生平

早年

唐朝垂拱元年秋八月五日戊寅（公元685年9月8日），李隆基出生于東都（即今河南省洛陽市），其生日後來成為千秋節、天長節。出生時，其父唐睿宗李旦為皇帝，母竇氏為德妃，但此時國家已被其祖母武則天實際統治。垂拱三年（687年）閏七月丁卯，被封為楚王。永昌元年（689年），武則天命令李隆基過繼予孝敬帝李弘為子，繼其香火。載初二年（690年），武則天廢除其父帝位，自行登基稱帝並改唐為周，李隆基隨之遷居東宮。

天授三年（692年）十月戊戌，李隆基出閣，開府置官屬。李隆基英俊多藝，儀表堂堂，少年時代就顯出了極有膽識的性格。當他七歲時，正是武周時期，武懿宗自認為是武則天的姪子，趾高氣揚，根本不把李氏宗室放在眼裏。有一次，武氏諸王到朝堂參加每月朔望的兩次會見時，他看到李隆基的車騎儀仗威嚴而整齊，心中不悅，便利用自己金吾將軍糾察風紀的權力橫加阻撓。李隆基卻理直氣壯地責問：「我家的朝堂，幹你甚麼事？竟敢挾迫我的車騎隨從！」祖母武則天知道此事後，不僅未加罪於他，反而更加寵愛他。雖然李隆基獲得了祖母的寵愛，但在長壽二年（693年）正月，其母竇氏與嫡母皇嗣妃劉氏被武則天秘密殺害，尸骨無蹤。根據史料可知，李旦的另一位妾室豆盧氏和李隆基的姨媽竇氏撫養、照料年幼喪母的李隆基。同年臘月丁卯，李隆基由楚王改封臨淄郡王。根據《唐會要》的記載，就在長壽二年，李隆基娶王氏為郡王妃。

聖歷元年（698年），李隆基再度出閣，賜第于東都洛陽的積善坊。大足元年（701年），隨祖母回到西京長安，賜宅于興慶坊。長安中，歷右衛郎將、尚輦奉御。神龍政變後，伯父唐中宗複位。景龍二年四月（708年），李隆基兼潞州別駕。

唐隆政變

景龍四年（710年），李隆基從潞州（治所在今山西長治）回到長安。他暗中聚結才勇之士，在皇帝的親軍萬騎中發展勢力。太宗時，選官戶及蕃口中驍勇的武士穿虎紋衣，跨豹紋韉，從遊獵，於馬前射禽獸，謂之百騎。武則天時增加為千騎，中宗時發展為萬騎。李隆基非常重視萬騎的作用。

zh:韋后;zh-hans:韦后;zh-hk:韋后想效法武則天自稱皇帝，但太平公主與上官婉兒密謀，以中宗遺制，立溫王李重茂（中宗少子）為皇太子，zh:韋后;zh-hans:韦后;zh-hk:韋后知政事，父親相王李旦參政。韋黨宗楚客、韋溫、紀處訥等人，極力反對相王參謀政事。相王不想捲入宮廷鬥爭，對事件採取迴避的態度，於是李隆基就主動地策劃了消滅韋黨的宮廷政變。

當時zh:韋后;zh-hans:韦后;zh-hk:韋后想稱帝登基，對太平公主立李重茂為帝不滿；李隆基又藉助太平公主的力量壯大自己。正當雙方劍拔弩張之際，原來親近韋氏的兵部侍郎崔日用改變態度，暗中向李隆基告密，勸其立即發動攻勢。於是，李隆基與太平公主的兒子薛崇簡，苑總監鍾紹京等，密謀策劃，欲先發制人。

有人建議，把發動政變的事先向相王報告，李隆基胸有成竹地說：「我是為了拯救社稷，為君主、父親救急，成功了福祉歸於宗廟與社稷，失敗了我因忠孝而死，不連累相王。怎可以報告，讓相王擔心呢！現在報告，相王若贊成，就是害他參與了危險的起事；若他不贊成，我計謀就失敗了。」於是，決定背著相王，立即行動。

唐隆元年（710年）六月庚子日申時，李隆基等人穿便服進入禁苑，到苑總監鍾紹京住處。這時，鍾紹京反悔，拒絕參加這次政變。但其妻許氏卻堅定地說：「忘身殉國，神必助之。既然參與同謀，即使不參加，勢難免罪。」鍾紹京明白，前往拜謁李隆基。入夜後，萬騎果毅李仙鳧、葛福順都先後來到，請李隆基發佈命令。

二更時分，葛福順拔劍直入羽林營，斬韋黨掌握軍隊的韋璿、韋播、高嵩，然後宣佈：「韋后毒死先帝，謀危社稷，今夕當共誅諸韋，身高有馬鞭之長者皆殺之，立相王為帝以安天下。敢有反對者，罪及三族。」羽林軍將士紛紛表示從命。李隆基率眾出禁苑南門，進攻宮城。葛福順率左萬騎攻玄德門，李仙鳧率右萬騎攻白獸門，相約在凌煙閣會見。李隆基率兵直入玄武門。韋後惶恐逃入飛騎營，被飛騎斬首獻於李隆基；安樂公主正在畫眉，也被斬首，其夫武延秀同時被殺（一作夫婦皆在內堂力戰而死）。天明後，關閉宮門及長安城門，凡是諸韋及韋後親信均被逮捕斬首。對韋後一黨的誅殺發展成為對長安城南杜曲地方（韋、杜二大姓的聚居地）韋氏的大肆屠殺，襁褓之中的嬰兒也不能倖免，連同居此地的杜姓也有不少受池魚之殃被殺。史稱唐隆政變。

這時，李隆基才將唐隆政變的經過報告相王。相王抱著李隆基哭泣著說：「宗廟社稷的災禍是你平定的，神明與百姓也都仰賴你的力量了。」當日，隆基被改封為平王，兼殿中監，同中書門下三品、兼押左右萬騎。

太子時期

唐隆政變當月，李隆基與姑姑太平公主迫使李重茂禪讓於相王李旦。李旦遂再次即位，是為睿宗。即位後，睿宗與大臣議立太子。按嫡長子繼承制度，睿宗長子宋王李成器應成為太子，但李成器堅決辭讓說：「國家安則先嫡長，國家危則先有功；平王有功於國，自己決不居平王之上。」參與消滅韋黨的功臣也多主張立李隆基為太子。睿宗順水推舟，遂在秋七月己巳，冊立平王李隆基為皇太子，大赦天下，改元景雲。九月庚戌，李隆基長子李嗣直封為許昌郡王，次子李嗣謙為真定郡王。

此後，太平公主自恃擁立睿宗有功，經常幹預政事，為所欲為，禁止自己所不願意的，或者廢除所頒布的法令。李旦經常同她商量朝廷的大政方針，每次她入朝奏事，都要和李旦坐在一起談上一段時間；有時她沒去上朝謁見，李旦會派宰相到她的家中徵求她對某些問題的處理意見。所以對她趨炎附勢的人數不勝數。凡是太平公主想幹的事，李旦沒有不同意的，朝中文武百官自宰相以下，或升遷或降免，全在她的一句話，其餘經過她的舉薦而平步青雲擔任要職的士人更是不可勝數。同時，太平公主在後宮中，包括李隆基的身邊大量安插耳目。她又感到太子李隆基精明能幹，妨礙自己參政，總想另易太子。李隆基十分清楚自身的處境和太平公主的圖謀，其不願任人擺佈，亦想除掉太平公主。太平公主屢次散布流言，聲稱「太子並非皇帝的嫡長子，因此不應當被立為太子。」 公元710年（景雲元年）己亥（二十二日），李旦頒下制書曉諭警告天下臣民，以平息各種流言蜚語。睿宗最初遇到困難先聽太平公主的意見，再徵求太子李隆基的意見，後來便愈發傾向李隆基。李隆基和太平公主的嫌隙遂與日俱增。後來，皇帝試圖平衡姐姐和兒子的派系，但沒有成功。

此次兵敗之後，太平公主親自去找李旦，誣告太子，並提出要廢黜太子，但是當皇帝此時與宰相談話時，他卻拒絕廢黜太子。景雲二年（711年）正月，太平公主竟把宰相邀截到宣政殿光范門內，明目張胆地勸宰相更易太子，遭到宋璟的嚴詞拒絕，陰謀才未能得逞。景雲二年（711年）二月，睿宗命太子監國，六品以下除官及徒罪以下，由太子處分。與此同時，太平公主正在大力鞏固和擴大自己的派系。九月，李隆基的妾室楊良媛生下他的第三子李嗣升，即日後的唐肅宗李亨。楊良媛懷孕時，東宮中依附于太平公主的耳目，「必陰伺察，事雖纖芥，皆聞于上」，李隆基十分不安，甚至因太平公主之故試圖令楊良媛墮胎。

登上皇位

延和元年（712年）七月，苦于親人明爭暗鬥的睿宗不顧太平公主的堅決反對將皇位禪讓，太子李隆基遂正式登基，成為唐朝的第7位及第9任皇帝，改年號為「先天」，是為唐玄宗，睿宗則退居為太上皇。但在太平公主的堅持下，睿宗仍掌握著三品以上官員的任命權以及重大刑案的裁決權。他每五日在太極殿接受群臣的朝賀，仍舊自稱為「朕」。而已身為皇帝的玄宗則只能自稱為「予」，這一切都是為了使太平公主保住權力，繼續通過睿宗幹政，以實現她的奪權陰謀。政府管理體制是，全國軍隊或國家事務，必須先呈請皇帝，皇帝所准許或作出的一切決定，都由太上皇批准或否決。太上皇在太極殿是, 總要聽取大臣的議論, 分析皇帝的決策, 而太平公主則躲在殿後的簾子裡參加議事, 不停地辱罵皇帝。在朝中仍擁有強大的勢力，她公然提出要廢掉皇帝，因宰相陸象先反對而未遂。後來，李旦有意遣皇帝李隆基出京巡邊，但最終卻因故延期，將日期改為明年八月。此時朝中宰相多是太平公主之黨，文武大臣也多依附于她，而太平公主的黨羽看到玄宗銳意親政，就想廢黜玄宗。太平公主還利用太上皇帝的權力支持和保護她的政黨，並制定了推翻玄宗的計劃，她決定要先消滅玄宗的大部分盟友。這使得玄宗及李氏皇族繼韋後亂政後再一次面臨緊張險惡的局勢，他與太平公主的矛盾已不可調和，如果要掌握權力，除掉太平公主就成了玄宗的必選項。

先天政變

先天元年（713年）七月，玄宗與岐王李範、薛王李業、兵部尚書郭元振、龍武將軍王毛仲等決定起事。玄宗命王毛仲到閒廄取出御馬並調家兵三百餘人，親自率領太僕少卿李令向、王守一，內侍高力士，果毅李守德等親信十多人，先殺左、右羽林大將軍常元楷、李慈，又擒獲了太平公主的親信右散騎常侍賈膺福及中書舍人李猷，接著誅殺了宰相岑羲、蕭至忠；竇懷貞暫時走脫，最後自縊而死。太平公主目睹非常之變，驚恐萬狀，先逃入山寺，後被賜死於家，玄宗大獲全勝，此即為先天政變。自此以後，玄宗完全獲得了軍國大事的主導權，太上皇睿宗也徹底放權，不再幹預前朝政事。

先天元年十月，玄宗到新豐（今陝西臨潼）閱兵於驪山下，調動二十萬人馬，旌旗連亙五十餘里，聲勢浩大。但由於軍容不整，欲斬兵部尚書郭元振，因宰相劉幽求、中書令張說求情，將其流於新州（今廣東新興）。接著，以制軍禮不肅罪殺了給事中、知禮儀事唐紹。本來，玄宗只是為了整頓軍紀，樹立自己的威信，並無意殺唐紹，但由於金吾將軍李邈倉促宣敕，無可挽回，故而玄宗罷了李邈的官。由於兩位大臣得罪，諸軍震動很大，秩序不穩，只有左軍節度薛訥、朔方道大總管解琬二軍穩定，玄宗讚嘆不已。

