元朝兴衰的历史启示

Historical Enlightenment of Yuan Dynasty's Flourish and Downfall

人们常说“落后就要挨打”,其实,这一历史启示并不具有普遍意义。中国历史上的辽金元政权就曾创造过“落后打败先进”的光辉业绩,但到了他们变后进为先进的后期以后,又被新兴的尚处于落后阶段的女真、蒙古和起义军所打败。蒙元初兴之时,能够以一个落后的政权打败先进的金、宋等政权,横扫欧亚,所向无敌,并非完全依靠其建有一支数量可观的骑兵队伍,而是因为那时的蒙古人具有一种为国忘家,同甘共苦的艰苦奋斗精神;具有上下一心,团结奋战的民族凝聚精神;具有严格管理,惟才是用,论功行赏的公平精神。到了元朝变后进为先进的后期以后,不堪一击,就是他们丧失了这些民族精神,变得贪图享受、腐化堕落了,是元朝逐步走向腐朽的必然结果。从元朝兴衰的历史中,完全可以看出,并非是“落后就要挨打”,而是“腐败就要挨打”,我们应该牢记这一沉痛的历史教训。

It is well known that ＂decay leads to defeat＂, however, it doesn＇ t have a universal meaning. In China＇ s history, the Liao, Jin and Yuan regimes all set the brilliant records of ＂the lagged beats the advanced＂, but after they became the advanced, they were defeated by the lagged Jurchen, Mongol respectively. At the primary period, the lagged Mongolian could defeat the advanced Jin and Song regimes and sweep all before one in Europe and Asia, really not they had a powerful troop with considerable amount, but they had a spirit of selfless death for the country and sharing happiness and woe, and because they had a nation agglomeration spirit of fighting with one heart, meanwhile, they also had the fair spirits of strictly administration, employing persons depending on their abilities only and awarding people according to their contributions. After Yuan Dynasty became the advanced, they could not bear one fight. It is because they lost such spirits and tended to hankering for enjoying them- selves and became corruptive, which lead to their failures. From the flourish to downfall of Yuan, we come to a conclusion that it is ＂decay leads to defeat＂ instead of ＂the lagged leads to defeat＂. Furthermore, we should bear in mind firmly this disastrous historical lesson.