| This article is part of the Transition from Sui to Tang series. The transition from Sui to Tang (隋末唐初 refers to a period in which the Chinese dynasty Sui Dynasty disintegrated into a number of short-lived states |
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| Sui Dynasty imperials |
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| Emperor Yang | |
| Empress Xiao | |
| Emperor Gong | |
| Yang Tong | |
| Yang Hao | |
| Tang Dynasty imperials |
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| Emperor Gaozu | |
| Emperor Taizong | |
| Li Jiancheng | |
| Li Yuanji | |
| Princess Pingyang | |
| Independent contenders |
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| Dou Jiande | |
| Fu Gongshi | |
| Gao Kaidao | |
| Li Gui | |
| Li Mi | |
| Li Zitong | |
| Liang Shidu | |
| Lin Shihong | |
| Liu Heita | |
| Liu Wuzhou | |
| Shen Faxing | |
| Wang Shichong | |
| Xiao Xi | |
| Xu Yuanlang | |
| Xue Ju | |
| Xue Rengao | |
| Yuwen Huaji | |
| Zhu Can | |
| Other generals or key figures |
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| Empress Cao | |
| Du Fuwei | |
| Li Jing | |
| Li Shiji | |
| Li Xiaogong | |
| Luo Yi | |
| Yang Xuangan | |
| Yang Yichen | |
| Yuwen Shu | |
| Zhai Rang |
Li Yuanji (李元吉) (603-July 2, 626[1]), 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. The Sui Dynasty ( 581 - 618 AD and in the undertaking of other construction projects including the reconstruction of the Great Wall. Background Yang Guang was born in 569 during the reign of Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou. Empress Xiao (蕭皇后 personal name unknown (566?-648 formally Empress Min (愍皇后 literally "the suffering empress" was an Empress of the During Emperor Yang's reign Yang You was born in 605 as a son of Yang Zhao, the son and Crown prince of Emperor Yang. During Emperor Yang's reign Yang Tong was born in 605 He was the second of three sons of Yang Zhao, Emperor Yang 's son and Crown prince. Background Yang Hao was a grandson of Sui's founder Emperor Wen. The Tang Dynasty ( Middle Chinese: dhɑng (June 18 618&ndashJune 4 907 was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by Background and early career Li Yuan's seventh-generation ancestor was Li Gao, the founder of the Sixteen Kingdoms state Western Liang. Emperor Taizong of Tang ( January 23, 599 &ndash July 10 649) personal name Lǐ Shìmín ( was the second emperor of the Li Jiancheng (李建成 ( 589 - July 2, 626) formally Crown Prince Yin (隱太子 literally "the hidden crown prince" nickname Princess Píngyáng ( formally Princess Zhao of Pingyang (平陽昭公主 (d Initial uprising and service under Gao Shida Dou Jiande was born in 573 when his birth area Zhangnan County (漳南縣 in modern Handan, Hebei) was under Initial uprising Fu Gongshi was from Qi Province (齊州 roughly modern Ji'nan, Shandong) Initial uprising Little is known about Gao Kaidao's background and his birth year is not known As prince Li Gui was from Wuwei Commandery (武威 roughly modern Wuwei, Gansu) and he served as a militia officer in the local government Background Li Mi came from a line that was part of the nobility during successive dynasties Western Wei, Northern Zhou, and Sui Dynasty. Initial uprising Li Zitong was from Donghai Commandery (東海 roughly modern Lianyungang, Jiangsu) Initial uprising Liang Shidu was from a prominent Clan of Xia Province (夏州 roughly modern Yulin, Shaanxi) and during the reign of Initial uprising Virtually nothing is known about Lin Shihong's background other than that he was from Rao Province (饒州 roughly modern Shangrao, Jiangxi Service under Hao Xiaode Li Mi Wang Shichong and Dou Jiande Little is known about Liu Heita's background and it is not known when he was born Initial establishment