History of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms

Chapter 793: The Death of Changle Lao 1
【Death of Changle Lao】

During and after the Battle of Gaoping, Chai Rong repeatedly rewarded and punished meritorious officials, severely punished guilty generals, and purified the troops. So how would Chai Rong deal with Feng Dao, who strongly opposed Chai Rong's personal expedition and even attacked Chai Rong personally?
Answer: He was given the title of Shangshu Ling, posthumously named King Ying, given the posthumous title of "Wen Yi", and the court was suspended for three days as a sign of mourning...

Feng Dao died at the age of 73, leaving us prematurely.

Before Chai Rong personally led the expedition, he asked Feng Dao to be in charge of burying Guo Wei. The old man, trembling with frailty, accompanied the Emperor Taizu out of Bianzhou and was buried in Songling (now Zhoujia Village, Xinzheng City, Henan Province). Just burying Guo Wei's coffin was already a lot of work for the 73-year-old Mr. Feng. Before the funeral process was completed and before the emperor was buried in the Imperial Ancestral Temple, Feng Dao also accompanied the late emperor.

Feng Dao is one of the most legendary figures in Chinese history. Although his death has no direct connection with the "Battle of Gaoping" (perhaps there is an indirect connection, such as Chai Rong deliberately let him, who was over 70 years old, be responsible for the cumbersome funeral of the previous emperor, sincerely intending to tire him to death), but I still want to review Feng Dao's life before Chai Rong started the great cause of unification, because his life is unprecedented and controversial.

Feng Dao was born in Yingzhou, Hebei, in the late Tang Dynasty. He was a poor boy who studied hard since childhood and was good at writing. When he grew up, he became an aide to Liu Shouguang of Youzhou. At that time, Feng Dao was still young and bookish. He was thrown into prison by Liu Shouguang for his outspoken advice, but it was a blessing in disguise. After Liu Shouguang was annexed by Li Keyong, Feng Dao not only did not suffer a liquidation, but also won the appreciation of Zhang Chengye, the military supervisor of Hedong, and later became an aide to Li Cunxu.

Once, Guo Chongtao advised Li Cunxu, who was so angry that he almost lost his composure. Feng Dao also took the risk to advise and defend Guo Chongtao, which finally made Li Cunxu regain his sanity. Guo Chongtao was grateful to Feng Dao for this, and Feng Dao also rose to prominence because of Guo Chongtao's recommendation.

After Li Cunxu became emperor, Feng Dao became a Hanlin scholar and entered the core power circle.

After Li Siyuan became emperor, he promoted Feng Dao to prime minister, and later appointed him as a scholar of the Duanming Palace, making him a close think tank around the emperor.

From then on, Feng Dao was active in successive dynasties in the Central Plains and became an evergreen in the political arena until he died of illness during the reign of Emperor Shizong of Later Zhou, Chai Rong.

Feng Dao served four dynasties and ten emperors, and was known as the "Ten Dynasties Elder". In fact, during this period, he also paid tribute to the Khitan and accepted the title of Emperor Taizong of Liao, Yelü Deguang. If we must be more precise, it should be "Five Dynasties and Eleven Emperors".

What kind of person is Feng Dao? Let us consider it from two aspects:

1. Positive

1. Appearance: Similar to Sikong
It is said that when Feng Dao was young, he looked very much like Du Huangshang, a famous prime minister of the Tang Dynasty. At that time, Zhang Chengye, the military supervisor of Hedong, admired Feng Dao's literary talent and wanted to use him. However, Feng Dao offended Zhou Yuanbao, a famous physiognomist at the time, for some reason. Zhou Yuanbao then slandered Feng Dao to Zhang Chengye, saying that Feng Dao had a bad face and had no future at first glance, so he should never be used.

At this time, another staff member, Lu Zhi, who later became the prime minister of the Later Tang Dynasty, said to Zhang Chengye: "I had the honor of viewing the portrait of Sikong Du Huangshang before, and found that Feng Dao looked very much like Du Huangshang. Zhou Yuanbao's words cannot be believed!"

