Princess Taiping

For a replica of a Ming dynasty Chinese junk, see Princess Taiping (sailing vessel).
Princess Taiping
BornAfter 662[1]
Died2 August 713
SpouseXue Shao
Wu Youji, Prince Zhongjian of Ding
IssueXue Chongxun
Xue Chongjian
Lady Wanquan
Wu Chongmin
Wu Chongxing
Lady Wu
Lady Yonghe (possibly)
HouseLi
FatherEmperor Gaozong of Tang
MotherWu Zetian, Empress Tang and Zhou

Princess Taiping (Chinese: 太平公主; pinyin: Tàipíng Gōngzhǔ, lit. "Princess of Great Peace", personal name unknown, possibly Li Lingyue (李令月)[a] (after 662 – 2 August 713[2]) was a royal princess and prominent political figure of the Tang dynasty and her mother Wu Zetian's Zhou dynasty. She was the youngest daughter of Wu Zetian and Emperor Gaozong and was influential during the reigns of her mother and her elder brothers Emperor Zhongzong and Emperor Ruizong (both of whom reigned twice), particularly during Emperor Ruizong's second reign, when for three years until her death, she was the real power behind the throne.

She is the most famous and influential princess of the Tang dynasty and possibly in the whole history of China thanks to her power, ability and ambition. She was involved in political difficulties and developments during the reigns of her mother and brothers. Indeed, after the coup against Empress Dowager Wei, she became the real ruler of Tang. During the reign of Emperor Ruizong, she was not restricted by anything, the emperor issued rulings based on her views and the courtiers and the military flattered her and majority from every civil and military class joined her faction, so her power exceeded that of the emperor.

Eventually, however, a rivalry developed between her and her nephew, Emperor Ruizong's son, Crown Prince Li Longji. Both of them were hostile in power-sharing and they fought for the monopoly over power. After Emperor Ruizong yielded the throne to Li Longji (as Emperor Xuanzong) in 712, the conflict came to the political forefront, and openly, the court became a manifestation of conspiracy rather than the administration of the empire; in 713, Emperor Xuanzong, according to historical records, believing that she was planning to overthrow him, acted first, executing a large number of her powerful allies and forcing her to commit suicide.

  1. ^ Historical sources did not record the year of Princess Taiping's birth. However, Emperor Ruizong was recorded to have addressed her as a younger sister. Thus, she must be born after 662, since Ruizong was born in June 662.
  2. ^ Volume 210 of Zizhi Tongjian recorded that three days before Princess Taiping was ordered to commit suicide, Tang Ruizong (by then the Taishang Huang) released an edict, declaring that Emperor Xuanzong was to be solely in charge of the empire's affairs. This edict was released on the yichou day of the 7th month of the 1st year of the Kaiyuan era of Tang Xuanzong's reign. This date corresponds to 30 July 713 in the Gregorian calendar. By calculation, Princess Taiping died on the wuchen day of the same month, which corresponds to 2 August 713 on the Gregorian calendar. [(开元元年七月)乙丑，上皇诰：...太平公主逃入山寺，三日乃出，赐死于家,...] Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 210.


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