Description of Shang Yang?

Shang Yang (about 390 ~ 338 BC) was a native of Wei State (now Luoyang, Henan Province), formerly known as Wei Yang or Gongsun Yang, a famous politician and a major representative of Legalism in the Warring States Period. I like learning the name of punishment since I was a child. I went to the State of Qin in 36 1 year BC and gained the trust of Qin Xiaogong. I served as Zuo Shuchang and Liang Zao, and held the military and political power of Qin State for 20 or 20 years. After the fifteen cities of Yu (now the eastern part of Henan Neixiang) and Shang (now the southeast of Shangxian County, Shaanxi Province) were sealed as Shangjun, they were sealed as Shang Yang.

Shang Yang lived in the mid-Warring States period, and wars of vassal separatism and annexation were frequent. In order to enrich Qin and establish a unified feudal empire, he successively carried out two political reform activities centered on "agricultural war" and "rule of law". Shang Yang's political reform was a profound social change in the history of our country, which effectively dealt a blow to the old system and the old relations of production, made the backward State of Qin a first-class power that overwhelmed the six Shandong countries, and laid a solid foundation for Qin Shihuang's later unification of China.

Population thought plays an important role in Shang Yang's thought. "Many soldiers are strong, and this emperor's great wealth is also" ("Shu Weak People"). The following quotations in this article, where quoted from this book, only note the title). He believes that a large population is an important prerequisite for winning the annexation war and unifying the world. If the population is too small, there will be no extra manpower to farm the land, and materials will be obtained by sending troops to attack the enemy; If you farm with manpower, the enemy will have a rest, and you can't have it both ways. Therefore, in order to enrich and completely contain the enemy, we must first fundamentally change the situation of "the people don't weigh the land" ("recruiting people") and vigorously increase the population. According to the domestic and international situation of Qin at that time, he thought it was best to increase the population by economic means and adopt the policy of "recruiting talents and recruiting talents". This will not only attract a large number of immigrants from other vassal countries in a short time, increase the population, but also dry up the enemy's army and force it to submit completely. On the contrary, adopting natural population growth will not only take a long time, but also slow down and take effect, and will not weaken the enemy. During the Warring States period, there were few people but many people, and the production tools and military equipment were very backward. Shang Yang advocated increasing the population by attracting people. Although it is beneficial to the development of social production in Qin State and the prosperity of Qiang Bing, it is a method that harms others and benefits others.

Shang Yang developed Mo Zhai's viewpoint that population and land must be balanced, and he was the first to put forward the law of controlling land and dividing people. In his view, in order to accommodate a population of 50,000, Fiona Fang must have a hundred miles of land, of which fertile land accounts for 40%, poor land accounts for 20%, urban roads account for 65,438+30%, and lakes and rivers account for 30%. Whether the above ratio was in line with the actual situation at that time or not, he proposed it more than two thousand years ago, which is very valuable. In addition, he also pointed out that in the case of a large population and a small number of people, it is necessary to vigorously reclaim land, otherwise there will be "people are useless, just like no people" ("land plan"); In the case of a small population, we should vigorously increase the population, otherwise there will be a situation that "people who are too big to farm are the same as those who have no land" (ibid.).

In order to carry out the "agricultural war" policy, Shang Yang also attached great importance to increasing the agricultural population. He first put forward the view that the ratio of agricultural population to non-agricultural population should be 100: 1, and the maximum can be 10: 1. "One hundred farmers live in one house (non-agricultural population), Wang; Ten farmers, one resident, strong; Half farming and half living in danger. " He believes that although businessmen and officials have their own special roles in social life, they, especially those who are engaged in skills, lobbying and arguing, and studying poetry books, are vagrants who are not engaged in production. If there are more of these people, the development of agricultural production will be affected, and "people who eat too much will lose their jobs" (Reclamation Order), which will lead to poverty and weakness in the country. In order to increase the agricultural population, he not only advocated adopting the policy of "attracting people" to attract a large number of farmers from other vassal countries, but also advocated expanding the agricultural population by granting official titles, exempting corvees, increasing the collection of industrial and commercial and non-agricultural population, implementing the policy of high food prices, restricting employees, and prohibiting the opening of hotels. It is wrong for Shang Yang to regard all non-agricultural people as vagrants who are not engaged in production. Some of his methods to increase the agricultural population are extreme. However, in the Warring States period, when agriculture played an important role, it was realistic to advocate that the agricultural population must account for more than 90% of the total population. At the same time, it is rare for him to take all measures to increase the agricultural population in our history.

