Admiring and Praising a Magnificent Emperor
 
Emperor Taizong (598 – 649 AD) of the Tang Dynasty (618 – 907 AD), named Li Shimin at birth, was born into a noble family. One interpretation of the name "Shimin" [in Chinese, "Shi" means "the world," "min" means "the people"] is to "save the world and let people be safe and secure." He envisioned great goals as a young man. He was intelligent and courageous. Because he was brave throughout his life and never lost his enthusiastic vigor, he became the founder of the glorious Great Tang Dynasty and established a great empire, which was at the time respected and visited by all races and nations. He was the type of hero that history has rarely seen.
 
1. Raising an Army, Fighting the Corrupt and Conquering the Nation
 
As a youth, Li Shimin practiced martial arts and studied literature. When he was 18, he served under his father Li Yuan in Taiyuan during the uprising against Emperor Yang (569 – 618 AD) of the Sui Dynasty. They published an official condemnation of Emperor Yang that exposed his character. They let it be known that he listened to slander and took advice without knowing the truth, including when it came to killing loyal and good officials. Li Shimin required strict discipline from his army. His troops conquered the Xihe region and captured the corrupt deputy to the Xihe commander, Gao Deru. Li Shimin told the people, "My purpose for going to war was to save people from this life of misery and to get rid of corrupt officials!" Then he ordered the execution of Gao Deru. His first battle thus ended with a glorious victory.
 
Later, on the warpath to conquer Huoyi in the south, Li Yuan’s army ran out of supplies. Also, he was told that Eastern Tujue (the Turkic people) was planning an attack on Taiyuan while the main army was away. Li Yuan decided to retreat to Taiyuan to plan his next move. However, after carefully evaluating the situation, Li Shimin explained that the Huoyi defense forces were weak, therefore the army should conquer Huoyi first then continue the offensive to conquer Xianyang. This proactive tactic would give them a strategic advantage. Alas, Li Yuan didn't agree to this plan.
 
When he realized that the troops had begun to retreat, Li Shimin was deeply worried. He cried loudly and Li Yuan heard this cry inside the army tent. He emerged from the tent and asked Li Shimin for an explanation. Li Shimin said, "We are now launching a righteous war. If we charge forward, we will win every battle. But, if we retreat, the troops will break the ranks. If the enemy attacks from behind, we will be defeated and our troops killed. Therefore, I felt much grief and couldn't help crying." Upon hearing this, Li Yuan enlightened and ordered the retreating troops to return.
 
The supplies arrived shortly after. Li Yuan and Li Shimin attacked Huoyi and conquered it in one battle. Then they marched straight on Chang 'an. The general of Chang’an opened the gates to surrender. In the year 618 AD, Li Yuan declared himself emperor in Chang'an and established the Tang Dynasty. Li Shimin was granted the title of King of Qin.
 
When the Tang Dynasty was first established, many different forces occupied a divided China and it was a peak period of warfare between the various factions. Li Shimin, now just over 20 years old, took on the heavy task of suppressing each faction in order to unify the nation.
 
In every battle, Li Shimin was always on the front lines with the soldiers. He ate and rested with the generals and soldiers, sharing their happiness and despair. Once, when he was on patrol with 500 soldiers, they were surrounded by the enemy's army. General Dan Xiongxin charged towards Li Shimin with a long lance. General Yuchi Jingde intercepted him on horseback and pierced Dan Xiongxin off the horse, helping Li Shimin to break out of the enemy attack.
 
Another time when the army was pursuing the troops of Song Jingang, a rebel leader, Li Shimin had not eaten for two days and he had not removed his armor for three days. The officers and soldiers were also very tired and hungry. Although there was only one lamb, Li Shimin shared it with all the officers and soldiers, endearing him to everyone. For that they fought the enemy with all their abilities. Morale was very high among Li Shimin's troops and they won every battle. It took only around ten years to unify the nation.
 
Li Shimin established an institute of learning in the western part of the Qin Palace. He invited scholars to this institute. The most well known among those who accepted the invitation were eighteen scholars, including Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui. Scholars were split into three shifts. Whenever he was free, Li Shimin went to the institution and held discussions with the scholars about history late into the night. This institute was highly respected in society. Anyone invited to serve in this institute was said to "have mounted Ying Zhou." [According to Chinese legend, Ying Zhou is a mountain in the heavens.)
 
2. Openly Inviting Criticisms and Appointing Officials Based on Their Talents
 
In 627 AD, Li Yuan abdicated and Li Shimin became emperor and was called Emperor Taizong.
 
