Being listeners, what are your thoughts?
(Emperor Huizong had great achievements in art. It was rare for any emperor to be skilled in arts. But he was incompetent in politics. In the end, he was a prisoner, and an emperor who lost his kingdom. He was regarded by later generations as “anything but the emperor”.)
Next, we will talk about Ming dynasty’s founding emperor, Zhu Yuanzhang. (Zhu Yuanzhang was born during the Yuan dynasty. It was brutal and violent back then. People struggled to survive. Zhu’s hometown was in Feng Yang County in An Hui Province. At that time there was nothing to eat. So when he was still young, his parents died of starvation; so did his elder brother. Thus, he was very poor and broke. To get proper meals, he became a monk in a temple.)
It was at Huang Jue Temple. “Huang” means “emperor”; “Jue” means “awaken”. He became a monk there. The temple was near his home. (At that time, his nickname was Zhu the Eighth, and not Zhu Yuanzhang.) It was just a number for a name. (Right.) (His grandpa was Zhu the First. His brother was Zhu the Fifth; the others were Sixth, Seventh, and he was the Eighth.) (Like his friends, Zhu the Eighth was a cowherd. All of them sought help from generals who revolted.) They were close to his area. (Right. They were not legit soldiers.) They were all farmers who revolted. As many people died of starvation, those with some courage or skills started organizing revolts.
He sought shelter with General Guo, a rebel. Being with General Guo, he didn’t have a post. But he was a born leader. In his village, those who had been with General Guo were already commanders in today’s context. Each in charge of around 100 people. The soldiers in the military respected them. Zhu, instead, ordered them around. “Go get me some wine.” “Help me wash the horses.” “Clean my shoes.” Others said, “Do you have a death wish? “Do you know who he is? He is the commander and you dare command him?” Zhu replied, “So what? If he doesn’t obey, I will whip and kick him.”
He said it with a straight face, not jokingly. He didn’t say, “We are from the same hometown. Why be afraid?” It made sense to him to command others. Even though the other person had a higher post, he still cooperated. Zhu changed his name then. General Guo always had a feeling of closeness and trust with him. So he gave him the name “Zhu Yuanzhang.” After many events, General Guo found Zhu Yuanzhang to be very capable. He was courageous and strategic, a real hero. So he gave Zhu new posts and power.
First, he gave him troops. Over time Zhu formed his small army. Some people realized his talent and wisdom in military affairs. Thus, they were happy to follow him. Wherever he went, people would follow. Zhu Yuanzhang went through decades of fighting. He was fearless. Of course, many soldiers were sacrificed. With their wit and wisdom, victory was finally achieved. A new kingdom, the Ming dynasty, was established.
Following that, he made many changes to the country’s government. Because he was born to the poorest and lowest of farmers, he couldn’t make a living, and had to be a monk and join the wars. He didn’t bear hatred toward the subjects at court. As a farmer’s child, he couldn’t imagine what the emperor and his subjects did. But he knew the sins committed by the officials directly governing the peasants. So he was especially intrigued by local governance.
When he became emperor, he was strict with the officials. He hoped peasants could have a better life, and the officials could be less corrupt. He hoped all officials would deliver and execute the emperor’s orders strictly. Many times, the orders were different when they reached the villages. For instance, the order was to collect 100 silver coins, but 1,000 coins were collected. The government received 100 coins. There was bribery and corruption in between. Zhu realized this problem early on. So he made many changes.
Everything was simple and minimal, from housing to furniture and clothing. This created the Ming-style furniture. It is a simple and minimalist style. The wood materials used for the furniture were utilized to the maximum. They were made using the simplest and most direct method. In the Tang dynasty, many practical tools in the palace were made of jade, gold and gems. Reforms started during the Song dynasty, but more changes happened in the Ming dynasty. Things that could be made with wood or brick would replace expensive materials like gold and white jade. The emperor hoped his people could have a better life. Government housing and the palace became even more simple.