開元時期

先天元年十二月，玄宗改元為開元，開元時期的近三十年是唐朝的極盛時期。玄宗即位後，勵精圖治，重用姚崇，革新政治。姚崇建議：抑制權貴，重視爵賞，納諫諍，禁貢獻，他都採納。無關大局的具體問題，他都放手讓姚崇處理。有一次，姚崇奏請決定郎吏的任命問題，姚崇再三請求玄宗決定，玄宗只是仰視殿屋，置之不理。高力士提醒玄宗應置可否，他答曰：「朕委姚崇理政，大事應當與朕共議，郎吏小官的事，何須一一煩朕！」自此以後，群臣於是知道玄宗能尊重大臣的決定。

唐玄宗開元初年，京師中監察御史李嵩、李全交和殿中侍御史王旭，被人稱為三豹。皆狠虐不軌，鴆毒無儀，體性狂疏，精神慘刻。當時人評為來俊臣乞為弟子，索元禮求作門生。

玄宗弟薛王李業母舅王仙童，凌辱百姓，被御史彈奏。薛王李業為其求情，玄宗命中書、門下復查。姚崇等奏曰：「王仙童罪狀明白，御史所言正確，不可縱容。」玄宗同意姚崇的意見。從此，所有貴族都不敢放肆。

為了糾正奢華的風氣，開元二年（714年）七月玄宗下令：「乘輿服御、金銀器玩，宜令有司銷毀，以供軍國之用；其珠玉、錦繡，焚於殿前；后妃以下，皆毋得服珠玉錦繡。」又下欶：「百官所服帶及酒器、馬銜、鐙，三品以上，聽飾以玉，四品以金，五品以銀，自餘皆禁之；婦人服飾從其夫、子。其舊成錦繡，聽染為皂。自今天下更毋得採珠玉，織錦繡等物，違者杖一百，工人減一等。」（《資治通鑑》卷二百二十一開元二年七月條）同時，還罷兩京織錦坊。他還反對厚葬，他認為厚葬無益於死者，有損於生者。於是，要求喪葬務遵簡儉，凡送終物品，均不得以金銀器為飾。如有違者，杖一百。州縣長官不能舉察者，一律貶官。

為了從歷史上總結經驗，汲取教訓，作為治理國家的借鑑，玄宗喜愛閱讀史書，讀到有關政事的問題，他特別留心。但常碰到不能解決的疑難問題，於是，他要宰相為他推薦侍讀，幫助他讀書。開元三年（715年）九月，馬懷素、褚無量被推薦為侍讀。玄宗對侍讀非常尊敬，親自迎送，待以師傅之禮。開元三年（715年）正月，玄宗次子李瑛被立為皇太子。

開元前期，宋璟反對拓邊，但從開元後期起，唐玄宗銳意軍功，楊國忠、安祿山等迎合玄宗的驕奢心理，屢啟邊釁，拓邊戰爭連年不斷。皇甫惟明與王忠嗣都曾提過安邊的建議，然而未被採納。

設置黑水府

開元十三年（725年），唐朝在伯力（今俄羅斯哈巴羅夫斯克）設置黑水都督府，置黑水軍，對黑水靺鞨地區實施有效的行政管轄，並勘探了堪察加半島和千島群島。《新唐書·北狄傳》記載：「黑水西北又有思慕部，益北行十日得郡利部，東北行十日得窟說部，亦號屈設，稍東南行十日得莫曳皆部。」。

開元二十三年（735年）四月，玄宗與中書門下及禮官、學士宴於東都集仙殿。他說：「仙者憑虛之論，朕所不取。賢者能治理國家，朕與諸位合宴，宜更名曰：集賢殿。」「仙」、「賢」雖一字之差，卻反映了玄宗重視人才的態度。

天寶時期

隨著時間的流逝，玄宗自認為天下已經太平，逐漸喪失了積極進取的精神，以致生活奢華，減少過問政事。陳建平《中國通史一百講》：「開元二十三年的時候，他覺得國家太平，要表現國家的歡樂盛況，於是大宴五鳳樓，在五鳳樓的殿前，開了一個盛大的同樂會，各種音樂、舞蹈、戲劇，百劇雜陳，讓三百里之內的刺史縣令，都要帶領當地的樂舞伎人，集合到五鳳樓之下來表演，這種歡樂表演，熱鬧喧天，連續了五日之久。」

玄宗因所寵武惠妃讒言，將三個兒子太子李瑛、鄂王李瑤、光王李琚廢為庶人並殺害，改立三子忠王李璵為太子；武惠妃不久也於開元二十五年（737年）去世，後宮雖多美人，但沒有一個能使他滿意。開元二十八年（740年）十月，玄宗以為逝世多年的母親竇氏祈福的名義，敕書兒媳、第十四子壽王妃楊氏出家為女道士，道號「太真」。天寶四載（745年）八月，冊楊氏為貴妃。

楊貴妃不僅個人受寵，其三個姐姐也均賜府邸於京師，寵貴赫然；其遠堂兄楊國忠也因而飛黃騰達。楊貴妃每次乘馬，都有大宦官高力士親自執轡授鞭，貴妃院有織繡工七百人。嶺南經略史張九章、廣陵長史王翼，因所他們獻給楊貴妃的貢品精美，二人均被陞官。於是，官吏競相仿效。楊貴妃喜愛嶺南的荔枝，就有人千方百計急運新鮮荔枝到長安。在男尊女卑的社會裏，民間竟然流行歌謠日：「生男勿喜女勿悲，若今看女作門楣。」可見，玄宗寵愛楊貴妃的社會影響相當深遠。

生活的奢靡，隨之而來的是政治上的腐敗。天寶初年，口蜜腹劍的李林甫被重用為宰相。李林甫為了掌握大權，反對諫官有益的建議。他訓斥諸諫官道：「今明主在上，群臣將順之不暇，何須多言！」補闕杜璡上書言事，次日即被降為下邽（今陝西渭南東北）令。自此以後，沒有人敢再有諫諍之言了。

在用人方面，李林甫認為凡在德才方面超過自己者，他都設法將其除去。玄宗想重用兵部侍郎盧絢，他就把盧絢調任華州（治所在今陝西華縣）刺史，並欺騙玄宗說盧絢因病不能理事而棄而不用。玄宗又欲重用絳州（治所在今山西新絳）刺史嚴挺之，李林甫又欺騙玄宗說嚴挺之年老多病，宜授其散職，便於他養病。於是，嚴挺之又被送到東京（今河南洛陽）養病去了。李林甫雖然專權亂政，但其在位期間，政局尚穩。天寶十載，唐節度使高仙芝和阿拉伯帝國阿拔斯王朝在西域中亞的怛羅斯發生怛羅斯戰役。

李林甫欺上壓下並未引起玄宗注意，他反而仍然認為天下無事，把主要政事交由李林甫處理。高力士多次勸他不可使大權旁落以免失去君威，他還甚為不悅，致使高力士惶恐自責。天寶十一載（752年）李林甫死後，玄宗一方面重用擅權弄法的楊貴妃堂兄楊國忠接替李林甫任右相（中書令），一方面信任居心叵測的邊將安祿山，以圖左右平衡。

楊國忠的專權亂政比李林甫更甚，重用親信，排斥異己。天寶十二載（753年），關中大饑，因京兆尹李峴不甚順從，遂以災氣歸罪於李峴，貶李峴為長沙（今湖南長沙）太守。後來霖雨成災，玄宗過問災情，楊國忠取最好的禾苗給玄宗看，掩蓋災情真象。扶風太守房琯反映了所管地區的災情，楊國忠就派御史去追究他的責任。因此，天寶十三載（754年）雖然關中災情嚴重，但無人敢如實上報。連玄宗身邊的宦官高力士也說，楊國忠大權在握，賞罰不公，連他也不敢說話了。

范陽（今北京附近）節度使安祿山為了和楊國忠在玄宗面前爭寵，二人互相詆譭。玄宗對此搖擺不定，認為主要政事交付宰相，邊防事務交付諸將，無可憂慮。這樣一來，蓄謀已久的安祿山終於發動了反唐的大叛亂。

唐玄宗雖然沒有發動過像唐太宗、唐高宗朝時那樣的大規模的開邊軍事行動，但是他在位期間中原周邊地區與鄰近少數族吐蕃、契丹、南詔等的戰事連綿不斷。在邊疆軍事勝利的刺激下，玄宗日益滋長了他好大喜功的思想，寵愛有戰功的邊將。邊將也因此不停對外族開戰，以邀功賞。特別是李林甫為遏制政敵而拉邊將牛仙客入相後，更開放了蕃將以邊功為手段，窺伺中央政權的機會。

安史之亂

唐玄宗晚年驕奢淫逸，終日只顧與楊貴妃遊樂。他罷免良相張九齡，任用奸臣李林甫為中書令，朝政每況愈下。玄宗本不太相信鬼神之說，後來崇信方士張果，漸好神仙；並尊奉道教，企慕長生不老，以是朝野爭言符瑞。李林甫死後，又以楊貴妃之從兄楊國忠擔任右相（中書令），李林甫在位時尚可穩住朝政，楊國忠不僅沒有李林甫的才幹，反而縱容貪污腐敗，局面遂不可收拾。不久，楊國忠與手握兵權的范陽節度使安祿山發生衝突，安祿山決心先發制人，發動叛變。

天寶十四載（755年），安祿山趁唐朝內部空虛腐敗，發動兵變，於時承平日久，民不知戰，河北州縣，望風瓦解。史稱安史之亂。玄宗決定逃往四川，途中至馬嵬驛，士兵譁變，士兵砍殺楊國忠，又逼玄宗賜死楊貴妃，玄宗權衡輕重下後，為了保命及維持君威，不得已下令高力士把楊貴妃勒死。

對玄宗早有不滿的太子李亨與玄宗分道揚鑣；李亨率一部份禁軍北趨靈武（今寧夏靈武西南），七月即位，改元至德，是為唐肅宗。李隆基與陳玄禮率另一部份禁軍南逃成都，後被尊為太上皇，玄宗長達44年的統治告終。

晚年

至德二載（757年）十二月，隨著安祿山被殺，郭子儀收複長安，玄宗由成都返回長安，肅宗表示將皇位還給父皇，自己仍然退居東宮。玄宗拒絕。玄宗居興慶宮（南內），被肅宗奉為太上皇。乾元三年（760年）七月，宦官李輔國奉承肅宗，離間玄宗與肅宗的關係，迫使玄宗被軟禁於太極宮（西內）甘露殿。高力士、陳玄禮等人被貶謫，玄宗浸不自懌、憂鬱寡歡。大限之時賦《傀儡吟》一首：

寶應元年農曆四月初五日（762年5月3日），太上皇唐玄宗李隆基崩逝於長安城太極宮神龍殿內，享壽七十六歲，在位四十四年。僅僅半月後，同年四月十八日（762年5月16日），久病未癒的唐肅宗李亨亦駕崩于長生殿，享年五十一歲，在位僅短短的六年。廣德元年（763年）三月，唐代宗將唐玄宗李隆基安葬於唐泰陵（今陝西省渭南市蒲城縣東北15公里處）。廟號玄宗，諡號至道大聖大明孝皇帝。

評價

開元年間，玄宗勵精圖治，任用賢臣，革除弊害，鼓勵生產，經濟發展，史稱「開元盛世」。開元十四年（726年）杜甫《憶昔》有詩證：「憶昔開元全盛日，小邑猶藏萬家室。稻米流脂粟米白，公私倉廩俱豐實。九州道路無豺狼，遠行不勞吉日出。齊紈魯縞車班班，男耕女桑不相失。」

北佛羅里達大學教授羅漢認為玄宗是一位被大大過譽的皇帝，而且在玄宗在位時期，相比其祖母武則天統治時期，唐朝的進步速度變慢，開始從擁抱周圍廣闊世界的『大天下』帝國形成將注意力轉向國內的『小天下』帝國，並且在安祿山之亂之後，迅速陷入衰弱。

雖然玄宗後期怠政，但直到他在位四十三年的天寶十三載（754年），仍是唐代的極盛之世，全國有三百二十一郡，一千五百三十八縣，一萬六千八百二十九鄉，九百零六萬九千一百五十四戶，五千二百八十八萬四百八十八口。史載：「戶口之盛，極於此」。

愛情悲歌

中國許多文學作品中的李隆基是感情專一的皇帝，民間習稱他為「唐明皇」，《異聞錄》載〈唐明皇遊月宮〉一事。他和楊貴妃的故事，透過白居易《長恨歌》和陳鴻《長恨歌傳》千古傳誦，例如：

...

:蜀江水碧蜀山青，聖主朝朝暮暮情。

:行宮見月傷心色，夜雨聞鈴腸斷聲。

...

