Chapter 15 Chapter Four Tang Xuanzong Reform

In May of the 23rd year of Zhenguan (649 A.D.), a generation of outstanding statesman Li Shimin, Emperor Taizong of Tang Dynasty, died of illness in Hanfeng Hall of the Imperial Palace.Crown Prince Li Zhi came to the throne as Emperor Gaozong.Since the beginning of Xianqing, Li Zhi was "severely suffering from wind and disease", so he couldn't see, and he was entrusted with Empress Wu Zetian to make detailed decisions.Empress Wu Zetian has a bright and sensitive temperament, a lot of wisdom, and is involved in literature and history. "For decades, she has assisted the state affairs, and her power is no different from that of the emperor." At that time, she was called the "two saints" together with Gaozong. ("Old Tang Book · Empress Zetian") In December of the second year of Yongchun (683 A.D.), Emperor Gaozong Li Zhi died in Zhenguan Hall.Prince Li Xian came to the throne as Zhongzong.Wu Zetian ruled the court as empress dowager.As soon as Li Xian proclaimed himself emperor, he began to support his own power. In February of the following year, he was deposed by his mother Wu as King of Luling, and her youngest son, Li Xian's younger brother Li Dan, was pushed on the throne of the monarch. This is the puppet emperor Ruizong. "Since the Empress Dowager (Wu's family) often Yu Zichen Hall, she puts up a miserable purple tent to look at the dynasty."This is the beginning of the queen mother's "listening to politics behind the curtain".And these measures are preparing for her ascension to the throne as queen.On September 9th, the first year of Zaichu (689 A.D.), Wu Zetian revolutionized Tang Ming, changed the name of the country to Zhou, changed Yuan Tianshou, added the honorary title of "Emperor of the Holy God", and demoted Ruizong Li Dan to "Emperor's Heir". On the Empress.Wu Zetian proclaimed himself emperor for 15 years, and assisted Gaozong for many years, and held the country's handle for nearly half a century.During her time in power, she knew people well and took advice from many parties, which was quite a "Zhenguan legacy".Wu Zetian revised "Clan Records" to "Surname Records", cracked down on and restricted the landlords of the Guanlong gentry, gave preferential treatment and promotion to the poor and common people; Tunning, consolidating frontiers, etc., the implementation of these measures was conducive to the stability of the regime and social progress in the early Tang Dynasty.The regime of Wu Zhou was between the "Government of Zhenguan" and "The Prosperous Age of Kaiyuan".

Wu Zetian, who "only knows how to love others, but dare not love herself", lived an increasingly extravagant life in her later years.She swears by Buddha and advocates Buddhism.In Luoyang, the eastern capital, 2 million catties of copper and iron were used to cast a 105-foot-high Buddha statue, which was called "Tianshu of Great Zhou and Ten Thousand Kingdoms Praise of Virtue".When the copper and iron used for casting were insufficient, the peasants' production tools were ordered to be confiscated to make up for it, which caused dissatisfaction among the people.Due to social and economic growth, land mergers continued to expand, the land equalization system was gradually destroyed, and farmers were burdened with taxes and servitude.The bureaucratic landlords "widely manage the land and houses" and invaded the land freely, and some occupied hundreds of hectares of good land.For example, Lu Congyuan, Shangshu of the Ministry of Industry, was nicknamed "Tada Weng" because he also occupied many acres of land.Peasants who lost their land had to "sell their homes and tie their fields for the king's service", "damage their family properties, pick up their houses and sell their fields".Many farmers were forced to leave their homes and travel far and wide.This caused the disorder of the feudal ruling order, resulting in the lack of national finances and "empty treasury".Empress Wu, Empress Wei, Princess Anle, etc. collected money by selling officials and nobles. "Although Tugu and Zang Huo (slaves) spend 300,000 yuan", they can don't lower the ink order and pay the Ministry of Education to appoint officials.There is no limit to the number of supplementary grants for these "obliquely appointed officials", and there are as many as thousands of obliquely appointed officials inside and outside.Allowing others to be selfish and bribing the public will be able to see the turmoil of the government.

Wu Zetian used cruel means to seize the highest power in the Tang Dynasty.When she was Zhaoyi, she "destroyed Maoli's love and seized Yanni's selfishness", strangled her own daughter to death, and framed the queen.After she took the throne, she ravaged the palace again, throwing the queen, the queen, and the emperor Xiao into a brewing urn, and her bones were broken to death within a few days.Later, the elders Sun Wuji and Chu Suiliang, who opposed her coming to power, were demoted and killed. "It's a fierce flame to act."After proclaiming himself emperor, he "wanted to establish his prestige to control the world", even though the cruel officials Zhou Xing, Lai Junchen, etc. "set up a big prison, pointing at the generals and ministers, so that they can be connected with each other", so "there is no day for slaughter" (see Zhao Yi's "Twenty Years" Notes of the Second History "Volume 190 "The Forbearance of Empress Wu").What Wu Zetian did had a huge impact on the political struggles of the ruling group in the Tang Dynasty.

