The scourge of witchcraft

In the second year of Zheng He (9 1 BC), Jingsheng, the son of Prime Minister Gong Sunhe, was denounced as a witch and cursed Emperor Wu, slept with him, and his father and son died in prison. Princess Zhu Yi, the son of Yang Shi Princess and Wei Qing, was executed. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty ordered Jiang Chong, his favourite, as an emissary to treat witchcraft. Jiang Chong had a gap with him, so he framed the prince, including Hou and eunuch. Wei Ruyun Zifu and Liu Yuxin committed suicide one after another. For a long time, I didn't believe in witchcraft Tian et al. sued the prince of Wu, and Liang Wudi was rushed by the barbarians and burned to death. He also built a "thinking uterus", which was harmed by the prince as a "thinking platform" to mourn.

The witch case that happened in the later years of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty was a very important historical event in the Western Han Dynasty. This case caused great political changes in the later period of Emperor Wu of Han Dynasty. However, why this case happened has always been confusing and controversial, which has become a huge mystery in the life history of Emperor Wu of Han Dynasty. Song Hong Mai's "The Continuation of Rongzhai" says: "Although the witch disaster of the Han Dynasty began in Jiang Chong, it happened, but some people are unknown."

What is witchcraft? The word "witchcraft" has never been used. The speaker may have participated in the divination of the Book of Changes. ("Book of Changes" divination is borrowing the old, and has nothing to do with witchcraft. ) It's all fake. Method, that is, bewitch. The ancient sound method attracts ghosts (saying: "The ghost of death is also the method." ) and curse, is a curse. The so-called "witchcraft" is the art of witchcraft and ghosts or witchcraft and curses. Hanshu said that witchcraft originated from witches. The technology of witchcraft comes from shaman witchcraft believed by Huns. (Shaman, jurchen language, refers to witchcraft. "Three Dynasties North Alliance": "Shaman (Shaman) is also a witch in Jurchen language, as flexible as a god." Its origin is very ancient, and it is widely believed by people in the North and East Lake (Tunguska). )

The specific method of witchcraft is to make a puppet out of paulownia and write the name, date of birth and so on of the cursed person. Put it on it, and then bury it in or near the cursed person's residence by magic and curse. Practitioners believe that through such magic, the souls of the cursed can be controlled or ingested.

In the late Warring States and Han Dynasties, due to the migration and mixed residence of ethnic groups, the wind of witchcraft permeated the Central Plains and gradually spread from the lower level to the upper level. Zou Yan, a famous wizard at the end of the Warring States Period, was a great wizard. The Story of the Spring and Autumn Period written by Dong Zhongshu, a great scholar in Dongwu period, also contains witchcraft of five elements and praying for rain. Confucianism has always been famous for its rationality, but China Confucianism believes in witchcraft. It can be seen that witchcraft penetrated widely at that time. During the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, Queen Chen Ajiao fell out of favor and cursed her opponent Wei Zifu with witchcraft. When Liang Wudi realized it, she was deposed, and more than 300 people, including the witch's uncle and imperial secretary, were implicated. ("Historical Records Family of consorts" records that "(Empress Chen) heard about Wei Zifu's great fortune and how many people died. The angrier you are. Empress Chen was so impressed by this woman's flattery that she abolished Empress Chen and made Wei Zifu Queen. "As the saying goes,' Nu Da compels Taoism', and Sima Zhen's Seeking Seclusion: Han Shu says,' Nu Da Chu Fu and others sit and curse for the queen, and 300 people are associated with it. "") but the impact of the case is still small.

The witch disaster, which began in November of the first year of Zhenghe, lasted for several years. The dead included Crown Prince, Queen Wei, Prime Minister Gong Sunhe, Liu Quli, Princess, Princess and Sun, and many ministers and important figures, such as Jiang Chong, Shi De, Ren An, Bao Shengzhi, Ren Tian and Zhu Anshi. As a result, there was a serious political crisis in the upper strata of the Han empire, which led to unprecedented political changes in the later period of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. Includes four stages.

(1) Brewing and preparation

(2) Triggering of events

(3) The contradiction intensified into turmoil in Beijing.