of Dingyang Liu Wuzhou's clan was originally from Hejian Commandery (河間 roughly modern Baoding, Hebei) Initial uprising Shen Faxing was from Hu Province (湖州 roughly modern Huzhou, Zhejiang) Early career Wang Shichong's ancestors were surnamed Zhi (支 originally from the Xiyu region and were not Han. Background Xiao Xi was a great-grandson of Emperor Xuan of Western Liang -- a vassal of Western Wei and Northern Zhou who claimed Liang imperial Initial uprising Nothing is known about Xu Yuanlang's background other than that he was from Yan Province (兗州 roughly modern Jining, Shandong) As hegemonic prince of Western Qin Xue Ju's clan was originally from Hedong Commandery (河東 roughly modern Yuncheng, Shanxi) but his father Xue Wang Under Xue Ju As of 617 Xue Rengao's father Xue Ju was a commander of the local militia at Jincheng (金城 in modern Lanzhou, Gansu) when Background It is not known when Yuwen Huaji was born He was the oldest son of the Sui Dynasty official Yuwen Shu, a close associate of Yang Guang Initial uprising Zhu Can was from Bo Province (毫州 roughly modern Bozhou, Anhui) and he was initially a minor official with his local county government Empress Cao (曹皇后 personal name unknown was the wife of Dou Jiande, an agrarian rebel leader who claimed the title of Prince of Xia at the end of the Chinese Du Fuwei (598?-624 known during service to Tang Dynasty as Li Fuwei (李伏威 was an agrarian leader who rose against the rule of Emperor Yang of Sui Li Jing (李靖 Pinyin: Lǐ Jìng ( 571 - July 2, 649) né Yaoshi (藥師/药师 Pinyin: Yàoshī formally Li Shiji (李世勣 (594- December 31, 669) né Xu Shiji (徐世勣 later known in the reign of Emperor Gaozong of Tang as Li Ji Li Xiaogong (李孝恭 (591-640 formally Prince Yuan of Hejian (河間元王 often referred to by his earlier title as Prince of Zhao Commandery (趙郡王 Luo Yi (羅藝 (d 627 known during service to Tang Dynasty as Li Yi (李藝 Courtesy name Ziyan (子延 or Ziting (子廷 Yang Xuangan (楊玄感 (d 613 was an official of the Chinese dynasty Sui Dynasty. Yang Yichen (楊義臣 (d 617? né Yuchi Yichen (尉遲義臣 was a general of the Chinese dynasty Sui Dynasty. Yuwen Shu (宇文述 (d 616 Courtesy name Botong (伯通 formally Duke Gong of Xu (許恭公 was an official and general of the Chinese Zhai Rang (翟讓 (d December 14, 617) was a key agrarian rebel leader near the end of the Chinese dynasty Sui Dynasty. Events By Place Europe Battle of Degsastan: Æthelfrith of Bernicia defeats Áedán mac Gabráin of Events 310 - Pope Miltiades is elected 626 - In fear of assassination Li Shimin ambushes and kills his rival Events By Place Byzantine Empire The Byzantines defeat the Avars and Slavs, who were besieging Constantinople Chinese civilization originated in various city-states along the Yellow River ( valley in the Neolithic era The Tang Dynasty ( Middle Chinese: dhɑng (June 18 618&ndashJune 4 907 was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by He was a son of the dynasty's founder Emperor Gaozu of Tang (Li Yuan), 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. Background and early career Li Yuan's seventh-generation ancestor was Li Gao, the founder of the Sixteen Kingdoms state Western Liang. Li Jiancheng (李建成 ( 589 - July 2, 626) formally Crown Prince Yin (隱太子 literally "the hidden crown prince" nickname Crown Princess redirects here for the ship see Crown Princess (ship. Emperor Taizong of Tang ( January 23, 599 &ndash July 10 649) personal name Lǐ Shìmín ( was the second emperor of the 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. The Incident at Xuanwu Gate (玄武門之變 refers to an incident on July 2, 626, when Li Shimin the Prince of Qin a son of Emperor Gaozu of Tang Li Shimin then effectively forced Emperor Gaozu to yield the throne to him (as Emperor Taizong).
