The once-popular TV series "Game of Thrones" is based on the fantasy novel "A Song of Ice and Fire". But in fact, the fantasy part of the play occupies a very small proportion, and more is about the power struggle within the royal family.
The contradictions and wars of various families, the loyalty and betrayal shown in the play, the family and honor, love and brotherhood, ambition and interests, run through the whole eight seasons of the series is a literal historical power plot drama.
Game of Thrones
In China, the ups and downs of Princess Taiping's life also reflects the game life of the Tang Dynasty's imperial power.
If the Chinese version of "Game of Thrones" were filmed, would the protagonist be her?
Princess Taiping in "The Words of Daming Palace"
01
Prelude to power
As the younger daughter of Emperor Gaozong of Tang and Wu Zetian, Princess Taiping was favored by her parents since childhood. The Old Book of Tang says that "for more than twenty years, there is a princess taiping in the world, the father is the emperor, the mother is the queen, the husband is the prince, the son is the king of the county, and the noble and prosperous" - the special status makes the taiping princess more accessible to power than ordinary people.
This strong woman, "square and broad-handed, multi-powered", is very similar to the only empress in Chinese history, Wu Zetian. For her own daughter, Empress Wu Zetian "thinks that she is like herself", and if there is any major opportunity, she will let Princess Taiping participate in the planning and listen to her daughter's advice.
The Great Buddha of Lushena in the Longmen Grottoes of the "Square Forehead"
However, Princess Taiping, who is in the vortex of power, is well aware of the cruelty of the power struggle. She witnessed with her own eyes that cool officials like Zhou Xing and Lai Junchen, under Wu Zetian, created all kinds of cruel torture devices in order to make people confess, used torture to extract confessions, and arbitrarily fabricated crimes to kill people.
At that time, Li Tang's family and courtiers were wronged, so that thousands of families were exterminated, and even Wu Zetian's sons and heirs to the throne, Li Dan and Li Xian, were almost killed. Fortunately, Princess Taiping and the kings of the Wu clan were very dissatisfied with Lai Junchen's behavior and took the opportunity to expose his various evil deeds, and finally Wu Zetian ordered Lai Junchen to be executed, ending the "cool official politics" of the Wu Zhou period.
When Princess Taiping was young, Wu Zetian was in power. For her mother, Princess Taiping was both reverent and afraid, and she knew that Wu Zetian's words could determine the life and death of others, and this was power.
The Qianling Tomb where Emperor Gaozong of Tang and Wu Zetian were buried together
In the wu weekend year, the contradictions between the Wu and Li families became more and more acute.
In the first year of shenlong (705 AD), Wu Zetian was seriously ill. Zhang Kamzhi and others launched a mutiny, killing Wu Zetian's male favorites Zhang Changzong and Zhang Yizhi, forcing Wu Zetian to take the position of crown prince Li Xian, and restore Li Tang's artifact.
In this coup, Princess Taiping was also involved. She followed Zhang Kamzhi and others to force her mother to abdicate. After the coup, Princess Taiping was awarded the title of "Princess Taiping of Zhenguo" for her merits, and since then, Princess Taiping has begun to move from behind the scenes to the front of the stage, and power has begun to become within reach.
Imaginary Tang Chang'an City
02
The pinnacle of power
Before Princess Taiping, the princes of the Tang Dynasty were crowned to no more than a thousand households, and the princesses were even fewer. However, Princess Taiping was favored by her parents alone, and had already been sealed to three thousand households when Wu Zetian was in power, which showed the empress's preference for this daughter.
After launching a coup d'état with Zhang Kamzhi and others to force her mother to abdicate, Princess Taiping came to the fore from behind the scenes, when her mansion was extremely luxurious and the regulations were no different from those of the prince.
In the newly unearthed "Epitaph of Xue Shao", it is mentioned that Xue Shao's tomb was re-enthroned by Emperor Zhongzong of Tang who "ordered the division to change the burial with ceremonies". As the first husband of Princess Taiping, although Xue Shao lived in Sanpin, he should not enjoy the double-chamber tomb that only existed in the royal family, and the only reasonable explanation was that Princess Taiping's power was rising.
The inscription "Princess Shang Taiping" in Xue Shao's Epitaph
In the first year of Tang Long (710 AD), Emperor Zhongzong of Tang died violently. At the same time, Wei Hou helped the 15-year-old Li Chongmao to ascend to the throne, while he himself manipulated the government behind his back.
Faced with this situation, Princess Taiping agreed with Li Longji, the later Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, to launch a mutiny and help Tang Ruizong Li Dan ascend the throne.
Princess Taiping, Li Longji, and others had taken control of the situation after they had killed Wei Hou and Shangguan Wan'er, but there was still a thorny issue—someone needed to inform Li Chongmao of his abdication. At that time, no matter whether it was seniority, prestige, or power, no one could compare with Princess Taiping. Therefore, Princess Taiping was not to be tolerated and became a candidate to "dissuade" the emperor.
Although the 15-year-old Li Chongmao was named "Emperor", in the eyes of Princess Taiping, he was just an insignificant child. She went straight to Li Chongmao and said to the "emperor" without hesitation: Now the whole world is the King of Xiang, and this position is not what your children should sit on. Before he could say anything, he personally set up Li Chongmao and "invited" him to the throne.