Shang Yang also opposed improving people's knowledge and culture and advocated people's ignorance. He believes that people "learn poetry" ("agricultural warfare"), with knowledge and culture, and with the support of other vassal powers, not only can they "make a difference in the above, but also try their best to engage in agricultural warfare for fame and wealth" (ibid.), but they will also "tell lies" (ibid.), disturbing the people's hearts and alienating the people from the king. "As the saying goes, there are thousands of people fighting in agriculture, but there is only one wise man arguing with poetry and books, and thousands of people fighting in agriculture are lazy." Therefore, in order to make Qiang Bing rich and win the annexation war, it is necessary to make the people "not good at learning" (reclamation order). Shang Yang's thought, whether it was beneficial to Qiang Bing, a rich country of Qin at that time, or the policy of agricultural war, fully exposed the nature of its exploiting class and was harmful to the improvement of the people's cultural knowledge.

In order to strengthen household registration management and strictly control population, Shang Yang also attached great importance to population statistics. In addition to advocating the establishment of a household registration system of "five households are five and ten households are ten", he also proposed for the first time to establish a thorough and regular population statistics throughout the country. He believes that a detailed understanding of the birth and death of the population, that is, "supporting (all) the population, the living (registering) and the dead" ("eliminating the strong"), and correctly grasping the total population and the number of men, women, children, businessmen, tourists and other categories is a major event related to Qiang Bing, a rich country and consolidating the political power of the landlord class. If we don't know the number of warehouses, the number of able-bodied men and women, the number of old and weak people, the number of officials, the number of people who take food (referring to lobbyists) and the number of people who benefit the people (referring to businessmen and craftsmen), even if the land is profitable and there are many people, the country will become weaker and thinner.

Shang Yang (about 390-338 BC) was a statesman, thinker and famous representative of legalist thought in the Warring States period. The descendant of the Duke of Wei was named Wei Yang, also known as Gongsun Yang, and was later named Shang Yang. Qin Xiaogong's pursuit of talents was inspiring, and Qin Xiaogong was persuaded to carry out reform. After Xiao Gong's death, he was slandered by the nobles, and his car cracked and died. In the reign of 19, Qin ruled the country, which was known as Shang Yang's political reform in history.

all one's life

Shang Yang's "Learning to Be Excellent and Being an Official" is a book devoted to the rule of law, which is deeply influenced by Li Kui, Wu Qi and others. Later, he was the prime minister of Wei, and when Gong Shucuo was seriously ill, he said to him, "Gong Sunyang is a young wizard and can be appointed as the prime minister." He also said to King Hui: "Since Sun Yang is not needed, you must kill him and don't order him to leave the country." After Uncle Cuo's death, Shang Yang heard that he was brilliant, so he went to the State of Qin with his Fa Jing. Through eunuch Jing Ke's three visits to filial piety, Shang Yang talked about the policy of reforming the country, and filial piety was a great pleasure. In the first 359 years, he served as the head of Zuo Shu and began to reform. Later, he was promoted to a big beam seat.

In 13 (the first 356 years) and 19 (the first 350 years), Zhou Xianwang carried out two political reforms. The content of the reform is "abandon minefields, open buildings, implement the county system, reward farmers for fighting, and implement the method of sitting together." At this time, the prince broke the law, and Shang Yang said, "If the law doesn't work, you can commit it from above." Punish the teacher Gong Ziqian and the teacher Gong Sunjia. In the sixteenth year of Qin Xiaogong, a teacher and a son broke the law, and Shang Yang was sentenced to cut off his nose. The reform has been going on for a long time, and the Qin people are happy. There are no thieves in the mountains. In the first 340 years, Qin and Zhao defeated General Ang, the son of Wei, and Wei cut the land of Xihe and Qin, and the people moved to Daliang. At this time, Liang was furious: "I hate what my uncle said." Shang Yang was awarded the title of Shang Wuyi for his merits.