Contents |
Background
Li Yuanji was born in 603, during the reign of Emperor Wen of Sui. Events By Place Europe Battle of Degsastan: Æthelfrith of Bernicia defeats Áedán mac Gabráin of Background Yang Jian's clan was from Hongnong Commandery (弘農 roughly modern Sanmenxia, Henan) He was the fourth and final son of Li Yuan the Duke of Tang, a hereditary noble, and Li Yuan's wife Duchess Dou, who was herself the daughter of Dou Yi (竇毅) the Duke of Shenwu and Northern Zhou's Princess Xiangyang. Background and early career Li Yuan's seventh-generation ancestor was Li Gao, the founder of the Sixteen Kingdoms state Western Liang. The Northern Zhou Dynasty (Chinese北周 followed the Western Wei, and ruled northern China from 557 to 581. He had three older brothers by Duchess Dou -- Li Jiancheng, Li Shimin, and Li Xuanba (李玄霸, who died in 614). Li Jiancheng (李建成 ( 589 - July 2, 626) formally Crown Prince Yin (隱太子 literally "the hidden crown prince" nickname Emperor Taizong of Tang ( January 23, 599 &ndash July 10 649) personal name Lǐ Shìmín ( was the second emperor of the Events By Place Europe The Palace of Diocletian is damaged by the Avars who sack nearby Salona. She also gave birth to an older sister of Li Yuanji's, the eventual Princess Pingyang. Princess Píngyáng ( formally Princess Zhao of Pingyang (平陽昭公主 (d
In 616, with agrarian rebellions beginning to engulf northern China and frequent Eastern Tujue incursions across the border, Emperor Yang of Sui commissioned Li Yuan to be the commander of the forces at Taiyuan, guarding it against both agrarian rebels and Eastern Tujue. Events By Place Europe Eadbald succeeds Ethelbert as king of Kent. Göktürks ( Turkish: Gök Türkler) were a Turkic people of ancient Central Asia. Background Yang Guang was born in 569 during the reign of Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou. Taiyuan ( lit "Great Plains" is a Prefecture-level city and the capital of Shanxi province China. At that time, Li Yuan took Li Shimin with him to Taiyuan, but left Li Jiancheng, Li Yuanji, another son Li Zhiyun (李智雲), and the rest of his household at Hedong (河東, in modern Yuncheng, Shanxi). Yuncheng ( is the southernmost Prefecture-level city in Shanxi Province, China. ( Postal map spelling: Shansi) is a province in the northern part of the People's Republic of China. In 617, Li Yuan, fearful that Emperor Yang might punish him for his inability to suppress the rebels led by Liu Wuzhou the Dingyang Khan, was persuaded by Li Shimin to rebel against Sui rule. Events By Place Europe Heathens revolt in Kent under king Eadbald. Initial establishment of Dingyang Liu Wuzhou's clan was originally from Hejian Commandery (河間 roughly modern Baoding, Hebei) He then sent secret messengers to Hedong to summon his sons and to the capital Chang'an to summon his daughter and son-in-law Chai Shao (柴紹). Chang'an ( is an ancient Capital of more than ten dynasties in Chinese history. Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji secretly travelled to Taiyuan, but left the 13-year-old Li Zhiyun at Hedong.
Participation in Tang's founding
Even before Li Jiancheng, Li Yuanji, and Chai Shao (who, at the urging of Li Yuan's daughter, left Chang'an on his own while she went into hiding) arrived at Taiyuan, Li Yuan rebelled, declaring that he wanted to support Emperor Yang's grandson Yang You the Prince of Dai, then nominally in charge at Chang'an, as emperor, while honoring Emperor Yang as Taishang Huang (retired emperor). During Emperor Yang's reign Yang You was born in 605 as a son of Yang Zhao, the son and Crown prince of Emperor Yang. An emperor (from the Latin " Imperator " is a (male Monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an Empire or another type of Taishang-huang ( was a Chinese title sometimes translated in English as Retired Emperor, Grand Emperor or Emperor Emeritus used throughout In response, Sui officials arrested Li Zhiyun, took him to Chang'an, and executed him.
