Princess Shengping, the daughter of Li Yu of the Tang Dynasty, left a disgraceful mark in history because of her rude and willful behavior. She married Guo Hua, the sixth son of the famous general Guo Ziyi, which was supposed to be a good story, but it turned into a farce because of the princess's arrogance. The story of "Drunken Beating the Golden Branch" is widely circulated, telling the dramatic scene of Guo Hua drunkenly beating and scolding Princess Shengping, and Guo Ziyi had to personally scold his son to calm the royal anger. However, this is only the beginning of many controversial events in Princess Shengping's life. What she did not only troubled the Guo family, but also cast a shadow on the entire Tang Dynasty royal family. Did Princess Shengping really repent, as the folk tale says, finally repent? Why was she regarded by Tang Dynasty as a disgrace to the Tang Dynasty royal family? How did her actions affect the political situation in the late Tang Dynasty?
Princess Shengping was born during the reign of Li Yu of the Tang Dynasty, and was the beloved daughter of the Tang Dynasty Zong and Concubine Cui. Concubine Cui was born in a famous family and was a descendant of the famous Cui family at that time. Her beauty and intelligence were deeply favored by the Tang Dynasty Sect, so Princess Shengping was favored in the palace since she was a child, and she developed an arrogant and willful character.
Tang Dynasty's love for Princess Shengping can be described as meticulous. According to the "Old Tang Book", Princess Shengping has been smart since she was a child, can write poetry and paint, and won the favor of the Tang Dynasty. Tang Dynasty Emperor often personally instructed her to learn poetry and literature, and even invited famous literati and scholars of the time to teach in the palace for her. This royal education made Princess Shengping brilliant, but it also made her develop an arrogant attitude that no one in her eyes was.
However, royal favor does not protect Princess Shengping forever. As she grew older, marital issues gradually became a major concern for Tang Dynasty Sect. In the political situation at that time, the marriage of princesses often had strong political overtones and was one of the important means of consolidating imperial power.
In 765 AD, Tang Dynasty Zong decided to marry Princess Shengping to Guo Xu, the sixth son of the famous general Guo Ziyi. The political significance of this marriage is self-evident. As a famous general in the Tang Dynasty, Guo Ziyi made outstanding contributions in quelling the "Anshi Rebellion" and resisting foreign invasions. Tang Dynasty's move was on the one hand to praise Guo Ziyi's merits, and on the other hand, it was also to further win over this powerful general.
Guo Hua himself is also a talented young man. According to historical records, he is both civil and military, with a gentle personality, and is deeply loved by Guo Ziyi. The Tang Dynasty chose Guo Hua as the concubine, in addition to valuing the political status of the Guo family, he also hoped that Guo Hua could tolerate the willfulness of Princess Shengping and provide her with a stable family environment.
However, this seemingly perfect marriage did not go as Tang Dynasty Sect wished. Princess Seungpyeong was extremely dissatisfied with this family business, she thought that she was being used as a political bargaining chip, and her heart was full of resentment. Although the Guo family treats her with great courtesy, she still makes things difficult everywhere and often makes trouble with Guo Hua unreasonably.
In order to take care of Princess Shengping's feelings, Guo Ziyi specially instructed the family to be respectful to the princess. He even gave all the precious items given by the emperor to Princess Shengping, and added many slaves and maids to her, so that she could enjoy even better treatment than in the palace. But instead of making Princess Shengping grateful, these kindnesses encouraged her arrogant behavior.
Princess Shengping's life in Guo's mansion was extremely luxurious. She often invited literati and scholars to the mansion to chant poems and paint, spending money like dirt. Every time there is a good work, she will reward "Baijiao", the cost of which is staggering. This extravagant and wasteful lifestyle not only brought an economic burden to the Guo family, but also aroused criticism from both the government and the opposition.
As time passed, Princess Seungpyeong's behavior became more and more unscrupulous. She not only drank Guo Wu at home, but also often went in and out of the palace to tell Guo Wu about Guo Wu's state to the Tang Dynasty. This behavior seriously affected the reputation of the Guo family, and also made Tang Dynasty Sect feel very embarrassed.
