Anshi Rebellion: From Rise to Pacification
The Anshi Rebellion was one of the bloodiest rebellions in Chinese history, lasting for eight years, spreading over a wide range and causing great damage and **. The rebellion was eventually put down, but the Tang Dynasty turned from prosperity to decline, and could no longer return to the situation of the Kaiyuan Dynasty.
The rise of the Anshi Rebellion
There were various reasons for the outbreak of the Anshi Rebellion, including:
Partition of feudal towns: In the later years of Tang Xuanzong, the division of feudal towns intensified, and each feudal town made the army self-respecting, and violated the yang and yin.
Eunuch dictatorship: Tang Xuanzong favored eunuchs, and eunuchs interfered in court politics and were corrupt, which aroused strong dissatisfaction among the people.
Acute social contradictions: In the middle of the Tang Dynasty, social contradictions became increasingly acute, and the lives of people at the bottom of society, such as peasants, craftsmen, and merchants, became increasingly difficult.
The direct trigger of the Anshi Rebellion was the rebellion of An Lushan and Shi Siming. An Lushan is the envoy of the Youzhou Festival, and Shi Siming is the envoy of the Fanyang Festival. They took advantage of the sluggishness of Tang Xuanzong in his later years and the corruption of the dynasty to rebel in 755.
The history of the Anshi Rebellion
The rebels were overwhelmed and soon captured Luoyang and Chang'an, and Tang Xuanzong was forced to flee to Sichuan. The rebels burned, killed, looted, and did everything they could in the occupied areas, causing great destruction and mischief.
After the outbreak of the Anshi Rebellion, the Tang Dynasty quickly organized forces to suppress the rebellion. Famous generals such as Guo Ziyi and Li Guangbi led the Tang army to engage in fierce battles with the rebels. After eight years of bloody fighting, the Tang army finally put down the Anshi Rebellion in 763.
The pacification of the Anshi Rebellion
There are several main reasons for the pacification of the Anshi Rebellion:
Tang Dynasty's resolute counterinsurgency: After Tang Xuanzong fled to Sichuan, he did not give up his efforts to quell the rebellion. He appointed Guo Ziyi, Li Guangbi and other famous generals as commanders of the counterinsurgency, and mobilized troops from all over the country to counterinsurgency.
Outstanding military talents of famous generals such as Guo Ziyi and Li Guangbi: Guo Ziyi and Li Guangbi were both famous generals of the Tang Dynasty, and they played an important role in the counterinsurgency war. They were good at using their troops and repeatedly defeated the rebels.
Contradictions within the rebels: There was a contradiction between An Lushan and Shi Siming, who later killed An Lushan and established himself as emperor. Contradictions within the rebels weakened the rebels.
The support of the people: The Tang Dynasty had the support of the people in the counterinsurgency war. The masses of the people actively joined the army, supported the front, and made important contributions to the victory of the counterinsurgency war.
The impact of the Anshi Rebellion
Although the Anshi Rebellion was put down, it caused serious damage to the Tang Dynasty. Since then, the Tang Dynasty has turned from prosperity to decline, and can no longer return to the situation of the prosperous era of the Kaiyuan Dynasty.
The impact of the Anshi Rebellion is mainly in the following aspects:
Economic Recession: The Anshi Rebellion caused huge economic losses, and the economic power of the Tang Dynasty was greatly weakened.
Political turmoil: The Anshi Rebellion led to political turmoil in the Tang Dynasty, with the division of feudal towns intensifying and the authority of ** declining.
Military decline: During the Anshi Rebellion, the Tang Dynasty's army suffered heavy losses and its military power was greatly weakened.
Cultural decline: During the Anshi Rebellion, the culture of the Tang Dynasty was also severely damaged, and many precious artifacts and books were destroyed.
The Anshi Rebellion was one of the bloodiest rebellions in Chinese history and caused serious damage to the Tang Dynasty. The pacification of this rebellion marked the beginning of the Tang Dynasty's transition from prosperity to decline.
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