From A Capable Courtier To A Traitor:A Study On The Evolution Of Li Linfu's Image Through His Life

Li Linfu was the longest-serving prime minister in the Tang Dynasty.He had the power to deal with the internal and external affairs of the court.During his administration,social stability and economic prosperity,but he was known as a traitor in the image of the world.As a matter of fact,Li Linfu was involved in economic,legal,military and other reforms.He had his own administrative principles.He had authority over the court and was able to balance the internal and external political situation.These were his contributions to the development of the Xuanzong dynasty during his reign,but they were all forgotten by the history books,leaving only the image of "traitor".The change began after his death.Yang Guozhong framed Li Linfu and albus with different strategies.Xuanzong purposed to convict him,and finally he became a criminal minister.Emperor Suzong extended the attitude of Xuanzong and proposed the treatment of Li Linfu and his descendants in pardon,This directly affects the Tang people's attitude towards Li Linfu.Since then,his achievements began to be submerged.The "Tang Book" and "Zi Zhi Tong Jian" are the main sources of Li Linfu's image.At first glance,the records in these three historical books are quite similar,but after the comparison,they are found in the writing context specially arranged by the writers.Li Linfu showed some differences.Although Li Linfu in the old Tang book has already had the background of "traitor",he still has a positive evaluation.The new Tang Book incorporated him into a "traitor" and identified it as a traitor.Sima Guang in the "Zi Zhi Tong Jian" in a number of crimes sitting in Li Linfu,since his "treacherous" image established,these three historical books on the image of later Li Linfu have a profound influence.From his achievements being ignored to the historical records of the difference,his image changed from "capable courtier" to "traitor".Why? First of all,historians tried to find a way to deal with the rise and fall of chaos from the decline of the Tang Dynasty,and the influence of the theory of miscarriage of the state ran through the shaping of the image of Li Linfu in the Tang and Song dynasties.Secondly,the historical figures were written by the historians,and the historiographers belonged to the scribes.The political struggle between the officials and the scribes in the court had a subtle influence onthe literati group,and then affected the writing of Li Linfu's image.Finally,the Tang Dynasty's historical view is based on the principle of "free spoken",while the Song Dynasty pays more attention to adhering to "ethics",which leads to the identity of the image of "traitor" in the Song Dynasty and gradually takes root in the hearts of the people.These are the hidden forces behind the evolution of Li Linfu's image,and also the reason for the great contrast between Li's image and his image.