Shang Jun's laws are too unkind and ungrateful. He made the law of sitting together, made strict laws, and increased the intensity of corporal punishment, including chiseling, pulling tendons, cooking in an iron pot and other punishments. The nobles of Qin complained bitterly. Zhao Liang advised Shang Jun to bear a grudge and asked him to "go back to the fifteenth capital and lightly irrigate the garden", "not greedy for business, rich in business, not used to the teaching of Qin", but Shang Yang did not listen. Before 338, Qin Xiaogong collapsed, Huiwen Wang Shang acceded to the throne, and the Prince thanked Shang Yang for his rebellion. Shang Yang fled to the border and wanted to stay in the hostel. As a result, the store owner did not dare to stay because he did not show his documents, and naturally "committed suicide"; In order to escape to Wei, Ren Wei did not want to take Shang Yang in, because Shang Yang had broken Mo Wei treacherously. Later, Shang Yang returned to Shangyi, sent troops to attack the north, sent troops to beg, and killed Yang in the pool. After his death, he was punished by Qin as a "broken car" and destroyed the Shangjun family.

In 359 BC, when Shang Yang assisted Qin Xiaogong in brewing political reform, Gan Long and Du Zhi, representatives of the old aristocracy, rose up against the political reform. They think that profit is unchangeable and it is not easy to use. "There is nothing wrong with the ancient law, and there is nothing wrong with politeness." Shang Yang pointed out in a tit-for-tat way: "What was the ancient law in the past? If the emperor doesn't mend fences, why follow? " "Governing the world is different. At that time, the country was illegal, so Tang Wu was king without courtesy, and Yan Xia was not easy to die without courtesy. It is essential to resist the ancients, but there are not many people who follow the ceremony. " Therefore, he advocated "establishing the ceremony at that time and making the ceremony according to the matter" (Shang Jun Gengfa, Historical Records and Biography of Shang Jun). This refuted the so-called "legalist" and "etiquette" of the old aristocracy with the thought of historical evolution, and made public opinion preparations for the implementation of the reform. The illustration of "Shang Yang's war of words" in the textbook is a portrayal of this great debate at that time.

The Reforms of Shang Yang

Shang Yang carried out two large-scale reforms from 356 BC to 350 BC. Shang Yang's first political reform took place in 356 BC, not in 359 BC. Yang Kuan's History of the Warring States (185) has such a passage: "Historical Records of Qin Benji says: Qin Xiaogong spent three years, and Wei Yang's filial piety was good for the public. Gan Long, Du Zhi and so on. However, they argue with each other, but they use the martingale method, and the people suffer. After living for three years, the people will be released, but they will worship as the elders of the left family. " On this basis, the martingale method was used for three years, and Wei Yang was promoted to be normal in six years because of "convenience". However, Biography of Historical Records of Shang Jun said: Filial piety' takes Wei Yang as the left daughter and sets the order of reform'. On this basis, the political reform was ordered, which should be after six-year-old Wei Yang was appointed as Chang. Compare the two and say yes later. "The Warring States Policy and Qin Ce" said: "Shang Jun ruled the State of Qin, and the laws were enforced ... after eighteen years of filial piety, he became ill and could not afford to support him. He wanted to preach to Shang Jun, but he refused to resign. "Everything is done by Han Feizi's Family" also said: "The law,' filial piety, respect for security, the country wants to be rich and strong, eight years later, the car is divided into Qin. "Wang Xianqian's" Xieji "thinks that it is right to remove the word" ten "from" eight ". From six years (that is, 356 BC) after Wei Yang's "life was prosperous" to Xiao Gong's death in the twenty-fourth year, the whole year was 19, which happened to be 18. Accordingly, Shang Yang's first political reform should be in 356 BC.

