In China's magnificent history, the Anshi Rebellion is undoubtedly a bloody memory, which not only shook the foundation of the Tang Dynasty, but also had a profound impact on Chinese civilization. This turmoil, which broke out in 755 and did not subside until 763, was a large-scale rebellion led by An Lushan and Shi Siming.
Its bloodiness, its duration, and its socio-economic damage at the time were unprecedented. In order to better understand the true face of this rebellion, today we will explore the chaotic nature of the Anshi Rebellion from historical documents, books and scholars' research results, analyze the causes and process of the rebellion, and how it was finally put down.
The Expansion of Power and the Accumulation of Contradictions The root cause of the Anshi Rebellion was the expansion of power at the national level and the accumulation of contradictions at the socio-economic level. An Lushan, as the envoy of the border military town, has a heavy army, and his ambition is increasing day by day.
And Tang Xuanzong's favor to An Lushan enabled the latter to gradually expand his power. At the same time, in the late Tang Dynasty, problems such as state corruption, eunuch dictatorship, and serious land annexation made social contradictions increasingly acute.
These deep-seated problems laid the groundwork for the occurrence of the Anshi Rebellion.
The outbreak and spread of war In 755, An Lushan raised troops against the Tang Dynasty in Fanyang, marking the outbreak of the Anshi Rebellion. He quickly captured Luoyang, proclaimed himself Emperor Dayan, and challenged Tang rule.
Subsequently, the fighting spread throughout the north, and Shi Siming joined the ranks of the rebellion. The Tang Dynasty army was defeated in the initial battle, and the capital Chang'an fell for a time. The brutal acts of the rebels, such as massacing, burning, and plundering, led to the misery of the people and the chaos of social order.
The Collapse of the Social Economy and the Suffering of the People The Anshi Rebellion brought a devastating blow to the social economy at that time.
According to historical sources such as the Book of the Old Tang Dynasty and the Book of the New Tang Dynasty, the war led to a sharp decline in population, the abandonment of farmland, the interruption of commercial transactions, and the displacement or death of countless people.
In addition, in order to cope with the war, the Tang state had to increase taxes and levy people's husbands, which further exacerbated the suffering of the people.
The pacification of the Anshi Rebellion benefited from the efforts of many parties. Among them, the courage of the Tang Dynasty's officials and soldiers, the courage of the people's struggle, and the support of foreign aid such as Hui and Tubo together constituted the force that finally quelled the rebellion. Nonetheless, the rebellion had a profound impact on the Tang Dynasty and the entire history of China.
It not only accelerated the process of the Tang Dynasty from prosperity to decline, but also prompted later generations to deeply reflect on the balance between centralized power and local power. The Anshi Rebellion is a mirror, reflecting the complex trajectory of a dynasty from prosperity to decline, and also reminding future generations to be cautious in the distribution and supervision of power in national governance to prevent a recurrence of tragedy.