Tang Xuanzong's Biggest Blunder

In the first half of his life, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Li Longji, created the Kaiyuan Golden Age. At court, he had civil officials like Yao Chong, Song Jing, and Zhang Jiuling, and military commanders like Gao Xianzhi and Geshu Han. He expanded the borders and won battle after battle, matching Emperor Taizong in both civil and military achievements. Yet with such an unbeatable hand, he made one disastrous mistake after another in just fourteen years, and the golden age was destroyed by the An Lushan Rebellion… Mistake One: He gave himself over to pleasure, allowing corrupt ministers to seize power and ruin the country Emperor Xuanzong was satisfied with the outward appearance of prosperity. He indulged himself and neglected state affairs, letting the corrupt ministers Li Linfu and Yang Guozhong control the government. Yang Guozhong, brother of the Noble Consort Yang, was especially arrogant and powerful thanks to his family connections, until corruption and chaos spread throughout the court. Mistake Two: He introduced a recruitment system in the frontier garrisons, giving military governors unchecked power As the equal-field system collapsed, the fubing militia system that relied on it as its economic foundation fell apart as well. Faced with a shortage of soldiers, Emperor Xuanzong began recruiting troops, giving military governors control of the armies. The frontier garrisons filled with “private troops” loyal to their commanders rather than the emperor, creating a military imbalance that left the outer regions stronger than the center. Mistake Three: He relied too heavily on the imperial art of balancing factions, causing conflict between generals and ministers to erupt Emperor Xuanzong backed several factions at once, encouraging them to struggle against one another. He believed this balance of power would better secure the monarch’s autocratic rule. With Yang Guozhong wielding great influence at court, he placed An Lushan, who was at odds with Yang, in a position of military command. The conflict between the minister and the general grew ever more intense, until An Lushan launched a rebellion under the pretext of “punishing Yang Guozhong.” Open this book and see how Emperor Xuanzong made one disastrous mistake after another and destroyed the flourishing Tang Empire!