Author: CHUNG Yoon-Ngan
Date: 12-08-03 03:11
The First Emperor and Lu Bu Wei (呂不韋 ? to 235BC)
Lu Bei Wei was born during the Warring States Period (戰國時代 453BC to 221BC). He was the most political minded businessman in the land. When he was young he was a student of Gui Gu Zi (鬼谷子), a very learned man. Lu Bu Wei learned from him the art of fortune telling. He was not a resident of the State of Zhao (趙國 present day Han Dan county 邯鄲縣 in Hebei province 河北省). While doing business in Han Dan (邯鄲), the capital of the State of Zhao, Lu Bu Wei befriended Ying Yi Ren (嬴異人) who was a prisoner of war captured by the Zhao soldiers during a war between the States of Zhao and Qin (秦國 present day Xian Yang 咸陽 in Shaanxi province 陜西省). Ying Yi Ren was the grandson of the 34th ruler of the State of Qin, Zhao Wang Ying Ji (昭王嬴稷) and the son of Crown Prince Ying Zhu (嬴柱).
Ying Yi Ren, a good friend of Lu Bu Wei, married Zhu Ji (朱姬), the mistress of Lu Bu Wei. Zhu Ji was already pregnant carrying Lu Bu Wei's child when she married Ying Yi Ren. Lu Bu Wei helped Ying Yi Ren to escape back to the State of Qin with his pregnant wife. Zhu Ji gave birth to a baby boy who was named Ying Zheng (嬴政), who was, later, to become the First Emperor of China.
Qin Zhao Wang, the ruler of Qin, died in 251BC and Ying Zhu, the father of Ying Yi Ren became the ruler of Qin. Ying Yi Ren was made the Crown Prince. Three days after his investiture as the ruler of Qin, Ying Zhu died. Ying Yi Ren was installed the 36th ruler of Qin. Lu Bu Wei was appointed the Prime Minister of Qin. Ying Zheng became the Crown Prince of Qin. Ying Yi Ren died in 247BC and Ying Zheng was installed the 37th ruler of Qin. Since Ying Zheng was only 13 years old Lu Bu Wei was made the Regent of the State of Qin.
Lu Bu Wei established his own private court and he employed more than three thousand people as his "think tank 食客". They helped him by fair means or foul to stay in power. They were the experts of all the professions. Among them were the first class politicians, masters in current affairs, historians, financial experts, story and fable story writers. Their livelihoods depended on Lu Bu Wei.
Putting their brains together they compiled a book of more than two hundred thousand words. The book was called,
"呂氏春秋 Lu Shi Chun Qiu or The Spring and Autumn Annals of Mr Lu"
This book was the sum total of all human knowledge at that time. Lu Bu Wei used this book as a guide to conquer other States and to unify this vast land into a big empire. He wanted the citizens of the State of Qin to read this book. He hanged up the scripts of this book on the walls of the city-gate walls of Xian Yang (咸陽), the capital of Qin. He promulgated that if anyone could erase or change a word in the book he promised that he would reward him with a thousand pieces of gold for each word he had erased or changed "能有增損一字者予千金". It was a perfect book. For over ten days not a single word was changed or deleted.
In 240BC Ying Zheng resumed the power as the ruler of the State of Qin. Three years later, Lu Bu Wei was sacked by Ying Zheng as the Prime Minister and replaced by Li Si (李斯). In 235BC, Lu Bu Wei was forced to take his own life by taking poison.
In 221BC, Ying Zheng subjugated all the other States in the land and established the Qin Dynasty. He proclaimd himself the Forst Empire of Qin (秦始皇帝).
CHUNG Yoon-Ngan (鄭永元)
08122003
Yoon-Ngan
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