1. Zhao Tuo, Emperor Wudi of South Vietnam
Age: 100+ years
Important event: Zhao Tuo was originally a general of the Qin Dynasty, and he and Ren Yao went south to attack Baiyue. During the great chaos at the end of the Qin Dynasty, Zhao Tuo ceded Lingnan and established the state of Nanyue. Emperor Gaozu of Han reigned from the third year (204 BC) to the fourth year of Jianyuan (137 BC). Zhao Tuo ruled Lingnan for 81 years, and served as the king of Nanyue for 4 generations until 111 BC, when the state of Nanyue was destroyed by the Han Dynasty. Zhao Tuo went through vicissitudes and ruled a relatively independent South Vietnamese state, becoming the founder of the South Vietnamese state and the leader of the South Vietnamese people.
Influence: Zhao Tuo carried out extensive cultural exchanges and trade activities during his time in South Vietnam, promoted the economic and cultural development of South Vietnam, and had an important impact on the history and culture of southern China. He also laid the foundation for the political, economic and cultural development of the Lingnan region.
Evaluation and controversy: Zhao Tuo is considered the founder of the state of South Vietnam and has had an important influence on the history and culture of southern China. He is also regarded as an outstanding leader and national hero in history. However, during the reign of the South Vietnamese state, he also used brutal measures to suppress and subjugate the rebellion of some ethnic groups and localities, which also caused some controversy.
2. Emperor Gaozong of the Qing Dynasty, Qianlong Emperor
Dying age: 89 years old
Important event: The Qianlong Emperor was the sixth emperor of the Qing Dynasty, and during his reign, the Qing Dynasty reached its highest peak since the Kang Qian dynasty, achieving the unification of the multi-ethnic state. He also attached importance to social stability, cared for the affected people, reduced the burden on farmers, and attached importance to water conservancy construction, which played a role in protecting agricultural production. The Qianlong Emperor also promoted culture, art and science and technology, which led to the Qing Dynasty's major achievements in culture and technology. He also conducted several foreign conquests during his reign, expanding the Qing dynasty's sphere of influence.
Impact: During the reign of the Qianlong Emperor, the Qing Dynasty had a prosperous economy, strong national strength, and social stability, which had a profound impact on Chinese history. His promotion of culture, art, science and technology has also contributed to China's cultural and scientific and technological progress. His achievements in governance were praised by later generations as the "Qianlong Prosperous Era", and his evaluation of Chinese history was relatively high.
Evaluation and controversy: There were also some controversies during the reign of the Qianlong Emperor. He reigned for too long, his power was too centralized, and his control and intervention in the government of the DPRK were relatively strict, which also led to some corruption and bureaucratic phenomena. In addition, he has some controversy over his treatment of ethnic minorities and foreign forces. Although he has made some achievements in promoting culture and art, there is also excessive worship and waste of culture and art.
3. Southern Liang Wudi Xiao Yan
Dying age: 85 years old
Important event: Xiao Yan was the founder of the Liang Dynasty during the Southern and Northern Dynasties. In the early years of his reign in Southern Liang, he was able to pay attention to government affairs, corrected various abuses since the Song and Qi dynasties, and adopted the policy of replacing dissidents, appointing cronies, and crusading in order to bring the prefectures and counties under his control. In the late period of his reign, as he achieved success and grew older, he began to neglect political affairs and indulge in Buddhism.
Influence: During the Southern Liang period, Xiao Yan had an important influence on the politics, economy and culture of southern China. During his reign in Southern Liang, he achieved some results in political and economic reforms, laying the foundation for the prosperity of Southern Liang. He also valued culture and education, encouraging academic research and the development of culture and art. In addition, he also fought foreign wars during his reign, expanding the sphere of influence of Southern Liang.
Evaluation and controversy: Xiao Yan is considered the founding emperor and outstanding statesman of Southern Liang. During his reign, a series of political and economic reforms were adopted that laid the foundation for the prosperity of Southern Liang. He is also regarded as a patron of culture and the arts and a supporter of education. However, Xiao Yan indulged in Buddhism in his later years, and his neglect of government affairs also raised some questions. In addition, he used some brutal measures in his governance, suppressing and conquering people and places that rebelled against him, which also caused some controversy.
4. Wu Zetian, Emperor of Wuzhou
Age: 81 years old
Important event: Wu Zetian was originally a palace maid of the Tang Dynasty, and was later valued by Emperor Taizong of Tang because of her outstanding talent, and served as the empress's steward and a scholar of the Gonggong Palace. Later, because Emperor Zhongzong of Tang and Emperor Ruizong of Tang had no heirs, Wu Zetian was made empress, later known as Princess Taiping, and later deposed Emperor Zhongzong of Tang and established Emperor Ruizong of Tang, and after the death of Emperor Ruizong of Tang, he ascended the throne as Emperor Wuzhou. During her reign, she took a series of political, economic and military measures to promote social stability and economic development. She also attached great importance to the selection of talents and implemented the imperial examination system, setting an example for female politicians in Chinese history.
