Emperor Gaozu of Tang
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Emperor Gaozu of Tang | |||||||||||||||||
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Emperor of the Tang dynasty | |||||||||||||||||
Reign | 18 June 618[a] – 4 September 626[b] | ||||||||||||||||
Successor | Emperor Taizong | ||||||||||||||||
Duke of Tang | |||||||||||||||||
Tenure | 572 – 618 | ||||||||||||||||
Predecessor | Li Bing | ||||||||||||||||
Successor | Incorporated with the crown | ||||||||||||||||
Retired Emperor of the Tang dynasty | |||||||||||||||||
Tenure | 4 September 626 – 25 June 635 | ||||||||||||||||
Born | 7 April 566[1] Chang'an, Northern Zhou | ||||||||||||||||
Died | 25 June 635[2](aged 69) Da'an Palace, Chang'an, Tang dynasty | ||||||||||||||||
Burial | Xian Mausoleum ( | ||||||||||||||||
Consorts | Empress Taimu (m. 581; died 613?) | ||||||||||||||||
Issue | See § Family | ||||||||||||||||
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House | Li | ||||||||||||||||
Dynasty | Tang | ||||||||||||||||
Father | Li Bing | ||||||||||||||||
Mother | Lady Dugu |
Tang Gaozu | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Chinese | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Literal meaning | "High Progenitor of the Tang" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Li Yuan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Traditional Chinese | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Simplified Chinese | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Literal meaning | (personal name) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Shude | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chinese | 叔德 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Literal meaning | (courtesy name) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Emperor Gaozu of Tang (7 April 566[1] – 25 June 635),[2] born Li Yuan, courtesy name Shude, was the founding emperor of the Tang dynasty of China, reigning from 618 to 626. Under the Sui dynasty, Li Yuan was the governor in the area of modern-day Shanxi, and was based in Taiyuan.
In 615, Li Yuan was assigned to garrison Longxi. He gained much experience by dealing with the Göktürks of the north and was able to pacify them. Li Yuan was also able to gather support from these successes and, with the disintegration of the Sui dynasty in July 617, Li Yuan – urged on by his second son Li Shimin (
Emperor Gaozu's reign was concentrated on uniting the empire under the Tang. Aided by Li Shimin, whom he created the Prince of Qin, he defeated all the other contenders, including Li Gui, Dou Jiande, Wang Shichong, Xue Rengao and Liu Wuzhou. By 628, the Tang dynasty had succeeded in uniting all of China. On the home front, he recognized the early successes forged by Emperor Wen of Sui and strove to emulate most of Emperor Wen's policies, including the equal distribution of land amongst his people, and he also lowered taxes. He abandoned the harsh system of law established by Emperor Yang of Sui as well as reforming the judicial system. These acts of reform paved the way for the reign of Emperor Taizong, which ultimately pushed Tang to the height of its power.
In 626, Li Shimin, in a dispute with his brothers Li Jiancheng, the Crown Prince, and Li Yuanji, the Prince of Qi, ambushed Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji at Xuanwu Gate, killing them. Fearful of what Li Shimin might do next, Emperor Gaozu passed the throne to him and became Taishang Huang (retired emperor). He died on 25 June 635.
Early life and career[edit]
According to the official genealogy of the Tang ruling house, Li Yuan's seventh-generation ancestor was Li Gao, the Han Chinese founder of the Dunhuang-based Sixteen Kingdoms state of Western Liang. After Western Liang's destruction by the Northern Liang, Li Gao's grandson Li Zhong'Er (
At some point, he married Lady Dou, a daughter of Dou Yi (竇毅) the Duke of Shenwu and Northern Zhou's Princess Xiangyang (Yuwen Tai's daughter) as his wife and duchess.
