If the more than 300 emperors in Chinese history are ranked according to their merits, Tang Taizong Li Shimin must be among the best. As the second monarch of the Tang Empire, Li Shimin promoted domestic prosperity with the strategy of recruiting talents and reducing taxes during the 23 years of his reign, and expanded his territory through foreign conquests, laying the famous "rule of Zhenguan".
With his open and inclusive policy, he made the Tang Dynasty a global center at that time, and "Zhenguan" also became a symbol of prosperity. However, as the first emperor of the ages, Li Shimin's throne was not smooth sailing, and it can even be said that he obtained the inheritance by stepping on the blood and corpse of his brother.
In the process of fighting for the throne, their brothers fought brutally one after another, and countless bloody battles finally ended in an even bloodier contest, which is the famous "Xuanwumen Change" in history.
The brutal battle for the throne: The Xuanwumen ChangeThe Xuanwumen Incident was an important turning point in the history of the Tang Dynasty, and it was also a critical moment for Li Shimin to move from the crown prince to the throne.
In this bloody struggle, Li Shimin personally shot his own brother, the crown prince Li Jiancheng, and his younger brother Li Yuanji, in order to force his father Tang Gaozu Li Yuan to establish himself as the crown prince.
Soon after, Li Yuan abdicated, and Li Shimin successfully ascended the throne and became the second emperor of the Tang Dynasty. This battle for the throne is full of power struggles and sacrifices, which makes people think deeply.
Although it is only a few words, there are far-reaching causes and consequences behind the change of Xuanwumen. The contradiction between Li Shimin and his brother was not a whim, but had already reached the point of irreconcilability.
In the cold winter of 597 AD, Li Shimin was born in the annex of the Li family and became the second son of the Li family. When he was a child, he was smart and witty, and he was different from ordinary people.
When dealing with big things, he is firm and decisive in his decision-making, and every task is handled by him in an orderly manner. Although he is not yet an adult, no one in the local area dares to underestimate him, and many people secretly speculate that the future of this teenager will be bright.
At this time, China was in the period of the Sui Dynasty, in 615 AD, Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty was surrounded by the Turks in Yanmen, and recruited soldiers to rescue him throughout the country, and Li Shimin immediately joined the army when he heard the news.
When he was about to set out, he suggested to his superiors to increase the momentum and arrange suspicious troops, and the Turks really fell into the plan, thinking that the army was overwhelmed, so they withdrew one after another.
Seventeen-year-old Li Shimin stepped onto the big stage of history for the first time and showed extraordinary military talent. In 616 AD, his father Li Yuan was appointed to stay in Taiyuan, and Li Shimin also went, and in just one year, he once again made many achievements, and even ventured deep into the enemy camp to successfully rescue his trapped father.
Not only that, Li Shimin's acumen in the political field is far beyond ordinary people.
In 617 AD, Li Shimin foresaw the collapse of the Sui Dynasty and began to plan an uprising, secretly recruiting soldiers and using a large amount of wealth to finance the doormen. However, Li Yuan was still hesitant to take on the responsibility of the rebels, and he had the pure belief of serving the country.
At this time, Li Shimin stepped forward again, analyzed the pros and cons, weighed the facts, and finally persuaded Li Yuan to strengthen his determination to revolt. So they raised troops in Jinyang and went through many wars.
Eventually, in 618 AD, Emperor Gong of Sui gave the throne to Li Yuan, who proclaimed himself emperor and established the Tang Dynasty, creating a dynastic history of nearly 300 years. Li Shimin, who followed his father in the war, was named King of Qin, which was the reward he deserved.
The course of history is always full of unknowns and challenges, and without Li Shimin's wisdom and courage, Li Yuan may not be able to achieve great things. More than half of Li Yuan's exploits are attributed to his son, and although Li Yuan was the founding emperor of the Tang Dynasty, later generations obviously did not pay as much attention to him as Li Shimin.
