How did Li Bi stabilize the political situation in the Tang Dynasty What is the truth

Are you all familiar with the Tang Dynasty politician Li Bi? Next, the History Encyclopedia editor will bring you relevant articles
There is a sentence in the Three Character Classic that advises children to study diligently:
Ying is eight years old and can recite poetry; At the age of seven, I am capable of playing chess. Bi Yingwu, known as Qi, learned from a young age and should be followed.
This sentence mentions two young prodigies, one is Zu Ying, who was able to write poetry at the age of eight; Another is Li Bi, who was able to write poems with chess as the theme at the age of seven. Taking these two prodigies as examples, they are not only talented but also diligent in their studies, which is used to persuade students to study hard and make progress every day. Being able to leave a name in the Three Character Classic naturally left a significant mark in history.
Among them, Li Mi claimed to be a fairy and asked for help from the immortal. This seemingly reclusive figure, who went through the four dynasties of Emperor Xuanzong, Emperor Suzong, Emperor Daizong, and Emperor Dezong, although mostly serving as an advisor to the emperor in the form of a cloth robe, was actually the prime minister of the three dynasties of Emperor Suzong, Emperor Daizong, and Emperor Dezong, achieving political stability and meeting all the needs of a prime minister in the middle of the Tang Dynasty. He can be regarded as the guiding principle of the Tang Dynasty. The Tang Dynasty was full of storms and turbulent political situation
Generally speaking, the mid Tang Dynasty was a period of several decades from the An Lushan Rebellion to the Huang Chao Uprising. The Tang Dynasty went from prosperity to decline, and its national strength was not as strong as before. In order to quell the An Lushan Rebellion, fiefdoms rose up and there was a tendency of warlord separatism. After the An Lushan Rebellion, there were constant internal conflicts, with treacherous officials dominating and rulers and officials doubting each other. During this period, there were four emperors: Emperor Xuanzong, Emperor Suzong, Emperor Daizong, and Emperor Dezong. At that time, Emperor Xuanzong was no longer the one who worked hard to create a prosperous era, and the subsequent emperors of Emperor Suzong, Emperor Daizong, and Emperor Dezong did not have the great talent and strategy of their predecessors, either because of their weak personalities and lack of ambition; Either it’s just going with the flow, having no independent opinions, and not being able to control the situation at all.
Overall, this period can be described as stormy and turbulent, with the biggest characteristic being “chaos” and the most needed being “stability”. For rulers, a resolute spirit and long-term strategy are needed. They should neither be too indulgent nor too radical, as if walking on ice. A slight mistake could lead to the disintegration of the Tang Empire. Li Bi, who can move freely and confidently in all directions
Li Bi was born as a child prodigy and later became knowledgeable and talented, but his way of handling things was the key to becoming the most suitable prime minister. The “ability to play chess” mentioned in the “Three Character Classic” is the following poem written by Li Bi at the age of 7: “The square is like performing righteousness, the round is like using wisdom, the dynamic is like moving materials, and the calm is like being proud.” This poem vividly portrays Li Bi’s way of handling things.
Fang Ruo Xing Yi “: Generally speaking,” Fang “means having sharp edges, personality, and not understanding the ways of the world. Fang Ruoxing Yi “refers to a person who, although having personality and ideas, does not offend others, making them feel reasonable and comfortable.
By relying on the four words’ movement and stillness in all directions’, Bi stabilized the political situation of the mid Tang Dynasty. Li Bi planned the court and ensured peace for the world
Unfortunately, Li Bi was born into Taoism, and Confucian scholars who wrote historical books did not highly praise him. Historical records of him were not abundant, and we could only discover Li Bi’s achievements from a few words and phrases. From this, we can also feel Li Bi’s “flexible and confident” way of handling things.
1、 Speak frankly and advise, stabilize the court
The most famous courtier of the Tang Dynasty was Wei Zheng. According to his expertise, he was known for his ability to report to the emperor without regard for personal relationships, which means that Emperor Taizong was very tolerant, otherwise Wei Zheng would have been expelled from the court long ago. Li Bi was also a minister who spoke frankly and advised, repeatedly disregarding his own safety in order to preserve loyalty and uphold justice. Unlike Wei Zheng, Li Bi places greater emphasis on methods and approaches, reflecting his characteristic of ‘acting with righteousness’.
Emperor Dezong was a cowardly and suspicious emperor, always worried that others would seize his kingdom. However, Li Bi’s several admonitions preserved loyalty and stabilized the relationship between the monarch and his subjects. Tubo once feared the generals Li Sheng and Ma Sui, and used a divisive tactic to make Emperor Dezong strip them of their military power. History records: “The monarch and his subjects doubted each other and disintegrated internally and externally.
Seeing that Tubo’s plot of rebellion is about to succeed. When others dared not speak up, Li Bi first analyzed the contributions and roles of Li Sheng and Ma Sui to Emperor Dezong, and then “scared” Emperor Dezong, saying, “If we harm the two, we fear that the changes in China and the world will not come back to life soon!” Emperor Dezong quickly restored their military power.
