Introduction: We know that in archaeology, some ancient books have been found, which are of great help to the study of ancient history. There are many texts that can find unknown events, and these books also demonstrate the authenticity of history. Once during the Time of Li Shimin, there was a kind of book similar to a history book, that is, to record the life of the emperor, which was the Living Notes. It will record all the things of the emperor, no matter how big or small.
Then, at the earliest times, the living note was similar to an emperor's diary, recording the emperor's words and deeds, and there were special people who recorded it at that time. Record all the actions of the emperor, and there will be a special official in charge of this matter. Therefore, through the living note, you can understand the trajectory of the emperor's behavior, know what he is doing every day, doing some big things, or bad things, which can be found from the living notes.
In addition, after all, the emperor is the foundation of a country. Any action he does has the potential to affect the development of a country. Then there are some emperors whose behavior is more absurd, and may not even remember what they have done, that is, they can find these things by querying the living notes. As long as they have done this, the living notes can be documented, and some things the emperor cannot deny.
There was once an incident that happened during the Wanli years, when the emperor favored a palace girl, and later the palace maid also gave birth to a child, and many ministers felt that since they had children, they could be crown princes, but because the Wanli Emperor did not want to recognize this child, he felt that it was a stain on his life, he wanted to settle accounts, and deliberately questioned, saying that this child was not necessarily his own. At this time, the empress dowager ordered the inquiry of the living notes.
In the records of the living notes, it is really found that he did spoil this palace girl at a certain time, and the time and time of the birth of the emperor's heirs were just right. The emperor could not deny this matter, so from this point of view, it can be known that by querying the living notes, it is also possible to know whether the heirs have pure blood. Because the living notes are more detailed, and they cover a lot of the emperor's private life.
If the state wants to compile a book such as a historical record, it will compile it with reference to the living notes. For our later generations, the living notes are also an important source for the study of history. The true situation of history at that time can be determined through objective facts. Another function of the living note is to supervise the emperor and let them not act arbitrarily, and the emperor will feel that someone is staring at him all the time, so they need to be very cautious when talking and doing things.
The living note was not allowed to be seen by the emperor himself, because he was afraid that the emperor would see the poorly recorded content in the living note and would dispose of these officials responsible for recording the living note. There were also some emperors who were worried that their bad behavior would be recorded by the living notes, especially Tang Taizong, who wanted to see the living notes at that time, but the ministers persuaded him. Later, he was still not dead-hearted, and after being repeatedly stopped, Tang Taizong insisted on looking at the living notes. At that time, the minister in charge of the living note deleted the contents of the living note.
Conclusion: During the Tang Taizong period, Li Shimin's living notes at that time were not very credible, because he himself had seen them, and before reading them, in order to avoid the emperor seeing what he should not see, he had deleted them, and his living notes were not to record the truth. So why didn't you let the emperor go to see the living note, just because to avoid such a thing from happening. Worried that the emperor saw that his mistakes were recorded, he asked the officials to delete the living notes, then the imperial order could not be disobeyed, and after the officials deleted them, the living notes lost their original meaning. After all, the emperor's power is particularly large, so in order to preserve the true history, they are not allowed to look at the living notes themselves, and some emperors are very conscious and will not look at it.