This is Mount Li, located in the south of Lintong District, Xi’an. Legend has it that King You of Zhou once held a beacon fire drama here to win the laughter of his beloved concubine Bao Si, and eventually died and the country was destroyed, causing ridicule among the people of the world. The story of Mount Li continues, and after 1000 years, a major event that occurred at the foot of the mountain has been written back into history. In the autumn of 713 AD, a grand military lecture was held at the foot of Mount Li. Emperor Xuanzong of Tang aimed to demonstrate military power and deter potential political enemies inside and outside the court. However, Emperor Xuanzong’s move also had a little-known purpose: to meet an important figure who was a nearby governor. Who was the person that Emperor Xuanzong of Tang wanted to meet with, and what was the reason behind it? Why did the emperor make such a solemn appointment with this person.
On the night of June 19, 710 AD, Li Longji joined forces with Princess Taiping to launch a coup, killing Empress Wei and her daughter Princess Anle, who had attempted to emulate Empress Wu Zetian and rule the world with opposite sexes. They supported their father Li Dan and re ascended the throne, and Li Longji was granted the title of Crown Prince. In July 712 AD, Li Dan resolutely passed on his throne to Crown Prince Li Longji, and it was only then that Li Longji truly gained control of the military and political power in the court, becoming a true emperor of the Tang Dynasty. However, facing the chaotic situation of ritual collapse and music chaos, the young emperor Li Longji knew that everything had just begun.
Professor Liu Houbin from Renmin University of China: Many coups occurred in 8 years, and Li Longji himself was able to take over the power stably, provided that he eradicated the power of Princess Taiping through the coup. Princess Taiping was his aunt, the sister of Emperor Ruizong, and the biological daughter of Empress Wu Zetian. During the reign of Emperor Ruizong, Princess Taiping actually had a great power, including when Emperor Xuanzong first ascended the throne, five out of seven prime ministers left the Gate of Taiping. Therefore, under this pattern, Li Longji had to overcome many things.
Emperor Xuanzong of Tang was well aware that in order to eradicate chaos and reorganize the court system to recreate the prosperous era of the Tang Dynasty, the first step was to find a capable prime minister. After more than three months of careful consideration, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang finally decided to appoint Yao Chong, the former prime minister and current governor of Tongzhou,
Professor Liu Houbin from Renmin University of China: Because there are various factions intertwined and backgrounds of power intertwined, there needs to be a very strong person. Yao Chong is an old prime minister, and indeed this person will not change his position casually with political changes. He is very upright and has a bottom line and principles. Therefore, I think he is a suitable candidate for the continuous political turmoil in the post Empress Wu era.
When Yao Chong was summoned to Mount Li, he met Emperor Xuanzong of Tang who was actively hunting. Yao Chong was invited to hunt with the emperor. At this time, although Yao Chong was over sixty years old, he ran back and forth on the hunting ground, like a young man, vaguely showing his former charm.
Professor Wu Zongguo from Peking University: So why did you bring medicine during the military parade in Lishan? Because people like Zhang Yue knew that Xuanzong’s intentions were firmly opposed. So, in order to break free from their encirclement, Emperor Xuanzong took such an extraordinary action. During the military parade in Lishan, the first thing to do was to show disrespectful military demeanor. One of the meritorious officials was said to be killed, but the result was a plea for mercy. Anyway, kill one of their prestige, and then appoint Yao Chong. After Yao Chong took office, his main job was to stabilize the throne.
The next day, under the command of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Yao Chong was officially appointed as prime minister, which was probably the fastest appointment in Chinese history. This appointment demonstrated Emperor Xuanzong’s great talent and strategy as a prosperous monarch.
Professor Wu Zongguo from Peking University: After so many years of development in the Tang Dynasty, there has been great progress in the social economy, and this social class has also undergone significant changes. So, there are also many things that need to be changed in terms of systems.
