The exact cause of Li Shimin's death did not leave a clear historical record at the time, so there are still many speculations and controversies to this day. However, some clues related to the cause of Li Shimin's death can be found from various historical documents and historical sources.
Three speculations
According to the Zizhi Tongjian, Li Shimin experienced symptoms such as chest tightness and palpitations before his death, which may be a precursor to heart disease. At that time, there were certain difficulties in diagnosing and treating heart disease.
During the Tang Dynasty, medicine had not yet reached the level of modern medicine, and the understanding and treatment of heart disease were relatively limited. At that time, the concept of medicine was mainly influenced by classics such as "The Yellow Emperor's Neijing" and "Treatise on Typhoid Fever and Miscellaneous Diseases", which believed that the diseases of the human body were related to the imbalance of yin and yang in the human body. Therefore, the treatment of heart disease often adopts methods to regulate the balance of yin and yang, such as taking herbal medicines, performing acupuncture, etc.
However, at that time, there was no in-depth understanding of the pathological mechanism and specific treatment methods of heart disease. Heart disease is a complex disease that involves structural and functional abnormalities of the heart's vascular system. In the absence of modern medical instruments and equipment, it is difficult for doctors to accurately determine the type and severity of heart disease.
In addition, for a high-ranking official like Li Shimin, as an emperor, the medical conditions may be relatively good, but it still cannot provide comprehensive diagnosis and treatment at the level of modern medicine. Doctors in the Tang Dynasty often relied on their own experience and traditional medical theories to diagnose and treat, but due to limited medical knowledge, the treatment effect may not be ideal.
It can be said that at the level of medicine at that time, it was indeed difficult to accurately diagnose and effectively treat heart disease. Li Shimin eventually died of malaria after showing symptoms of precursor heart disease, which also reflected the limitations of medical understanding and treatment of heart disease at that time. Over time, medical science has evolved dramatically, and there have been significant advances in the understanding and treatment of heart disease.
According to this symptom, there are two other theories, namely Li Shimin's death from cerebral hemorrhage and septic shock.
Excessive indulgence
According to the records of the Zizhi Tongjian, descriptions of Li Shimin's excessive indulgence in his later years are not common, and there are no specific details. However, there have been cases where some rulers or important figures in history have suffered from health problems due to their indulgence in pleasures and indulgences.
Excessive indulgence can lead to physical and mental health problems. Long-term indulgence and overconsumption can have negative effects on the human body, such as exerting physical strength, reducing immunity, and increasing the risk of disease. In addition, overindulgence can lead to problems such as mental stress, mood swings, and sleep disorders, which can have a negative impact on overall health.
However, there is no conclusive evidence to support this claim as to whether Li Shimin died early due to overindulgence. Historical accounts of rulers are often influenced by factors such as political factors, personal biases, and later interpretations, and therefore need to be treated with caution.
When studying historical figures, we should rely on a variety of historical sources for comprehensive and objective analysis and evaluation. At the same time, it is also necessary to note that there are many legends and rumors in history, which need to be treated with caution and reasonable speculation.
Overindulgence may have a negative impact on health, but we cannot draw a firm conclusion as to whether Li Shimin died prematurely.
The impact of Li Shimin's early death on the Tang Dynasty
Succession issues
Li Shimin was the founding emperor of the Tang Dynasty, and during his reign he did establish a strong centralized government and an efficient bureaucratic system, making the rule of Zhenguan a prosperous era in the history of the Tang Dynasty. However, his early death did cause some trouble for succession.
After Li Shimin's death, his son Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin's younger brother Li Yuanji had ambitions and competed for the throne. Eventually, Li Jiancheng was deposed by Li Shimin's wife, Wu Zetian, and Li Yuanji was eliminated from the palace political struggle. Wu Zetian then ascended the throne as the second female emperor of the Tang Dynasty.
Although Wu Zetian's rule maintained political stability for a period of time, in her later years, a series of internal and external problems emerged due to her personal power appetite and power struggle. Her reign was marked by political corruption, improper appointment of officials, and a weakened military, which eventually led to political turmoil and a decline in the power of the Tang Dynasty.
The issue of succession has historically been a sensitive and complex one. The death of a good ruler, if the successor is unable to achieve the same power and prestige, can lead to political instability and a decline in the ability to govern. This is especially important for an empire or a country, as the stability and effective rule of the regime is essential for the prosperity and development of the country.
However, it is important to note that events in history are often influenced by a variety of factors, and succession issues are only one of them. In addition to the individual's ability and prestige, social, economic, military, and other changes can also affect the stability of the regime and the development of the country.
Li Shimin's early death did pose a challenge to the succession of the Tang Dynasty, but the complexity of the succession issue is far more than that, and it needs to be comprehensively analyzed and evaluated in the context of more historical data and background.
Ministers of power interfere in politics
After Li Shimin's death, there was indeed a fierce struggle for the throne between his son Li Jiancheng and his younger brother Li Yuanji. In this battle, Li Jiancheng was eventually killed, and Li Yuanji ascended the throne as Emperor Taizong of Tang.
However, compared to Li Shimin, Li Yuanji did not show the same wisdom and wisdom. He relied on the powerful minister Gao Lishi to rule, which led to the situation of the powerful ministers interfering in politics gradually formed during the Tang Taizong period.
Colliers was a minister reused by Li Yuanji, and he had huge influence in politics. He used his power to intervene in the affairs of the court, hold military power, and exert significant influence on important decisions of the court. This phenomenon of powerful ministers interfering in government affairs weakened the emperor's ability to rule directly and caused problems in the operation of the regime.
