Li Shi Min was a man of great political and military accomplishments, narrated here with the battle stratagems and clever counsel that carried him forward. This book tells how he helped his father Li Yuan to establish the Tang Dynasty and the contributions he made to unifying China. Author Hung Hing Ming draws on China's historical records and chronicles to recount the battles to conquer the warlords and local strongmen in different parts of China, the wise policies he adopted, and the means by which he inspired officials to put forward good suggestions. His deeds, policies and constructive interactions with his ministers and generals were compiled into guides and teaching materials for successors to the Chinese throne. Much of this leadership training advice is still useful today. This book will be an asset to readers as there are few works in English that introduce these cultural motifs that color the thinking of nation so important to ours.

Originally published in 1933, this book presents a comprehensive biography of Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty, also known by the personal name of Li Shimin. Detailed information is provided on the life and achievements of Emperor Taizong, placing them in the context of socio-political developments during the late sixth and early seventh centuries. Illustrative figures, maps and a genealogical table are also included, together with detailed textual notes and appendices. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in Emperor Taizong and the history of China.

This case depicts Li Shimin's reform of the ancient Chinese state governance system of three provinces and six ministries, his creation of an atmosphere in which the ministers in the imperial court were encouraged to give advice, and how he always cared for his people's livelihood. In the case study, students will identify the significance of Li Shimin's political reforms in terms of centralizing power and increasing efficiency, and be able to understand his strategies and characteristics in both encouraging his subordinates to remonstrate and giving care to his people. Through this case study from ancient China, students will be able to grasp the characteristics of the leadership of Emperor Li Shimin, the second emperor of the Tang dynasty (CE 618-907), successfully identify his type of leadership, and in turn, be able to understand the key role played by this type of leader within an organization.

Emperor Taizong (r. 626–49) of the Tang is remembered as an exemplary ruler. This study addresses that aura of virtuous sovereignty and Taizong’s construction of a reputation for moral rulership through his own literary writings—with particular attention to his poetry. The author highlights the relationship between historiography and the literary and rhetorical strategies of sovereignty, contending that, for Taizong, and for the concept of sovereignty in general, politics is inextricable from cultural production. The work focuses on Taizong’s literary writings that speak directly to the relationship between cultural form and sovereign power, as well as on the question of how the Tang negotiated dynastic identity through literary stylistics. The author maintains that Taizong’s writings may have been self-serving at times, representing strategic attempts to control his self-image in the eyes of his court and empire, but that they also become the ideal image to which his self was normatively bound. This is the paradox at the heart of imperial authorship: Taizong was simultaneously the author of his representation and was authored by his representation; he was both subject and object of his writings.

This historical fiction is based on the true story of Li Shimin (also known as Tang Taizong), the greatest sovereign in Chinese history. About 30 years younger than Muhammad, he grew up in a world of devastating upheaval that tore China asunder and was thrust into the role of a military commander in his father’s rebel army while still a teenager. In the process of vanquishing his enemies on the battlefield, he proved himself to be a great military genius. As emperor he encouraged critical suggestions by his court officials, which he often adopted, and lent support to the religions of his day, notably, Buddhism, Daoism, and Christianity. The international prestige he had won for Tang China was so high that the states of Central and North Asia honored him with the title of “Heavenly Khan.” Although his father founded the dynasty, it was his reign that laid the groundwork for a brilliant empire that was to endure for centuries. 本書根據史實，描述唐太宗李世民透過一場場的征戰，消滅敵軍，開疆闢土；同時鼓勵諫言，包容不同宗教，進而成就唐代偉大盛世，獲得「天可汗」的美名。

Histories of East Asia traditionally emphasize China and Japan, and neglect Korea and Vietnam. Essentially, 20th century East Asia is re-written into the past, as though China and Japan was always the core of East Asian development. This is not at all how East Asia developed. Chinese prehistoric cultures became historic in the 18th century B.C.! Japan was not part of East Asia for over 2300 more years. By studying periods of Chinese unity and disunity, and their effects on China s neighbors, Korea and Vietnam, a distinct culture zone, East Asia, gradually emerged, and slowly included Japan. The main elements of East Asia cultural, social, political, philosophical, religious and linguistic were derived from China, but the others were not minor replicas of China. Each was unique: its people ethnically distinct, from China and each other; its native language, and linguistic blend with Chinese, also unique. Korea and Vietnam resisted Chinese colonization, but adopted and adapted advance Chinese elements to their own needs. Emerging later, Japan underwent wholesale adoption of Tang China s advances, replicated in the 19th century, when Japan was the first East Asian country to modernize. Spanning some thirty-eight centuries, from the 18th century B.C. to 2012 A.D., this diversity with common elements derived from China, is a major theme of this work. It is often overlooked by those who prefer general views, based on surface impressions, to more complex realities. The former often lead to mistakes; the latter become the basis for more sound understanding. After all, these four countries and people share the eastern end of the Eurasian continent, yet each country s geographic situation is also unique. As the twenty-first century continues to unfold, this new approach to East Asia should help to produce clearer and more accurate understanding of this important world region.