During Emperor Wen's reign (581–604), Li Yuan served three terms as a provincial governor. Early in the reign of Emperor Wen's son Emperor Yang, Li Yuan served as commandery governor (as Emperor Yang converted provinces into commanderies), but was later recalled to serve as a junior minister within Emperor Yang's administration. When Emperor Yang carried out his second campaign against Goguryeo in 613, Li Yuan was in charge of part of the logistics operation. When the general Yang Xuangan rebelled near the eastern capital Luoyang, Emperor Yang commissioned Li Yuan as a general and made him be in charge of the operations west of the Tong Pass, although Yang Xuangan's rebellion eventually did not involve that region. Li Yuan took the opportunity to recruit talented people to his staff. Later that year, when Emperor Yang summoned him to his presence, he declined, citing ill health—an excuse that Emperor Yang did not believe, as he questioned Li Yuan's niece, Consort Wang (Emperor Yang's concubine), "Will he die?". In fear, Li Yuan took up drinking and receiving bribes to try to show Emperor Yang that he did not have great ambitions. In 615, Emperor Yang placed him in charge of the operations against agrarian rebels in the Hedong (
Rebellion against Emperor Yang of Sui[edit]
Emperor Yang grew dissatisfied with Li Yuan and Wang Rengong (
Traditional accounts, compiled during the reign of Li Yuan's second son by the Duchess Dou, Li Shimin (Emperor Taizong), emphasize the latter's initiative and major role in instigating his father's rebellion. According to these, Li Shimin was secretly planning rebellion against Sui rule with Pei Ji, the majordomo of Emperor Yang's secondary palace, and with Liu Wenjing, the magistrate of Jinyang County (
Li Yuan began to gather forces from the region, claiming that they were necessary to defend against the Turks, which drew suspicions from his deputies Wang Wei (
Once Li Jiancheng, Li Yuanji, and Chai arrived at Taiyuan, Li Yuan formally declared his rebellion, but maintained the guise of a Sui loyalist and declared that his intention was simply to install on the throne Emperor Yang's grandson Yang You, the Prince of Dai, who was then at Chang'an, and honor Emperor Yang as Taishang Huang (retired emperor). Li Yuan first secured his northern flank by contacting Shibi Khan, offering tribute, and received men and horses in exchange. He put Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin in charge of his army and, leaving Li Yuanji in charge at Taiyuan, advanced south. Meanwhile, the Sui officials at Hedong arrested Li Zhiyun and delivered him to Chang'an, where he was executed.
His daughter Pingyang sold her possessions to raise an army for him. She persuaded several other leaders to fight under her banner. They took several towns and her army swelled until she had 70,000 troops under her command.[3]
Meanwhile, Li Yuan wrote another rebel leader, Li Mi the Duke of Wei, who was near Luoyang, trying to see if Li Mi would be willing to follow him, but Li Mi, believing in his own strength, had his secretary Zu Junyan (
Although I and you, my older brother, are of different branches, but we are both Lis. I know that I do not have sufficient strength, but by the love of the men on this earth, I have been made the leader. I hope that you will support and help me. Let us capture Ziying at Xianyang, and let us kill Xin of Shang at Muye; would it not be a great accomplishment?
Li Yuan was dismayed but, not wanting to make another enemy, wrote back humbly:
Although I am ordinary and foolish, but I have had the opportunity to, by my ancestors' largess, receive the opportunity to be an imperial messenger when leaving the capital and a guard leader in the capital. If the administration falls and I am unable to help it, even the most understanding wise man will rebuke me. Therefore, I have organized a righteous army and sought peace with the barbarians to the north [i.e., Tujue] to try to calm the earth and to protect Sui. However, for the people under the heavens, there must be someone to rule over them, and other than you, who can be that person? I am too old – over 50 – and that is not my intent, but I am happy to support you, my younger brother. I hope to be able to climb onto the scale of a dragon and hold onto the wing of a phoenix, and I hope that you, my younger brother, will soon, in accordance with the prophecy, pacify all who are on this earth. You are the leader among the Li, and I hope that you will be gracious and accept me, and to give me again the domain of Tang; that will be enough glory for me. I do not have the heart to hear such commands as killing Xin of Shang at Muye, nor do I dare to listen to the order of capturing Ziying at Xianyang. Also, the Fen and Jin region [i.e., modern Shanxi] requires pacification right now, and I am not yet able to arrange a time for the meeting at Mengjin [(
盟 津 , in modern Zhengzhou, Henan, where King Wu of Zhou met his supporters before attacking Shang's King Zhou)].