Emperor Taizong treated all the supporters of the original Crown Prince with compassion. This was the reason why many of his former enemies became loyal and capable officials of the empire, among them Wei Zheng. Wei submitted more than 200 admonishments to Emperor Taizong, of which most were adopted. Wei Zheng's death was very upsetting to Emperor Taizong. He said, "With a bronze mirror, one can see whether one is properly attired. With history as a mirror, one can understand the rise and fall of a nation. With men as a mirror, one can see whether one is right or wrong. Now I've lost my faithful mirror with the death of Wei Zheng."
 
Emperor Taizong was wise and very resourceful. However, he was not an opportunist, nor did he play tricks when it came to governing. He always listened to criticisms and suggestions. He said, "Straightforward criticisms may sound harsh, but they are helpful in governing the nation." Once, he asked his officials to criticize him. General Zhangsun Wuji and others only complemented him. Emperor Taizong was unhappy with this and criticized, "I asked you as to what mistakes I made! But, you just flatter me. I'd like to discuss openly the strong points and shortcomings of everyone, so you can let go of your willingness to only flatter." Then Emperor Taizong told all officials their strengths and weaknesses.
 
Some people worried that criticizing the emperor would make him lose face. Emperor Taizong said, "If people dare not speak out, their anger will be held inside and I will never know the true situation. This is what really worries me. If I am at fault, you can openly point it out. I will not chastise you. It is tragic if one doesn't know one’s faults!" The officials then no longer held any doubt about the Emperor's true intention and submitted in writing the successes and failures of the policies.
 
General Chang He was not good at writing. So he asked one of his poor guests, Ma Zhou, who stayed at his home, to write for him. Ma made more than twenty suggestions, all of which were meant to eliminate injustices. Emperor Taizong did not believe that this was truly written by Chang He, who was a military officer. So he asked Chang He in person. After Chang He revealed the truth, Emperor Taizong said sternly, "This was not written by you. You should have put Ma Zhou's name on it which is the  reasonable approach. I am sincerely calling for suggestions and criticisms, and you should also treat this the same way." Emperor Taizong urged to have an audience with Ma Zhou multiple times. After a conversation with Ma, he appointed the latter as an official in the edict review ministry. Ma later became a very famous official.
 
Although Emperor Taizong opened the door widely in his search for good officials, he didn't lower his standards for talent. Instead, he looked closely at people's moral values and talents.
 
He also appointed the right people to the right positions so that everyone's strong points could be fully utilized. Let's take Fang Xueling and Du Ruhui, who were both very famous, as examples. They were not good at dealing with individual cases and trivial matters, but were very good at making national strategy and policies. Therefore, they were appointed as prime ministers. Dai Zhou was the opposite; he wasn't the academic type, but he was very upright, so he was appointed as a judge in the supreme court. He turned out to be very efficient and capable. Emperor Taizong thought very highly of him.
 
To appoint local officials, the Emperor expended a lot of effort. The names and other basic information of all state governors were written on a big screen in his bedroom. This record was updated whenever new information was received about accomplishments and failures. This allowed the Emperor to have detailed information for assessment. He also offered very good opportunities to scholars through the Imperial Examination System. Whenever he saw the newly selected scholars who had just passed the examination, he said gladly, "All the capable people are now serving the country."
 
3. Benefiting the People and Living a Simple and Disciplined Life
 
Emperor Taizong proposed the theory, "The people are the root of the state." He introduced many initiatives to develop the economy, such as promoting the "Equal Land Scheme" (people were given an equal amount of land to farm), encouraging and rewarding people to cultivate marginal lands, adopting new tax codes to ease the people's burden, encouraging people to have more children, improve productivity, develop irrigation systems and dredge rivers and trenches.
 
A certain official worried that easing people's burdens would reduce the nation's revenue. Therefore the official suggested "The nation needs revenue now. If we only think about benefiting the people, the nation will not be able to launch big projects."
 
Upon hearing this, Emperor Taizong told the officials, "To establish a nation, we must first gain the trust of the people. If we want the nation to be prosperous, we must allow people to become prosperous first. If people are unsatisfied, the nation will have serious problems. Anything else is not as important."
 
He also ensured that a new legal system was enacted to clarify the reward and punishment system, which strengthened the rule of law.
 
The nation soon became very prosperous. Farmers reaped successive bumper harvests and the price of food decreased. People began to live and work in peace and prosperity and the nation became very strong.
 