(4) Repair and cleaning

During the period of Emperor Wudi and Tian Han, epidemics prevailed in China. This epidemic may have originated from the biological warfare launched by the Huns. Because Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty launched a large-scale strategic attack on Xiongnu, Xiongnu Wang Ting moved to Mobei. In order to stop the Han army, the Huns used the shaman witchcraft of "tiger martial arts". One of the methods of this witchcraft "cursing the army" is to bury the infected horses, cattle and sheep in the water source where the Han army passes, or release the infected horses infected with a virulent virus to the Han army, so that the people and animals of the Han army will get sick. ("History of the Western Regions" and Notes) The epidemic disease returned to Chang 'an with the return of the division. Huo Qubing, a generation famous soldier, died young at the age of 24. He must have suffered from an incurable disease. (After the first year of the Yuan Dynasty, Xiongnu Khan died in the youth, and probably died of epidemic disease. Emperor Gaozu Zhao Di also died of illness at the age of 21. )

After the middle and late period of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, epidemics prevailed in China. (Zhang Hua's "Natural History" Note: During the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, people from the western regions with weak water and sandy soil crossed the weak water to burn incense. The emperor said it would last forever, and it wasn't China who lacked it, so he did it unceremoniously. After a long stay, the emperor was fortunate to go to the forest garden, and he made a thousand rides in the west and played its fragrance. The emperor took it and saw that it was as big as a swallow's egg, with three pieces, similar to dates. The emperor was unhappy, in order to pay the foreign library. After the Great Plague in Chang 'an, all the palaces were plagues. The emperor did not raise music, and the western envoys begged for it. Please burn a tribute to alleviate the epidemic. The emperor had to listen, and it was not good for the patients in the palace to bask in the sun. In Chang 'an, thyme smells the fragrance. People in the Han Palace were infected with the epidemic. In his later years, Emperor Wu also contracted many diseases. "How evil the Spring and Autumn Period is", "I thought the left and right were spells." I suspect that I am enchanted.

According to the historical records of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty: In the second year of Tian Han (99 BC), "autumn, those who stop the witch temple will be searched." The so-called "big search", the minister praised: "'search' means traitors." Jin Zhuo's Note: "Search for' witchcraft'."

Witchcraft cases occurred in the context of epidemics. The first victim of the witchcraft case was the famous Gongsun 'ao family with outstanding military achievements. Gong Sun 'ao is a good friend of Wei Qing, who made many expeditions to Xiongnu and sealed Hou. In the first month of the first year of Taishigong, Gongsun Ao took his wife as a witch and beheaded her.

In the second year of Zheng He (9 1 BC), it was reported that Sun Jingsheng, the son of Prime Minister Gong Sunhe, cursed the emperor with witchcraft.

GongSunHe, a samurai, was a good friend of Wei Qing when he was young. Follow Wei Qing to conquer Xiongnu for many times, and seal Hou with meritorious military service. He married Wei Zifu's sister Junru, and had a brother-in-law relationship with Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, so he was once highly valued. First of all, he is a servant. In the second year of Tai Chu (BC 103), he succeeded Shi Qing as Prime Minister. His son, Gongsun Jingsheng, took over the position of his servant, and his father and son lived next to each other in the official position, which was a favor to Moby.

However, Gong Jingsheng was "partial to one family", "defiant and law-abiding" and misappropriated "19 million yuan of Beiyang Army" without authorization. He was arrested after the incident. GongSunHe asked Liang Wudi to redeem his son, and asked him to hunt down Zhu Anshi, a warrior of Yangling who had been wanted for a long time but had not been brought to justice, in exchange for his son.

After being captured by GongSunHe, Zhu Anshi laughed at the sky and said, You kill me, and I will destroy your family. So he wrote the first report letter in prison, "accuse Jingsheng of adultery with Yang Shi Princess, and make people worship witches, bury my spouse in Ganquan Palace, and wish the emperor a bad word."

According to the report, the whole family of Emperor Wu Zhao Gongsun He "has a case in the palace and committed crimes against the poor."

This is the origin of the witchcraft case. Princess Zhu Yi, Yang Shi Princess and Wei Hou Eva, the son of Wei Qing, were all involved in the case of GongSunHe.

"In the first month of the spring of Zheng He's second year, the Prime Minister was imprisoned." Father and son died in prison, and the whole family died. (The Biography of Hanshu GongSunHe) GongSunHe's wife is the sister of Wei Queen and the brother-in-law of Wei Qing. Yang Shi Princess is the daughter of Emperor Wu of Han Dynasty and Wei Ruyun. A few months later, Wei Ruyun's daughter "Princess Zhu Yi and Yang Shi Princess both died of witchcraft".

