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Gao Lishi (684–762), formally the Duke of Qi (齊公), was a Chinese eunuch and politician of the Tang Dynasty and Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty, becoming particularly powerful during Emperor Xuanzong of Tang's reign. He is believed to have been in charge of many decisions that were supposed to be the emperor's responsibility during Emperor Xuanzong's later years, and was believed to have been richer than many of the nobility of the era. Despite this, however, he was often viewed as a positive example of eunuch participation in politics for his personal loyalty to Emperor Xuanzong, which withstood despite its putting himself in personal danger later, during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong's son Emperor Suzong as it drew jealousy from fellow eunuch Li Fuguo. Further, during the years of his highest power, he was also said to make no improper influences on governance, and therefore drew no anger from the intelligentsia. Late in Emperor Suzong's reign, he was exiled upon Li Fuguo's urging. After a pardon in 762, he was returning from exile, when he heard of Emperors Xuanzong's and Suzong's deaths. Mourning Emperor Xuanzong bitterly, he grew ill and died.
Yang Yuhuan, often known as Yang Guifei, and known briefly by the Taoist nun name Taizhen (太真) was the beloved consort of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang during his later years. She is known as one of the Four Beauties of ancient China.
The An Lushan Rebellion was an uprising against the Tang dynasty of China towards the mid-point of the dynasty, with an attempt to replace it with the Yan dynasty. The rebellion was originally led by An Lushan, a general officer of the Tang military system. The event involved military activity and direct deaths from battle, but also significant associated population loss from famine, and population dislocations. The event is also known, especially in Chinese historiography, either as the An–Shi Rebellion or as the An–Shi Disturbances. The use of the term luàn (“chaos”) indicates the extreme social instability and population loss which eventually resulted, far beyond the initial consequences of the rebellion.
An Lushan or An Lu-shan was a general in the Tang dynasty and is primarily known for instigating the An Lushan Rebellion.
Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, also commonly known as Emperor Ming of Tang or Illustrious August, personal name Li Longji, was the seventh emperor of the Tang dynasty in China, reigning from 712 to 756 CE. His reign of 44 years was the longest during the Tang dynasty. In the early half of his reign he was a diligent and astute ruler. Ably assisted by capable chancellors like Yao Chong, Song Jing and Zhang Yue, he was credited with bringing Tang China to a pinnacle of culture and power. Emperor Xuanzong, however, because of his interest in his two beloved concubines who were involved in governmental matters and was blamed for over-trusting Li Linfu, Yang Guozhong and An Lushan during his late reign, with Tang's golden age ending in the An Lushan Rebellion.
Emperor Suzong of Tang, personal name Li Heng, né Li Sisheng (李嗣升), known as Li Jun (李浚) from 725 to 736, known as Li Yu (李璵) from 736 to 738, known briefly as Li Shao (李紹) in 738, was an emperor of the Tang dynasty and the son of Emperor Xuanzong. Suzong ascended the throne after his father fled to Sichuan during the An Lushan Rebellion in 756; Li Heng himself had fled in the opposite direction, to Lingwu, where he was declared emperor by the army. Much of Emperor Suzong's reign was spent in quelling the aforementioned rebellion, which was ultimately put down in 763 during the reign of his son Emperor Daizong.
Li Linfu, nickname Genu, formally the Duke of Jin, was an official of the Chinese Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor for 18 years (734–752), during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong—one of the longest terms of service for a chancellor in Tang history, and the longest during Xuanzong's reign.
Emperor Yizong of Tang, né Li Wen, later changed to Li Cui, was an emperor of the Tang dynasty of China. He reigned from 859 to 873. Yizong was the eldest son of Emperor Xuanzong. After Emperor Xuanzong's death in 859, Emperor Yizong was placed on the throne by the eunuch Wang Zongshi (王宗實), who killed other eunuchs supporting another son of Emperor Xuanzong, Li Zi the Prince of Kui.