In 767 AD, on the occasion of Guo Ziyi's seventieth birthday, Princess Shengping's behavior finally caused an uproar. This is the widely circulated "Drunken Golden Branch" incident, and it is also the turning point of the intensification of the conflict between Princess Shengping and the Guo family. This incident not only exposed the arrogant nature of Princess Shengping, but also made Tang Dynasty Sect begin to re-examine the impact of this political marriage.
In 767 AD, Guo Ziyi ushered in his seventieth birthday. As a famous general of Zhongxing in the Tang Dynasty, Guo Ziyi's birthday banquet can be described as unprecedented. Emperor Tang Dynasty personally issued a holy decree, ordered hundreds of officials to go to celebrate his birthday, and gave Guo Ziyi the honorific title of "King of Fenyang County". On this day, Guo Ziyi's eight sons and eight daughters and more than 100 grandchildren gathered together, and the scene was very lively.
However, in this joyful atmosphere, only the sixth daughter-in-law, Princess Shengping, was missing. Guo Hua sent someone to invite, only to learn that Princess Shengping had already gone out to participate in the Talent Poetry Club. It wasn't until the end of the birthday banquet that Princess Shengping was late, looking arrogant and unapologetic.
Seeing this, Guo Yu was displeased. He has swallowed his anger several times because of Princess Shengping's willfulness, and this time on such an important day as his father's birthday, Princess Shengping's behavior is undoubtedly disrespectful to the entire Guo family. After three rounds of drinking, Guo Hua used the strength of the wine to ask Princess Shengping why she was late.
Princess Shengping has always been arrogant, how can she back down? Not only did she not admit her mistake, but she sharply scolded Guo Hua for not questioning her in public. The words were full of disdain and contempt for the Guo family. Although Guo Hua is modest on weekdays, he is also angered at the moment. Under the influence of alcohol, he was impulsive, raised his hand and gave Princess Shengping a slap.
This slap not only hit Princess Shengping's face, but also hit the face of the entire royal family. Princess Shengping was immediately furious, regardless of Guo Ziyi's retention, and rushed straight out of Guo's mansion and returned to the palace to complain to Tang Dynasty Sect.
When the news reached Tang Dynasty Zong's ears, he suddenly broke out in a cold sweat. In the Tang Dynasty, there were feudal towns and towns, and there were Tubo tigers outside, and Guo Ziyi's family controlled the military and political power, if the relationship between the Guo family and the royal family deteriorated because of this incident, the consequences would be unimaginable. Tang Dynasty Sect had to deal with this tricky situation carefully.
After careful consideration, Tang Dynasty Sect decided to mediate in person. He first severely reprimanded Princess Shengping, pointing out that she should not be willful and reckless on such an important occasion as Guo Ziyi's birthday banquet. Subsequently, he sent someone to send a message to Guo Ziyi, saying that he understood that this was just "the words of the boudoir, why take it seriously", in order to relieve the pressure on the Guo family.
After Guo Ziyi received the emperor's dictation, he immediately realized the seriousness of the situation. In order to appease the royal anger and maintain the relationship with the royal family, Guo Ziyi made a surprising decision: he personally tied up Guo Hua and severely punished him with a cane.
This move not only shows Guo Ziyi's political wisdom, but also reflects his respect for imperial power. Guo Ziyi's behavior satisfied Tang Dynasty Sect, who believed that the Guo family was still loyal. At the same time, this also gave Tang Dynasty Sect a step down, and he could take this opportunity to resolve this turmoil.
Tang Dynasty Zong immediately ordered Princess Shengping to return to Guo's mansion. He hoped that Princess Shengping would grow up to get rid of her arrogant temper and get along with Guo Yu. However, this expectation was not fulfilled in the end.
