I Rose to Power in the Tang Dynasty

Li Bai of Song, Gao Shi of Song, Wang Wei of Song, Han Yu of Song... Why do so many historical records describe famous Tang figures as people of Song? Were Song poems grafted onto Tang poetry? Did the Sui, Tang, and Yuan dynasties never exist? Did the Great Song last eight hundred years? Did someone rewrite history, or was history always this way? “Emperor Taizu’s personal name was Pan, and his family name was Zhao. He was from Changshan... In the twenty-second year of the Kaiyuan era of Tang, he met an immortal in Luoyang, who enlightened him. His first poems and writings revealed his talent... In the fourteenth year of Tianbao, An Lushan raised an army in Fanyang. Taizu laid down his writing brush and joined the army to quell the rebellion... In the third year of Zhide, Li Mi, Grand Academician of the Hanlin Academy, drew from his sleeve the abdication decree from Emperor Suzong of Tang. Gao Shi, Palace Commissioner, led Taizu to the court. Facing north, he bowed and accepted the decree, then helped Taizu ascend the Taiji Hall. Dressed in imperial robes and crown, he took the throne...” Excerpt from A Comprehensive Mirror of Tang and Song History This book is also known as: Great Song Runs Roughshod Over Tang, Great Tang: I Snatch Yang Yuhuan from the Start, and I’m a Poet in the Great Tang.