the tang dynasty

the tang dynasty

the tang dynasty

(618-907) is a unified Central Plains Dynasty after the Sui Dynasty, which lasted for 289 years.

At the end of the Sui Dynasty, all the heroes in the world rose together. In 617, Li Yuan, the Duke of the Tang Dynasty, set up his army in Jinyang. The next year, he became emperor and established the Tang Dynasty, with Chang'an as his capital. After Tang Taizong succeeded to the throne, he created the rule of Zhenguan, which laid the foundation for the prosperous Tang Dynasty. Emperor Gaozong of Tang Dynasty inherited the legacy of Zhenguan and created the "rule of Yonghui", and established Luoyang as the eastern capital in 657. In 690, Wu Zetian changed her state name to Zhou. After the Dragon revolution in 705, she restored the state name of Tang. After Tang Xuanzong ascended the throne, he created the heyday of Kaiyuan. At the end of Tianbao, the population of the whole country reached about 80 million. After the Anshi rebellion, the national power gradually declined due to the separation of vassal and town and the eunuch's dictatorship; in the middle and late period, the national power revived after the reign of emperor Xianzong Yuanhe Zhongxing, Emperor Wuzong Huichang Zhongxing and Emperor Xuanzong Dazhong. The Huangchao uprising broke out in 878 and destroyed the foundation of the rule of the Tang Dynasty. In 907, Zhu Wen usurped the Tang Dynasty and the Tang dynasty fell.

In the Tang Dynasty, all nations came to the dynasty with an unprecedented vast territory. At its peak, it started from the sea of Japan in the East, occupied Annan in the south, reached the Aral Sea in the west, and surpassed Lake Baikal in the north. It was the first unified dynasty in China since the Qin Dynasty that did not build the great wall of Hu. After the Tang Dynasty conquered the eastern Turks and Xue yantuo, Emperor Taizong of Tang Dynasty was regarded as the heavenly Khan by all the nationalities of the four Yi Nationalities. In addition, Jimi system was used to enlist Turks, Uighurs, tiele, Khitan, Jimi, Shiwei and other nationalities to attack enemy countries, and Japan, Nanzhao, Silla, Bohai and other vassal states to learn their own culture and system.

Tang Dynasty accepted the exchange and study of other countries, and its economy, society, culture and art showed the characteristics of diversity and openness. A large number of famous poets emerged in poetry, calligraphy, painting and music, such as Li Bai, Du Fu, Bai Juyi, Yan Zhenqing, Wu Daozi, Li guinian, etc.

Tang Dynasty was one of the most powerful countries in the world at that time. It had a wide reputation and had contacts with Asian and European countries. After the Tang Dynasty, Chinese people were often called "Tang people" overseas. Women's status has been significantly improved, and people are free to marry and divorce.

National name

The name of the Tang Dynasty is "Tang", which used to be an ancient place name of Jin Dynasty. Li Hu, the grandfather of Li Yuan, Emperor Gaozu of Tang Dynasty, was one of the eight pillar states in the Western Wei Dynasty. He was named "the Duke of Tang Dynasty". Later, the title was passed to Li Yuan. Li Yuan, who lived in Jinyang in the Sui Dynasty, set up his army in the name of respecting "Sui". He conquered every battle and went straight to Chang'an. After Yang Fu Chan, Emperor Gong of the Sui Dynasty, he took "Tang" as his national name and established his capital in Chang'an. Because the monarch's surname is Li, he is called Li Tang and respectfully called Datang.

history

Founding and unification

The royal family of the Tang Dynasty came from the Li family in Longxi. It is said that Li Li, the founder of the Sixteen States in Xiliang, was its distant ancestor. At that time, the Li family was also an important member of the Guanlong group in the Northern Wei Dynasty. The Li family in Longxi had many famous generals such as Li Guang in the Western Han Dynasty. In the old and new books of the Tang Dynasty, it is said that the royal family li of the Tang Dynasty is the descendant of Li Er (Laozi). During the Northern Zhou Dynasty, the Li family was granted the surname of "Daye" because of the standard policy of Guanlong group. At the end of the Northern Zhou Dynasty, Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty restored him to the Li family. During the Daye period of the Sui Dynasty, because of the abuse of national power and the failure of the three expeditions to Koguryo, the civil commotion took place at the end of the Sui Dynasty. Li Yuan saw that the world was in chaos and the form of Sui Dynasty's destruction could not be reversed, so he had the idea of replacing it.