Although the incident of "Drunken Golden Bough" has subsided temporarily, its impact is far-reaching. First of all, this incident exposed that the contradictions between Princess Shengping and the Guo family have reached the point where it is difficult to reconcile. Although the Guo family has always been courteous to Princess Shengping, she has never been able to integrate into the Guo family, which has laid the groundwork for future conflicts.
Secondly, this incident also made Tang Dynasty Zong realize that his favor for Princess Shengping may have reached the point of affecting the government. Princess Shengping's wayward behavior not only brought trouble to the Guo family, but also possibly endangered the relationship between the Tang Dynasty and important ministers. This prompted the Tang dynasty to reconsider how to balance family relations with national interests.
In addition, the incident of "Drunken Beating the Golden Branch" was widely circulated among the people and became a popular story. It not only reflected the social reality of the time, but also became a typical case of later generations criticizing the arrogance and extravagance of the royal family.
However, it turned out that this incident did not make Princess Shengping truly repent. In the years that followed, her behavior became more and more unscrupulous, not only continuing to quarrel with Guo Hua, but also intervening in court politics many times, and even participating in the political struggle of the royal family. These actions eventually led to her being regarded by the Tang Dynasty as a "disgrace to the Tang Dynasty royal family".
Although the incident of "Drunken Golden Branch" is only a small episode in Princess Shengping's life, it has become an important window to understand Princess Shengping's character and behavior. Through this incident, we can see the arrogant and willful nature of Princess Shengping, as well as the irreconcilable contradictions between her and the Guo family. This provides an important context for understanding the subsequent sequence of events.
After the incident of "Drunken Golden Branch", Princess Shengping not only did not relent, but intensified. She began to frequent the palace and used her status as a princess to interfere in court affairs. This behavior not only brought political instability to the Tang Dynasty, but also left many controversies for later generations.
In 770 AD, the Tang Dynasty appointed Guo Ziyi's eldest son, Guo Xi, as the envoy of the Hezhong Festival. This was an ordinary personnel appointment, but it was complicated by the intervention of Princess Shengping. Princess Shengping believes that as the daughter-in-law of the Guo family, she has the right to seek a higher official position for her husband Guo Xuan. So, she entered the palace many times to ask Tang Dynasty Sect, hoping to let Guo Hua take over Guo Xi's position.
Tang Dynasty Emperor did not agree to Princess Shengping's request at first. However, Princess Shengping did not give up. She began to use her connections in the palace to constantly put pressure on Tang Dynasty Sect. In the end, Tang Dynasty Zong had to make a compromise and appoint Guo Hua as Taiyuan Yin, a position that was not as good as that of the Jiedu envoy, but also an important local official position.
This incident caused dissatisfaction among the ministers of the DPRK and China. Many believe that Princess Shengping's actions have seriously interfered with normal political operations. Some ministers even made statements to the Tang Dynasty, pointing out that Princess Shengping's actions might endanger the stability of the imperial court. However, out of love for his daughter, Tang Dynasty Zong did not take practical action to stop Princess Shengping's behavior.
In 773 AD, relations between the Tang Dynasty and Tibet were again strained. The Tibetan army pressed the border, and the Tang Dynasty urgently needed a general who could guard the frontier. Guo Ziyi is too old to go into battle in person. At this critical moment, Princess Shengping made another move and recommended Guo Yu to Tang Dynasty Sect to serve as the envoy of Longyoujie.
This time, Princess Shengping's intervention sparked even greater controversy. Many ministers believed that although Guo Hua was born into a famous family, he lacked actual combat experience and was not suitable for such an important military post. However, at the repeated insistence of Princess Shengping, Tang Dynasty Sect finally agreed to this appointment.
After Guo Hua took office, it was indeed difficult to deal with the complicated border situation. In many encounters with Tibet, the Tang army suffered repeated defeats. This not only weakened the military strength of the Tang Dynasty, but also shook the position of the Guo family in the court. Many began to question whether the Guo family was still capable of continuing to hold important military and political positions.
