Tang Dynasty
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Emperor Gaozong of Tang
Chang'an, Tang Dynasty
Archival Overview
Ninth son of Emperor Taizong and third emperor of the Tang dynasty (649–683 CE) under whose reign the Tang Empire reached its greatest geographic extent, conquering Goguryeo and Baekje in Korea and expanding protectorates to the borders of Persia.
Biographical Record
Li Zhi (628–683 CE) succeeded his illustrious father Taizong in 649. Though traditionally overshadowed in historiography by his formidable empress Wu Zetian, Gaozong was an effective, reforming ruler who promulgated the 'Tang Code' (Tanglv Shuyi) in 653, the foundational legal code of East Asia which served as the model for legal systems in Japan, Korea, and Vietnam.
Under Gaozong's military leadership and generals Li Ji and Su Dingfang, Tang armies conquered the Western Turkic Khaganate, extinguished the Korean kingdom of Baekje, and in 668 conquered Goguryeo, fulfilling a military objective that had eluded Chinese dynasties for centuries. His empire stretched over 12 million square kilometers from the Aral Sea to the Yellow Sea.
Key Life Milestones
Promulgation of the Tang Code
Enacted the thirty-volume Tang Code, the masterpiece of traditional Chinese jurisprudence and social harmony.
Conquest of Goguryeo and Peak Tang Expansion
Conquered the ancient Korean kingdom of Goguryeo, bringing the Tang Empire to its greatest territorial zenith.
Memorial Guestbook & Tributes
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Final Resting Place
Perpetual MemorialQianxian (Shaanxi), China