This article is about the seventh Tang emperor. For the Tang emperor Li Chen whose temple name is also romanized as Xuanzong, see Emperor Xuanzong of Tang (9th century).
Emperor Xuanzong of Tang ([ɕwàn.tsʊ́ŋ];[8] 8 September 685[5][9] – 3 May 762[6]), personal name Li Longji,[10] was an emperor of the Tang dynasty of China, reigning from 712 to 756 CE. His reign of 44 years was the longest during the Tang dynasty. Through two palace coups, he seized the throne and inherited an empire still in its golden age. He was initially assisted by capable chancellors like Yao Chong, Song Jing and Zhang Yue who were already serving as government officials before Xuanzong ascended the throne. However, under Emperor Xuanzong, the empire reached its turning point and went into sharp decline and near collapse, due to numerous political missteps throughout his long reign, such as over-trusting Li Linfu, Yang Guozhong and An Lushan, with Tang's golden age ending in the An Lushan Rebellion.[11]
^He ascended the throne following the abdication of his father Emperor Ruizong in 712, who received the title Taishang Huang (retired emperor) but continued to wield actual imperial power until 713.
^Volume 210 of Zizhi Tongjian recorded that 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 Jul 713 in the Gregorian calendar. Three days later, on the wuchen day of the same month, which corresponds to 2 August 713 on the Gregorian calendar, Princess Taiping was forced to commit suicide. With the death of Princess Taiping, the last major obstacle to Xuanzong's control was removed. [(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,...]
^Following the rebellion of An Lushan, Xuanzong's son Emperor Suzong was proclaimed emperor by the army on 12 August 756, but Emperor Xuanzong and his retinue, who had escaped to Sichuan, only heard the news on 10 September 756, that date marking the end of Xuanzong's reign in practice. Until Emperor Xuanzong received the news of Emperor Suzong's ascension, he continued to issue imperial edicts as emperor.
^According to Tang Suzong's biography in the Old Book of Tang, he assumed the throne at Lingwu on the jiazi day in the 7th month of the 15th year of the Tianbao era of Tang Xuanzong's reign. This date corresponds to 12 August 756 in the Gregorian calendar.(「(天宝十五载七月)是月甲子，上即皇帝位于灵武。」) Old Book of Tang, vol. 10.
^ abAccording to Xuanzong's biography in the Old Book of Tang, he was born on the wuyin day in the 8th month of the 1st year of the Chuigong era of Tang Ruizong's reign. This date corresponds to 8 Sep 685 in the Julian calendar. 「(垂拱元年秋八月戊寅，生于东都。」 Old Book of Tang, vol. 8
^ abAccording to Xuanzong's biography in volume 9 of Old Book of Tang, he died, aged 78 (by East Asian reckoning), on the jiayin day of the 4th month of the 2nd year of the Shangyuan era of Tang Suzong's reign. This date corresponds to 3 May 762 on the Julian calendar. (上元二年四月甲寅，崩于神龙殿，时年七十八)
^Dong Naibin (董乃斌) (1992). Zi Jianhong (紫劍虹) (ed.). 中國歷史寶庫 [Treasury of Chinese History]. Vol. 4：流金歲月－唐代卷. Hong Kong: Zhonghua Publishing. p. 16. ISBN9622316670.
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