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157-618: Li Jiancheng was murdered by his younger brother, Tang general Li Shimin , the Prince of Qin, in the Xuanwu Gate Incident in July 626, in which Li Shimin seized control of the imperial government and forced their father Emperor Gaozu to abdicate. Li Jiancheng's sons were subsequently executed or excluded from the imperial clan. After Li Shimin took the throne, Li Jiancheng was posthumously stripped of his crown prince status and granted

314-446: A Tang princess. Emperor Taizong agreed this time. Also in 638, believing that Xueyantuo was growing increasingly strong and difficult to control, Emperor Taizong granted Yinan's sons Bazhuo and Jialibi ( 頡利苾 ) both lesser khan titles, to try to create dissensions between them. In summer 639, Ashina Jiesheshuai ( 阿史那結社率 ), the younger brother of Ashina Shibobi, whom Emperor Taizong did not favor and gave little recognition to, formed

471-561: A brother. In 624, Li Jiancheng requisitioned a number of soldiers from the general Li Yi , the Prince of Yan, to supplement his guard corps. This was against Li Yuan's regulations. Li Yuan rebuked Li Jiancheng when he found out, and exiled his guard commander Keda Zhi (可達志). Nevertheless, Li Jiancheng later requested the commandant at Qing Prefecture (慶州, in modern Qingyang , Gansu ), Yang Wen'gan (楊文幹) to conscript troops, presumably to guard against Li Shimin. The officers Erzhu Huan (爾朱煥) and Qiao Gongshan (橋公山) informed Li Yuan that Li Jiancheng

628-663: A capable leader, generous and open-minded. He knew how to recruit talented people and did well in his early political career as a crown prince. Li Yuan, in Wen Daya's narrative, was a fearless leader with vision, courage and strategic planning. Contemporary historians have re-examined the evidence for events contained in the official histories (the Old Book of Tang , the New Book of Tang and Zizhi Tongjian ) and have concluded that important elements were probably fabricated during

785-431: A conspiracy with Ashina Shibobi's son Ashina Hexiangu ( 阿史那賀暹鶻 ) to assassinate Emperor Taizong. They had planned to wait for Li Zhi the Prince of Jin to depart from the palace in the morning and use that opportunity to attack the palace. On the day they planned, however, Li Zhi did not leave the palace, and Ashina Jiesheshuai attacked anyway but was quickly defeated, captured, and executed. After this incident, however,

942-431: A coup led by the general Yuwen Huaji , Li Yuan had Emperor Gong yield the throne to him, establishing Tang dynasty as its Emperor Gaozu. He created Li Jiancheng crown prince but created Li Shimin the Prince of Qin, also making him Shangshu Ling ( 尚書令 ), the head of the executive bureau of the government ( 尚書省 ; Shàngshū Shěng ) and a post considered one for a chancellor , while continuing to have Li Shimin serve as

1099-554: A daughter of a clansman as the Princess Wencheng , and in 641 sent Li Daozong to accompany Princess Wencheng to Tibet to preside over the wedding. In winter 641, believing that Emperor Taizong was about to carry out sacrifices to heaven and earth at Mount Tai and would be unable to aid the Eastern Turks , Yinan launched a major attack on them, commanded by his son Dadu ( 大度 ). Li Simo was forced to retreat inside

1256-536: A dramatic increase in the price of coal. This led to a rapid expansion of loosely regulated private mines. Mining, cooking, smelting and other heavy industries which developed around the city have led to catastrophic environmental damage. In 2006, the Blacksmith Institute included Linfen in its annual "10 worst" report, calling the city the most polluted city in China. It has also been listed as one of

1413-541: A falling out, Ashina Shibobi submitted to Emperor Taizong, as did the chieftains of Khitan tribes, who had previously submitted to the Eastern Turks . With their khaganate in turmoil, Ashina Duobi was no longer able to protect the last late-Sui rebel ruler who alone remained standing against Tang pressure— Liang Shidu the Emperor of Liang, and in summer 628, with the Tang generals Chai Shao and Xue Wanjun ( 薛萬均 ) sieging

1570-623: A general and had been created the Prince of Qi. He supported Li Jiancheng in his rivalry with Li Shimin, and often pushed Li Jiancheng toward a more hard-line position, wanting to be crown prince when Li Jiancheng became emperor. Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji had better relations with Li Yuan's favored young concubines than Li Shimin did (their mother Duchess Dou had died before Tang's establishment), and those concubines helped rehabilitate Li Jiancheng's standing before Li Yuan. Li Yuan had considered making Li Shimin crown prince instead of Li Jiancheng, but his concubines persuaded him not to. By winter 622,

1727-472: A general call was made for men to join the army to help rescue the emperor. Li Shimin answered that call and served under the general Yun Dingxing ( 雲定興 ), apparently doing so with distinction. In 616, when Li Yuan was put in charge of the important city of Taiyuan , he brought Li Shimin with him to Taiyuan, while leaving at least three other sons – Li Jiancheng, Li Yuanji, and Li Zhiyun ( 李智雲 , by Li Yuan's concubine Lady Wan) – at

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1884-457: A great variety of terrain. The city itself sits in a basin, which aggravates the pollution. Linfen has a continental, monsoon -influenced semi-arid climate ( Köppen BSk ), with moderately cold, but dry winters, and hot, somewhat humid summers. The monthly 24-hour average temperature ranges from −2.0 °C (28.4 °F) in January to 26.6 °C (79.9 °F) in July, and the annual mean

2041-553: A green village. Linfen is named for the Fen River . Its former names include Jin , Jinzhou (晋州), and Pingyang ( 平阳 ). Chinese archeologists have claimed that legendary ruler Yao 's capital was located in Linfen, a confirmation of local legend responsible for the name of the city's Yaodu District . So, Linfen city is the earliest capital of China. The area was the center of the marchland and duchy of Jin , named for

2198-537: A large Sui army, he captured Chang'an from imperial forces and declared Yang You emperor (as Emperor Gong). He had himself made regent (with the title of grand chancellor) and created the Prince of Tang. (Meanwhile, most of the Sui territories and armies did not recognize Emperor Gong as emperor and continued to recognize Emperor Yang as emperor and not as retired emperor.) He made Li Shimin the Duke of Qin. Li Yuan's control of

2355-529: A major attack with forces of 200,000 on Tuyuhun and then on several Tang prefectures, putting Song Prefecture ( 松州 , roughly modern Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture , Sichuan) under siege. Emperor Taizong commissioned Hou Junji , assisted by Zhishi Sili ( 執失思力 ), Niu Jinda ( 牛進達 ), and Liu Jian ( 劉簡 ), of a total of force of 50,000 to counterattack, and Niu, who commanded the forward forces, defeated Tibetan forces at Song Prefecture. Songsän Gampo withdrew and sued for peace, but still sought to marry

2512-405: A major defeat. Yuchi and Xun surrendered, and after Li Shimin chased further, both Liu and Song fled to the Eastern Turks . All of Dingyang territory fell into Tang hands. In summer 620, Emperor Gaozu again commissioned Li Shimin against a major enemy—the former Sui general Wang Shichong , who had Sui's last emperor, Emperor Yang's grandson Yang Tong , yield the throne to him in 619, establishing

2669-730: A major general as well. The first thing that Li Shimin had to deal with was another incursion by Xue Ju, as Xue attacked Jing Prefecture ( 涇州 , roughly modern Pingliang , Gansu) and Emperor Gaozu sent Li Shimin to resist Xue. Li Shimin established his defenses and refused to engage Xue to try to wear Xue Ju out, but at that time, he was afflicted with malaria, and he let his assistants Liu Wenjing and Yin Kaishan ( 殷開山 ) take command, ordering them not to engage Xue Ju. Liu and Yin, however, did not take Xue Ju seriously, and Xue Ju ambushed them at Qianshui Plain ( 淺水原 , in modern Xianyang), crushing Tang forces and inflicting 50–60% casualties. Li Shimin

2826-470: A major incursion toward Chang'an, and just 19 days after Emperor Taizong took the throne, the two khans were just across the Wei River from Chang'an. Emperor Taizong, accompanied by Gao Shilian and Fang Xuanling , was forced to meet Ashina Duobi across the river and personally negotiate peace terms, including tributes to Eastern Turks , before Ashina Duobi withdrew. Late in 626, Emperor Taizong ranked

2983-494: A major threat in the future. Emperor Gaozu agreed and allowed Li Shimin to continue to siege Luoyang. When Xia forward troops arrived first, Li Shimin surprised and defeated them, and then sent Dou a letter suggesting that he withdraw. Dou would not do so, and, against the advice of his wife Empress Cao and secretary general Ling Jing ( 凌敬 ) that he should instead attack Tang's prefectures in modern southern Shanxi, he marched toward Luoyang. Anticipating Dou's maneuver, Li Shimin left

3140-507: A negative example), as well as by employing capable chancellors such as Fang Xuanling , Du Ruhui , and Wei Zheng . Emperor Taizong's wife Empress Zhangsun also proved to be a capable assistant. Li Shimin was born in 598 at Wugong , in modern Xianyang , Shaanxi. His father Li Yuan , the Duke of Tang , was a general of the Sui dynasty , and a nephew, by marriage, to Sui's founding emperor Emperor Wen . Li Shimin's grandmother Duchess Dugu

