Emperor Taizong of Tang
2 min readEmperor Taizong of Tang（599-649），born Li Shimin，was the second emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China from 626 to 649.He encouraged his father，Emperor Gaozu of Tang ChinalLi Yuan，to start the uprising that established the Tang dynasty，and many now consider Taizong to have been the co-founder of the dynasty.In 630，Taizong’s General Li Jing conquered the once mighty Eastern Turkic Khanate and allowed Tang to become the major political and military power of the region.
Accordingly，leaders of bordering tribes convened at Chang’an（Xi’an）the same year and asked for Taizong to take on the title of Heavenly Khan.Under his reign，the famous rule of Zhenguan（贞观之治）took place（his era name was Zhenguan）.At the time，it was said that there was no need for the people to lock doors at night and that items left on the road remain untouched by others.The prosperity of the era and the leadership of Taizong and his renowned officials epitomizes the peak of traditional rulership that future generations would strive to emulate.His posthumous name was Wenwu-dasheng-daguang Xiao Huangdi（“Filial Emperor who is Civil and Martial，Greatly Holy，and Greatly Expansive”）.
Early Achievements
Taizong was born in Wugong（in present-day Shaanxi）as the second son of Li Yuan，and was of one-quarter Xianbei（a people related to modern-day Turks）blood.The most capable and militarily inclined of Li Yuan’s many sons，Taizong showed his promise at an early age，helping to rescue Emperor Yang from a Turkic ambush and besiegment at the age of 16.In 616，the 18-year-old Taizong followed his general-father to his garrison-post at Jinyang，Shanxi，where he instigated hisfather to stage a military coup against the autocratic and fast crumbling Sui regime.Leading the troops with his elder brother Li Jiancheng，the rebel army took the capital Chang’an in September 617，thereafter putting a puppet emperor on the throne before Li Yuan himself proclaimed the establishment of a new dynasty，the Tang，in 618.
After the establishment of Tang，Taizong was appointed the Prince of Qin by his father.In the succeeding campaigns to augment the power of the new dynasty，Taizong made numerous contributions，intensifying the heated sibling rivalry between him and his two brothers-Li Jiacheng，the heir apparent，and Li Yuanji，a younger Taizong is credited with creating the custom of Door gods，colorful block prints and carvings placed by the doors of temples，homes，businesses，etc.to ward off evil spirits.
