page_title: Emperor Dezong of Tang
section_title: Late Zhenyuan era
hierarchical_section_title: Emperor Dezong of Tang / Late Zhenyuan era
caption_attribution_description: 中文: 位于陕西省咸阳市泾阳县东北的嵯峨山上
context_page_description: Emperor Dezong of Tang, personal name Li Kuo, was an emperor of the Chinese Tang Dynasty and the oldest son of Emperor Daizong. His reign of 26 years was the third longest in the Tang dynasty. Emperor Dezong started out as a diligent and frugal emperor and he tried to reform the governmental finances by introducing new tax laws. His attempts to destroy the powerful regional warlords and the subsequent mismanagement of those campaigns, however, resulted in a number of rebellions that nearly destroyed him and the Tang Dynasty. After those events, he dealt cautiously with the regional governors, causing warlordism to become unchecked, and his trust of eunuchs caused the eunuchs' power to rise greatly. He was also known for his paranoia about officials' wielding power, and late in his reign, he did not grant much authority to his chancellors.
context_section_description: Meanwhile, due to victories that Wei Gao and the Nanzhao king Yimouxun (異牟尋), who had become a Tang vassal after abandoning Tufan, were inflicting on Tufan, Tufan had become a much lesser threat to Tang security by this point.
  By this time, Emperor Dezong's oldest son Li Song the Crown Prince had become close to the junior officials Wang Pi and Wang Shuwen, and Wang Pi and Wang Shuwen and their associates were planning To carry out a number of reforms when Li Song would eventually be emperor.  The officials who associated with them included Wei Zhiyi and such junior officials as Lu Chun (陸淳), Lü Wen (呂溫), Li Jingjian (李景儉), Han Ye (韓曄), Han Tai (韓泰), Chen Jian (陳諫), Liu Zongyuan, and Liu Yuxi.  They essentially formed a shadow government.
  In winter 804, however, Li Song suddenly suffered a stroke, causing him to be partially paralyzed and unable to speak.  In spring 805, it was said that because of Li Song's illness, Emperor Dezong himself became severely depressed and fell into an illness.  He died on February 25, 805, and, while there was some speculation both inside the palace and out as to whether Li Song would actually take the throne due to his severe illness, Li Song did so (as Emperor Shunzong).
caption: Chongling (崇陵), tomb of Emperor Dezong, in Jingyang County, Shaanxi
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