Chang'an is the traditional name of Xi'an. The site has been inhabited since Neolithic times,during which the Yangshao culture was established in Banpo,in what is now the city's suburbs. Furthermore,in the northern vicinity of modern Xi'an,Qin Shi Huang of the Qin dynasty,China's first emperor,held his imperial court and constructed his massive mausoleum guarded by the Terracotta Army.
Emperor Taizong of Tang,previously Prince of Qin,personal name Li Shimin,was the second emperor of the Tang dynasty of China,ruling from 626 to 649. He is traditionally regarded as a co-founder of the dynasty for his role in encouraging his father Li Yuan to rebel against the Sui dynasty at Jinyang in 617. Taizong subsequently played a pivotal role in defeating several of the dynasty's most dangerous opponents and solidifying its rule over China proper.
Emperor Gaozu of Tang,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.
Li Jing,courtesy name Yaoshi,posthumously known as Duke Jingwu of Wei,was a Chinese military general,strategist,and writer who lived in the early Tang dynasty and was most active during the reign of Emperor Taizong. In 630,Li Jing defeated the Göktürks,led by Jieli Khan,with just 3,000 cavalry soldiers in a surprise attack,allowing the Tang Empire to subjugate the Göktürks and reduce them to the status of a vassal under the Tang Empire. Li Jing and Li Shiji are considered the two most prominent early Tang generals.
Wei Zheng,courtesy name Xuancheng,posthumous name Duke Wenzhen of Zheng,was a Chinese politician and historian. He served as a chancellor of the Tang dynasty for about 13 years during the reign of Emperor Taizong. He was also the lead editor of the official history of the Sui dynasty,the Book of Sui,which was composed in 636.
Feng Lun,courtesy name Deyi,better known as Feng Deyi,formally Duke Miao of Mi,was a Chinese official of the Sui and Tang dynasties who served as a chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Gaozu of Tang and Emperor Taizong of Tang. He was praised for his quick thinking but criticized by historians for his being overly attentive to the emperors' desires.
Pei Ji (570-629),courtesy name Xuanzhen,formally Duke of Hedong,was an important official and one-time chancellor of the Tang dynasty. He initially served as an official of the Sui dynasty and was one of the driving forces in persuading the general Li Yuan to rebel against Emperor Yang of Sui. He eventually assisted Li Yuan in founding the Tang dynasty as its Emperor Gaozu and was greatly honored in Emperor Gaozu's reign. After Emperor Gaozu's son Emperor Taizong became emperor in 626,Pei began to be accused of corruption and associations with witchcraft and was exiled. Emperor Taizong soon remembered Pei's contributions to Tang's founding and tried to recall him,but Pei died before he could do so.
A Chinese palace is an imperial complex where the court,civil government,royal garden and defensive fortress resided. Its structures are considerable and elaborate. The Chinese character gong represents two connected rooms (呂) under a roof (宀). Originally the character applied to any residence or mansion,but it was used in reference to solely the imperial residence since the Qin dynasty.
The Weiyang Palace was the main imperial palace complex of the Han dynasty and numerous other Chinese dynasties,located in the city of Chang'an. It was built in 200 BC at the request of the Emperor Gaozu of Han,under the supervision of his prime minister Xiao He. It served as the administrative centre and imperial residence of the Western Han,the Xin dynasty,the Eastern Han,the Western Jin,the Han-Zhao,the Former Qin,the Later Qin,the Western Wei,the Northern Zhou,and the early Sui dynasty.
Luo Yi,known during service to the Tang dynasty as Li Yi (李藝),courtesy name Ziyan (子延) or Ziting (子廷),was a Sui dynasty official who rose against the rule of Emperor Yang of Sui and occupied the modern Beijing region. He subsequently submitted to Emperor Gaozu of Tang and was created the Prince of Yan and granted the imperial surname of Li. He subsequently,in the struggle between Emperor Gaozu's sons Li Jiancheng the Crown Prince and Li Shimin the Prince of Qin,joined Li Jiancheng's faction. After Li Shimin killed Li Jiancheng in 626 and forced Emperor Gaozu to yield the throne to him,Li Yi was fearful,and he rebelled against Emperor Taizong in 627. He was soon defeated and killed.
Li Yuanji (李元吉),formally Prince La of Chao (巢剌王),more commonly known by the title of Prince of Qi (齊王),nickname Sanhu (三胡),was an imperial prince of the Chinese Tang dynasty. He was a son of the dynasty's founder Emperor Gaozu of Tang,and in the intense rivalry developed between his older brothers Li Jiancheng the Crown Prince and Li Shimin the Prince of Qin,he sided with Li Jiancheng and often advocated drastic actions against Li Shimin,including assassination. In 626,Li Shimin,fearing that Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji were about to kill him,laid an ambush for them at Xuanwu Gate outside the palace and killed them. Li Shimin then effectively forced Emperor Gaozu to yield the throne to him.