Later, Emperor Dezong repeatedly believed in slanderous rumors, thinking that the general Han Huang who guarded the border and the Crown Princess were going to rebel. It was only with Li Bi’s advice that Han Huang and the Crown Prince were saved, otherwise the court would have been in chaos long ago.
2、 Strategize and stabilize the border areas, pacify An Shi
Everyone knows that it was General Guo Ziyi who quelled the An Lushan Rebellion. Guo Ziyi played an indispensable role in leading troops on the front line, but Li Bi was the one behind the scenes strategizing.
After several defeats during the An Lushan Rebellion, Emperor Xuanzong no longer had the intention of becoming emperor and gave the throne to Emperor Suzong. Seeing my father leave this mess to me, I hesitated and thought of Li Bi. I summoned Li Bi to my side as a consultant and became the actual prime minister. And Li Bi is also considered to have given everything to him. According to records, Li Bi “presented the opportunities for success and failure in ancient and modern times, which is even called a decree. (Emperor Suzong) extended his teachings to his sleeping quarters, and he acted as an advisor at all times,” which fully shows Emperor Suzong’s high regard for him.
According to historical records, ‘the restoration of the two capitals was mainly due to the use of hidden strategies’, which fully demonstrates that Li Bi made many achievements in formulating military strategies during the war to suppress the An Lushan Rebellion and played an important role in suppressing the rebellion.
In addition to quelling the An Lushan Rebellion, Li Mi also gained insight into the key points of national defense in the Tang Dynasty at that time and stabilized the border. At that time, Tubo had already planned to invade the east and stationed heavy troops on the border, while the Tang Dynasty’s border was empty and difficult to guard against. Li Bi proposed ‘North’
The strategy of “joining forces with the Khitans, southern Yunnan, and western India” left Tubo isolated and helpless, preventing them from invading the east and securing stability in the Tang Dynasty’s border areas. Compared to quelling the An Lushan Rebellion, this is a remarkable achievement, as this strategy of “treating diseases before they occur” prevented the Tang Dynasty from being bullied and even destroyed by foreign tribes.
At a time of national crisis, Li Bi temporarily gave up his idea of seclusion and responded to the “call of the country” to come to the emperor’s side, actively providing advice and strategies. This is precisely the manifestation of his “dynamic and talented” characteristics.
3、 Eliminate domestic malpractices and stabilize public opinion
During the reign of Emperor Dezong, in order to alleviate financial pressure, he came up with the idea of “reducing staff and increasing efficiency”. This idea is indeed good, it applies to any dynasty and generation. But in the process of policy implementation, this matter deviated. In theory, reducing staff would result in ‘redundancy’, but Emperor Dezong implemented a one size fits all approach, causing panic and leaving no one to work. History records: ‘Zhang Yan rewarded and reduced officials throughout the world, causing sorrow and resentment among people.’.
Li Bi saw this and if it is not resolved soon, the situation will inevitably become unstable. So he pointed out, ‘There are ten times as many things to be balanced… get rid of the redundant and non essential personnel.’. There is no one working now, so reducing staff requires reducing ‘redundant personnel’. Later, the officials who were cut were reinstated to their original positions, and many “redundant personnel” were eliminated through assessment and review, which stabilized the situation in the court. History records: “Everyone thinks it’s convenient to follow it
Li Bi also served as an official in the local area, emphasizing the importance of reconciling conflicts and gaining popularity among the people. From these, we can see that when Li Bi needs to be firm, he should be firm, and when he needs to be gentle, he should be gentle. It can be said that he is both firm and soft, which is the embodiment of Li Bi’s “roundness as if using wisdom”.
4、 Come and go freely, become an evergreen tree
Li Mi is a person who pursues a reclusive life and likes to seek immortality. According to historical records, Li Bi’s favorite way of life was to “hide in famous mountains and adapt to oneself through practice”, which was Li Bi’s favorite way of life. Unlike many people who were forced to leave the court, Li Bi actively sought peace. In the complex political situation at that time, Li Bi always retreated bravely after resolving national affairs, leaving the public eye and living his favorite reclusive life.
Li Bi left the bustling court four times and returned to the mountain to quietly practice, but the people in the court were thinking of him. When the emperor encountered difficult problems, he thought of inviting him back. So he was invited back to the court four times by the emperor, and each time he received more attention, becoming an evergreen tree that has gone through four dynasties. In the situation where treacherous officials were in power and the court situation was complex at that time, one could easily become a target of public criticism and suspicion from the emperor. Only by retiring in a timely manner could one stand firm. In his view, all of this is under his control, which is a manifestation of ‘calm and proud’. Conclusion
At this time, the Tang Dynasty not only needed a prime minister with the ability to govern the country, but also a prime minister who could stabilize all parties and quell conflicts. And Li Bi was perfectly competent. Although he did not change his fate and could not fundamentally change the situation of the Tang Dynasty’s decline, he enabled the Tang Empire to continue sailing, which can be regarded as the stabilizing sea needle of the mid Tang Dynasty, comparable to other names in history.