A live-streamed Chinese language lesson under the sky—the ancients were taken aback.

The unspoken words on the sky raised a question.

"Why would Du Mu, a poet of the Tang Dynasty, write about the Qin Dynasty? Why did he write 'The Rhapsody on the Epang Palace'?"

[Raise your hand: I know, it's using the past to satirize the present.]

Using the past to satirize the present—a long-standing tradition and skill of intellectuals.

[It uses the technique of alluding to the past to satirize the present, expressing strong dissatisfaction and criticism of the debauchery of the rulers at the time.]

This word is practically etched into our DNA.

……

"Yes, as everyone knows, it uses historical events to satirize the present and warn the current rulers. So, what was the situation of the court that Du Mu faced at that time?"

"The Rhapsody on the Epang Palace was written in 825 AD, when Emperor Jingzong of Tang, Li Zhan, had just ascended the throne at the age of 16."

This young emperor was dissolute and indulged in extravagant construction projects, conscripting laborers to build palaces and indulging in banquets and "all-night entertainment," completely neglecting state affairs.

When Du Mu saw this scene, it was as if he were seeing a microcosm of the fallen emperors of the Qin and Sui dynasties.

He wrote that the Qin Dynasty lost the hearts of the people because of extravagant projects such as the Epang Palace, precisely to warn Emperor Jingzong of Tang: Your current actions are exactly the same as those of the Qin Dynasty that led to its downfall.

Du Mu did not simply criticize the emperor for his extravagance.

His profound insight lies in constructing a clear logical chain of destruction within the poem: extravagance and abuse of the people's labor --- deprivation of the people's resources for survival --- loss of popular support, with people daring not to speak out but only daring to be angry --- the garrison soldiers cry out, Hangu Pass falls, and the powerful empire collapses instantly.

He is not retelling history, but rather extracting a formula.

In his view, the demise of Qin was not accidental, but inevitable due to its violation of this ironclad political law.

As a scholar and historian, Du Mu was well aware that speaking frankly was risky and ineffective.

Therefore, he chose the "fu" style, a literary form characterized by its ornate language and elaborate descriptions.

He first uses the grand imagery of the fall of the six kingdoms and the unification of the four seas to allow you to "see" the magnificence of the Epang Palace and the power of the Qin Dynasty.

Then, with a sudden shift in tone, the phrase "The Chu people set it ablaze, leaving only scorched earth" instantly reduced everything to ashes.

This huge visual and emotional contrast can strike a chord with people.

Through this contrast between rise and fall, he allows the reader to conclude for themselves that even the largest empire, without the support of its people, is nothing more than an empty shell that can collapse at any moment.

"Faced with the emperor's disastrous policies, he desperately wanted to warn that the country would perish if things continued this way."

But instead of shouting it out directly, he wrote a brilliant case study.

The rise and fall of the Qin Dynasty proved the ironclad rule that failing to cherish the people's strength will inevitably lead to losing their hearts and the world.

The line, "Later generations lament their loss but do not learn from it, thus causing later generations to lament again," is not only the finishing touch of the article but also his deepest concern and appeal.

I tell this story not so that you will feel sorry for the Qin Dynasty, but so that you will look at your feet and not become the next object of mourning.

[I told you, if things continue like this, the Tang Dynasty will be doomed sooner or later. Are you deaf?]

That scoundrel!

What a pity!

……

The speaker paused his narration in the video, seemingly wanting to say something, and a soft, melancholic background music began to play.

Her voice lowered.

"Now we can answer the question we asked at the beginning: what did Du Mu see in the historical records?"

"If the emperor indulges in extravagance and abuses the people's labor, he will lose the people's support, and the dynasty will be doomed."

Is that what he meant?

"Yes, but it's not just that."

He wasn't criticizing those who didn't know the reasons, but rather those who knew but couldn't do it.

Everyone knows that the Qin Dynasty fell due to its tyranny and oppression of the people, but the late Han Dynasty still saw land annexation and widespread displacement of people.

