Chapter 232 Crazy
In the Hall of Wude.
The emperor retreated from the left and right, and even the historians such as Qijulang and Shiyi were also driven out.
"Do you want me to destroy Buddha?"
When Qin Lang said that among the richest people in the world, there were monks and Taoists, Li Shimin's face changed drastically, and he drove away everyone.
In history, there have been two exterminations of Buddhism, one by Emperor Wu of Wei, and one by Emperor Wu of Zhou. The two exterminations had a huge impact. From an economic point of view, it really brought huge benefits to the imperial court at that time. Back then, the Northern Zhou Dynasty even took advantage of the unprecedented benefits obtained after the extermination of Buddhism, and the national power soared soaring, and the Northern Qi Dynasty was wiped out in one fell swoop.
"Your Majesty, although I don't respect Buddhism and Taoism, I don't agree with the brutal method of destroying Buddhism and Taoism."
"Then what do you mean?"
Qin Lang has always believed that in ancient China, Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism are no longer pure religions, and have long since taken root and sprouted in the local area. Simple prohibition is not feasible. From the earliest Wudou rice religion in the Han Dynasty to the Tang Dynasty The Louguan Taoism at the beginning, and other sects, Buddhism from the West, and even the Sanyi Sect in Chang’an all have very strong followers and soil.
Even if the most drastic policy of exterminating Buddhism is adopted, it will not take long before it will revive. For example, Emperor Wu of the Northern Zhou Dynasty exterminated Buddhism, but soon after Yang Jian established the Sui Dynasty, he vigorously promoted Buddhism.
In fact, worshiping Buddha and destroying Buddhism is no longer a simple question of belief. More complicated political issues have long been mixed in here. Even the court deliberately balances the three religions of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism to check each other, and finally it is used by the emperor for the court. .
Therefore, even if Li Yuan edicted Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism several times before to debate the three religions, let them compete for ranking, and finally issued the Shatai Sangha and Taoism, and began to crack down on monks and Taoism, there are actually political needs.
Since the Sui Dynasty, the power of Buddhism has indeed expanded greatly. They are not only a matter of religious belief, but also have a great influence on the court in terms of politics and economy.
This is actually out of control and out of bounds, so Li Yuan will finally attack them.
It's just that Li Yuan was quickly kicked out by his son and lived in the Tai Chi Palace. Li Shimin's attitude towards monks and Taoists was actually put aside for the time being, and he even deliberately wanted to abolish his father's edict in order to win over the support of Buddhism and Taoism.
"Your Majesty, if you take history as a mirror, you can know the ups and downs. In the past, the two warriors who destroyed Buddhism have long revealed many defects and dangers of Buddhism and Taoism. If the monks and Taoism prosper, the country will decline. The court needs to maintain its influence on the monks and Taoism, especially It is the power of control, the monks and Taoists cannot be allowed to influence or even control the imperial court in turn, and they cannot be allowed to grow too economically, otherwise this is sucking the blood of the country."
Qin Lang actually doesn’t need to say much, as long as he talks about the background of the extermination of Buddhism by two martial arts, he can know the great harm when Buddhism is too strong.
However, Qin Lang also bluntly opposed the simple and rude extermination of Buddhism, directly forcing monks to return to vulgarity, destroying forbidden temples, melting and casting bronze statues and other acts, which are actually too rough and simple, and cannot play an excellent role, and will also cause public opinion and other backlash .
"I believe that the important thing is management, not prohibition. The secular should be separated, the secular should be returned to the secular, and the outsiders should be naturalized. The real monks should be allowed to practice, and those gangsters should be prohibited from mixing into temples... ·”
"Isn't the time to talk about this now?" Li Shimin said.
Qin Lang didn’t know what Qin Lang said, but for the emperor, or for the imperial court, he was never able to do whatever he wanted, and what they did was often more about treating headaches and feet.
There are thousands of things, but also a priority.
Undoubtedly, in the eyes of the emperor, this matter of monkhood is not on the list that he needs to deal with immediately.
But Qin Lang told the emperor that it was necessary.
"As long as His Majesty gives an edict, I don't need to destroy Buddhist temples or bronze statues, and I can raise millions of dollars for the court within ten days to solve the current financial difficulties of the court, and to deal with the increasingly powerful monks." Dao gives constraints." Qin Lang said.
Li Shimin was suddenly moved.
Money or not is not very important, the main reason is that he can't get used to the fact that monks and Taoists are too powerful. Of course, he doesn't believe this himself. He just wants money now, and he can find a way to get it. Everything else can be thrown away first. go aside.
"Speak your mind!"
Qin Lang's idea is very simple. Since the imperial court can conduct imperial examinations to select scholars, it can also conduct unified management of monks and Taoists, such as giving monks and Taoists examinations.
Of course the exam is not the purpose. Although passing the exam can also distinguish many fake monks and Taoists who don’t understand anything, the most important purpose is not the case.
Qin Lang's purpose is very simple, the exam is just an introduction, what is really important is the uniform award of the degree by the imperial court.
If you pass the exam, the imperial court will officially grant you a degree certificate. You are a true monk who has successfully registered on the imperial court list and is recognized by the imperial court. The degree certificate can be used not only as a document, but also as a certificate for them to be exempted from class service.