So restrictions were imposed on the rights of imperial relatives, elders, and meritorious officials, restructuring institutions, reducing redundant personnel, selecting officials who were upright, honest, and capable, suppressing extravagance, cracking down on burials, reducing monks and nuns, suppressing Buddhist influence, and reforming the food seal system. The reforms inside and outside the palace were carried out in an orderly manner, marking the beginning of the prosperous era of the Kaiyuan era. Unfortunately, Yao Chong had to resign from his position as prime minister after only three years of work. However, it was these more than three years of reform that helped Tang Xuanzong break free from the political difficulties of the post Empress Wu era in a short period of time, creating a new era for the Tang Dynasty. The good situation of benign social development has left Yao Chong, but who will continue to take over his position in the reform? Yao Chong recommended a person, who was Song Jing. Song Jing’s background is similar to Yao Chong’s, and he was also a prime minister trained during the reign of Empress Wu Zetian. He also experienced various political upheavals after Empress Wu’s abdication and established various positions in the local government. Song Jing, like Yao Chong, has rich experience in local work.
In the year 716 AD, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang sent people to Guangdong to bring Song Jing back to Chang’an. Song Jing was a staunch supporter of Yao Chong’s reform line, and his work after taking office mainly focused on rectifying the governance of officials. In order to prevent corrupt officials from secretly slandering the emperor, Emperor Xuanzong issued a regulation that all officials must have advisors and historians present when reporting matters. Emperor Xuanzong immediately agreed, so the phenomenon of corrupt officials falsely accusing loyalty and righteousness in the court immediately decreased, and politics became clearer. During his tenure, Song Jing selected many officials who were serious, competent, and had excellent conduct, receiving praise from the emperor and courtiers. Emperor Xuanzong of Tang often warned later prime ministers to follow Song Jing’s example when selecting officials. Only in this way can they govern with clarity and make the people wealthy. Because they share a common political experience and a common background of political development, many of the policies and regulations formulated by Yao Chong can be upheld by Song Jing, maintaining the continuity of the policies, regulations, and laws formulated by Yao Chong in the early Kaiyuan era. The political situation is stable, and political clarity and reform can save expenses and enrich the national treasury, which is particularly noteworthy. Yes, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang ordered a large-scale inspection of farmland households nationwide, conducting a comprehensive census and registration of those forced to flee due to war, tax evasion, and other reasons. As a result, 800000 households were identified, Equivalent to more than one tenth of the total number of households in the country at that time, farmers were the source of government fiscal revenue. The increase in farmers greatly improved the government’s financial situation, and the national warehouse reached unprecedented prosperity. Therefore, his main job was to escape from one place to another. In this place, farmers who seek refuge with landlords and become landlords, also known as customers, or who go to cultivate their own land and become new farmers, there are probably two situations. So, the so-called search for household registration and land is mainly to solve this problem. Economic prosperity is the first measure of prosperity, but for a peaceful and prosperous era, it is the standard. Emperor Xuanzong of Tang had his own understanding, but there was still one thing missing in the prosperous era. So Emperor Xuanzong of Tang fell in love with another person who knew he could bring him what he wanted. It was also a controversial literary leader Zhang Shuo, who was appointed as prime minister by Emperor Xuanzong of Tang.
Professor Liu Houbin from Renmin University of China: He was a successful candidate who had previously worked as a scholar in the Imperial Secretariat and wrote extensively. Moreover, when Li Longji became the crown prince, he worked as a crown prince teacher in the Eastern Palace. The relationship between Xuanzong and Zhang is very close. Zhang said he is very trusted, and he has been on strike several times and has been activated multiple times.
Prior to this, Zhang Shuo, as the Minister of War and the Governor of Shuofang, had already made remarkable military achievements for Emperor Xuanzong of Tang. He greatly reduced the number of border troops and brought them back to the fields, while changing the military system from the prefectural system to the conscription system. Two suggestions were immediately approved by Emperor Xuanzong of Tang. This military reform not only reduced financial expenditures but also enhanced the combat effectiveness of the army. However, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang appointed Zhang Shuo for another purpose.