In the 13th year of Daye (617 A.D.), Li Yuan, the Duke of the Tang Dynasty, set up his army in Jinyang in the name of respecting the Sui Dynasty. In November of the same year, he occupied Chang'an and established Yang Fu as emperor. He changed the Yuan Dynasty to Yining, namely, Emperor Gong of the Sui Dynasty. Li Yuan was appointed Prime Minister of the Tang Dynasty. In the second year of Yining (618 A.D.), Emperor Yang of Sui Dynasty died. In May, Yang Fuchen was located in Liyuan. Liyuan called himself Emperor and established the Tang Dynasty. The name of Tang Dynasty was changed to Wude, and the capital of Chang'an was established. The Sui Dynasty perished. Yang Fu descended to be the Duke of the state of Fu and lived in Chang'an. He died in May the following year. After that, Li Jiancheng, the eldest son of Li Yuance, became the prince, Li Shimin, the second son, the king of Qin, and Li Yuanji, the fourth son, the king of Qi.

In the early Tang Dynasty, due to the long-term war, the national economy was seriously damaged, and the population dropped from eight million households in the early Daye of Sui Dynasty to more than two million households. In addition, the northern border of the Tang Dynasty was also threatened by the East Turks. At that time, the Turks were unprecedentedly powerful, including Khitan, Shiwei, Tuguhun, Gaochang and other countries, and even the local separatist forces in the Central Plains, such as Dou Jiande, Xue Ju, Liang Shidu, Li Gui, Wang Shichong, were subject to Turks.

Before entering Guanzhong, Li Yuan first sent people to praise Li Mi, the leader of Wagang army, to make him a barrier of Central Plains. After taking charge of Guanzhong, he sent Li Shimin to pacify Xue Ju and Xue rengao of Jincheng in Northwest China, and sent Tang envoys an Xinggui and an xiuren to capture Li Gui of Wuwei alive. In the third year of Wude (620 AD), Li Shimin was sent to defeat Liu Wuzhou and song Jingang who invaded Hedong, and then Luoyang Zheng emperor Shichong and Hebei Xia King Dou Jiande united against Tang Dynasty. In the fourth year of Wude (621 A.D.), Xiao MI, who ruled Jiangling separately, was pacified by Li Jing and Li Xiaogong. In 622 ad, Li Shimin defeated the Allied forces, captured Dou Jiande, and Wang Shichong surrendered. Liu heikai, the rest of Dou Jiande's army, was defeated by Li Jiancheng, and Hebei was put down. In the same year, Feng ang of Lingnan area surrendered and Lin Shihong of Qianzhou died. So far, the Han area was basically unified in the early Tang Dynasty. In the sixth year of Wude (623 AD), Fu Gong Yi led the rest of Dufu Wei to fight against Tang Dynasty in Danyang, and was captured and killed by Tang army the next year.

The rule of Zhenguan

After the situation calmed down in the early Tang Dynasty, Li Shimin, the king of Qin, and Li Jiancheng, the prince of Qin, launched an internal struggle for the throne. In the ninth year of Wude (626 AD), Li Shimin launched the change of Xuanwumen, killed Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji, the king of Qi, and controlled Chang'an. Knowing the situation, Li Yuan abdicated to the throne and became the supreme emperor. Li Shimin succeeded Emperor Taizong of Tang Dynasty.

Tang Taizong realized the power of the masses from the civil uprising in the late Sui Dynasty, drew lessons from the Sui Dynasty, and paid attention to the people's life; paid attention to the administration of officials, selected talents, made good use of them, followed the advice of others, and used Wei Zheng and other Counsellors; adopted a series of policies to govern the society, such as taking agriculture as the foundation, practicing strict economy, recuperating, reviving culture and education, and improving the imperial examination system To pacify the foreign invasion and respect the customs of the Border Nationalities promoted the national integration and stabilized the border areas. Emperor Taizong of Tang Dynasty was respected as "Tian Khan" by the four countries. During the reign of Zhenguan (627-649 AD), with the joint efforts of the monarchs and ministers, there appeared a situation of relatively clear politics, rapid economic development, social stability, and prosperity of martial arts. It was called "Zhenguan rule" in history, which laid a solid economic foundation for the first rule of the Tang Dynasty and the later heyday of Kaiyuan.