Of course, just passing the test results is not enough, you have to pay for this certificate.
"One hundred thousand dollars per certificate!"
One hundred thousand dollars is one hundred guan.
A degree certificate received one hundred guan, and each monk and Taoist paid one hundred guan for the Zhang degree certificate. Li Shimin calculated silently in his heart. At present, the total number of monks, monks and nuns in the whole country is estimated to be no less than 500,000. There are definitely not all real monks and priests in it. If you take the exam, it is estimated that not one out of ten will pass.
But this is not important, what is important is that if one person gets one hundred certificates per person according to what Qin Lang said, the imperial court would have an income of one million certificates as long as they sell 10,000 certificates.
And Qin Lang still said there that the monks and nuns in the world will be divided into districts to manage the system, just like the household registration, according to their location, they will go to the corresponding place to handle the certificate.
The purpose of doing this is of course for money.
But if you become a monk in Luoyang or Chang'an, and become a monk in those famous temples, the degree may cost three hundred or even five hundred and one thousand.
Qin Lang said that, in fact, there is a historical basis.
During the time of Wu Zetian, when he built a large Buddha statue in Luoyang, he once collected taxes from monks and nuns all over the world, and each taxed one money.
When it came to the Anshi Rebellion, Yang Guozhong went to Taiyuan to raise military expenses, sold monk certificates, and got millions of dollars in ten days. After the Anshi Rebellion, the Tang Dynasty regarded the monk's certificate as an important means of supplementing fiscal revenue.
Even in the Song Dynasty, Du Yi became an important thing that the court gave to local disaster relief, military expenses, etc., and used it to offset money. Moreover, there are many empty name certificates. In fact, empty name certificates are no longer just used for monks to become monks, but have become an important financial management tool for businessmen and scholars at that time, just like stock securities. The same buy down sell up.
During the Song Dynasty, the number of empty titles sometimes reached two or three thousand guan, and sometimes it fell to one thousand or eight hundred guan.
All of these fully demonstrate that the Duyi is indeed a money-making tool.
After all, the monks are rich, and the world knows it.
Let’s just talk about Chang’an City. There are hundreds of famous Buddhist temples such as Da Zongchi Temple, and the big ones often occupy one or two squares of land, not to mention thousands of hectares of land and countless slave tenants.
Unlimited ultimatum is not allowed to become a monk privately,
Temples are not allowed to accommodate monks without degrees!
As long as the emperor makes an edict, then Buddhist temples, Taoist temples, nunneries, etc. have to be moved.
As long as they pay some money, they can maintain their current status and property. Qin Lang believes that they are willing to pay this blood, and they must pay it.
No matter how rich and influential the monks are, how can they really beat the imperial court?
Think about two martial arts destroying Buddha?
In history, there were two later Emperor Wu exterminated Buddhas, but four Wudi exterminated Buddhas.
Besides the recent ones, before Qin Lang came to ask the monks for food, they dared not refuse.
Qin Lang also left room for them, just let them bleed a little, and didn't smash their Buddha statues, destroy their mountain gates and confiscate their fields.
If you don't want to understand, the consequences will be even more serious.
Buddhism and Taoism are also smart people, it is impossible to understand this.
"My minister, please try it in Chang'an first!"
Li Shimin thought about it, he also knew about this decree, and it is estimated that monks and Taoists in the world will be dissatisfied with him. Originally, he wanted to abolish his father's edict to suppress Buddhism and Taoism after the situation eased, and wanted to gain something from these monks. some support.
"How much money can I get?" Li Shimin asked.
"I am sure that I will get one million guan before the year before. I will implement it nationwide next year. I will strive to complete this genealogy within two to three years, and I will get at least 3 million guan."
Three million guan!
Spending one million coins, Li Shimin could not sleep well at night, and the figure of three million made the emperor's eyes red.
"Okay, I will call the Zhongshu Sheren to draft an edict, and order the Zhengshitang to pass it and promulgate it. The transfer department will be responsible for this matter." The emperor almost gritted his teeth and said there.
"Your Majesty, please greet the Zhenfu Division and the Yongzhou Mansion, and let them assist the Transshipment Division in handling this matter."
"allow!"
As long as there is money, Li Shimin agrees, three million, this money is enough to start a war.
On the same day, after Qin Lang received the edict, he went to the Zhen Fusi, had tea with his old subordinates Liu Jiu and Lin San, and then asked the new Zhen Fu envoy Zhang Liang to go to the Da Zongchi Temple together.
The reason why he first went to Da Zongchi Temple was because he was well-known and rich enough among the temples in Chang'an.
Monk Daoyue was startled when he heard that the little monk Bianji came to report that Qin Lang had brought the people from the Zhenfusi back.
Qin Lang came to the Dazongchi Temple twice this year, but the first time he came, he captured Fa Ya and beheaded him. The second time he came, he confiscated a large amount of food from the temple.
Why is it here again?
"I heard that Yi Guogong issued bonds in Chang'an a few days ago. Could it be that he came to let us subscribe for the bonds?"
When several great monks met, they were all a little uneasy.
"If that's the case, then let's recognize a thousand guan!" Monk Daoyue said helplessly as he turned the beads.
(end of this chapter)