Professor Liu Houbin from Renmin University of China: It was Emperor Xuanzong of Tang who used Yao Chong and Song Jing to clean up the government, rectify political order, and clarify political atmosphere. However, when he used Zhang’s words, to some extent, it was a way of embellishing a peaceful and prosperous era with both personal emotions and literary skills, or rather, to embellish a peaceful and prosperous era.
This is the Chang’an Lizheng Academy founded by Zhang Shuo back then. At the academy, Zhang Shuo admitted to studying the history of books, was responsible for compiling books, organizing books, studying etiquette, providing cultural decision-making according to the needs of Emperor Xuanzong, and even teaching to the emperor. At the same time, Zhang Shuo gathered a large number of literati from that time at the Lizheng Academy, such as the great poet He Zhizhang, his former colleague Xu Jian, and his friend Zhao Dongxi whom he made when he was demoted to Yuezhou, all of whom worked at the academy. At that time, the academy was a gathering of literati, with a prosperous cultural atmosphere. The cultural atmosphere of the prosperous Tang Dynasty was gathering and brewing here, and finally, the clouds rose. It’s just a matter of time before the blooming of the Xia Wei.
Professor Wu Zongguo from Peking University: From the political system to various aspects of the political economy, there is constant change. So, when carrying out these reforms, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang had a characteristic of solving different problems by using different prime ministers or different management. He had two aspects to consider here. One aspect was that he had expertise in learning, some problems were more specialized, some people were more specialized in those problems, and another aspect was that he adopted this method, which could effectively get rid of the involvement of interest groups.
After Yao Chong, Song Jing, and Zhang Shuo, and before Zhang Jiuling, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang appointed more than ten prime ministers. Although their moral character and talent were different, each of them had their own strengths and were the best candidates at that time. Before Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, the Tang Dynasty had developed for more than 100 years, and although there were many twists and turns during this period, the baton was constantly being transmitted downwards.
Professor Liu Houbin from Renmin University of China: The background of the founding of the Tang Dynasty was the turbulence of the late Sui Dynasty. After the governance of the Zhenguan regime, the country ushered in a general situation. We call it the Zhenguan regime, and then during the reign of Emperor Gaozong of Tang and Empress Wu Zetian, the economy and society continued to develop steadily. Especially during the nearly half century of Empress Wu’s reign, the Tang Dynasty actually developed very well. So at that time, we didn’t call it a prosperous era, but the true so-called prosperous era began to emerge around the 4th or 5th year of Li Longji’s accession to the throne, around the 4th or 5th year of Kaiyuan.
This is the territorial map of the Tang Dynasty during the Tianbao period of the Kaiyuan era. If we compare it with the territorial map of the Han Dynasty, we will find that the territory of the Chinese Empire during this period was unprecedented, stretching east to the southeast coast, and the South China Sea islands, including Taiwan and the Nansha Islands, belong to the Tang Dynasty. To the southwest is the roof of the world, with the foothills of the Himalayas as a natural barrier. Bordering countries such as Nepal, India, and Pakistan. To the west is the Pamir Plateau, adjacent to the Arab Kingdom, to the northwest is the shores of Lake Balkeshen, to the north is Lake Baikal, and to the northeast is the southern part of the Outer Khingan Mountains. The Okhotsk coast, including Sakhalin Island, faces the Japanese archipelago across the sea. Looking back at China’s history, there have been several limited prosperous cities, all of which are closely related to the vast territory. Faced with such a vast territory, every citizen on this land, from nobles to commoners, can’t help but feel proud.
Professor Liu Houbin from Renmin University of China: So what is a prosperous era? It means that politics should be relatively clear, society should be relatively stable, the level of economic development should be relatively high, culture should be prosperous, territory should be relatively stable, and external relations should be relatively stable. Only when these factors are combined can it be called a prosperous era.