Li Mi was pleased with Li Yuan's response, believing that Li Yuan was willing to support him, and from that point on, Li Mi and Li Yuan often exchanged messengers. Li Yuan's campaign against Chang'an thus went without opposition from Li Mi. Meanwhile, however, when Li Yuan arrived near Hedong, his army was bogged down by the weather, and with food running out, there were rumors that Eastern Tujue and Liu Wuzhou would attack Taiyuan. Li Yuan initially ordered retreat, but at the earnest opposition by Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin, continued to advance. After defeating Sui forces at Huoyi (霍邑, also in modern Yuncheng), he decided to leave a small contingent to watch over Hedong while advancing across the Yellow River into Guanzhong (i.e., the Chang'an region). Once he did, he headed for Chang'an himself, while sending Li Jiancheng to capture the territory around the Tong Pass region to prevent Sui forces at Luoyang from reinforcing Chang'an and Li Shimin north of the Wei River to capture territory there. Meanwhile, his daughter had also risen in rebellion in support of him, and she was able to gather a sizable army and capture some cities. She joined forces with Li Shimin and her husband Chai Shao. Soon, Li Yuan reconsolidated his forces and put Chang'an under siege. In winter 617, he captured Chang'an and declared Yang You emperor (as Emperor Gong). He had himself made regent (with the title of grand chancellor) and created the Prince of Tang. (Meanwhile, most of Sui territory did not recognize Yang You as emperor and continued to recognize Emperor Yang as emperor and not as retired emperor.) He sent his nephew Li Xiaogong south, and Li Xiaogong was able to persuade the Sui cities in modern southern Shaanxi, Sichuan, and Chongqing to submit.
Establishment of Tang and gradual unification[edit]
In spring 618, Emperor Yang was killed at Jiangdu (
Emperor Gaozu's rule immediately faced a major challenge from Xue Ju, an agrarian leader who had declared himself the Emperor of Qin. During the fall of 618, Xue took advantage of Li Shimin's illness to defeat an army commanded by Li Shimin and Liu Wenjing at Qianshui Plain (in modern Xianyang, Shanxi) and approach Chang'an. In response, Gaozu tried to enter an alliance with Li Gui, the Prince of Liang, between whose domain and the Tang Xue's Qin state was located, writing Li Gui and referring to him as cousin. Li Gui briefly submitted to Gaozu. Meanwhile, before he could attack Chang'an, Xue Ju died of illness and was succeeded by his son Xue Rengao, who was a capable commander but who had alienated his generals because of his cruelty. Li Shimin was soon able to attack Xue Rengao at Gaozhi (
Meanwhile, Li Mi, having been defeated earlier in the year in a surprise attack (at the Battle of Yanshi) by the Sui general Wang Shichong, fled to Tang territory and submitted to Gaozu. Li Mi's general Xu Shiji, who controlled a major part of Li Mi's former territory, also submitted, and Emperor Gaozu, impressed with Xu's faithfulness to Li Mi, bestowed the imperial surname of Li on Xu. Gaozu created Li Mi the Duke of Xing, but only made him the Minister of Feasts, a post that Li Mi viewed as below his stature. Around New Year 619, Li Mi requested Emperor Gaozu's permission to head east to persuade some of his former subordinates to submit to Tang, but once he left Chang'an, planned to restore his independence. He was ambushed and killed by the Tang general Sheng Yanshi (
In spring 619, Wang Shichong at Luoyang had Yang Tong yield the throne to him, ending the Sui dynasty and establishing a new state of Zheng.
Around the same time, Li Gui, while stating that he wished to be a Tang subject, refused the Tang creation of Prince of Liang, instead declaring himself the Emperor of Tang. In summer 619, Li Gui's official An Xinggui (
Meanwhile, Tang was facing another serious threat—Liu Wuzhou, now determined to march south against Tang. Emperor Gaozu sent Pei Ji against Liu's advancing army, but Pei was defeated by Liu, who then put Taiyuan under siege. Li Yuanji fled back to Chang'an, and much of modern Shanxi was seized by Liu. Emperor Gaozu then sent Li Shimin against Liu, and by summer 620, Li Shimin had defeated Liu, forcing him to flee to the Eastern Turks. Liu's territory was incorporated into Tang. Around the same time, however, Dou Jiande the Prince of Xia made a major offensive against the cities that had submitted to Tang in modern Hebei and Henan, north of the Yellow River, seizing nearly all of them and taking Emperor Gaozu's cousin Li Shentong (
In 620, Li Fuwei captured much of the territory of another agrarian ruler, Li Zitong, the Emperor of Wu, in the lower Yangtze River region, in the name of the Tang dynasty. Li Zitong, in turn, defeated and took over the territory of Shen Faxing the Prince of Liang, roughly modern Zhejiang.