2. “Pure and frugal”

Feng Dao was born in a poor family. Even after he became rich, he never forgot his roots. He remained simple and down-to-earth, and never cared about ostentation. When he went to war with the army, he ate and lived with the lower-class soldiers. During the period of mourning for his father, he paid out of his own pocket to help the poor and even chopped wood and planted the land himself.

If someone was unable to farm for various reasons, Feng Dao would sneak into his field at night and help him farm. He was simply a modern-day Lei Feng.

3. Moral Model

Whenever a soldier gave him a beautiful woman they had captured, he would place her in a nearby house, then help find her family and return the captured woman to her family.

4. Two or three things that Feng Dao and Li Siyuan must say

4.1 Worrying about the country and the people
During the "Mingzong's prosperous era", Li Siyuan, the Mingzong of the Later Tang Dynasty, asked Feng Dao, saying that with consecutive years of bumper harvests, the people's lives should be better now.

Feng Dao replied: "High grain prices make farmers hungry, while low grain prices hurt farmers. This is common sense."

When the country prospers, the people suffer; when the country perishes, the people suffer. Your Majesty, do you think that the people will live and work in peace and contentment after a few good harvests? Come, listen to me recite a Tang Dynasty poem for you:
“In February, we sell new silk, and in May, we sell new grain.

Healing the sores in front of the eyes, but cutting out the flesh in the heart.

I wish the king’s heart could turn into a bright candle.

It does not shine on the banquet, but only on the house where one flees. "

Li Siyuan immediately ordered someone to copy down the poem and read it every day to remind himself to be a good king who loves his people like his own children.

4.2 Be prepared for danger in times of peace
During the "prosperous era of Emperor Mingzong", Feng Dao reminded Li Siyuan more than once not to get lost in the glorious era before his eyes, but to be prepared for danger in times of peace and guard against arrogance and impatience.

"Heaven has auspicious signs in the years, but we should be more cautious every day... Your Majesty should not indulge in leisure and pleasure because of the peace and prosperity, but be diligent and conscientious. This is what I hope."

Feng Dao witnessed Li Cunxu's hard struggle in the early days. He ruled over Later Liang for twenty years, but died three years later while playing music and dancing.

Li Siyuan also agreed with this.

To a certain extent, it was Feng Dao who assisted Li Siyuan in achieving the revival of the "Mingzong's prosperous era".

4.3 Intangible treasures
Once, Linhe County presented an exquisite jade cup with six characters engraved on it: "The Long Live Cup of the National Treasure". Li Siyuan loved it so much that he showed it to Feng Dao. Feng Dao said with a cold expression: "This was a tangible treasure in the previous life, but the king has an intangible treasure."

Li Siyuan then asked him what was the emperor's invisible treasure.

Feng Dao said: "Benevolence and righteousness are the treasures of the emperor. Therefore, it is said: 'The greatest treasure is position, and how to guard the position is benevolence'."

Li Siyuan nodded thoughtfully, highly praised Feng Dao's insightful opinion, and then politely escorted him out. After Feng Dao walked away, Li Siyuan immediately turned around and asked the people around him, "What did he mean by what he just said?"

Li Siyuan was born a military general and was illiterate. He had no idea what "zhihuzheya yi yan ailaizai" meant. Just because he was uneducated, An Zhonghui specially set up "Duanming Palace Scholars" to translate the ministers' memorials for him. Feng Dao shook his head and said something about benevolent and righteous people... Li Siyuan didn't understand at all.

After the people around him translated it into plain language for him, Li Siyuan nodded deeply and admired Feng Dao even more.

5. Be generous

5.1 The Rabbit Garden Strategy

The "Mingzong prosperity" was also a brief spring for intellectuals. Due to political struggles and many other reasons, Li Siyuan, like Wu Zetian and Tang Zhaozong, vigorously promoted children from poor families and trained students for the emperor. For example, Feng Dao, a "poor second generation" with no background or foundation but excellent in both character and learning, began to rise rapidly.

However, these emerging intellectuals basically did not have the academic qualifications of a "Jinshi", which caused dissatisfaction and jealousy among the older generation of intellectuals.

