"Your Majesty." The emperor took a step back, but Wang Sanshan didn't finish. He bowed and continued, "I heard that Your Majesty wants to start construction on the three main halls? I think it's time to start construction, and it should have been started long ago. I am willing to donate two months' salary to help with the reconstruction of the three main halls."
Zhu Youxiao was a little confused. Wouldn't large-scale construction be a waste of money and manpower? It was fine during peaceful times, but there were still wars in Liaodong and the southwest, and the court's finances were very tight. Why didn't this stubborn old man persuade him to do so, but instead donated money to support it?
In the 19th year of the Yongle reign of Emperor Chengzu of the Ming Dynasty, lightning struck the three main halls of the Forbidden City, igniting a fire that reduced the main hall, the Fengtian Hall, to the ground. Fires continued to plague the Forbidden City year after year for over a decade. Even by the time of Zhu Di's death, the reconstruction of the three main halls was still unfinished.
During the Jiajing reign, lightning struck the three main halls again, setting them on fire. This time the fire was so fierce that it destroyed a total of fifteen palace gates on the second floor of the three halls.
During the Wanli period, the three main halls were struck by lightning for the third time, and a raging fire completely razed the main building complex of the three main halls to the ground.
Contrary to what Zhu Youxiao thought, after the three main halls were burned down, it was not Emperor Wanli but his ministers who actively advocated for their reconstruction.
Because the three main halls have very important political significance, they are so called "enough to attract the attention of all nations."
The ruins left after the burning of the three halls not only affected the majesty of imperial power, but also damaged the image of the Ming Dynasty in the eyes of envoys from various countries.
To make an inappropriate analogy, in future generations, can you imagine the dilapidated appearance of Tiananmen Square?
The three main halls were the face of the Ming Dynasty to the outside world. The ministers felt that it was embarrassing to leave a ruin there, and they could not raise their heads in front of foreign envoys.
Therefore, starting from the 28th year of the Wanli reign, officials continued to submit memorials, requesting Emperor Wanli to issue an order to rebuild the three main halls.
But the emperor was not in a hurry, but the eunuchs were. The fat Wanli ignored it and refused to repair it.
With no other options, the officials settled for the next best thing and submitted a memorial: "It is indeed difficult to commence the Three Palaces project all at once. However, considering the importance of the Three Palaces and the expectations of the people, we cannot afford to delay the construction of the Three Palaces any further. We humbly request that the Ministry of Works be ordered to reserve soil so that construction can commence promptly."
What I mean is to persuade the emperor that the reconstruction of the three main halls cannot be completed in a short period of time, so we should not do nothing, but repair the three gates first, okay?
Despite such earnest admonitions, Emperor Wanli pretended not to listen. It was not until the 36th year of his reign that he issued an edict to first revise the Huiji and Guiji schools.
As for the Huangji Gate, Emperor Wanli refused to repair it. It was not until the 47th year of the Wanli reign that he issued an imperial decree to clear the foundations of the Huangji Gate and prepare for its reconstruction.
Then, after the Wanli Emperor's death, the Taichang Emperor ascended the throne, and construction began on Huangji Gate. "On June 18th, the second year of the Tianqi Emperor's reign, the Ministry of Works reported the completion of Huangji Gate and respectfully requested the Emperor to inspect it. The Emperor agreed."
You see, the construction of Huangji Gate was delayed for nearly twenty years by Grandpa Wanli, and it was not completed until Zhu Youxiao ascended the throne. It was also a major event after he became emperor.
The three gates were repaired, but the construction of the three main halls had not yet begun! Zhu Youxiao had also thought about leaving a complete Forbidden City for future generations, but he was short of money!
Zhu Youxiao looked at the budget of the Ministry of Works and was shocked to find that timber alone would cost more than nine million taels. He was so frightened that he immediately gave up the idea. He thought, "Let's save the money and destroy the Jiannu and put down the She'an Rebellion first!"
Facing the emperor's doubts and wry smile, Wang Sanshan slowly began to explain that the three main halls had been abandoned for more than 20 years. Looking at the ruins would make people feel that the Ming Dynasty was in decline, causing people to lose morale.
What would the vassal states, local officials, and scholars and common people who came to Beijing think of this scene? Rebuilding the three main halls would unite people, restore the prosperity of the Ming Dynasty, and greatly enhance the reputation of the Ming Dynasty.
That's a good point. It seems that if the three main halls had been completed earlier and stood tall, She Chongming and An Bangyan would not dare to rebel, and the Jiannu might even be intimidated by the Ming Dynasty.
Zhu Youxiao blinked his eyes, thinking that if Grandpa Wanli had not been so procrastinating, he would have completed the construction of the three main halls earlier and let those rebels visit them, so that they would have obediently bowed down at the feet of the mighty Ming Dynasty.
"There are many trees in Liaodong. Although they are not golden nanmu, splicing pine wood can also support it..."
"By not seeking extravagance or grandeur, by not seeking perfection in wood or flaws in stone, we can greatly economize on materials and reduce our expenditures..."
Listening to Wang Sanshan's narration, Zhu Youxiao felt that it was quite acceptable. For example, not seeking extravagance and magnificence was a euphemism for suggesting that the scale of the three main halls be reduced.
This had precedent. During the Jiajing reign, when the three main halls were built, timber was scarce, so they had to use a method called "a central pillar with eight petals gathered to form a column, and three or four petals gathered to form a single beam." In terms of size and form, the halls were almost half the size of the three main halls built during the Zhengtong reign.
It is also feasible to use pine from Liaodong instead of golden fir. If the anti-corrosion and splicing process are done well, it can be used just the same.
The war situation in Liaodong is good now, and there are many places where wood can be harvested, not including the desolate and uninhabited primeval forest.
"Minister Wang is thoughtful." Zhu Youxiao thought it was a good idea, but did not make a decision immediately. Instead, he comforted the old minister Wang Sanshan and said that he would hand it over to the Ministry for discussion before making the final decision.
After talking to Wang Sanshan about the investigation in Nanjing, Zhu Youxiao asked Wang Sanshan to leave.
The construction of the three main halls did have symbolic significance for boosting national strength, as the existence or destruction of the palaces was also a reflection of the rise and fall of the nation. It also served as a deterrent to foreign envoys.
However, traditional wooden structures in ancient times had an unavoidable fatal weakness: fire prevention. This was completely different from European stone buildings.
Don't think that everything will be fine just by having a lightning rod. There are many causes of fire, not just lightning strikes.
Therefore, wooden structures are difficult to preserve for a long time. The earliest existing wooden structure in China is only the main hall of Nanchan Temple in Wutai Mountain during the Tang Dynasty.
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