:在天願作比翼鳥，在地願為連理枝。

:天長地久有時盡，此恨綿綿無絕期。

詩聖杜甫《哀江頭》一段：

:昭陽殿裡第一人，同輦隨君侍君側。

:輦前才人帶弓箭，白馬嚼嚙黃金勒。

:翻身向天仰射雲，一箭正墜雙飛翼。

:明眸皓齒今何在？血污遊魂歸不得。

唐皇室後裔李商隱的《馬嵬》：

:海外徒聞更九州，他生未卜此生休。

:空聞虎旅傳宵柝，無復雞人報曉籌。

:此日六軍同駐馬，當時七夕笑牽牛。

:如何四紀為天子，不及盧家有莫愁。

晚唐宰相鄭畋的《馬嵬坡》：

:玄宗回馬楊妃死，雲雨難忘日月新。

:終是聖明天子事，景陽宮井又何人。

音樂造詣

唐玄宗號稱音樂家皇帝，富有音樂才華與跳舞表演技能，對唐朝音樂發展有重大影響，他愛好親自演奏琵琶、羯鼓，擅長作曲，作有《霓裳羽衣曲》，《小破陣樂》，《春光好》，《秋風高》等百餘首樂曲。他曾選樂工，宮女在禁院梨園中歌舞，這是後來稱戲班為「梨園」的由來。他還制定了《色俱騰》《乞婆娑》《曜日光》等九十二首羯鼓曲名，創作了多首羯鼓獨奏曲。

家庭

家世

唐玄宗李隆基的祖先

>展開

A|后妃

皇后

• 王皇后（？－724），父王仁皎，雙胞胎兄王守一。李隆基八歲時聘為臨淄王妃，後冊太子妃、皇后。皇后及其父對李隆基多有協助。無子失寵，因佩帶符厭求子，被廢為庶人，旋即去世。後宮眾人對她相當思慕。唐代宗即位時，恢復其皇后封號。

妃

• 武惠妃（699?－737），父恆安王武攸止，姑祖武則天。有寵，初封婕妤，累進惠妃，禮同皇后。生夏悼王李一、懷哀王李敏、上仙公主、壽王李瑁、盛王李琦、咸宜公主、太華公主。工於心計，讒害王皇后。勾結李林甫，構陷太子李瑛、鄂王李瑤、光王李琚謀反。三子死後，武惠妃驚懼愧疚而死，追封皇后，葬敬陵，但按妃禮服喪，後被唐肅宗廢去一切皇后祠享。

• 董貴妃，原為良娣，延和元年十月太上皇冊封皇帝良娣董氏為貴妃，見于《全唐文 卷十九》冊封皇帝良娣董氏等誥。，其族人董韶容是張九齡的夫人一說即《明皇雜錄》上和唐玄宗一起接見十歲的劉晏的貴妃。

• 淑妃楊真一（692－749），原為良娣，延和元年十月太上皇冊為淑妃，太平公主死後離宮入道。

• 武賢妃，原為良媛，延和元年十月太上皇冊為賢妃。

• 楊貴妃（719－756），號太真，一說字玉環。父齊國公楊玄琰。寵妃，擅歌舞音律，四大美人之一。初為壽王李瑁王妃，因姿色冠代，先被敕令出家為女道士，還俗後受冊封為唐玄宗貴妃，禮同皇后，楊國忠等家人獲得加封重用。安史之亂中被玄宗賜死於馬嵬驛。

• 項貴妃，弟項承暉，某公主母。墓誌稱項承暉為「貴妃之令弟，公主之季舅」。墓誌所記時間為天寶十載，時楊氏為貴妃，此處貴妃亦可能是妃嬪的泛指。

• 趙和麗妃（693－726），父樂人趙元禮。本潞州伎人，玄宗為臨淄王時納為側室。有寵，生皇太子李瑛。謚曰和。

• 劉華妃，玄宗為臨淄王時納為側室。生玄宗長子奉天皇帝李琮、靖恭太子李琬、儀王李璲。

• 錢妃，徽號無載，或為德妃。生棣王李琰。

• 淑妃皇甫氏（694－735），父左監門衛副率皇甫日休。東宮姬妾之一，有寵。玄宗即位封德儀，生鄂王李瑤及臨晉公主。追封淑妃。杜甫為她作《唐故德儀贈淑妃皇甫氏神道碑》碑文。

• 盧賢妃，初封美人，大曆中去世，追封賢妃。生信王李瑝，其子墓誌中稱她為盧賢妃。

• 順妃韋秀（？－740），父兗州都督韋鐬，母永壽公主。外祖父母為唐中宗與韋皇后，唐玄宗為其堂舅。具體徽號無載，謚曰順。

嬪

• 楊貴嬪，出身于弘農楊氏，唐肅宗生母。開元十七年（729年），逝世，葬細柳原，享年約為三十歲左右。

• 林昭儀，父林庭氏，生宜春公主、萬春公主。見於《元和姓纂》。

• 武賢儀，父武周高平王武重規 。開元間入宮，封才人，進賢儀。生玄宗幼子涼王李璿，汴王李璥。又稱小武妃。

• 郭順儀，父鄭州刺史郭義，兄御史大夫郭虛己。入宮封順儀。生永王李璘。郭順儀早逝，李璘由兄李亨（唐肅宗）養大。

• 郭婉儀，僅知劉長卿（709－780）有《故女道士婉儀太原郭氏輓歌詞》，司空曙（720－790）有《故郭婉儀輓歌》一首，郭婉儀或為郭順儀。

• 董芳儀，生廣寧公主。

世婦

• 柳婕妤，父尚書右丞柳范，生延王李玢、長女永穆公主。

• 高婕妤（694－739），開元初入宮為才人，生潁王李璬、昌樂公主。追贈婕妤。

• 美人張七娘（701－724），父冀州南宮縣令張元福。開元元年入宮，冊為美人。

• 鍾美人，兄左武衛中郎將鐘恭容。生濟王李環。

• 王美人，生陳王李珪。

• 杜美人，生萬春公主。萬春公主母或為林昭儀。

• 劉才人，玄宗為臨淄王時納為側室。生光王李琚。

• 閻才人，父贈朝散大夫閻力，母太原郡太夫人太平觀女道士王紫虛。生義王李玼和信成公主。早逝。

• 陳才人，生豐王李珙。

• 鄭才人，生恆王李瑱。

• 張才人（？-742年6月4日），生晉國公主。

• 常才人，生新平公主。

• 趙才人，生壽光公主。因故出家，卒，公主傷感成疾也去世。

情婦

• 虢國夫人，楊貴妃之姐，排行第三，嫁裴氏為妻，生有一雙兒女，裴氏早亡後，她成為唐玄宗的情婦，同時她還是宰相楊國忠的情婦，安史之亂後，楊貴妃、楊國忠相繼遇難，虢國夫人自刎未死，不久在獄中死去。

其他

• 曹野那姬，中亞粟特人。可能是西域曹國進獻的胡旋女。生壽安公主李蟲娘。

• 崔氏，崔湜長女，被父送給李隆基。

• 崔氏，崔湜次女，被父送給李隆基。

• 郝氏，父郝洽，被臨淄王納於潞州。

身世存疑人物

• 江採蘋，號梅妃，不見於正史。部份學者認為是傳說人物。唐玄宗開元年間所設三妃為惠妃、麗妃、華妃。且終唐一朝，始終沒有梅妃這一封號。

• 莫才人，《酉陽雜俎》所記，真偽不詳，寧王李憲所獻，善唱秦聲，號「莫才人囀」。

• 鸞兒，傳說玄宗登基前愛妾，曾作「袖裏香」。

子女

子

• 奉天皇帝（靖德太子，郯王）李琮（第一子，母劉華妃）

• 廢太子（郢王）李瑛（第二子，母趙麗妃）

• 唐肅宗 李亨（第三子，母元獻皇后楊貴嬪）

• 棣王李琰（第四子，母錢妃）

• 鄂王李瑤（第五子，母贈淑妃皇甫德儀）

• 靖恭太子（甄王）李琬（第六子，母劉華妃）

• 光王李琚（第八子，母劉才人）

• 夏悼王李一（第九子，母貞順皇后武惠妃）

• 儀王李璲（第十二子，母劉華妃）

• 潁王李璬（第十三子，母高婕妤）

• 懷哀王李敏（第十五子，母貞順皇后武惠妃）

• 永王李璘（第十六子，母郭順儀）

• 壽王李琩（第十八子，母貞順皇后武惠妃）

• 延王李玢（第二十子，母柳婕妤）

• 盛王李琦（第二十一子，母貞順皇后武惠妃）

• 濟王李環（第二十二子，母鍾美人）

• 信王李瑝（第二十三子，母贈賢妃盧美人）

• 義王李玼（第二十四子，母閻才人）

• 陳王李珪（第二十五子，母王美人）

• 豐王李珙（第二十六子，母陳才人）

• 恆王李瑱（第二十七子，母鄭才人）

• 涼王李璿（第二十九子，母武賢儀）

• 汴哀王李璥（第三十子，母武賢儀）

另有七人早夭，母親名氏與地位失傳。《代國公主碑》中記有在734年參加代國公主李華葬禮的安王李洵，為早夭七子之一。

女

唐玄宗共有29位女兒，如下：

• 永穆公主（長女，母柳婕妤，下嫁王繇）

• 常芬公主（次女，下嫁張去奢）

• 臨晉公主（同記為次女，母皇甫德儀，下嫁鄭潛曜）

• 孝昌公主（第三女，夭折）

• 唐昌公主（第四女，下嫁薛鏽）

• 靈昌公主（第五女，夭折）

• 常山公主（第六女，下嫁薛譚，又嫁竇澤）

• 齊國公主（母楊貴嬪，第八女，先封為興信公主，又封為寧親公主，下嫁張垍，又嫁裴潁，末嫁楊敷）

• 萬安公主（天寶年間出家做道士）

• 上仙公主（母武惠妃，夭折）

• 晉國公主（第十一女，母高才人，先封為高都公主，下嫁崔惠童）

• 懷思公主（號登真，夭折）

• 新昌公主（下嫁蕭衡）

• 衛國公主（先封為建平公主，下嫁豆盧建，又嫁楊說）

• 真陽公主（下嫁源清，又嫁蘇震）

• 信成公主（母閻才人，下嫁獨孤明）

• 永寧公主（第十七女，下嫁裴齊丘）

• 楚國公主（先封為壽春公主，下嫁吳澄江）

• 宋國公主（第十九女，母皇甫淑妃，先封為平昌公主，下嫁溫西華，又嫁楊徽）

• 昌樂公主（母高才人，下嫁竇鍔）

• 太華公主（第二十一女，母貞順皇后，下嫁楊錡）

• 壽光公主（第二十二女，母趙才人，下嫁郭液）

• 樂城公主（第二十三女，下嫁薛履謙）

• 咸宜公主（母貞順皇后，下嫁楊洄，又嫁崔嵩）

• 宜春公主（母林昭儀，夭折）

• 廣寧公主（母董芳儀，下嫁程昌胤，又嫁蘇克貞）

• 萬春公主（母杜美人，或為林昭儀，下嫁楊昢，又嫁楊錡）

• 新平公主（母常才人，下嫁裴玪，又嫁姜慶初）

• 壽安公主（母曹野那姬，名「蟲娘」，下嫁蘇發）

記載有誤的公主

• 高陽公主，第二十女。（《全唐文 卷二十四》記載了唐玄宗第二十女被封為高陽公主的一段冊文。《新唐書 諸帝公主傳》中沒有唐玄宗的女兒曾被封為高陽公主的記載。有人認為這可能是太宗女高陽公主的冊文，被誤放至玄宗之列。但據《新唐書》的記載，唐高宗永淳之前公主的食邑為三百戶。唐玄宗時公主所獲食邑曾從五百戶增加到一千戶。因此從食邑「一千戶」判斷，這位高陽公主應是唐玄宗的女兒。可能是《新唐書》漏記這位公主或某位公主曾經的封號。）