With Li Yuan's proclamation as emperor, the relationship between him and Li Shimin has also changed from a simple father-son relationship to a monarch and a minister, Li Yuan is no longer a simple father, and Li Shimin is no longer just a simple son, and their roles and responsibilities have undergone profound changes.
After Li Yuan became emperor, Li Shimin fought abroad and established many achievements. In 621 AD, he defeated his powerful opponent Dou Jiande and returned triumphantly wearing ** armor.
However, at this time, Li Yuan was no longer the father who was happy for his son's achievements. In his place, there was a deep fear in his heart. Li Yuan's fear stemmed from the fact that his son had earned a higher prestige among the people, and his son's abilities were out of his control.
This is the tragedy of the meritorious lord, since ancient times, the courtiers of the meritorious lord will cause the emperor's jealousy and fear. Li Yuan was deeply frightened, he could not control this military genius, nor could he prevent his son from gaining higher prestige among the people.
How could Li Shimin ever be a thing in the pool? His youth had been honed on the battlefield and he had already surpassed the heights that many could reach. For ordinary people, Li Shimin is already a person standing on a high place, but from his own point of view, he is not tall enough.
In addition to the emperor, there are also crown princes who are taller than him. But this position has been occupied by his eldest brother, Li Jiancheng. Li Jiancheng is not incompetent, he is also capable and wise, has followed his father to fight for many years, and has the qualifications to become the heir.
After Li Yuan became emperor, Li Shimin fought abroad for a long time, and every time he defeated an opponent, he naturally pocketed the opponent's political resources. As his exploits gradually became prominent, Li Shimin became more and more dissatisfied with his eldest brother's behavior of usurping the crown prince, but he knew"Standing and growing"The traditional rules made it impossible for him to find a suitable reason to challenge his eldest brother.
Li Jiancheng is not a fool, he also senses Li Shimin's desire for the throne. The two brothers appear to be peaceful on the surface, but in reality they are secretly rivalry. Li Yuanji stood in the camp of the crown prince at this time.
Sima Guang recorded this period of history in detail in the "Zizhi Tongjian": Li Yuan favored a large number of concubines in his later years, and these concubines would maintain good relations with adult princes for their own future.
Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji took advantage of this to flatter and flatter the concubines, thus gaining influence around the emperor.
On the other hand, Li Shimin did not value the communication of the harem. After quelling the turmoil in Luoyang, Li Yuan asked the concubine and others to select the palace maids and treasures of the Sui Dynasty, and the concubine took the opportunity to ask Li Shimin for treasures and official positions for her relatives, but Li Shimin refused.
Li Shimin's decision made the concubine and other concubines resentful of him deepen. As a result, the concubines slandered Gaozu, which led to the increasingly distant relationship between Gaozu and Li Shimin.
In the ensuing political struggle, Li Shimin was gradually marginalized, and his cronies were expelled from the mansion by Li Jiancheng. Li Shimin realized that if he did not take action, he would only end up in a dead end.
Under the constant persuasion of his henchmen, he finally decided to take the form of an armed seizure of power. On July 2, 626 AD, Li Shimin led his henchmen into the court, set up an ambush at Xuanwu Gate, and shot Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji.
On July 14, Gaozu abdicated. On September 13, Gaozu passed the emperor's throne to the crown prince Li Shimin. Li Shimin ascended the throne and became Taizong of the Tang Dynasty.
It turned out that the truth of the Xuanwumen Revolution was not a helpless counterattack recorded in the history books, but Li Shimin's careful premeditation. Under the double pressure of his brother and father, Li Shimin had a plan, and he used this mutiny to get rid of his biggest rival, secure his position, and successfully force Li Yuan to establish himself as the crown prince.
The excavation of the inscription in Gansu finally unveiled the true face of this history.
Historically, there have been many controversies as to whether the Xuanwumen Revolution was Li Shimin's forced counterattack or whether he did it on purpose. However, the reproduction of an inscription reveals to us the truth of this event.