3297-413: A new khan to govern them. In 631, Emperor Taizong established a feudal scheme, where the contributors to his reign were given, in addition to their current posts, additional posts as prefectural governors, to be passed on to their descendants. Soon, however, receiving much opposition to the plan, the strongest of which came from Zhangsun Wuji , Emperor Taizong cancelled the scheme. After the conquest of

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3454-460: A new state of Zheng as its emperor. When Li Shimin arrived at the Zheng capital Luoyang, Wang offered peace, but Li Shimin rebuffed him and put Luoyang under siege. Meanwhile, his subordinates took Zheng cities one by one. By winter 620, most of Zheng territory, other than Luoyang and Xiangyang , defended by Wang Shichong's nephew Wang Honglie ( 王弘烈 ), had submitted to Tang. Wang sought aid Dou Jiande

3611-641: A number of literary men. The former Xia territory did not remain in Tang hands for long. In the winter of 621, the Xia general Liu Heita rose against Tang rule, claiming to be avenging Dou, whom Emperor Gaozu had executed against Li Shimin's wishes after he had been brought back to Chang'an. Liu was allied with Xu Yuanlang , a former agrarian rebel general who was nominally under Wang Shichong and who had submitted to Tang after Wang's defeat. Liu dealt successive defeats to Emperor Gaozu's cousin Li Shentong ( 李神通 ),

3768-625: A prophecy that the next emperor would be named Li—Emperor Yang had previously killed another official, Li Hun ( 李渾 ), and Li Hun's clan over his fear that Li Hun's nephew, Li Min ( 李敏 ), would seize the throne. Fearful for his life, Li Yuan considered rebellion. However, he did not know that Li Shimin had also been secretly discussing plans for rebellion with Li Yuan's associates Pei Ji and Liu Wenjing . Once Li Shimin's plans matured, he had Pei inform Li Yuan of them—and also had Pei warn Li Yuan that if it were revealed that Li Yuan had had sexual relations with some of Emperor Yang's ladies in waiting at

3925-407: A royal decree to Li Jiancheng: "The prince of Qin (Li Shimin) has a low alcohol tolerance, therefore, he is forbidden to go out drinking at night." Li Shimin apparently interpreted the wine as an assassination attempt, but Li Yuan did not mention poison in his decree to Li Jiancheng. Li Yuan considered sending Li Shimin to guard Luoyang to prevent further conflict, but Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji opposed

4082-606: A series of campaigns against the oasis states of the Tarim Basin , and against their main ally , the Western Turks . During his reign, Tang armies annexed Karakhoja in 640 , Karasahr in 644 , and Kucha in 648 . Eventually, the Tang defeated and annexed the Western Turkic Khaganate after Su Dingfang defeated Qaghan Ashina Helu in 657. Unlike much of the nobility in his time, Emperor Taizong

4239-552: A shortened form of the phrase "save the earth and pacify the people" ( 濟世安民 ; jìshì ānmín ). Li Shimin apparently showed talent early in his life, and in 613, the official Gao Shilian , impressed with him, gave him a niece (the later Empress Zhangsun ) in marriage as his wife; he was 14 and she was 12. In 615, when Emperor Wen's son and successor Emperor Yang was ambushed by Eastern Turkic ( Dongtujue ) forces under Shibi Khan at Yanmen Commandery (present-day Daixian in Shanxi ),

4396-401: A small detachment, commanded by Li Yuanji, at Luoyang, while marching east himself, taking up position at the strategic Hulao Pass . When the armies engaged at Hulao, Li Shimin defeated Dou and captured him. He took Dou back to Luoyang and displayed him to Wang Shichong. Wang, in fear, considered abandoning Luoyang and fleeing south to Xiangyang, but as his generals pointed out that his only hope

4553-779: A suggestion that Li Jiancheng, Li Yuanji, and Pei Ji agreed with. Li Shimin opposed, however, and the plan was not carried out. Meanwhile, Li Shimin himself was sending his confidants to Luoyang to build up personal control of the army there. After an incident in which Li Shimin suffered a severe case of food poisoning after feasting at Li Jiancheng's palace—an event that both Emperor Gaozu and Li Shimin apparently interpreted as an assassination attempt—Emperor Gaozu considered sending Li Shimin to guard Luoyang to prevent further conflict, but Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji, after consulting each other, believed that this would only give Li Shimin an opportunity to build up his personal power there, and therefore opposed it. Emperor Gaozu therefore did not carry out

4710-418: A tent in his residence in imitation of a Turkic khan. Taizong removed him from the position of heir apparent and chose as his successor Li Zhi, who embraced Han Chinese cultural heritage. Linfen Linfen ( simplified Chinese : 临汾 ; traditional Chinese : 臨汾 ; pinyin : Lín Fén ) is a prefecture-level city in the southwest of Shanxi province, China , bordering Shaanxi province to

4867-507: A work later to be known as the Records of Clans ( 氏族志 ), with the intent of dividing the clans into nine classes based on their past contributions, good deeds, and ill deeds. In an initial draft that Gao submitted, he nevertheless ranked the branch of the Cui clan that the official Cui Min'gan ( 崔民幹 ) belonged to as the highest, a decision that Emperor Taizong rebuked, as he pointed out that Gao

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5024-461: Is 12.6 °C (54.7 °F). The annual precipitation stands at 455.1 millimetres (17.9 in), with close to 70% of this total falling from June to September. The frost-free period lasts on average 190 days per year. Extreme temperatures have ranged from −23.1 °C (−9.6 °F) to 42.3 °C (108.1 °F). China's rapid industrialization and urbanization beginning in the 1990s (see opening of China ) led to increased energy demand causing

5181-568: Is considered to be one of the greatest emperors in China's history, and henceforth his reign became regarded as the exemplary model against which all future emperors were measured. His era, the "Reign of Zhenguan" ( Chinese : 貞觀之治 ; pinyin : Zhēnguàn Zhī Zhì ) is considered a golden age in ancient Chinese history and was treated as required studying material for future crown princes . Taizong continued to develop imperial examination systems. He asked his officials to be loyal to policies, not people, in order to eliminate corruption . Under

5338-591: Is located in the southwestern part of Shanxi, on the lower reaches of the Fen River, bounded by Changzhi and Jincheng to the east, the Yellow River to the west (which also forms the border with Shaanxi ), Jinzhong and Lüliang to the north, and Yuncheng to the south. The prefecture ranges in latitude from 35° 23′ N to 36° 37′ N, spanning 170 kilometres (110 mi), and in longitude from 110° 22′ E to 112° 34′ E, spanning 200 km (120 mi). In all,

5495-400: Is now generally considered a more reliable source on early Tang Dynasty . Da Tang Chuangye Qijuzhu emphasizes that Li Yuan was the mastermind of the revolt against the Sui. Li Shimin, who was a teenager at the time, served only a secondary role in these events. In the official histories, Li Jiancheng was described as an incompetent crown prince. Wen Daya portrayed a different Li Jiancheng:

5652-654: Is the Susan Prison ( 苏三监狱 ), a restored Ming dynasty prison made famous by the Peking opera play Yu Tang Chun  [ zh ] ( 玉堂春 ). It is Chinese oldest surviving prison. Dahuaishu Ancestor Memorial Garden is a major shown for the mandatory population migration (aka Hongwu great migration, 洪武大移民) in early Ming Dynasty . Linfen recorded a population of approximately 4,508,400 people as of 2019, an increase of 80,100 from 2018. The city reported 2,414,700 urban residents, and 2,093,700 rural residents, giving

5809-581: The Eastern Turkic Khaganate , Emperor Taizong's officials repeatedly requested that he carry out sacrifices to heaven and earth at Mount Tai , and Emperor Taizong, while at times tempted by the proposal, was repeatedly dissuaded from doing so by Wei, who pointed out the expenses and the labors that would be imposed on the people as a result, and also that this would open China's borders to attack. In 634, Emperor Taizong sent 13 high level officials, including Li Jing and Xiao Yu , to examine

5966-451: The Eastern Turks . The main opposing views were from the chancellors Wen Yanbo (who advocated leaving the Turks within China's borders to serve as a defense perimeter) and Wei (who advocated leaving them outside the borders). Emperor Taizong accepted Wen's suggestion and established a number of prefectures to accommodate the Turks, leaving them governed by their chieftains without creating

6123-836: The Göktürks were making another attack, and under Li Jiancheng's suggestion, Emperor Gaozu, instead of sending Li Shimin to resist the Göktürks as he first was inclined, decided to send Li Yuanji instead. Li Yuanji was given command of much of the army previously under Li Shimin's control, further troubling Li Shimin, who believed that with the army in Li Yuanji's hands, he would be unable to resist an attack. Li Shimin had Yuchi summon Fang and Du back to his mansion secretly, and then on one night submitted an accusation to Emperor Gaozu that Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji were committing adultery with Emperor Gaozu's concubines. Emperor Gaozu, in response, issued summonses to Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji for