• 普康公主（夭折，疑為唐懿宗女普康公主，資料誤記於玄宗女之下。）

• 樂成公主，第二十三女。與壽光公主同時冊封，可能為樂城公主之筆誤。記載于《全唐文 卷二十四》。

影視文學形象

影視形象

• 楊貴妃（1927年） - 陳寶琦飾演

• 楊貴妃（1939年） - 舒適飾演

• 梅妃（1941年） - 呂玉堃飾演

• 楊貴妃（1947年） - 吳楚帆飾演

• 楊貴妃（1955年） - 王元龍飾演

• 楊貴妃（1955年） - 森雅之飾演

• 楊貴妃（1962年） - 嚴俊飾演

• 楊貴妃（1976年） - 思維飾演

• 劍仙李白（1983年） - 王偉飾演

• 楊貴妃傳奇（1986年） - 金漢飾演

• 楊貴妃（1986年） - 宗華飾演

• 一代公主（1986年） - 侯冠群飾演

• 珍珠傳奇（1987年） - 吳風飾演

• 大唐名捕（1990年） - 楊得時飾演

• 楊貴妃（1992年） - 劉文治飾演

• 武林奇緣（1993年） - 黃春伯飾演

• 唐明皇（1993年） - 劉威飾演

• 楊貴妃秘史（1994年） - 周志宇飾演

• 崑崙奴（1994年） - 黃奕良飾演

• 天師鐘馗之楊貴妃（1994年） - 陳泰鳴飾演

• 前世冤家（1995年） - 湯鎮宗飾演

• 楊貴妃後傳（1996年） - 藍天野飾演

• 大明宮詞（2000年） - 吳軍飾演

• 楊貴妃（2000年） - 江華飾演

• 天子尋龍（2001年） - 陳浩民飾演

• 大唐歌飛（2003年） - 唐國強飾演

• 神鬼八陣圖（2006年） - 張謙飾演

• 大唐芙蓉園（2007年） - 趙文瑄飾演

• 大唐遊俠傳（2008年） - 湯鎮宗飾演

• 大明宮（2009年） - 黃河飾演

• 李白（2010年） - 劉德凱飾演

• 楊貴妃秘史（2010年） - 黃秋生飾演

• 太平公主秘史（2012年） - 張翰飾演

• 唐宮燕（2013年） - 李承鉉飾演

• 王朝的女人·楊貴妃（2015年） - 黎明飾演

• 大唐榮耀（2016年） - 秦漢飾演

• 貓貓日本史（2016年） - 津田健次郎配音

• 快遞先生與貴妃小姐（2017年） - 詹劍林飾演

• 妖貓傳（2017年） - 張魯一飾演

• 宮心計2深宮計（2018年） - 馬浚偉飾演

• 長安十二時辰（2019年）（以聖人名義） - 馮嘉怡飾演

文學形象

• 黃易 - 《盛唐三部曲》（《日月當空》、《龍戰在野》、《天地明環》）

• 梁羽生— 「大唐三部曲」——《大唐遊俠傳》中出場，《龍鳳寶釵緣》《慧劍心魔》提及

相關戲劇

創作于2003年的大型交響京劇——大唐貴妃，即改編自唐玄宗與楊玉環的愛情悲歌。而在其中以選段中的梨花頌最為膾炙人口。該戲曲講述了楊玉環與李隆基的愛情故事，從楊玉環被冊封為妃、風光旖旎的時候，到最後她在安史之亂中喪命。八年後，安史之亂平息，身為太上皇的李隆基日夜思念玉環，而在最後的幻覺中，李隆基來到蓬萊仙境，楊玉環翩如嫦娥，兩人再續生死之緣的悲情故事。

腳註

Background

Li Longji was born at the Tang dynasty eastern capital Luoyang in 685, during the first reign of his father Emperor Ruizong (Li Dan) – but at that time, Emperor Ruizong's mother Empress Dowager Wu (later known as Wu Zetian), not Emperor Ruizong, was in actual control of power as empress dowager and regent. Li Longji was the third son of Emperor Ruizong, and his mother was Emperor Ruizong's concubine Consort Dou, who was highly ranked in the bureaucracy. In 687, as the emperor's son, he was created the Prince of Chu. It was said that he was handsome, with an appearance that was "majestic and beautiful", and was talented in music. He had two older brothers – Li Chengqi, born of Emperor Ruizong's wife Empress Liu, and Li Chengyi (李成義), as well as three younger brothers – Li Longfan (李隆範), Li Longye (李隆業), and Li Longti (李隆悌). He had two full younger sisters, Princess Jinxian (金仙公主) and Princess Yuzhen (玉真公主), who later became Taoist nuns.

During Wu Zetians reign

In 690, Empress Dowager Wu had her son Emperor Ruizong yield the throne to her, and she took the throne as empress regnant of a new Zhou dynasty, interrupting Tang. She imposed upon Ruizong and his family the surname Wu (武) to match hers. In 692, Li Longji and his brothers were allowed to have residences outside the palace and were given staffs at their mansions. In 693, both his mother Consort Dou and Li Dan's wife Crown Princess Liu (Li Dan's having been reduced to crown prince rank at that point) were killed by Wu Zetian inside the palace after Wu Zetian's lady-in-waiting Wei Tuan'er (韋團兒) falsely accused them of using witchcraft against Wu Zetian – and not even their bodies were recovered. Subsequently, all of Li Dan's sons were reduced in title, and Li Longji's title was reduced to Prince of Linzi. He and his brothers, along with their cousins Li Guangshun (李光順) the Prince of Yifeng, Li Shouli the Prince of Yong, and Li Shouyi (李守義) the Prince of Yong'an (the sons of their uncle Li Xián, formerly crown prince but who had been forced by Wu Zetian to commit suicide in 684), were kept inside the palace and not allowed to have contact with outsiders until 699, when they were allowed to leave the palace and take up residences outside.

During Emperor Zhongzongs second reign: under Empress Weis shadow

In 705, Wu Zetian was overthrown in a coup, and Li Longji's uncle Li Xiǎn (note different person than the father of Li Guangshun, Li Shouli, and Li Shouyi), who was at that time crown prince (Li Dan having yielded that title to him in 698 and taken the title of Prince of Xiang), who had been briefly emperor prior to Li Dan, returned to the throne (as Emperor Zhongzong). Li Longji was made the deputy minister of military supplies (衛尉少卿, Weiwei Shaoqing). In 708, he was made the secretary general of Lu Prefecture (潞州, roughly modern Changzhi, Shanxi). In 710, he was recalled to the capital Chang'an to attend to Emperor Zhongzong when Emperor Zhongzong was sacrificing to heaven and earth. Meanwhile, sorcerers engaged by Emperor Zhongzong believed that there was an aura of an emperor at the area of Chang'an where the mansions Li Longji and his uncles were, and Emperor Zhongzong tried to fulfill the vision by visiting Li Longji's mansion and attending a feast there. While Li Longji was back in Chang'an, he spent time to cultivate relationships with imperial guard commanders, as he believed that Emperor Zhongzong's powerful wife Empress Wei, who was in charge of government affairs, would bring harm to the Tang dynasty.

Coup against Empress Dowager Wei

In summer 710, Emperor Zhongzong died suddenly—a death that traditional historians believed to be a poisoning by Empress Wei and her daughter Li Guo'er the Princess Anle so that Empress Wei could become "emperor" like Wu Zetian and Li Guo'er could become crown princess. For the time being, Emperor Zhongzong's son by a concubine, Li Chongmao the Prince of Wen, was named emperor (as Emperor Shang), but Empress Wei retained actual power as empress dowager and regent. Originally, Empress Dowager Wei's clan members, along with Zong, Li Guo'er's husband Wu Yanxiu, and other officials Zhao Lüwen and Ye Jingneng (葉靜能) were advising her to take the throne, like Wu Zetian did, and they also advised her to eliminate Li Dan and Princess Taiping. The official Cui Riyong leaked their plan to Li Longji. Li Longji responded by conspiring with Princess Taiping, Princess Taiping's son Xue Chongjian (薛崇簡), as well as several low-level officials close to him—Zhong Shaojing, Wang Chongye (王崇曄), Liu Youqiu, and Ma Sizong (麻嗣宗)—to act first. Meanwhile, Empress Wei's nephews Wei Bo (韋播) and Gao Song (高嵩), who had recently been put in command of imperial guards and who had tried to establish their authority by dealing with the guards harshly, had alienated the guards, and the guard officers Ge Fushun (葛福順), Chen Xuanli, and Li Xianfu (李仙鳧) thereafter also joined the plot.

Without first informing Li Dan, the conspirators enacted their plan on 21 July 710, first killing Wei Bo, Gao, and Empress Wei's cousin Wei Gui (韋璿). They then began their attack on the palace, causing Empress Dowager Wei to flee to an imperial guard camp, where a guard beheaded her. Li Guo'er, Wu Yanxiu, and Lady Helou were killed as well. Li Longji soon slaughtered a number of officials in Empress Dowager's faction as well as her clan, while displaying Empress Dowager Wei's body on the street. At the urging of Princess Taiping, Li Longji, and Li Longji's brother Li Chengqi, Li Dan soon took the throne from Li Chongmao and again became emperor (as Emperor Ruizong).

During Emperor Ruizongs second reign: under Princess Taipings shadow

Emperor Ruizong once again ascended to the throne, which is different from the first time he was a puppet. This time he truly mastered the power and quickly used it handily. Emperor Ruizong was immediately faced with the issue of whom to make crown prince—as Li Chengqi, as the oldest son overall and the oldest son of his wife, was the appropriate heir under Confucian principles of succession, but Li Longji had been the one whose accomplishments had allowed him to retake the throne. He hesitated. Li Chengqi declined consideration to be crown prince—stating to his father:

Li Chengqi wept and begged to yield for several days, and after further persuasion by the chancellor Liu Youqiu—who had been part of Li Longji's coup plans—Emperor Ruizong agreed and created Li Longji crown prince. Li Longji submitted a petition offering to yield to Li Chengqi, but Emperor Ruizong rejected it. After he came to the throne, whenever the chancellors and officials discussed political affairs with him, the first sentence he asked was: "Have you ever discussed with Princess Taiping? "If the answer is yes, he will continue to ask: "Have you ever discussed with Li Longji?" If both people have clear opinions, he will make a decision based on this, as a result, he relies heavily on Princess Taiping and Li Longji. Because of his achievements, having the crown prince title and the emperor's trust, Li Longji was active and powerful in the politics of Emperor Ruizong's reign, but, also, whenever Emperor Ruizong called a court meeting, Princess Taiping would listen to the courtiers' conversations with the emperor about the government behind a pearl curtain and had the government under her hands.

Under her ample reputation in the previous reigns, her great achievements in two coups, the trust of Emperor Ruizong's, the vast privileges, attention, independence and wealth that Emperor Ruizong bestowed on her, and having countless allies, Princess Taiping has decision-making power on many serious events in the court and the country matters and was so powerful that she even surpassed Emperor Ruizong. She could often decide the promotion or demotion, deportation or summons of officials with a single sentence, and if the subject was undecided, it was changed or determined by a sentence from her, so most chancellors, forbidden troops, civil and military officials, regional warlords and senior servants of the Imperial palace were her associates. Initially, Princess Taiping agreed to Li Longji's ascension as crown prince despite the fact that Li Longji was not Emperor Ruizong's oldest son and was not born of Emperor Ruizong's wife Empress Liu (Li Chengqi was both—and therefore pursuant to Confucian principles of succession should have been crown prince) as she believed that Li Longji was young (25 at the time he was made crown prince) and would be easy to control. However, once she began to see that Li Longji was strong-willed and criticized her influences, she became apprehensive and often had officials close to her publicly opine that Li Longji was an improper crown prince. She even spread rumors throughout the empire and tried to cause discontent among the common people, saying: Li Longji is not the eldest son of the emperor, so he should not become the crown prince. She further often paid Li Longji's staff members to spy on him to try to find faults with him. She associated with a group of officials, including the chancellors Dou Huaizhen, Xiao Zhizhong, and Cen Xi, intending to find some way to remove Li Longji, but was unable to get two other chancellors—Wei Anshi and Song Jing—to join her group. When Princess Taiping tried to depose Li Longji in two actions, one with Emperor Ruizong himself and another time by summoning the chancellors at Xuanwu Gate and publicly accusing Li Longji of treason or incompetence, but it did not achieve the desired result.

