The Tang Dynasty is also the most prosperous period of lady painting, which presents a beautiful image of "as long as she turns her head and smiles, there are hundreds of spells". The appearance, dress and life mood of aristocratic women they showed gave us a more objective reference for the image of princesses in the Tang Dynasty.
A part of the picture of Zhou Fang's Tang Dynasty Zanhua ladies.
Song imitated You Chuntu, the wife of Guo.
A part of the picture of Zhou Fang's Tang Dynasty Zanhua ladies.
Modern scholars' research on princesses in the Tang Dynasty mostly takes the Anshi Rebellion as the dividing line. In the early stage, I mainly focused on the influence of their struggle for power and profit on the Tang Dynasty. In the late Tang Dynasty, the princess's political performance was mainly to sacrifice her personal feelings for the rule of the dynasty and marry the children of Fan Gang or Fan Zhen to become a princess. There were more than 200 princesses in the Tang Dynasty, including Princess Taiping, Princess Gaoyang and Princess Wencheng. In later works, they were all processed into legendary female images, but they did not represent all the princesses in the Tang Dynasty. In fact, the princesses in the Tang Dynasty, like women today, have different personalities, values and life experiences.
Princesses in the Tang Dynasty can be roughly divided into six types, namely: participating in politics, being virtuous and filial, extravagant and extravagant, being born with morality, tragic and ordinary.
Political princess
Princess Pingyang, daughter of Tang Gaozu Tang Gaozu. Princess Pingyang was a rare heroine in ancient times and the only princess in Tang Dynasty who was famous for her heroism.
Tang Gaozu Taiyuan rose up and sent a secret letter to Princess Pingyang and his wife to help him. The princess kept up in a crisis and actively recruited soldiers. "If you make a fortune, you will recruit Nanshan, and hundreds of people will be emperors." The army led by Princess Pingyang is on a roll. Zhou Zhi, martial arts and the times have been settled successively, and the ranks have been continuously expanded, forming a trend of "stopping 70,000 soldiers and shaking the Guanzhong". Princess Pingyang actively responded to the Gaozu uprising and made great contributions to the Tang Dynasty. After the establishment of the Tang Dynasty, Princess Pingyang enjoyed a respectful treatment, but she also withdrew from the political arena, which can be described as a heroine who knows the times.
There are many noble female figurines riding horses in the three colors of Tang Dynasty. During this period, they were no longer shy ladies, but fully demonstrated the graceful, lively, free, unrestrained and brave women in the Tang Dynasty.
Tri-color riding female figurines in Tang Dynasty
Tri-color riding female figurines in Tang Dynasty
Tri-color riding female figurines in Tang Dynasty
The princesses of the Tang Dynasty were involved in political life, and some people made great contributions to the establishment and development of the Tang Dynasty. Others greatly influenced and destroyed the rule of the Tang Dynasty.
Princess Anle, daughter of Tang Zhongzong Li Xian and Wei Hou. The epitaph records that "the dragon was born for the first time, Tom was honored, and she became a happy princess", which shows that Zhongzong loved it at that time. However, she was arrogant and willful since she was a child, and she was full of political ambitions as an adult. According to historical records, Princess Anle once asked Tang Zhongzong for the title of "Empress Tai" and coveted Chu Jun with the acquiescence of Wei Hou. She also set up official positions privately, publicly sold officials, accepted bribes, and was crony, which seriously undermined the system of selecting officials and employing people in the Tang Dynasty and caused the dark state at that time. The saddest thing is that Princess Anle and her mother Wei Hou conspired to kill her father, Zhongzong, for the sake of power and status. In a word, Princess Anle was harmful to the Tang Dynasty.
The preface and extension of the article of the old Bo's rebellion against the imperial palace in Tang Dynasty.
The Epitaph of Princess Anle, collected by Xi Chang 'an Museum, summarizes the life of Princess Anle in killing her father and regicide, and reproduces blood shed in the Tang Dynasty more than 1000 years ago. Princess Anle symbolizes peace and joy, but in the end, she was not happy and was killed.
Luxury princess▌
The famous princess Gaoyang in history, the daughter of Emperor Taizong. With his father's love, he is arrogant. And conspired with Xu Ma Fang and others to rebel, and was sentenced to death after it was revealed.
