|
Niu–Li Factional Strife
The Niu–Li factional strife () was an ongoing contention at the court of the mid-to late Tang dynasty. It is largely viewed to have started during the reign of Emperor Muzong, circa 821, but having its seeds in the events of his father Emperor Xianzong—between two court factions later to be referred to by Chinese historians as the Niu Faction (牛黨), named after Niu Sengru, which was largely viewed as a faction of officials from humble origins and who passed the imperial examinations to get into government; and the Li Faction (李黨), named after Li Deyu, which was largely viewed as a faction of officials from aristocratic origins. The two factions struggled for decades at court, during the reigns of Emperor Muzong and his sons Emperor Jingzong, Emperor Wenzong, and Emperor Wuzong. The struggles are viewed as having ended at the start of the reign of Emperor Wuzong's successor and Emperor Muzong's younger brother Emperor Xuānzong, in 846. Emperor Xuanzong despised L ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tang Dynasty
The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, c=唐朝), or the Tang Empire, was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907, with an Wu Zhou, interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. Historians generally regard the Tang as a high point in Chinese civilisation, and a Golden age (metaphor), golden age of cosmopolitan culture. Tang territory, acquired through the military campaigns of its early rulers, rivalled that of the Han dynasty. The House of Li, Li family founded the dynasty after taking advantage of a period of Sui decline and precipitating their final collapse, in turn inaugurating a period of progress and stability in the first half of the dynasty's rule. The dynasty was formally interrupted during 690–705 when Empress Wu Zetian seized the throne, proclaiming the Wu Zhou dynasty and becoming the only legitimate Chinese empress regnant. The An Lushan rebellion (755 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sichuan
Sichuan is a province in Southwestern China, occupying the Sichuan Basin and Tibetan Plateau—between the Jinsha River to the west, the Daba Mountains to the north, and the Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau to the south. Its capital city is Chengdu, and its population stands at 83 million. Sichuan neighbors Qinghai and Gansu to the north, Shaanxi and Chongqing to the east, Guizhou and Yunnan to the south, and Tibet to the west. During antiquity, Sichuan was home to the kingdoms of Ba and Shu until their incorporation by the Qin. During the Three Kingdoms era (220–280), Liu Bei's state of Shu was based in Sichuan. The area was devastated in the 17th century by Zhang Xianzhong's rebellion and the area's subsequent Manchu conquest, but recovered to become one of China's most productive areas by the 19th century. During World War II, Chongqing served as the temporary capital of the Republic of China, and was heavily bombed. It was one of the last mainland areas captured ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Zheng Tan
Zheng Tan (鄭覃) (died 842''Old Book of Tang'', vol. 18, part 1.), formally the Duke of Xingyang (滎陽公), was a Chinese historian and politician during the Tang dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Wenzong. He was viewed as a Li Faction leader in the Niu-Li Factional Struggles. Background It is not known when Zheng Tan was born. He came from a prominent line, as his father Zheng Xunyu was a chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Dezong and Emperor Dezong's son Emperor Shunzong.''New Book of Tang'', vol. 165. As a result of his father's status, Zheng Tan was able to start his official career as a copyeditor (校書郎, ''Xiaoshu Lang'') at Hongwen Institute (). He subsequently went through the ranks of low-level advisory officials as ''Shiyi'' () and then ''Bujue'' (); he then served successively as ''Kaogong Yuanwailang'' (), a low-level official at the ministry of civil service affairs (吏部, ''Libu''), and then ''Xingbu Langzhong'' (), a su ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Zheng Lang
Zheng Lang ( zh, t=鄭朗; died 857), courtesy name Yourong (), was a Chinese historian and politician during the Tang dynasty, who served as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Xuānzong. Background and early career It is not known when Zheng Lang was born. He came from a prominent family, as both his father Zheng Xunyu and brother Zheng Tan served as chancellors during their respective careers.''Old Book of Tang'', vol. 173. Zheng Lang himself passed the imperial examinations in the ''Jinshi'' class in 821, during the reign of Emperor Muzong, by which time Zheng Xunyu was deceased but Zheng Tan was already a prominent official—but his passage, as well as the passages of several other examinees related to prominent officials, including Pei Du's son Pei Zhuan (), Li Zongmin's son-in-law Su Chao (), and Yang Yinshi () the brother of Yang Rushi (), who was one of the lead examiners, were embroiled in controversy as the officials Duan Wenchang, Li Deyu, Yuan Zhen, and Li S ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Li Shen
Li Shen () (died July 29, 846''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 248.), courtesy name Gongchui (), formally Duke Wensu of Zhao (), was a Chinese historian, military general, poet, and politician of the Tang dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Wuzong. Background It is not known when Li Shen was born. His family claimed ancestry from the southern branch of the prominent Li clan of Zhao Commandery (趙郡, roughly modern Shijiazhuang, Hebei), but was only able to trace its ancestry back to the Northern Wei official Li Shanquan () and Li Shanquan's descendants who served as officials of Northern Wei and Sui dynasty. Li Shen's great-grandfather Li Jingxuan served as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Gaozong, and his great-granduncle Li Yuansu served as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Gaozong's wife Wu Zetian. Both Li Shen's grandfather Li Shouyi () and father Li Wu () served as county magistrates. In Li Wu's case, he served three times at Jintan (金 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Duan Wenchang
