The Dynasties’ Memory In Historical Poems Of Zhenguan (627-649)

The period of Zhenguan has an important position that determined Tang Dynasty’s orthodox position when the Tang Dynasty replaced Sui Dynasty. The Dynasties’ Memory hiding in historical poems of this period provides support of the process of shaping Tang Dynasty’s orthodoxy.Through a mirror image between Qin dynasties, Han dynasties, Sui dynasties and Tang dynasties, this thesis analyzes revolutionary themes relevant to history of Qin and Han dynasties and Sui and Tang dynasties. As the old ministers of Li Jiancheng, Wang Gui and Wei Zheng show their political proposition through by comparing Emperor Taizong (second emperor of Tang) to Emperor Gaozu (first emperor of Han, and Li Baiyao and Emperor Taizong demonstrated the rationality of the Qin and Han dynasties’ revolution through "Tianming theory (Will of God)", reveal the legitimacy of Tang’s replacement of Sui. In the opinion of the Taizong and his ministers, the Sui Dynasty was showing an overall negative image which was perhaps created by them deliberately. With the help of the experience and lessons of the Sui Dynasty, Taizong draw them over to his side and frighten old ministers meanwhile to improve his own prestige and to enhance the control over the government. In the condemnation to the Sui Dynasty, the king and his ministers summarized the lessons of the fall of Sui and maintained of the governance orthodox.The concepts of "Jin Dai" of people then in Tang and the view of history about "Jin Dai Jiao Bo" was another focus of this article. Wei, Jin, and Southern and Northern dynasties as "Jin Dai" to Tang dynasty, they show image of chaos and luxury in Historic Poems, and even depict the Spring and Autumn period is also a metaphor implying the chaotic Wei and Jin. This social chaos leaded to the gloomy atmosphere since the Wei and Jin, this is an important reason for the early Tang dynasty monarch’s constantly reference to "the king of 100 at the end". The emperor of Taizong of Tang and his ministers try-to get rid of the shadow of eschatology by imitating three generations and the Han Dynasties to explore solutions. For reflecting the luxury in the Wei and Jin, they learn to take a Han’s "Wu Wei" manner.Xia-Shang-Zhou dynasties (three dynasties) and Han dynasty are the model time of peace and prosperity for Tang dynasty. Three dynasties is the highest political ideal for the emperor and his subjects, but it is thought the time cannot been replicated. Because of its similar country foundation and conditions of the society, the Tang dynasty has become the concrete imitation object of the politics in ZhenGuan period. The imitations are different according to times. They mainly intimated the "govern by doing nothing that goes against nature" in the early time of Han, and intimated selectively of its most prosperous time. Actually, the emperor and his subjects have a complicate feeling about Han, they are not only the example for the political order in early Tang, but also the object they want to surpass.By using his power to intervene in the writing of historical records and glorify himself, the Emperor Taizong of Tang Dynasty shaped a good image for himself. The Xuanwu Gate Incident troubled him a lot both in ruling and in self-image, so in order to get himself out of this trouble; Emperor Taizong tried to give historians hints to edit the records on his daily life and had always been boasting his resolution to follow the examples of Wise King in the past. With time passing by, his attitude towards expostulations changed, along with his attitude towards Yao-Shun-Yu Era and Han Dynasty, but his efforts to build himself a good image never changed.This paper mainly analyzes the image of different dynasties in different historical poems written in ZhenGuan Period, and discusses their impacts on legitimizing Tang’s Ruling as well as modifying the image of Emperor Taizong. In fact, the memory on different dynasties showed in different historical poems all reflects the politics on that time. People in Tang Dynasty used historical memory to attain their political goals.