With her elder brother Li Dan ascending the throne, Princess Taiping's power gradually reached its peak.
Xue Shao's tomb
Of the 7 prime ministers at that time, 5 were the disciples of Princess Taiping, and all three of her sons were crowned kings. At that time, those who sought officials, even ordinary people, as long as princess Taiping could instantly enjoy the high-ranking official Houlu with a single word, and the So-called "or jumping into the attendants from the cold and lengthy, and the heels will be phased" in the New Book of Tang is not a lie.
For major state affairs, Tang Ruizong was bound to seek the advice of Princess Taiping. When Princess Taiping was not in the dynasty, if there was anything important that could not be decided on the spot, the ministers would come to the Palace of Princess Taiping, and under the auspices of Princess Taiping, determine a solution and then send it to Tang Ruizong for approval.
"Under one person, above ten thousand people", it is most appropriate to describe the Princess Taiping of that year, compared to the weak Tang Ruizong, Princess Taiping is more like the actual ruler of the Tang Empire.
Chang Yuankai and Li Ci, who were in charge of the forbidden army at that time and were in charge of Tang Ruizong's security work, also obeyed the orders of Princess Taiping, and her words determined the lives and future of countless people— even including the crown prince Li Longji.
Statue of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang
03
The struggle for supreme power
When Princess Taiping was young, she had followed Wu Zetian around and was well aware of the cruelty of the power struggle. Looking at the Manchu Dynasty Wenwu, the person who can compete with himself is the crown prince Li Longji. In the face of the "stumbling blocks" on the road, even if it is her own nephew, Princess Taiping will not be soft.
At that time, Emperor Ruizong of Tang had weak control over the imperial government, and the crown prince Li Longji supervised the country, but Princess Taiping was far superior to the prince in terms of seniority and prestige. Tang Ruizong hoped to maintain a balance of power between Li Longji and Princess Taiping, and restrain each other, but both his aunt and nephew were not willing to be subordinated, accumulating strength, expecting to kill each other in one move.
Floor plan of Tang Chang'an City
Princess Taiping took the lead in attacking, and she summoned the prime minister to discuss the matter with only one theme: the abolition of the crown prince.
At that time, because of the strong opposition of Yao Chong and Song Jing, Princess Taiping's plan was not successful. Afterwards, Princess Taiping was furious, and the crown prince Li Longji was so horrified when he heard the news that he had to go up and demand that Yao and Song be demoted to appease Princess Taiping.
Yao Chongxiang
In the first year of Yanhe (712 AD), Princess Taiping and her protégés wanted to retreat and made a statement to Emperor Ruizong of Tang, claiming that the celestial phenomena were abnormal, indicating signs of a change of ruler, and it seemed that the emperor should give way to the crown prince.
Originally, Princess Taiping thought that Tang Ruizong held the power to kill and seize, and seeing her son threaten his position, he would kill the killer, keep his throne, and at least weaken Li Longji's power. Unexpectedly, Tang Ruizong was weak, and even listened to The "rebuttal" of Princess Taiping, and directly ceded the throne to the crown prince Li Longji--for Tang Xuanzong, and himself abdicated as Emperor Taishang.
At this time, Princess Taiping was dumbfounded, but she still relied on the protection of Emperor Taishang and her own power team, secretly accumulating strength, hoping to overthrow Tang Xuanzong Li Longji.
Princess Taiping married Xue Shao
At this time, the title of Princess Taiping had reached ten thousand households, the Sui and Tang dynasties, except for her mother Wu Zetian, no one was as powerful as her. In Princess Taiping's heart, since she was only one step away from the highest power, why didn't she go any further?
The daughter Wanquan County Lord died early, and Princess Taiping was very sad. At that time, Princess Taiping did not ask the emperor, directly made the decision, and buried her daughter in accordance with the emperor's tomb rules.
Such an act of trespassing, the young Tang Xuanzong saw it in his eyes, but he did not say anything, he was also waiting for the opportunity to take away all the power of his aunt.
Tang Dynasty relics in Xue Shao's tomb
In July of the second year of the reign of Emperor Xiantian (713 CE), Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Li Longji, preemptively launched a mutiny and swept away Princess Taiping and her henchmen.
When Princess Taiping heard the news, she was shocked. In a hurry, he did not have time to pack up and fled into the mountain temple to hide. Three days later, Princess Taiping, who knew that she was powerless to return to heaven, returned home from the mountain temple and committed suicide at home.
04
The price of power
From August to December 2019, the Shaanxi Institute of Archaeology excavated a Tang Dynasty tomb with four patios. According to the excavated epitaph, the owner of the tomb was Xue Shao, the first donkey of princess Taiping.
The excavation site of Xue Shao's tomb
Xue Shao was implicated in Li Chong's conspiracy and died in prison while Princess Taiping was pregnant with their fourth child. Afterwards, in order to appease Princess Taiping, Wu Zetian broke the custom of Princess Tang's food sealing no more than 350 households, and increased her households to 1,200 households.
Facing her mother, who was both revered and afraid, Princess Taiping finally advanced step by step in the direction of Wu Zetian's second. Unexpectedly, the young nephew Li Longji finally won the power struggle.
At first sight, Xue Shao mistakenly lived for life
When Princess Taiping is at home, quietly waiting for death to come, she may understand that in the game of power, there is no victor, and Xue Lang's death, and her own life, have now become the price of power...
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