6280-771: The Hukou Waterfall which is the largest waterfall on the Yellow River and the second largest in China. Hukou Waterfall is located 150 km (93 mi) west of Linfen city in Jinshan Gorge. Other attractions are mostly located in Hongtong county. Most notable among these is Guangsheng Temple , built in 147 CE. Located in the upper Guangsheng temple is the Feihong Pagoda, the largest and best preserved glazed Chinese pagoda. Also in Hongtong county

6437-604: The Jin River ( 晋 水 ). The duchy collapsed in the 4th century BC but gave its name to a Chinese princely title used as the dynastic name of the Sima clan. Jin Prefecture was centered on the town, which took its name as Jin and Jinzhou. Later, it was renamed Pingyang Commandery , which was also adapted as the name for its chief town. The Xiongnu emperor of Former Zhao Liu Cong made Pingyang his residence in

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6594-521: The Tong Pass region to prevent Sui forces at Luoyang from reinforcing Chang'an and Li Shimin north of the Wei River to capture territory there. Meanwhile, Li Shimin's sister Pingyang had also risen in rebellion in support of him, and she was able to gather a sizeable army and capture some cities. She joined forces with Li Shimin and her husband Chai Shao. Soon, Li Yuan reconsolidated his forces and put Chang'an under siege. In winter 617, after defeating

6751-422: The Wei River to seize territory. Once Li Yuan himself approached Chang'an, he summoned both Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin to join him in a siege of Chang'an. On 19 December 617, Li Yuan captured Chang'an and declared Yang You emperor (as Emperor Gong). He was created Prince of Tang on 20 December, and became the regent for Yang You. In the spring of 618, Li Yuan sent Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin toward Luoyang, which

6908-539: The Western Turks . In 640, Emperor Taizong commissioned Hou Junji , assisted by Xue Wanjun , to launch a major attack on Gaochang. As they approached Gaochang, Qu Wentai died in fear and was succeeded by his son Qu Zhisheng ( 麴智盛 ). Qu Zhisheng offered to submit, but Hou demanded a surrender, which Qu Zhisheng refused. However, Hou put Gaochang under siege, and with aid from the Western Turks not arriving, Qu Zhisheng surrendered. Wei Zheng suggested that Emperor Taizong allow Qu Zhisheng to remain king, pointing out that

7065-845: The Xibo , the Lisu , the Qiang , and the Jingpo . As of 2019, the city reported a GDP of 145.26 billion Renminbi . Linfen's primary sector makes up 7.1% of the city's GDP, the secondary sector contributes 43.3% of the city's GDP, and the tertiary sector makes up 49.6% of the city's GDP. Linfen has rich mineral resources including coal , iron ore , copper , and lead . Hedong Coal Field, Huoxi Coal Field and Qinshui Coal Field together comprise 62.9 billion tons of coal reserves. Iron ore reserves exceed 420 million tons. Coal mining and dressing, coking, metallurgy, non-ferrous metal smelting, and chemicals are

7222-406: The 168 cities the ministry monitored. Following the report, the city's government ordered further pollution controls for the city's industry. The prefecture-level city of Linfen is divided in one district , two cities and fourteen counties . The information here presented uses the metric system and data from 2010 Census. Linfen prefecture is home to several notable tourist attractions including

7379-674: The 24 great contributors to his reign. The Old Book of Tang and New Book of Tang mention several embassies made by Fu lin ( 拂菻 ; i.e. the Byzantine Empire ), which they equated with Daqin (which may refer to the Roman Empire or Middle East), beginning in 643 with an embassy sent by the king Boduoli ( 波多力 , i.e. Constans II Pogonatos ) to Emperor Taizong, bearing gifts such as red glass and green gemstones . These histories also provided cursory descriptions of Constantinople and its walls , as well as how it

7536-529: The American Blacksmith Institute listed Linfen as one of the ten most polluted cities in the world. Prior to 1978, Linfen was famous for its spring water, greenery and rich agriculture and therefore nicknamed "The Modern Fruit and Flower Town". Since then it has been developing into a main industrial center for coal mining , which has significantly damaged the city's environment, air quality, farming, health and its previous status as

7693-551: The Chang'an region became almost immediately contested by the rebel ruler Xue Ju , the Emperor of Qin, who sent his son Xue Rengao toward Chang'an. Li Yuan sent Li Shimin to resist Xue Rengao, and Li Shimin defeated Xue Rengao at Fufeng (in modern Baoji , Shaanxi), temporarily causing Xue Ju to toy with the idea of surrendering to Li Yuan, although Xue was subsequently dissuaded by his strategist Hao Yuan ( 郝瑗 ) from doing so. In spring 618, with Sui's eastern capital Luoyang (where

7850-507: The Duke of Dunhuang. Li Yuan then advanced toward Chang'an. As he approached Hedong, torrential rains prevented his army from advancing further. With rumors running rampant that Liu Wuzhou and the Eastern Tujue were about to attack Taiyuan, Li Yuan initially ordered a retreat back to Taiyuan. However, Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin argued that this would mean sure defeat, and Li Yuan changed his mind. Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin then captured

8007-400: The Duke of Shenwu and Northern Zhou 's Princess Xiangyang. Duchess Dou would subsequently give birth to three of Li Jiancheng's younger brothers: Li Shimin , Li Xuanba (李玄霸, who died in 614), and Li Yuanji . She also gave birth to a girl who eventually became Princess Pingyang , although it is not clear whether she was older or younger than Li Jiancheng. At some point, Li Jiancheng received

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8164-654: The Eastern Palace. By 626, Li Shimin was fearful that he would be killed by Li Jiancheng, and his staff members Fang Xuanling , Du Ruhui , and Zhangsun Wuji were encouraging Li Shimin to attack Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji first. Similarly, Wei Zheng was encouraging Li Jiancheng to attack Li Shimin first. Li Jiancheng persuaded Li Yuan to remove Fang and Du, as well as Li Shimin's trusted guard officers Yuchi Gong and Cheng Zhijie (程知節), from Li Shimin's staff. Zhangsun, who remained on Li Shimin's staff, continued to try to persuade Li Shimin to attack first. In summer 626,

8321-640: The Eastern Tujue were making another attack. Li Yuan was initially inclined to send Li Shimin to resist them, but at Li Jiancheng's suggestion sent Li Yuanji instead. Li Yuanji was given command of much of the army previously under Li Shimin's control. This further troubled Li Shimin, who believed that with the army in Li Yuanji's hands he would be unable to resist an attack. Li Shimin had Yuchi secretly summon Fang and Du back to his mansion, then sent an accusation to Li Yuan that Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji were committing adultery with Li Yuan's concubines. Li Yuan responded by issuing summonses to Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji for

8478-644: The Great Wall. Emperor Taizong commissioned Li Shiji , assisted by Zhang Jian ( 張儉 ), Li Daliang , Zhang Shigui ( 張士貴 ), and Li Xiyu ( 李襲譽 ), to attack Xueyantuo. Li Shiji soon defeated Dadu at Nuozhen River ( 諾真水 , flowing through modern Baotou , Inner Mongolia), and Dadu fled. By 642, it was clear that Li Tai had ambitions on replacing his brother Li Chengqian, and the governmental officials began to be divided into pro-Li Chengqian and pro-Li Tai factions. After urging by Wei Zheng and Chu Suiliang to take actions that would clarify that Li Chengqian's position

8635-625: The Liang capital Shuofang (in modern Yulin , Shaanxi), Liang Shidu's cousin Liang Luoren ( 梁洛仁 ) killed Liang Shidu and surrendered, finally uniting China. With the Eastern Turkic Khaganate weakened, their vassal Xueyantuo also broke away and formed its own khanate, and Emperor Taizong entered into an alliance with Xueyantuo's leader Yinan, creating Yinan the Zhenzhupiqie Khan (or Zhenzhu Khan in short). In late 629, believing

8792-464: The Prince of Changle, the commandant at Liang Prefecture ( 涼州 , roughly modern Wuwei , Gansu), was accused of allowing his staff to oppress the people and to trade with Qiang and Xiongnu tribesmen, Emperor Taizong sent the chancellor Yuwen Shiji (Yuwen Huaji's brother) to investigate, and in fear, Li Youliang's staff members plotted to hold him hostage and rebel. When this was discovered, Emperor Taizong forced Li Youliang to commit suicide. Late in

8949-500: The Prince of Huai'an; Li Xiaochang ( 李孝常 ), the Prince of Yi'an; and Li Shiji . By the end, he had recovered almost all of the former Xia territory, established his capital at Mingzhou , and proclaimed himself the Prince of Handong. Emperor Gaozu finally sent Li Shimin and Li Yuanji against him in 622 and, after some indecisive battles, Li Shimin defeated him by first erecting a dam across the Ming River and then destroying it, with

9106-642: The Prince of Huaiyang, he again regained most of former Xia territory. Li Jiancheng's staff members Wang Gui and Wei Zheng suggested that Li Jiancheng needed to enhance his own reputation in battle, and so Li Jiancheng volunteered for the mission. Emperor Gaozu thus sent Li Jiancheng, assisted by Li Yuanji, to attack Liu. Li Jiancheng defeated Liu around the new year of 623, and Liu was subsequently betrayed by his own official Zhuge Dewei ( 諸葛德威 ) and delivered to Li Jiancheng. Li Jiancheng executed Liu in his former capital and returned to Chang'an in triumph. China was, by this point, roughly united under Tang rule. For