This is the city of Xi’an, which has a population of 8 million today. The population of this city is about 1/170 of the current national population, which means that one out of 170 Chinese people lives in Xi’an. Looking at these tidal waves of people, you may ask how many people lived in Chang’an City during the Tianbao period of the Tang Dynasty over 1200 years ago. The answer is that the permanent population of Chang’an City at that time exceeded 1 million, which means that on average, one out of every 70 people in the total population of the country lived in the capital city of Chang’an. What was the population situation in other countries around the world at that time? The population of the East Frankish Kingdom between the Seine and Rhine rivers was 23 million. Until the 16th century, the population of the Mediterranean region was only 50-60 million, while the population of North Africa was 3 million. At that time, the total population of the world was about 200 million, with the Tang Dynasty alone accounting for one-third of the world’s population. However, having a large population did not necessarily mean heavy burden and high consumption. On the contrary, in the era of agriculture and economy, population was productivity. According to statistics, during the Tianbao period of the Kaiyuan era, the country’s arable land reached 660 million mu, with an average of more than nine mu per person, which is eight times that of China’s per capita arable land today. The transformation of agricultural tools has been affecting the world to this day. Even now, the habit of using the Quyuan plow for farming can still be found in the suburbs of Xi’an. Sometimes, modern agricultural equipment is not necessarily omnipotent, and the Quyuan plow has always been used in narrow fields. Over 1200 years ago, the Quyuan plow was born, which is compared to previous plows. The curved plow has two main advantages. Firstly, the plowshare is generally smaller and sharper, making it easier to plow deeply and reducing resistance. Secondly From the past straight shaft to the current curved shaft, it is easy to install the direction of the plow arm, adjust the depth of the plow arm entering the soil, and be lightweight and flexible to use. The birth of the curved shaft plow has made a breakthrough in agriculture during the Tianbao period of the Kaiyuan era, and production technology has greatly developed.
Professor Wu Zongguo from Peking University: At that time, agricultural tools, centered around plowing, had already developed and matured. They were basically the same as now. However, from this period until several decades ago, our agricultural tools had basically not undergone significant changes. The hardworking and intelligent farmers of the prosperous Tang Dynasty invented a new irrigation tool, the drum cart, which was shaped like a spinning wheel, surrounded by bamboo or wooden tubes, and installed on streams or valleys. It used the water flow to impact the wheels and rotate to draw water from the bamboo tube and pour it into the paddy field. It did not need to use human land, but automatically operated day and night. This irrigation tool has high efficiency, especially suitable for hills and valleys. Mountainous cultivation. In the early Tang Dynasty, millet and wheat were the main food sources in the country. Starting from the mid Tang Dynasty, rice cultivation in the north and south expanded to the north, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang ordered the large-scale opening of paddy fields and the cultivation of rice in the Henan region today. Subsequently, rice cultivation also succeeded in Shandong, Hebei, Shanxi and other areas today. With the development of water conservancy and irrigation, the agricultural productivity of the prosperous Tang Dynasty was improved, and countless grains were grown on vast farmland.
Professor Liu Houbin from Renmin University of China: Another thing is the emergence of seedling cultivation and sowing technology. Seedling cultivation technology is actually very crucial. Before seedling cultivation technology, you had to occupy a piece of land from the time of seedling cultivation. With seedling cultivation technology, it can be transplanted, which means one acre of seedling field can supply ten acres of seedlings, and the other nine acres can be cleared. During this period, the land can be used.
Hanjiacang Site, Luoyang City, Henan Province
This is the Hanjiacang Site located on the north side of the old urban area of Luoyang. When Chinese archaeologists discovered it in 1971, they thought it was an octagonal tomb. After seeing the inscription, they found out that it was the famous granary of Hanjiacang during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang. The scale of this granary is incredible, with a length of about 600 meters from east to west and about 700 meters from north to south. Within the granary city, there are more than 400 grain cellars densely arranged in rows from east to west. The largest grain cellar has a diameter of about 18 meters, a depth of about 12 meters, and can store more than 10000 stones of grain. These gray black particles are called carbonized millet. Over 1300 years ago, they were all yellow and clear rice. Gu, there was too much grain to eat, so they had to carbonize it. Hanjia Warehouse was just one of the many granaries built by the Tang government throughout the country. In large cities such as Chang’an, Luoyang, Yangzhou, and Chengdu at that time, granaries were scattered everywhere, Countless.