After Li Shimin defeated Liu, he started a campaign against Wang's Zheng state in fall 620. He initially could not decisively defeat Zheng, but by spring 621 had put the Zheng capital Luoyang under a tight siege, although he was not able to capture it. Wang sought aid from Dou. The latter agreed, concerned that a Tang victory over Zheng would also mean his own demise, but at the same time was eager to exploit the weakness of the Zheng and claim its domains for himself. Emperor Gaozu was initially fearful that Dou and Wang would be able to sandwich Li Shimin's forces between them and ordered Li Shimin to retreat, but upon Li Shimin's petition changed his mind and permitted Li Shimin to remain in the Luoyang region. Li Shimin, leaving Li Yuanji in charge of the siege of Luoyang, advanced and took up position at Hulao Pass. In summer 621, the Tang and Xia forces engaged at Hulao, and Li Shimin defeated Dou, capturing him. Despairing, Wang also surrendered, and most of the Zheng territory was seized by the Tang. Xia territory was also seized by Tang, but after Emperor Gaozu executed Dou, Dou's general Liu Heita rose against the Tang and seized most of the former Xia territory, while Xu Yuanlang, a rebel leader who had previously submitted to Zheng, also rose in revolt, occupying the modern Shandong region.
Also in 621, Li Xiaogong defeated Xiao Xian the Emperor of Liang, who had controlled the modern Hubei, Hunan, and Guangxi region, forcing Xiao Xian to surrender. On another front, Li Fuwei's lieutenant Fu Gongshi defeated Li Zitong, forcing him to surrender as well. Liang and Wu territory were seized by Tang.
Meanwhile, while not as noted as Emperor Gao of Han's killing of Han Xin and Peng Yue, historians have nevertheless noted that some contributors to Emperor Gaozu's establishment of Tang were wrongly killed by him or killed based on fairly little evidence of wrongdoing:
- Liu Wenjing, in 619, on accusation that he engaged sorcerers.
- Emperor Gaozu's cousin Dugu Huai'en (
獨 孤 懷 恩 ), in 620, on accusation of treason. - Li Zhongwen (
李 仲 文 ) the Duke of Zhenxiang, in 620, on accusation of collaboration with Eastern Tujue. - Liu Shirang (
劉 世 讓 ) the Duke of Yingyang, in 623, on accusation of collaboration with Eastern Tujue.
Struggle between sons and the Xuanwu Gate Incident[edit]
In spring 622, Li Shimin defeated Liu Heita, forcing him to flee to the Eastern Turks, but Liu Heita soon returned with Turkic reinforcements and killed Emperor Gaozu's nephew Li Daoxuan (
Meanwhile, an intense rivalry had developed between Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin, as while Li Jiancheng had some contributions toward Tang's reunification of China, Li Shimin had been the one defeating and capturing the major rivals Xue Rengao, Liu Wuzhou, Dou Jiande, and Wang Shichong, causing him to possess the greater reputation among the army. Li Yuanji, who was also often relied on by Emperor Gaozu as a general, supported Li Jiancheng in this rivalry, and often pushed Li Jiancheng toward a more hardline position against Li Shimin, wanting to be crown prince when Li Jiancheng would become emperor. Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji had better relations with Emperor Gaozu's favored young concubines than Li Shimin did (as their mother Duchess Dou had died before Tang's establishment), and those concubines helped rehabilitate Li Jiancheng's standing before Emperor Gaozu, causing him to no longer consider making Li Shimin crown prince instead, as he considered at one point.