Li Yuan made Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin both key generals, but the younger Li Yuanji was not, initially, although Li Yuan created him the Duke of Guzang. When Li Yuan subsequently began his campaign toward Chang'an, he left Li Yuanji in charge at Taiyuan. Later that year, after he captured Chang'an and declared Yang You emperor (as Emperor Gong) but kept power for himself as regent, he created Li Yuanji the Duke of Qi and put him in charge of the 15 commanderies around Taiyuan. A regent, from the Latin regens "who reigns" is a person selected to act as Head of state (ruling or not because the ruler is a minor
In spring 618, Emperor Yang, then at Jiangdu (江都, in modern Yangzhou, Jiangsu), was killed in a coup led by the general Yuwen Huaji. Events By Place Asia The Sui Dynasty ends and the Tang Dynasty begins in China. Administration The Prefecture-level city of Yangzhou administers 7 county-level divisions. ( Postal map spelling: Kiangsu) is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country Background It is not known when Yuwen Huaji was born He was the oldest son of the Sui Dynasty official Yuwen Shu, a close associate of Yang Guang When the news arrived at Chang'an, Li Yuan had Emperor Gong yield the throne to him, establishing Tang Dynasty as its Emperor Gaozu. The Tang Dynasty ( Middle Chinese: dhɑng (June 18 618&ndashJune 4 907 was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by He created Li Yuanji the Prince of Qi.
It was said that, while he was at Taiyuan, Li Yuanji was arrogant and wasteful, and he often held military exercises with his concubines and servants, involving use of actual armor and arms, and they suffered many casualties in these exercises, including injuries to Li Yuanji himself. Concubinage is the state of a woman or youth in an ongoing quasi-matrimonial relationship with a man of higher social status His wet nurse Chen Shanyi (陳善意) tried to get him to change his ways, but he had his guards batter her to death. A wet nurse is a woman who breast feeds a baby that is not her own In spring 619, when his assistant Yuwen Xin (宇文歆) reported this to Emperor Gaozu, Emperor Gaozu temporarily removed him from his post. Events By Place Byzantine Empire The Avars attack Constantinople. Less than a month later, however, with the people of Taiyuan petitioning to have Li Yuanji kept in charge, Emperor Gaozu restored him. (The traditional historians allege that Li Yuanji pressured the people into petitioning Emperor Gaozu. )
In summer 619, Liu Wuzhou launched an attack on the Taiyuan region, and Li Yuanji sent the general Zhang Da (張達) to resist Liu, despite Zhang's protestations that the army given him was too small to resist Liu. When Zhang was in fact defeated, he surrendered to Liu and served as Liu's guide in subsequent attacks. Liu soon put Taiyuan under siege, and while Li Yuanji initially repelled him, Liu was soon back and again had Taiyuan under siege. In fall 619, Li Yuanji fled with his wife and concubines back to Chang'an, and Liu captured Taiyuan, moving his capital from Mayi (馬邑, in modern Shuozhou, Shanxi) there. Shuozhou ( Chinese: 朔州 Pinyin: Shuòzhōu is a Chinese city in the north of the Chinese province Shanxi, upstream of the Fen River ( Postal map spelling: Shansi) is a province in the northern part of the People's Republic of China. (In 620, Li Shimin defeated Liu and recaptured the region. Events By Place Byzantine Empire The Slavs attack Thessaloniki. )
In 621, with Li Shimin leading the army in sieging Luoyang, the capital of Wang Shichong's rival Zheng state, Li Yuanji served as Li Shimin's assistant. Events By Place Byzantine Empire Byzantine Emperor Heraclius invades Persia. Luoyang ( is a Prefecture-level city in western Henan province, People's Republic of China. Early career Wang Shichong's ancestors were surnamed Zhi (支 originally from the Xiyu region and were not Han. When subsequently another rival ruler, Dou Jiande the Prince of Xia, came to Wang's aid, Li Shimin left Li Yuanji at Luoyang to continue the siege and to watch Wang, while he himself advanced to Hulao Pass to engage Dou. Initial uprising and service under Gao Shida Dou Jiande was born in 573 when his birth area Zhangnan County (漳南縣 in modern Handan, Hebei) was under Hulao Pass (虎牢關 meaning "Tiger Cage Pass" is a Mountain