Professor Wu Zongguo from Peking University: The agricultural production of the Tang Dynasty supported the prosperity of the entire Long Tang Dynasty. Only with more food can social division of labor expand, social accumulation expand, and handicrafts and commercial cities prosper.
The problem of storing inexhaustible grain led to the spatial development of the Tang Dynasty’s brewing industry. In a short period of time, wine shops were everywhere in the country, and the land of China became a huge brewing workshop. Scholars and literati also expressed their emotions under the name of wine, and there were over 90 famous wines praised in Tang poetry.
Professor Ning Xin from Beijing Normal University: Just like Du Fu’s famous poem “Remembering the Past”, which is often quoted in high school textbooks, he said that during the heyday of Kaiyuan Tianbao (Remembering Kaiyuan in the Past), Xiaoyi still housed thousands of households, with rice flowing fat and white, and public and private warehouses fearing abundance. In fact, it was a tribute to the prosperous Tang Dynasty during the Kaiyuan era, including the Tianbao era. Today, Xi’an has countless types of delicious food.
Xue Liang is a restaurant chef, and becoming a chef in Xi’an is a necessary basic skill that requires mastery of at least dozens of unique noodle making techniques. Xue Liang is a restaurant chef, and becoming a chef in Xi’an is a necessary skill. The basic skill is to master at least dozens of unique noodle making techniques. The diverse noodle making techniques in Xi’an originated from the prosperous agriculture of the Tang Dynasty. During the Tang Dynasty, people made full use of the abundant food and processed it into various foods, which not only met their requirements for staple food but also greatly enriched their dietary life at that time. This dietary habit has continued for more than 1300 years to this day. Abundant clothing and food are just the beginning of a prosperous market, and the most convincing representation of a prosperous era is the unparalleled spiritual creation of people.
Professor Liu Houbin from Renmin University of China: When we look at the exhibition of Chinese general history from the museum, you will find that the entire color tone of the Tang Dynasty is much more vibrant and bright. Some of the artifacts we have unearthed now, including silk fabrics, etc., you will feel that the Tang Dynasty is a cultural landscape with a very bright color tone.
Xiao Zhang has been nervously rehearsing a dance called Sword Artifact. It is said that he was a dance performed by Lady Gongsun in the palace during the long lost Tang Dynasty. Today’s rehearsal is very important for Xiao Zhang, and he hopes to recreate this magnificent dance of the Tang Dynasty on stage through his efforts. The culture of the Tang Dynasty is diverse and diverse. At that time, Lady Gongsun often entered the palace to perform dances, and her movements made the nobles, ministers, and literati at the scene mesmerized and stunned. One day, the great calligrapher Zhang Xu returned home excited after reading Lady Gongsun’s sword artifacts. He immediately drank himself into a drunken state, and finally called out to run wildly, waving his hair in ink, and quickly wrote on the wall. After waking up, he watched the graceful calligraphy of dragons and phoenixes dancing all over the wall. Grass Saint could not believe that Lady Gongsun’s dance had made him realize the god of cursive script. Lady Gongsun was earth shattering, thunderous, and the sword artifact that made viewers change color was the legendary atmosphere of the prosperous Tang Dynasty.
Professor Liu Houbin from Renmin University of China: He is very straightforward and full of expressive personality, and poetry is also like this. Tang poetry is a kind of sadness without sadness, which means he can express a sad emotion of many people, but he does not feel it is sad.
The vigorous and youthful momentum, broad mindedness, and lofty era personality displayed in the dance of Lady Gongsun have spread among the literati and literati of the prosperous Tang Dynasty. Poets Li Bai, Du Fu, Wang Wei, Meng Haoran, calligraphers Zhang Xu, Yan Zhenqing, Huai Su, He Zhizhang, Li Yangbing, and painter Wu Daozi have all stepped onto the historical stage, showcasing their respective talents and personalities, and jointly interpreting the youthful and majestic atmosphere of the prosperous Tang Dynasty.
