Wang Youhong
China has a long history of over 5,000 years, co-created by all 56 nationalities. Among this co-created cultural heritage, many valuable relics in Hebei province have proved that Hebei province was the very place where the ancient civilization was created, and the unified ideas were formed.
It was also the place where the tribes of State Yan, Huang, and Chi originally integrated, and then the ethnic unity of ancient China came into being. In a way, Hebei province was the origin of China.
Story of Emperor Yao
Legacy of Tang Yao
There were so many valuable heritages in Hebei province during China’s long history, among which the story of Emperor Yao’s “Three Treasures” was the most famous.
Emperor Yao, also called Tang Yao, a legendary ancient emperor and one of the Five emperors in old times, lived in the place which belongs to the present Shunping, Wangdu and Tang counties of Hebei province.
When he has conferred the throne, his father (the king then) gave him three treasures: the flag of rank made of animal skins, the coat made of sedge, and the whip of sheep.
The flag of animal skins was the symbol of being ranked. Thus, Tang Yao had the power to govern the region.
The coat of sedge was to let him patrol the folk and devote himself to his business with the coat even on rainy and windy days.
The sheep-herding whip was to encourage him to advocate farming and animal husbandry.
These were called the “three treasures” of Emperor Yao in history, generating “the Legacy of Tang Yao. ”
Origin of Wang Du
Bai Ren city, the first capital, built by Emperor Yao was located in today’s Longyao county in Hebei province. Until now, the ruins of Bai Ren city have been well-preserved. There were nine gates with over 1,300 steps for the army to protect the city.
Wangdu county in Hebei province was said to overlook Bai Ren city. After Yao left home, his mother, Qing Du, missed him so much that she stood in a pavilion on the mountain and looked south every day, hoping to see her son return.
To commemorate this issue, the place was renamed Wang Du, meaning watching her son’s capital. It’s a moving story of parental love and nostalgia for her son.
The Relics of the Shang Dynasty
Stories of Two Powerful States in the Warring States Period
It’s universally acknowledged that there were seven famous and powerful states in China, called the Seven States in the Warring States period.
State Yan and State Zhao came from Hebei province, which comprises State Yan and State Zhao and other small states. In ancient times, the boundaries of State Yan and State Zhao were not the same size as Hebei today.
It was much larger. State Zhao reached the foot of Mount Yin in Inner Mongolia, and State Yan now reached North Korean territory. In addition to these two states, State Zhongshan , State Daiguo, and State Guzhu , etc in Hebei province.
The history and culture of Hebei (State Yan and State Zhao) are extensive and profound. As a famous saying goes, “There were many generous but miserable heroes in Hebei (StateState Yan and State Zhao).” Who were generous, and who was miserable? State Yan was the former and State Zhao was the latter.
Stories of State Yan
Why was State Yan generous? State Yan’s history of more than 700 years lasted from the Zhou Dynasty to Emperor Qin’s unifying all the other states, leaving us abundant material and spiritual legacies.
Sitting on relics of an elevated platform of State Yan’s palace, watching Jingke Tower, we are still filled with emotions.
Stories of Zhao State
Zhao had a history of more than 150 years. From the establishment to the Battle of Changping, it had been in war, and State Qin killed about 400,000 soldiers.
Even now, broken swords and slashing arrowheads in the Warring States period can be found everywhere in Changping. During the Warring States period, there were four famous generals in history.
They were Bai Qi and Wang Jian of State Qin, Lian Po, and Li Mu of State Zhao, which indicated that State Zhao in the military was very powerful. And it was recorded in history that the name of Li Mu made soldiers in State Qin scared. However, State Zhao was defeated.
Why? Because State Qin sow discord among the King of State Zhao and Lian Po and Li Mu so successfully that the King removed Lian Po from his position in the army, leading to the failure of the Battle of Changping , and killed Li Mu, causing the collapse of the country, State Zhao was miserable.