By winter 622, Liu Heita posed the only remaining major threat against Tang rule. At the suggestion of his staff members Wang Gui and Wei Zheng, who argued that Li Jiancheng needed some victories himself to establish his reputation, Li Jiancheng volunteered to command the army against Liu Heita. Emperor Gaozu thus sent Li Jiancheng, assisted by Li Yuanji. Around the new year 623, with Liu's forced bogged down while attacking Tang's Wei Prefecture (
Meanwhile, the rivalry between Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin intensified. In 624, Li Jiancheng requisitioned a number of soldiers from the general Li Yi the Prince of Yan, to supplement his guard corps, against Emperor Gaozu's regulations. When this was revealed to Emperor Gaozu, Emperor Gaozu rebuked Li Jiancheng and exiled his guard commander Keda Zhi (
Another problem that Emperor Gaozu faced was constant Eastern Turkic incursions. Emperor Gaozu seriously considered burning Chang'an to the ground and moving the capital to Fancheng (樊城, in modern Xiangfan, Hubei), a suggestion that Li Jiancheng, Li Yuanji, and the chancellor Pei Ji agreed with. Li Shimin opposed, however, and the plan was not carried out. Meanwhile, Li Shimin himself was sending his confidants to Luoyang to build up personal control of the army there. After an incident in which Li Shimin suffered a severe case of food poisoning after feasting at Li Jiancheng's palace—an event that both Emperor Gaozu and Li Shimin apparently interpreted as an assassination attempt—Emperor Gaozu considered sending Li Shimin to guard Luoyang to prevent further conflict, but Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji, after consulting each other, believed that this would only give Li Shimin an opportunity to build up his personal power there, and therefore opposed it. Emperor Gaozu therefore did not carry out the plan.
By 626, Li Shimin was fearful that he would be killed by Li Jiancheng, and his staff members Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, and Zhangsun Wuji were repeatedly encouraging Li Shimin to attack Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji first—while Wei Zheng was encouraging Li Jiancheng to attack Li Shimin first. Li Jiancheng persuaded Emperor Gaozu to remove Fang and Du, as well as Li Shimin's trusted guard officers Yuchi Gong and Cheng Zhijie (
In summer 626, the Eastern Turkic khaganate was making another attack, and under Li Jiancheng's suggestion, Emperor Gaozu, instead of sending Li Shimin to resist the Turks as he first was inclined, decided to send Li Yuanji instead. Li Yuanji was given command of much of the army previously under Li Shimin's control, further troubling Li Shimin, who believed that with the army in Li Yuanji's hands, he would be unable to resist an attack. Li Shimin had Yuchi summon Fang and Du back to his mansion secretly, and then on one night submitted an accusation to Emperor Gaozu that Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji were committing adultery with Emperor Gaozu's concubines. Emperor Gaozu, in response, issued summonses to Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji for the next morning, convening the senior officials Pei Ji, Xiao Yu, and Chen Shuda to examine Li Shimin's accusations. As Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji approached the central gate leading to Emperor Gaozu's palace, Xuanwu Gate (