In the winter of the fourth year of Chang'an (704 A.D.), Wu Zetian fell ill in Luoyang, the capital of the gods, and she was entrusted with many political affairs.The two Zhang brothers relied on Empress Wu and were good at doing majestic blessings.In the first month of the first year of Shenlong (705 A.D.), Prime Minister Zhang Jianzhi and others mobilized Yulin soldiers to rush into the forbidden area, hunted down the two Zhang brothers and their party members, forced Wu Zetian to abdicate, embraced Zhongzong Li Xian to restore the throne, and restored the title of Tang Dynasty.In November, Wu Zetian died of illness in the Xianju Hall of Shangyang Palace.Li Xian is a faint and incompetent monarch. Around the succession of the throne, an unprecedented life-and-death struggle was launched among the kings, princesses and relatives.

Just after Wu Zetian abdicated, Zhongzong and Empress Wei wanted to repeat the story of Gaozong and Empress Wu.Empress Wei is an ambitious woman, and her daughter, Princess Anle, does not show weakness. Both mother and daughter want to have a taste of being an empress like Wu Zetian.They wantonly interfered in the government affairs, colluded with Wu Zetian's nephew Wu Sansi, formed the Weiwu Group, and controlled the government affairs.The foreign relatives coveted the imperial power together, and hated the crown prince Li Chongjun.In July of the first year of Jinglong (AD 707), Prince Li Chongjun personally led Yulin General Li Duozuo [Zuo Zuo] and others, leading more than 300 Yulin Qianqi soldiers, and killed Wu Sansi and Wu Chongxun.Under the instigation of Empress Wei and Princess Anle, Li Xian killed Prince Li Chongjun again.But it didn't end there.On the second day of June in the fourth year of Jinglong (710 A.D.), Empress Wei could no longer restrain the strong desire to replace Zhongzong Li Xian and proclaim herself emperor. She conspired with her daughter Princess Anle and poisoned Li Xian to death.However, Wu Zetian's daughter, Princess Taiping, who is "sensible and multi-strategy", united with her brother Wang Lidan to prevent Webster's conspiracy from succeeding.As a result, the Webster Group aimed their spearhead at Xiangwang and Princess Taiping, "recovered the map, set up troops to hide, and blocked it internally and externally" ("Cefu Yuangui" Volume 20 "Emperor's Department Merit II") .Send troops to surround their mansions and keep them under strict surveillance. "Wei Shuren (Empress Wei) came to the court, cited his party, divided the political power, and avoided the high prestige of the emperor, and secretly plotted to do harm" ("Old Tang Book·Ruizong").On the evening of June 22, Li Longji, the third son of Prime Minister Li Dan, the king of Linzi, and Li Longji of Luzhou, together with Xue Chongjian, the son of Princess Taiping, led troops into the Northern Army to kill Empress Wei, Princess Anle, and Wei Wu's followers. .The prime minister, Li Dan, was restored, that is, Ruizong.Li Dan made Li Longji the king of Ping and made him the crown prince for his achievements in destroying the Weiwu Group.

Ruizong Li Dan was a weak emperor who was "respectful and frugal and retreated".He can do whatever Princess Taiping wants. Princess Taiping, who "Empress Wu thought she was like herself", was keen to participate in the government affairs, "Military and state affairs must be involved in the decision. If you don't pay homage to the court, the chancellor will discuss whether it is acceptable or not."At that time, "seven prime ministers, five out of the princess gate" ("Old Tang Book Biography of Princess Taiping").Princess Taiping is good at governing and authorizing power, and has conflicts with the shrewd and capable crown prince.She openly criticized and said: "The prince is not the eldest, so he should not be established!" The struggle between aunts and nephews became more and more fierce to abolish the prince.On July 4th of the second year of Jingyun (AD 711), Emperor Ruizong Li Dan weighed the pros and cons and decided to hand over the emperor to Prince Li Longji. "("Old Tang Book·Xuanzong 1") On August 5th, Li Longji became the emperor. He was Xuanzong, the famous Tang Minghuang in history.At the beginning of July in the second year of Xiantian (713 A.D.), Xuanzong ordered the killing of Princess Taiping's followers and gave her to death at home.During the eight years from the first month of the first year of Shenlong to the seventh month of the second year of Xiantian, there were six coups in the palace, changing four monarchs, fighting each other, and blood splattered the palace.So far, the turbulent political situation ended, and the Tang Dynasty entered a period of stable development.In November, the ministers took the honorary title of Emperor Xuanzong "Kaiyuan Shenwu Emperor" and changed the year name to "Kaiyuan".Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty made great efforts to govern, determined to "reform the government of Zhongzong, and follow the story of Zhenguan" to revitalize the Tang Dynasty (Figure 2).