For example, Ren Zan passed the imperial examination after ten years of hard study and became a Hanlin scholar in the Later Liang Dynasty. After the Later Liang Dynasty was destroyed, Ren Zan was squeezed out of the core power circle because of his identity as a "Liang minister."

After the court was dismissed one day, Ren Zan pointed at Feng Dao in front of him and said to the people around him: "If Feng Dao walks fast, a copy of Rabbit Garden Strategy will surely fall off his body."

The colleagues accompanying me burst into laughter.

According to Ouyang Xiu's records, "Rabbit Garden Strategy" was an enlightenment textbook at that time, and was mostly used in private schools with scarce teaching resources and low teaching staff. "It was also recited by Confucian scholars in rural schools and farmers and shepherds." Ren Zan represented the social elite and high-level intellectuals. Their attitude towards "Rabbit Garden Strategy" was full of contempt. As the saying goes, "most scholars despise it", so they deliberately used it to ridicule Feng Dao who had no academic qualifications.

It's like some people think that drinking coffee is elegant and eating garlic is vulgar.

After hearing this, Feng Dao took the initiative to find Ren Zan and said that you look down on "Tu Yuan Ce" simply because it is a copy in the hands of every villager, but the content in it is not vulgar. It was collectively created by Li Yun, the son of Emperor Taizong of Tang, who called together famous scholars at the time. It quotes classics and is first-class! So it is the essence, not the dregs. I did learn it when I was a child, and I can still recite it today. You can't belittle the academic status of "Tu Yuan Ce" just because you look down on my background.

Feng Dao convinced people with reason, and Ren Zan felt ashamed.

There is some controversy in history books about the "Tuyuan Ce Incident". Some say that Ren Zan was the mastermind, while others say that someone else said this and Ren Zan just echoed and ridiculed it.

But the matter was not over yet, and Feng Dao's magnanimity was not shown. A few years later, Li Siyuan was seriously ill and the "Li Congrong Rebellion Case" was staged. Ren Zan was listed as a "Qin Wang Party" and was considered to be a follower of Li Congrong, facing severe liquidation. At this time, Feng Dao took the initiative to stand up and intercede for Ren Zan, saving his life.

Ren Zan ridiculed Feng Dao in public with "Rabbit Garden Strategy", but when Ren Zan was in trouble, Feng Dao not only did not take revenge, but argued with reason and saved Ren Zan's life. From this we can see that the reason why Feng Dao was respected by people was not only because of his age and experience, but also because of his shining humanity.

5.2 Repay evil with kindness

After all, Ren Zan was a top student from a prestigious 985 or 211 university, a veteran intellectual, and he didn't use any dirty words when he cursed people, and he only used a book called "Rabbit Garden Strategy" to ridicule Feng Dao. However, the military generals were not so tactful, they usually came straight to the point, using verbal gymnastics to greet Feng Dao's ancestors for eighteen generations.

When Feng Dao was stationed in Tongzhou, he offended Hu Rao, the deputy governor of Tongzhou. Hu Rao often got drunk and blocked the door and cursed in the streets, using all kinds of vulgar language that was simply unbearable to hear.

Feng Dao always sent people to welcome him into his house with a pleasant face and entertained him with a feast, without any anger. After several times, Hu Rao was filled with shame and sincerely apologized to Feng Dao, and from then on he respected him even more.

Someone asked Feng Dao why he didn't punish him.

Feng Dao said, "Do I need to bother with a man like him? Besides, he is a bad person and will get his comeuppance in the future. Why should I be angry?"
5.3 There was a donkey named Feng Dao

During the Later Jin Dynasty, Feng Dao was ordered to go on a diplomatic mission to Khitan, and this story was later elaborated. In short, Feng Dao was branded as a "traitor" and a "traitor to his country" and was condemned by the people of the Central Plains.

One day, someone led a donkey with a large banner hanging on its back with the words "Feng Dao" written on it. He paraded through the streets of the capital and deliberately walked back and forth several times in front of Feng Dao's office, the Secretariat.

Feng Dao's confidants hurried to tell Feng Dao.

Feng Dao remained calm and said slowly: "There are many people with the same name in the world. It is possible that someone is looking for the donkey's owner."

(End of this chapter)