郭威建国

郭威年轻时不愿从事生产，只喜欢舞枪弄棒，十八岁应募从军。曾经负气杀人，被关入监狱。潞州留后李继韬因他有勇力，遂秘密纵他逃走，待事情平息后又召置麾下。郭威少年时曾在其颈上黥有一飞雀，故人称郭雀儿。李继韬被唐庄宗杀死后，其军队被编入从马直，郭威因能书会算而被任为军吏。刘知远任侍卫亲军都虞候时，特别器重郭威；后调任河东节度使，也将郭威带到任上。刘知远称帝建立后汉后，任命他为枢密副使，隐帝时升任枢密使。郭威多次统兵征伐，皆有功勋。他在军中穿幅巾短衣，与军士无异，皇帝所赐钱财，多分与诸将与军士，因此在军中威信很高，士卒乐为其用。

刘知远称帝仅一年便病死，其子刘承祐继位，史称后汉隐帝。汉隐帝时，苏逢吉为宰相，枢密使杨邠管机政，郭威掌征伐，侍卫亲军都指挥使史弘肇统率禁兵，三司使王章专掌财政。这些掌权者大部分都是武断专横，各行其是，使朝政混乱。

这群武夫中，只有郭威留心搜罗有才能的文士，得到文官们的好感。乾祐元年（948年），李守贞据河中，赵思绾据长安，王景崇据凤翔，同时反叛。汉隐帝令郭威督诸军讨伐三叛镇。次年，郭威灭河中、永兴（长安）两镇，杀李守贞、赵思绾，别将赵晖灭凤翔镇，杀王景崇。郭威得胜还朝，不肯独受重赏，推功给在朝诸大臣和将士，汉隐帝因此遍赏诸大臣及诸藩镇。

乾祐三年（950年），辽军横行河北，诸藩镇各守本境，不相援救。朝议任郭威为天雄节度使，出镇魏州，仍兼枢密使，节制河北诸镇，得便宜行事。他被授与这样大的权力，就是因为取得了内外诸大臣的好感。不久后，一向厌恶掌权诸重臣的汉隐帝找借口杀死了杨邠、史弘肇与王章，又遣使者到魏州杀郭威。郭威被迫起兵。他留义子柴荣守魏州，自率大军出发，沿路无阻，只走七天，就到开封城外。汉隐帝被部下溃兵杀死。郭威入开封城，纵诸军大掠，到第三天午后方才停止。

当时，汉高祖弟河东节度使刘崇在太原，以备辽为名，拥有强兵；忠武节度使刘信在许州，刘崇子刘赟为武宁节度使，在徐州。郭威鉴于三镇威胁，先声称迎刘赟为汉帝，使刘崇满意，等到刘赟离徐已远，去京稍近，然后连刘信一起消除，刘崇一镇就无能为力。定计以后，郭威请太后李氏（参见词条李三娘）下令立刘赞为帝，使太师冯道等大臣到徐州奉迎。乾祐四年（951年），辽兵入寇，攻破内邱、饶阳两城。李太后令郭威率大军渡河击辽兵，又令国事暂委王峻等人，军事暂委王殷。自然，二王是郭威的心腹。郭威到澶州，将士数千人忽大噪，对郭威说，皇帝该你自己做，将士抢掠京城，与刘家结了仇，不能再让刘家人做皇帝。裂黄旗披郭威身上，拥立为帝。郭威拥众回来。澶州兵变时，刘赟已到宋州，王峻、王殷派人带兵去宋、许二州，刘赟被拘，以李太后名义，废为湘阴公。刘信自杀。随后，郭威正式登上帝位，改元广顺，国号周，史称后周，郭威即后周太祖。

太祖改革

郭威即位之后，能够躬行节俭，下诏禁止各地进贡珍巧纤奇、山珍海味，又将宫中原有的金银玉器、镂宝床几、饮食之具，砸碎于殿廷，表示自己厉行节俭的决心。面对晋汉以来残破的社会经济，他又下诏奖励耕殖，招抚流亡，平均赋役，恢复农业生产，发展经济，使得北方的社会经济在其统治的数年中有了一定程度的恢复和发展。

此外，他还针对当时轻视发展文化，轻视文士的现象，采取了一些较积极的措施，力图改变当时的不良风气。比如郭威曾亲至曲阜拜祭孔子，以表示对儒学的重视；他还重用文士，重视科举选士，表现出了与五代其他各帝不同的一些风范。

