As we all know, "Long live" was a special name for the emperor in ancient times. At that time, if anyone dared to say "Long live", it would mean that he was going to rebel. But perhaps many people don't know that "Long live" was not the proper name of the emperor at first.
1
1. "Long live" is originally a word for celebration and blessing.
The word "Long live" first appeared in Han Feizi: "The wish of the wizard (wū xí) was heard, but the life of one day was not signed by others, so this person made a simple witch wish.
The general idea is as follows: Wizards like to say "I wish you a long life" when they bless people. This kind of blessing keeps ringing in my ears, but everyone knows that no one can live forever, which is why people despise wizards. From this record, we can know that "Long live" is a blessing word, which can be used by all people regardless of their status and status.
2
In the New Preface written by Liu Xiang in the Western Han Dynasty, when Liang Jun, the monarch of Wei State, was hunting and shooting geese, a pedestrian did not listen to dissuasion, and the geese were frightened when he walked around. Liang Jun wanted to shoot the pedestrians angrily. The coachman told the story that Qi Jinggong begged for rain without sacrificing people, and suggested that Liang Jun should take care of the people. Liang Jun woke up and went back with the coachman. After entering the temple gate, Liang Jun shouted "Long live" and said, "It's really good luck today. Others can get their prey by hunting. I came back with good words."
At least in the early years of the Western Han Dynasty, the original meaning of "Long live" did not change much from that of ancient times, expressing a feeling of celebration. Chu and Han fought for hegemony. When Xiang Yu returned Liu Bang's father and wife, Lv Hou, who were captured alive, it was recorded in Historical Records that the Han army called "Long live". Here, it also expresses a kind of celebration and blessing.
3
2. Song Kangwang and Qin Shihuang were first called "Long live"
Song Kangwang was the first king in the world to be called "Long live". King Kang of Song Dynasty was the last monarch of Song State during the Warring States Period, with boundless strength and handsome appearance. When he was in office, he explored the east and the west, expanded the land for more than 3 miles, and destroyed Tengguo, becoming the "five thousand times power song." But because of his tyrannical temperament, people called him "Jie Song" and compared him with the tyrant Xia Jie.
Song Kangwang likes to feast all night in the palace. People in the palace call him "Long live" (long live the people in the room), and everyone inside and outside the palace answers. Finally, all the people in the Song Dynasty shout "Long live", and no one dares not shout it like this (so much so that no one in the country dares not call the long live person).
Qin Shihuang was the first emperor to be called "Long live". According to Records of the Historian, zhān was a dwarf who performed singing and dancing in Qin Gong. One day, a banquet was held in Qin Shihuang Palace, and the guards at the steps of the main hall were drenched by heavy rain. Youyou pitied them and suggested, "I'll call you later and promise me soon."
Soon after, when the ministers toasted Qin Shihuang and shouted "Long live" (Long live the longevity in the temple), Youyou walked out of the palace and shouted, "Guard!" The guard replied, "Yes." You You said, "What's the use of you being tall? I can only stand in the rain. Although I am short, I am fortunate to drink here. " Qin Shihuang then showed mercy and allowed the guards to take turns to stand guard, and the number was reduced by half.
3. Song Mountain, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, was blessed with "Long live"
Qin Shihuang was called "Long live", but he died in the second year. "Long live" was not inherited at the beginning of the Han Dynasty and was used to call the emperor Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty again. In the first 11 years, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty went to Songshan Mountain to worship heaven. When he walked down the mountain, he heard three shouts of "Long live" in the air, but everyone said they didn't shout it themselves.
So everyone thinks that this is the arrival of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, which is a blessing from heaven. Therefore, "Long live the mountain call" has become a fixed phrase. Since then, the emperors of the Han Dynasty have been called "Long live". In the first 51 years, under the continuous attack of the Han army, Uhaanyehe, the Hun, surrendered and led his troops to Chang 'an.