In 711, Song and another chancellor, Yao Yuanzhi, tried to persuade Emperor Ruizong to carry out a plan that they believed would end her plotting and influence. They proposed that the two princes who arguably had superior claims on the throne than Li Longji—Li Chengqi and Li Shouli (whose father Li Xian (note different character than Emperor Zhongzong) was an older brother to both Emperors Zhongzong and Ruizong)—be sent out of the capital Chang'an to serve as prefectural prefects, while Princess Taiping and Wu Youji be sent to live in Luoyang. They also proposed that Li Longji be put in charge of most affairs of state. Emperor Ruizong initially agreed and made the orders as Song and Yao suggested, except that he believed that Luoyang was too far and therefore sent Princess Taiping and Wu Youji only to Pu Prefecture (蒲州, roughly modern Yuncheng, Shanxi). After Princess Taiping found out that the plan was conceived by Song and Yao, however, she was incensed and let Li Longji know her anger, and she mobilized her group to attack Song and Yao and oppose Emperor Ruizong's decision. In fear, Li Longji submitted a petition accusing Song and Yao of alienating him from his brothers Li Chengqi and Li Shouli (who was actually a cousin but was raised with Emperor Ruizong's sons) and aunt Princess Taiping, asking that the two be put to death. Emperor Ruizong, in response, demoted Song and Yao and recalled Princess Taiping, Li Chengqi, and Li Shouli to the capital. In the aftermaths, Li Longji submitted another request to yield the crown prince position to Li Chengqi, but Emperor Ruizong declined it. Also in 711, Emperor Ruizong posthumously honored both Empress Liu and Li Longji's mother Consort Dou as empresses and built a temple for them to be worshipped, but was unable to locate their bodies for reburial, and therefore had to give them a ceremonial reburial without the bodies. But this posthumous honor for Li Longji's mother further displeased Princess Taiping. Emperor Ruizong also ordered that all minor matters be decided by Li Longji, and with this, Emperor Ruizong established Li Longji as his sole successor, but diverted his participation in important matters and focused more on the advice of his sister, Princess Taiping.

By winter 711 Princess Taiping had become even more powerful than before. Because of her recommendations, Emperor Ruizong carried out a major reorganization of his administration, relieving the chancellors Wei, Guo Yuanzhen, Dou, Li Rizhi, and Zhang Yue of their chancellor positions, instead commissioning a number of chancellors that she recommended — Liu Youqiu, Wei Zhigu, Cui Shi, and Lu Xiangxian. (Cui was a lover of Princess Taiping, and when she offered to recommend him as chancellor, because he admired Lu, he requested to be made chancellor along with Lu, even though Lu was not an associate of Princess Taiping. It was said that Emperor Ruizong, however, was initially unwilling to make Cui chancellor, but relented after Princess Taiping begged in tears, although the account may be somewhat discountable in that neither Liu nor Wei was an associate of Princess Taiping either, and both were close associates of Li Longji.)

In 712, Princess Taiping had astrologers warn Emperor Ruizong that the constellation that symbolized the imperial throne, Dizuo (帝座), showed that there would be a change in the emperor's position—believing that Emperor Ruizong would suspect Li Longji of plotting a coup and that she could remove Li Longji this way. Instead, Emperor Ruizong, reasoning that the change in the emperor's position could be accounted by an orderly transition, offered to pass the throne to Li Longji. Princess Taiping fervently opposed it, and Li Longji initially declined, but at Emperor Ruizong's insistence finally accepted and took the throne on 8 September (as Emperor Xuanzong). However, at Princess Taiping's suggestion, Emperor Ruizong retained much of the imperial power as Taishang Huang (retired emperor), and his edicts continued to carry greater force than Emperor Xuanzong's.

As emperor

Xiantian era (712–713)

Emperor Xuanzong made his wife Crown Princess Wang empress. Meanwhile, Princess Taiping continued to be listening to politics with curtains in the court, highly extremely influential in governmental matters through Emperor Ruizong, the group of chancellors openly frequented her house and most chancellors, forbidden troops, officials and warlords were her associates. (Of the seven chancellors at the time, five – Dou Huaizhen, Xiao Zhizhong, Cen Xi, Cui Shi, and Lu Xiangxian – were made chancellors at her recommendation, although Lu was not considered a member of her party.) As a result, the war between her and him continued more seriously. Liu Youqiu and the general Zhang Wei, with Emperor Xuanzong's approval, planned to mobilize the imperial guards to kill several of those chancellors – Dou Huaizhen, Cui Shi and Cen Xi. However, after Zhang told the plan to the imperial censor Deng Guangbin (鄧光賓), the news was leaked. At the request of Princess Taiping's, Emperor Ruizong issued an order to arrested Liu, and initially set to be executed. But Emperor Xuanzong interceded on his behalf with Emperor Ruizong, and Liu, Zhang, and Deng were spared but exiled.

Later in 712, in one of Princess Taiping's plans to oust him, at her request, Emperor Ruizong decreed that Emperor Xuanzong lead a group of soldiers to examine the northern border. However, the group of conscripted soldiers was disbanded in spring 713, and the plan was never carried out.

By summer 713, it was said that Princess Taiping, Dou, Cen, Xiao, Cui; along with other officials Xue Ji, Li Jin (李晉) the Prince of Xinxing (a grandson of Li Deliang (李德良), a cousin of Tang's founder Emperor Gaozu), Li You (李猷), Jia Yingfu (賈膺福), Tang Jun (唐晙); the generals Chang Yuankai (常元楷), Li Ci (李慈), and Li Qin (李欽); and the monk Huifan, were plotting to overthrow Emperor Xuanzong. It was further said that they discussed, with the lady-in-waiting Lady Yuan, to poison the gastrodia elata that Emperor Xuanzong routinely took as an aphrodisiac. When this alleged plot was reported to Emperor Xuanzong by Wei Zhigu, Emperor Xuanzong, who had already received advice from Wang Ju (王琚), Zhang Shuo, and Cui Riyong to act first, did so. He convened a meeting with his brothers Li Longfan the Prince of Qi and Li Longye the Prince of Xue (who had changed their names to Li Fan and Li Ye by this point to observe naming taboo for Emperor Xuanzong), Guo Yuanzhen, along with a number of his associates – the general Wang Maozhong (王毛仲), the officials Jiang Jiao (姜皎) and Li Lingwen (李令問), his brother-in-law Wang Shouyi (王守一), the eunuch Gao Lishi, and the military officer Li Shoude (李守德) – and decided to act first. On 29 July, Emperor Xuanzong had Wang Maozhong take 300 soldiers to the imperial guard camp to behead Chang and Li Ci. Then, Jia, Li You, Xiao, and Cen were arrested and executed as well. Dou fled into a canyon and committed suicide by hanging. Xue Ji was forced to commit suicide. When Emperor Ruizong heard about this, he quickly ascended the tower at Chengtian Gate to ascertain what was happening. Guo reported to him Emperor Xuanzong's intentions, and Emperor Ruizong felt compelled to affirm Emperor Xuanzong's actions in an edict. The next day, on 30 July, Emperor Ruizong issued an edict transferring all authorities to Emperor Xuanzong. Meanwhile, Princess Taiping, hearing what happened to her associates, fled into a temple in the mountains, only appearing three days later. Emperor Ruizong asked Emperor Xuanzong for her pardon, but he refused. Emperor Xuanzong ordered her to commit suicide at home, and put to death her sons and associates, except for Xue Chongjian. Princess Taiping's assets were confiscated, and it was said that there was so much treasure, livestock, and real estate that it took several years: more than thirty years for the accounting to be complete. Emperor Ruizong moved to a secondary palace, Baifu Hall (百福殿) and would remain there until his death in 716.

Kaiyuan era (713–741)

Emperor Xuanzong's Kaiyuan era is usually viewed as one of the golden ages of Chinese history – a period of political stability, peace in society, and economic prosperity, in addition to advances in education, literature, music, painting, sculpture, and religion.

Early Kaiyuan era

Meanwhile, Zhang Yue and Liu Youqiu served as chancellors, but they were soon displaced by Yao Yuanzhi (who then changed his name to Yao Chong) and Lu Huaishen. Changing the system of having a large group of chancellors simultaneous, as had been the case throughout Tang, Emperor Xuanzong reduced the numbers to two (or sometimes three) for the rest of his reign. Yao was considered a highly capable administrator, and with him ruling on most important matters and Lu assisting, the government was said to be highly efficient.

In 714, Emperor Xuanzong carried out a series of political reprisals against the cruel secret police officials of Wu Zetian's reign, exiling the ones that were still alive and eventually barring their descendants from holding political offices. At the urging of Jiang Jiao's brother Jiang Hui (姜誨), he also exiled a number of chancellors – Wei Sili, Wei Anshi, Zhao Yanzhao, and Li Jiao – from Emperor Zhongzong's reign whom Jiang accused of being unable to curb Empress Wei's abuse of power.

Also in 714, Emperor Xuanzong, wanting to punish the Khitan and the Xi for having defeated Tang forces during Emperor Zhongzong's reign, commissioned the general Xue Ne to attack them, but Xue suffered another devastating loss to them, at the casualty rate of 80–90%. However, later in the year, when the Tibetan Empire attacked, Emperor Xuanzong again commissioned Xue to defend against the attack, and Xue was able to repel the Tibetan forces. Subsequently, though, although both sides tried to invoke the marriage between Li Shouli's daughter Princess Jincheng and Me Agtsom, emperor of the Tibetan Empire, in seeking peace, the two sides could not reach an agreement and remained in border conflict yearly. In response, Emperor Xuanzong established the office of jiedushi (military governor) of Longyou Circuit (隴右, headquartered in what is now Haidong, Qinghai), with a centralized command of 12 prefectures under a single military general. Eventually, the establishment of jiedushi would be extended to other parts of the empire.

Also in 714, Emperor Xuanzong created Li Siqian, his second son and the son of his then-favorite concubine Consort Zhao, crown prince. (Emperor Xuanzong's wife Empress Wang was sonless.)

Meanwhile, the Tang relationship with Qapaghan Qaghan of the Göktürks had fluctuated during the first few years of the Kaiyuan era, as minor hostilities occurred at the borders as well as contests over vassals' loyalty for the two states, but they were also at times friendly to each other, with Qapaghan requesting at times to marry a Tang princess and Emperor Xuanzong agreeing to the proposal. In 716, however, Qapaghan was killed in battle against the Bayegu (拔野古), and from that point on, lacking his efficient leadership, the Göktürks, while remaining an important regional power, posed much less of a threat to China, although at times still capable of dealing serious defeats to Tang forces, as was the case in 720 when the Göktürk general Tonyukuk defeated the Tang garrison at Liang Prefecture (涼州, roughly modern Wuwei, Gansu) and the Tang vassal Basmyl. Meanwhile, Tang, the Tibetan Empire, and the Umayyad Caliphate were constantly engaging in a three-way tug of war for influence in the Xiyu (i.e., modern Xinjiang and former Soviet Central Asia) region. In 715, for example, when the king of Bahanna (拔汗那) was expelled by a new king supported by the Tibetan Empire and the Umayyad Caliphate, Tang forces commanded by the general (張孝嵩) attacked the new king and restored the old king. General Tang Jiahui led the Chinese to defeat the following Arab-Tibetan attack in the Battle of Aksu (717). The attack on Aksu was joined by Turgesh Khan Suluk. Both Uch Turfan and Aksu were attacked by the Turgesh, Arab, and Tibetan force on 15 August 717. Qarluqs serving under Chinese command, under Arsila Xian, a Western Turkic Qaghan serving under the Chinese Assistant Grand Protector General Tang Jiahui defeated the attack. Al-Yashkuri, the Arab commander and his army fled to Tashkent after they were defeated.

In and around 716, there was a major locust infestation in the central China region. At Yao's suggestion, Emperor Xuanzong ordered an extensive campaign of extermination, which was said to reduce the impact of the infestation and ward off a major famine. Later in 716, however, due a corruption scandal involving Yao's sons and his associate Zhao Hui (趙誨), Yao incurred displeasure from Emperor Xuanzong and offered to resign. He and Yuan Qianyao, who replaced Lu after Lu's death earlier in 716, were removed from their offices and replaced with Song Jing and Su Ting, with Song making more of the important decisions and Su assisting. Yao would not return to the chancellorship, but would remain influential as a key advisor for Emperor Xuanzong until Yao's death in 721. Contrary to the practical and flexible Yao, Song was more interested in emphasizing integrity and rule of law in governance, and it was said that while Yao's and Song's emphases were different, they were both regarded as instrumental in establishing the rule of Kaiyuan and that subsequent chancellors could not compare to them.