面对当时的骄兵悍将和败坏的吏风，郭威首先从中央做起。枢密使王峻专横跋扈，居功骄矜，排斥异己，就连柴荣请求入觐，由于担心会被留下而予以拒绝。王峻要求兼任青州节度使，得逞后又要求罢免宰相李谷、范质，另行起用自己推荐的人选，郭威婉言推却，王峻马上出言不逊。郭威忍无可忍，遂下令拘押王峻，将他贬死。对于敢于反叛的藩镇则采取坚决镇压的措施，限制藩镇对州县的权力，实行民政、军事分工管理。为了改变吏风，郭威对贪浊的官吏实行严厉惩治的政策，处死了一批贪赃枉法、残酷暴虐的地方官员，在一定程度上扭转了当时的吏风。

世宗时期

显德元年（954年）正月，在位四年的郭威逝世。郭威诸子早在其起兵邺都时，就被后汉杀害于汴梁，所以只能由养子柴荣继位，即后周世宗。柴荣是郭威妻柴氏之兄柴守礼的儿子，出生于邢州龙岗县（今河北省邢台市）之别墅中，幼年随其姑母成长于郭威家，与郭威夫妻关系融洽，遂被收为养子。

柴荣即位后，遇到的头等大事，便是如何抵御北汉的进攻。北汉皇帝刘旻利用郭威新丧，柴荣刚刚即位，人心不稳之际，联合辽朝发兵南下潞州、泽州（今山西晋城）二州，妄图一举灭亡后周。当时朝中许多人反对用兵，只有宰相王溥一人支持世宗，世宗力排各种干扰，决定亲率禁军出征。双方在泽州高平县南（今山西晋城市高平南）相遇，刘旻见周军兵少，遂不等契丹军到便发动了进攻。两军交锋，后周禁军大将樊爱能、何徽率右军溃退，一路杀掠百姓，并造谣言说：“官军大败，馀众已降。”这一情况的突然出现，使得周军的形势变得非常严峻，柴荣屹然不动，率领亲兵，临阵督战。禁军主将张永德等率偏将赵匡胤冲锋陷阵，拼死奋战，双方血战至傍晚，北汉军支持不住，开始后退，一万馀人被赶至山涧边，死伤惨重，死尸弃甲，填满山涧。刘旻仅率亲骑百馀狼狈逃走。此战史称高平之战，此后，北汉再不敢轻言伐周。

高平之战中，柴荣虽然取得了胜利，但也暴露出骄兵悍将难以驾御的状况。为了解决这一问题，柴荣决意改变五代诸朝对骄兵悍将纵容姑息的政策，他召集诸将，当众宣布樊爱能等将校七十多人罪状，并立即斩首。此举使骄兵悍将有所畏惧，初步整顿了败坏的军纪。柴荣深知仅靠杀若干个人是不能从根本上解决问题的，要想改变五代军队长期遗留下来的积习，提高战斗力，必须从整顿禁军入手。返回汴梁后，柴荣任用年轻将领，裁汰禁军中的老弱病残，召募天下豪杰，精选骁勇，将藩镇军队中的善战之士，选入禁军。柴荣甚至亲自试阅武艺，选拔人才。经过此次整顿后，旧史记载说：“诸军士伍无不精当，由是兵甲之盛，近代无比，且减冗食之费焉。”有了一支精锐的军队，只能说为日后的统一战争奠定了一定的基础，并不等于完全具备了统一的条件。于是柴荣又从平均赋税，发展生产，整顿吏风等方面入手，进行了比较彻底的改革。

959年，柴荣死后，七岁的幼子柴宗训继位。像这么一个幼年的皇帝，无法继续完成统一的事业的。

五代时期，由于封建割据势力的互相斗争，各统治集团在动荡的潮流中，经常发生掌握兵权的军事将领篡夺政权的事件。赵匡胤本来是柴荣手下一名有军事才能的高级军事将领，他控制了后周的兵权。柴荣在临死前，提拔他为军事统帅---殿前都点检。

