Emperor Taizong of Tang Biography

Emperor Taizong of Tang, formerly Prince of Qin, personal name Li Shimin, was a Chinese monarch belonging to the Tang dynasty who reigned from 626 to 649. The second emperor of the Tang dynasty, he is typically considered the co-founder of it, as he had advised his father to rise in rebellion against the Sui dynasty at Jinyang in 617. He then won several wars against some of the most dangerous enemies of the dynasty, consolidating its control over China. He is traditionally regarded as one of the greatest emperors in China's history. In the ensuing centuries, his tenure as the emperor came to be viewed as an ideal model against which all future emperors were judged. His era, the "Reign of Zhenguan”, came to be known as the golden age in the history of ancient china, and became a required subject of study for future crown princes. With Taizong at the helm, China witnessed exceptional military, administrative, and economic growth. Unlike many of contemporary monarchs around the world, he garnered a reputation for being a frank rationalist as well as a scholar of logic and scientific reason, freely demonstrating his disdain for superstitions and claims of signs from the heavens. According to scholars, Taizong was so successful as a monarch because of being open to criticism from his highly competent subordinates and not misusing his absolute power.