Under the prosperous Tianbao era, Tang Xuanzong was immersed in a comfortable dream, however, the crisis has quietly emerged in the dark. This article will reveal the truth behind this historical event through the elaboration of the historical background.
First of all, we see the evaluation of Tang Xuanzong in the "Old Tang Book": "If a mountain is decayed, although it is big, it will be lost;There are silverfish in the wood, and their glory is easy to fall. This aptly depicts the inner world of Tang Xuanzong who was gradually lost under the appearance of prosperity. He trusted An Lushan and other generals too much, which led to the gradual fall of the Hebei region into the hands of the rebels, while he himself was still intoxicated by the luxurious life of the Huaqing Palace, ignoring the potential crisis.
Second, the alternation of the government military system and the conscription system had a profound impact on the military power of the Tang Dynasty. Due to the surge in military spending, the rise of professional soldiers led to the ineffectiveness of the compulsory military system of integrating soldiers and peasants, and local military forces gradually rose. In addition, the Jiedu envoy held great power, and there were frequent wars in the border areas, and "the fierce generals and elite soldiers were all gathered in the west and north", and the imbalance of internal and external military forces laid the groundwork for the outbreak of the Anshi Rebellion.
Moreover, Tang Xuanzong made a series of mistakes in military decision-making after the outbreak of the war, and he listened to slander and executed the generals who led the troops, resulting in the rout of the front. After the loss of Tongguan, he did not save himself, but listened to Yang Guozhong's words and forced the veteran Ge Shuhan to go out of the customs for a decisive battle. These decisions undoubtedly accelerated the decline of the Tang Dynasty.
Finally, we see that when Tang Xuanzong fled from Chang'an City, the former glory was a thing of the past, and he had to flee the city to avoid the rebels. All this makes one wonder if a country's leaders should have been aware of potential crises earlier and acted on them in a timely manner
Overall, the delusion of Tang Xuanzong and the outbreak of the Anshi Rebellion reveal how a dynasty hid a deep crisis behind its prosperity. This is not only a personal reflection on Tang Xuanzong, but also a warning to all leaders: to always be vigilant and have insight into potential crises in order to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past.