Emperor Taizong also set a good example for his officials in terms of austerity. The first palace he lived in was built in the Sui Dynasty and was beginning to deteriorate. He had enacted a rule that officials could not live in an overly luxurious and extravagant manner. Therefore, all officials lived a modest lifestyle. The land was governed by honest officials who were not corrupt. One such official was Dai Zhou who also worked in the Ministry of Revenue. Because of his simple life style, there was no place in his home to pay tribute to him after his death. Wei Zeng lived similarly. He had not owned a decent house during his life.
 
Emperor Taizong also paid much attention to self-cultivation. His poetic and literary talents were outstanding. However, as he didn't want to pursue fame and was very modest, he forbade people from publishing collections of his poems and essays. He said, "If my works are good enough, history will tell. They will be passed on for a hundred generations. If they are not good, what's the point of collecting and publishing them? Emperor Liang Wu, Emperor Chen Hou and Emperor Yang of Sui had all published their literary works, but none of them was able to save their dynasties. So what is the use of publishing them? What's most dangerous for an emperor is the lack of good policy and morality. What good do these collections do for the nation!"
 
People in the Qing Dynasty (1644 – 1912 AD) collected his poems and essays and published them in the "Complete Poetry of the Tang" and the "Complete Prose Works of the Tang." Seven volumes of his prose works, five odes, and one volume with 69 poems was collected.
 
4. Nationalities Live in Harmony, Great Tang Dynasty Reaches Great Height
 
Due to Emperor Taizong's efforts, the Han nationality and minorities lived together harmoniously. He appointed officials from minority groups. He also allowed minorities to live in Chang'an permanently. More than 10,000 Turkic families moved to Chang'an at the time. In 630 AD, the chieftains of all the minorities in Northwest China jointly requested that Emperor Taizong adopt the title "Heavenly Khan." Emperor Taizong accepted this suggestion and used a stamp reading ""Heavenly Khan" to sign all documents that pertained to the minorities in the Northwest.
 
Once, the retired emperor Li Yuan and Emperor Taizong invited the officials to a banquet to celebrate the end of the year. Li Yuan asked Khan Jieli to dance to liven up the atmosphere, and then asked Feng Zhidai, the chieftain of the Man ethnic group in the south, to compose and recite poems. Everyone was in a very enthusiastic mood. Li Yuan said with much pleasure, "All the nationalities have become one family. We have never seen this in history!"
 
Later, Emperor Taizong asked his officials, "How can we solve the conflicts between different nationalities?" No answers were satisfactory, so he came up a summary of five suggestions. The last suggestion was, "To love and protect minorities just like you do those of Han nationality."
 
During Taizong's time, the Tang Dynasty became the most politically, economically and culturally advanced country in the world, owning vast territories. A most magnificent and colorful "Prosperity of Zhenguan" unfolded and was recorded in China's history. Zhengguan is the name of the era ruled by Emperor Taizong.
 
Emperor Taizong adopted clear national policies to deal with internal affairs, cared for people, appointed talented officials and assured that no injustice was carried out. When dealing with external affairs, he won people’s hearts with virtue and good moral concepts. Both diplomacy and military force were used. This made China the strongest country worldwide, envied by neighboring countries. Many countries adopted the majority of Tang policies, among them ancient Japan. Many diplomats, students, artists and monks from Asia and Africa came to Chang'an. The capital of Tang became the capital of the world. The cultural and religious development was at its greatest height and splendor. Because of Tang Dynasty's leading position in the world, and as Chinese diplomats and businessmen traveled to other Asian countries, foreigners began to refer to the Chinese people as "sons of Tang." Even in current times, some Westerners still call Chinese people as "the people of Tang."
 
During war time, Li Shimin recruited the strongest and most courageous heroes and capable generals for his army, while in peaceful times he managed to recruit the most outstanding scholars and experts to the palace. During his reign he was a role model for all of his officials. He established a thriving and prosperous society and brilliant culture. People are forever missing and longing for that heavenly dynasty, still vivid in their memory. Emperor Taizong's sense of justice, compassion, modest personality and broad mind were respected and admired by all.
 

一代明君　万古称颂
 
唐太宗李世民出身贵族世家，「世民」的含义有「济世安民」之意。他志向远大、聪明英武，凭一股生生不息的锐气化家为国，开创大唐盛世，令四夷宾服，是旷古少有的真正英雄。
 
一、起兵讨逆、平定天下。
 
少年时期的李世民每天习文练武。十八岁时，在太原随父李渊起兵，发布檄文斥责隋炀帝听信谗言、杀害忠良。李世民治军严明，攻下西河并生俘郡丞贪官高德儒，李世民怒斥道：「吾兴义兵，正为救民于水火，诛佞人耳！」然后将其斩首，西河首战大捷。
 
