Chapter 010: Spot the Difference

This is akin to when the Celestial Empire addressed North Korea as an emperor in official correspondence; whether the other side dares to acknowledge it is one matter, but the letters will certainly be kept for future reference

In this case, it is evident that the title of "King of Kings" held by Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty was logically inherited by the Great Shun.

In summary, it is essential to establish a connection with the divine

The ministers who advised the advancement have been rewarded, each promoted by one rank, in order to convey this message to the envoys from various countries

At that time, we will strike, and after the battle, we will engage in serious discussions, thereby freeing our hands to deal with the formidable enemy of the northwest, the Dzungar.

Europeans do not necessarily take the issue of "overstepping" any less lightly than the various dynasties of China, and it may even be regarded as more serious

In addition to stories similar to "The God of Wine Goes East to Transform into Shiva" like Laozi's journey to the West, after the death of Alexander, all families of generals who had been to India were entitled to be called Basileus

Furthermore, the origins of this "Caesar" Tsar of Russia are also entirely worth discussing. Just because you married a last princess, does that make you a Caesar?

In the West, after the fall of Constantinople in 1453, there was only one emperor in the Christian world, and that was the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire

As Li Dingguo was named the King of the Two Extremes, Sun Kewang killed the traitor Chen Bangchuan, who had surrendered to the Manchu Qing. The Southern Ming censor Li Yueren then impeached Sun Kewang for "acting against the nobility by killing a noble." At that time, Chen Bangchuan had indeed surrendered, and this duke was also a duke of the Qing. However, under the feudal rites and laws, Sun Kewang, as a Ming general, killing a Qing duke was not something that could be justified in the eyes of the censor, who viewed Sun Kewang as a "rebel" not entitled to commit such an act.

Through the reforms of Peter the Great, Russia actively pursued Westernization on one hand, while also elevating its own titles on the other hand

Bacchus, a descendant of the gods, or perhaps one whose achievements are renowned among the divine

Until Alexander's expedition to India, the group of people who followed him believed that their achievements had surpassed those of the legendary wine god Dionysus, who was also said to have attempted a conquest of India. Therefore, they felt entitled to stand on equal footing with the descendants of the gods.

Ming Wuzong proclaimed himself as the "Grand General of Military Affairs and Supreme Commander", which should clearly be translated as "Al-Balad Al-Ju Shou".

It is now July, and the Duke of Qi plans to set off at the end of the year to meet with the Russian envoy on the Mongolian Plateau. A delay of a few months should be sufficient to improve the relay station system in the Northeast and stockpile enough provisions

Basileus originates from ancient Greece, meaning "the descendants of the gods are called kings." Each city-state had its own guardian deity, and various families claimed to be descendants of the gods.

Tian Suozha pondered the flavor for quite some time, and uncertainly asked: "Why does this sound like... like Emperor Zhao Lie inheriting the throne in Xichuan, declaring that Han and bandits cannot coexist, and that the royal enterprise cannot be content with mere stability? This Rakshasa nation claims legitimacy, wishing to restore Rome, returning to the old capital. Is it not merely the six expeditions to Qishan to the north, and the Russo-Turkish war to the south?"

When two countries engage with each other, the titles of the monarchs of each country are of utmost importance. Openness is indeed important, but no matter how open one is, it is never acceptable to appear inferior upon first meeting.

The meaning of those missionaries is to translate the Son of Heaven as "Basileus," which poses a significant issue

With pen and paper, Liu Yu roughly explained the issues concerning Russia to Tian Suo and Tian Ping

The subsequent tyrants among the Greek kings were not of divine descent and were unqualified to be called Basileus

In the context of Chinese culture, when Emperor Gaozu of Han's mother said, "I saw a dragon on top of him, and then I became pregnant," this can be translated as Basileus, a descendant of the gods

Apart from the Sweden that has been hurt, no one in Europe recognizes this "emperor"; even if later the sun never sets on the empire, it can only seek to gain an Indian emperor

The Russians will absolutely not yield an inch on this matter, especially since it involves a count. If they dare to make concessions in this regard, it is likely that their political career will come to an end, as this is a diplomatic red line

As long as the Holy See does not relent for a day, the missionaries will not dare to misuse this term

Subsequently, Christianity began to spread, and in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus is referred to as "basileus ton basileon," which means the basileus of basileus, the King of Kings. The term basileus has taken on another meaning.

