Emperor Xuanzong of Tang
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Emperor Tang Xuanzong (唐玄宗) (September 8, 685 - May 3, 762), born Li Longji (李隆基), was the sixth emperor of the Tang dynasty of China reigning from 712 to 756.
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Accession to the throne
Born into an era when power was virtually in the hands of his grandmother, the Empress Wu Zetian, Xuanzong became the only glimmer of hope for the restoration of the imperial Li family. His aunt, the Princess Taiping fiercely protected Xuanzong from harm and was credited with taking care of young Xuanzong from the Wu family. In 710 Xuanzong conspired with Princess Taiping (daughter of Empress Wu Zetian) to put an end to Empress Wei's attempted usurpation of power. He killed Empress Wei, the wife of his recently dead uncle Emperor Zhongzong, in a palace coup which placed his own father, Emperor Ruizong, on the throne. He was appointed as the Chancellor for a few months before he became the crown prince. Xuanzong himself succeeded the throne in 712.
Kaiyuan era
Known also as Tang Minghuang, the early half of his reign (712-730's) saw Tang China reach the height of its powers, in a period known popularly as the Kaiyuan era (開元之治). At the beginning, Xuanzong was a hardworking and diligent emperor. He made sweeping reforms to the bureaucracy, employed capable ministers and also made contacts with foreign ambassadors as far west as the Middle East and greatly expanded China's borders. Xuanzong also made progresses on the empire's financial system by effectively registering the population resulting in the higher tax revenues. This in turn increased the coffers of the government. He also repaired the Grand Canal system that has fallen into disrepair during Wu Zetian's reign. Other areas such as Chinese arts and literature reached its zenith point during his reign with famous poets such as Li Bai, Du Fu and Meng Haoran who created some of the most elegant poems since the Han dynasty. He is famous, amongst other things, as being a patron of the arts and for his infamous love affair with Yang Guifei. She was the young wife of his son Prince Shou (壽王), but he decreed their divorce and then entered her into a nunnery for a couple of years so that he could take her as his palace consort without shame. He rebuilt the ancient hot springs palace at the foot of Lishan Mountain for his consort and her sisters, naming it Huaqing Palace.
Later years
As Xuanzong turned his attention to pleasure-seeking with Yang and her family, he paid less and less attention to the running of his empire, and much of his power fell into the hands of court officials like corrupt Li Linfu (who was succeeded by Yang's dissolute cousin Yang Guozhong), and the influential court eunuch Gao Lishi.
In the meantime, the Jie Du Shi, (generals) of the outlying provinces (many of which had been recently reconquered) took more and more regional power into their own hands. One of these, a Turkish/Sogdian named An Lushan started the An Lushan Rebellion in Fanyang in 755. The rebels captured the city of Luoyang and the capital Chang'an six months later.
Xuanzong fled to Sichuan during the war, and Yang Guifei and Yang Guozhong who attempted to flee with him were killed by the Imperial army for their perceived part in the Emperor's weakness and loss of control.
Abdication and death
Xuanzong abdicated his position to Suzong, the heir apparent in 756. He was put under house arrest in 760 in his own palace in support by his son and led by Li Fuguo. He died in 762 shortly before the rebellion was finally quashed. His rule would be the longest of the Tang dynasty lasting nearly 44 years.
He was deeply criticized by later historians even in Tang Dynasty for corruption and his appointment of Li Linfu to chancellorship. In the other side, Mao Zedong said that Xuanzong is "half bright, half dark"(一半明一半暗). The strength that Xuanzong had allowed the warlords in the border provinces (Fanzhen) led to a period of increasing conflict and instability which set the stage for the end of the Tang Dynasty and the ensuing Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period.
See also:
- minister Zhang Jiuling
- artist Wu Tao-Tzu
- royalty Princess Taiping
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