T'ang Hsüan-tsung (685-762) was the seventh emperor of the T'ang dynasty. Although he was an able man, his long reign ended with his abdication after the massive rebellion of An Lu-shan broke out in 755.

Hsüan-tsung was the third son of Emperor Jui-tsung (reigned 685, 710-713). In the year he was born, his great-aunt, Empress Wu, deposed Jui-tsung and replaced him with her young son Chung-tsung (reigned 685-690, 705-710).

Hsüan-tsung spent his youth in Ch'ang-an and Loyang, the T'ang capitals. During the years after the successful coup d'etat against Empress Wu in 705, there was almost constant maneuvering behind the scenes in the palace. Cliques formed around empresses, deposed emperors, and princes. Hsüan-tsung was deeply involved in these intrigues and, after helping to restore his father to the throne in 710, became emperor in 713.

Administration of the Empire

At the beginning of his reign...