Influence: Wu Zetian was the only female emperor in Chinese history and had a profound impact on Chinese history. During her reign, she promoted a series of political, economic, and military measures that increased the country's dominance and influence. She also attached importance to culture and education, implemented the imperial examination system, and encouraged the development of academic research and culture and art. Her governance achievements were praised by later generations as "the beginning of the prosperous era", and her evaluation of Chinese history is also relatively high.
Evaluation and controversy: During his reign, Wu Zetian adopted some brutal measures, wantonly killing Tang clans and political opponents, and raising "cool official politics", which caused some controversy. She was also accused of authoritarianism, extravagance, and absurdity, especially in her later years, which also caused some doubts and criticisms.
5. Emperor Gaozong of Song Zhao Structure
Age: 81 years old
Important events: Zhao was the emperor of the Southern Song Dynasty. When he was young, the Jin kingdom invaded the Southern Song Dynasty, his father and eldest brother were captured, and the Southern Song Dynasty perished. Zhao Zhi ascended the throne as emperor in Nanjing Yingtianfu and rebuilt the Southern Song Dynasty. During his reign, he was forced to use Yue Fei, Han Shizhong and other generals of the main war faction to fight against the Jin state, but he also deposed and executed the ministers of the main war faction many times, and finally the Southern Song regime gradually declined under the pressure of the Jin state.
Influence: As emperor of the Southern Song Dynasty, Zhao Zhi faced significant diplomatic and military challenges, but had high cultural and artistic achievements. He attached great importance to culture and education, and devoted himself to promoting the development of poetry, calligraphy, painting and other arts. His achievements in governance are considered by later generations to be the peak of Southern Song culture.
Evaluation and controversy: Historically, Zhao's governance achievements are considered the peak of Southern Song culture, but he adopted a policy of mastership and peace in dealing with the Jin Dynasty, leading to the diplomatic and military defeat of the Southern Song Dynasty. In addition, he repeatedly dismissed and executed the ministers of the main war faction, which caused some controversy. Historically, there have also been divided views of Zhao, with some considering him a good emperor and others as a weak ruler.
6. Wuyue Wusu King Qian Hao
Dying age: 80 years old
Important event: Qian Wei followed Dong Chang in the late Tang Dynasty to protect the township, resist the chaotic army, and moved to the town navy to become the envoy, and later because Dong Chang rebelled against Tang and declared himself emperor, he was edicted to pacify Dong Chang, and then added the Zhendong army to the festival. He gradually occupied the two Zhejiang and thirteen prefectures headed by Hangzhou, and was successively named King of Yue, King of Wu, King of Wuyue, and King of Wuyue by the Central Plains Dynasty (Tang Dynasty, Later Liang, and Later Tang). During his reign, he implemented a series of political, economic, and military measures that strengthened the rule and influence of the state of Wu Yue.
Influence: Qian was the founder of the Wu Yue State during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, and during his reign he implemented a series of political, economic, and military measures to strengthen the ruling power and influence of the Wu Yue State. He also attached importance to culture and education, implemented the imperial examination system, and encouraged the development of academic research and culture and art. His governance achievements were praised by later generations as the "prosperous era of Wuyue", and his evaluation of Chinese history was relatively high.
Evaluation and controversy: In the process of his governance, because of the small territory of Wuyue State and surrounded by strong enemies on three sides, Qian Yun had to always rely on the Central Plains Dynasty, respected him as Zhengshuo, and constantly sent tribute to seek protection. These actions caused some controversy, with some believing that he was too dependent on the Central Plains dynasty in diplomacy and did not truly realize the independence and autonomy of the Wuyue state. In addition, he had some brutal treatment of political opponents and rebellions, which also raised some questions. But on the whole, Qian Yun's governance achievements in the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period have been recognized by history.
7. Yuan Shizu Kublai Khan
Dying age: 78 years old
Important events: Kublai Khan was the fifth khan of the Mongol Empire and the founding emperor of the Yuan Dynasty. During his reign, he marched south to Dali, using the road to Tubo, ending Yunnan's centuries-old division and formally incorporating Tibet into China's territory. He also went south to conquer the Song Dynasty, quell the rebellion of the rebel king, and complete the fourth great unification in Chinese history. He implemented a series of political, economic, and military measures, carried out foreign trade and cultural exchanges, and strengthened the ruling power and influence of the Yuan Dynasty.