Princess Shengping's political intervention not only affected the military deployment of the Tang Dynasty, but also had a negative impact on the internal affairs of the Tang Dynasty. She often used her status to seek official positions for some unqualified officials. This behavior seriously undermined the Tang Dynasty's system of electing officials, resulting in some incompetent people occupying important positions, affecting the efficiency of the government's operations.
In 778 AD, the Tang Dynasty experienced a severe drought. The imperial court was in dire need of raising food for disaster relief, but its revenues were stretched thin by years of war. In this case, Princess Shengping still maintained a lavish lifestyle, often holding large banquets and spending extravagantly. This behavior caused strong resentment among the people, and many began to question the legitimacy of the royal family's rule.
As time passed, Princess Shengping's political interference became more frequent. Not only did she interfere in personnel appointments, but she also began to meddle in the decision-making process of the imperial court. Whenever there was a major decision that needed to be discussed, Princess Shengping would enter the palace for various reasons to express her opinion to the Tang Dynasty Sect. This behavior seriously affected the decision-making efficiency of the imperial court, and also caused other princes and princesses to follow suit.
In 779 AD, a serious political crisis broke out in the Tang Dynasty. Some ministers united and sent a letter to the Tang Dynasty Sect, demanding that the power of Princess Shengping be limited. They pointed out that Princess Shengping's actions had seriously jeopardized the stability of the imperial court, and that measures must be taken to stop it.
Faced with this situation, Tang Dynasty Sect fell into a dilemma. On the one hand, he is reluctant to hurt his daughter's feelings; On the other hand, he is also well aware that if left unchecked, Princess Seungpei's actions could lead to more serious consequences.
In the end, Tang Dynasty Sect made a difficult decision. He ordered that the number of times Princess Shengping could enter and leave the court was limited, and that she should no longer interfere in court affairs. Although this decision alleviated the contradictions between the court and China to a certain extent, it also completely angered Princess Shengping.
Since then, the relationship between Princess Shengping and Tang Dynasty Sect has deteriorated dramatically. She began to secretly support other princes in an attempt to influence the succession to the throne. This behavior not only exacerbated the contradictions within the imperial family, but also laid the groundwork for political turmoil in the later Tang Dynasty.
Although Princess Shengping's political interference was eventually stopped, its impact was far-reaching. It not only weakened the military strength of the Tang Dynasty and undermined the operational efficiency of the government, but also exacerbated the contradictions within the imperial family. The combination of these factors accelerated the process of the Tang Dynasty's transition from prosperity to decline. In later historical evaluations, Princess Shengping's behavior was regarded as an important factor in the decline of the Tang Dynasty.
Princess Shengping's later life can be described as ups and downs, full of drama. After the Tang Dynasty restricted her from interfering in court politics, Princess Shengping's situation changed dramatically. She was no longer able to enter and leave the court at will, and she also lost her influence on the court. The drastic shift made it difficult for her to adjust for a while, but she didn't stop there.
In 780 AD, Tang Dynasty Zong died, and Tang Dezong Li Shi succeeded him. After the new emperor took office, he made a series of adjustments to the ministers of the court and China. In this process, Princess Shengping's husband Guo Yu was transferred from his original position and reappointed as the young master of the crown prince. This position, although nominally high, has in fact moved away from the center of power.
Princess Seungpyeong, who had lost her political influence, began to turn her attention to other areas. She began to buy a large number of rare treasures, collecting all kinds of precious calligraphy, paintings and antiques. Her collection soon became a wonder in the city of Chang'an, and many literati took pride in being able to see Princess Shengping's collection.
In 782 AD, Princess Shengping organized a grand flower-viewing banquet. She invited many celebrities in Chang'an City to display her collection of precious flowers in her mansion. This cherry blossom viewing feast was written into the poems by the poets of the time, and it became a good story. However, under this seemingly calm appearance, Princess Shengping's heart is full of unwillingness.
In 784 AD, an incident occurred that made Princess Shengping the focus of attention again. At that time, a general named Li Huaiguang rebelled in Shuofang. The imperial court sent troops to fight, but the battle was unfavorable. At this critical moment, Princess Shengping took the initiative to ask Ying to go to the front line to persuade Li Huaiguang to surrender.