9263-604: The Prince of Tianzhu and surrendered. Emperor Taizong created Murong Shun the new khan, although Murong Shun was soon assassinated. Emperor Taizong then created Murong Shun's son Murong Nuohebo as the new khan. Also in 635, Emperor Gaozu died, and Emperor Taizong, observing a mourning period, briefly had Li Chengqian serve as regent, and after he resumed his authorities less than two months later, he still authorized Li Chengqian to thereafter rule on minor matters. In spring 636, Emperor Taizong commissioned his brothers and sons as commandants and changed their titles in accordance with

9420-639: The Prince of Xia, who controlled most of modern Hebei . Dou, reasoning that if Tang were able to destroy Zheng, his own Xia state would be next, agreed. He sent his official Li Dashi to try to persuade Li Shimin to withdraw, but Li Shimin detained Li Dashi and gave no response. Meanwhile, during the campaign, Li Shimin chose some 1,000 elite soldiers ( 玄甲軍 ), clad in black uniform and black armor, commanded by himself, to serve as advance troops, with Qin Shubao , Yuchi Jingde , Cheng Zhijie ( 程知節 ), and Zhai Zhangsun ( 翟長孫 ) as his assistants. By spring 621, Luoyang

9577-576: The Qijuzhu. In the Tang dynasty, imperial diarists were in charge of the Qijuzhu. According to convention, the Qijuzhu should be edited and the original diary destroyed after the death of the emperor. The author of Da Tang Chuangye Qijuzhu (大唐创业起居注, "Imperial diary of the foundation of the Great Tang") was Wen Daya (c. 572 – 629 CE). He served as Li Yuan's staff of records and witnessed the establishment of Tang dynasty in 618. Da Tang Chuangye Qijuzhu

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9734-621: The Sacred Teachings ( 大唐三藏聖教序 ), and Emperor Taizong was at least a nominal Taoist. Also in 627, the general Li Yi the Prince of Yan—a late-Sui warlord who later submitted to Tang, who associated with Li Jiancheng—fearing that Emperor Taizong would eventually take action against him, rebelled at Bin Prefecture ( 豳州 , in modern Xianyang), but was quickly crushed by the official Yang Ji ( 楊岌 ) and killed in flight. Later that year, when Emperor Gaozu's cousin Li Youliang ( 李幼良 )

9891-521: The Sui capital Sui Chang'an, according to the 16th-century Persian traveler Hajji Mahomed, or Chaggi Memet). This account may correspond to the conquest of the Chen dynasty and reunification of China by Emperor Wen of Sui (r. 581–604). Simocatta names their ruler as Taisson , which he claimed meant Son of God , either correlating to the Chinese Tianzi (i.e. Son of Heaven ) or even the name of

10048-566: The Tang general Qibi Heli ( 契苾何力 ), the chieftain of the Qibi Tribe, was kidnapped by his own subordinates and taken to Xueyantuo. In order to ransom Qibi, Emperor Taizong made a promise to eventually give his daughter Princess Xinxing to Yinan in marriage, and Yinan released Qibi. In the winter 642, an event took place in Goguryeo that would eventually precipitate wars between Tang and Goguryeo. According to Chinese accounts King Yeongnyu ,

10205-403: The Turks were fearful of Xueyantuo and initially refused to head to their new location. Emperor Taizong issued an edict to Yinan that he and Li Simo keep their peace and not attack each other, and after receiving from Yinan the assurance that he would not attack, the Turks advanced to the new location. Taizong began a series of campaigns against the Western Turks ( Xitujue ) and their allies,

10362-672: The West. Theophylact Simocatta , a Byzantine Greek historian during the reign of Heraclius (r. 610–641), wrote that Taugast (or Taugas ; Old Turkic : Tabghach , from Tuoba , the Xianbei clan of Northern Wei ), was a great eastern empire in the Far East that ruled over Turkic people , with a capital city roughly 1,500 miles northeast from India that he called Khubdan (from the Turkic word Khumdan , meaning, Chang'an ), where idolatry

10519-495: The Xiongnu and released their leaders. This led them to surrender in large numbers, and he then massacred them. Only Liu escaped and fled to Liang Shidu , the Emperor of Liang. In 622, Li Jiancheng was one of the commanders that Li Yuan sent, along with Li Shimin, Li Zihe (李子和), and Duan Decao (段德操), to counter an Eastern Tujue incursion. Meanwhile, an intense rivalry had developed between Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin, who now carried

10676-658: The Xuanwu Gate incident. In Li Jiancheng's biography from the Old Book of Tang and the New Book of Tang , it took place after the Yang Wen'gan incident but several months before the Xuanwu Gate incident. However, in Fang Xuanling 's biography from the Old Book of Tang, it happened before the founding of Tang, and wine was not mentioned. It remains a mystery whether or not someone attempted to poison Li Shimin at

10833-632: The Zhenguan era, Tang China flourished economically and militarily. For more than a century after his death, China enjoyed prosperity and peace brought about by the solidification of imperial protection over the Chinese regions. In territorial extent, it covered most of the territories previously held by the Han dynasty as well as parts of modern-day Korea , Vietnam , Russia , Mongolia , Xinjiang , and Central Asia . This era of consolidation and conquest laid

10990-570: The ancestral home Hedong ( 河東 , in modern Yuncheng , Shanxi). Emperor Yang was soon dissatisfied with Li Yuan and Wang Rengong ( 王仁恭 ), the governor of Mayi Commandery ( 馬邑 , roughly modern Shuozhou , Shanxi), over their inability to stop Eastern Turkic incursions and the growing strength of agrarian rebels, particularly the Eastern Turkic -supported Liu Wuzhou , who soon rose against Wang, killed him, and captured Emperor Yang's secondary palace near Taiyuan. Li Yuan also became fearful of

11147-469: The army against Liu Heita. Li Yuan sent Li Jiancheng to attack Liu, assisted by Li Yuanji. Around the turn of the year, Liu's forces were bogged down while attacking Tang's Wei Prefecture (魏州, in modern Handan , Hebei ). Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji engaged him at Guantao , crushing him. Liu fled north toward the Eastern Tujue, but was ambushed and captured by his own official Zhuge Dewei (諸葛德威), who delivered him to Li Jiancheng. Li Jiancheng executed Liu. China

11304-425: The army there. According to Zizhi Tongjian , on the first day of the 6th lunar month of 626, three days before the Xuanwu Gate incident, Li Jiancheng hosted a banquet for Li Shimin and Li Yuanji at his residence, the Eastern Palace. Li Shimin was carried back home after a night of drinking. Li Shimin reported through officials at his residence that he started vomiting a lot of blood after returning home. Li Yuan sent

11461-424: The circuits to see whether the local officials were capable, to find out whether the people were suffering, to comfort the poor, and to select capable people to serve in civil service. (Li Jing initially recommended Wei Zheng , but Emperor Taizong declined sending Wei, stating that Wei needed to stay to point out his faults and that he could not afford to have Wei away even for a single day.) Around this time, Tang

11618-1340: The city a 53.56% urbanization rate . There are 28 ethnic minorities in Linfen with a population exceeding 10,000 people: the Hui , the Manchu , the Tujia , Mongols , the Miao , the Zhuang , Koreans , the Yi , the Buyi , the Bai , Uyghurs , the Mulao , the She , Tibetans , the Li , the Dong , the Yao , Tajiks , the Gelao , the Daur , the Lahu , the Wa , the Hani , the Tu ,

11775-515: The city's administrative area, at 20,275 square kilometres (7,828 sq mi), covers 13% of the province's area. Within its borders Linfen City has a variety of topographical features. It is characterised as having a "U" shape, with its mountains, covering 29.2% of the prefectural area, on all four cardinal directions, a basin, the Linfen Basin ( 临汾盆地 ), covering 19.4%, in the middle, and intervening hills, covering 51.4%, in between. In

11932-471: The city, resulting in much less coal dust. The city has also switched much of its heating source from coal to gas. 197 large coal-fired boilers and more than 600 smaller boilers were decommissioned. As of 2007, 85% of population used natural gas rather than coal for their heating. The State Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) has forced many of the less-efficient smaller factories to close and enforced stricter standards for larger factories including mandating

12089-547: The commands that they received, sending them to their posts—with the exception of his son Li Tai the Prince of Wei, who by this point was beginning to be highly favored by him. He further allowed Li Tai to engage literary men to serve as his assistants, as Li Tai favored literature. From this point on, Li Tai would be so favored that there began to be talks that Emperor Taizong might let him displace Li Chengqian, whose favors began to wane. In fall 636, Empress Zhangsun died. Emperor Taizong mourned her bitterly and personally wrote

12246-411: The contemporary ruler Emperor Taizong. Also in 643, Emperor Taizong would see major turmoil among his own closest family. In spring 643, his son Li You ( 李祐 ) the Prince of Qi, angry over restrictions that his secretary general Quan Wanji ( 權萬紀 ) had often placed on him, killed Quan and declared a rebellion. Emperor Taizong sent Li Shiji against Li You, but before Li Shiji could engage Li You, Li You

