Xuanzong - Genso

The sixth emperor of the Tang Dynasty in China (reigned 712-756). His real name was Li Longji. He was also known as Ming Huang. After the death of the second emperor, Taizong, an era of political instability continued due to the power and political struggles of the emperor's close associates, such as the empress, maternal relatives, imperial family, and favorites. Even after the Tang Dynasty was restored by Empress Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty, Zhongzong's empress Wei faction seized power and eventually poisoned the emperor. The emperor's nephew, King Longji of Linzi, was a nobleman of fine appearance, skilled in music and calligraphy, but in 710 he staged a coup d'état, overthrew the Wei faction, and placed his father, Dan, on the throne (Ruizong). At the same time, he also became the crown prince, and eventually succeeded his father to the throne. The following year, he used force to wipe out the power of his aunt, Princess Taiping, and restored a unified government with the emperor as the sole and highest authority. The Kaiyuan period (until 742), which began in 713, was modeled after Taizong's Zhenguan reign, and was later referred to as the Kaiyuan period. Xuanzong trusted the famous prime ministers Yao Chong and Song Jing, who were comparable to Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhe of the Zhenguan period, and worked hard in politics. He banned extravagance, valued Confucianism, abolished the secret ceremonies system, and cleaned up redundant officials and false monks (monks not officially recognized by the state), and worked to restore fair government. It is well known that Xuanzong himself annotated the "Book of Filial Piety." Externally, China succeeded in maintaining peace in the north by subjugating the Turks and winning over the Khitan and Xi peoples to submission. This, combined with economic and cultural development, ushered in an era of glorious peace and prosperity.

However, the apex of this period was also a path to a change in the times. From the latter half of the Kaiyuan period to the following Tianbao period (742-756), while the Ritsuryo government was legally established, it became hollow in all aspects, including the government system, finances, and military system. Xuanzong's own political stance also deteriorated, and he appointed his favorites such as Li Linfu as prime ministers, entrusting them with politics, and placing great importance on eunuchs such as Gao Lishi. In terms of his mentality, he also moved away from Confucian ideals and leaned towards the world of Taoism, trusting financial bureaucrats whose job it was to plunder the people in order to raise huge public and private expenses. He moved his heart from Empress Wangshi to Consort Wu Hui, and after Wu's death, he seized Consort Yang Taizhen from Wu's son Shou Wang and made her his noble concubine. As Bai Juyi's "Song of Everlasting Regret" sings, behind the world of love and lust with Yang Guifei, a crisis was developing in the empire. Xuanzong trusted both Yang Guozhong, who claimed to be a relative of Yang Guifei, and An Lushan, who had a large army of Hu Han mercenaries in the northeast. The two powers, both domestic and foreign, finally clashed, resulting in the An Lushan Rebellion, and in 756 Xuanzong escaped from Chang'an and fled to Sichuan. He lost Yang Guifei on the way, abdicated the throne to the crown prince (Sukjong), and became the retired emperor. The following year, Chang'an was recaptured and he returned, but he was separated from his entourage, including Gao Lishi, by Suzong's confidant Li Fuguo, and was locked up in the Taiji Palace, where he died in despair.

[Michio Tanigawa]

"Politics and Society in the Mid-Tang Dynasty by Mamoru Tonami" (included in "Iwanami Lectures on World History 5: Ancient History 5", 1970, Iwanami Shoten)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国、唐朝第6代皇帝（在位712～756）。本名は李(り)隆基。明皇(めいこう)とも称せられる。第2代太宗の死後、皇后、外戚(がいせき)、皇親、寵臣(ちょうしん)など皇帝側近の権勢と政争のため、政情不安定の時代が続いた。則天武后の周朝から唐朝が復活したのちも、中宗の皇后韋(い)氏一派が政権を握り、ついに帝を毒殺した。帝の甥(おい)にあたる臨淄(りんし)王隆基は音楽や書の妙手で、風采(ふうさい)の優れた貴公子であったが、710年クーデターを敢行して韋氏一派を倒し、父の旦(たん)を即位させた（睿宗(えいそう)）。同時に彼も皇太子となり、やがて父帝の譲りを受けて帝位についた。翌年おばの太平公主の勢力を武力で一掃して、ここに皇帝を唯一最高の権力と仰ぐ統一政治を回復した。713年に始まる開元(かいげん)時代（～742）は、太宗の貞観の治(じょうがんのち)を手本とし、後世開元の治と称せられる。玄宗は、貞観時代の房玄齢(ぼうげんれい)・杜如晦(とじょかい)に比せられる名宰相姚崇(ようすう)・宋璟(そうえい)を信任して政治に励み、奢侈(しゃし)を禁じ、儒学を重んじ、密奏制度をやめ、冗官(じょうかん)や偽濫僧(ぎらんそう)（国家非公認の僧）を整理するなど、前代の悪弊を除き、公正な政治の再建に努めた。玄宗が自ら『孝経』に注を施したことは有名である。対外的にも、突厥(とっけつ)を圧服し、契丹(きったん)・奚(けい)両民族を帰順させるなど北辺の平和維持に成功、経済・文化の発展と相まって輝かしい平和と繁栄の時代が現出した。

　しかしその頂点は、時代の転換への道でもあった。開元後半期から次の天宝期（742～756）にかけて、律令政治は法的に整備される一方、官制・財政・兵制などあらゆる面で空洞化した。玄宗自身の政治姿勢も崩れ、李林甫(りりんぽ)などの寵臣を宰相としてこれに政治をゆだね、高力士らの宦官(かんがん)を重用した。精神面でも、儒教的理念から離れて道教の放逸な世界に傾倒し、公私の莫大(ばくだい)な費用の捻出(ねんしゅつ)のために民衆の収奪を事とする財務官僚を信任した。皇后王氏から武恵妃に心を移し、武氏の死後は息子の寿王から妃楊太真(ようたいしん)を奪って貴妃とした。白楽天の「長恨歌(ちょうごんか)」が歌うように、楊貴妃との愛欲の世界の陰には帝国の危機が進行していた。玄宗は貴妃の一族と称する楊国忠と、東北辺に胡漢(こかん)の傭兵(ようへい)の大軍団を擁する安禄山(あんろくざん)とを、いずれも信任した。内外二つの権勢はついに激突して安史の大乱となり、756年玄宗は長安を脱出、四川(しせん)に落ち延びた。その途中で楊貴妃を失い、皇太子（粛宗）に譲位して上皇となった。翌年、長安が奪回されて帰還したが、粛宗の腹心李輔国(ほこく)のため高力士ら側近を引き離され、太極宮に閉じ込められ失意のうちに没した。

［谷川道雄］

『礪波護著「唐中期の政治と社会」（『岩波講座　世界歴史5　古代5』所収・1970・岩波書店）』

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