This request surprised the ministers of the DPRK and China. Many believe that Princess Shengping's move is an attempt to regain political influence. However, Tang Dezong agreed to Princess Shengping's request. He may have thought that with the identity and status of Princess Shengping, it was indeed possible to persuade Li Huaiguang to lay down his arms.
Princess Shengping took a small team of guards and risked the danger to Li Huaiguang's camp. As her own princess, she persuaded Li Huaiguang to lay down her arms and return to the court. Li Huaiguang was impressed by Princess Shengping's courage and sincerity, and finally agreed to surrender.
This successful persuasion allowed Princess Shengping to regain the trust of the imperial court. Tang Dezong praised her and even considered letting her re-engage in some court affairs. However, this opportunity did not last long.
In 786 AD, Guo Hua died of illness. According to the rules of the Tang Dynasty, Princess Shengping should keep filial piety at home for three years. This means that she has once again lost the opportunity to participate in politics. During the period of filial piety, Princess Shengping spent most of her time sorting out Guo Hui's relics and reminiscing about the past.
After the end of the filial piety period, Princess Shengping is already over half a hundred years old. She seems to have lost interest in power and has begun to focus on raising her own children. She paid special attention to her youngest son, Guo Shu, hoping that he would be able to make a difference in the court.
In 790 AD, Princess Shengping organized a grand family banquet to which many ministers of the court and China were invited. At the banquet, she recommended her youngest son Guo Shu to everyone, hoping that he would be reused. Although this banquet did not directly change Guo Shu's career, it allowed him to gain a certain degree of popularity in the court.
Princess Shengping's life in her later years was not all smooth sailing. In 792, her eldest son, Guo Suo, was demoted because he was involved in a political dispute. This incident devastated Princess Shengping. She petitioned Tang Dezong many times, hoping to rehabilitate her son, but received no response.
In 795 AD, Princess Shengping ushered in her seventieth birthday. Although Tang Dezong did not attend in person, he sent someone to send a rich birthday gift. This birthday banquet became the last large-scale gathering in Princess Shengping's life. At the banquet, she reviewed her life and summarized her successes and demerits.
In the winter of 797 AD, Princess Shengping was bedridden due to illness. She summoned her family to the bed and explained what had happened. In particular, she exhorted her children to be cautious and not to repeat the mistakes of her youth. A few days later, Princess Shengping passed away peacefully in the company of her family at the age of 72.
When Tang Dezong learned of the death of Princess Shengping, he ordered a grand funeral. In his edict, he spoke highly of Princess Shengping's life, praising her for her wisdom and courage in her later years. Princess Shengping was buried on a high ground outside Chang'an City, and the tombstone was engraved with an inscription written by Tang Dezong himself.
Princess Shengping's life is full of legends. From an arrogant and willful princess, she experienced the turmoil of political interference, and finally found inner peace in her later years. Her story reflects not only the life of the Tang Dynasty royal family, but also the political and social changes of that era. In the historical evaluation of later generations, the image of Princess Shengping has always been complex and multifaceted, with both criticizing and appreciable aspects.
Although Princess Shengping's life has come to an end, her influence in history and culture endures. As the beloved daughter of Tang Dynasty Sect and the daughter-in-law of Guo Ziyi, her life story has become a popular subject for later generations of literati, and has also become an important window for studying Tang Dynasty politics and society.
In the official history, the image of Princess Shengping is quite complicated. There are records about her in both the Old Tang Book and the New Tang Book, but the emphasis is slightly different. The Book of the Old Tang Dynasty mainly describes her deeds of interfering in court politics, and the evaluation of her is relatively negative. The "New Tang Dynasty Book" records more of her exploits in persuading Li Huaiguang to surrender in her later years, and her evaluation is relatively more pertinent.