Princess Changning, daughter of Tang Zhongzong Li Xian and Wei Hou. Princess Changning built a mansion in Luoyang, the eastern capital. She was extravagant and spent all her wealth. When she sold her mansion in Chang 'an, the value of wood, stone and other building materials alone was as much as two billion. Moreover, relying on her mother Wei Hou's love, she participated in the unhealthy trend of selling officials and titles, and ran amok. From the murals preserved in the tomb of Prince Yide, we can also appreciate the luxury of Qionglou in Tang Dynasty.
Architectural Murals of Prince Yide's Tomb in Tang Dynasty
There were a large number of luxurious princesses in Tang Zhongzong period, but there was a strong sense of self behind their bold violation of etiquette. Relying on the identity of his princess, he vented this consciousness and satisfied his personal desires, but he also angered the feudal emperors and was eventually imprisoned or executed.
During the Sui, Tang and Five Dynasties, luxury became a fashion. It is said that the hundred-bird skirt made by Princess Zhongzong Anle herself is made of the feathers of hundreds of birds. The color is extremely bright. It is one color from the front, another color from the side, another color in the sun and another color in the shadow. There is a hundred birds flashing on the skirt, which is dazzling and I don't know its true colors. For the sake of her daughter's skirt, Tang Zhongzong used state power to send troops to Lingnan to catch birds, which led to the extinction of many birds. And the people have followed suit, "lynching birds and animals in the mountains, searching mountains and valleys, sweeping the floor, as for the net, killing countless people." (Taiping Guangji, Volume 236) This "following the fashion" almost caused an ecological disaster at that time.
The pursuit of luxury in the Tang Dynasty is also manifested in the appearance of precious raw materials such as gold and silver in a large number of practical utensils, regardless of cost in fine workmanship.
Tang gilded parrot striped silver jar
Tang Yuanyang lotus petal golden bowl
Tang gilded horse skin
Agate Cup with Golden Beast Head in Tang Dynasty
Tangyin smoked ball
▌ virtuous and filial princess
Although she is a noble princess, she is not as arrogant as a princess. They treat their parents respectfully, which is a model for princesses in the Tang Dynasty.
Princess Hezheng, daughter of Tang Suzong. Known for benevolence and filial piety, when Su Zong was ill, the princess took pains to serve the left and right sides, so Su Zong wrote to Zheng Fei to seal her as land, but the princess resolutely refused. Yan Zhenqing's Tomb of Princess Zheng also records the princess's benevolence and filial piety: "(Princess) is pure and filial, young and wise, old and young, beautiful …" The princess does not value her position, but cares about the sufferings of the people. Historically, during Guo Qianzhi's rebellion, Princess Zheng filled her bow, encouraged him to go to the battlefield to kill the enemy, put down the rebellion, and donated property to finance military expenses.
Princess Hezheng, though expensive, lived a poor and thrifty life and did not wear gorgeous clothes with other literati. Instead, I sew my own clothes and manage my family diligently. During Guangde period, Tubo invaded the Tang Dynasty, and the princess wanted to enter the palace to remonstrate, which was discouraged by Ma Xu on the grounds that she had just given birth to a child and was in poor health. The princess said to him, "I have done it. Doesn't Ma Xu have any brothers?" Finally, the princess still put national affairs first and entered the palace to state the pros and cons. The next day, the princess died.
Besides Princess Zheng, Princess Xiangcheng, Princess Shengping, Princess Hanyang, etc. Old people who are famous for their noble character must be an indispensable part of their simple and frugal life.
Tao Ren Map of Tang Dynasty
Tao Ren Map of Tang Dynasty
Tangbubo
Tangbubo
During the Wu Zetian period, because of the extreme expansion of women's power, princesses showed more participation in state affairs, but declined with the heyday of feminist rule, and the government's constraints on princesses increased. Most princesses in the middle and late period got rid of their previous arrogance, extravagance and lust for power, returned to the traditional female ethics in China, and adhered to the position of filial piety.
Born as a Taoist princess
In order to improve the status of the ruler, the royal family in Li Tang honored Laozi as the ancestor of the royal family. The idea of worshipping Taoism has become a common practice in the upper class of the ruling class. Therefore, the number of princesses entering Taoism in the Tang Dynasty is rare in previous dynasties. At the same time, in the face of the ups and downs of the political situation in the prosperous Tang Dynasty, the princess's fate is particularly fragile and she may become a victim of politics at any time. In order to gain more freedom and self-protection, they chose to be born as the Tao.