By the way, aside from this matter, I previously read a book, but I forgot which one it was. During the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty, the eunuchs also lost their way while inspecting the Nuerhan Dusi, and erected a stele and built the Yongning Temple at the mouth of the Heilong River, detailing the jurisdiction of the Nuerhan Dusi. Since it is a continuation of the Ming Dynasty, if someone could be dispatched to make a rubbing of the Yongning Temple stele, it could serve as material for negotiations regarding the demarcation of boundaries

Because in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus is referred to as the Basileus of Basileus, the King of Kings, and since the Raksha Kingdom adheres to Orthodox Christianity, it is quite inappropriate to translate the Son of Heaven of China as Basileus

However, how should the Great Shun Emperor be translated

It is believed that the Emperor of Shinra referred to the Tsar of Russia as Emperor, which certainly can be taken further

Thus, the Duke of Qi can seize upon this title of "Emperor" to angrily reproach the Russians for their overstepping.

This time, the papal envoy to China deliberately reiterated this matter: translating 'deus' as 'God' is a blasphemy; it is forbidden to translate it as 'God', as that is an Eastern evil deity, and the name of 'deus' must not be profaned

Dazhun aims to buy time, thus it is necessary to be aggressive in the form of address, allowing the Russians to choose to engage in disputes over the titles themselves

Therefore, the missionaries at the Imperial Astronomical Bureau never mention the title of King of Kings, nor do they dare to; anyone who does so is deemed a heretic

If the title "Da Shun Tianzi" is translated as "Basileus," it seems to be the most appropriate among the four titles, but it also poses the greatest problem

As for how this emperor came to be... In 1517, Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I, in an effort to win over his Russian allies, used the term "emperor" instead of "Caesar" in a letter to the Russians.

This is merely a question of whether to be a king or an emperor, and furthermore, it is about poking at old wounds, bringing up matters that should remain unmentioned

The Roman Empire left behind several titles for emperors, such as Basileus, Augustus, Caesar, and so on, which may seem chaotic, but they are not used arbitrarily

Thus, under the pretext of this letter, Peter ascended to the throne as emperor, discarding Caesar in favor of the title of emperor

When it comes to serious discussions, one might as well say: Emperor Zhao Lie inherited the throne in Xichuan, and there are precedents to follow. You have not yet launched a counterattack on Constantinople, yet in the old capital, you have inherited the throne in Moscow, claiming to be the Third Rome, emulating the old affairs of Emperor Zhao Lie, which is not without merit. In this case, let it be that your monarch is indeed an emperor.

Culturally, it is absolutely unacceptable

He explained the intricacies in a dry and tongue-tied manner, and Tian Suolian nodded repeatedly. Although there are cultural differences, the issues of etiquette and transgressions under the feudal patriarchal system remain fundamentally the same. Occupying a high position as a duke, he understood it at once.

The Great Shun Prophecy states: The Li family of Great Shun seeks to avenge the destruction of the Li Tang dynasty by Zhu Wen. The replacement of Li by Zhu is merely a delayed revenge for the fall of the Tang dynasty at the hands of Zhu Wen several hundred years ago

Peter finished with Sweden, and the ministers "advised advancement". They immediately found this letter from the pile of old documents, and someone promptly "advised advancement".

