Tang Taizong Li Shimin, the second emperor of the Tang Dynasty, his life is full of legends. As an outstanding statesman and military strategist, he pioneered the rule of Sadakan and left a lasting impact on future generations. However, in his later years, a mystery about the cause of his death gradually emerged.
In ancient China, the pursuit of immortality has always been the dream of many emperors. Both Qin Shi Huang and Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty had paid a huge price in search of the art of immortality, but in the end, neither could do so. When Li Shimin was young, he also scoffed at immortality. He knows that manpower is sometimes poor, and he is quite satisfied with living past 100 years old. He has said many times that the things of immortals are inherently illusory and should not be pursued excessively.
However, when Li Shimin entered his old age and his physical condition gradually deteriorated, his mentality also underwent subtle changes. He began to develop a fear of death and became interested in the art of immortality. At this moment, a warlock named Luo Er Po Sleep walked into his sight.
Luo claimed to have lived for 200 years and was proficient in the art of immortality. He showed Li Shimin many miraculous pills, and claimed that as long as he took these pills, he could prolong his life and even live forever. Under the fear of death and the temptation of immortality, Li Shimin actually believed Luo Er's words and began to take these pills.
However, things did not develop as Li Shimin imagined. These so-called "elixirs" not only did not make him immortal, but made his condition more serious. Soon after taking the pill, Li Shimin's physical condition deteriorated dramatically, and he unfortunately passed away two months later.
The historians of the Tang Dynasty were quite cautious when recording the cause of Taizong's death. After all, Li Shimin was a generation of Ming monarchs in the Tang Dynasty, and his cultural and martial arts were outstanding. Such a death is undoubtedly a damage to Tang Taizong's reputation. Therefore, historians try to avoid mentioning these elixirs in their records, and instead attribute the cause of his death to other factors.
However, history is always impartial. Despite the historians' attempts to cover up the truth, the news of Li Shimin's death from taking pills gradually spread. This news not only shocked future generations, but also raised deeper doubts about the art of immortality.
Although the cause of Li Shimin's death is full of regret and tragedy, it also leaves us with a profound enlightenment: the pursuit of immortality is an unrealistic fantasy, and we should cherish life and live in the present.