During his reign, Colliers promoted cronies and protégés and excluded dissidents, which led to an increasingly fierce power struggle within the imperial court. He put personal self-interest first, neglected the overall interests of the country, and failed to handle domestic and foreign affairs effectively, which led to a series of political turmoil and an increase in internal and external problems.
In addition, Colliers also had a negative impact militarily. He transferred loyal generals from important posts in the army and promoted his own cronies, which led to the weakening and instability of the army and posed a threat to the security of the country.
This situation of interference by the ministers continued until the later years of Tang Taizong, and it was not until after his death that his son Li Zhi (Tang Gaozong) succeeded to the throne and implemented a series of reform measures, which gradually ended the rule of the ministers.
It should be pointed out that there is controversy over the evaluation of the intervention of the ministers, and some historians believe that Gao Lishi provided a stable rule to the Tang Dynasty to a certain extent and promoted some important policy reforms. However, in any case, the intervention of the ministers in politics brought serious problems to the stability of the Tang Dynasty regime and the governance of the country, and became an important issue in history.
Financial difficulties
During his reign, Li Shimin implemented many reform measures that were beneficial to economic development. He vigorously developed agriculture and popularized new farming techniques and irrigation systems, thereby increasing agricultural production capacity and raising the income level of farmers. He also actively developed new mineral resources and promoted the development of heavy industries such as iron and steel, copper and iron. In addition, he opened up overseas trade, expanded the country's export market, and increased fiscal revenue.
However, after Li Shimin's death, his successors did not continue these policies, but instead took some measures that were not conducive to economic development. For example, during the reign of Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty, high military service and taxes were frequently levied, which led to an increase in the burden on the peasants and hindered agricultural production and economic development. At the same time, due to the long-term conquest and the emptiness of the treasury, the Tang Dynasty faced financial difficulties, and the government had to adopt some austerity measures, such as reducing the salaries and benefits of officials, and reducing the personnel and weapons and equipment of the army.
These measures have led to a socio-economic decline and a deterioration of people's livelihoods. Due to the decline in agricultural production capacity, food prices have risen, resulting in a large number of famines and displaced people. At the same time, business activities have been affected by the reduction in government spending, people's incomes have also decreased, their spending power has decreased.
It should be pointed out that in the later period of the Tang Dynasty, Taizong implemented some important policy reforms, such as the promotion of the "equalization of losses" and the "abolition of the three provinces", which promoted the reform of the political system and the rectification of the bureaucracy, but these reforms did not completely solve the problem of economic difficulties. It was not until the reign of Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty that the prosperity and stability of the Tang Dynasty were gradually restored through measures such as reducing the tax burden and increasing agricultural investment.
War in the North
During his reign, Li Shimin took a series of effective measures to maintain stability on the northern border. He carried out military reforms, increased the strength of the border defense forces, and actively engaged in diplomatic and military representations with the Turkic, Tibetan and other ethnic minorities to maintain the security of the border areas. In addition, he built a series of military installations in the border areas, such as the Great Wall and Walled Forts, to strengthen the defense against the enemy.
However, after Li Shimin's death, his successors were not able to effectively continue these policies and measures, which led to a gradual deterioration of the situation on the northern border. Some of the successors lacked political capacity to effectively deal with the invasions and disturbances of Turkic, Tibetan and other ethnic minorities. At the same time, internal power struggles and political corruption led to the weakening of the army and the confusion of command, which made the defensive situation on the northern border even worse.
The Anshi Rebellion was the most significant war in the northern part of the Tang Dynasty. Rebel generals such as An Lushan and Shi Siming seized the opportunity to launch a full-scale rebellion against the Tang Dynasty, occupying important border cities and fortresses and threatening Chang'an, dealing a huge blow to the Tang regime. The war lasted for several years and brought great damage to the Tang Dynasty, not only in decline in national strength, but also in social and economic chaos.
It should be pointed out that the Anshi Rebellion was not the only cause of the war in the north of the Tang Dynasty, but also the influence of some other factors, such as geographical environment, ethnic contradictions, political corruption, etc. However, the successor's poor governance of the northern border and military missteps were one of the important reasons for the outbreak and expansion of the war.
Why Li Shimin is one of the greatest emperors in Chinese history
As the founder and unifier of the Tang Dynasty, Li Shimin conquered the separatist forces in various places through a series of wars and unified Chinese mainland. He re-established a centralized system of government and established a unified dynasty in the Tang Dynasty, laying a solid foundation for prosperity for the centuries to come.
During the reign of Zhenguan, Li Shimin implemented a series of political, military, economic and cultural reforms, which led to an era of prosperity and stability in the Tang Dynasty. He pursued the concept of governing the country with prudence and long-term pursuit, diligence and love for the people, and paid attention to selecting and promoting talents, repairing water conservancy, carrying out farmland reform, developing the economy, and improving the people's living standards. He also actively advocated Confucianism, paid attention to education, and strengthened cultural construction, making the Tang Dynasty an era of cultural prosperity.
Li Shimin's rule was also very open and inclusive. He respected the customs and culture of the people of all nationalities, abolished exorbitant taxes and miscellaneous taxes, and lightened the burden on the people. He actively promoted foreign exchanges and economic exchanges, strengthened relations with neighboring countries and ethnic minorities, and promoted cultural exchanges and integration. This open and inclusive attitude contributed greatly to the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty.
Li Shimin's reign had a profound impact on Chinese history. His political, military, and cultural achievements provided a reference for subsequent dynasties. His model of a unified dynasty became an important political institutional paradigm in Chinese history and was emulated by later emperors. Li Shimin's governance ideas and policies have also provided many useful inspirations for later generations and have had a positive impact on Chinese history.