4
According to Records of the Historian, tens of thousands of Xiongnu princes and princes lined up, and Emperor Xuandi boarded the Wei Bridge to bow down, and all the ministers and Xiongnu shouted "Long live". Since then, "Long live" has become the special name of Emperor Xuandi. By the time of Emperor Liu Zhaoshi of the Eastern Han Dynasty, "Long live" became the special name of the emperor and was not allowed to be used by officials.
According to the Book of the Later Han Dynasty, Dou Xian, the general of the Eastern Han Dynasty, defeated the Xiongnu and returned to Wuwei. The Emperor Han and Emperor Zhao Dou Xian came to Chang 'an to discuss with officials below Shangshu, and later met Dou Xian and shouted "Long live". At this time, Shang Shu ordered Han Ling to say seriously: "There is no reason for courtiers to call' Long live' according to the etiquette system" (no courtiers call it' Long live').
In the Eastern Han Dynasty, "Long live" can be used for emperors, but it can't be used to address ministers. Even if it has made great contributions, "Long live" only belongs to emperors. Moreover, ministers should call the emperor "Long live" on major occasions such as conferring the crown prince and celebrating the Spring Festival.
4. The Tang and Song Dynasties continued the tradition of "Long live"
As the creator of the Han cultural circle, the tradition of calling the emperor "Long live" was followed by all dynasties and generations. In 764, the Tang Dynasty liberated Guo Ziyi from the siege of Jingyang and reunited with the Uighur Ministry. They made a toast and vowed: "Long live the Emperor of Tang Dynasty! Long live the Uighur Khan! "
At the end of the Tang Dynasty, Tang Zhaozong was forced to move to Luoyang under the control of Zhu Wen. When driving to Huazhou, people lined the streets and shouted "Long live". Tang Zhaozong cried and said, "Don't shout long live, I am no longer your emperor (don't shout long live, I am no longer your Lord)".
After the mutiny in Chen Qiao, Zhao Kuangyin, Song Taizu, the army returned to the capital, and the assistant minister of the Ministry of War, Fan Zhi and Prime Minister Wang Pu came to see Zhao Kuangyin in the later Zhou Dynasty. Fan Zhi refused to recognize the new emperor at first, so Wang Pu had to bow down alone. Fan Zhi had to bow down, and went one step further and shouted "Long live". It can be seen that it was a rule at that time to shout "Long live" only to the emperor.
In the Jin Dynasty, Zhang Zong Wan Yanjing once ordered that the performers were not allowed to perform the emperor's play, and were not allowed to call it "Long live" in the play. The reason is that "Long live" is used to address the current emperor. Although there was a folk custom of saying "Long live" during banquets to express blessings, it has become a "supreme name" since it was used in the palace for the emperor's blessings.
5. The folk name "Long live" disappeared after the Ming and Qing Dynasties
Although from the beginning of Emperor Wu of Han Dynasty, "Long live" was gradually fixed for the exclusive use of emperors. However, due to the strength of folk traditions, until the Tang and Song Dynasties, ordinary people still called each other "Long live" when congratulating each other. Even when a minister made a meritorious military service, his subordinates shouted "Long live" and were not convicted.
Moreover, people have had the habit of naming names with "Long live" since ancient times: The Book of the Later Han Dynasty recorded that there was a man named Wang Long live; "History of the North" records that there are two people named Li Viva and Shi Wansui; The Book of the Tang Dynasty records that when Yan Zhenqing fought against the Anshi Rebellion, his subordinates had a general named Long Live Diao ... There must be more "Long Live X" that was not recorded.
"Long live" completely withdrew from the people in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. When Emperor Chenghua was born, the sky changed and the comet rushed to the sun. The emperor summoned Lao Wan 'an, Liu Xie and Liu Ji to discuss the matter. When Wan 'an spoke, he would only shout "Long live", and the other two had to quit. Therefore, Wan 'an was called "Long live the old cabinet" by the officials of the dynasty, and only knew how to shout "Long live".
since the Ming dynasty, it has become a necessary ceremony for ministers to shout "Long live" when they meet the monarch. In the Qing Dynasty, the ceremony of "Long live" was brought to the extreme, and other names such as "Long live" were derived ...