Master Jin Yong's Novels Chen Jinnan in History
When it comes to Chen Jinnan, I believe everyone must know that he is the chief helmsman of the Heaven and Earth Association, a character in Jin Yong's novel "The Deer's Cauldron". He is the master that Wei Xiaobao worships in the Heaven and Earth Association. Wei Xiaobao's master Chen Jinnan not only has a peerless martial arts, but also has a kind heart and a chivalrous intestine. Although he does not appear much in "The Deer's Cauldron", his heroism is amazing.
Friends who have seen Stephen Chow's movie "The Deer's Cauldron", I don't know if you still remember the sentence that Wei Xiaobao often talked about in the film: "If you don't see Chen Jinnan in your life, it's futile to call you a hero!" Such a high praise for Chen Jinnan is rare in Jin Yong's novels. So is there anyone in history? The author checked historical materials and learned that there is indeed Chen Jinnan in history.
Chen Jinnan, (? --1680), his real name is Chen Yonghua. He was a strategist of the Zheng royal family in Taiwan, an advocate of Taiwanese education, and a beautiful man from Longhai, Fujian. His father, Chen Ding, was a Juren in the seven years of the Ming Apocalypse (1627); he was a scholar in the middle of 1644. After the change of Jiashen, he returned to his hometown to work, and in the second year of Yongli (1648), Zheng Chenggong conquered Tongan and gave Chen Ding as an edict. Later, the Qing army captured Tongan, and Chen Ding hanged himself. Chen Yonghua was only fifteen or sixteen years old at that time. After the Qing army entered the city, Chen Yonghua fled.
At that time, Zheng Chenggong occupied Xiamen and plotted to restore the Ming Dynasty, so he recruited scholars from all over the world. Wang Zhongxiao, the military attendant, recommended Chen Yonghua, and Zheng Chenggong talked to him about current affairs. Later, he said happily: "Fu Fu, you are today's Mr. Wolong." Later, he was awarded to join the army and treated them as guests. However, according to research, Chen Yonghua is not good at talking at ordinary times, and can only be played in some political opinions and other political discussions.
Liu Songren's version of Chen Jinnan (first from left)
Later, when Chen Yonghua built Taiwan, he took the "food for the people" as the starting point. He personally went to various places to teach the army to stock up on fields and store grain; to teach the people to boil sugar and dry salt to benefit the people's livelihood; to teach craftsmen to burn bricks and improve the houses. At the same time, administrative areas were demarcated, and the people lived and worked in peace and contentment. After the food and clothing were sufficient, Taiwan's first Confucian temple was built to reward education. At the same time, a complete education system was planned to cultivate and promote talents.
Zheng Chenggong was based on hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians in Taiwan. Under the planning of Chen Yonghua and others, Zheng Chenggong began to trade with Japan, Siam, and Annan in Taiwan; he opened trade channels in Fujian, Zhejiang, Guangdong and other places. This also better provided himself with a good source of income.
In the 12th year of Yongli (1658), Zheng Chenggong discussed the Northern Expedition with the generals. Many people thought it would not work, but only Chen Yonghua defied all the opinions and thought it was feasible. Zheng Chenggong was very happy, so he sent him to stay in Xiamen and assist his son Zheng Jing. Zheng Chenggong said to Zheng Jing: "Mr. Chen is a famous man today. I will leave him to assist you. You should treat him as a teacher."
In 1662, Zheng Chenggong conquered Taiwan and awarded Chen Yonghua a consultative service in the army. In May of the same year, Zheng Chenggong died of illness in Taiwan, and his son Zheng Jing succeeded him. Zheng Jing relied on him very much, and he must be asked about the affairs of the military and the state. In the 18th year of Yongli (1664), Kinmen and Xiamen fell, and Chen Yonghua returned to Taiwan with Zheng Jing. The next year, he was promoted to Yong Wei and added the post of overseer of the army.
After returning to Taiwan, the first thing Chen Yonghua did was to personally inspect the communities in the north and south of Taiwan to find out the reclamation situation. After returning, he promulgated the farming system and carried out farming and reclamation. When the land was just reclaimed, it was three ripe a year, and not only the garrison soldiers, but also the local residents could have plenty of food and clothing. In the spare time of farming, military drills were carried out, so everyone had the courage to know the side, first public and then private.
In 1665, Chen Yonghua proposed to Zheng Jing to "build a holy temple and establish a school". But Zheng Jing believed: "The new creation of desolate clothing not only makes the local area cramped, but also the people are scarce, and we will wait for the future for the time being." Chen Yonghua quoted scriptures and tried to explain the importance of education. He believed that Taiwan is a vast country, far away from the sea, with simple folk customs. If you can use talents as assistants, after a period of education and rest, you can catch up with the Central Plains. A holy temple should be established in a place and a school should be set up "to attract talents, and the country will have wise men, and the country will be solidified by itself, and the world will prosper in the future." Zheng Jing was persuaded and agreed to set up a school to develop Taiwan's cultural and educational undertakings, and appointed Chen Yonghua to be responsible for
Chen Yonghua created a relatively complete education system from top to bottom. Taiwan established "Guozijian" as the highest institution of learning, and each province, state, and county established "government school", "state school", and "county school". Implement the imperial examination system in mainland China. It is stipulated that Taiwanese children must "enter primary school at the age of eight, and the lessons are based on scripture and history articles." Two exams in three years, "Confucian children will be tested according to the subject and year-old. The state examination is famous and sent to the government, and the government examination is famous and sent to the hospital. If you are admitted to the college examination, you will be admitted to the imperial school, and you will still be taught monthly classes. Those who take the middle examination in three years will make up for the six officials and work within the government, and will be promoted and promoted. Therefore, the people of Taiwan" began to study hard ". The implementation of education and the imperial examination system
Secondly, Chen Yonghua chose to build the Holy Temple College in Ningnanfang, Chengtian Mansion, his mansion. In the first month of spring 1666, the Holy Temple was completed, and Minglun Hall was built next to it. In March, another college was built, and Chen Yonghua personally presided over it, hiring the ceremonial officer Ye Heng as the teaching assistant of the country. The school was just built, and there was an urgent need for a large number of educational talents. On the one hand, Chen Yonghua recruited mainland intellectuals to cross Taiwan through various channels and "teach scholars". On the other hand, the Ming Dynasty widows who moved to Taiwan at that time were "mostly people of Hongbo" and encouraged them to play their residual enthusiasm and help spread the culture of the Central Plains.
In 1674, Chen Yonghua served as the general envoy of Dongning. At this time, San Francisco rebelled, and Zheng Jing led his division to cut the Qing Dynasty under the contract of Geng Jingzhong. Zheng Jingzi Zheng Kezang supervised the country, and Chen Yonghua then assisted his son-in-law Zheng Kezang in charge of Taiwan government affairs, so he was jealously ostracized by Feng Xifan and Liu Guoxuan. In March 1680, Chen Yonghua asked himself to be relieved of military power. Due to his worries, he died in Taiwan that year. Zheng Jing came to mourn in person, posthumously Wenzheng.
After Chen Yonghua died, he was buried in Liuying Township, present-day Tainan County. Later, the Qing Dynasty moved his skeleton back to Quanzhou, Fujian Province. What remains is only an empty tomb. In addition, the people also set up a temple to pay tribute to his Deze, which is today the "Yonghua Palace" on Fuqian Road in the Central and Western District of Tainan City, Taiwan; "Yonghua Road" is also named in memory of him.