Under the personal advocacy and promotion of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, the second cultural peak since the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period has towered. According to statistics, there were as many as 52915 volumes of books compiled during the Kaiyuan period, which are commonly referred to as the four books today. The official library management officially adopted them during the Tang Dynasty. Emperor Xuanzong also organized the Hongru Shuo Xue to study the four books in the Jixian Academy. The “Kaiyuan Rites of the Great Tang Dynasty” compiled in the 20th year of Kaiyuan became the most complete ritual system construction. Not long after, the compilation of the Tang Six Classics was completed, which is the most complete administrative code in ancient Chinese history.
Professor Wu Zongguo from Peking University: Reorganizing the books of that time is another summary of traditional culture based on the Sui Dynasty’s classics and records. In addition, some ancient books were also collated and edited, which played a significant role in the development of culture in the future.
The openness and inclusiveness of the prosperous Tang Dynasty can be seen everywhere at today’s lobby treasure exhibition.
Mandarin Duck Lotus Petal Pattern Gold Bowl Inlaid with Gold Beast Head Agate Cup Shaanxi History Museum
Explanation: Today, when you come to Xi’an, Shaanxi to visit, you may not miss the Tang Dynasty. This is a golden age in both Chinese and Shaanxi history, in 1970 in a place called Hejia Village in the southern suburbs of Xi’an City.
Xiao Liu is a tour guide at the Shaanxi History Museum, and his daily job is to introduce a stunning accidental discovery here; (Explanation: Shocked everyone present, as we took out over 1000 exquisite Tang Dynasty cultural relics one after another from it, including a large number of high-grade jade, gorgeous gold and silver, spices, gemstones, coins. After research by archaeologists, it is believed that any item unearthed here can be considered the top daily necessities of the Tang Dynasty. This is a national treasure level cultural relic, which is the best workmanship among all jade and stone unearthed artifacts and the highest level we have determined so far. It is called a gold inlaid beast head agate cup, with a beast face shape on the head of the cup and a beast mouth on the top.) Set with a gold stopper, from the appearance of the cup itself and the way it drinks, you will find that it does not come from traditional Chinese design. In fact, this is also a witness to the exchange of Chinese and foreign civilizations. During the Tang Dynasty, gold and silver were once widely used because of the country’s wealth during this period. In addition, people saw Western nobles processing and using gold and silver in large quantities. During the Tang Dynasty, the Hu style was prevalent, so they were eager to follow suit
Professor Ning Xin from Beijing Normal University: Because many scholars are currently studying the East Asian cultural sphere, which means that the starting point of the East Asian cultural sphere is actually the Sui and Tang dynasties.
A red sun in the prosperous era of the Tang Dynasty finally leaped from the vast sea, and it was imperative to hold a grand ceremony for him.
Liu Houbin, a professor at Renmin University of China: Because it is a nationwide act, not only the emperor’s harem, but also the participation of princes, nobles and officials, as well as those foreign envoys in court and even some people who temporarily worship from foreign countries, to participate in it is a nationwide act, which is a ceremony to announce the success of the public service. Therefore, there have been many discussions about the need to seal the Zen in the history of the Tang Dynasty, but only two of them have really achieved it. On October 11, 2013, Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty led all civil and military officials, royal relatives, Confucian scholars, and scholars to start from Luoyang, like Mount Taishan, with great power. For hundreds of miles, the colorful flags fluttered all the way, and the music was loud. It was spectacular. Camping at night, tents were all around for a few miles. Domes, yurts, cattle, sheep, camels and horses filled the road, and lights dotted the sky to form a street market.
Professor Wu Zongguo of Peking University: At that time, there were a series of ceremonies at the bottom of Mount Taishan and the top of Mount Taishan, which were quite spectacular.