Duan Wenchang (; 773 – April 1, 835), courtesy name Moqing (), alternative name Jingchu (), formally the Duke of Zouping (), was an official of the Chinese Tang dynasty, who served as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Muzong. Background Duan Wenchang was born in 773, during the reign of Emperor Daizong. His great-great-grandfather Duan Zhixuan () was one of the major contributors to the establishment of Tang rule, and thus received two great honors—being buried near the tomb of Emperor Taizong and having his portrait being one of the 24 Portraits at Lingyan Pavilion.''Old Book of Tang'', vol. 167. His great-grandfather Duan Guan () served as a county magistrate; his grandfather Duan Huaichang () served as a prefectural military advisor; and his father Duan E () served as a prefectural prefect. By Duan Wenchang's time, his family, although originally from Qi Prefecture (齊州, in modern Zibo, Shandong),''New Book of Tang'', vol. 89. had been living at Jing Prefe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jiedushi
The ''jiedushi'' (, Old Turkic: Tarduş) or jiedu, was a regional military governor in China; the title was established in the Tang dynasty and abolished in the Yuan dynasty. The post of ''jiedushi'' has been translated as "military commissioner", " legate", or "regional commander". Originally introduced in 711 to counter external threats, the ''jiedushi'' were posts authorized with the supervision of a defense command often encompassing several prefectures, the ability to maintain their own armies, collect taxes and promote and appoint subordinates. Powerful ''jiedushi'' eventually became '' fanzhen'' rulers (''de facto'' warlords) and overrode the power of the central government of Tang. An early example of this was An Lushan, who was appointed ''jiedushi'' of three regions, which he used to start the An Lushan Rebellion that abruptly ended the golden age of the Tang dynasty. Even after the difficult suppression of that rebellion, some ''jiedushi'' such as the Three Fanz ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yuan Zhen
Yuan Zhen (; 779 – September 2, 831), courtesy name Weizhi (), was a Chinese novelist, poet, and politician of the middle Tang dynasty. In prose literature, Yuan Zhen is particularly known for his work '' Yingying's Biography'', which has often been adapted for other treatments, including operatic and musical ones. In poetry, he is remembered for the inclusion of some of his poems by popular anthologies, his verses on exotic topics (such as the former Liangzhou), and for being part of the group of "New Yuefu" poets, which often used poetry as a form of expression and protest, but one potentially subtle enough to avoid the likely repercussions of more direct criticism. The poetic circle in which Yuan Zhen was involved included Bai Juyi, among others. Politically Yuan Zhen was briefly chancellor, during the reign of Emperor Muzong. A native of Luoyang, Yuan Zhen was a descendant of Northern Wei's imperial family. He lost his father at the age of seven and moved to Fengxiang ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sima Guang
Sima Guang (17 November 1019 – 11 October 1086), courtesy name Junshi, was a Chinese historian, politician, and writer. He was a high-ranking Song dynasty scholar-official who authored the ''Zizhi Tongjian'', a monumental work of history. Born into a family of officials, Sima Guang displayed remarkable intelligence from a young age and quickly rose through the ranks of the Song bureaucracy. His early career was marked by his work in government administration, where he gained a reputation for his meticulous scholarship and principled stance on state affairs. As a prominent official, he strongly opposed Wang Anshi’s New Policies, arguing that they disrupted social stability and traditional governance. His criticisms led to his removal from political office when reformists held power. After retiring from active politics, Sima devoted himself to historical research and writing. He spent years compiling and editing the Zizhi Tongjian, which he presented to Emperor Shenzong in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Song Dynasty
The Song dynasty ( ) was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 960 to 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song, who usurped the throne of the Later Zhou dynasty and went on to conquer the rest of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period#Ten Kingdoms, Ten Kingdoms, ending the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. The Song frequently came into conflict with the contemporaneous Liao dynasty, Liao, Western Xia and Jin dynasty (1115–1234), Jin dynasties in northern China. After retreating to southern China following attacks by the Jin dynasty, the Song was eventually conquered by the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The History of the Song dynasty, dynasty's history is divided into two periods: during the Northern Song (; 960–1127), the capital was in the northern city of Bianjing (now Kaifeng) and the dynasty controlled most of what is now East China. The #Southern Song, 1127–1279, Southern Song (; 1127–1279) comprise the period following ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bo Yang
Bo Yang ( zh , t = 柏楊 , s = 柏杨 , p = Bó Yáng ; 7 March 1920 – 29 April 2008), sometimes also erroneously called Bai Yang, was a Chinese people, Chinese historian, novelist, philosopher, poet based in Taiwan. He is also regarded as a social critic. His best-known work is ''The Ugly Chinaman'', a controversial book that was banned in mainland China; in it he harshly criticized Chinese culture and the National character studies, national character of Chinese people. According to his own memoir, the exact date of his birthday was unknown even to himself. He later adopted 7 March, the date of his 1968 imprisonment, as his birthday. Biography Boyang was born as Guō Dìngshēng () in Kaifeng, Henan Province, China, with family origins in Huixian. Boyang's father changed his son's name to Guō Lìbāng () to facilitate a transfer to another school. Bo Yang later changed his name to Guo Yìdòng, also spelled Kuo I-tung (). In high school, Boyang participated in youth org ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
