[War & Business] Lessons from Wangmangryeong

The view of Wangmangling, Taihang Mountains, Henan Province, China [Image source=China Global Geoparks Network (GGN) website]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] At the summit of Mount Taihang, one of China's five great mountains, there is a grand canyon known as "Wangmangryeong (王莽領)," famed as a breathtaking natural wonder often called the "Grand Canyon of China." The name Wangmang comes from Wang Mang, the founder of the Xin Dynasty established in 8 BC. According to legend, Wang Mang led an army of one million soldiers and was decisively defeated by Emperor Guangwu of the Later Han, who commanded only 8,000 troops, resulting in the loss of his empire.

The reason Wang Mang suffered such a crushing defeat despite the overwhelming difference in military strength is said to be because he completely lost the people's support due to his tyrannical rule disguised as reform politics. At the time, Wang Mang sought to eliminate the serious social issue of excessive land ownership by the wealthy by nationalizing all land within the country, regardless of buildings or forests, and requiring all land exceeding the size allowed for private ownership to be returned to the state. Additionally, he built around 10,000 rental houses near the royal palace for poor students and announced plans for currency reform to prevent counterfeit money and illicit wealth accumulation. His early reform proposals were all unprecedented and received overwhelming support from commoners. This is also why he is regarded as the first socialist reformer in Chinese history, even in modern China.

However, within less than a year, the commoners who had supported him turned into the anti-government Red Eyebrow Army, painting their eyebrows red. Although the reform plans sounded promising, none were properly implemented. Wang Mang abolished official salaries, claiming that government officials should serve the people, but instead distributed the land reclaimed from the wealthy to officials as a reward for their service. His currency reforms were implemented five times during his 15-year reign, causing hyperinflation, and the rental houses intended for poor scholars were monopolized by his loyalists.

Despite nationwide uprisings, Wang Mang silenced dissent by mobilizing 480,000 scholars across the country to compose poems praising his achievements. When an epidemic broke out, he barred everyone except his close aides from entering the royal palace, completely alienating the public. He also became obsessed with pseudo-religions such as the Dochan ideology, claiming himself to be a ruler ordained by heaven.

Meanwhile, Emperor Guangwu, a former member of the Han royal family, rose up with the people at Mount Taihang and dispatched an army of one million soldiers. However, none of his generals were trustworthy, so he entrusted his forces to 63 Taoist priests and sorcerers who were deeply involved in his pseudo-religious beliefs. When these individuals tried to devise absurd strategies based on constellations and the Five Elements theory, the soldiers, angered, dispersed, leading to Wang Mang's defeat. Since then, Wangmangryeong has become a famous site where Chinese politicians reflect on Wang Mang's failure alongside the spectacular canyon scenery.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.