赵匡胤为了夺取后周七岁皇帝的政权，布置了一幕“陈桥兵变”。

960年的正月，正当后周君臣欢庆新春佳节的热闹时刻，突然接到北方边境的紧急战报，说北汉和契丹贵族联合入寇。后周的执政大臣不辨真假，仓卒决定派赵匡胤出兵抵御。

赵匡胤率领大军北上，到了陈桥驿。赵匡义、赵普等人及随征将领，就翅早已准备好的，皇帝穿的黄袍披在了赵匡胤的身上。于是就立即回军，轻而易举地夺取了后周的政权。由于赵匡胤原任宋州归德军节度使，因些他把国号改为“宋”，都城仍在汴京，这就是北宋王朝的建立。

Guo wei jianguo

Guo Wei did not want to engage inproduction when young, only like to dance gun stick, 18 years old enlisted. Hekilled a man in anger and was put in prison. Luzhou left after Li Jitao becauseof his strength, then secret longitudinal he fled, to be called after thingscalm down. Guo Wei had Tsingy flying birds on his neck when he was young, whichpeople call Guo Qier. After Li Jitao was killed by Tang Zhuangzong, his armywas organized into Congmazhi, and Guo Wei was appointed as a military officialbecause he could read and calculate. Liu Zhiyuan as bodyguard pro-army Yu hou,especially valued Guo Wei; After the transfer to the east of the mission, willalso take Guo Wei to the office. After the establishment of the Later HanDynasty by declaring himself Emperor, Liu Zhiyuan appointed him as a key andsecret deputy envoy, and was promoted to privy envoy when Emperor Yin wasemperor. Guo Wei led the army for many times, all with meritoriousachievements. In the army, he wore a scarf and short clothes, just like thesoldiers. The emperor gave him money, and he shared it with the generals andsoldiers. Therefore, he had a high prestige in the army, and he was happy touse it.

Only a year after Liu Zhiyuan becameemperor, he died of illness and was succeeded by his son Liu Chengyou, known inhistory as Emperor Yin of the Later Han Dynasty. During the reign of EmperorYin of the Han Dynasty, Su Fengji was prefect, while the privy appointed YangWei to oversee the collection of military personnel, Guo Wei commanded ShiHongzhao to control the collection of soldiers, and Wang Zhang to oversee thefinancial affairs. Most of these rulers were arbitrary and went their own way,making the government chaotic.

In this group of martial arts, only Guo Weicarefully searched for talented scholars and got the good opinion of civilofficials. In the first year of Qianyou (948), Li Shouzhen claimed Hezhong,Zhao Siwan claimed Chang 'an, and Wang Jingchong claimed Fengxiang, and theyrebelled at the same time. Emperor Yin of the Han Dynasty ordered Guo Wei tosupervise his armies against the three rebel towns. In the following year, GuoWei destroyed Hezhong and Yongxing (Chang 'an) towns, and killed Li Shouzhenand Zhao Siwan. Don't destroy Zhao Hui in Fengxiang Town, and kill WangJingchong. Guo Wei won the victory and returned to the court, but refused toreceive the heavy reward alone. So he gave the honors to the officials andsoldiers in the court.

In the third year of Qianyou (950), theLiao army ran rampant in Hebei, and Zhufang towns defended their own bordersand did not help each other. Guo Wei for the day of the emperor, out of thetown of Wei, still and privy minister, control of the towns in Hebei, gotcheap. He was granted such great power because he had won the good will of theministers inside and outside. Not long after, Emperor Yin, who hated thecontrol of all the important officials, found a pretext for killing Yang, ShiHongzhao and Wang Zhang, as well as sending messengers to Wei to kill Guo Wei.Guo Wei was forced to raise troops. He left his adopted son Chai Rong to defendthe state of Wei. He set out with his army, and after only seven days' journey,he reached the city of Kaifeng. Emperor Yin of Han was killed by a rout of hissubordinates. Guo Wei entered Kaifeng and his armies raided the city until theafternoon of the third day.

At that time, the brother of Emperor Gaozuof the Han Dynasty, Liu Chong, was stationed in Taiyuan in order to prepare forthe name of Liao and had a strong army. Liu Xin, the commander of Zhongwu, wasin Xuzhou, and Liu Yun, the commander of Liu Chongzi, was in Xuzhou. In view ofthe threat of the three towns, Guo Wei first claimed to meet Liu Yun as theemperor of Han Dynasty, so that Liu Chong was satisfied. When Liu Yun was faraway from Xu and a little closer to Beijing, he even eliminated Liu Xintogether, and Liu Chong was unable to do anything about it.