In 340 BC, Wei Yang designed to capture Ang, the son of the general of Wei State, to defeat Wei Jun and force Wei State to return the land of Xihe River that it had taken away in the past. Wei Huiwang said, "I hate what my uncle said." Therefore, Shang Yang made great contributions and was named Shang Jun in Shang (now Shangluo Town, southeast of Shang County, Shaanxi Province) 15.

In 338 BC, Qin Xiaogong died and the Prince acceded to the throne, namely King Hui of Qin. Gong Ziqian and others denounced Shang Yang for "rebellion", and Qin Huiwang ordered Shang Yang to be arrested. Shang Yang fled to the border and wanted to stay in a hostel. The owner of the hostel didn't know that he was a business gentleman, but when he saw that he didn't bring his certificate, he told the business gentleman that it was a crime to stay without a certificate. Shang Yang wanted to go to Wei, but Wei refused him entry because he captured his son Ang alive. He returned to his fief and mobilized his troops to resist, but failed. He died in a car crash.

In 350 BC, Shang Yang carried out the second reform. The main contents of the reform are:

Abandon the mine field first and open a building (the building is the road in the field). Qin razed these wide buildings to the ground, planted crops, and reclaimed mounds, wasteland, Woods, ditches and so on. , used to be used to divide boundaries. Whoever reclaims wasteland will own it. Land can be bought and sold.

Second, establish county organizations, merge towns and villages, and organize them into counties, which are directly managed by state officials. In this way, the power of the central government is more centralized.

Third, move the capital to Xianyang. In order to facilitate the eastward development, the capital was moved from Yongcheng (now Fengxiang County, Shaanxi Province) to Xianyang (now northeast of Xianyang City, Shaanxi Province) north of Weihe River.

Such a large-scale reform is bound to cause fierce struggle. Many nobles and ministers opposed the new law. On one occasion, the king of Qin broke the law. Shang Yang said to Qin Xiaogong, "The laws and regulations of the country should be observed from top to bottom. If the people above can't abide by it, the people below don't trust the court. If the prince breaks the law, his master should be punished. "

Therefore, Shang Yang condemned the two masters of the Prince, the son Xu and Gongsun Jia, one with his nose cut and the other with a tattoo on his face. Now, some nobles and ministers dare not violate the new law.

Ten years later, Qin became richer and richer. The King of Zhou sent messengers to sacrifice to Qin Xiaogong and named him "Fang Bo". The vassal States of the Central Plains also congratulated the State of Qin. Wei had to cede the land in Hexi and move the capital to Daliang (now Kaifeng, Henan).

Shangyang South Gate Li Mu

Among the Seven Heroes of the Warring States, Qin fell behind the vassal states of the Central Plains in politics, economy and culture. Compared with Qin Guoqiang, neighboring Wei also seized a large area of land in Hexi from Qin.

In 36 1 year BC, Qin Xiaogong, king of Qin, ascended the throne. He is determined to strive for strength, and the first thing is to collect talents. He ordered: "Whoever can find a way to make Qin rich and strong, whether he is a Qin national or a foreign guest, must make him an official."

Qin Xiaogong's call really attracted many talented people. Sun Yang, an aristocrat of Wei (later Shang Yang), was not reused in Wei, but was introduced to Qin and taken in by Qin Xiaogong.

Shang Yang said to Qin Xiaogong: "If a country wants to be rich and strong, it must attach importance to agriculture and reward soldiers;" If you want to govern the country, there must be rewards and punishments. With rewards and punishments, the court has prestige, and all reforms will be easy. "

Qin Xiaogong completely agrees with Shang Yang. However, some nobles and ministers of Qin tried their best to oppose it. Qin Xiaogong saw so many people opposed to it. As soon as he acceded to the throne, he put the reform on hold for fear of trouble.

After two years, Qin Xiaogong's throne was firmly established, and he worshipped Shang Yang as the left subaltern (the official name of Qin State), saying: "From today on, the reform of the system is entirely up to the left subaltern."