Shek Wing-cheung, better known by his stage name Shih Kien, Sek Kin, or Sek Gin, was a Hong Kong–based Chinese actor. Shih is best known for playing antagonists and villains in several early Hong Kong wuxia and martial arts films that dated back to the black-and-white period, and is most familiar to Western audiences for his portrayal of the primary villain, Han, in the 1973 martial arts film Enter the Dragon, which starred Bruce Lee.
Zhang Xun was a general of the Chinese Tang Dynasty. He was known for defending Yongqiu and Suiyang during the An Shi Rebellion against the rebel armies of Yan, and thus, his supporters asserted, he blocked Yan forces from attacking and capturing the fertile Tang territory south of the Huai River. However, he was severely criticized by some contemporaries and some later historians as lacking humanity due to his encouragement of cannibalism during the Battle of Suiyang. Other historians praised him for his great faithfulness to Tang.
Dou Huaizhen, known by his courtesy name Dou Congyi (竇從一) during the second reign of Emperor Zhongzong, posthumously renamed Du Huaizhen (毒懷貞), was an official of the Chinese Tang dynasty and Wu Zetian's Zhou dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Ruizong and Emperor Xuanzong.
Empress Duan was the second wife of An Lushan, a general of the Chinese Tang Dynasty and later emperor of his rebel state of Yan. After he declared himself emperor of Yan in 756, she probably carried the title of empress, but historical records are not completely clear.
An Qingxu (安慶緒), né An Renzhi (安仁執), was a son of An Lushan, a general of the Chinese Tang Dynasty who rebelled and took the imperial title of his own state of Yan. An Qingxu served as the Prince of Jin in 756–757, and later killed his father and took the imperial title for himself. He was eventually defeated by Tang forces and cornered at Yecheng. After An Lushan's general Shi Siming lifted the siege, An Qingxu met Shi to thank him, but Shi arrested and executed him.
Datang Youxia Zhuan is a wuxia novel by Liang Yusheng. It was first serialised between 1 January 1963 and 14 June 1964 in the Hong Kong newspaper Ta Kung Pao. The novel is the first part of a trilogy, and is followed by Longfeng Baochai Yuan and Huijian Xinmo.
Paladins in Troubled Times is a 2008 Chinese television series adapted from Liang Yusheng's novel Datang Youxia Zhuan. The series was produced by Zhang Jizhong, and starred Victor Huang, Shen Xiaohai, TAE, He Zhuoyan, Liu Tianyue and Lu Chen. It was first broadcast on CCTV in 2008.
Longfeng Baochai Yuan is a wuxia novel by Liang Yusheng. It was first serialised between 25 June 1964 and 15 May 1966 in the Hong Kong newspaper Ta Kung Pao. The novel is the second part of a trilogy, and is preceded by Datang Youxia Zhuan and followed by Huijian Xinmo.
Huijian Xinmo is a wuxia novel by Liang Yusheng. It was first serialised between 23 May 1966 and 14 March 1968 in the Hong Kong newspaper Ta Kung Pao. The novel is the final part of a trilogy, and is preceded by Datang Youxia Zhuan and Longfeng Baochai Yuan. The title of the novel comes from a Buddhist saying, huī huìjiàn, zhǎn xīnmó, which means "brandish the sword of wisdom and slay your inner demons".
Da Tang Fu Rong Yuan is a Chinese television series based on a novel by Nangong Bo (南宫博) about the romance between Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang dynasty and his consort Yang Yuhuan. The series was directed by Zhou Xiaowen and starred Fan Bingbing and Winston Chao. It was first broadcast on CCTV-8 in mainland China in 2007.
Tang Ming Huang is a Chinese television series based on historical events in the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang dynasty. The series was directed by Chen Jialin and starred Liu Wei as the eponymous emperor. It was first broadcast on CCTV-1 in 1990 in mainland China.
References
- Liang, Yusheng (1963–1964). Datang Youxia Zhuan (in Chinese). Hong Kong: Ta Kung Pao. ISBN 9787805216294.