The case of GongSunHe became the fuse to ignite the witch case and Chang 'an coup. When the GongSunHe case was rectified, Emperor Wu was already ill. "When you are sick, you will spend the summer in Ganquan Palace", and Chang 'an "only the queen and the prince are here". However, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty did not trust them, and entrusted the responsibility of correcting the case of Gong Sunhe to the new prime minister Liu Quli and the suggestion Zhang Jiangxi. The case was investigated by Jiang Chong, a favorite with a complicated and suspicious political background.

Jiang Chong, a native of Handan and Zhao, was born as a street rascal. When he was young, he married his beautiful sister to Dan of Zhao State and became a guest of Zhao State. Later, he had a nasty affair with Prince Zhao, that is, he went to Chang 'an to report all kinds of illegal acts of Prince Dan.

Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty illegally ruled Liu Zhuwang and his family. According to Jiang Chong's report, Prince Zhao was found guilty and died in prison. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty praised Jiang Chong and appointed him as an official to the Huns. Before going to the mission, Liang Wudi asked him what his plan was. He said that everything should be prepared temporarily. Jiang Chong lived in Xiongnu for nearly a year. After he came back, he was reused. Liang Wudi appointed him as an imperial adviser with no fixed abode, "pointing directly at the embroidered clothes messenger", in charge of public security in the capital, "supervising three auxiliary thieves, forbidding inspection and exceeding the system".

When Jiang Chong was in office, he inspected the prince and his children severely and illegally, and dared to confront difficulties, so he won the appreciation of Emperor Wu. "I am honest and straightforward, and I am not loyal to the law. I like what I said. " For example, Jiang Chong once "illegally buried" princess royal, the aunt of Emperor Wu who was running around Chidao. He also punished the prince's messenger who galloped on the imperial road. The prince personally interceded, and Jiang Chong also lost face.

After the case of GongSunHe ended, Emperor Wu was trapped by epidemic disease and lived in Ganquan Palace, far away from Chang 'an. Seeing that Emperor Wu was old, Jiang Chong was afraid of revenge after the death of the Prince. With the support of Prime Minister Liu Quli, he decided to use the case of GongSunHe to frame the Prince and Wei Ruyun. "History of Han Jiang Chong Biography" notes: "(Jiang Chong) is obsessed with witchcraft". "So God used it as an emissary to cure witchcraft." He met Emperor Wu and said that the reason why Emperor Wu was ill was witchcraft. So Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty authorized Jiang Chong to set up a special project to further investigate witchcraft.

The investigation of the case is getting bigger and bigger, so that Emperor Wu "suspects that both sides are curses". Jiang Chong took the opportunity to instruct Hu Wu Tan He to deceive Emperor Wu, saying, "There are many evils in the palace. If you don't get rid of it, you will never be good. " Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty believed his words, ordered Jiang Chong to enter the palace for poor governance, and sent Hou Han, Zhang Qian and Huang Men (official) Su Wen to assist Jiang Chong in supervision.

After Jiang Chong was instructed to investigate the witchcraft cases in Chang 'an on a large scale, he was dissatisfied with the Weishi Group for a long time, so he appointed a group of wizards from Xiongnu and the Western Regions. It is worth noting that most of these witches came from Xiongnu, the enemy of the Han Dynasty. "Witch Hu" colluded with Jiang Chong and framed and dragged tens of thousands of people to death. By investigating "witchcraft", a Chang 'an city is in a filthy state. Finally, the investigation pointed to the prince Wei and the palace. "Hanshu" notes: "Hu Wu is accused of digging for a mate, catching tricks and night vision, damn it, and making dirty orders. We need to arrest him for treatment, burn him with iron tongs and force him to take it. The people turned to witchcraft, and the officials collapsed against the law, and tens of thousands of people sat around the dead. "

Jiang Chong personally led Hu Wu into the palace to search. "Go to the palace to go to the province, and the bad king will sit and dig the ground." "Fill the harem, treat Mrs. Xing first, then treat the queen and the womb, and dig the ground. There is no place for the prince and the queen to re-bed."

