On fortune-telling in Ming Dynasty

Many of our friends have seen the story of Emperor Chongzhen looking for someone to measure his character. We all know that this Chongzhen was the last emperor of the Ming Dynasty, and his national subjugation did not lie in his incompetence and fatuity, but the inevitable result of the development of the current situation.

In fact, the Chongzhen era is an extremely turbulent era. Although the former emperor left the throne to Chongzhen, he also left a eunuch party and government to Chongzhen, and the country was riddled with holes and fell apart. After Chongzhen came to power, he was very frugal and diligent. Although we ate snacks and did a lot of work, there were Manchu Eight Banners outside, and Li Zicheng and Zhang rebelled, Chongzhen failed to reverse the reality of the demise of the Ming Dynasty.

The story of Emperor Chongzhen looking for someone to measure characters is just a folk legend. Although there are many versions, the content is basically the same.

Legend has it that one day in the seventeenth year of Chongzhen, Emperor Chongzhen disguised himself as a palace gate to relieve his inner pressure. On the way, he met a fortune teller. Chongzhen had a whim to see the fate of his country through divination, but he didn't know that it was all ominous.

Emperor Chongzhen said the word "friend" at first. What did the fortune teller ask him to measure? Chongzhen Road: "State affairs!" The fortune teller hesitated for a moment, then looked at Chongzhen and said, "The word' friend' is the word' anti', which means that the anti-thief has taken the lead. This is a bad thing! "

Chongzhen was shocked and quickly changed his mind and said, "No, it's not' friend', it's' you'. Is there a word' you'? " The fortune teller said, "The word' you' is a good thing, but it would be a disaster if you still ask about state affairs." Chongzhen was puzzled, and the fortune teller said, "Look at the word' you', which clearly means that the word' Daming' is gone. This is a sign that the country is dying and the country is in danger. "

Emperor Chongzhen tried to be calm: "You heard wrong again, not whether there is' you', but the tenth word' you'." The fortune teller hesitated for a moment and asked, "Do you still ask about state affairs?" Emperor Chongzhen replied, "I also asked about state affairs." The fortune teller shook his head and said to Chongzhen, "The word' You' is the word' Zun' in the Ninth Five-Year Plan, but the word' Zun' has its head and tail removed. As an emperor, its head and feet are gone. Do you think there is still hope for this country? " Hearing the fortune teller's words, Chongzhen was surprised and angry. He bit his coat and towel in his mouth and took out money to give the fortune teller, but his husband waved his hand again and again and saw the fortune teller say, "I can't take this money." You have a towel in your mouth. Isn't that the word' hang'? Unfortunately, I can't accept your money. " Emperor Chongzhen turned pale with fear and went back to the palace.

The story of the emperor looking for someone to measure words is not a real history, but the later generations tried their best to guess Chongzhen's inner feelings, so his story of measuring words spread among the people.