Healing the Wounds of Succession
In 626 AD, at the age of twenty-seven, Li Shimin ascended the throne as Emperor Taizong of Tang. Having seized power through a violent coup, he was acutely aware of the potential stigma of usurpation that could tarnish his legacy in the eyes of future historians. Determined to secure a reputation for magnanimity, he decided to handle the aftermath of the Xuanwu Gate Incident with leniency.
While the sons of his deceased brothers, Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji, were executed to eliminate immediate threats, he issued an edict stating, “The guilt lies solely with Jiancheng and Yuanji; their followers shall not be pursued.” He posthumously honored Li Jiancheng as “Crown Prince Yin” and arranged a ceremonial burial, personally attending the funeral and weeping openly. This display of broad-mindedness disarmed former enemies; officials from the Eastern Palace and Qi Residence returned from exile, praising the new emperor. Taizong appointed them based on merit, most notably summoning Wei Zheng. When Taizong sternly asked, “Why did you sow discord between us brothers? Do you admit your guilt?” Wei Zheng replied without blinking, “If the Crown Prince had listened to my advice, this disaster would never have occurred.” Instead of punishment, Taizong, impressed by his integrity, appointed him as a Remonstrance Official, tasking him with offering candid criticism.
The Philosophy of Governance
Emperor Taizong believed that stability was the paramount priority. Having witnessed the horrors of war and the collapse of the Sui Dynasty due to tyrannical oppression, he understood that the mandate of heaven rested on the support of the people. He often reflected on historical records, noting that dynasties fell when they exhausted their populace.
In a court assembly, he asked his ministers how to achieve great order after great chaos. The veteran minister Feng Deyi pessimistically argued that it was nearly impossible, citing the failures of past dynasties. However, Wei Zheng countered optimistically, “After great chaos, great order is easily achieved, just as a starving man eats readily. If Your Majesty is wise and we work together, three years will suffice for great governance.” Taizong sided with Wei Zheng, declaring, “The monarch relies on the state, and the state relies on the people. To exhaust the people to enrich the monarch is like cutting one’s own flesh to fill one’s stomach; when the stomach is full, the person dies. When the monarch is rich, the state perishes.” He emphasized that the foundation of the nation was the people, and the foundation of the people was their livelihood, which depended on not interfering with agricultural seasons.
Revitalizing Agriculture and Society
To translate these principles into action, Taizong implemented the Equal-Field System and the “Rent, Corvee, and Cloth” tax system, ensuring farmers had land and time to cultivate. When he learned that former officials in Zezhou had illegally seized fertile land from the poor, he praised the new governor, Zhangsun Shunde, for reclaiming and redistributing the land. To address land shortages in densely populated areas, he encouraged migration to regions with abundant land, offering tax exemptions to those who reclaimed wasteland. He also revived the imperial ritual of plowing the first furrow to encourage agriculture. Uniquely, Taizong cultivated a small plot in the palace garden himself to experience the hardships of farming. “After weeding less than half an acre, my back aches,” he told his officials. “How much harder must it be for farmers who toil all year?” He instructed his inspectors to visit fields directly without formal receptions, ensuring they did not disrupt farming activities. Additional measures included building granaries, constructing irrigation systems, and encouraging population growth by releasing palace maids to marry commoners and granting grain rewards for newborn sons. Within a few years, the empire prospered; grain prices plummeted from one bolt of silk per dou to merely a few coins, and society became so safe that travelers need not lock their doors at night.
Subduing the Northern Threat
While domestic affairs flourished, the northern border remained volatile due to the Eastern Turks. Shortly after Taizong’s accession, Jiali Khan led a massive Turkic force to the banks of the Wei River, threatening Chang’an. Instead of panicking, Taizong rode to the riverbank with a small retinue of civil officials. Confronting the Khan, he rebuked him for breaking treaties and displayed the disciplined Tang army behind him. Intimidated by the emperor’s courage and the army’s readiness, Jiali Khan agreed to withdraw. However, Taizong remained unsatisfied with this diplomatic victory. He realized that peace could only be secured through military strength. He personally oversaw military training, donning armor and teaching archery, rewarding soldiers who excelled. In 629 AD, he launched a decisive campaign led by generals Li Jing and Li Ji. The Tang forces crushed the Eastern Turks; Jiali Khan was captured, and Tuli Khan surrendered. Upon hearing the news, the retired Emperor Gaozu (Li Yuan) wept with joy, celebrating that the humiliation suffered by the Han Dynasty against the Xiongnu had finally been avenged. In a moment of familial harmony, Gaozu played the pipa while Taizong danced, surrounded by cheering ministers.
The Virtue of Vigilance
Despite the unprecedented prosperity known as the “Reign of Zhenguan,” Emperor Taizong remained cautious. He compared governing a country to nursing a patient: “Even after a disease is cured, one must be careful in recovery; if one becomes reckless, the illness may return, and this time it may be fatal.” He constantly warned his ministers against complacency, urging them to point out flaws and debate openly. Wei Zheng praised this mindset, saying, “Domestic order and pacified borders are not the greatest joys. The true joy is that Your Majesty, in times of peace, remains mindful of potential dangers.” This philosophy of “being vigilant in peace” (Ju An Si Wei) became the cornerstone of Taizong’s rule, ensuring that the Tang Dynasty remained strong and stable even in its golden age.
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