Five Fates of Chinese Emperors

Author: Zhang Hongjie
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2007-01-01
Features: Decoding the historical secrets of the emperor system, recreating the fated lives of five emperors. A New Work by Zhang Hongjie, Author of "Seven Faces of the Ming Dynasty." Co-recommended by Wang XueTai, Mo Yan, Bai Yansong, He Dong, Xie Xizhang, Zhang Yue, and Chai Jing.
For a long time, the Chinese people have had an emperor complex, and it has not entirely faded away to this day. This reflects the human desire for power. With the establishment of a democratic system where rights are equal, and given the existing inequality of rights in society, the human longing for supreme power is difficult to suppress. —Wang XueTai
Zhang Hongjie approaches the ancients not from political, moral, or academic perspectives, but solely from the perspective of their personalities. He neither criticizes nor idealizes them; instead, with compassion, he puts himself in their shoes, sharing their joys and sorrows. —Mo Yan
History is not just about dynasties rising and falling, nor is it solely academic or composed of cold names. Look closely, and it is clearly the struggle and hesitation of life, the hope and despair in people’s hearts, and the slow progress of human nature. For this reason, outside the realm of historians, other authors have added more relatability and authenticity to history. —Bai Yansong
Unlike previous historical writings, Zhang Hongjie has successfully shown us the faces of history, and these faces are expressive. Reading such words, you can feel the warmth of history as it breathes. —Xie Xizhang
Most of the Chinese history books I have read can be divided into two categories. One is so-called "serious": they obsess over small topics, angles, and disagreements, tying themselves in knots with bookish pride, which has little relevance to readers. The other is so-called "popular": they are quite arbitrary, loving to talk about political conspiracies and court scandals. They cater to the dark psychology of the Chinese people’s admiration for "thick skin and black heart." Only a few history books belong to a third category: they combine academic research with enduring values, offer warm humanistic care, and express individuality. Zhang Hongjie’s books belong to this category, from Seven Faces of the Ming Dynasty to Five Fates of Chinese Emperors. They are interesting, beneficial, and meaningful to us. —Zhang Yue
The Chinese history written by Zhang Hongjie is far more engaging than the wildly fictional novels and poorly made blockbusters by many contemporary authors! With his sharp pen, he strips away the faces of historical figures, revealing their various true expressions and complex minds. —He Dong
A journalist and a historian should have the same spirit, as Spinoza said: not to approve, not to condemn, not to regret, but simply to understand and recognize. —Chai Jing
This book interprets the different expressions of five emperors under the pressure of the crown. For example, Wang Mang, who was accidentally crowned by the "people," was ultimately thrown off and crushed because he was unfamiliar with the workings of power. Yang Guang, who schemed to seize the crown, then indulged recklessly in the pleasures it brought him, eventually dying from alcohol poisoning from the "power wine." These five expressions are both pitiful and. Because the "emperor system" not only harms the nation and its people but also simultaneously damages the rulers who manipulate it. In a sense, the two characters "emperor" contain most of the keys to understanding Chinese society. History does not need to be sensationalized to be fascinating! Five emperors: one transformed from a moral model into a traitor; one died for his grand ambitions; one became under the shadow of panic; one, who played with the throne his entire life, drowned; one, naturally weak-willed, ended his days in depression. They held the tragedy of an empire in their hands—success or failure, who could judge? They gambled with their fated lives for the imperial system and the power, outwardly dazzling, inwardly filled with sorrow!