The Xuanwu Gate Incident was a palace coup for the throne of the Tang dynasty on 2 July 626,when Prince Li Shimin and his followers assassinated his brothers Crown Prince Li Jiancheng and Prince Li Yuanji. Li Shimin,the second son of Emperor Gaozu,was in an intense rivalry with his brothers. He took control and set up an ambush at Xuanwu Gate,the northern gate leading to the Palace City within the imperial capital Chang'an. There,Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji were murdered by Li Shimin and his men. Within three days after the coup,Li Shimin was installed as the crown prince. About two months later,Emperor Gaozu abdicated and passed the throne to Li Shimin,who would become known as Emperor Taizong.
Chen Shuda (572–635),courtesy name Zicong,formally Duke Zhong of Jiang,was an imperial prince of the Chen dynasty,who,after the destruction of Chen,served as an official under the Sui and Tang dynasties,becoming a chancellor during the reigns of the Tang emperors Gaozu and Taizong.
Yuwen Shiji,courtesy name Renren,formally Duke Zong of Ying,was a Chinese statesman and politician of the Sui and Tang dynasties,serving as a chancellor,as Shizhong (侍中) (625–626) and Zhongshu Ling (中書令) (626–627),during the reigns of Emperors Gaozu and Taizong of Tang. He was previously an imperial prince in the short-lived state of Xu (許),which was ruled by his brother Yuwen Huaji.
Xiao Yu,courtesy name Shiwen,posthumously known as Duke Zhenbian of Song,was an imperial prince of the Western Liang dynasty who later became an official under the Sui and Tang dynasties. He served as a chancellor during the reigns of the emperors Gaozu and Taizong in the early Tang dynasty.
Fang Qiao,courtesy name Xuanling,better known as Fang Xuanling,posthumously known as Duke Wenzhao of Liang,was a Chinese statesman and writer who served as a chancellor under Emperor Taizong in the early Tang dynasty. He was the lead editor of the historical record Book of Jin and one of the most celebrated Tang dynasty chancellors. He and his colleague,Du Ruhui,were often described as role models for chancellors in imperial China.
Wen Dalin (575–637),courtesy name Yanbo,better known as Wen Yanbo,posthumously known as Duke Gong of Yu,was a Chinese official who lived in the early Tang dynasty. He was a key advisor to the Tang dynasty's founding emperor,Emperor Gaozu,and served as a chancellor during the reign of Gaozu's successor,Emperor Taizong. He was captured by the Göktürks and lived among them for years. After he was freed,he drew on his experiences to provide advice to Emperor Taizong on the Tang Empire's policies towards the Göktürks.
Yao Silian,courtesy name Jianzhi (簡之),formally Baron Kang of Fengcheng (豐成康男),was a Chinese historian and politician during the Sui dynasty and Tang dynasty and was the lead author of the Book of Liang and Book of Chen,the official histories of the Liang dynasty and the Chen dynasty,which his father Yao Cha (姚察),a Chen official,had begun but did not finish.
The Sweet Dew incident or Ganlu incident was a failed coup on December 14,835 by Emperor Wenzong of the Chinese Tang dynasty to seize power from the eunuchs. The emperor planned to kill the eunuchs with the aid of the chancellor Li Xun and the general Zheng Zhu. The eunuchs learned of the plot and solidified their control with a counter-coup;Li,Zheng,many of their followers and other officials were killed.
An Jiayao is a Chinese archaeologist and the director the Xi’an Research Program and the Han &Tang Research Program of the Archaeology Research Institute under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS). She is a specialist in the ancient glass of China,Central Asia,and the Near East and has additional interests in Sui and Tang dynasty Buddhist temples,the Taiye Lake ruins at the Tang dynasty Da Ming Palace,and the preservation and exhibition of archaeological sites. She received her MA in 1982 from Archaeology Department of CASS and has been involved in numerous excavations. From 2001 to 2005,she led an excavation at the imperial gardens at Daming Palace's Taiye Pond in a joint project between CASS's Institute of Archaeology and Japan's Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties. In 2014,she received a letter of appointment to membership in the Central Research Institute of Culture and History from Premier Li Keqiang. As deputy leader of the World Heritage Expert Group at the State Administration of Cultural Heritage,she also helped submit applications to UNESCO for the Anyang Yin Ruins,the West Lake in Hangzhou,and the Site of Xanaduto to become World Heritage Sites.