Meanwhile, Song and Su had carried out a stern campaign against the use of coins that were not officially forged by the government, which brought popular resentment that Emperor Xuanzong found problematic. In 720, he removed Song and Su from chancellor offices and replaced them with Yuan and Zhang Jiazhen, and in 721 added Zhang Yue as a chancellor as well.

Meanwhile, by 722, Empress Wang, who had contributed to Emperor Xuanzong's reign by providing suggestions, had begun to lose favor to Consort Wu, a great-grandniece of Emperor Xuanzong's grandmother Wu Zetian. Emperor Xuanzong secretly discussed with Jiang Jiao the possibility of deposing her, but Jiang Jiao careless leaked the discussion. At the urging of Zhang Jiazhen, who was friendly with Empress Wang's brother Wang Shouyi (王守一), advocated that Jiang Jiao be punished and exiled, and Jiang died in exile.

Meanwhile, at Zhang Yue's suggestion, the Tang northern border defense forces, which had about 600,000 men at that time, was reduced by 200,000 men to allow the soldiers to return home. Further, seeing that the Tang conscription system, due to abuses against the soldiers at the time, was near a collapse, as the soldiers were forced into long tours of duty but their families were not exempt from taxes, thus causing great numbers of desertions, Zhang suggested a switch to a recruitment-based system where soldiers were paid salaries. This allowed, for a time, Tang's soldier supply to be replenished. (Some later historians condemned Zhang for the abolition of the conscription system, believing the abolition to be the root of Tang's later fracturing, but some others, such as the modern historian Bo Yang, argued that Zhang's actions not only were necessary to restore the supply of soldiers but saved many lives.)

Middle Kaiyuan era

In 723, Zhang Jiazhen was demoted on account of a corruption scandal involving his brother Zhang Jiayou. His position was filled by Wang Jun, who was soon himself demoted over suspicions, never proven, that he was plotting treason. With Zhang Yue thus effectively being the senior chancellor, Zhang Yue promoted literary studies, which Emperor Xuanzong also favored. In 724, he also commissioned the chief imperial astronomer Nangong Shuo to carry out a major astronomical survey to observe the sun and the North Star at various points of the empire.

Also in 724, it was discovered that Wang Shouyi had engaged sorcerers to make amulets for Empress Wang to wear, hoping that the use of magic would allow her to have a son. Empress Wang was deposed and reduced to commoner rank, while Wang Shouyi was exiled and subsequently ordered to commit suicide in exile. Empress Wang died later in the year, and it was said that the eunuchs and the ladies in waiting mourned her bitterly and Emperor Xuanzong much regretted his treatment of her. Still, after Empress Wang's removal and death, Consort Wu became undisputed mistress of the palace and was treated inside the palace like an empress would be. Still, in 726, when Emperor Xuanzong considered creating her empress, he encountered oppositions from officials on two grounds – that her Wu clan was hated by the people and that as she had her own sons, the position of Li Siqian the Crown Prince (whose name had been changed to Li Hong by this point) would be threatened. As a result, Emperor Xuanzong never created her empress. But Consort Wu's was a chief favorite of the emperor and undisputed mistress of the palace until her death and had political power.

In winter 725, Emperor Xuanzong, at Zhang Yue's urging, carried out a magnificent ceremony at Mount Tai to offer sacrifices to heaven and earth.

On 11 May 726, Zhang Yue was accused of corruption by several officials that he had blocked the advances of – Cui Yinfu (崔隱甫), Yuwen Rong, and Li Linfu – and was found to have committed corruption. At the intercession of Gao Lishi, however, Zhang Yue was removed only from his chancellor post on 18 May and permitted to maintain his title and a number of other posts. He was replaced by Li Yuanhong on 15 May, and subsequently, Du Xian was also added as a chancellor.

In 727, at the suggestion of the general Wang Junchuo (王君㚟), Emperor Xuanzong commissioned Wang Junchuo to attack the Tibetan Empire, and after a Tibetan incursion in late 726, Wang counterattacked and inflicted losses on Tibetan forces commanded by the general Xinuoluogonglu (悉諾邏恭祿). Later in the year, though, Xinuoluogonglu and another general, Zhulongmangbuzhi (燭龍莽布支) attacked and captured Wang's home prefecture Gua Prefecture (瓜州, roughly modern Jiuquan, Gansu), taking Wang's father Wang Shou (王壽) captive. As a result, Wang Junchuo did not dare to counterattack, and subsequently blamed the defeat on a number of tribal chiefs in the area and had them exiles. In response, Yaoluoge Hushu, the nephew of one of the chiefs so exiled, Yaoluoge Chengzong, ambushed Wang Junchuo and killed him, and while Yaoluoge Hushu was forced to flee thereafter, for several years Tang did not engage in any offensive campaigns in the region.

Around the same time, Emperor Xuanzong began to build a residential complex in the palace for imperial clan members, known as the Mansion of the Ten Princes (十王院), to centralize their residence. Thereafter, imperial princes, including the crown prince, would rarely live outside the palace complex.

On 6 December 728, Emperor Xuanzong added the general Xiao Song as a chancellor. Subsequently, in 729, with Yuan, even though he was senior chancellor, unable to curb the disputes between Li Yuanhong and Du, Emperor Xuanzong removed all three from chancellor positions, promoting Yuwen and Pei Guangting to be chancellors in their stead – in Yuwen's case, for his abilities to find ways to add to the imperial treasury by imposing special taxes and levies. Later in the year, though, Yuwen made false accusations against the general Li Hui (李褘) the Prince of Xin'an (Emperor Xuanzong's second cousin) and was exiled, and subsequently died in exile. Still, it was said that it was starting from Yuwen's times that Emperor Xuanzong began to pay attention on taxes to replenish the imperial treasury, which traditional historians viewed as the start of his inflicting financial burdens on the people. Further, with Pei in charge of the civil service system, it was said that due to Pei's strict adherence to seniority, the Tang civil service system began to lose its ability to find talented people to serve in offices.

In 730, the Khitan general Ketugan (可突干) killed the king Li Shaogu (李邵固) and took over the reign of the Khitan and the Xi personally, forcing the king of the Xi, Li Lusu (李魯蘇) to flee to Tang for protection. Tang sent an army to attack the Khitan, but meanwhile made peace with the Tibetan Empire. Initially, the campaign against the Khitan did not succeed, but in 732, with Li Hui in command, Tang forces dealt Ketugan a serious defeat and causing many of Ketugan's subordinates to defect and submit to Tang, although Ketugan was not captured.

Late Kaiyuan era

Meanwhile, Tang also began to have periodic conflicts with Balhae, and in 733 Emperor Xuanzong tried to commission Dae Mun-ye, the brother of Balhae's King Mu, to attack Balhae, along with forces from Silla, but the attack was not successful.

Also in 733, Pei Guangting died, and at the recommendation of Xiao Song, he was replaced with Han Xiu, but soon, Song and Han were in repeated conflicts, and late in 733, both were removed and replaced with Pei Yaoqing, who became known for improving the food distribution system, and Zhang Jiuling, known for his integrity. In 734, Emperor Xuanzong added Li Linfu, a close associate of Consort Wu, as a chancellor as well.

Around the new year 735, Ketuhan was killed in an internal Khitan power struggle, and Khitan became a vassal again, although it would not stay so permanently.

By 736, Emperor Xuanzong was described as having been tired of important affairs of state and beginning to become wasteful and exuberant in his lifestyle. Zhang tried to curb his behavior but thus began to lose favor, while Li Linfu was gaining power due to his association with Consort Wu. Further, Zhang supported Li Hong (whose name had been changed to Li Ying by this point), while Li Linfu and Consort Wu supported her son Li Mao (李瑁) the Prince of Shou and tried to have Li Mao made crown prince. In 736, due to Li Linfu's machinations that made Emperor Xuanzong believed that Zhang and Pei Yaoqing were improperly engaging in factionalism, Zhang and Pei Yaoqing were removed and replaced by Niu Xianke, who closely followed Li Linfu's will, and thereafter, Li Linfu would dominate the imperial government almost to the end of Emperor Xuanzong's reign. Li Linfu did all he could to stay in power, and carried out many dirty tricks against actual or potential threats to his power. He also severely discouraged criticism, ending the relative freedom that officials had to make proposals to Emperor Xuanzong. This was often viewed by traditional historians as the turning point of Emperor Xuanzong's reign, which up to that point was considered a golden age in Chinese history, toward a path of degeneration. The Song dynasty historian Sima Guang, in his Zizhi Tongjian, for example, commented:

In 737, with Zhang no longer in the government to protect him, Li Ying was deposed and subsequently forced to commit suicide. However, with Consort Wu dying later in the year, Emperor Xuanzong did not immediately accept Li Linfu's proposal to have Li Mao made crown prince. Rather, he chose an older son, Li Yu the Prince of Zhong, in 738.

Tianbao era (742–756)

Historians said that Emperor Xuanzong forced tens of thousands of beautiful women to live in his palace to please him, more than many other Tang emperors. And he did not allow many to be set free even when they were old. As Emperor Xuanzong turned his attention to pleasure-seeking with his favorite concubine Yang Guifei and her family, he paid less and less attention to the running of his empire, and much of his power fell into the hands of the corrupt Li Linfu (who was succeeded by Lady Yang's dissolute cousin Yang Guozhong) and the eunuch Gao Lishi.

At the same time, 751 saw the loss of the Battle of Talas against the Abbasid Caliphate. As a consequence, the Tang dynasty temporarily lost some of its influence in Central Asia to the emerging Abbasid Caliphate, as several Tang tributaries turned to the Abbasids.

Meanwhile, the jiedushi (military governors), most of whom were non-Han took more and more regional power into their own hands. Some successful generals included Geshu Han, known for victories over the Tibetan Empire; Gao Xianzhi, who conquered city states of the Xiyu region, eventually battling the Abbasids at Talas; and An Lushan who defeated and once again vassalized the Khitan. Eventually, in 755, An Lushan started the Anshi Rebellion at Fanyang. The rebels quickly seized the eastern capital Luoyang, and then the imperial capital Chang'an six months later. Emperor Xuanzong fled to Sichuan during the war and abdicated the throne to Li Yu (whose name had been changed to Li Heng at that point) (as Emperor Suzong).

Early Tianbao era

Meanwhile, at Li Linfu's encouragement, Emperor Xuanzong began to promote non-Han generals to command large border armies, believing Li Linfu's assertion that non-Han generals were more likely to be personally loyal to Emperor Xuanzong himself and would not have clan entanglements, even though Li Linfu's own personal motivation was to prevent Han officials from going through the border command route to become chancellors, thus threatening him. Such generals who rose in ranks included An Lushan, An Sishun, Geshu Han, and Gao Xianzhi. By 742, the main Tang forces were all concentrated on the border, at nine different military circuits and one special military district (Lingnan), as well as three special coast defense districts (Changle, Donglai, and Dongmou):

Meanwhile, it was said that Emperor Xuanzong had paid less attention to increasing revenues after Yuwen Rong's fall, but by 742 he was again interested in doing so, and such officials as Wei Jian (韋堅, a brother-in-law of Li Yu, whose name was changed by this point to Li Heng), Wang Hong (王鉷), and Yang Shenjin became favored, and often, matters having to do with finances were stripped out of other officials' responsibilities and given to them as special commissions.

Late in 742, Niu Xianke died and was replaced by Li Shizhi.

In 744, Eastern Tujue, after a series of internal turmoil and rebellions from its vassals, finally collapsed. Its vassal Huige rose and became the dominant power of the region, but formally submitted to Tang as a vassal.

Meanwhile, after Consort Wu's death, Emperor Xuanzong had been depressed. When he saw his son Prince of Shou Li Mao's wife (his daughter-in-law) Yang Yuhuan (Princess of Shou, by virtue of marriage), he was infatuated with her, and he had her become a Taoist nun and gave Li Mao the wife of the general Wei Zhaoxun (韋昭訓) as his new wife and princess. Meanwhile, he secretly took the nun, Yang, into the palace. She became his senior-ranking concubine (guifei), known as Yang Guifei, and soon became so powerful that officials were bribing her family members to get preferential treatment. She was referred to inside the palace as "the Lady" and treated like an empress (as was consort Wu until her death). He abducted more than 40000 women in his palace. Some were not set free even after they were over 60 years old.