In his famous work "Song of Long Hatred", the famous poet Bai Juyi of the Tang Dynasty mainly describes the story of Yang Guifei, but also indirectly mentions Princess Shengping. The sentence "Yulou banquet drunk and spring" in the poem was believed by later scholars to be an allusion to the extravagant life of Princess Shengping. This practice of comparing Princess Shengping with Yang Guifei reflects, to a certain extent, the complex views of the literati on court women at that time.
Sima Guang, a famous historian of the Song Dynasty, also recorded Princess Shengping in detail when compiling the "Zizhi Tongjian". He particularly emphasized the influence of Princess Shengping's intervention in court politics on the political situation in the late Tang Dynasty, believing that this was an important factor that led to the decline of the Tang Dynasty. This view has had a profound impact on the historiography of later generations.
The miscellaneous drama "Drunken Golden Branch" created by the Yuan Dynasty opera artist Guan Hanqing pushed Princess Shengping to the center of the literary stage. Although the plot in the play is exaggerated and artistically processed, the arrogant and domineering image of Princess Shengping is deeply imprinted in the minds of the audience. This work was not only widely circulated at the time, but also influenced the general perception of Princess Shengping in later generations.
The famous novel "Romance of the Sui and Tang Dynasties" in the Ming Dynasty also has the figure of Princess Shengping. Although the novel is set in the history of the Sui and Tang dynasties, many of its plots and characters draw on historical facts from the middle and late Tang dynasties. Princess Seungpyeong is portrayed as a controversial character in the novel, with both an arrogant and willful side, as well as a clever and witty characteristic.
Qing Dynasty scholar Zhao Yi in his "Twenty-two Historical Notes", the evaluation of Princess Shengping is quite unique. He believes that although Princess Shengping's behavior was unseemly, it also reflected the improvement of the status of royal women in the middle and late Tang Dynasty. This view provides a new perspective for later generations to study the history of women in the Tang Dynasty.
In modern times, with the development of archaeology and philology, there have been new breakthroughs in the study of Princess Shengping. In 1956, archaeologists discovered a Tang Dynasty aristocratic tomb on the outskirts of Xi'an, which was confirmed to be the tomb of Princess Shengping after research. A large number of precious cultural relics unearthed in the tomb provide valuable material materials for the study of the life of the royal family in the Tang Dynasty.
In modern literature, Princess Shengping also appears from time to time. Although the famous writer Februaryhe's long historical novel "Zhenguan Long Song" mainly describes the history of the Tang Taizong period, Princess Shengping is also mentioned many times in the book, portraying her as a far-reaching historical figure.
In film and television works, the image of Princess Shengping appears frequently. In 1982, in the TV series "Princess Lechang" broadcast by CCTV, there was the role of Princess Shengping. Although she is only a supporting role in the play, her arrogant and willful image has left a deep impression on the audience.
In the TV series "Zhenguan Long Song" broadcast in 2010, although Princess Shengping did not appear directly, her deeds were mentioned many times in the play, and she was portrayed as an important figure who affected the political situation of the Tang Dynasty. This treatment reflects the new understanding of historical figures by contemporary film and television creators.
In the field of academic research, Princess Shengping has also been a hot topic. Many scholars have studied her from different perspectives such as political science, sociology, and women's studies, trying to restore a real princess of Shengping. For example, some scholars have analyzed the relationship between imperial power and foreign relatives in the middle and late Tang Dynasty by studying the political intervention behavior of Princess Shengping. Some scholars have also discussed the social status and political participation of women in the Tang Dynasty based on the life and deeds of Princess Shengping.
In terms of cultural tourism, the story of Princess Shengping is also widely used. In some tourist attractions in Xi'an, you can often see exhibitions and performances related to Princess Shengping. Although these cultural products have been artistically processed to a certain extent, they have also allowed more people to understand the story of this Tang Dynasty princess.
Overall, Princess Shengping's influence in history and culture is manifold. Her life story not only provides us with a window into the politics and society of the Tang Dynasty, but also becomes an important material for literary and artistic creation. Despite her mixed reviews, she has undoubtedly earned a place in Chinese history and culture as a complex and interesting historical figure.