preface
Eunuch interference in politics is also relatively common in China's history, but this situation occurred frequently in the Tang Dynasty. Eunuchs interfered in politics, which accompanied the entire development process of the middle and late Tang Dynasty. From the sudden outbreak of the Anshi Rebellion until the fall of the Tang Dynasty, the problem of eunuchs interfering in politics has not been effectively resolved. People such as Li Fuguo and Qiu Shiliang have been spurned by countless people throughout the ages, so why did eunuchs, who should have been used as servants, become cattle people who ran rampant in the palace in the last years of the Tang Dynasty? Let's analyze it together.
In the early Tang Dynasty, the system was strict
During the early days of the Tang Dynasty, the eunuch community was always very low in the country. Until Tang Taizong succeeded to the throne, the Tang Dynasty was further developed, the city was prosperous, and the internal system was standardized. In terms of eunuch management, Tang Taizong formulated a strict management system to avoid the occurrence of eunuch monopoly. Tang Taizong also put forward specific requirements: no official position above the three products should be established in the province of Internal Servants.
This also shows that the highest official position of eunuchs is four pins, and eunuchs who have reached four pins have no room to rise. During the reign of Emperor Taizong of Tang, the relevant eunuch management system was also effectively implemented. Later, during the reigns of Emperor Gaozong of Tang and Wu Zetian, the management system was also strictly observed. Although the number of eunuchs increased during the reign of Emperor Zhongzong of Tang, the status of the eunuch group still did not change much.
The Old Book of Tang, Liechuan No. 57, The Sons of Xuanzong Has a mother, Zhao Lifei, a native of this trick, a talented person, good at singing and dancing, and Xuanzong was fortunate to be in Luzhou. After Jing Yun was promoted to the throne, his father Yuan Li and brother Chang Nu were promoted to the position of Capital, and both were promoted to high officials at the beginning of the New Century. and Concubine Wu Hui was pampered, and Princess Li was gradually relaxed.
Emperor Xuanzong ascended the throne, and eunuchs intervened in politics
The eunuch community was reused by the emperor and thus interfered in politics from the time of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang's reign. When Tang Xuanzong first took office, he was young and promising, and with the meticulous assistance of Yao Chong and other sages, the Tang Dynasty appeared in the Kaiyuan prosperous world. After that, Xuanzong gradually increased in age, the prosperous years were no longer there, and the will was gradually inferior to before, which was not to find excuses for him, but to be limited by various ancient ideas, and the emperor would make some "abnormal" moves when he was old, such as Emperor Wu of Han, Sun Quan and so on.
In terms of courtiers, the relevant system of electing officials also appeared flawed, and a series of traitors appeared above the court, such as the team of traitors represented by Li Linfu. It was also during this period that the power of eunuchs was expanded, coupled with the increase in scale and the weakness of the management system, which led to the further development of the eunuch group in the court. Tang Xuanzong was more casual in the choice of eunuchs, and he would also grant the eunuchs he liked the official position of Sanpin, breaking through the eunuch management system established by the early Tang Dynasty.
During the reign of Emperor Xuanzong, there were two powerful eunuchs, namely Gao Lishi and Yang Sixun. These two people were deeply loved by Xuanzong and repeatedly performed miraculous feats, so they received many rewards. Because of their continuous favor, the official positions of the above two also reached a peak at that time. The above two eunuchs did not form a eunuch dictatorship during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong, and Gao Lishi was also evaluated as the first eunuch. However, it is undeniable that the eunuch group began to join the political system at this time.
Old Book of Tang: After emperor Xuanzong's abolition, wang shi, tongzhou xia yiren, liang ji prefecture stabbed shi shen nian. When Shang was the King of Linzi, He hou was a concubine. The admiral revolted, plotted quite premeditated, and favored the great cause. In the first year of the first year of the first heaven, she was made empress, with her father Ren Jiao as the servant Secretary, and accumulated kaifu Yi tong sansi and the duke of The Duke of Ying. After the brother Shouyi was childless, he was often afraid of ruin, leading to the things that were disgusting.
Dezong made a mistake and the eunuchs took power
During the Anshi Rebellion, the crown prince Li Heng stayed behind under Li Fuguo's advice. With his help, he successfully became emperor, because of the above experience, the two also suffered and saw the truth. Therefore, after Li Heng successfully ascended the throne, he would naturally be pampered and pampered, so that he would begin to succeed to the official position of holding military power. After mastering the military power, Li Fuguo naturally grasped the real power, and with the blessing of power, few people could handle it calmly. The eunuch Li Fuguo began a powerful political career, Suzong died, and Li Fuguo supported Li Yu's ascension to the throne. During the Tang Dynasty, the first eunuch to achieve great power was Li Fuguo.
After the Tang Dynasty encountered the Anshi Rebellion, Li Tang's ascendants began to have a crisis of trust in their courtiers, and then began to trust the eunuchs who took care of themselves. In the subsequent political development, the eunuch group also began to be reused. And why did Emperor Dezong give the eunuchs the power to manage the forbidden army of the palace? The reason for this has something in common with Tang Suzong's previous excessive belief in Li Fuguo's existence.
During Emperor Dezong's tenure, the Zhu Zhu Rebellion suddenly broke out. At that time, the rebels had already captured Chang'an, and Emperor Dezong fled in a panic. In this process, the eunuchs Dou Wenchang and Huo Xianming were closely protected. This kind of feeling of suffering and sharing will naturally be unforgettable, and from then on, Dezong can be said to have trusted the two, and the eunuch management of the Shen ce army also became a fixed management rule of the Tang Dynasty, which has not changed since then.
In fact, the establishment of this management rule was beneficial to Emperor Dezong, and this management rule could provide a guarantee for the safety of the emperor himself. But this system of rules is also a coexistence of pros and cons, with advantages and disadvantages.
Old Book of Tang: Emperor Xuanzong's Empress Yang, Hongnong Huayin. Great-grandfather ShiDa, Sui Nayan, Tianzhi Zhong, yi Ze Tianmu clan, posthumously honored Shi Da as King Zheng, and gave him the title of Tai Wei. Father Zhiqing, General Zuo Qianniu, Gifted Taiwei and Zheng Guogong. Later Jingyun was elected to the Tai Womb in August of the first year. Princess Taiping used things, especially the East Palace.
summary
Ever since the Emperor ordered eunuchs to begin to manage and lead the Divine Strategy Army, the eunuchs as a group began to be completely independent from the palace, and they gradually gained individual power. This also laid the foundation for the formation of the situation of "coercing the son of heaven, looking down at the prime minister, and the tyranny of the dynasty like grass mustard", and since then the eunuchs have changed from servants to courtiers, and from courtiers to powerful and powerful masters in the dynasty, which is also the beginning of the decline of the Tang Dynasty.
As for the phenomenon of eunuchs interfering in government in the late Tang Dynasty, we fully understand that when a dynasty formulates relevant rules, the relevant rule-makers must have the foresight of the rules, and cannot only fully consider the recent results brought about by such rules. With the continuous advancement of time and the change of the actual situation, the relevant rules formulated can become both a driving force for social development and a torrent.
Resources:
Old Book of Tang