pass northwest of Xingyang, Henan, China. Li Shimin defeated and captured Dou, and Wang, in fear, surrendered. Li Shimin received the most honors stemming from the victory, but Li Yuanji also received promotions and honors. Subsequently, when Emperor Gaozu had the government mint new coins, there were strict prohibitions against minting by any other persons, except that Li Shimin and Li Yuanji were each granted the right to have three mints and Pei Ji was granted the right to have one mint. Pei Ji (裴寂 (570-629 Courtesy name Xuanzhen (玄真 formally (posthumously created the Duke of Hedong (河東公 was an important official and Later that year, when Dou's general Liu Heita rose in resistance to Tang rule and took over all of Dou's former territory, Li Shimin and Li Yuanji were sent against him. Service under Hao Xiaode Li Mi Wang Shichong and Dou Jiande Little is known about Liu Heita's background and it is not known when he was born Li Shimin defeated Liu in spring 622, forcing Liu to flee to Eastern Tujue. Events Religion July 16 — Year one of the Islamic calendar begins during which the Hijra occurs — Prophet Muhammad Subsequently, they attacked another rebel leader, Xu Yuanlang the Prince of Lu, when Li Shimin returned to Chang'an and left Li Yuanji in charge of the operations against Xu. Initial uprising Nothing is known about Xu Yuanlang's background other than that he was from Yan Province (兗州 roughly modern Jining, Shandong) Meanwhile, however, Liu returned from Eastern Tujue and again occupied Dou's old territory, and Li Yuanji was not able to stop him.
Role in the rivalry between Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin
Meanwhile, an intense rivalry had developed between Li Jiancheng, who as the oldest son was Emperor Gaozu's crown prince, and Li Shimin, as Li Jiancheng, while a capable general himself, was overshadowed by Li Shimin, who had done much to solidify Tang rule by destroying Liu Wuzhou, Wang Shichong, Dou Jiande, and Xue Rengao. Crown Princess redirects here for the ship see Crown Princess (ship. Under Xue Ju As of 617 Xue Rengao's father Xue Ju was a commander of the local militia at Jincheng (金城 in modern Lanzhou, Gansu) when Li Yuanji supported Li Jiancheng in this rivalry, as he believed that if Li Jiancheng became emperor, Li Jiancheng would create him crown prince. Since their mother Duchess Dou had died in 614, the fact that Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji had better relations with Emperor Gaozu's favored young concubines than Li Shimin did take a notable importance, since 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. Events By Place Europe The Palace of Diocletian is damaged by the Avars who sack nearby Salona. Concubinage is the state of a woman or youth in an ongoing quasi-matrimonial relationship with a man of higher social status
After Liu Heita returned from Eastern Tujue and reoccupied old Xia territory, Li Jiancheng, at the suggestion of his staff members Wang Gui and Wei Zheng, volunteered to lead the army against Liu. Wang Gui (王珪 (571-639 Courtesy name Shujie (叔玠 formally Duke Yi of Yongning (永寧懿公 was a chancellor during the reign Wei Zheng ( 580-643 Courtesy name Xuancheng (玄成 formally Duke Wenzhen of Zheng (鄭文貞公 was a Chinese politician and the lead editor Emperor Gaozu thus sent Li Jiancheng, assisted by Li Yuanji, against Liu. Around the new year 623, with Liu's forced bogged down while attacking Tang's Wei Prefecture (魏州, in modern Handan, Hebei), Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji engaged him at Guantao (館陶, in modern Handan as well), crushing him. Events By Place Europe Clotaire II, king of the Franks, makes his son Dagobert I king of Austrasia Handan ( is a Prefecture-level city located in the southwestern part of Hebei Province of China. ( Postal map spelling: Hopeh) is a northern province of the People's Republic of China. Liu fled north toward Eastern Tujue, but was ambushed and captured by his own official Zhuge Dewei (諸葛德威), who delivered him to Li Jiancheng. Li Jiancheng executed Liu. China was by this point almost completely unified by Tang. At one point, Li Yuanji tried to persuade Li Jiancheng to have Li Shimin assassinated when Li Shimin was visiting Li Yuanji's mansion, but Li Jiancheng, not having the heart to kill a brother, stopped Li Yuanji from doing so.