At the beginning of the last century, a Frenchman discovered an ancient document in Dunhuang, which, although incomplete, is considered a valuable historical document.
The Frenchman brought the fragment back to his homeland, but it did not attract much attention. However, this inscription caused an uproar in Chinese historiography. Chinese professors traveled to France to expand the contents of the fragment for in-depth research.
They found that the protagonist of the inscription was named Chang He, and his existence provided a new perspective for the study of the changes in Xuanwumen. In general, the discovery of this inscription provides new clues for interpreting the historical events of the Xuanwumen Change, and also provides a new perspective for us to understand the historical truth.
Chang He, a general in the early years of the Tang Dynasty, was born in Kaifeng, today's Henan. He participated in the Wagangzhai Uprising, and later returned to the Tang Dynasty, following the Qin king Li Shimin and the crown prince Li Jiancheng to participate in a series of wars.
After the establishment of the Tang Dynasty, he obtained an official position and had some dealings with the King of Qin and the crown prince, so this relic was named Chang He Tombstone. Through the interpretation of the inscriptions, scholars have revealed a startling fact.
In 624 AD, Chang He was transferred to the capital and was responsible for guarding the Xuanwu Gate, the north gate of the imperial palace. However, just a year later, the Xuanwumen Rebellion took place. Chang He, as the guard of the Xuanwu Gate, could not have nothing to do with this matter.
Sure enough, experts found key clues in the handwriting of Chang He's tombstone.
As early as the seventh year of Wude, Chang He had already been appreciated and promoted by Taizong. Not only was he given a precious golden knife and **, but he was also assigned to the north gate as a chief.
What's more, Taizong also gave Chang He dozens of treasures worth far more than Chang He's salary. Chang He was transferred to Xuanwumen in the capital, which was also arranged by Li Shimin himself. However, Li Jiancheng was unaware of all this.
Li Jiancheng thought that Chang He was still a person on his side, so he didn't take too many precautions. It was this defenseless mentality that enabled Li Shimin to smoothly set up an ambush during the Xuanwumen Change.
Because the person in charge of guarding that day was Chang He.
In the official document of the Tang Dynasty, "Palace Gate Impostor Entry", it was clearly stipulated that the punishment measures for those who entered the palace gate under false names and those who carried weapons were separately. In this case, if someone assists Li Shimin and his soldiers to enter the Xuanwu Gate, and the guards do not stop them, the guards will be punished more severely.
Chang He took such a big risk to assist Li Shimin, which was obviously not without purpose. From the collusion between Chang He and Li Shimin, we can deduce that the Xuanwumen change was a palace change that Li Shimin had premeditated.
Although the results of the Xuanwumen Incident have not changed, in the history books, people have different views on Li Shimin's behavior. Li Shimin has always had a strong desire for power, and as the contradiction between him and *** deepened, he began to plan this palace change.
Li Shimin's desire for the throne has never changed, and he began to recruit talents early, set up a school, and secretly look for people who can help him. It was this kind of action that enabled him to attract famous ministers like Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui to join his camp after pacifying Dou Jiande and Wang Shichong.
Li Shimin understood that "Lichang" was the rule of the imperial succession, so he decided to secretly accumulate strength. He left all kinds of talents in the Qin Palace, including Chang He. Chang He sided with Li Shimin, but on the surface he still maintained friendly relations with Li Jiancheng in case of emergency.
Li Shimin waited for Li Jiancheng's action, once Li Jiancheng made a move, he would have enough reason to fight back, and he would also be able to win the sympathy of the society. In the end, Li Shimin won the Xuanwumen Incident, and he attributed the victory to Li Jiancheng's pressing step by step, while he was forced to fight back.
This was the result that Li Shimin expected.
From the fifth year of Zhenguan to his death, Chang He was smooth sailing on the road to promotion, and when he died, he was posthumously awarded the title of General Zuo Wuwei. The content on Chang He's tombstone was written by Li Yifu, a famous minister of the Tang Dynasty.