As retired emperor[edit]
Emperor Gaozu, as retired emperor, did not appear to try to exert much influence in the reign of his son Emperor Taizong, and not much was recorded about his activities. Indeed, Emperor Taizong, almost immediately, began reversing some of his policies, including his policies of creating many relatives to be imperial princes (which Emperor Taizong reversed later in 626, reducing the ranks of most of those princes to dukes) and Emperor Gaozu's gathering of many ladies in waiting (which Emperor Taizong reversed in 628, releasing about 3,000 ladies in waiting from service, although Emperor Taizong himself, later in his reign, appeared to have gathered as many if not more).
In 629, Emperor Gaozu moved from the main palace, Taiji Palace (
In 630, when Emperor Gaozu, who had been submitting tribute to the Eastern Turks throughout his reign, heard that Emperor Taizong had sent the general Li Jing to defeat and capture the Turkic khagan Jiali Khan (Ashina Duobi), commented, "Gaozu of Han was trapped [at Baideng (
As Chang'an was often hot during the summer, Emperor Taizong often invited Emperor Gaozu to go with him to Jiucheng Palace (
Era name[edit]
- Wude (
武德 wǔ dé) 618–626
Chancellors during reign[edit]
- Li Shimin (618–626)
- Pei Ji (618–626)
- Liu Wenjing (618)
- Xiao Yu (618–626)
- Dou Wei (618)
- Dou Kang (618)
- Chen Shuda (618–626)
- Yang Gongren (619–626)
- Feng Deyi (620–626)
- Pei Ju (624–625)
- Yuwen Shiji (625–626)
- Gao Shilian (626)
- Fang Xuanling (626)
Family[edit]
Consorts and Issue:
- Empress Taimu, of the Dou clan of Henan (
太 穆 皇后 河南 竇氏/河南 窦氏; c. 569–613)- Li Jiancheng, Crown Prince Yin (
隱 皇太子 李 建 成 /隐皇太子 李 建 成 ; 589–626), first son - Princess Zhao of Pingyang (
平 陽 昭 公主 ; d. 623), third daughter- Married Chai Shao, Duke of Qiao (谯国
公 柴 绍,d. 638), and had issue (two sons)
- Married Chai Shao, Duke of Qiao (谯国
- Li Shimin, Emperor Taizong (
太 宗 李 世 民 ; 598–649), second son - Li Xuanba, Prince Weihuai (
衛 懷 王 李 玄 霸/卫怀王 李 玄 ; 599–614), third son - Li Yuanji, Prince Chaola (
巢 剌王李 元吉 ; 603–626), fourth son
- Li Jiancheng, Crown Prince Yin (
- Noble Consort, of the Wan clan (
貴 妃 萬 氏 /贵妃万 氏 )- Li Zhiyun, Prince Chu'ai (
楚 哀 王 李 智 雲 /楚 哀 王 李 智 ; 604–617), fifth son
- Li Zhiyun, Prince Chu'ai (
- Virtuous Consort, of the Yin clan (
德 妃 尹 氏 )- Li Yuanheng, Prince Fengdao (酆悼
王 李元 亨 ; 619–632), eighth son
- Li Yuanheng, Prince Fengdao (酆悼
- First Imperial Concubine, of the Yuwen clan (
昭 儀 宇文 氏 /昭 仪宇文 氏 , d. 634)- Li Yuanjia, Prince Han (
韓 王 李 元 嘉 /韩王; 620–688), 11th son - Li Lingkui, Prince Lu (魯王
李 靈 夔/鲁王李 零 夔; 625–688), 19th son
- Li Yuanjia, Prince Han (
- Noble Imperial Concubine, of the Mo clan (
貴 嬪 莫氏/贵嫔 莫氏; 597–618), personal name Lifang (麗 芳 /丽芳)- Li Yuanjing, Prince Jing (荊王
李 元 景 ; 618–653), sixth son
- Li Yuanjing, Prince Jing (荊王
- Imperial Concubine, of the Sun clan (嬪
孫 氏 /嫔 孙氏)- Li Yuanchang, Prince Han (
漢 王 李元 昌 /汉王李元 昌 ; 619–643), seventh son
- Li Yuanchang, Prince Han (
- Imperial Concubine, of the Cui clan of Boling (嬪
博 陵 崔 氏 /嫔博 陵 崔 氏 ; d. 636), personal name Shanggui (商 珪)- Li Yuanyu, Prince Dengkang (鄧康
王 李元 裕 /邓康王 李元 裕 ; 624–665), 17th son
- Li Yuanyu, Prince Dengkang (鄧康
- Imperial Concubine, of the Yang clan of Hongnong (嬪
弘 農 楊氏/嫔; 602–657)- Li Yuanxiang, Prince Jiang'an (
江 安王 李元 祥 ; 626–680), 20th son