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. Events By Place Byzantine Empire After 70 years of Visigothic rule the Byzantine Empire recaptures Andalusia Luo Yi (羅藝 (d 627 known during service to Tang Dynasty as Li Yi (李藝 Courtesy name Ziyan (子延 or Ziting (子廷 When this was revealed to Emperor Gaozu, Emperor Gaozu rebuked Li Jiancheng and exiled his guard commander Keda Zhi (可達志). When, subsequently, Li Jiancheng nevertheless requested the commandant at Qing Prefecture (慶州, in modern Qingyang, Gansu), Yang Wen'gan (楊文幹), to conscript troops, presumably to guard against Li Shimin, the officers Erzhu Huan (爾朱煥) and Qiao Gongshan (橋公山) informed Emperor Gaozu that Li Jiancheng was encouraging Yang to start a rebellion so that they could seize power together. Qingyang ( Simplified Chinese: 庆阳 Pinyin: Qìngyáng is a Prefecture-level city in China 's Gansu province ( is a province located in the northwest of the People's Republic of China. Emperor Gaozu, then at Renzhi Palace (仁智宮, in modern Tongchuan, Shaanxi), was incensed, and summoned Li Jiancheng, then at Chang'an, to Renzhi Palace. Tóngchuān (铜川 pinyin: Tóngchuān Shì is a Prefecture-level city located in central Shaanxi Province on the southern fringe of the Northern Shaanxi ( Postal map spelling: Shensi) is a north-central province of the People's Republic of China, and includes portions of the Loess Li Jiancheng briefly flirted the idea of occupying Chang'an and not accepting the order, but eventually reported to Renzhi Palace to request forgiveness. Emperor Gaozu put him under arrest. When Yang heard this, Yang rebelled, and Emperor Gaozu, after promising Li Shimin that he would be made crown prince, sent Li Shimin to attack Yang. (Under Emperor Gaozu's promise, Li Jiancheng would be removed as crown prince and created the Prince of Shu instead. He would then send Li Jiancheng to the modern Sichuan region. ( Postal map spelling: Szechwan and Szechuan) is a province in western China with its capital in Chengdu. ) Once Li Shimin left, however, Li Yuanji, Emperor Gaozu's concubines, and the chancellor Feng Deyi, all spoke on Li Jiancheng's behalf, and Emperor Gaozu changed his mind, released Li Jiancheng, and allowed him to return to Chang'an and remain as crown prince. Chancellor or chancellour (archaic ( Latin: cancellarius) is an official Title used in countries whose civilization has arisen Feng Deyi (封德彝 (568-627 formal name Feng Lun (封倫 but went by the Courtesy name of Deyi formally initially Duke Ming of Mi (密明公 later Instead, Emperor Gaozu only blamed the discord between his sons on Li Jiancheng's staff members Wang Gui and Wei Ting (韋挺), and Li Shimin's staff member Du Yan, exiling them. Du Yan (杜淹 (died 628 Courtesy name Zhili (執禮 formally Duke Xiang of Anji (安吉襄公 was a chancellor during the reign of Yang was subsequently assassinated by his own subordinates.
Later that year, Emperor Gaozu, troubled by repeated Eastern Tujue incursions, 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. Administration The Prefecture-level city of Xiangfan administers 8 county-level divisions, including 2 districts, 3 county-level cities ( Postal map spelling: Hupeh) is a central province of the People's Republic of China. Pei Ji (裴寂 (570-629 Courtesy name Xuanzhen (玄真 formally (posthumously created the Duke of Hedong (河東公 was an important official and 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.