Peter did not acknowledge himself as Tsar, but considered himself an "Emperor", which is "Empero". According to Roman legal tradition, the title Tsar, derived from a phonetic adaptation of Caesar, is regarded as a rank lower than the formal title of "Emperor", akin to a vice-emperor

Since the time of the First Emperor, anyone who has held a coronation ceremony and acknowledged their divine mandate can be referred to as Augustus. The difference lies merely in one being authorized by the Senate and the other by the Heavenly Emperor

In fact, there is an even more appropriate title to translate "天子", which is the term "Dominus et deus" used by Diocletian, meaning "the sovereign of the world authorized by the Supreme God" or "I am both God and Lord"

Liu Yu did not know how to respond to this remark. The Duke of Qi's understanding was indeed peculiar, so he could only say: "The Duke is overestimating him. Emperor Zhao Lie has the surname Liu, not his wife’s surname... However, since negotiations are to be held, the form of address must be resolved first. This is indeed a point that can be used to buy time and provoke the wrath of the Rakshasa people"

The missionary did not dare to use certain words lightly, but Liu Yu approached it with the attitude of provoking the Russians into a verbal sparring match, thus he was naturally adept in his usage.

Um...

The false emperor, Caesar, king of kings, Son of Heaven... These four terms should be sufficient for both parties to argue for three to five months without discussing any substantial matters

Since preparations are underway for future discussions with Russia, both parties may consider making concessions. Da Shun may recognize the title of the Russian monarch as "Caesar" and may also acknowledge the other party as "Emperor"

Although you have not yet launched a counterattack on Junbao or returned to the old capital, it is not impossible for you to call yourself Caesar and to emulate Emperor Zhao Lie in inheriting the great legacy in Xichuan

Although Peter has died, it is certain that in the official translation of the Russian delegation, it will be translated as "Emperor" rather than "Tsar"

However, with this title, those missionaries who read the Gospel of Matthew all day long would certainly not translate it this way—The Son of Heaven of China is "basileus ton basileon," and Jesus is also "basileus ton basileon." What does this mean?

Regarding the relationship between Russia and Turkey, once this statement is made, it is likely to spark discussions for at least a month, if not longer

This matter is of great importance to Russia

The Russians will undoubtedly be furious and will never admit that the Great Shun Emperor is the "basileus ton basileon," nor will they acknowledge that Peter's claim to the throne was usurpation

Furthermore, the title of basileus ton basileon, which belonged to Alexander, was brought to Chang'an during the reign of Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty by the last prince of Persia, who transferred the title to Li Zhi

Today, the title of the Ottoman Turkish Sultan is that of "Caesar of the Roman Empire." This self-proclaimed Caesar, have you received the recognition of the heir to Rome?

Emperor Taizu of Song only had the phrase "red light surrounds the room, exotic fragrance lingers throughout the night". His mother did not sleep with the gods, and he rose to power through the standard coup of the Imperial Guards at Chenqiao, which clearly indicates he can only be likened to Caesar

After arguing about these two matters, the only thing left is how to translate the term "Son of Heaven" in relation to Dashun.

The term 'deus' pertains to matters of faith

However, not all families claiming to be descendants of the gods are able to seize power. By the time of the usurpers, the title of Basileus was no longer in use

Following the Romanization of Christianity, it was most fitting for the emperor to be referred to as Basileus, as he served as God's representative on earth

However, when it comes to making concessions in diplomatic language, it is estimated that at least two to three months will have certainly passed

The Vatican has been infuriated because this term has been translated into the Chinese context as "Hao Tian Shang Di" (the Supreme Deity), while in China it has been translated simply as "God", and in Japan, it has been directly translated as "Dainichi Nyorai" (the Cosmic Buddha). The Vatican has long been in an uproar over this; it is a term that should not be touched.

The Son of Heaven in China has no relation to Jesus, the "basileus ton basileon". If it were translated as "Basileus", would that not unjustly diminish the status of the Supreme Deity?

It briefly discussed the fall of Constantinople in 1453, the last princess marrying a northern barbarian, and several Russo-Turkish wars

Just as the Southern Ming wrote to the Manchus during the time of uniting against the bandits, referring to each other as uncle and nephew and acknowledging each other as emperors, this can be used as material for discussion

However, this most suitable translation is also the one that missionaries are least likely to use

Diplomacy is no trivial matter, the Russians will not take a step back, the initiative lies with Dazhong