此后，在南下攻霍邑时，李渊因为粮草将尽，背后又传来突厥将要乘虚袭击太原的消息，决定先回太原从长计议。李世民则分析形势，说守军并不可怕，应攻下后直捣咸阳号令天下，才能争取战略上的主动与优势，李渊没有采纳。
 
听到部队已经开始回撤，李世民急切之下放声大哭，帐中的李渊听到了，出来问他，李世民哭劝父亲：「现在我们起兵是正义之师，前进则战无不胜，后退必将溃散。敌人乘虚攻击于后，兵败人亡不可避免，所以如此悲痛而哭泣。」李渊终于醒悟，下令追回已经回撤的军队。
 
不久粮草运到，李渊父子领兵直捣霍邑，一举成功。随后直攻长安，守将开城投降。公元六百一十八年，李渊在长安称帝，改国号为唐，李世民被封为秦王。
 
唐朝建立之时，正是各派军事势力割据与混战的高峰期，二十来岁的李世民就勇敢的挑起了平定各方势力统一全国这副重担。
 
他每次作战时总是身先士卒，休息时与将士同吃同住，同甘共苦。有一次，他带五百骑兵巡视前方地形，结果被敌人骑兵包围。敌将单雄信挺槊直取李世民，尉迟敬德跃马而出，将单雄信刺落马下，掩护李世民突出了重围。在追击宋金刚军夜宿时，李世民已经两天没有吃东西了，甲冑也有三天没有解了。将士都很疲劳饥饿，但当时只有一只羊，李世民和将士们同吃，这令将士们感恩不已，在追击时个个争先。
 
他带领的队伍士气高昂、战无不胜。前后用了十年多的时间完成了国家统一大业。
 
李世民还在秦王宫西部开设文学馆，延请四方饱学之士。最著名的有房玄龄、杜如晦等十八学士。又将学士分为三批，轮流值班，自己一有空闲，便到文学馆。与各位学士讨论史籍，直到深夜。文学馆在社会上名望颇重，如果得为学士，时人便称为「登瀛洲」。
 
二、大度纳谏、任人唯贤。
 
公元六百二十七年，李渊称太上皇，李世民继位，史称唐太宗。
 
唐太宗以宽容的态度对待原来太子一派的人，使许多原来站在对立面的人能够有机会转变过来，成为治理国家的有用之才。魏徵便是著名的例子。魏徵共向唐太宗提了二百多条谏议，多被采纳。魏徵去世后，唐太宗异常悲痛，说：「人以铜为镜，可以正衣冠；以古为镜，可以知兴替；以人为镜，可以知得失。魏徵一死，我失去了一面镜子啊。」
 
唐太宗足智多谋，可他在治国上从不投机取巧、玩弄手段。他诚心听取大臣们的批评意见，说道：「直言鲠议，致天下太平。」（《贞观政要﹒论求谏》）有一次，他又要群臣向他提意见，长孙无忌等人说，皇上没有过失。唐太宗听了很不高兴，批评他们说：「我问你们，我有何过错，你们却对我阿谀奉承。我想当面列举你们各位的长处和短处，让你们改掉说奉承话的毛病。」接着唐太宗说出了在场的每一位大臣的优缺点。
 
有人担心直言切谏有损天子颜面，唐太宗说到：「人不敢言，怨气难消，实情难晓，这才是我最牵挂的。我若失德，你们尽可一一指出，我决不怪罪。人苦不自知其过啊！」（《唐太宗纪》）百官们解除了疑虑，纷纷上书言政事得失。
 
中郎将常何不善文墨，便让家中的贫穷客人马周代笔，写了二十多条奏事呈上。马周所写切中时弊，唐太宗不信此乃常何武将所为，便当面问他真情。常何说出原委，唐太宗严肃指出：「此奏非你所写，就该属马周之名，方才合理。我真心求谏，你也该用心相待啊。」他几次催马周晋见，交谈后立即任命他到门下省做官，后来成为一代名臣。
 
唐太宗选拔官吏时虽然如饥似渴，但他没有因为求贤而降低了标准，他是用贤能和才干严格衡量的。
 
他能知人善任，做到人尽其才，充份发挥其长处。对于历史上有名的房玄龄、杜如晦就是一个典型，他们不善于断案和处理杂务，但却善于谋划和决定国家大事，所以用为宰相。而戴冑则相反，他不通经史，但做事正直，所以让他做大理寺少卿，负责审理案件，结果他办事异常干练，深得唐太宗赏识。
 
