The emperor was the supreme ruler of ancient feudal society. People think that they should live longer than ordinary people, but this is not the case. It is often said that there are 3,000 beauties in the harem. According to statistics, from the establishment of the Qin Dynasty in 22 1 year BC to the demise of the Qing Dynasty in 19 1 year BC, it lasted more than 2 100 years, with about 60 dynasties and more than 400 emperors appearing on the historical stage in this period. Among so many emperors, only nine people lived to be over 70 years old, including Liu Che, Sun Quan, Xiao Yan, Liang Wudi, Wu Zetian, Li Longji, Zhao Gou, Yuan Shizu, Kublai Khan, Zhu Yuanzhang and Emperor Gaozong. Most other emperors were short-lived, with an average life span of only over 40 years. There are many reasons for the short life span of feudal emperors. Either work day and night and lose your life; Or die because of court struggle; Or die of debauchery; Or sudden death due to taking elixir; Or fatal diseases caused by overeating ... In sharp contrast to the short life of emperors after Qin Dynasty, many emperors in ancient times lived for a long time. According to historical records, their descendants Yao Shun lived to be over 100 years old. Why is the life span of emperors in different periods so different? Huangdi Neijing found out the reason from the perspective of health preservation: "Ancient people, who knows, learn Yin and Yang, learn mathematics. Eat and drink regularly, live regularly, and don't act rashly, so that you can be in harmony with God and come to the end of your life. People are different now. They take wine as their pulp, run amok and get drunk, trying to exhaust their essence and dissipate their truth. They don't know enough, they don't know how to resist God, they are quick-hearted, they are contrary to their lives, and they have no morals, so they will fail in half a century. "

Give up enjoying life and live frugally. Liang Wudi lived to be 86 years old.

Xiao Yan was the founding emperor of the Liang Dynasty in the Southern and Northern Dynasties and one of the oldest emperors in ancient China. He is a descendant of Xiao He, the prime minister of the Han Dynasty. He was born in 464 AD, died in 549 AD, and lived 86 years. During the Southern and Northern Dynasties, China was divided between the north and the south, with frequent wars, social chaos and rapid dynasty changes. Most emperors have not been in power for long. Liu Song, initiated by Emperor Wu of Song, was founded in 59 years and changed to eight emperors. The Qi State initiated by Xiao Daocheng lasted only 23 years, and seven emperors successively ascended the throne. Although the Liang Dynasty was established only 55 years ago, Xiao Yan's rule lasted for 48 years. If he hadn't made a mistake in decision-making in his later years and accepted Hou Jing, a vassal of the Eastern Wei Dynasty, he would have starved to death in Taicheng. In the history of China after the Qin Dynasty, Liang Wudi's reign lasted longer than that of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty and Kanggan of the Qing Dynasty. Among the founding emperors of past dynasties, his longevity is unique. Liang Wudi was born in a noble family, read widely, and was especially proficient in Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism. He is diligent in government affairs. "In the fourth month of winter, the competition is even more intense, that is, starting to see things, holding a brush and feeling cold, my hands are chapped." He can live to 86 years old, mainly because of his frugal lifestyle. Influenced by Buddhism, he never eats delicacies, but only eats vegetable soup and coarse rice once a day. He wears cloth, his hat changes every three years and his quilt changes every two years. "Under the harem imperial concubine, clothes don't mop the floor. Sex does not drink alcohol, non-ancestral temple sacrifices, big banquets and various legal affairs, and I have never had fun. " He said to his courtiers, "I have never lived in a room for more than 30 years." As for living in a place with only one bed, sculptures don't enter the palace. I was born without drinking, and I have a bad voice. I had a party in North Korea and never played music. Every day, my waist and abdomen used to be too ten, but now I have lost more than two feet, and my old belt is still there. " As an emperor who can satisfy any desire, Liang Wudi can give up almost all material comforts and live a frugal life, which is admirable.

Emperor Han Chengdi was buried in Gentle Township, and Levin in Northern Qi Dynasty was short-lived and addicted to alcohol.