He also reformed governance. He abolished the position of chancellor and created a new system where the emperor was personally in charge of the 6 departments. So he didn’t work 8 hours a day. It was 8 times 2. More than 15 hours. He didn’t drag things out. He allotted 5 minutes of discussion per case; he spent many hours a day. That is how tiring it was for him. This is what it took to be a good emperor who did his job. He had a big positive influence on life in China.
(Zhu of Ming dynasty suffered poverty at a young age. He started with nothing. After many challenges, he built the great Ming dynasty, which had a total of 16 emperors. As the emperor, he led a simple lifestyle and focused on governance. He aimed to benefit the people. But the Ming emperors after him only knew to have fun and indulged in various hobbies that led to the downfall of the Ming dynasty.)
OK, next. Let’s talk about Ming dynasty’s 10th emperor, Wuzong. (He saw all kinds of goods being sold at the markets outside, and he bought tofu, food, clothing, etc. He was intrigued and felt that palace life was boring. So he brought the operations of the market into the palace. He even dressed like a commoner, set up a booth and started selling. He made his maids and servants do the same. Even bargaining.) An unprecedented action. (He did it happily every day.) He liked selling and living a street lifestyle. It was fun and creative.
After him was Emperor Jia Jing. (He ruled for 45 years. He had a special hobby, Taoist alchemy. He invited many masters in various towns to his palace to teach him. Some of these masters even studied it with him. How much did he like alchemy? During his 45 years on the throne, he was absent from court for over 30 years. He focused on being an alchemist.)
What does “absent from court” mean? Many don’t know what it means. Couldn’t he work in his backyard? (It means not managing government affairs.) He did not work. (Right) Emperor not at work. The emperor didn’t manage what he should have. His subjects did his work. (“You guys manage. Go ahead and decide everything.”) “I will give you the emperor’s seal. Go ahead.” He would give power to someone he liked.
What did the emperor do? Practice alchemy. What was his purpose? (To be immortal.) To be a celestial being. So he practiced alchemy. Sounds fun. (Right.) I think Ming emperors were very creative. They were comparable to Song Huizong from Song dynasty. Didn’t work for over 20 years. His process of going to work was equal to the process of retiring. OK, the next emperor. What did he create?
(Next is Emperor Wanli. He was made emperor at 10. Very young. He had a teacher named Zhang Juzheng. Zhang mentored him on governance. He was strict. The young emperor detested studying but liked calligraphy. Zhang told him it was wrong; even if he turned out to be like Song Huizong, what use would it bring? He must manage court affairs. Maybe the teacher was too strict. After Zhang passed away, no one checked on the emperor. Of the 48 years on the throne, the emperor was not at work for nearly 30.)
What did he do instead? (Ate and enjoyed his life.) The palace had many beautiful women. (He lived a dissolute lifestyle.) The number-one playboy. (Exactly.) He had all kinds of vices. (Right.) Emperor Wanli. Very playful and creative. Any successors? (There were 2 descendants who succeeded him; they were also pretty shocking. After him was Emperor Guangzong. Everyone thought he would be different. Did he do anything constructive? He never stopped indulging in life and women. He died suddenly after being on the throne for 28 days.) This one had a short life; of course, this was not his fault.
(After him was Emperor Tianqi. This one was even more eccentric. He was very diligent; at times he even forgot to eat. But his energy was not put into managing the country; it was put into carpentry.) This sounds better than the first few. (He was also an inventor. Folding beds are said to have been created by him. And so are fountains.) Fountains? (He used wood to make folding beds, fountains, coffee tables, desks, shelves etc. These are more common items.)
(He was very passionate about it. After making a piece, he would sell it in the palace. Everyone would say, “This piece made by the emperor is good. Let’s buy it.”) Famous pieces. (All the sweet talk.) No matter how a piece turned out, it was still by the emperor. So the price must have been pretty high as well. (He wasn’t satisfied, though. “This still doesn’t prove my skills. I need to sell outside the palace. Get outsiders to judge and buy, not knowing who made it.”)