Despite this, the Culture of State Zhao was brilliant, among which there were nearly a thousand idioms, reminding us of funny or ironic stories.
Besides, there were the stories of riding and shooting in Hu Fu and Xi Menbao’s successful governing of the city of Ye. Just because of Hu Fu’s riding and shooting, State Zhao became the only powerful country among the six countries that could compete with State Qin.
Therefore, State Yan and State Zhao (now Hebei province) are still very famous thousands of years later, suggesting their historical and cultural value in China.
Stories of Four Great Emperors in the history
As is known to us, four great emperors were mentioned in Chairman Mao’s poem: “Qin Huang Han Wu”(Emperor Qin and Emperor Han Wu) and “Tang Zong Song Zu” ( Emperor Tang Taizong and Emperor Song Tai Zu). What’s the relationship between them and Hebei province?
The stories of “ Qin Huang Han Wu”
“Qin Huang” refers to Qin Shihuang, the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty. There are still debates among historians on whether Qin Shihuang was from the Qin family or Zhao family.
Some people held that he was the offspring of the Chu, the proton of State Qin, namely the son of Zi Chu and Zhao Ji, the beauty of State Zhao.
Handan was the birthplace of Qin Shihuang. Some argued that Lv Buwei, the rich businessman from Zhao gave his beloved wife, Zhao Ji who was pregnant away to Zi Chu, then Zhao Ji gave birth to Ying Zheng, according to which, Qin Shihuang was from Handan, the capital of State Zhao.
“Han Wu ” refers to “Liu Xiu”, the founder of the Eastern Han Dynasty. After the fall and chaos of the Western Han Dynasty, the one who revitalized the Han Dynasty and established the Eastern Han Dynasty in history was Liu Xiu, Emperor Guang Wu.
He ascended the throne under a Pavilion in a small village connecting Gaoyi County and Baixiang County in Hebei province. In a word, Qin Huang Han Wu is closely related to Hebei province.
Stories of “Tang Zong Song Zu”
“Tang Zong” refers to Li Shimin, the second emperor of the Tang Dynasty.The Tang Dynasty lasted for 289 years. Where was the ancestral home of Li Shimin? It was in LongYao county, Hebei province. General Li Mu in the Warring States period just mentioned above was the ancestor of Li Shimin.
After Li Yuan (Li Shiming’s father) ascended the throne, he built tombs and set up a stele, and built the mausoleum Tang Zu in LongYao county. Li Yuan and Li Shimin also went there to worship the mausoleum Zu in person.
Numerous existing cultural relics also confirmed this historical fact. The Tang Dynasty was the most developed and powerful feudal empire in China. Not only the emperors of the Tang Dynasty, but also the prime ministers Wei Zheng, Song Jing, and Li Jifu were all from Hebei province.
“Song Zu” refers to Zhao Kuangyin, the founder of the Northern Song Dynasty. The Northern Song Dynasty and the Southern Song Dynasty lasted 312 years in Chinese history. Where was the hometown of Zhao Kuangyin, Song Zu, the founding emperor of the Song Dynasty?
It was Qingyuan county, Hebei province! According to historical records, this place belonged to the edge of Zhuojun. The family name of Zhao Kuangyin’s mother was Dou, and her family was in Xinle county. The Temple Dou Gu and Grave Dou Gu existed before China’s liberation.
The Song Dynasty was the most prosperous era of economy, cultural education, and scientific innovation in the history of Chinese feudal society, ranking first among all dynasties in Chinese history. The ancestors of Hebei province governed the feudal society for more than 600 years in the feudal society of more than 2000 years.
Hebei province has played a very important role in Chinese history. There is still a lot to study about the history and culture of Hebei province, and many unknown topics are waiting for future generations to reveal.
*The writer is working at Hebei Normal University, China.
** The views and research expressed here in this article are the writer’s own and do not necessarily reflect the position of the institutions and our staff.
The Diplomatic Insight is a digital and print magazine focusing on diplomacy, defense, and development publishing since 2009.