As a result, Jiang Chong really dug up Mu Tong people and silk books with spells in his wife's womb. He proudly declared: "There are many child lovers in my wife's womb, as well as silk books. If you don't say anything, you should act. "

In fact, all witches and dolls found in the Thai Palace and the Imperial Palace were set in advance by Jiang Chong at the instigation of Hu witches and imperial secretaries. Yan Shigu quoted the cloud of "Three Volts and Nineties" in Hanshu: "(Ginger) buried it as a witch's work." Zhang Yan said, "(Jiang) the witch hunters and the people who sacrificed at night made Hu Yao see a ghost and tricked him into giving up drinking and having a place to live." "。 "Tao:' Catch the night shrine, catch people to see ghosts, and (Jiang) sent a witch to the shrine to sacrifice, falsely accusing it." (Biography of Wu Han Wuzi Liu Yuxin) Note: "(Jiang) supplements the canon to cure' witchcraft', knowing its meaning, there is something strange in Bai Yan Palace, and when you enter the palace to save the province, the bad throne digs the ground. The envoys were assisted by Youdao Houhan, Zhang Qian and Huangmen. Fill it up, dig it out in the womb, and you'll get a child molester. " Wang Xianqian's Han Shu Bu: "I dug six bronze men, all of whom were acupuncture." )

Seeing that unfair things were about to happen to Luo Zhi and his mother, Wei Ruyun, the prince was very anxious, but he still consulted his left and right assistants. The young prince Shide suggested that Liu kill Jiang Chong. He said: "The former Gongsun He and his son, two princesses and the Wei Heng family were all framed and killed. Now Hu Wu has come to frame the prince and dug up the puppet. The emperor won't know that this was set by Hu Wu, and he will think that we are really cursing him, and we can't confess. Instead of doing nothing, kill Jiang Chong and Hu Wu. Did the prince forget that Fu Su, the former prince of Qin Shihuang, died unjustly? " 〒 "The former Prime Minister and his son, two princesses, and the Wei family have all sat. Now, witches and messengers must dig up the ground to check. I don't know the evil of witchcraft, but it will be true and self-evident.

At this time, Jiang Chong drove the prince to be in a hurry, and the prince was in a hurry to agree with Shi De. At noon in July, the prince sent a hypothetical person to arrest Jiang Chong and others. Jiang Chong's assistant, according to the later Han Dynasty, doubted the identity of the emissary, refused to be summoned and was killed. The prince sent someone to inform the queen, distribute weapons to the guards, search for people suspected of witchcraft in the city, and announce Jiang Chong's rebellion to his ministers. The prince immediately killed Jiang Chong and executed the wizard in Shanglinyuan. However, the secret let Su Wen escape and accused the prince of treason. At first, Emperor Wu didn't believe it: "The prince will be afraid and angry, so there is this change." The messenger was sent to summon the prince, but the messenger dared not go to see the prince and reported to Emperor Wu that "the prince has become a prince and wants to behead the minister and flee."

Father and son finally lost the last chance to communicate. After being deceived by Su Wen and others twice in a row, Liang Wudi was furious and ordered the Prime Minister Liu Qu to calm the chaos. The prince assembled tens of thousands of people and fought fiercely with the prime minister's army for five days, killing and injuring tens of thousands of people. Finally, the prince was weak and defeated, so he had to flee Chang 'an. The queen committed suicide and many of the prince's guests were killed. At this time, Emperor Wudi was furious, but his ministers did not dare to say anything. The old man Huguansan wrote: "The prince enters and is invisible. When he retreated, he was trapped in a chaotic minister. He can't bear to be angry, but he kills when he gets up and drinks. He was afraid of running away. He stole his father's soldiers to save his ears. I feel innocent. " (The prince enters, but he can't see the emperor. When he retreated, he was troubled by the framed by the rebels. He is wronged by himself and has nowhere to complain. He couldn't help feeling resentful and killed Jiang Chong, but he was forced to flee for fear that the emperor would punish him. As the son of your majesty, the prince embezzled his father's army just to protect himself from being framed by others. I don't think there is any evil intention. "Wise men dare not speak, debaters dare not speak, I steal it!" Only your majesty can relax and comfort you, mind your relatives and don't be wronged by the prince. Stop armour and let the prince die for a long time! I am overwhelmed, I will give my life once, and I will be punished under Zhang Jian Palace! "I'm really sorry that smart people dare not speak, and articulate people can't open their mouths. I hope your majesty will relax and calm down, don't criticize your relatives, don't be bitter about the mistakes of the prince, immediately end the conquest of the prince and don't let the prince escape for a long time! I am loyal to your majesty, and I am prepared to spend my short life to be punished outside Zhang Jian Palace. Emperor Wu woke up and regretted it, but he did not pardon the prince. The prince fled to a poor family in Huxian county, and the head of the household often sold it to maintain the prince's life. The prince has a rich old friend here, who was discovered because Liu sent someone to look for him. Officials rounded up the prince, who committed suicide by refusing to be arrested, and the head of the household was also killed. In the third year of Zheng He (90 BC), Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty learned about witchcraft, but it was difficult to overturn what he had done before. At this time, Jiro Qian Qiu, the official who guarded the Imperial Palace, wrote a letter to rehabilitate the Prince: "Being a father and a soldier is a sin; The son of the son of heaven killed someone by mistake. Why not? I dreamed that a Chinese Pulsatilla taught me to speak. " Realizing this, Liang Wudi took the opportunity to step down and characterized the prince as "the son is the father soldier". At the same time, he summoned Tian and said meaningfully: "Between father and son, people are hard to say, and the public knows each other. This high temple god taught me that the public should help me. " Therefore, within one year, he was promoted to several levels and became the prime minister. Then. In a rage, Emperor Wudi destroyed Jiang Chong and Liu Quli's family and burned Su Wen on the cross bridge. Those who used to add a prince's weapon to the Spring Pigeon were initially appointed as the northern satrap, and later they were all beheaded.

Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty deplored the innocence of the prince, so he built a platform for thinking about the uterus and returning to his thoughts in Huxian County where his beloved son died (now south of Didong Village, Yuling Town, Lingbao County, Sanmenxia City, Henan Province) to express his grief. This move made the whole world cry. The case of the raging prince greatly stimulated the later years of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, prompting him to issue an imperial edict, reflect on what he has done for decades, and prohibit cruelty, stop taxing and help farmers. The revision of Ma Zheng's decree made up for the shortage of military equipment and created favorable conditions for the revival of Zhao Xuan.

After the death of the prince, Emperor Wu delayed the establishment of the prince. As the eldest son of Emperor Wu, Liu Dan, the prince of Yan, asked to stay in Chang 'an (apparently seeking the position of the prince). Emperor Wu dismissed him: "Having children should be the hometown of Qilu etiquette!" And punish the prince, cut its Liangxiang, Anci and Wen 'an counties. In February of the second year of Yuan Dynasty, Emperor Wu fell ill and finally decided to make Liu Fuling, the son of Mrs. Gou Jian of Zhao, the Crown Prince. The next day, Huo Guang (Huo Qubing's half-brother) was General Fu, and he was ordered to be assisted by General Che Qi, General Zuo Shangguan Jie, and Suggestion Sang Hongyang. On the third day, Emperor Wu died.

The prince has three sons and one daughter, the eldest son is the grandson of the emperor in history (that is, the father of Emperor Wu of Han Dynasty), and the eldest daughter is Shang Pingyu and Hou. They were all killed because of witchcraft rebellion, leaving only Liu Xun, the great grandson of the emperor. Seventeen years later, Liu Fuling died childless. After Huo Guang abolished Liu He, he helped Liu Xun to ascend the throne for Xuan Di. After Liu Xun ascended the throne, he issued an imperial edict saying, "So the Crown Prince is in the lake, and at the age of twenty, he will not set up a monument or a shrine. The proposal is to set up a garden. " It is said that Liu Qiaocheng called it "grumpy" (Shuowen, a work of the Eastern Han Dynasty: "grumpy"). Master Qu, come out of the dog house. The killer was embarrassed, too. Therefore, the word "sin" should take the meaning of being wronged), so Liu Ye is called "the prince of sin"

On the surface, the tragedy of the criminal prince's imprisonment is caused by many accidental factors, but in fact it stems from the struggle for "exclusive", "exclusive" and "lifelong hereditary" imperial power, which is the distortion of human nature by power desire. From Xia, Shang and Zhou Dynasties to the unified Qin and Han Dynasties, the life tenure of the monarch and the hereditary succession of the throne were made into socially recognized systems. Monarchical power is supreme and unrestricted, and the absolute centralization of the monarch has become an unquestionable concept. As a result, the incidents of coveting and usurping the throne have emerged one after another, that is, the struggle for the throne between flesh and blood relatives has also led to one tragedy after another. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty was bewitched by treacherous court officials, and the villains took advantage of the suspicion of Emperor Wu in his later years, which led to a tragedy between the originally close father and son.