(He got his servants to bring his furniture to the marketplace and sell it in disguise. As expected, everyone loved his works.) Right. (High quality.) The furniture pieces that the emperor used for reference were exquisite. Those who taught him were all top carpenters. They were carpenters such as Lu Ban. The tools were also top-notch. So were the materials. The paint even more so. Right? Maybe he even used baking glaze for the paint. So of course the products were top quality. (After receiving unanimous praise from the people, he worked even harder.)
Very good. Now I feel proud that my father was a bricklayer; nothing shameful in that. Even the emperor was into carpentry. Carpenters and bricklayers are like brothers. Good. (These few Ming emperors were like that. One set up stalls, another practiced alchemy, and then the carpenter. About 80 years passed without anyone governing the affairs.) No governance. (Right. It was like that. And then came the last emperor. He was Emperor Chongzhen.)
(He was very diligent. He knew the country was in poverty. He lived life simply. The empress wore patched clothes. In his heart, he wanted to rejuvenate the mighty Ming dynasty. He had aspirations and goals. Unfortunately, he was born at the wrong time. The country’s power had weakened beyond help. Soon after he met with enemy troops. At the border was Nurhachi and his troops waiting to strike. Even a diligent emperor would be at a loss. Nothing could be done. That was it.)
Emperor Chongzhen was born at the wrong time. No matter how diligent or magnanimous he was, the country’s resources had been depleted. Everyone had lost confidence, belief and faith in the country. The previous emperors, for around 100 years, didn’t care for the people or their livelihoods. Ignoring governance means not caring for the people. Officials were allowed to make poor decisions. It was extra for Ming dynasty lasted 100 more years. It should have been replaced far earlier.
Today we won’t judge history; a few classes are needed to talk about this. I can’t do the summary. This should be discussed with all our friends here in order to have a summary.
(If there was a choice in life, would Emperor Chongzhen want to be born into royalty again? Would Emperor Tianqi want to be a carpenter or an emperor? We wouldn’t know. It seems one’s fate is set by Heaven. Thus, can fate be changed? Can we escape our set fate?)
There is another story; one about General Cao and the Taoist grandmaster Chen Tuan. This is a story about this person whose predicted fate changed.
(When Zhao Kuangyin, the first emperor of Song, was on the throne, he had a great general named Cao Bin. He was a general from Later Zhou but joined Zhao to conquer the world. He became a general in Song dynasty. When he was one year old, as per tradition, he was given things to pick up as a way to gauge his later life’s path. This method is said to predict fate. He grabbed a weapon with his left hand and a seal with his right.)
(So being an official seemed fated. He became a great general and fought in many wars. He achieved many outstanding victories. One day, he met the famous Taoist sage Chen Tuan. When Master Chen Tuan saw General Cao, he said, “The career in your early years may be great in every way. But it may not be so in your later years.”)
(Once while trying to take over a city in the South, he surrounded it but didn’t attack. He negotiated with the other general, trying to persuade him to surrender. He said, “If you surrender, you would save yourself and the citizens in the city. It would be wonderful!” That general was hesitant. This dragged on for a long time. When attack was imminent, Cao Bin said to his mates, “I am sick and I can’t fight.” Everyone visited him, “How is your health? Are you alright? Shall we find you a good doctor?”)
(General Cao said, “My sickness can’t be cured with medicine.” “Then how?” Everyone was worried. He said, ” If you want me cured, you will have to promise me. When attacking the city, don’t kill the innocents. Then I will be cured.” They replied, “OK, no problem. We will listen to you.” So, burning an incense stick, they made a promise to Heaven. On the second day, he said he felt much better. The city siege was solved peacefully on the third day. As expected, no innocents were killed. When he entered the city, the people welcomed them with food, wine and water. They felt grateful as massacres were avoided.)
