Although the Sui Dynasty was short-lived, it quickly disappeared from the historical stage, but it had far-reaching influence. The system inherited from the Tang Dynasty to the Sui Dynasty, and many systems of the Sui Dynasty have been used by the Tang Dynasty.
In the history of China, there were basically two ways to seize power in the former dynasty, one was to seize power by force, and the other was to plot to usurp power.
For example, the Han Dynasty seized the Qin Dynasty, the Yuan Dynasty seized the Song Dynasty, the Ming Dynasty seized the Yuan Dynasty, and the Qing Dynasty seized the Ming Dynasty.
And conspiracy to usurp the throne, such as Cao Wei seized power in the Han Dynasty, Cao Wei seized power in the Jin Dynasty in the Northern and Southern Dynasties, and seized power in the Song Dynasty in the later Zhou Dynasty.
What is usurpation and what is usurpation? There is a passage in the dialect:
From the customs to the west and Qin Jin, everything is extorted.
From here, we can actually see that the meaning of occupation includes two aspects: one is illegal possession, and the other is the following.
Then the meaning of usurping the throne is vividly portrayed. If you seize power illegally, you can call it usurpation.
According to this standard, all power grabbing can be said to be usurpation. Because all the ways to seize power conform to these two factors to some extent.
But in fact, in history, the meaning of usurpation is more detailed than this.
The so-called usurpation of the throne actually refers to the seizure of the power of the monarch by the courtiers. One thing to pay attention to inside is the courtiers.
Usurper-We have finished the definition of choice, so we can move on to another question.
Whether Emperor Wendi of Sui Dynasty or Tang Gaozu, they actually did the same thing in usurping the throne. Both of them belonged to courtiers who seized the imperial system.
Emperor Wen of Sui Dynasty seized the power of the Yuwen family. Arguably, the two families are still relatives, and the daughter of Emperor Wendi of Sui Dynasty married Yu Wenyun's son in Xuan Di of Zhou Dynasty. Emperor Wen of Sui Dynasty is the real father-in-law of Yu Wenyun.
However, there are no relatives before power. After Emperor Wendi monopolized the power, regardless of the relationship between the two families, he finally took away the supreme power from Yu Wenchan, the son of Yu Wenyun:
In February of the first year of Emperor Chengzu of Ming Dynasty, Jia went to the palace from the official residence, and prepared to set the emperor in Guang Lin Hall. Set up an altar in the southern suburbs to send firewood to heaven. It's the day, sue the temple, forgive it and change the yuan.
In fact, not necessarily better than Yang. Tang Gaozu was a courtier in the Sui Dynasty, and he and Yang Guang were cousins. And his slogan is not to overthrow the Sui Dynasty. At that time, his slogan was "get rid of fatuity, have a bright future, support a generation of kings and restore the Sui Dynasty".
People started to fight under the slogan of "Kuang Fu" and reached Chang 'an. They also respected Yang Guang as the emperor's father at a distance, and they also did a good job in superficial kung fu.
Until Yang Guang was killed in Jiangdu, Li Yuancai forced Emperor Yangdi Yang Gong to submit:
Emperor Gaozu, located in the Taiji Hall, named Xiao Zao, a minister of punishments, as A Qiu, sued the southern suburbs and granted amnesty to the world. In the second year of Sui Yining, he changed to the first year of Tang Wude.
From this perspective, Emperor Wendi of Sui Dynasty and Tang Gaozu are essentially usurpers, and there is no difference.
Different evaluations are also usurpation, but in this matter of usurpation, two people have different evaluations.
Emperor Wendi's usurpation of the throne is a brand on him, and it will be mentioned as long as it is mentioned; But no one noticed Tang Gaozu's usurpation. Why?
1, unarmed and armed
We put aside the process of establishing the Sui Dynasty and unifying the world by Emperor Wendi of Sui Dynasty.
Just look at the process of his seizing power from the Yuwen family in the Northern Zhou Dynasty. He is unarmed.
If we say the details, it must be thrilling, but in the eyes of outsiders, the power transfer of Emperor Wendi of Sui Dynasty is very smooth. In addition, a powerful minister "ungrateful" seized power from his boss.
But Li Yuan is different. Li Yuan was armed when he seized the Sui regime.
He started from Jinyang and went all the way to Chang 'an. Either the ingratitude of powerful ministers or the violent overthrow of armed groups.
As for those slogans and all the preparations, they are just standing on the moral high ground for show. It is different from the conspiracy of Emperor Wen of Sui Dynasty to seize power in form and substance.
2, the stability of the dynasty
Emperor Wendi of Sui Dynasty established the Sui Dynasty in a short time, which lasted only 37 years.
Although the Tang Dynasty inherited many systems of the Sui Dynasty, its historical span was too short.
But unlike the Tang Dynasty, its position in the history of China was almost supreme. And the span is relatively long, almost 290 years. This dynasty has a far-reaching influence on later generations.
Therefore, no matter at that time or later generations, the literati's descriptions of these two dynasties are different.
In order to increase the legitimacy of the establishment of the Tang Dynasty and enhance its influence. Scholars will do two things. One is to do everything possible to discredit the Sui Dynasty, including Emperor Wen. At the same time, they will try their best to protect the legitimacy of the Tang Dynasty, especially the seizure of power by the founding king Li Yuan.
Conclusion Objectively speaking, the Sui Dynasty and the Tang Dynasty were "usurpers" in terms of the means of seizing political power.
But in form, one is unarmed arrest and the other is armed arrest, and the difficulty is not the same.
But this is not the most important thing. The most important thing is that the Tang Dynasty controlled writers at that time and later generations. More people are protecting and packaging the process of seizing power in the Tang Dynasty.