A Study On Princes’ Political Activities In The Tang Dynasty

Princes, one essential part of the royal families in the Tang Dynasty, play an important role in the political life of the Tang Dynasty. They are granted kings or appointed officials and affect the political states of the Tang Dynasty. The research on the princes’ political activities as well as their effect can deepen our understanding of their roles in national political life, and provide a useful historical solution to the present official second-generation problems. Therefore, academically and socially, it is worth studying.The Tang Dynasty’s princes share the following characteristics. First, all of them are granted king; second, a small number are promoted crown princes, huangtaidi or huangtaishu; third, princes as officials occupy a considerable proportion; forth, many princes die mysteriously. The above factors affect the princes’political activities in Tang Dynasty.Princes’ main political activities are reflected in the following four aspects:First of all, princes serve as local officials. In the early Tang Dynasty, the emperor send a large number of Princes to local places as Dudu, Cishi in charge of local military and political powers; Princes’ personal qualities and management effectiveness are positively correlated. Next, princes receive the title of Dudu, Jiedushi. This situation mostly happens in the mid-Tang, because it is closely related to Tang Xuanzong’s prince policy. Lastly, princes serve as officials in the central government, which mostly happens before Tang Xianzong. Secondly, princes lead the army for fighting. One situation is that they participate in the national reunification war, such as Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin, who play a tremendous role in the Tang Dynasty’s unified war, and their merits are undeniable. The other one is that they suppress local rebellions, such as Liu Heita rebellion and Anshi rebellion. Princes play an important role during these rebellions. Thirdly, princes use dissuasions and memorials to involve themselves into the political affairs. Many princes put forward their own views or recommendations by dissuasions and memorials to the emperors, which facilitate the emperors to make the right decisions and maintain social stability. Fourthly, princes participate in sacrifice. Sacrifice in Tang Dynasty is an important activity and princes can expand their political influence by participating in sacrifice.Princes’ political activities’ effects are mainly showed in the following four aspects: Firstly, they strengthen the royal family cohesion and maintain Tang regime’s rule. This situation is fully embodied at the beginning of Tang dynasty, and princes play a decisive role in the struggle of defending Tang regime. Secondly, they keep down the expansion of eunuch’s the power. Princes command the imperial army, which can effectively inhibit the eunuch’s powers, so princes who serve as leaders of the imperial army effectively keep down the eunuch’s power expansion. Thirdly, they lead to frequent rebellions. Coup occur frequently. Princes have great power before Tang Xuanzong, and princes provoke numerous rebellions. In the late period of Tang Dynasty, princes’ power declines and they launch few rebellions. Fourthly, they are detrimental to the consolidation of the Tang regime. The stronger abilities the princes show in political activities, the more official positions they occupy, which is bad for recruiting the social elites to serve the Tang regime. To some extent, it limits the expansion of the Tang regime.