Meanwhile, Li Linfu was beginning to conflict with Li Shizhi and Wei Jian, who were allies. Li Linfu, who engaged a group of secret police officials to investigate and manufacture evidence against political enemies, was able to get Wei and Li Shizhi demoted and exiled in 746. (Li Shizhi was replaced by Chen Xilie, who gained favor from Emperor Xuanzong for his knowledge in Taoism and sorcery.) In 747, Li Linfu further carried out a campaign of terror against exiled officials, and among the officials executed were Wei, Li Yong (李邕) and Pei Dunfu (裴敦復). Li Shizhi and Wang Ju, who had been instrumental in Emperor Xuanzong's initial actions against Princess Taiping, committed suicide.

Meanwhile, in 747, Emperor Xuanzong wanted to expand the government's talent pool, and so issued an edict ordering that the people who had unusual talents to come to Chang'an to be examined by himself. Li Linfu, fearing that these examinees might accuse him of improprieties when they get to meet the emperor, suggested that these examinees go through two levels of preliminary examinations – by the local governments, and then by the executive bureau. As a result, no one passed the first two levels of preliminary examinations, and Li Linfu subsequently submitted a note to Emperor Xuanzong congratulating him that no talent has been overlooked by the imperial administration.

Meanwhile, also as of 747, An Lushan had become greatly favored by Emperor Xuanzong due to his military achievements and his willingness to flatter Emperor Xuanzong, Consort Yang, and her family members. Further, Li Linfu, apprehensive about the general Wang Zhongsi, who at that time was in command of four circuits (Hexi, Longyou, Shuofang, and Hedong), deprecated Wang in favor of An Lushan. In 747, after Li Linfu implicated Wang in hindering a campaign against the Tibetan Empire and further accused Wang of plotting a coup to overthrow Emperor Xuanzong and replace him with Li Heng, Wang was arrested and demoted, escaping death only at the pleas of Geshu, who was Wang's deputy and who subsequently was given the commands of Hexi and Longyou. An Lushan, who had already been in command of Fanyang and Pinglu Circuits, was also given Hedong, and thereafter was in command of the most elite troops of the empire. Meanwhile, the ethnically Goguryeo general Gao Xianzhi had become prominent in the Xiyu region, expanding Tang power to the west.

By 748, Consort Yang's cousins Yang Guozhong, Yang Xian and Yang Qi, as well as her three sisters (who were created the Ladies of Han, Guo, and Qin), had become exceedingly wealthy and powerful due to the favors that Emperor Xuanzong showed them. It was said that their wealth topped all households in Chang'an. It was also said that by 749, the empire was so wealthy that Emperor Xuanzong viewed treasures as expendable and so awarded them without limit.

Late Tianbao era

Meanwhile, Li Linfu had a tight grip on power and favors from Emperor Xuanzong throughout the years, but as of 750, Yang Guozhong and Chen Xilie had allied with each other and were finding ways to eliminate Li Linfu's allies from government.

As of 751, Tang was also facing defeats on two different external fronts – as Nanzhao's king Geluofeng, angry about unreasonable demands that the Zhang Qiantuo the governor of Yunnan Commandery (雲南, roughly modern Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan) and Zhang's subsequent false accusations that he was planning to rebel, rebelled for real, and attacked and occupied Yunnan Commandery. A major attack by the general Xianyu Zhongtong (鮮于仲通) against Nanzhao failed terribly in 751, and subsequent defeats by Tang forces eventually led to a total of some 200,000 casualties among Tang troops. On the western front, Gao Xianzhi suffered a major defeat at the Abbasid forces at the Battle of Talas in 751 as well, ending the Tang expansion to the west.

In 752, Wang Hong's brother Wang Han (王銲) was accused of treason after his associates rose in a failed coup at Chang'an. In the aftermaths, Wang Hong was forced to commit suicide, and Yang Guozhong, Chen, and Geshu Han further tried to implicate Li Linfu in the plot as well. After Li Linfu died in winter 752, Yang Guozhong succeeded him, and almost immediately accused Li Linfu of having been complicit in the rebellion of another general, Li Xianzhong (李獻忠). Li Linfu was posthumously disgraced, and his family was exiled.

A rivalry soon developed between Yang Guozhong and An Lushan, and Yang Guozhong began to repeatedly warn Emperor Xuanzong that An was plotting rebellion. Emperor Xuanzong ignored the warnings. In 754, Yang Guozhong suggested that if An were summoned to the capital, he would surely refuse, and Emperor Xuanzong decided to try An – and An arrived in Chang'an immediately after being summoned. After this incident, Emperor Xuanzong no longer believed that An was plotting rebellion. Nevertheless, because of Yang Guozhong's opposition, he did not make An chancellor, as he was planning. Also in 754, with Yang Guozhong also trying to squeeze Chen out of the government, Chen resigned and was replaced by Wei Jiansu.

In 755, Yang Guozhong further provoked An, who was then back at his post in Fanyang, by surrounding An's mansion at Chang'an and arresting and executing An's staff members. An, in fear and anger, rebelled in winter 755, and quickly reached and captured Luoyang after defeating Feng Changqing's undersupplied army. Subsequently, Emperor Xuanzong, believing in reports from the eunuch Bian Lingcheng (邊令誠) that Feng was cowardly and that Feng's superior Gao Xianzhi was corrupt, executed both Feng and Gao and replaced Gao with Geshu in defending Tong Pass from An's advances. An declared himself emperor of a new state of Yan at Luoyang, but with Geshu defending Tong Pass, An's advances stalled, while Tang forces commanded by Li Guangbi and Guo Ziyi made advances against An-controlled territory north of the Yellow River. Meanwhile, though, Yang Guozhong, fearing that Geshu had designs against him, convinced Emperor Xuanzong to order Geshu to attack despite Geshu's warnings that doing so was risky. Geshu was subsequently defeated by An's forward commander Cui Qianyou (崔乾祐), and Tong Pass fell. With An's forces advancing on Chang'an, on 14 July 756, Emperor Xuanzong, with Yang Guozhong suggesting that they flee to Jiannan Circuit, abandoned Chang'an and fled with Gao Lishi, Yang Guozhong, Wei, Li Heng, Consort Yang, and her family. The following day, 15 July, the imperial guards accompanying the emperor, angry at Yang Guozhong, rose and killed him and forced Emperor Xuanzong to kill Consort Yang as well. Subsequently, Emperor Xuanzong continued on to Jiannan, but Li Heng did not, but rather went to Lingwu, where, on 12 August, Li Heng was declared emperor (as Emperor Suzong). Meanwhile, without knowledge that Emperor Suzong had claimed the throne, Emperor Xuanzong, while still on his way to Chengdu, the capital of Jiannan Circuit, issued an edict that gave several of his sons various responsibility areas, under Li Heng's command overall; until this edict was issued, most of the realm only knew that Chang'an had fallen and had not known where Emperor Xuanzong had fled. When the news of Emperor Suzong's ascension reached Emperor Xuanzong at Chengdu on 10 September, he recognized Emperor Suzong as the new emperor, and thereafter took the title of Taishang Huang (retired emperor) – although his edict recognizing Emperor Suzong appeared to still indicate desire to retain control like his father Emperor Ruizong did early in his reign:

However, perhaps to avoid the impression that he was keeping a rival government to Emperor Suzong, he sent the several chancellors that he had retained or created while on the journey to or after he arrived in Chengdu – Wei, Fang Guan, and Cui Huan – to Lingwu to formally invest imperial power on Emperor Suzong and to serve under Emperor Suzong.

As retired emperor

Emperor Xuanzong, after becoming retired emperor, largely allowed Emperor Suzong to coordinate the campaign against Yan, but at times nevertheless stepped in to make decisions. For example, in spring 757, apparently without first consulting Emperor Suzong, he named Li Lin chancellor, although he subsequently sent both Li Lin and another chancellor, Cui Yuan, whom he had not sent to Emperor Suzong previously, to Emperor Suzong. He also posthumously honored Emperor Suzong's mother Consort Yang (not Yang Yuhuan) as an empress. Meanwhile, remembering Zhang Jiuling had previously warned about An Lushan, Emperor Xuanzong sent messengers to Zhang's tomb to offer sacrifices to him.

Late in 757, Emperor Suzong, with aid from Huige, recaptured Chang'an from Yan, then ruled by An Lushan's son An Qingxu, who had killed An Lushan earlier in 757 and taken over the throne himself. After Emperor Suzong recaptured Chang'an, he sent messengers to Emperor Xuanzong requesting that he return to Chang'an and offering the throne back to Emperor Xuanzong. Emperor Xuanzong, apprehensive of the offer, initially not only declined but further requested to remain in Jiannan. Only after Emperor Suzong, at the suggestion of his strategist Li Mi, had the government officials make a joint submission to Emperor Xuanzong no longer mentioning the return of the throne, did Emperor Xuanzong agree to depart Jiannan to return to Chang'an. On the way back to Chang'an, he had Gao Lishi try to dig up Consort Yang Yuhuan's body for reburial, but her body had already decomposed; only her fragrance bag remained. Emperor Xuanzong took the fragrance bag back to Chang'an and visited it daily, as if Consort Yang were still alive. On 17 January 758, he arrived at Chang'an, and in a grand ceremony where Emperor Suzong offered the throne back to him again, he formally declined again and personally put the yellow robe symbolizing imperial status on Emperor Suzong, commenting, "I had been the Son of Heaven for 50 years, and I did not consider it a great honor. Now, I am truly honored to be the father to the Son of Heaven." He took up residence at Xingqing Palace, a palace that was remodelled from the residence that he and his brothers had when they were imperial princes.

After Emperor Xuanzong was back in Chang'an, he largely stayed out of policy decisions, although he at times still exerted his influence on Emperor Suzong. For example, Emperor Suzong had wanted to spare Zhang Shuo's sons Zhang Jun and Zhang Ji, who had previously submitted to An Lushan, because of Zhang Shuo's contributions and Zhang Jun's and Zhang Ji's prior efforts to protect him from Li Linfu's machinations, but Emperor Xuanzong deeply hated them for having surrendered to An, and at Emperor Xuanzong's insistence, Zhang Jun was executed, and Zhang Ji was exiled to Lingnan.

Meanwhile, after a while, Emperor Xuanzong settled into a routine at Xingqing Palace, with Chen Xuanli and Gao Lishi attending to him. Also often attending to him were his daughter Li Chiying (李持盈), the Princess Yuzhen, the lady in waiting Ru Xianyuan (如仙媛), and the eunuchs Wang Cheng'en (王承恩) and Wei Yue (魏悅). The imperial musicians often played for him, and he often climbed up Changqing Tower (長慶樓) to receive well wishes from the populace. He also often held feasts for generals and people from Jiannan, with Li Chiying and Ru serving as hostesses. Meanwhile, though, Emperor Xuanzong's attendants looked down at the powerful eunuch Li Fuguo, who had served Emperor Suzong throughout the campaign against Yan. To retaliate, Li Fuguo began to try to convince Emperor Suzong that Emperor Xuanzong and his attendants were plotting to seize power back. In 760, with Emperor Suzong's tacit, although not explicit, approval, on one occasion when Emperor Xuanzong was out riding, Li Fuguo intercepted him and forced him to move back to the main palace. Even on that occasion, however, Gao would not submit to Li Fuguo, and even yelled at Li Fuguo to force him to get off his horse and to escort Emperor Xuanzong on foot, along with Gao. Soon after Emperor Xuanzong was forcibly moved, Li Fuguo forced Chen to retire, Li Chiying to return to her temple (she had become an ordained Taoist nun in 711), and exiled Gao, Wang, Wei, and Ru.

After Emperor Xuanzong was forcibly moved back to the main palace, Emperor Suzong tried to please him by offering him the best of all of the tributes of the land first, but Emperor Xuanzong became depressed and rarely ate meat, and quickly became ill. Emperor Suzong had his daughters Princesses Wan'an and Xianyi attend to their grandfather, and initially frequently personally visited Emperor Xuanzong, but after some time became ill himself and could not visit Emperor Xuanzong. He began to regret forcibly moving Emperor Xuanzong and considered killing Li Fuguo, but as Li Fuguo wielded command of the imperial guards at this time, he did not dare to try to do so. Emperor Xuanzong died, in that depressed state, on 3 May 762.

Emperor Xuanzong was deeply criticized by later historians for his wastefulness and for his appointing of Li Linfu, Yang Guozhong, and An to prominent offices. The strength that Xuanzong had allowed the military governors to have, which was perpetuated after Tang had defeated Yan, led to a period of increasing conflict and instability which set the stage for the decline of the Tang dynasty and the ensuing Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period.