12403-446: The contributors to Tang rule and granted them titles and fiefs, naming among the first rank of contributors Zhangsun Wuji , Fang Xuanling , Du Ruhui , Yuchi Jingde , and Hou Junji . When Li Shentong, as his distant uncle, objected to being ranked under Fang and Du, Emperor Taizong personally explained how Fang and Du's strategies allowed him to be successful, and this managed to get the other objectors to quiet down, as Emperor Taizong

12560-560: The decision to revolt to Li Yuan himself. When Li Yuan was initially assigned to Jinyang in 616, he was pleased and regarded his assignment as a divinely-granted opportunity. But just one year later, in 617, Li Yuan said to Li Shimin: "The Sui Empire is about to collapse and the next family to rule this country will be us. The only reason I haven't yet started a rebellion is because your brothers are still in Hedong". Li Yuan sent secret messengers to Hedong to transfer his family to Jinyang. During

12717-622: The development, considered abandoning the region altogether. Li Shimin opposed doing so and offered to lead the army against Liu. Emperor Gaozu agreed and commissioned him with an army. He crossed the Yellow River and approached Liu's major general Song Jingang ( 宋金剛 ) but did not engage him, choosing to try to wear Song out, only having his subordinates Yin Kaishan and Qin Shubao engage the other Dingyang generals Yuchi Jingde and Xun Xiang ( 尋相 ) in relatively low-level engagements. Eventually, in spring 620, when Liu and Song ran out of food supplies, they retreated, and Li Shimin gave chase, dealing Song

12874-406: The discord between him and Li Shimin on Li Jiancheng's staff members Wang Gui and Wei Ting ( 韋挺 ) and Li Shimin's staff member Du Yan , exiling them to Xi Prefecture ( 巂州 , roughly modern Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture , Sichuan). Later that year, Emperor Gaozu, troubled by repeated Göktürk incursions, seriously considered burning Chang'an to the ground and moving the capital to Fancheng ,

13031-399: The earnest opposition by Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin, continued to advance. After defeating Sui forces at Huoyi ( 霍邑 , also in modern Yuncheng), he decided to leave a small contingent to watch over Hedong while advancing across the Yellow River into Guanzhong (i.e., the Chang'an region). Once he did, he headed for Chang'an himself, while sending Li Jiancheng to capture the territory around

13188-804: The east, from north to south, are Mount Huo ( 霍山 ) and the Zhongtiao Mountains ; in the west are the Lüliang Mountains , with elevations mostly above 1,000 metres (3,300 ft). The highest point in the prefecture is the main peak of Mount Huo, at 2,347 metres (7,700 ft), and the lowest is in Xiangning County, at 385 metres (1,263 ft). Important rivers in the area include the Yellow, Fen, Xinshui ( 昕水河 ), Qin ( 沁河 ), Hui ( 浍河 ), E ( 鄂河 ), and Qingshui Rivers ( 清水河 ). The whole prefecture-level city features

13345-447: The emissary Feng Dexia ( 馮德遐 ) to Tibet with an eye toward an alliance against Tuyuhun. In winter 634, he commissioned Li Jing , assisted by the other generals Hou Junji , Xue Wanjun , Xue Wanche , Qibi Heli , Li Daozong , Li Daliang , Li Daoyan ( 李道彥 ), and Gao Zengsheng ( 高甑生 ), to attack Tuyuhun. In 635, Li Jing's forces crushed Tuyuhun forces. Murong Fuyun was killed by his own subordinates, and his son Murong Shun killed

13502-496: The estate and became the head of the house of Hedong (河東, in modern Yuncheng , Shanxi ) while Li Yuan was away. Li Yuan took his younger son Li Shimin with him to the city Jinyang, which was the administrative center of Taiyuan. According to the traditional narrative in the official historical records , in 617 Li Yuan was persuaded by Li Shimin to rebel against Sui rule (see " Historical sources " below). Another source, Wen Daya's (溫大雅) Da Tang Chuangye Qijuzhu (大唐創業起居注), attributes

13659-434: The fortress of Huoyi (霍邑, in modern Linfen , Shanxi ), eventually convincing Li Yuan to bypass Hedong and directly advance toward Chang'an. After he crossed the Yellow River into Guanzhong (i.e., the Chang'an region), he sent Li Jiancheng with Liu Wenjing (劉文靜) east to guard Tong Pass and Yongfeng Storage (永豐倉) and to stop any potential Sui reinforcements from the eastern capital Luoyang . He also sent Li Shimin north of

13816-463: The foundation for Xuanzong 's reign, which is considered to be the height of the Tang dynasty. In 630, Emperor Taizong sent his general Li Jing against the Eastern Turks , defeating and capturing their Jiali Khan Ashina Duobi and destroying their power . This made Tang the dominant power in East and Central Asia, and Emperor Taizong subsequently took the title of Tengri Qaghan . He also launched

13973-450: The fourth century. "He kept court at Pingyang in [Shanxi] and ruled over central and southern [Shanxi], over [Shaanxi] (except for the Han basin), northern [Henan] (except for Kaifeng ), southern [Hebei], and northern [Shandong]." In the 10th century, the city's walls were considered "fortified beyond approach". In the 1980s, Linfen was nicknamed "The Modern Fruit and Flower Town". Linfen

14130-403: The general Li Anyan ( 李安儼 ), and his brothers-in-law Zhao Jie ( 趙節 ) and Du He ( 杜荷 , Du Ruhui's son) to overthrow Emperor Taizong. During the investigations in the aftermaths of Li You's rebellion, one of the co-conspirators, Li Chengqian's guard Gegan Chengji ( 紇干承基 ), was implicated by association, and in order to save himself, he revealed Li Chengqian's plot. Emperor Taizong was shocked by

14287-551: The installation of sulfur scrubbers. Since 2006, the government has taken a series of measures to modify industrial structure and economic development mode. Relevant policies was issued such as emission thresholds of industrial pollution. Over the last few years the Ministry of Environmental Protection has been closely monitoring Linfen's environment conditions. While the China Youth Daily reported in 2014 that Linfen

14444-504: The journey one of Li Jiancheng's younger brothers, Li Zhiyun, died. He also summoned his son-in-law Chai Shao from Chang'an . At the urging of Li Yuan's daughter, Chai Shao left Chang'an on his own while she went into hiding. Even before Li Jiancheng, Li Yuanji, and Chai Shao arrived at Jinyang, Li Yuan rebelled, declaring that he intended to support Emperor Yang's grandson Yang You , the Prince of Dai, as emperor , while honoring Emperor Yang as Taishang Huang (retired emperor). Yang You

14601-461: The king of Goguryeo, was apprehensive about his general Yeon Gaesomun and was plotting with his other officials to kill Yeon. When Yeon received the news, he started a coup and killed the king and the high level officials. He declared King Yeongnyu's nephew Go Jang ( King Bojang ) king, while taking power himself with the title of Dae Mangniji ( Korean :  대막리지 ; Hanja :  大莫離支 , Generalissimo ). When Emperor Taizong received

14758-708: The loss of the Persian heartland to the Islamic Rashidun Caliphate , which may have also prompted the Byzantines to send envoys to China amid their recent loss of Syria to the Muslims . Tang Chinese sources also recorded how Sassanid prince Peroz III (636–679) fled to Tang China following the conquest of Persia by the growing Islamic caliphate . The expansion of China's power into Central Asia under Emperor Taizong seems to have been noticed in

14915-458: The modern Sichuan region as the Prince of Shu. After Li Shimin left, however, Li Yuanji, Li Yuan's concubines, and the chancellor Feng Deyi , all spoke on Li Jiancheng's behalf, and Li Yuan changed his mind, released Li Jiancheng, and allowed him to return to Chang'an as crown prince. Li Yuan then blamed the discord between his sons on Li Jiancheng's staff members Wang Gui and Wei Ting (韋挺), and Li Shimin's staff member Du Yan , exiling them. Yang

15072-459: The monetary and human costs would be high to keep a permanent garrison at Gaochang, but Emperor Taizong disagreed, and he converted Gaochang into two prefectures and annexed it into his state. In winter 640, Songsän Gampo sent his prime minister Gar Tongtsen Yülsung ("Lu Dongzan" ( 祿東贊 ) in Chinese) as an emissary to Tang, offering tributes and again requesting marriage. Emperor Taizong created

15229-547: The news, and he appointed Zhangsun Wuji , Fang Xuanling , Xiao Yu , and Li Shiji , along with the officials in charge of the supreme court and the legislative and examination bureaus of the government to carry out a joint investigation. At the suggestion of the mid-level official Lai Ji , Emperor Taizong deposed, but did not kill, Li Chengqian, while ordering Li Yuanchang to commit suicide and executing Hou Junji, Li Anyan, Zhao, and Du. Taizong's eldest son Li Chengqian chose to speak Turkic, dress in Turkic clothes and even set up