After all, only a few emperors in the history of China lived extremely frugally like Liang Wudi. Most emperors take it for granted to enjoy the splendor of the world, and some even indulge in extravagance and debauchery, even at the cost of their lives. Liu Ao, the Emperor of the Han Dynasty, is a typical example. He is good-looking, and he is "good at grooming, reading the past and the present, and accepting the truth." Ban Biao, a historian, praised him for "Jiang Mumu has the talent of the son of heaven". But this person has a fatal weakness, that is, lust. According to historical records, Liu Ao was famous for his lewdness when he was a prince. After he ascended the throne, the empress dowager took care of his "hobby" and wrote a letter "Choose a good wife for the harem". Although there are enough concubines in the harem, the lecherous emperor is not satisfied. He personally went to the folk to bring the song and dance artist Zhao and her sister Zhao Hede back to the palace. The Zhao sisters seem to fall in love with the countryside. "If you look from left to right, you will be amazed." At that time, Dr. Naofangcheng, who followed Emperor Han Chengdi, lamented: "This disaster also needs to be put out!" Later, Liu Ao, who was physically strong, was buried in the gentle village of Zhao Hede at the age of 46. Gao Yang, the founding emperor of the Northern Qi Dynasty in the Southern and Northern Dynasties, attached great importance to politics and appointed talents when he first ascended the throne. He attacked Qidan in the north and Liang Xiao in the south, and made great achievements. But a few years later, he became complacent, indulged in debauchery, and "don't ask for intimacy, mess around" with women, becoming a "long night binge". He is often drunk. Once he was drunk, he ran outside the court and asked a woman on the side of the road, "What is the son of heaven?" The woman said, "You are crazy and you can't be the son of heaven!" " He killed the woman in a rage. Gao Yang became a heavy drinker at the age of 3 1 year. Zhu Changluo, the Guangzong of the Ming Dynasty, was very weak. Zheng Guifei, the concubine of his father Ming Shenzong, gave him some beautiful women to win his favor. As a result, he ate too much and was bedridden. Eunuch Cui Wensheng took the medicine, and Zhu Changluo's condition became worse after taking it. Later, Li Ke, the founder of Crack Temple, burned it into a "red pill", and Zhu Changluo ate it for a few days and died. He was emperor for only a month and died at the age of 37.

Dream of immortality, looking for fairy medicine

It is human nature to want to live a long and healthy life, especially for feudal emperors with supreme power. China has a long history of health-preserving culture and various health-preserving methods. However, some emperors do not want to prolong life through normal channels, but fantasize that they can find an elixir to maintain their lives. After the reunification of China, he envied the "real people" who were born together with heaven and earth. He heard that there were three fairy mountains on the sea, Penglai, Abbot and Yingzhou, which was convenient for Xu Shiling to find with thousands of boys and girls in 2 19 BC. As a result, Xu Shi never came back after going to sea. In 2 15 BC, Qin Shihuang sent alchemist Lu Sheng to look for two immortals, Xianmen and Gao Shi, and soon sent alchemists Han Sheng, Hou Sheng and Shi Sheng to look for immortals and pills. Knowing that they couldn't find immortals and elixirs, these people sneaked away, making Qin Shihuang's dream of "real people" vanish, even though Qin Shihuang was the last person to hear others say "death". Many emperors are superstitious about Taoist alchemy, thinking that eating the "elixir" made by Taoist secret recipe can prolong life, but they don't know that these "elixirs" burned for dozens of days are extremely hot and highly toxic, which is harmful to human body. They all died of poisoning by eating the "elixir" refined by Taoist priests. Most emperors in the Ming Dynasty believed in Taoism. Emperor Xiaozong of Ming Dynasty studied with Taoist priests all day how to make an alchemist immortal, calling himself "Emperor Gu Xuan" and "True Immortal Purple", hoping to live forever. Unfortunately, he died at the age of 36. Emperor Jiajing of Ming Shizong ignored the political affairs and left them to the traitors. He took medicine all day in the palace, praying for a long life. Later, after eating "then pills", he bloated and died.