为了选好刺史，唐太宗下了很大的功夫，他将全国刺史的名字等情况让人写在了自己寝室中的屏风上面，根据各方面的信息及时的记录他们的功过，作为考核的重要参考。他还利用科举考试制度，为读书人提供了良好的机会。每次他看到众多新考中的人，都高兴的说，天下的良才都来为国服务啦。
 
三、抚民安民、节俭自律。
 
唐太宗提出了「民为邦本」的思想，制定了许多发展经济的措施：推行均田制，奖励垦荒：颁行租庸调法，轻徭薄赋；增殖人口，发展生产；兴修水利，疏濬河渠等。
 
有人担心利民会使国家财税不足，于是上谏说：「现在国家正是用钱之时，若只虑安民，很多国家大事无以为办。」
 
唐太宗据此又告诫群臣说：「立国，先须存民；国家富庶，先须百姓衣食有余。民怨不除，乃国之大患，其它俱不足道。」
 
他还主持制定了《贞观律》，明确了赏罚制度，加强了法制建设。
 
太平盛世很快到来，粮食连年丰收，粮价持续下跌。百姓开始安居乐业，国家昌盛。
 
唐太宗在提倡节俭方面也为群臣做出了表率，他最初住的宫殿还是隋朝时修建的，都很破旧。他明令禁止官吏们奢侈浪费。所以，在大臣中形成了一种良好的节俭风气，出现了许多廉俭大臣。如户部尚书戴冑，由于生前生活简朴出了名，死后家里连个祭祀的地方都找不到。至于魏徵更是如此，一生也没有个像样的正屋。
 
唐太宗还注重自身的修养。他的诗文水平很高，但由于他谦虚，不重文名，一直禁止让人编自己的诗文集。他说：「朕的辞令，如果对百姓有益的，历史总会记住的，便可流芳百世了。如果没甚么好处，编成集子又有何用？！梁武帝、陈后主、隋炀帝都有文集传于世，哪个也没有能挽救其灭亡之厄运！做人主怕的就是没有德政，要那些文章对社稷有甚么用！」
 
后来清朝人将他的诗文编入了《全唐诗》和《全唐文》，共计文七卷，赋五篇，诗一卷六十九首。
 
例如他的《还陕述怀》诗：「慨然抚长剑，济世岂邀名。星旗纷电举，日羽肃天行。遍野屯万骑，临原驻五营。登山麾武节，背水纵神兵。在昔戎戈动，今来宇宙平」，使人感到他的「心随朗日高，志与秋霜洁」（《经破薛举战地》）的高尚节操和建立伟业的壮怀。
 
四、民族融和、盛唐气象。
 
在唐太宗的努力下，汉族和各少数民族和睦共处。他任用少数民族人做官。准许少数民族内迁，定居长安，当时的突厥族就有万家之多。公元六百三十年，西北各族首领共同请求为唐太宗上尊号「天可汗」，得到唐太宗同意，后来就用「天可汗」的印玺向西北各族下诏书。
 
一次岁末，太上皇李渊和唐太宗宴请群臣，李渊让颉利可汗起舞助兴，又让南方的蛮族领袖冯智戴咏诗，气氛异常热烈，李渊高兴的说：「胡越一家，自古未有也！」
 
后来，唐太宗问群臣：「怎样才能从根本上解决民族关系？」大臣的答案都不能让他满意，最后还是他自己总结了五条经验，最后一条是：「要像爱护汉族一样爱护他们。」
 
当时的唐朝在政治、经济、文化各方面都处于世界领先地位，疆域异常广阔，贞观之治在中国历史上展开了它美丽辉煌的画卷。
 
唐太宗对内实行开明政治，与民休息，英才当政，国无冤狱；对外以德服人，文武并举，使中国不仅成为最强大的国度，而且为邻近列国所仰慕。很多措施许多国家甚至是照搬过去直接来用。日本古代社会的政治与经济几乎是唐朝的翻版。亚洲、非洲许多国家的使臣、留学生和艺人、僧侣都来到唐朝，来到长安，长安成为当时世界性的都城。唐朝的文化、宗教等都达到了鼎盛时期。由于唐朝当时在世界上的地位，加上中国的使者和商人也出现在亚洲各国，所以外国人便将中国人统称为「唐家子」，现在的西方人有的仍然称呼中国人为「唐人」。
 
李世民在战争年代总是把天下武功最高强的英雄豪杰集中于自己的骑兵队伍中，和平时期则把四海最优秀的学人智者收罗于秦王府中，主掌天下之时，带领群杰殷殷打造出锦绣山河、繁华社会、灿烂文化。人们无比怀念和向往记忆中永远清晰的一代天朝，无限景仰太宗皇帝的正义、仁爱、谦逊的气质和宽广的胸怀。