15386-450: The news, there were suggestions that an attack be launched against Goguryeo, suggestions that Emperor Taizong initially declined. In spring 643, Wei died, and Emperor Taizong mourned him bitterly, authoring Wei's monument himself and, prior to Wei's death, promising to give his daughter Princess Hengshan in marriage to Wei's son Wei Shuyu ( 魏叔玉 ). Later in spring, Emperor Taizong commissioned 24 portraits at Lingyan Pavilion to commemorate

15543-589: The next few years, the rivalry intensified, although during the meantime both Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin served as generals when the Eastern Göktürks made incursions. In 623, when the general Fu Gongshi rebelled at Danyang ( 丹楊 , in modern Nanjing , Jiangsu), Emperor Gaozu briefly commissioned Li Shimin to attack Fu, but soon cancelled the order and sent Li Shimin's cousin Li Xiaogong the Prince of Zhao Commandery instead. In 624, when Li Jiancheng

15700-413: The next morning, convening the senior officials Pei Ji, Xiao Yu , and Chen Shuda to examine Li Shimin's accusations. As Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji approached the central gate leading to Emperor Gaozu's palace, Xuanwu Gate ( 玄武門 ), Li Shimin carried out the ambush he had set. He personally fired an arrow that killed Li Jiancheng. Subsequently, Yuchi Jingde killed Li Yuanji. Li Shimin's forces entered

15857-491: The next morning, convening the senior officials Pei Ji, Xiao Yu , and Chen Shuda to examine Li Shimin's accusations. As Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji approached the central gate leading to Li Yuan's palace, Xuanwu Gate (玄武門), Li Shimin ambushed them. He personally fired the arrow that killed Li Jiancheng, and Yuchi killed Li Yuanji. Li Shimin's forces entered the palace and, under this intimidation, Li Yuan agreed to make Li Shimin crown prince. Two months later, Li Shimin succeeded to

16014-536: The oasis states of the Tarim Basin , around 640. These hostilities between the Western Turks and Tang would continue until the defeat and conquest of the Western Turks in 657 under Taizong's successor, Gaozong. The kingdoms of Shule and Khotan surrendered to the Chinese in 632, as did the kingdom of Yarkand in 635. Qu Wentai ( 麴文泰 ), the king of Gaochang , who had previously been submissive to Tang, had become increasingly hostile to Tang, allying with

16171-696: The official histories. The truth that had intentionally been distorted and ignored by later official historians can be found in the Da Tang Chuangye Qijuzhu . Consort and issue(s) Li Jiancheng's tombstone was lost for many years. It was recovered in 2013, and the inscription was released to the public on June 8, 2013. There are 55 characters in total, as follows: “大唐故息隐王墓志。王讳建成。武德九年六月四日薨于京师。粤于贞观二年岁次戊子正月已酉朔十三日辛酉。葬于雍州长安县之高阳原。” Emperor Taizong of Tang Emperor Taizong of Tang (28   January 598 – 10   July 649), previously Prince of Qin , personal name Li Shimin ,

16328-481: The officials began advocating sending the Turks away from the heart of the state. In fall 639, Emperor Taizong created a Turkish prince who had served him faithfully, Li Simo (né Ashina Simo) as the khan of a newly recreated Eastern Turkic state (as Qilibi Khan ), giving him all of the Turks and Xiongnu who had surrendered as his subordinates, to be settled north of the Great Wall and the Yellow River. However,

16485-629: The officials in charge did not recognize Li Yuan's authorities) under attack by the rebel ruler Li Mi the Duke of Wei, Li Yuan sent Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin to Luoyang, ostensibly to aid the Sui forces at Luoyang but instead intending to test whether Luoyang might submit to him. The officials at Luoyang rebuffed his attempt at rapprochement, and Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin, not wanting to fight either them or Li Mi for control of Luoyang at this stage, withdrew. Li Yuan subsequently changed Li Shimin's title to Duke of Zhao. In summer 618, when news arrived at Chang'an that Emperor Yang had been killed at Jiangdu in

16642-462: The ones that arrived first. Li Shimin's staff was full of talented men, but Li Jiancheng was supported by Li Yuanji, as well as Emperor Gaozu's concubines , who had better relationships with Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji than they did with Li Shimin. Late in 622, when Liu Heita returned east after receiving aid from the Eastern Turks , defeating and killing Li Shimin's cousin Li Daoxuan ( 李道玄 ),

16799-401: The only remaining major threat against Tang rule was Liu Heita , the Prince of Handong. He had been a Xia general, and rose against Tang after Li Yuan had executed Dou Jiande. He had been defeated by Li Shimin earlier in the year. Li Jiancheng's staff members Wang Gui and Wei Zheng argued to him that he needed some victories to establish his reputation, and Li Jiancheng volunteered to command

16956-429: The palace and, under the intimidation of Li Shimin's forces, Emperor Gaozu agreed to create Li Shimin crown prince. Li Jiancheng's and Li Yuanji's sons were killed, and Li Shimin took Li Yuanji's wife Princess Yang as a concubine. Two months later, with Li Shimin firmly in control of power, Emperor Gaozu yielded the throne to him (as Emperor Taizong). One of the first actions that Emperor Taizong carried out as emperor

17113-420: The plan because they believed that this would give Li Shimin an opportunity to build up his personal power. They expressed their concerns to Li Yuan's ministers, who explained to him that this plan could escalate a brotherly rivalry into a civil conflict. Li Yuan therefore did not carry out the plan. The date and the veracity of this event are both disputed. According to Zizhi Tongjian , it happened 3 days before

17270-471: The plan. Meanwhile, the rivalry continued. Traditional historical accounts also indicated that at one point, when Li Shimin visited Li Yuanji's mansion, Li Yuanji wanted to assassinate Li Shimin, but Li Jiancheng, who could not resolve to kill a brother, stopped the plot. There was yet another incident in which Li Jiancheng, knowing that a horse threw its rider easily, had Li Shimin ride it, causing Li Shimin to fall off from it several times. By 626, Li Shimin

17427-476: The principle industries. After a World Bank report in 2006 called Linfen "the most polluted city in the world", the local government began closing a number of mines and factories, costing the city's economy $ 300 million in 2007 alone. A number of industries also refitted their facilities to track and reduce pollution. The city's economy stagnated in the following years. Linfen Yaodu Airport , in Yaodu district,

17584-422: The reign of Li Shimin at his order. On the basis of other material, most importantly Da-Tang Chuangye Qijuzhu , historians have been able to correct some of the bias and distortions of the official histories about the founding of the Tang dynasty. Da Tang Chuangye Qijuzhu provides a clear example of how Li Shimin rewritten history for his own favor. It also explains Li Jiancheng's historical image contradictions in

17741-646: The resultant flood destroying the rebel army. Liu fled to the Eastern Turks , while Li Shimin then headed east and defeated Xu. After leaving Li Shiji, Li Shentong, and Ren Gui ( 任瓌 ) to continue attacking Xu, Li Shimin returned to Chang'an. By this point, Li Shimin and his older brother Li Jiancheng, who was created crown prince in 618, reportedly after Emperor Gaozu first offered the position to Li Shimin due to his contributions, were locked in an intense rivalry, as Li Shimin's accomplishments caused people to speculate that he would displace Li Jiancheng as crown prince, and Li Jiancheng, while an accomplished general himself,

17898-630: The secondary Jinyang Palace ( 晉陽宮 , which Pei was in charge with and had allowed Li Yuan to do so), all of them would be slaughtered. Li Yuan agreed to rebel, and after secretly summoning Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji from Hedong and his son-in-law Chai Shao ( 柴紹 ) from the capital Chang'an , he declared a rebellion, claiming to want to support Emperor Yang's grandson Yang You the Prince of Dai, nominally in charge at Chang'an with Emperor Yang at Jiangdu ( 江都 , in modern Yangzhou , Jiangsu), as emperor. He made both Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin major generals and advanced southwest, toward Chang'an. He gave Li Shimin

18055-499: The text of her monument. In summer 637, Emperor Taizong recreated the feudal scheme that he had considered and abandoned in 631, creating 35 hereditary prefect posts. (By 639, however, the system was again abandoned after much opposition.) Sometime before 638, Emperor Taizong, disgusted with the traditional noble clans of Cui, Lu, Li, and Zheng and believing that they were abusing their highly honored names, commissioned Gao Shilian , Wei Ting, Linghu Defen , and Cen Wenben to compile

18212-489: The throne to him. He established the Tang dynasty, and declared himself emperor. He also made Li Jiancheng crown prince on 4 July. In 619, Li Yuan sent Li Jiancheng to attack the peasant rebel leader Zhu Shanhai (祝山海), the Duke of Huxiang. Li Jiancheng defeated Zhu. Later that year Li Gui , the Emperor of Liang, was captured in a coup by his official An Xinggui (安興貴), who then surrendered to Tang. Li Yuan sent Li Jiancheng to welcome An and to escort Li Gui to Chang'an, where An

18369-457: The throne, Li Shimin engaged him, and after a fierce battle between Li Shimin and Xue Rengao's major general Zong Luohou ( 宗羅睺 ), Li Shimin crushed Zong's forces, and then attacked Xue Rengao. Xue Rengao was forced to withdraw into the city of Gaozhi ( 高墌 , in modern Xianyang as well), and once he did, his soldiers began surrendering to Li Shimin en masse. Xue Rengao was himself forced to surrender. Li Shimin had him delivered to Chang'an, where he

