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唐太宗--李世民（lǐ shì mín）
One of the most great emperors in Chinese history:Emperor Taizong of Tang
Emperor Taizong of Tang (January 23, 599 – July 10, 649), personal name Lǐ Shìmín, was the second emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China, ruling from 626 to 649. As he encouraged his father, Li Yuan (later Emperor Gaozu) to rise against Sui Dynasty rule at Taiyuan in 617 and subsequently defeated several of his most important rivals, he was ceremonially regarded as a cofounder of the dynasty along with Emperor Gaozu.
He is typically considered one of the greatest, if not the greatest, emperor in all of Chinese history. Throughout the rest of Chinese history, Emperor Taizong’s reign was regarded as the exemplary model against which all other emperors were measured, and his “Reign of Zhen Guan” was considered a golden age of Chinese history and required study for future crown princes. During his reign, Tang China flourished economically and militarily. For more than a century after his death, Tang China enjoyed peace and prosperity. During Taizong’s reign, Tang was the largest and the strongest nation in the world. It covered the entire territory of present day China and much of central asia. It laid foundation for the Xuanzong reign, which is considered China’s greatest period of time.
In 630, Emperor Taizong sent his general Li Jing against Eastern Tujue — to which Tang had once submitted — defeating and capturing its Jiali Khan Ashina Duobi and destroying Eastern Tujue power. This made Tang the dominant power in East and Central Asia, and Emperor Taizong subsequently took the title of Tian Kehan (”Heavenly Khan”).
Emperor Taizong was, in opposition to nobility of the time, a frank rationalist, openly laughing of superstitions and heaven’s claimed signs, and modifying important rites in order to ease agricultural labour[4]. The modern Chinese historian Bo Yang opined that Emperor Taizong achieved greatness by accepting criticism that others would find difficult to accept and trying hard not to abuse his absolute power (using Emperor Yang of Sui as a negative example), as well as employing capable chancellors Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, and Wei Zheng. Emperor Taizong’s wife Empress Zhangsun served as a capable assistant to him as well.
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