Poetry

Xuanzong had one poem collected in the famous poetry anthology Three Hundred Tang Poems, in the style of the five-character-regular-verse (wulu) form and in the huaigu genre, and which was translated by Witter Bynner as "I Pass Through the Lu Dukedom with a Sigh and a Sacrifice for Confucius". This poem refers to the philosopher-sage Confucius and to Confucius' home state of Lu, during the by-then long-gone Spring and Autumn period, and expresses sadness for what is past and beyond recall, thus reflecting on the transience of mortal existence.

Chancellors during reign

• Cen Xi (712–713)

• Liu Youqiu (712, 713)

• Cui Shi (712–713)

• Lu Xiangxian (712–713)

• Wei Zhigu (712–713)

• Dou Huaizhen (712–713)

• Xiao Zhizhong (713)

• Guo Yuanzhen (713)

• Zhang Yue (713, 721–726)

• Yao Chong (713–716)

• Lu Huaishen (713–716)

• Xue Na (713)

• Yuan Qianyao (716, 720–729)

• Song Jing (716–720)

• Su Ting (716–720)

• Zhang Jiazhen (720–723)

• Wang Jun (723)

• Li Yuanhong (726–729)

• Du Xian (726–729)

• Xiao Song (728–733)

• Pei Guangting (729–733)

• Yuwen Rong (729)

• Han Xiu (733)

• Pei Yaoqing (733–736)

• Zhang Jiuling (733–736)

• Li Linfu (734–752)

• Niu Xianke (736–742)

• Li Shizhi (742–746)

• Chen Xilie (746–754)

• Yang Guozhong (752–756)

• Wei Jiansu (754–756)

• Cui Yuan (756)

• Fang Guan (756)

Family

Consorts and issue

• Empress, of the Wang clan of Taiyuan (皇后 太原王氏; d. 724)

• Empress Zhenshun, of the Wu clan (貞順皇后 武氏／贞顺皇后 武氏; 699–737), third cousin

　• Li Yi, Prince Dao of Xia (夏悼王 李一; 716–717), ninth son

　• Princess Shangxian (上仙公主)

　• Li Min, Prince Ai of Huai (懷哀王 李敏／怀哀王 李敏; 719–720), 15th son

　• Li Mao, Prince Shou (壽王 李瑁／寿王 李瑁; 720–775), 18th son

　• Li Qi, Prince Sheng (盛王 李琦; d. 764), 21st son

　• Princess Xianyi (咸宜公主;722–784)

　　• Married Yang Hui of Hongnong (弘農 楊洄／弘农 杨洄; d. 761) in 735, and had issue (one son)

　　• Married Cui Song of Boling (博陵 崔嵩) in 761

　• Princess Taihua (太華公主／太华公主), 21st daughter

　　• Married Yang Qi of Hongnong (弘農 楊錡／弘农 杨锜) in 745

• Empress Yuanxian, of the Yang clan of Hongnong (元獻皇后 弘農楊氏/元献皇后 弘农杨氏; 699–729)

　• Li Heng, Emperor Suzong (肅宗 李亨／肃宗 李亨; 711–762), 3rd son

　• Princess Qi (齊公主／齐国公主), 8th daughter

　　• Married Zhang Ji (張垍／张垍), the second son of Zhang Yue, in 728, and had issue (one daughter)

　　• Married Pei Ying of Hedong (河東 裴潁／河东 裴颍) in 730

　　• Married Yang Dun of Hongnong (弘農 楊敦／弘农 杨敦)

• Noble Consort Yang, of the Yang clan of Hongnong (貴妃 弘農楊氏／贵妃 弘农杨氏; 719–756)

• Noble Consort, of the Dong clan (貴妃 董氏／贵妃 董氏)

• Noble Consort, of the Xiang clan (貴妃 項氏／贵妃 项氏)

　• Unnamed daughter

• Noble Consort Yang, of the Yang clan of Hongnong (淑妃 弘農楊氏／淑妃 弘农杨氏), personal Zhenyi (真一)

• Pure Consort, of the Huangfu clan of Anding (淑妃 安定皇甫氏; 694–735)

　• Li Yao, Prince E (鄂王 李瑤; d. 737), 5th son

　• Princess Linjin (臨晉公主／临晋公主; d. 773), 2nd daughter

　　• Married Zheng Qianyao of Xingyang (滎陽 鄭潛曜／荥阳 郑潜曜) in 740

• Virtuous Consort, of the Qian clan (德妃 錢氏／钱氏)

　• Li Yan, Prince Di (棣王 李琰; d. 752), 4th son

• Elegant Consort, of the Zhao clan (麗妃 趙氏／丽妃 赵氏; 693–726)

　• Li Ying, Crown Prince (皇太子 李瑛; d. 737), 2nd son

• Splendid Consort, of the Liu clan (華妃 劉氏／华妃 刘氏)

　• Li Cong, Emperor Fengtian (奉天皇帝 李琮; d. 752), 1st son

　• Li Wan, Crown Prince Jinggong (靖恭皇太子 李琬; d. 755), 6th son

　• Li Sui, Prince Yi (儀王 李璲／仪王 李璲; d. 765), 12th son

• Imperial Concubine of the First Rank, of the Lin clan (昭儀／昭仪 林氏)

　• Princess Yichun (宜春公主)

• Imperial Concubine of the Fourth Rank, of the Guo clan (順儀／顺仪 郭氏)

　• Li Lin, Prince Yong (永王 李璘; d. 757), 16th son

• Imperial Concubine of the Third Rank, of the Wu clan (賢儀／贤仪 武氏), third cousin

　• Li Xuan, Prince Liang (涼王 李璿; d. 774), 29th son

　• Li Jing, Prince Ai of Bian (汴哀王 李璥; d. 736), 30th son

• Imperial Concubine of the Sixth Rank, of the Dong clan (芳儀/芳仪 董氏), personal name Fangyi (芳仪)

　• Princess Guangning (廣寧公主／广宁公主)

　　• Married Cheng Changyin (程昌胤; 725–784)

　　• Married Su Kezhen (蘇克貞／苏克贞)

• Fairness Lady, of the Liu clan of Hedong (婕妤 河東柳氏／婕妤 河东柳氏)

　• Princess Qi (齊公主), 1st daughter

　　• Married Wang Yao of Langya, Duke Langya (琊瑯 王繇／瑯琊公 王徭) in 723, and had issue (one son)

　• Li Bin, Prince Yan (延王 李玢; d. 784), 20th son

• Fairness Lady of the Gao clan (婕妤 高氏; 694–739)

　• Li Jiao, Prince Ying (潁王 李璬／颍王 李璬; 718–783), 13th son

　• Princess Changle (昌樂公主／昌乐公主)

　　• Married Dou E of Henan (河南 竇鍔／河南 窦锷) in 737

• Beauty, of the Zhong clan (美人 鍾氏／钟氏)

　• Li Huan, Prince Ji (濟王 李環／济王 李环; d. 768), 22nd son

• Beauty, of the Lu clan (美人 盧氏／卢氏)

　• Li Huang, Prince Xin (信王 李瑝; 725–774), 23rd son

• Beauty, of the Wang clan (美人 王氏)

　• Li Gui, Prince Chen (陳王 李珪／陈王 李珪; 725–784), 25th son

• Beauty, of the Du clan (美人 杜氏)

　• Princess Wanchun (萬春公主／万春公主; 732–770), 24th daughter

　　• Married Yang Fei of Hongnong (弘農 楊朏／弘农 杨朏; d. 756), a son of Yang Guozhong, in 754

　　• Married Yang Qi of Hongnong (弘農 楊錡／弘农 杨锜) in 756

• Talented Lady, of the Liu clan (才人 劉氏／刘 氏)

　• Li Ju, Prince Guang (光王 李琚; d. 737), 8th son

• Talented Lady, of the Yan clan (才人 閻氏／阎氏)

　• Princess Xincheng (信成公主)

　　• Married Dugu Ming of Henan (河南 獨孤明／独孤明) in 737, and had issue (one daughter)

　• Li Ci, Prince Yi (義王 李玼／义王 李玼; 725–784), 24th son

• Talented Lady, of the Chen clan (才人 陳氏／陈氏)

　• Li Gong, Prince Feng (豐王 李珙／丰王 李珙; d. 763), 26th son

• Talented Lady, of the Zheng clan (才人 鄭氏／郑氏)

　• Li Tian, Prince Heng (恆王 李瑱／恒王 李瑱), 27th son

• Talented Lady, of the Zhao clan (才人 趙氏／赵氏)

　• Princess Shouguang (壽光公主／寿光公主; 726–750), 22nd daughter

　　• Married Guo Ye of Jingzhao (京兆 郭液) in 746, and had issue (one son)

• Talented Lady, of the Chang clan (才人 常氏)

　• Princess Xinping (新平公主; d. 775)

　　• Married Pei Jian of Hedong (河東 裴玪／河东 裴玪), and had issue (one son)

　　• Married Jiang Qingchu of Tianshui, Duke Chu (天水 姜慶初／姜庆初; d. 767) in 751

• Lady, of the Caoyena clan (曹野那氏)

　• Princess Shou'an (壽安公主／寿安公主), personal name Chongniang (蟲娘／虫娘)

　　• Married Su Fa (蘇發／苏发)

• Unknown

　• Li Xun, Prince An (安王 李洵)

　• Princess Changfen (常芬公主), 2nd daughter

　　• Married Zhang Qushe, Count Fanyang (張去奢／张去奢; 688–747) in 731

　• Princess Xiaochang (孝昌公主), 3rd daughter

　• Princess Tangchang (唐昌公主), 4th daughter

　　• Married Xue Xiu of Hedong (河東 薛銹／河东 薛锈; d. 737) in 728 and issue (one son)

　• Princess Lingchang (靈昌公主／灵昌公主), 5th daughter

　• Princess Changshan (常山公主), 6th daughter

　　• Married Xue Tan of Hedong (河東 薛譚／河东 薛谭; d. 728) in 728

　　• Married Dou Ze of Henan (河南 竇澤／窦泽) in 728

　• Princess Wan'an (萬安公主／万安公主)

　• Princess Huaisi (懷思公主／怀思公主)

　• Princess Jin (晉公主／晋公主), 11th daughter

　　• Married Cui Huitong of Qinghe (清河 崔惠童) in 737

　• Princess Xinchang (新昌公主)

　　• Married Xiao Heng of Lanling (蘭陵 蕭衡／兰陵 箫衡; d. 747), a son of Xiao Song, and had issue (five sons, one daughter)

　• Princess Wei (衛公主／卫公主)

　　• Married Doulu Jian of Changli, Duke Rui (昌黎 豆盧建／昌黎 豆卢建; 706–744) in 737

　　• Married Yang Shuo of Hongnong (弘農 楊說／弘农 杨说) in 744

　• Princess Zhenyang (真陽公主／真阳公主)

　　• Married Yuan Qing of Henan (河南 源清) in 740

　　• Married Su Zhen, Duke Qi (蘇震／苏震)

　• Princess Chu (楚公主)

　　• Married Wu Chengjiang, Duke Puyang (吳澄江), and had issue (one son)

　• Princess Yongning (永寧公主／永宁公主), 17th daughter

　　• Married Pei Qiqiu of Hedong (河東 裴齊丘／河东 裴齐丘) in 738

　• Princess Song (宋公主), 19th daughter

　　• Married Wen Xihua (溫西華／温西华) in 747

　　• Married Yang Hui (楊徽／杨徽)

　• Princess Lecheng (樂城公主／乐城公主), 23rd daughter

　　• Married Xue Lüqian of Hedong (河東 薛履謙／河东 薛履谦; d. 761) in 746

Ancestry

Religious views

Xuanzong "ordered his four brothers to worship in the Chang'an Nestorian church", but also asked that paintings of him and the four previous emperors be kept in the church there.

In popular culture

• Portrayed by Masayuki Mori in Princess Yang Kwei Fei. (1955)

• Portrayed by Kwong Wa in The Legend of Lady Yang. (2000)

• Portrayed by Benny Chan in Whatever it Takes. (2001)

• Portrayed by Leon Lai in Lady of the Dynasty. (2015)

• Portrayed by Chin Han in The Glory of Tang Dynasty. (2017)

• Portrayed by Steven Ma in Deep in the Realm of Conscience. (2018)