18526-457: The throne. Li Jiancheng's five sons were all executed. Li Jiancheng was initially reduced to commoner rank. After Emperor Taizong took the throne, he posthumously granted Li Jiancheng the title of Prince of Xi and assigned his own son Li Fu (李福) into Li Jiancheng's lineage as Li Jiancheng's heir. He also buried Li Jiancheng with the ceremonies due to an imperial prince. In July 642, he restored Li Jiancheng's crown prince title. However, Li Jiancheng

18683-609: The time ripe for a major attack on the Eastern Turks , Emperor Taizong commissioned the general Li Jing with overall command of a multi-pronged army, assisted by the generals Li Shiji , Li Daozong , Chai Shao, Xue Wanche ( 薛萬徹 , Xue Wanjun's brother) and Su Dingfang , attacking the Eastern Turks at multiple points. The army was successful in its attacks, forcing Ashina Duobi to flee, and by late spring 630, Ashina Duobi had been captured, and Eastern-Turkic chieftains all submitted to Tang. Emperor Taizong spared Ashina Duobi but detained him at Chang'an, and he considered what to do with

18840-408: The title "Prince Yin of Xi " (息隐王). Later, he was buried with the ceremonies due to an imperial prince. On 9 July 642, Li Jiancheng's title of Crown Prince Yin (隐太子) was restored. Li Jiancheng was born in 589 during the reign of Emperor Wen of Sui . He was the oldest son of Li Yuan , then Duke of Tang, who was a hereditary noble, and Li Yuan's wife Duchess Dou , who was the daughter of Dou Yi (竇毅),

18997-401: The title Prince of Qin. Although Li Jiancheng had made contributions towards Tang's reunification of China, Li Shimin had defeated a number of the most important contenders including Xue Rengao , the Emperor of Qin, Wang Shichong , the Emperor of Zheng, and Dou Jiande , the Prince of Xia. Li Shimin therefore had a stronger reputation in the army. Li Yuanji was also often relied on by Li Yuan as

19154-425: The title of Heir apparent of Tang. In 616, with rebellions beginning to engulf northern China and frequent Eastern Tujue incursions across the border, Emperor Yang of Sui commissioned Li Yuan to be the commander of Taiyuan , guarding it against both rebels and the Eastern Tujue. As the chief commander of Taiyuan, Li Yuan was obligated by law to leave his family behind. Li Jiancheng was therefore put in charge of

19311-497: The title of Duke of Dunhuang. After defeating local Sui forces loyal to Emperor Yang, he defeated a Sui army of 30,000 men under the command of a veteran general of the wars in Korea outside of modern-day Beijing. However, when Li Yuan arrived near Hedong, his army was bogged down by the weather. With food running out, there were rumors that the Eastern Turks and Liu Wuzhou would attack Taiyuan. Li Yuan initially ordered retreat, but at

19468-486: The wedding. In summer 634, Emperor Taizong had the generals Duan Zhixuan and Fan Xing ( 樊興 ) lead forces against Tuyuhun, but with Tuyuhun's forces highly mobile and avoiding direct confrontation, Duan, while not defeated, could not make major gains. Once Duan withdrew, Tuyuhun resumed hostilities. In winter 634, with the Tibetan king Songtsän Gampo making overtures to marry a Tang princess as well, Emperor Taizong sent

19625-543: The west. It is situated along the banks of the Fen River . It has an area of 20,275 square kilometres (7,828 sq mi) and according to the 2020 Census , a population of 3,976,481 inhabitants of which 959,198 live in the built-up (or metro) area made up of Yaodu urban district . The GDP of Linfen ranked second in Shanxi Province . It was known as Pingyang ( 平陽 ) during the Spring and Autumn period . In 2006,

19782-612: The world's ten dirtiest cities by the Popular Science website. The city has ranked at the bottom of the World Bank's air quality rankings. From its low point, in 2004, with only fifteen days out of the year with an acceptable level of air pollution , the environmental situation has improved. After a series of negative reports on the extreme level of pollution in the city, efforts were made to clean up Linfen. Substandard mines were closed. Coal trucks were kept from entering

19939-750: The year, Wang Junkuo ( 王君廓 ), the commandant at You Prefecture ( 幽州 , roughly modern Beijing), also rebelled, but was defeated quickly and killed in flight. However, although there were also reports that Feng Ang ( 馮盎 ), a warlord in the Lingnan region, was rebelling, Emperor Taizong, at Wei's suggestion, sent messengers to comfort Feng, and Feng submitted. Also in 627, Emperor Taizong, seeing that there were too many prefectures and counties, consolidated and merged many of them, and further created another level of local political organization above prefectures—the circuit ( 道 ; dào )—dividing his state into 10 circuits. In 628, with Ashina Duobi and Ashina Shibobi having

20096-578: Was Dou, he surrendered. Xia forces, after initially fleeing back to their capital Mingzhou (now Guangfu, Hebei ), also surrendered. Zheng and Xia territory were Tang's. Li Shimin returned to Chang'an in a grand victory procession and, to reward Li Shimin, Emperor Gaozu awarded both him and Li Yuanji three mints so that they could mint money of their own. He also bestowed on Li Shimin the special title of "Grand General of Heavenly Strategies" ( 天策上將 ; tiāncè shàngjiàng ). Meanwhile, Li Shimin's staff, already full of generals and strategists, were supplemented with

20253-464: Was a frank rationalist and scholar of logic and scientific reason , openly scorning superstitions and claims of signs from the heavens. He also modified important rites in order to ease the burden of agricultural labour. The modern Chinese historian Bo Yang opined that Emperor Taizong achieved greatness by enduring criticism which others would find difficult to accept whilst trying hard not to abuse his absolute power (using Emperor Yang of Sui as

20410-622: Was a sister of Empress Dugu , both of whom were daughters of Dugu Xin , a major Xianbei general during Sui's predecessor dynasty Northern Zhou . Li Shimin's mother, Li Yuan's wife Duchess Dou , was a daughter of Dou Yi ( 竇毅 ), the Duke of Shenwu, and his wife, Northern Zhou's Princess Xiangyang. Li Shimin was also of partial Xianbei descent. Duchess Dou bore Li Yuan four sons—an older brother to Li Shimin, Li Jiancheng , and two younger brothers, Li Yuanba ( 李元霸 ), who would die in 614, and Li Yuanji – and at least one daughter (the later Princess Pingyang ). Li Yuan named Li Shimin "Shimin" as

20567-417: Was a three-chapter book with a detailed narrative and a firsthand account of the 357 days of insurrection. His work was finished before Li Shimin began censoring the official imperial records. Since Wen Daya was a supporter of Li Shimin, he did not feel a need to exaggerate Li Jiancheng's contribution to Tang's founding. As the only complete original court diary left from pre-Qing times, Da Tang Chuangye Qijuzhu

20724-693: Was besieged by Da shi ( 大食 ; the Arabs of the Umayyad Caliphate ) and their commander "Mo-yi" ( 摩拽 ; i.e. Muawiyah I , governor of Syria before becoming caliph ), who forced the Byzantines to pay tribute. Henry Yule highlights the fact that Yazdegerd III (r. 632–651), last ruler of the Sasanian Empire , sent diplomats to China for securing aid from Emperor Taizong ( considered the suzerain over Ferghana in Central Asia) during

20881-461: Was by this point almost completely unified by Tang. In 623, when the Eastern Tujue made another incursion into Tang territory, Li Yuan again sent Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin to guard against the attack. Meanwhile, Li Yuanji suggested to Li Jiancheng that he could have Li Shimin assassinated when Li Shimin was visiting Li Yuanji's mansion, but Li Jiancheng refused, not having the heart to kill

21038-445: Was captured by his own subordinate Du Xingmin ( 杜行敏 ) and delivered to Chang'an, where Emperor Taizong ordered him to commit suicide and executed 44 of his associates. The death of Li You drew out news of another plot. Li Chengqian, who had been fearful that Emperor Taizong would eventually remove him and replace him with Li Tai, had begun to conspire with Hou Junji , Li Yuanchang ( 李元昌 ) the Prince of Han (Emperor Taizong's brother),

21195-505: Was concerned. He was also willing to demote his own trusted advisors, as he demoted Gao Shilian after finding that Gao had held back submissions from his deputy Wang Gui. Viewing Sui's Emperor Yang as a negative example, he frequently solicited criticism, rewarding those officials willing to offer them, particularly Wei and Wang Gui. His openness to opposing ideas was also evident in his attempt to reconcile traditional Taoist religion and Buddhism , as demonstrated in his Emperor's Preface to

21352-621: Was encouraging Yang to start a rebellion so that they could seize power together. Li Yuan, then at Renzhi Palace (仁智宮, in modern Tongchuan , Shaanxi ), was incensed, and summoned Li Jiancheng, then at Chang'an, to Renzhi Palace. Li Jiancheng briefly flirted with the idea of occupying Chang'an instead of accepting the order, but eventually reported to Renzhi Palace to request forgiveness. Li Yuan put him under arrest. When Yang heard this, Yang rebelled, and Li Yuan sent Li Shimin to attack Yang. Li Yuan promised Li Shimin that he would replace Li Jiancheng as crown prince, and that Li Jiancheng would be sent to

