A Turning Point in the Tang Dynasty: The An Lushan Rebellion

In Li Longji’s later years, the chancellors and officials around him put personal gain above all else, undermining the imperial court. Taking advantage of the emperor’s favor, An Lushan steadily built up his power. Seeing that the Central Plains were poorly defended, he secretly raised an army and set his sights on Chang’an. Egged on by a group of political advisers, An Lushan led an army of two hundred thousand toward Chang’an, swiftly seizing Hebei and capturing Luoyang. On the battlefields of Hebei and Henan, loyal ministers, capable generals, and righteous heroes rose from among the people and formed an alliance. They struck the rebel forces hard from behind, holding up their advance westward and shattering An Lushan’s hopes of a quick victory. Li Guangbi and Guo Ziyi led the Tang forces in resisting the rebels. Exploiting divisions within the Tang leadership, An Lushan broke through Tong Pass and occupied Chang’an. Li Longji fled toward Jiannan, while the Tang army regrouped at Lingwu under the new emperor, Li Heng. After a series of battles, some victories and some defeats, the Tang army finally recaptured Chang’an and Luoyang. The rebel leaders An Lushan and Shi Siming were both killed in turn, and the Tang army ultimately emerged victorious. During the eight long years of war, countless people of courage and principle came to the fore. Clever and brave, they fought tenaciously against a powerful enemy, displaying a deep love for their homeland and a rich range of political and military strategies.