Princess Yu Zhen, the daughter of Tang Ruizong Li Dan, whose biological mother was killed by Wu Zetian. In the first year of Taiji, Princess Yu Zhen became a monk. Rui Zongnian and her mother's misfortune doted on her, and spared no expense to build a view of the earthquake for her in Beijing. In order to seek the teacher's guidance, the princess had frequent contacts with the famous Taoist priests and literati at that time, and often asked them to go to banquets for fun. Many celebrities and writers, both inside and outside the government, have come here to gather together, especially for the princess. Li Bai once wrote a poem "Jade Fairy Poem" for Princess Yu Zhen, in which she praised the princess for "singing the heavenly drum", "flying the double dragons" and "playing with electricity and clouds". The whole poem was extremely elegant and full of pride. At the same time, through the recommendation of Princess Yu Zhen and others, Li Bai was able to enter imperial academy as an official.
"Yu Zhen fairy, when to Taihuafeng. In the morning, the sky drums rang and Ssangyong took off.
If you don't stop generating electricity, there won't be a cloud. Into the junior room, the queen mother wants to see. "
It can be seen that the princess's entry into Taoism is not the same as the coldness and loneliness of folk monasticism. They still have luxurious Taoist temples and Dojo, live a pampered life and are still in contact with the political life of the imperial court.
Tang Yin Yang Lian petal seat jar
Hejia village, an important site in the Tang Dynasty, unearthed a jar with anemone petals, which was an ancient alchemist with a special shape. Alchemy was developed in the Tang Dynasty, and it was recorded in The Biography of Ji Fang in the New Tang Dynasty that Tang Gaozong "called alchemists and made alchemy". From the early Tang Taizong to the late Tang Xuanzong, many emperors took Dan medicine to prolong their life. Such artifacts also reflect the prevalence of Taoist culture and alchemy in the Tang Dynasty.
Princess tragedy
Princess Yongtai, daughter of Tang Zhongzong Li Xian. In September of the first year of the Ninth (700), Yongtai married Wu Yanji of Wang Wei as a princess. A year later, the young princess Yongtai died. The epitaph records that she died in childbirth. However, according to Sima Guang's "Zi Tongzhi Jianze Tianshunsheng Empress", "The Empress Dowager is high in the Spring and Autumn Period, and she trusts the Zhang Yizhi brothers in politics. Chongrun secretly discussed this matter with his sister Princess Yongtai and her husband Wang Yanji, and easily appealed to the Empress Dowager. In September, she was rejected by the Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager was forced to commit suicide. " At that time, there was no consensus on the cause of her death in the literature, but whether it was suicide, strangulation or clubbing, there is no doubt that her death was not due to dystocia, but Wu Zetian. Until Zhongzong succeeded to the throne, Yongtai overturned his conviction, the princess changed her name, and Gan Ling was buried with her.
Murals of Princess Yongtai's Tomb in Tang Dynasty (Part)
Murals of Princess Yongtai's Tomb in Tang Dynasty (Part)
Gold-plated silver hairpin unearthed from Princess Yongtai's tomb in Tang Dynasty
Princess Yongtai's tomb is one of the tombs buried with Ganling 17, and it is the largest female tomb in the Tang Dynasty excavated since the founding of the People's Republic of China. The whole tomb faces south, and its structure is complex, representing the deep palace hall where the elegant princess lived before her death.
Ordinary princess
Mainly refers to those who lived in the Tang Dynasty, "arrogant women of heaven", although expensive, just unknown. There are no big twists and turns in life, and there are few historical records. Now we have no way to know their life stories. We can only imagine the palace life of these ordinary princesses through the paintings handed down from generation to generation.
Some dance pictures in Tang Dynasty
A part of the chess girl map in Tang Dynasty
Tang's "Tune the piano and sip tea" part
The part of "Shake Fan Ladies" in Tang Dynasty
A part of the chess girl map in Tang Dynasty
Part of the Tang Dynasty Palace
Princess (139) Tang Dynasty (23) Yongtai (4)