21509-478: Was even willing to rank low such an honored individual as Li Shentong. Emperor Taizong also buried Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji with honors due imperial princes and had their staff members attend the funeral processions. Meanwhile, he appeared to begin to reshuffle government further—which he had already begun after being created crown prince—by dismissing his father's trusted advisors Xiao Yu and Chen Shuda , making his own trusted advisors chancellors. (Xiao, however,

21666-446: Was executed by Li Yuan. Meanwhile, Li Jiancheng was developing a reputation for leniency but was addicted to drinking and hunting. Li Yuan was worried that he was ignorant about politics and uninterested in working for the state. He added his key ministers Li Gang (李綱) and Zheng Shanguo (鄭善果) to Li Jiancheng's staff. On July 1, 620, Li Shimin was sent to fight Wang Shichong. In the fall of 620, reports came in that Li Zhongwen (李仲文), who

21823-720: Was executed. Around new year 619, Emperor Gaozu made Li Shimin Taiwei ( 太尉 , one of the Three Excellencies ) and put him in charge of Tang operations east of the Tong Pass. In spring 619, Liu Wuzhou launched a major offensive against Tang. He captured Taiyuan in summer 619, forcing Li Yuanji , who had been in charge there, to flee, and then continued his offensive south. Emperor Gaozu sent Pei Ji against him, but by winter 619, Liu had crushed Pei's forces and taken over nearly all of modern Shanxi. Emperor Gaozu, shocked at

21980-479: Was experiencing the great change from the "most polluted city" to "model city of environmental protection", other sources suggest that little progress has been made in combating pollution. In 2018, the Chinese government openly criticized the city's failure to meet pollution targets, and a 2019 report by the Chinese Ministry of Ecology and Environment found that the city's air pollution was the worst among

22137-570: Was fearful that he would be killed by Li Jiancheng, and his staff members Fang Xuanling , Du Ruhui , and Zhangsun Wuji were repeatedly encouraging Li Shimin to attack Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji first—while Wei Zheng was encouraging Li Jiancheng to attack Li Shimin first. Li Jiancheng persuaded Emperor Gaozu to remove Fang and Du, as well as Li Shimin's trusted guard generals Yuchi Jingde and Cheng Zhijie , from Li Shimin's staff. Zhangsun Wuji , who remained on Li Shimin's staff, continued to try to persuade Li Shimin to attack first. In summer 626,

22294-526: Was forced to withdraw back to Chang'an, and Liu and Yin were removed from their posts. (This would be Li Shimin's only defeat recorded in historical records until the Goguryeo campaign of 645.) Xue Ju, in light of his victory, was ready to launch an assault on Chang'an itself, under Hao Yuan's advice, but suddenly died of an illness in fall 618 and was succeeded by Xue Rengao. Emperor Gaozu then sent Li Shimin against Xue Rengao. Three months after Xue Rengao took

22451-536: Was found to have, against regulations, tried to add soldiers to his guard corps, Emperor Gaozu was so angry that he put Li Jiancheng under arrest. In fear, Li Jiancheng's guard commander Yang Wen'gan ( 楊文幹 ) rebelled. Emperor Gaozu sent Li Shimin against Yang, offering to make him crown prince after he returned. After Li Shimin left, however, Feng Deyi (now a chancellor), Li Yuanji, and the concubines all spoke on Li Jiancheng's behalf, and after Li Shimin returned, Emperor Gaozu did not depose Li Jiancheng, but instead blamed

22608-416: Was having increasing conflicts with Tuyuhun , whose Busabo Khan Murong Fuyun , under instigation by his strategist the Prince of Tianzhu, had been repeatedly attacking Tang prefectures on the borders. At one point, Murong Fuyun sought to have a Tang princess marry his son the Prince of Zun, but the marriage negotiations broke down over Emperor Taizong's insistence that the Prince of Zun come to Chang'an for

22765-432: Was in desperate situation, and Xia forces had not yet arrived, but Tang troops had also suffered serious casualties, as Luoyang's defenses, aided by powerful bows and catapults, were holding. Emperor Gaozu, hearing that Dou had decided to come to Wang's aid, ordered Li Shimin to withdraw, but Li Shimin sent his secretary Feng Deyi to Chang'an to explain to Emperor Gaozu that if he did withdraw, Wang would recover and again be

22922-400: Was merely again looking at tradition and not the recent contributions. He therefore personally intervened in revising the work, reducing Cui's clan to the third class. In fall 638, Tibet's Songtsän Gampo, displeased that Emperor Taizong had declined to give him a Tang princess in marriage and believing that Murong Nuohebo had persuaded Emperor Taizong to decline the marriage proposal, launched

23079-431: Was never fully rehabilitated and his daughters still had the status of daughters of a common prince, rather than a crown prince. "Qijuzhu" is a type of imperial diary which records the emperor's daily activities that appeared as early as the Han dynasty. The purpose of Qijuzhu is to help govern the emperor's behavior by faithfully recording the actions and words of the Emperor in court. The emperor must not read or ask about

23236-423: Was nominally in charge of the capital city Chang'an at the time. Li Yuan made both Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin key generals, and in nine days they captured Xihe Commandery (西河, roughly modern Lüliang , Shanxi ), impressing their father. Subsequently, Li Yuan divided his forces into six armies, giving Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin command of three armies each. He also made Li Jiancheng the Duke of Longxi and Li Shimin

23393-487: Was overshadowed by his younger brother. The court became divided into a faction favoring the Crown Prince and a faction favoring the Prince of Qin. The rivalry was particularly causing problems within the capital, as the commands of the Crown Prince, the Prince of Qin, and the Prince of Qi Li Yuanji were said to have the same force as the emperor's edicts, and the officials had to carry conflicting orders out by acting on

23550-484: Was practiced but the people were wise and lived by just laws. He depicted the Chinese empire as being divided by a great river (i.e. the Yangzi ) that served as the boundary between two rival states at war , yet during the reign of Byzantine Emperor Maurice (582–602 AD) the northerners wearing "black coats" conquered the "red coats" of the south (black being a distinctive color worn by the people of Shaanxi , location of

23707-430: Was releasing a number of ladies in waiting from the palace and returning them to their homes, so that they could be married. He made his wife Princess Zhangsun the empress, and their oldest son Li Chengqian the crown prince. Emperor Taizong also immediately faced a crisis, as the Eastern Turkic leader Illig Qaghan (Ashina Duobi), along with his nephew the subordinate Tuli Khan Ashina Shibobi ( 阿史那什鉢苾 ), launched

23864-465: Was secure, Emperor Taizong attempted to do so by making repeated statements to that effect, but his continued favoring of Li Tai led to continued speculation among officials. Also by 642, Xueyantuo had posed a sufficiently serious threat (albeit still formally submissive) that Emperor Taizong saw two alternatives—destroying it by force or forming into a heqin relationship by marrying one of his daughters to Yinan. This particularly became an issue after

24021-417: Was soon restored to being chancellor, although his career during Emperor Taizong's reign would see repeated dismissals and repeated restorations.) However, he also began to greatly pay attention to the officials' submissions and their criticism of imperial governance, making changes where he saw needed. He also particularly began to trust Wei Zheng , accepting much advice from Wei as far as his personal conduct

24178-452: Was subsequently assassinated by his own subordinates. Later that year, Li Yuan, troubled by repeated Eastern Tujue incursions, seriously considered burning Chang'an to the ground and moving the capital to Fancheng , a suggestion that Li Jiancheng, Li Yuanji, and the chancellor Pei Ji agreed with. Li Shimin opposed the plan, however, and it was not carried out. Meanwhile, Li Shimin sent his confidants to Luoyang to build up personal control of

24335-475: Was the second emperor of the Tang dynasty of China, ruling from 626 to 649. He is traditionally regarded as a co-founder of the dynasty for his role in encouraging his father Li Yuan (Emperor Gaozu) to rebel against the Sui dynasty at Jinyang in 617. Taizong subsequently played a pivotal role in defeating several of the dynasty's most dangerous opponents and solidifying its rule over China proper . Taizong

24492-517: Was then in charge at Taiyuan, was planning to rebel. Li Yuan sent Li Jiancheng to Pufan (蒲反, i.e., Hedong) to guard against Li Zhongwen, while summoning Li Zhongwen back to the capital. Li Zhongwen complied and was later executed. In spring 621 the Xiongnu chieftain Liu Xiancheng (劉仚成) harassed Tang's border territory. Li Yuan sent Li Jiancheng to attack Liu. Li Jiancheng captured a number of

24649-412: Was then under attack by the rebel leader Li Mi , Duke of Wei, ostensibly to help the Sui forces there. The Sui forces rejected the overture, and Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin returned to Chang'an. Later in the spring of 618, Emperor Yang, then at Jiangdu (江都, in modern Yangzhou , Jiangsu ), was killed in a coup led by the general Yuwen Huaji . When this news arrived at Chang'an, Li Yuan had Yang You yield

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