Nowadays, "four dishes and one soup" has become synonymous with "official meals" and also a general term for honesty and diligence. As the name implies, "four dishes and one soup" means one meal, four dishes and one bowl of soup, which means thrift, honesty and integrity. According to legend, this move was initiated by Zhu Yuanzhang, the great emperor of the Ming Dynasty, to rectify the extravagant style of dignitaries. Since then, many dynasties have advocated it.
in 1368, Zhu Yuanzhang proclaimed himself emperor and made Nanjing his capital. However, not long after his reign, the wind of official corruption gradually rose. At this time, there were many natural disasters and poor harvests, and people's lives were extremely difficult, but the dignitaries still lived a luxurious life and the people complained. Zhu Yuanzhang, who was born in poverty and begged for food, hated this and made up his mind to completely rectify the extravagant style of officialdom. Because Zhu Yuanzhang had great respect for Ma Huanghou, saying that she "has a good wife at home and is a good friend of Judah", he specifically asked Ma Huanghou for any good suggestions.
Ma Huanghou thought for a moment and said to Zhu Yuanzhang, "The eighth day of next month is my birthday, and all officials from civil and military departments will come to celebrate his birthday. Why not take this opportunity to set up a few tables of coarse food and simple meals to warn the ministers? " Zhu Yuanzhang heard this and felt that this sentence was wonderful.
In a blink of an eye, it is the eighth day of August, which is the birthday of the Queen. At this moment, it is the last moment for the officials of civil and military affairs to enter the palace to celebrate the Queen's birthday. However, there is no festive atmosphere of the queen's birthday in the palace garden, and there is neither red palace lanterns hanging high nor melodious music playing high. Near noon, Zhu Yuanzhang saw that all the civil and military officials were seated, so he ordered the birthday party to begin. The eunuch in the imperial palace shouted "Pass the rice!" After that, the first course was served with a plate of fried white radish at each table. Zhu Yuanzhang immediately said, "Radish is a panacea, and this white radish is the top grade. It's white and flawless. Please love Qing to have a taste of this medicine. " As soon as the voice fell, the second course came up again, a plate of fried leeks. Then Zhu Yuanzhang said: "The leeks are green, and the people have long-term stability!" Then there are two bowls of vegetables. Zhu Yuanzhang continued: "Two bowls of green vegetables are as fragrant as others. You are a good prime minister!" The last one is a big bowl of chopped green onion tofu soup. Zhu Yuanzhang tasted it first, and then said, "Onion and tofu are green and white, fair and upright as the sun and the moon." Hearing this, all the ministers looked at each other. Finally, Zhu Yuanzhang said sternly, "Today's birthday banquet for the empress is the beginning of thrift in this dynasty. In the future, all secretaries' meals will be' four dishes and one soup' at most, all of which are frugal. The Queen's birthday party is an example. Whoever violates it will die! " Since then, "four dishes and one soup" has become an official regulation.
Year: "Emperor Hong customized' four dishes and one soup' to show that officials should have a routine, which is the way to be frugal, and frugality must be done". Since then, "four dishes and one soup" has spread from the palace to the people. "The emperor treats you, four dishes and one soup, radish and leeks, which are really sweet and fragrant; The folk song "Onion Tofu, with profound meaning, is clear and white, and corrupt officials are flustered" is widely circulated.
Zhu Yuanzhang's rule of "four dishes and one soup" is not just talk, but "immediate effect". Described many examples of Zhu Yuanzhang punishing extravagant officials. It is said that shortly after he launched "four dishes and one soup", he sent a number of envoys to make unannounced visits to various yamen and restaurants in Jinling. If you find an official "exceeding the standard", report it immediately. Once confirmed, the consequences are unimaginable.
One day, an imperial envoy told Zhu Yuanzhang that officials of the official department were holding a banquet in a luxury hotel beside Qinhuai River. Although it is "four dishes and one soup", it is extremely luxurious and delicious. Then Zhu Yuanzhang and an imperial envoy came to the restaurant, only to see several officials exchanging cups, full of interest. Zhu Yuanzhang approached quietly and saw that although there were four dishes and a bowl on the table, the plates were huge. There were five small plates in each plate, namely "one big plate and one small plate", which was nominally "four dishes and one soup", but in fact it was twenty dishes. Zhu Yuanzhang was furious and stepped on the table. He had turned the table upside down before the officials responded. As soon as these officials saw the arrival of holiness, they quickly fell to their knees. Zhu Yuanzhang thundered, "So' four dishes and one soup' can be described as opportunistic and deceptive, and it will definitely be hell to pay!" As a result, these officials were dismissed, their fetters were "beaten eighty times" and even the restaurant owner was punished.
A few days later, an imperial envoy told Zhu Yuanzhang that officials in Tianfu privately popularized a "four dishes and one soup" called a "banquet". When officials treat guests, they will be served with "four dishes and one soup" first. After the guests taste it, they will have another round of "four dishes and one soup", and the cycle will be repeated. As a result, on the surface, there are always "four dishes and one soup" at the dinner table. In fact, they have eaten dozens of dishes. Zhu Yuanzhang was so angry that Han Yike immediately traced the last play!
the Han empire did not dare to neglect it, and immediately organized an investigation team to investigate. A few days later, I made unannounced visits to many restaurants, and many officials did eat "four dishes and one soup" in the form of a "banquet" when entertaining. These people have both junior officials at the sixth and seventh levels and senior officials at the third and fourth levels. Han Yike immediately hit Zhu Yuanzhang and was immediately approved by the court: all officials who were verified were severely punished, dismissed and never appointed. And several people who don't report it are also jointly punished for harboring crimes.
a few days later, Zhu Yuanzhang came forward and reprimanded those officials who disobeyed orders, took advantage of opportunities and enjoyed luxury "four dishes and one soup" in disguise. When the court found out that the right assistant minister of the official department, Shao Qing of Taibu Temple, the doctor of rites and the doctor of Zhongshu Province were all dismissed and handed over to the Zhen Fu Department of Royal Guards for investigation. These people were immediately taken away from their jobs and escorted out of the court. All the civil and military officials present were stunned when they met. Since then, the extravagant style of officials has greatly converged.
Zhu Yuanzhang promoted "four dishes and one soup". There are few historical records, but there are many folk rumors. Despite the lack of textual research on these rumors, during his thirty-one years in office, he really took the incorruptibility of officials as the top priority, fought corruption with an iron fist and was resolute, which made the officialdom atmosphere in the early Ming Dynasty one of the new ones. Although some anti-corruption measures are too cruel and even outrageous, they do play an educational role.