filling a variety of posts, he became a Minister of State and was ennobled as Duke. Li Lin-fa, his rival, then persuaded him to open a gold-mine in Shensi, and subsequently suggested to the Emperor that it was improper to mine at his Majesty's nati?e place. Accordingly he lost favour and in 746 obtained leave to retire. He was however implicated in the charge against Wei Chien; and on the appearance of the Censor sent to slay Wei, he was so terrified that he poisoned himself.
1196 Li Shih-min ^ift IJ. A.D. 597-649. The second son of Li Tflan. His name is said to have been given to him in consequence of some mysterious prophecy that he would ^ j^ ^ ^ benefit his age and give peace to the people. As a youth he entered the military service during the reign of the Emperor Yang Ti of the 'Sui dynasty; but finding the country a prey to disorder he joined in a conspiracy against the ruling House, and in A.D. 618 succeeded in placing his father upon the throne as first Emperor of the T'ang dynasty. During the reign of the latter he took an active part in consolidating the newly-won empire and was appointed Prince of Gh4n, a title by which he is still known. In the year 621 he was nominated to the specially created post of Chief Guardian of the empire, and occupied himself in crushing his father's rivals (see Li Mi, Tou Chien^ti, Wang Shih^ch^ungj and Li Ching), His eldest brother, the Heir Apparent, who was jealous of his influence, now conspired with a younger brother to assassinate him ; but the plot failed, and in 626 he obtained leave to arrest his two brothers on a charge of debauching the palace ladies. Instead however of doing so, he slew them both and took his younger brother's widow to wife. In the same year his father resigned the throne to him, and he entered upon a reign of unrivalled brilliance and glory. He ruled for his people's welfare. He crushed internal rebellion,
and broke the power of China's hereditary foes. He introduced an