Mount Taishan Tai’an City, Shandong Province
On the seventh day of November, the team finally arrived at the foot of Mount Taishan Mountain. The next morning, the clouds opened and the sun rose. The sky was clear and fresh, which was an unexpected joy for the Fengchan team. Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty hurried to the top of the mountain to worship, burn firewood and display the ceremony. He watched the fire burning on the top of the mountain, and the people waiting at the foot of the mountain shouted “Long live!” The sound shook the sky. The grand ceremony was unprecedented. It was the thick ink in the great long scroll of the Kaiyuan era. It was the “Memorial to Mount Taishan” carved on the cliff at the top of Mount Taishan Mountain. Now more than 1000 years later, Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty wrote the “Memorial to Mount Taishan” stone inscription in his own handwriting to commemorate the historic ceremony, which is still shining in the morning light. Ran Shenghui, if we can say that the Mount Taishan Temple in 725 AD was granted by Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty to pray to heaven on behalf of tens of millions of people in the Tang Dynasty.
Guangyuntan Site, Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province
So in the spring of 743 AD, the grand event at Guangyuntan in the east of Chang’an City was a display of gifts and bountiful harvests from the earth by the Tang Empire to the world.
Professor Ning Xin from Beijing Normal University: I think his conference is quite unique because we know that ships cannot be seen in the Chang’an area in the north. However, he requisitioned hundreds of ships from Luoyang and now Kaifeng, and he assigned a number to each ship, with the names of each county written on it. He organized a group of people to work as ship workers on the ship, with cooperation personnel or accompanying personnel on board. There are probably hundreds of ships, and in addition, there are hardly any people in the capital who have seen them for miles.
On March 26th, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang and his ministers climbed onto the Wangchun Tower together, and a grand event officially began.
Researcher at the Institute of History of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences – Huang Zhengjian: This county comforted him with the red eras he wore on his head, half of his arms in brocade, and half of his arms exposed. He then led the singing there, and then brought in hundreds of young and beautiful women from various counties, dressed in bright clothes. They sang and danced along with a chorus, singing and shouting their horns. The boats passed by one by one, and the Tang Xuanzong he saw at that time was Dragon Heart Joy, so he gave this name. This pond was named Guangyun Tan, and the Guangyun Tan grand event was not only a product expo across the country, but also a grand parade and celebration of military and civilian harmony. Gathering, to witness this once-in-a-lifetime grand event, Chang’an City and its surrounding areas are truly deserted, with countless people rushing towards the Guangyun Lake like a tide. None of them have ever seen so many ships in their lives, Witnessing the towering masts, everyone seemed extremely excited. On this day, both Sanlang Xuanzong and the general public deeply felt the joy of national prosperity and the safety of the people in a prosperous era. However, under the prosperous era, a crisis appeared by the Guangyun Lake, and the treacherous prime minister Li Linfu had already taken office. The ambitious An Lushan was harboring a ghost in his heart. A person named Yang Zhao, who would later change his name to Yang Guozhong, was rushing day and night to the emperor’s side. In the nearby Chang’an City, Yang Yuhuan eagerly awaited Li Longji’s end of today’s observation ceremony and immediately returned to her side. The elegy of the prosperous era of Kaiyuan has sounded low and deep not far away.
90 Seconds in History: The Death of Yang Yuhuan
In June 756 AD, An Lushan’s army pointed directly at Chang’an. Tang Xuanzong hurriedly escaped from the capital with Yang Guifei. After escaping from Chang’an, Tang Xuanzong and his team traveled westward to Maweipo. The soldiers mutinied and their final anger was directed towards Tang Xuanzong’s love. There is no historical record of how Tang Xuanzong and Yang Yuhuan treated this separation. Perhaps it was tears that accompanied them, or perhaps it was the beautiful memories that passed away. It was intoxicating but heartbreaking. After spending 16 years with Tang Xuanzong, the most beautiful woman of the Tang Dynasty, 38 year old Yang Yuhuan, hanged herself. From the moment he sacrificed his life for Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, the image of Ma Weipo, a woman who has been cherished for 3000 years, began to become complex and multifaceted, leaving an indescribable topic for future generations.
