Zhou Taizu Guo Wei Guo Wei, "a native of Yaoshan in Xingzhou". According to legend, he had a flying bird tattooed on his neck, so he was also called Guo Que'er.

He claimed to be from a poor family (in fact, his father Guo Jian served as the governor of Shunzhou during the later Jin Dynasty) and became a military governor because of his military exploits.

Before his death, Liu Zhiyuan, the emperor of the Later Han Dynasty, appointed Guo Wei, Shi Hongzhao and others as his ministers and asked them to assist the 18-year-old Liu Chengyou (Emperor Yin).

After Liu Chengyou ascended the throne, Guo Wei was appointed as Privy Councilor Gaping Zhangshi, consolidating military and political power into one body.

When Guo Wei received guests, he had wide robes and long sleeves, and his demeanor was elegant. However, when he went into battle, he would wear short clothes.

Guo's great achievements inevitably made him jealous of the emperor.

The Hidden Emperor Liu Chengyou once said to Guo Wei worriedly: "I dreamed at night that you turned into a donkey and carried me up to the sky. When I came down, you turned into a dragon again and left me to the south."

Guo Wei laughed loudly after hearing this.

Emperor Yin may be afraid that Guo Wei and other Gu Ming ministers will pose a threat to him, or he may feel that he himself has grown into an onion, so he took advantage of Guo Wei's absence in Kaifeng, Kyoto, to kill Shi Hongzhao and others, and sent people to kill Guo Wei.

After Guo Wei learned about the Bianjing incident, he discussed countermeasures with his confidant Wei Renpu, "Renpu encouraged rebellion."

Guo Wei led his troops to Kaifeng in the name of Qing Junzi.

On the one hand, Liu Chengyou sent troops to resist, and on the other hand, he killed all Guo Wei's family members in Beijing. "Infants and children are inevitable."

A few days later, Guo Wei "arrived at the gates of Kaifeng, and Liu Chengyou was killed by the rebels. Guo Wei entered the capital and set fire to it and looted it."

Guo Wei did not proclaim himself emperor immediately, but asked the Queen Mother to make Liu Zhiyuan's nephew Liu his heir.

Guo Wei first sent ministers to Xuzhou to greet Liu, and then sent people to kill Liu on the way.

Guo Wei led his troops northward in the name of the Northern Expedition to Khitan. In Chanzhou (today's Puyang), the soldiers asked him to proclaim himself emperor, but he stayed behind closed doors. "The soldiers climbed the wall and entered the house, asking the emperor to be the emperor... Maybe there was a split yellow flag.

He was replaced by the emperor's ocher robe, and the roar of the mountains shook the earth."

Afterwards, Guo Wei returned to Bianjing and forced the Queen Mother to order him to supervise the country, but he still did not proclaim himself emperor.

Less than a month after being in charge of the country, Guo Wei officially ascended the throne. Because he claimed to be a descendant of Uncle Guo, the younger brother of King Wen of Zhou, he named the country Zhou (called Later Zhou in history), and its capital was still in Kaifeng, Bianjing.

History is often strikingly similar. The "Chenqiao Mutiny" and "Yellow Robe Reincarnation" directed by Zhao Kuangyin, one of Guo Wei's generals and the founder of the Song Dynasty, are almost exactly the same as Guo Wei's proclaimed emperor.

Although Guo Wei was the son of the governor, his father was killed when he was young and he became an orphan. He was raised by his aunt.

He once said to Prime Minister Wang Jun: "I am a poor man, and I happen to be an emperor. How dare I spend so much on my salary to support the people?" Not only did he try to reduce the tax burden on the people, but he also lived an extremely frugal life.

He issued an edict prohibiting the introduction of delicacies and local products from various places, not to mention treasures.

Guo Wei not only prohibited the donation of treasures, but also had the palace's jewelry and jades, luxurious beds and stools decorated with gold and silver, gold and silver eating utensils, etc. brought to the main hall and broken into pieces in public, saying: "Everyone who is an emperor must use it safely."

This!" and told the relevant departments that no "precious things that please the eyes" are allowed to enter the palace.

In terms of governing the country, Guo Wei humbly reused talented and virtuous civil servants and took actions to change the ugly image of the military regime since the Later Liang Dynasty. He said to the ministers: "I grew up in the military. I don't know how to learn, and I am not proficient in the principles of governing the country and ensuring peace of the country."

In the grand scheme of things, civil and military officials should directly write letters to express their opinions on policies that are beneficial to the country and the people. Don't just write useless words to whitewash peace." This also had a great influence on Zhao Kuangyin's efforts to build the "civilian government" of the Song Dynasty.

Cowhide is a material for war preparation. Armored warships must be covered with cowhide, and soldiers also need cowhide for armor. However, in the second year after he ascended the throne, Guo Wei issued an edict despite frequent wars: "Approximately, the cowhide lost by the people every year should be reduced by two-thirds.

Ten hectares of land were allocated, and one skin was taxed, and the remaining people were allowed to use it for their own use and trade, but it was forbidden to sell it to the enemy. "Since the rise of the war, people have been forbidden to sell cowhide privately, and all officials (governments) have been ordered to accept the compensation directly."

)." The so-called "receipt of straightness" only used salt as repayment in the Mingzong period of the later Tang Dynasty; in the middle period of Tianfu in the later Jin Dynasty, even salt was not given; the later Han Dynasty was even more severe, "selling smuggled cowhide to death for an inch".

"However, the daily necessities of the people are indispensable. The emperor was aware of the disadvantages. As a result, Li (Gu) suggested that all the land should be divided into acres (divided from the land tax), so that it can be used by both public and private parties." Even Taizu of war preparation materials was considering "public and private"

It is convenient for both parties." This is a glimpse of his approach of being considerate of people's sentiments.

He also issued an edict: Officials in various places are not allowed to collect additional taxes from the people under any pretext, and all miscellaneous taxes other than regular taxes that were previously common must be abolished.

Back then, Zhu Wen, Taizu of the Later Liang Dynasty, robbed tens of thousands of cattle when he conquered Huainan. The government rented these cattle to farmers and collected rent.

In the following decades, dynasties changed several times, and many cattle died. However, the government continued to collect rents, and "the people suffered greatly."

After Guo Wei learned about this situation, he issued an order to "abort all cattle rental classes" and waived the rent for these cattle.

Some people also advised Guo Wei to "collect money" to strengthen the country, but Guo Wei said: "The benefit lies in the people, but also in the country." Guo Wei realized that even in the extremely chaotic Five Dynasties, only relying on military force could not bring the country from chaos to order.

His idea had a huge impact on China's reunification.

Following this line of thinking, under his careful governance, the Zhou Dynasty showed signs of a prosperous people and a strong country in a short period of time.

Guo Wei not only laid a solid foundation for Zhou Shizong, but also for Zhao Kuangyin to continue his career.

An extremely frugal imperial mausoleum. Guo Wei only served as emperor for three years.

He proclaimed himself emperor in the first month and died of illness in the first month at the age of 51.