The rule of Yonghui

In the later years of Emperor Taizong of Tang Dynasty, the Crown Prince Li Chengqian competed with the Wei King Li Tai for the throne, but they were all abandoned and Li Zhi, the ninth son of Jin, was appointed as the crown prince. Zhenguan 23 years (AD 649), Tang Gaozong Lizhi ascended the throne.

After Li Zhi ascended the throne, he announced to the officials: "if something is not convenient for the people, it is better to report it, and if it is not enough, it will be even more sealed. Emperor Taizong ordered thrift, and Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty immediately ordered: "since the officials in Beijing and other prefectures, those who offer hawks, falcons, dogs and horses are guilty." Emperor and officials of Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty followed the rules and decrees of Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty. Therefore, during the reign of emperor Yonghui, the border was stable and the people were in Fu'an. There was a legacy of Zhenguan, which was called "the rule of Yonghui". During his reign, the territory of Tang Dynasty was the most extensive, and the population increased from less than 3 million households in Zhenguan period to 3.8 million households.

Wu Zhou Dynasty and Tang Dynasty

After the middle period of Emperor Gaozong of Tang Dynasty, the real power of the imperial court was gradually controlled by Empress Wu Zetian. Wu Zetian used to be a talented person of Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty. After his death, Emperor Taizong was summoned to the palace. She won the power struggle and was named Queen. She was known in history as "Su duo Zhi Ji, also involved in literature and history".

In the fifth year of Xianqing (660 AD), Li Zhi asked her to deal with the government affairs because of her health, so she was called "two saints" together with Emperor Gaozong of Tang Dynasty. In 683, Emperor Gaozong of Tang Dynasty died in Zhenguan Hall of Ziwei palace. Prince Li Xian ascended the throne for emperor Zhongzong of Tang Dynasty.

In 684, Wu Zetian abolished Li Xian as the king of Luling because of her disagreement with him, and established Li Dan, her fourth son, as emperor of Tang Ruizong. At the same time, she changed yuan guangzhai and renamed Luoyang, the eastern capital (Luoyang palace was built by Emperor Taizong of Tang Dynasty, and Gaozong changed it into the eastern capital) as Shendu.

In 690 A.D., Wu Zetian pacified Xu Jingye's rebellion, abolished emperor Ruizong of Tang Dynasty, and changed the title of emperor Yuze Tianmen (the South Gate of Ziwei city) to Zhou (known as "Wu Zhou" in History). She established the capital of Luoyang and descended Li Dan as the emperor's heir, becoming the only female emperor in Chinese history. In 692, Taiyuan, the northern capital, was added as the auxiliary capital.

During the reign of Empress Wu Zetian, the imperial examination system was further improved; she initiated the palace examination and the military examination, attacked the Guanlong group, and vigorously promoted the officials who came from the imperial examination, which was called "Beimen Bachelor". Many of them were promoted from the Central Plains, Guandong and Jiangnan, such as di Renjie, Zhang Cambodian, Zhang Renyuan, Yao Chong and other famous officials. During the reign of Empress Wu Zetian, social, cultural and artistic progress was also made. At that time, Buddhism flourished. During that period, Buddhist temples were built frequently, represented by the expanded Longmen Grottoes. It is known in history as "inheriting Zhenguan from above and enlightening Kaiyuan from below" or "enlightening Kaiyuan from politics and governing hongzhenguan".

In the first year of Shenlong (705 AD), Jing Hui and Prime Minister Zhang Cambodian launched a coup to force Wu Zetian to abdicate. Li Xian restored the title of the Tang Dynasty. Sheji and zongmiao restored the old system before Yongchun, changed Shendu back to the east capital and abolished the north capital, thus restoring the pattern of paying equal attention to the two capitals. Li Dan was made prime minister. However, Tang Zhongzong was influenced by Empress Wei, Princess Anle and Wu Sansi, who were the old party members of Wu Zetian. Zhang cambozhi and Jing Hui were exiled or killed one after another. Empress Wei intended to become the second Empress Wu Zetian, while Princess Anle once asked to be appointed as the Empress Dowager. In the fourth year of Jinglong (710), empress Wei and Princess Anle conspired to poison Tang Zhongzong. Empress Wei made Wen Wang Li chongmao emperor, who was the emperor of Tang Dynasty and wanted to harm Prime Minister Li Dan. Li Dan's son, Li Longji, then king of Linzi, launched the Tang Long coup with the help of Princess Taiping, killing empress Wei, Princess Anle and Wu

Chinese PinYin : Tang Chao