Shang Yang drafted the reform, but he was afraid that the people would not trust him and would not abide by the new law. First, he had a 30-foot-high log erected at the south gate of the capital, and ordered, "Whoever can carry this log to the north gate will be rewarded with 12 gold."

Soon, there were many people around the south gate, and everyone was talking about it. Some people said, "Anyone can carry this piece of wood, so where do you need a reward of twelve taels of silver?" Someone said, "This is probably a joke played by Zuo Shu." Everybody look at me. I look at you, but no one dares to go up and carry wood. Knowing that people still didn't believe his orders, Shang Yang raised the reward to fifty taels. I didn't expect that the higher the salary, the more unreasonable the onlookers felt, and no one dared to mention it. When everyone was talking about it, one of them ran out and said, "I'll try." He really picked up the wood and left until he reached the north gate. Shang Yang immediately sent a message to the man who carried the wood and rewarded him with 520 gold, not a penny less. The matter immediately spread and caused a sensation in Qin. The common people said, "Zuo Shu's orders are unambiguous." Knowing that his order had worked, Shang Yang announced the new law he had drafted. The new law clearly stipulates rewards and punishments, stipulating that the size of official positions and the level of titles shall be based on meritorious service in the war. Nobles who have not served in military service have no titles; Those who produce more grain and cloth are exempt from official duties; Anyone who is poor because of business and laziness, together with his wife and children, is punished as a servant of the government.

Since Shang Yang's political reform, Qin's agricultural production has increased and its military strength has become stronger. Soon, Qin attacked the western part of Wei, from Hexi to Hedong, and also shot down Anyi, the capital of Wei.

In fact, before Shang Yang's tree was high, Wu Qi used the same method. When Wu Qi was appointed as the magistrate of Xihe County, he put a log in the south of the city, stipulating that whoever could push the log would be appointed as the chief doctor. As a result, someone really did this, and the person who did it was also shut down. Shang Yang's practice has been handed down, but Wu Qi's has not.

The Main Contents of Shang Yang's Two Reforms

The first political reform in 356 BC mainly included the following three points:

1. Promulgate laws, formulate sitting laws, and use heavy sentences for minor crimes. Li Kui's "Law Classic" was promulgated and implemented, which increased the law of sitting. That is, five families are five friends. Why do ten families report on each other and share the same sin? Those who report "traitors" enjoy the same reward as those who cut the enemy, but do not report them. The family is hiding "traitors", and even Shi and Wu are both guilty. The guest house takes in passengers without official documents, and the owner is guilty of the same crime as the "traitor".

2. Reward military service and establish a 20-level military service title system. It is stipulated that the enemy's military leaders should be given the first prize, one hectare of land and nine acres of houses, and a "bastard" should be forced to work. The higher the title, the greater the corresponding political and economic privileges. Imperial clan and nobles who have no military service are not counted as members of the imperial clan and do not enjoy aristocratic privileges.

3. Emphasize agriculture and restrain commerce, and reward agriculture and weaving, especially land reclamation. It is stipulated that "anyone who cultivates and weaves in this industry will be rehabilitated; At the end of the day, the lazy and poor are regarded as paid "(meaning that they try their best to engage in the production of men's farming and women's weaving, and those who produce more food and cloth are exempt from their own corvee;" Those who are engaged in industry and commerce, those who are poor and bankrupt because they are not productive, together with their wives and children, are slaves of the government.

The second political reform in 350 BC, mainly has the following two points:

1. "Open a strange road and seal the border". Breaking away from the past, we closed the small field boundary and the field boundary of each mu, expanded the original "one hundred steps per mu" to 240 steps per mu, and re-set the "building" and "seal". The state recognizes the private rights of landlords and yeomen to land, and publicly allows the sale of land in law.

2. Popularize the county system. Where there is no county, a number of towns and cities will be aggregated into counties to build * * * 3 1 county. Magistrates and county orders are appointed and removed by the monarch.