Xuanzong of Tang

Xuanzong of Tang
Name	Xuanzong
Title	Emperor of the Tang dynasty
Reign	8 September 712 – 12 August 756
Predecessor	Emperor Ruizong of Tang
Successor	Emperor Suzong of Tang
Birth date	8 September 685
Birth place	Luoyang, Tang dynasty
Death date	3 May 762 (aged 76)
Death place	Chang'an, Tang dynasty
Spouse	Empress Wang, Empress Zhenshun, Consort Wu, Yang Guifei
Issue	Emperor Suzong of Tang, Li Mao, Prince of Shou, Princess Xianyi, Princess Taihua
House	Li
Dynasty	Tang dynasty
Father	Emperor Ruizong of Tang
Mother	Empress Zhaocheng
Era name	Xiantian (先天) 712–713, Kaiyuan (開元) 713–741, Tianbao (天寶) 742–756
Temple name	Xuanzong (玄宗)
Posthumous name	Emperor Zhidao Dasheng Daming Xiao (至道大聖大明孝皇帝)

Xuanzong of Tang. Born Li Longji in 685, he was the seventh emperor of the Tang dynasty, reigning from 712 until 756. His long rule is traditionally divided into two distinct periods: an initial era of brilliant prosperity and cultural flourishing, followed by a catastrophic decline triggered by rebellion and personal indulgence. His reign represents both the zenith of Tang power and the beginning of its irreversible decline, making him one of the most pivotal and complex figures in Chinese history.

Early life and ascension

Li Longji was born in Luoyang to Emperor Ruizong of Tang and Empress Zhaocheng during a period of intense political turmoil under the rule of his grandmother, Empress Wu Zetian. He spent his youth navigating the dangerous court politics of Wu Zhou and the subsequent restoration of the Tang dynasty under his uncle, Emperor Zhongzong. Following Zhongzong's death, Li Longji, with support from his aunt Princess Taiping and senior officials, launched a coup in 710 against the usurping Empress Wei, restoring his father Ruizong to the throne. His decisive actions earned him the position of Crown Prince, and he ascended the throne himself in 712 after Ruizong's abdication, taking the era name Xiantian.

Reign and the Kaiyuan era

The first half of his rule, known as the Kaiyuan era (713–741), is celebrated as a golden age. He began by consolidating power, sidelining potential rivals like Princess Taiping and appointing capable chief ministers such as Yao Chong and Song Jing. Xuanzong reformed the bureaucracy, strengthened the Equal-field system, and revitalized the economy through efficient tax collection and granary systems. His administration oversaw major military successes, with generals like Wang Zhongsi and Gao Xianzhi expanding Tang influence along the Silk Road and into Central Asia, confronting powers like the Tibetan Empire and the Second Turkic Khaganate. The capital, Chang'an, became the world's most populous and cosmopolitan city.

The An Lushan Rebellion

The latter part of his reign, under the Tianbao era (742–756), saw a dramatic reversal. Xuanzong withdrew from daily governance, becoming infatuated with his consort Yang Guifei and delegating authority to her family and corrupt ministers like Li Linfu and later Yang Guozhong. This created fatal military vulnerabilities, particularly by empowering the non-Han Chinese general An Lushan, whom he appointed as military governor of three key provinces in the north. In 755, after a bitter rivalry with Yang Guozhong, An Lushan launched a massive revolt, the An Lushan Rebellion, capturing the eastern capital Luoyang and then Chang'an. The emperor was forced to flee the capital in 756.

Later reign and abdication

During the flight to Sichuan, imperial guards, blaming the Yang clan for the disaster, mutinied at Mawei Station, forcing Xuanzong to order the execution of Yang Guozhong and the death of Yang Guifei. His son and crown prince, Li Heng, took advantage of the chaos to declare himself emperor (Emperor Suzong of Tang) at Lingwu, effectively forcing Xuanzong's abdication. He spent the remaining years as Taishang Huang, a retired emperor, returning to a recaptured but devastated Chang'an under his son's control. He died in relative seclusion in 762, as the An Lushan Rebellion continued to ravage the empire.

Cultural and religious patronage

Xuanzong was a supremely cultured emperor and a prolific patron. He was a skilled poet and musician, establishing the Pear Garden academy for music and dance, which later became a synonym for Chinese theatre. His court attracted legendary literary figures like Li Bai, Du Fu, and Wang Wei. In religion, he initially supported Taoism, composing commentaries on the Daodejing and building temples, but his reign also saw the peak of Buddhism in China, with the construction of monumental temples and the travels of monks like Xuanzang having occurred just decades prior. The famous Leshan Giant Buddha project began during his reign.

Legacy and historiography

Xuanzong's legacy is profoundly dualistic. He is remembered both as the architect of the Kaiyuan Prosperity, a peak of Chinese civilization, and as the ruler whose personal failings precipitated the An Lushan Rebellion, which shattered Tang central authority, empowered regional jiedushi warlords, and caused immense demographic loss. Traditional historiography, such as the Old Book of Tang and New Book of Tang, often moralizes his life as a parable of virtue lost to luxury. His legendary romance with Yang Guifei has been immortalized in countless works, most famously Bai Juyi's poem "Song of Everlasting Sorrow" and later in operas, cementing his place as a tragic romantic figure in the cultural imagination.

Category:Tang dynasty emperors Category:685 births Category:762 deaths