Influence: Kublai Khan was a prominent statesman and military strategist of the Mongol Empire and the founder of the glorious history of the Mongol nation. The Yuan Dynasty he established was one of the most extensive dynasties in Chinese history and an important period for the development of China's multi-ethnic unified country. During his reign, he implemented a series of political, economic and military measures to promote social stability and economic development, which had a profound impact on Chinese history.
8. Tang Xuanzong Li Longji
Dying age: 78 years old
Important events: Li Longji was the longest-reigning emperor of the Tang Dynasty and the emperor of the Tang Dynasty's heyday. During his reign, he was diligent in political affairs and took a series of measures to consolidate and develop the Tang Dynasty regime. He created the most prosperous era of the Tang Dynasty, the Kaiyuan Dynasty. In the first year of Baoying (762), he died of illness in the Shenlong Hall of Chang'an, at the age of 78, and was buried in Jinsu Mountain, named Tailing. Temple number Xuanzong, and because of its nickname as the Emperor Daming Xiao of the Dao Great Sage, the Qing Dynasty avoided the name of the Kangxi Emperor Xuan Ye, mostly called him Tang Ming Emperor, and also honored the Kaiyuan Shengwen Shenwu Emperor.
Influence: Emperor Xuanzong of Tang was an extremely influential emperor in the history of the Tang Dynasty, who created the beginning of the Tang Dynasty, which enabled the Tang Dynasty to achieve unprecedented prosperity and development in politics, culture and economy. During his reign, he attached importance to culture and education, promoted talents, and promoted the development of science and technology, making the Tang Dynasty one of the most advanced civilizations in the world. His ideas and policies also had a profound impact on later generations.
Evaluation and controversy: Although Emperor Xuanzong of Tang made many achievements in the early stage of his reign, in his later years, due to favoring Yang Guifei and others, political corruption led to the outbreak of the Anshi Rebellion, which caused great harm to the Tang Dynasty. Therefore, he also has different views of controversy and evaluation in history.
9. Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang
Dying age: 71 years old
Important events: Zhu Yuanzhang, the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty, carried out a series of political, economic, cultural, and military reforms during his reign, consolidating the political foundation of the Ming Dynasty by strengthening the centralization of power, cracking down on corrupt officials, implementing the Weisho system, and the remnants of the Northern Expedition. In the economic aspect, he vigorously promoted the policy of stockpiling fields, strengthened the management and development of agriculture, and gradually restored and developed social production, which is known as the "rule of Hongwu". In 1398, he died of illness at the age of 71, with the temple name Taizu, nicknamed Emperor Gao, and was buried in the Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum.
Influence: Zhu Yuanzhang was an outstanding statesman and military strategist in Chinese history, and the Ming regime he founded brought Chinese society out of the chaos and turmoil under Mongol rule and entered a new historical period. His political, military, economic and cultural contributions have had a profound impact on Chinese history, especially his reign of Hongwu, one of the world's rulers in Chinese history, and played a positive role in promoting the development of Chinese society.
Evaluation and controversy: Although Zhu Yuanzhang's rule brought relative stability to China, there were also some controversies in his political and military methods, such as brutal political struggles and suppression of dissent. In addition, after the death of his son Zhu Biao, Zhu Yuanzhang's abuse of Empress Wang and other concubines also caused dissatisfaction and criticism in society. Therefore, there are also different views on Zhu Yuanzhang's evaluation in history.
10. Sun Quan, Emperor of the State of Wu
Dying age: 71 years old
Important events: Sun Quan was the founder of the state of Wu during the Three Kingdoms period, and during his reign, he promoted the economic development of the Jiangnan region through measures such as the Tuntian policy, the eradication of Shanyue, and the strengthening of maritime trade, making the state of Wu an important political and economic center in southern China at that time. He also strengthened the management and development of agriculture by setting up agricultural officials and implementing such measures as the establishment of farmland and the practice of farming. On the military front, he also carried out many Northern Expeditions and defeated Liu Bei in the Battle of Yiling. He died in the first year of Taiyuan (252) at the age of 71 and reigned for twenty-four years.
Influence: Sun Quan was an outstanding statesman and military strategist in history, and the Wu regime he founded made great contributions to the historical development and cultural exchanges in southern China. His political, economic and military contributions have had an important impact on Chinese history.
Evaluation and controversy: Sun Quan is historically evaluated as an outstanding politician and military strategist "among the Three Kingdoms, Wu Zu and Eastern Wu Valley, and Sun Quan dominated". But there were also some controversies about his rule, such as the appointment of officials, the attitude towards the royal family with different surnames, and the doting of his son Sun He, all of which caused controversy and different evaluations among historians and literary scholars. But in any case, Sun Quan's political skills and military talents have had a profound impact on Chinese history, and his ideas and policies for governing the country have also provided important references and enlightenment for future generations of politicians and military experts.