- Li Yuanxiang, Prince Jiang'an (
- Imperial Concubine, of the Yang clan (嬪 楊氏/嫔 杨氏)
- Li Yuanming, Prince Shu (舒王
李元 名 ; 624–689), 18th son
- Li Yuanming, Prince Shu (舒王
- Fairness Lady, of the Zhang clan (婕妤
張 氏 /张氏)- Li Yuanfang, Prince Zhou (
周 王 李 元方 ; 619–629), ninth son
- Li Yuanfang, Prince Zhou (
- Fairness Lady, of the Guo clan (婕妤
郭 氏 )- Li Yuanli, Prince Xukang (
徐 康 王 李 元 禮 /李 元 礼 ; 619–672), tenth son
- Li Yuanli, Prince Xukang (
- Fairness Lady, of the Liu clan (婕妤
劉 氏 /刘氏)- Li Yuanqing, Prince Daoxiao (
道 孝 王 李 元 慶 /李 元 庆; 623–664), 16th son
- Li Yuanqing, Prince Daoxiao (
- Beauty, of the Zhang clan (
美人 張 氏 /张氏)- Li Yuangui, Prince Huo (霍王
李 元 軌/李 元 轨; 622–688), 14th son
- Li Yuangui, Prince Huo (霍王
- Beauty, the Yang clan (
美人 楊氏/杨氏; d. 644)- Li Feng, Prince Guozhuang (虢莊
王 李 鳳 /虢庄王 李 凤; 622–675), 15th son
- Li Feng, Prince Guozhuang (虢莊
- Talented Lady, of the Wang clan (
才人 王 氏 ; 596–662)- Li Yuanze, Prince Pengsi (彭思
王 李 元 則 /李 元 则; 620–651), 12th son
- Li Yuanze, Prince Pengsi (彭思
- Talented Lady, of the Lu clan (
才人 魯氏/鲁氏)- Li Yuanxiao, Prince Mizhen (
密 貞 王 李 元 曉 /密 贞王李 元 晓; 628–676), 21st son
- Li Yuanxiao, Prince Mizhen (
- Treasured Lady, of the Zhang clan (
寶林 張 氏 /宝林 张氏; 589–645), personal name Chongze (寵 則 /宠则)- Li Yuanyi, Prince Zhenghui (
鄭 惠 王 李 元 懿/郑惠王 李 元 懿; 621–673), 13th son
- Li Yuanyi, Prince Zhenghui (
- Treasured Lady, of the Liu clan (
寶林 柳 氏 /宝林 柳 氏 )- Li Yuanying, Prince Teng (滕王
李 元 嬰/李 元 婴; 630–684), 22nd son
- Li Yuanying, Prince Teng (滕王
- Unknown
- Princess Changsha (
長 沙 公主 /长沙公主 ), first daughter- Married Feng Shaoshi of Changle (
長樂 馮少師 /长乐 风少师)
- Married Feng Shaoshi of Changle (
- Princess Xiangyang (
襄 阳公主 ), 2nd daughter- Married Dou Dan of Henan, Duke Shen (
河南 竇誕/窦诞; 580–648), the third son of Dou Kang, in 617, and had issue (two sons, one daughter)
- Married Dou Dan of Henan, Duke Shen (
- Princess Gaomi (
高密 公主 ; d. 655), 4th daughter- Married Zhangsun Xiaozheng of Henan (
河南 長 孫 孝政 /长孙孝政 ), and had issue (one daughter) - Married Duan Lun, Prince Jinchang (
段 綸/段 纶; d. 642), and had issue (one son, one daughter)
- Married Zhangsun Xiaozheng of Henan (
- Princess Changguang (
長廣 公主 /长广公主 ; d. 648), 5th daughter- Married Zhao Cijing of Tianshui, Duke Kaihua (
天水 赵慈景 ; d. 618) - Married Yang Shidao of Hongnong, Duke Ande (
弘 農 楊師道 /弘 农 杨师道 ; d. 647) in 622, and had issue (one daughter)
- Married Zhao Cijing of Tianshui, Duke Kaihua (
- Princess Fangling (
房 陵 公主 ; 619–673), 6th daughter- Married Dou Fengjie of Henan, Duke Zan (
河南 竇奉節 /窦奉节) in 630, and had issue (one son, one daughter) - Married Helan Sengjia, Baron Tonghua (
賀 蘭 僧 伽 /贺兰僧 伽 ), and had issue (one son)
- Married Dou Fengjie of Henan, Duke Zan (
- Princess Changle (
常樂 公主 /长乐公主 ; d. 688), 7th daughter- Married Zhao Gui (
趙 瑰/赵瑰; d. 688)
- Married Zhao Gui (
- Princess Jiujiang (
九 江 公主 ), 8th daughter- Married Zhishi Sili, Duke An (
執 失 思 力 /安国 公 执失思 力 )
- Married Zhishi Sili, Duke An (
- Princess Luling (
廬 陵 公主 /庐陵公主 ), 9th daughter- Married Qiao Shiwang, Viscount Xiangyi (
喬 師 望 /乔师望 )
- Married Qiao Shiwang, Viscount Xiangyi (
- Princess Nanchang (
南 昌 公主 ),10th daughter- Married Su Xu (
蘇 勗 /苏勖)
- Married Su Xu (
- Princess Anping (
安平 公主 ), 11th daughter- Married Yang Sijing of Hongnong (
弘 農 楊思敬 /弘 农 杨思敬 )
- Married Yang Sijing of Hongnong (
- Princess Huainan (