The aftermath of the Xuanwumen Revolution did not stop, and although Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji died, their families were not spared. Li Shimin's act of shooting his brother aroused widespread sympathy among the people, and many people felt sorry for the Jianyuan brothers.
However, due to the suddenness of the incident, the forces of Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji were not completely disintegrated, and their old subordinates hid in the people after the mutiny, which became a major problem after Li Shimin ascended the throne.
Suspicion has been true since ancient times, and Li Shimin is also aware of the turbulent undercurrents lurking around him. Faced with this dilemma, Li Shimin thought of the only feasible way - to win the hearts and minds of the people.
For the general public, their attitude towards the ruler is not about who sits on the throne, but whether they can solve their food and clothing problems. Li Shimin is well aware of this principle, he understands that the strength of the masses of the people is powerful, and after he ascended the throne, he took solving the problems of people's livelihood as his primary task and devoted himself wholeheartedly to the development of the country.
He did not have the arrogance of the aristocracy, but put the world first and pursued various policies that were beneficial to the country and the people. It is precisely because of his selfless dedication that he created a prosperous era of Zhenguan.
Although there are many reasons for the formation of Zhenguan's rule, it is undeniable that Li Shimin's love for the people played a key role. In fact, the change of Xuanwumen played a catalytic role in the formation of the rule of Zhenguan.
Over time, the scholarly view of the Xuanwumen Revolution has changed. In the eyes of people of different eras, this historical event reflects their different values.
After the rise of Zhu Lixue in the Song Dynasty, scholars generally expressed contempt for Tang Taizong's act of killing his brother. At the same time, Li Yuanji's wife Yang was occupied by Li Shimin, and was also criticized by historians.
These two actions were seen as a stain on Li Shimin, and even overshadowed the reputation of Zhenguan Zhizhi. This view continued into the last century, when scholars once again began to study the Xuanwumen Revolution with the unearthing of a number of important Tang Dynasty artifacts, including the tombstone of Chang He.
Despite much research, there is still a consensus that Li Shimin is an ambitious and ruthless politician. After successfully seizing the throne, he did not liquidate the henchmen of Li Yuanji and Li Jiancheng, but only out of the emperor's trade-offs.
Many scholars have a sympathetic attitude towards Li Jiancheng. However, people's views on this event have changed in recent years. In 2020, a scholar re-examined the causes of the Xuanwumen Incident, which were the same as previously speculated, but the emotional tendencies had changed.
With the popularization of historical materialism, people no longer blame the mistakes on Li Shimin's ruthlessness, but regard the Xuanwumen Revolution as a political struggle. Li Shimin and Li Jiancheng are both gamblers who rush to the table, and regardless of the outcome, their actions cannot simply be judged as who is right and who is wrong.
For the emperor, the most important thing was to be able to make the people live a good life, which was the key to winning high praise from future generations. Moreover, after the successful coup d'état, Fang Xuanling handed over the history book he repaired to Taizong, and deliberately concealed the fact that Taizong personally shot Li Jiancheng in the book.
After reading the book, Taizong asked Fang Xuanling to delete unnecessary embellishments and write this story straightforwardly, which was finally recorded in "Zhenguan Political Leaders".
Tang Taizong frankly faced the fact that he killed his brother with his own hands, showing the true colors of a man. His actions were approved by the emperor, making Li Jiancheng's death no longer a historical mystery.
From the perspective of historiography, Tang Taizong's actions helped to maintain historical truth and contribute to history.
Some people have speculated that if Li Jiancheng inherits the throne, the Tang Dynasty may not change much, but history has clearly told the world that Li Shimin, as an emperor, is worthy of the praise of heaven and earth and future generations.
The debate on this topic is not over, and as of 2022, the opinions of history buffs can still be seen on online forums. A tombstone of Chang He, an incomplete inscription reveals that the Xuanwumen change was an action that Li Shimin had prepared for a long time, but after thousands of years of wind and rain, modern people still fairly evaluate him as an indelible important figure in history.