The book "Outlaws of the Marsh" tells the story of Song Jiang, Chao Gai and others who established the Water Margin Stronghold at the end of the Northern Song Dynasty. They became brothers with the heroes of the Jianghu and gathered together in the mountains. As Chao Gai was shot in Zengtou City, Song Jiang became the stronghold leader. They were appeased and surrendered to the Northern Song Dynasty. After Ping Wangqing and Tian Hu eliminated Fang La, there were only 27 of 108 heroes left. The rest of the people were persecuted by treacherous ministers, and this group of vigorous insurgents ended up with a tragic fate.
After reading the Outlaws of the Marsh, I think Song Jiang, the leader of the mountain stronghold, did not do very well in three aspects.
First, Song Jiang's principle line of capitulation to recruit security is not a good line.
The small court of the Northern Song Dynasty was a very fatuous and corrupt dynasty. Not only is this "monarch" a fatuous monarch and a favorite of the emperor, but all of them are treacherous ministers who frame up loyal and good people and put villains in high position. If Song Jiang surrenders, he will be framed by treacherous officials, and will end up with "no birds flying, no good bows hiding, no cunning rabbits, no dogs cooking". If, like Li Kui, he is clamouring to "seize the throne and become the emperor", Song Jiang's military strength may succeed, but he will inevitably have a fierce battle with Fang La. There will be several who want to be the emperor, but there is only one emperor. What should I do? Then we have to fight! Play until there is one left. However, Song Jiang didn't have the courage to be the emperor, so he had to surrender. What good is surrender? Just want to be remembered in history! If you become a good emperor, the country is peaceful and the people are safe, and save the people from suffering, the people will thank you!
Second, Song Jiang attached too much importance to the "loyalty, filial piety and righteousness", which led to his failure in the uprising.
Since Confucius advocated Taoism, the word "loyalty, filial piety, justice" has become more important than life. However, as the old saying goes, when things reach their extreme, they will turn against each other. Behind the spread of "loyalty, filial piety and righteousness", many talents' thoughts have been imprisoned, many tragic stories have been deduced, and many people have been "suffocated" to death. "As long as you are obedient, don't rebel" has become the aim of feudalists. Song Jiang also could not walk out of this "old framework", and became the victim of the feudal ideology represented by "loyalty, filial piety and righteousness". In history, people who became emperors and achieved hegemony did not talk about "loyalty, filial piety and righteousness". For example, Yang Jian, the founding emperor of the Sui Dynasty, ignored the life and death of his son-in-law's son, Emperor Zhou Jing, and killed him, without any Taoist spirit. "Loyalty, filial piety and righteousness" can be used, but attention should also be paid to its usage and weight. If Song Jiang used it like this and surrendered wholeheartedly to appease him, it would be "Foolish Loyalty". Song Jiang is just a small bandit in Liangshan Lake. It would be foolish to put "loyalty, filial piety and justice" so high?