Li Shimin

Also known as Tang Taizong · Wenhuang Di · Tian Kehan

Li Shimin, second son of the Tang founder Li Yuan, was born at Wugong. He joined his father's rising at Taiyuan in 617, became Prince of Qin when the Tang was proclaimed, defeated Xue Rengao and Liu Wuzhou, and in 621 captured Dou Jiande at Hulao Pass and forced Wang Shichong to surrender. In 626 he staged the Xuanwu Gate coup, killing the crown prince Li Jiancheng and his brother Li Yuanji, and took the throne that August, adopting the reign title Zhenguan the next year. He governed with Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui as ministers, accepted blunt criticism from Wei Zheng, merged prefectures and counties and divided the empire into ten circuits. After the Eastern Turks were destroyed in 630, steppe chieftains acclaimed him Heavenly Khan, though his personal campaign against Goguryeo in 645 failed. He died in 649, received the temple name Taizong and was buried at Zhaoling. Wu Jing later compiled his discussions with his ministers as the Essentials of Government of the Zhenguan Era (Zhenguan zhengyao).