Fighting wars in ancient times was tough. They had people defending the city. Also, city walls were usually made of bricks or stones. They were very sturdy and difficult to climb up. Very upright with no cracks to hold onto. Cracks would allow enemies to climb up. Usually there was a moat around the city. Another protection. Also, the big city wall had a pathway of 2 to 3 meters. This pathway was connected to the city.
On the pathway were stores of weapons used to protect the city. Like blocks of wood used to hit the enemies if they climbed up the walls. Even oil, wood, stones, arrows and big rocks. Anything that fended off the enemies could be found. These ancient walls were called parapets, be it in China or anywhere else. There were indents and parts that stuck out. Like a horse’s teeth. Soldiers hid behind the taller parts. Soldiers were shielded from arrows and retaliated when chances arose.
What is the purpose of the general? He killed for his own benefit. He wrote a letter and shoot it up there with an arrow, or maybe he sent someone to negotiate. “I will give you 3 days to open the gate and surrender. Or else I will bring my troops to massacre the city.” What does that mean? Everyone, regardless of gender, age and position, would be killed. All were scared of the threat. Officials were under pressure; they were unafraid but feared for the people. Many surrendered to protect the lives of the people. This is a mental strategy. But many people really did it.
In ancient times, there were many rules. Generally, massacres were disallowed. But to gain power, rebels and attackers didn’t care. This happened at least 1000 times in the history of China. Many military rules stated no killing of those surrendered. Some killed them though, out of hate. “I can’t beat them; I hate them. Whether they surrendered or not, I will kill them all.” This was against the rules and morals of the past.
So before the attack, General Cao Bin wanted all to follow the set rules. He didn’t want a massacre and even pretended to be sick. “I have been good to you and you hope I get well, right? Then no killing of the innocents. If they don’t resist, don’t kill, whether they are officials, soldiers or citizens. No robbery either.” Some said, “I am a soldier with a weapon. Since you are the families of my enemies, I will steal your fortune and take away your women.” These were not allowed. The commoners were happy.
(After this, he met Master Chen Tuan again. Chen was surprised to see him. “General Cao, your facial features look different. They have changed.” Chen told him, “Your cheeks look fuller. Your lips and chin look good too. There is a ray of golden light radiating from between your eyes.” General Cao asked him what this meant. Master Chen replied, “Light radiating for having merits. Upon accumulating merits and virtues, one radiates this light. Your eyes, overall facial features and disposition are extremely good. You will be happy and healthy in old age. Your descendants will be well too.”)
(I have another story about Cao. Once, his subordinate committed a crime. He was set to be flogged as punishment. General Cao said, “I will defer the punishment for a year.” Many wondered about his tolerance. Were there any personal reasons? Cao said, “He just got married. If I punished him right now, his parents might think his wife brings bad luck. The in-laws would attack and look down on her. It would be difficult for the wife to live in his house. So, I will punish him a year later. I am not covering for him but just being considerate.”)
He had a kind heart. (He lived a long life, with good beginning and ending. His sons were great Song generals too. His granddaughter was the empress of Emperor Renzong.) His grandson, the emperor’s brother-in-law, is one of the Eight Immortals. He became an immortal. (Right. Among his descendants was a female practitioner who also achieved enlightenment. His descendants all turned out to be really good.)
We won’t make comments on these stories. What we have talked about today is for everyone to reflect upon. What exactly is fate? I want to remind everyone; fate is not easily understood. Fate, facial features, luck, position, power, the amount of wealth and the wellbeing of descendants are all connected. None stands alone. Everyone asks for stories of commoners. Commoners live common lives. Their stories won’t inspire reflection.
Deep thought and reflection come from stories based on famous figures. Looking at the emperors in the 2 dynasties gives much food for thought. We are the emperor of our life, right? How do you live your life? Why do you live this way? I will leave the reflecting to you. I hope to see everyone again soon. Thank you, everyone. (Thank you, Master.)