The concept of "Yanhuang" did not appear until the late Qing Dynasty, but its source can be traced back to ancient times. In all kinds of fairy tales, the relationship between Emperor Yanhuang is very harmonious, but it is not. Shennong (the ancestor of Emperor Yan) was the early leader of primitive society, but it gradually declined in the process of inheritance from generation to generation.
Because Shennong did not have a strong force as the basis, the tribes in the Central Plains gradually broke away from Shennong's rule and began to compete with each other. This situation is somewhat similar to the later Eastern Zhou countries. Xuanyuan, who was born in the Yellow Emperor, is like a hero who rose in troubled times. Later, Xuanyuan people pacified all the princes and became the overlord of the Central Plains.
At this time, the relationship between Shennong family and Xuanyuan family is more like the overlord of Zhou in the Spring and Autumn Period. As a well-founded ruler, Emperor Yan naturally won't let the Yellow Emperor replace his dominant position, so he began to send troops to crusade against those tribes who surrendered to the Yellow Emperor. According to Records of the Historian, Huangdi and Yan Di fought bloody battles in the wild of Hanquan, fought three battles, and then each won his own ambition.
As for what happened in these three wars, we don't know what the specific meaning of "winning the battle" is. Sima Qian's description of the Battle of Yanhuang is only a passing one, and we can't find any details of intrigue in it. Modern historians generally believe that the origins of the two tribes are close, and Shennong and Xuanyuan are likely to be split from the same tribe.
At first, Shennong was powerful, and Xuanyuan belonged to it. Later, after a long period of weighing, Xuanyuan reunited the two tribes through war. The merger of these two tribes is of great significance. It can be said that if Xuanyuan fails to integrate Shennong, then history will come to another end in the subsequent battle of Chiyou.
Many friends think that "Yan Di" represents a person, but it is not. According to Huang San's records, Emperor Yan of Shennong is hereditary and has been passed down for eight generations. The familiar "Huang San" Yan Di is only one generation.
So, which Yan Di did the Yellow Emperor defeat?
Obviously, it was not the first generation of Emperor Yan who was called "Shennong" by later generations. Yan Di's life is full of legends, just like a prophet, who is familiar with ancient and modern times. Almost all the scientific and technological developments in ancient times are related to Yan Di. Theoretically, human beings simply have no ability to quickly master all advanced knowledge, grow grain, make farm tools and master solar terms in a few decades.
Therefore, all these must be achieved after a long period of development, and the process of acquiring this knowledge is by no means overnight. It can be seen that it is very likely that future generations mistakenly attributed all the efforts of the eight generations of Yan Emperor to one Yan Emperor. Of course, the author believes that all inventions are the crystallization of the wisdom of all members of the tribe. However, due to Emperor Yan's dominant position and great prestige, Shennong people are willing to concentrate all the aura on the rulers, making Emperor Yan a belief.
Historically, is this phenomenon unique to Yan Di tribes?
Not so, the achievements of the Yellow Emperor also come from the wisdom of the masses. Take Huangdi Neijing as an example. This book is actually medical knowledge compiled by later generations in the name of the Yellow Emperor.
Qian Mu, a historian in China, once put forward his own views on this phenomenon: in the far-reaching inventions of ancient times, the inventors were almost all saints or sages, and there were few shadows of working people. This phenomenon does not mean that the saints or sages enjoy patent rights, but only because the inventions of primitive society have to rely on the names of these great men to gain popularity, and they are regarded as treasures by ordinary people and studied.
After the reunification of the two tribes, Emperor Yanhuang ruled the Central Plains together. The author speculates that it is very likely that the Yellow Emperor defeated the last Emperor Yan. After all, there are no two suns in the sky. In order to maintain the unity of tribes, one of the Chinese people will inevitably lose the qualification to inherit power. It was the defeated Emperor Yan who obviously lost this qualification. So this generation of Emperor Yan is the last generation.
We might as well continue reading Historical Records. Careful readers will find that the "five emperors" after "Huang San" are descendants of the Yellow Emperor, which directly proves the above speculation. As a loser in the battle between the Yellow Emperor and the Yellow Emperor, Emperor Yan naturally lost the right to rule. The reason why Emperor Yan can enjoy the ancestor qualification alongside the Yellow Emperor is entirely due to the contribution made by Shennong in the agricultural field.
This also goes back to the topic at the beginning of the article. What is the standard of "seating" of "Yanhuang"?
It is because for thousands of years, the rulers of past dynasties have regarded agriculture as the focus of national development, and Emperor Yan is committed to improving people's livelihood, which can be called the originator of farming society; The Yellow Emperor, who tamed bears and brave tigers and fought in the world, was more like a "martial emperor". Therefore, the ranking between the two is in the order of "civil and military".