淮南 公主 ; 622–690), personal name Chengxia (澄 霞 ), 12th daughter- Married Feng Daoyan of Bohai, Duke Mi (渤海
封 道 言 ; 616–699), a son of Feng Lun, in 638
- Married Feng Daoyan of Bohai, Duke Mi (渤海
- Princess Zhending (
真 定 公主 ), 13th daughter- Married Cui Gongli of Boling (
博 陵 崔 恭 禮 /崔 恭 礼 )
- Married Cui Gongli of Boling (
- Princess Hengyang (衡陽
公主 /衡阳公主 ), 14th daughter- Married Ashina She'er, Duke Bi (
阿 史 那 社 爾 阿 史 那 社 尔; 609–655), a son of Ashina Xichun, in 636
- Married Ashina She'er, Duke Bi (
- Princess Danyang (
丹陽 公主 /丹 阳公主 ), 15th daughter- Married Xue Wanche of Hedong, Duke Wu'an (
河東 薛萬徹 /河 东 薛万 彻; d. 653) in 644
- Married Xue Wanche of Hedong, Duke Wu'an (
- Princess Linhai (
臨海 公主 /临海公主 ), 16th daughter- Married Pei Lüshi of Hedong, Duke Hedong (
河東 裴律師 /河 东 裴律师), the second son of Pei Ji
- Married Pei Lüshi of Hedong, Duke Hedong (
- Princess Guantao (
館 陶 公主 /馆陶公主 ), 17th daughter- Married Cui Xuanqing (
崔 宣 慶 /崔 宣 庆)
- Married Cui Xuanqing (
- Princess Changsha (
長 沙 公主 /长沙公主 ; d. 724), 18th daughter- Married Doulu Huairang of Changli, Duke Rui (
昌 黎 豆 盧 懷 讓 /豆 卢怀让), and had issue (one son, one daughter)
- Married Doulu Huairang of Changli, Duke Rui (
- Princess Anding (
安定 公主 ), 19th daughter- Married Wen Ting (
溫 挺 /温 挺 ), the second son of Wen Yanbo - Married Zheng Jingxuan of Xingyang (滎陽
鄭 敬 玄 /荥阳 郑敬玄 ), and had issue (one son)
- Married Wen Ting (
- Princess Changsha (
Ancestry[edit]
Li Xi | |||||||||||||||||||
Li Tianxi | |||||||||||||||||||
Lady Zhang | |||||||||||||||||||
Li Hu | |||||||||||||||||||
Lady Jia | |||||||||||||||||||
Li Bing (d. 573) | |||||||||||||||||||
Empress Jinglie | |||||||||||||||||||
Emperor Gaozu of Tang (566–635) | |||||||||||||||||||
Dugu Chudoufa | |||||||||||||||||||
Dugu Kuzhe | |||||||||||||||||||
Lady Daxi | |||||||||||||||||||
Dugu Xin (503–557) | |||||||||||||||||||
Lady Feilian | |||||||||||||||||||
Empress Yuanzhen | |||||||||||||||||||
See also[edit]
Notes[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ a b According to Li Yuan's biography in Old Book of Tang, he was born in the 1st year of the Tianhe era of Northern Zhou's Emperor Wu's reign. In the same biography, it was recorded that a birthday celebration was held for him on the jiaxu day of the 3rd month of the 8th year of the Zhenguan era of Tang Taizong's reign (634). For that month, the jiaxu day corresponds to the 2nd day of the month. Thus, Li Yuan's birthday was on the 2nd day of the 3rd month of the 1st year of the Tianhe era of Northern Zhou's Emperor Wu's reign. This date corresponds to 7 Apr 566 on the Gregorian calendar.
- ^ a b According to Li Yuan's biography in Old Book of Tang, he died on the gengzi day of the 5th month of the 9th year of the Zhenguan era of Tang Taizong's reign. This date corresponds to 25 Jun 635 on the Gregorian calendar. ([贞观)
九 年 五 月 庚 子 ,高祖 大 渐,....是 日 ,崩 于太安 宫之垂 拱前殿 ,年 七 十 。] Old Book of Tang, vol.1. - ^ Bennet Peterson 2000, p. 179.
- ^
資 治 通 鑑 /卷 193 Zizhi Tongjian
Bibliography[edit]
- Bennet Peterson, Barbara (2000). Notable Women of China: Shang Dynasty to the Early Twentieth Century. M.E. Sharpe, Inc.
- Old Book of Tang, vol. 1 [zh].
- New Book of Tang, vol. 1 [zh].
- Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 175 [zh], 182 [zh], 183 [zh], 184 [zh], 185 [zh], 186 [zh], 187 [zh], 188 [zh], 189 [zh], 190 [zh], 191 [zh], 192 [zh], 193 [zh], 194 [zh].