The Tang History Was Never Boring, Book Five: The An Lushan Rebellion, Revised Edition

Toward the end of the Kaiyuan Golden Age, Chang’an’s streets and alleys, taverns and teahouses, are still crowded with people, full of lively songs and laughter, a scene of prosperity and happiness. But the outbreak of the An Lushan Rebellion shatters that golden age and tramples on the beauty of everyday life. An Lushan was not cruel and treacherous from the start. His ambitions grew little by little, and Yang Guozhong’s relentless pressure pushed him step by step toward rebellion. But after capturing Chang’an, he did nothing but indulge himself instead of pressing his advantage, and was eventually killed by a palace eunuch. An Lushan’s childhood friend Shi Siming was a remarkably gifted general. After killing An Lushan’s son, An Qingxu, he took up the banner of the rebellion and changed its name from “An” to “Shi”... Yet the rebellion was ultimately a fleeting dream. Even as the golden age slowly lost its luster, the Li dynasty of the Great Tang remained the people’s choice. The Tang army’s horns continued to sound across the land as it steadily reclaimed lost territory. When victory reports arrived, Du Fu cried out, “With spring as our companion, we can return home!” and was wild with joy... Looking back over the whole An Lushan Rebellion, regardless of how Yang Guozhong brought ruin to the country, how valiantly Guo Ziyi and Li Guangbi put down the rebellion, or how Yang Guifei was blamed as a femme fatale, what inspires the deepest reflection is the suspicion between fathers and sons amid crisis and turmoil: Li Longji and Li Heng, An Lushan and An Qingxu, Shi Siming and Shi Chaoyi. The frailty and darkness of human nature are laid bare amid the fading splendor and the empire’s ruins.