Death
- See also: Incident at Xuanwu Gate
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. The Incident at Xuanwu Gate (玄武門之變 refers to an incident on July 2, 626, when Li Shimin the Prince of Qin a son of Emperor Gaozu of Tang Events By Place Byzantine Empire The Byzantines defeat the Avars and Slavs, who were besieging Constantinople Fang Xuanling (房玄齡 (579–648 formal name Fang Qiao (房喬 but went by the Courtesy name of Xuanling formally Duke Wenzhao of Liang (梁文昭公 Du Ruhui (杜如晦 (585-630 Courtesy name Keming (克明 formally Duke Cheng of Lai (萊成公 was one of the most celebrated chancellors Zhangsun Wuji (長孫無忌 (d 659 Courtesy name Fuji (輔機 formally Duke of Zhao (趙公 was a chancellor of the Chinese Li Jiancheng persuaded Emperor Gaozu to remove Fang and Du, as well as Li Shimin's trusted guard officers Yuchi Jingde and Cheng Zhijie (程知節), from Li Shimin's staff. Yuchi Jingde (尉遲敬德 (585-658 formal name Yuchi Gong (尉遲恭 but went by the Courtesy name of Jingde formally Duke Zhongwu of E (鄂忠武公 Zhangsun, who remained on Li Shimin's staff, continued to try to persuade Li Shimin to attack first.
In summer 626, Eastern Tujue was making another attack, and under Li Jiancheng's suggestion, Emperor Gaozu, instead of sending Li Shimin to resist Eastern Tujue 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. Xiao Yu (蕭瑀 (574-647 Courtesy name Shiwen (時文 formally Duke Zhenbian of Song (宋貞褊公 was an imperial prince of the Chinese Chen Shuda (陳叔達 (died 635 Courtesy name Zicong (子聰 formally initially Duke Miao of Jiang (江繆公 later Duke Zhong of Jiang As Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji approached the central gate leading to Emperor Gaozu's palace, Xuanwu Gate (玄武門), Li Shimin carried out the ambush he had set. He personally fired an arrow that killed Li Jiancheng. Subsequently, Li Yuanji tried to kill Li Shimin, but Yuchi killed Li Yuanji instead during the struggle. Li Shimin's forces entered the palace and, under the intimidation of Li Shimin's forces, Emperor Gaozu agreed to create Li Shimin crown prince, and two months later passed the throne to him (as Emperor Taizong). Li Yuanji's five sons were all executed as well. Emperor Taizong also took Li Yuanji's wife Princess Yang as a concubine.
Li Yuanji was initially posthumously reduced to commoner rank. After Emperor Taizong took the throne, he posthumously created Li Yuanji the Prince of Hailing, with the unflattering posthumous name of La (meaning "ungrateful"). A posthumous name is an honorary name given to royalty nobles and sometimes others in some cultures after the person's death In 642, Emperor Taizong changed Li Yuanji's posthumous title to the greater title of Prince of Chao, and adopted his own son, by Consort Yang (Li Yuanji's widow), Li Ming (李明) the Prince of Cao (note difference in title) into Li Yuanji's line, as Li Yuanji's heir. Events By Place Europe August 5 — In the Battle of Maserfield, Penda, king of Mercia defeats and
Notes and references
- ^ The date of the incident at Xuanwu Gate was the fourth day of the sixth month of the Wude era, which translates to July 2, 626, according to the Academia Sinica. The Incident at Xuanwu Gate (玄武門之變 refers to an incident on July 2, 626, when Li Shimin the Prince of Qin a son of Emperor Gaozu of Tang The Academia Sinica ( "Chinese Academy" in Latin) headquartered in the Nangang District of Taipei, is the National academy [1].
- Book of Tang, vol. The Book of Tang ( or the Old Book of Tang (舊唐書/旧唐书 is the first classic work about the Tang Dynasty. 64. [2]
- New Book of Tang, vol. The New Book of Tang ( is a classic work of history about the Tang Dynasty edited by Ouyang Xiu and Song Qi (宋祁 and other official scholars of the 79. [3]
- Zizhi Tongjian, vols. The Zizhi Tongjian ( was a pioneering reference work in Chinese historiography. 183, 184, 185, 187, 188, 189, 190, 191, 192.
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