Everyone knows that the Han Dynasty fell due to the power of the emperor's relatives, eunuchs, and warlords, but in the late Tang Dynasty, eunuchs still held power and regional warlords were too powerful to be controlled.

The Tang Emperor Jingzong before him was a blatant repetition of the past. The Qin Emperor died after building the Epang Palace, and the Sui Emperor Yangdi caused chaos by building the Eastern Capital, opening the Grand Canal, and conquering Liaodong. These bloody lessons had not been around for long, yet the emperor still embarked on massive construction projects without regard for the people's welfare.

Therefore, Du Mu was not saying that every dynasty perished simply because of extravagance and debauchery, but rather, through this most typical and shocking aspect, he pointed out a deeper pattern.

Every dynasty clearly understood the lessons of the previous dynasty's demise, yet it always felt it was an exception and unconsciously repeated certain fundamental mistakes.

In particular, it exploits the people's labor and loses their support.

The Tang emperor, looking at the ruins of the Sui Dynasty, shook his head and laughed: "They were really stupid. They squandered their wealth for the sake of enjoyment. They deserved it!"

And then what? They turned around and began to build their own palaces on a massive scale, imposing exorbitant taxes and levies.

When they themselves were overthrown and became a laughing stock in the mouths of later generations, the story repeated itself.

This arrogance and shortsightedness, knowing full well yet refusing to change, is the true meaning behind his lament, "It also causes future generations to grieve again."

A strange sadness made even the comments section unusually serious.

The only lesson humanity can learn from history is that humanity never learns from history.

History has never lacked intelligent people; what it lacks are people who can look in the mirror.

"By learning from history, we can understand the rise and fall of dynasties; this was also said by Emperor Taizong of Tang."

[Erfeng, your descendants don't listen to you!]

……

"After understanding Du Mu's intentions, everyone should also want to know whether he achieved his goal of giving advice."

Du Mu wrote this poem to pour cold water on Emperor Jingzong of Tang.

However, the young emperor continued to play and build palaces as usual, paying no attention to anything else. In the end, he was killed by his own eunuchs in less than three years on the throne, a highly ironic ending.

It can be said that Du Mu's advice was a complete failure in the context of realpolitik.

Reality is sometimes more dramatic than drama.

Du Mu even used his own experience to prove his point.

Later generations lamented it but did not learn from it.

This could be considered a misfortune for the nation, but a blessing for the poets.

It's normal for a sixteen-year-old to want to play, but you're the emperor!

Reality doesn't need logic.

……

Du Mu's smile faded.

Emperor Jingzong of Tang not only failed to correct his mistakes, but also died, murdered by eunuchs.

The sixteen-year-old emperor who wrote "The Rhapsody on the Epang Palace" back then, the young emperor who ignored advice, didn't attend court, and only loved playing polo, died in less than three years on the throne.

His article did not save Emperor Jingzong of Tang, nor did it save the Tang Dynasty.

"So what? So what?"

Du Mu's gaze sharpened and hardened, reverting to his usual resolute demeanor.

He picked up his wine glass and gently raised it towards the sky.

Tianmu said he would pass the imperial examination in three years.

He will become a good official who loves the people.

Before his eyes appeared the hardworking figures of ordinary people at the bottom of society.

For the sake of millions of people.

Taiji Hall.

Li Shimin suddenly stood up.

At the age of eighteen, his descendants were killed by eunuchs.

He recalled the rules he had established during the Zhenguan era, which strictly limited eunuchs from interfering in politics and wielding power.

His descendants failed to protect it.

Li Shimin stood up, walked to the palace entrance, and looked at the light in the sky.

The chaotic scene of eunuchs and imperial relatives controlling the government in the late Eastern Han Dynasty flashed before his eyes.

"What has become of my Great Tang Dynasty?"

Li Shimin was worried and could only secretly pray that one day the story of the Tang Dynasty would also be told.