Tang Taizong and his relatives: Only two princesses were married, but they achieved three goals. Is it cost-effective?

The term "harmony" was first seen in "Zhou Li", "Book of Rites" and "Zuo Zhuan". Its meaning is interpreted as "harmonious dear".

was formed by marriage because of marriage, that is, "marrying down a princess", the earliest Han Gaozu adopted Liu Jing's strategy. The peace-marriage policy reached the Tang Dynasty and began to prevail. Li Yuan, the emperor of the Tang Dynasty, had not decided before Guanzhong, he wanted to make peace with the Turks. Li Yuan once said:

"I should use a long-term strategy to control it, and make it by marriage..."

Unfortunately, this plan has not been implemented. According to historical records, after this, Tang Gaozu married several times, but he never saw the princess married.

Tang Gaozu Li Yuan stills

Han and Tang "and pro" are not the same

As far as strategic goals are concerned, rapport, crowding, separation, and even Divide enemy nations. In addition, with regard to military objectives, the effect of a "military alliance" can also be achieved through peace.

Ruzhenguan twenty-three years (649), when Emperor Taizong died and Emperor Gaozong succeeded, Tubo Zanpu Nongzan wrote a letter to Changsun Wuji. The letter said: "There are unfaithful people, I would like to take the soldiers. Go to the country to discuss it.” So the effect of Taizong's marriage to Princess Wencheng back then can be seen.

Heqin policy was only a short-acting "analgesic" in the Han Dynasty—its effect was limited. However, in the Sui and Tang Dynasties, especially in the early Tang Dynasty, marriage was a formal foreign strategy.

Tang Taizong's stills

The Tang Dynasty really made peace with the outside world, since the 13th year of Taizong Zhenguan (639)-Taizong used the clan daughter of Honghua Princess to marry Tugu Hunwu and also ba Le Douhan Murong Nuo a bowl.

In the early Tang Dynasty, the Turks were divided into two parts: the east and the west. The reason why the Tang Dynasty made peace with the Western Turks was really because the world was initially set, and the people in the country were in urgent need of peace and health.

As for making peace with Tuyuhun, it is because Tuyuhun is located in a special place between the two big countries of Tang and Tubo, so the Tang Dynasty especially wanted to draw them in to isolate and weaken the Turkic power.

So at that time, he and his relatives achieved three goals in one fell swoop: "relationship between distant and close attacks", "controlling foreigners with barbarians", and "drawing (west) to contain (east)".

In short, the Tang dynasty used both kindness and power to make peace with others, and it was backed by strong force. Whether you agree to the marriage or not, the dominant power is in the Tang court, unlike the Han Dynasty, which had to make marriage under coercion.

Han Gaozu Liu Bang stills

In the Zhenguan period, there were only two princesses who were married because of marriage.

The Tang Dynasty 17 times of marriage, almost all by The foreign fan took the initiative to make a request, and both sides were in a friendly state at that time. During the Taizong Zhenguan period, there were only two princesses actually married-Princess Honghua and Princess Wencheng.

Princess Honghua is married to Tuyuhun Murongnuo. Tuyuhun often violated sides in the Sui Dynasty, and rebelled from time to time during the Taizong period. In the 9th year of Zhenguan (635), Emperor Taizong sent Li Jing and Hou Junji to lead an army to crusade, Tuyuhun was defeated, his son Murongshun became a khan, and he was attached to the Tang Dynasty.

Not long after, Murong Shun was killed by his servants, and his son Murong Nuo Bo ascended the throne. "Old Tang Book" contains:

"Nuo Bo is invited to marry the court...... Taizong Yi Honghua's princess wife Therefore, the gift is very generous.”

Tang Taizong stills

This is Taizong, and it is also the first time that Tang Dynasty officially married a princess. It can be seen from historical data that the Tang Dynasty was in the upper position at that time, and Tuyuhun took the initiative to propose peace to Taizong and surrendered to Tang.

Princess Wencheng married Tubo Zanpu Nongzan. This is a reconciliation with obvious effects and far-reaching influence on future generations. "New Tang Book" contains:

"(Nongzan) is generous and talented. He drives wild horses and yaks for a long time. He stabs for pleasure, and is the minister of the Western Regions."

The nomads make a living, the folk customs are strong, and the living conditions are combined with the fighting conditions. Although the culture is low, the combat effectiveness is extremely strong.

Eight years of Zhenguan (634),Nongzan sent envoys to pay tribute, and Taizong sent someone to comfort him; Nongzan then offered to propose marriage, but Taizong did not allow it.

Princess Wencheng stills

No one thought that Nongchan would send troops to attack Tuyuhun, plunder his people and animals, and led a crowd of more than 200,000, staying at the border. Taizong then dispatched Hou Junji to attack, Nongzan retired, sent envoys to apologize, and remarried. This time, Taizong agreed with Nong Zan's sincere attitude.

It can be seen that even if the Tubo soldiers are strong, but this time "praising the proposal", the Tang dynasty did not reach a marriage under humiliation. Instead, it was Fang Yun's marriage after victory.

Therefore, the role and purpose of the Tang Dynasty's peace relationship is not just for the temporary "pain relief".

Is the price-performance ratio of "Heqin" high?

After Tang and Tubo were married, the bilateral relationship was quite harmonious, which allowed the Tang Dynasty to manage the Western Regions.

In the twenty-first year of Zhenguan (647), Tang was assisted by the Tubo and was able to take Kuuci; the following year, Wang Xuance sent troops from Tubo and Nibulo to defeat Tianzhu, establishing the prestige of the Tang Dynasty in the Western Regions .

Tang Taizong stills

Although the purpose of the Tang Dynasty and the pros, although not the same, it can be confirmed: it can not only establish and stabilize the relationship between the monarch and the vassal, but also contribute to the national Integration, economic exchange, cultural development. Especially in the military, it resolved the threat and pressure of the northwest border defense.

After Princess Wencheng got married, Tubo once sent envoys to the Tang Dynasty to request craftsmen such as silkworm breeding, wine making, paper making and ink; moreover, after the intermarriage, through the development of transportation, silk, tea and many crafts and farming in the Central Plains Technology was introduced to Tubo; Tubo's specialty products such as horses, cattle, sheep, camels, gold, silver, and jade were imported into the Central Plains in large quantities.

During the Taizong period, Tang's army was strong. Although it could conquer the Quartet, it was laborious and depleted the national strength. And marriage was actually a "highly cost-effective" buffer measure.