【註】

①《旧唐书》为后晋张昭、贾纬等撰。后晋天福六年（941年），晋高祖石敬瑭命张昭、贾纬、赵熙、郑受益、李为先等人撰唐史，由宰相赵莹监修。后赵莹罢相，刘昫代为监修。后晋开运二年（945年）书成，时因刘昫为相，故该书署名刘昫撰。最初为避讳石敬瑭，取名《李氏书》，《郡斋读书志》、《直斋书录解题》、《宋史·艺文志》及南宋刻本均题为《唐书》，后为区别北宋欧阳脩等人编的《新唐书》，改名《旧唐书》。共200卷，包括本纪20卷、志30卷及列传150卷。记载唐高祖武德元年（618年）至唐哀帝天祐四年（907年）。

②唐太宗（出生名，李世民，598年1月28日me—649年7月10日，在位於公元 626-649 ），唐朝第二任皇帝、第一任宰相。唐高祖李渊次子，母亲太穆皇后窦氏，为中国历史上著名的政治家、军事家、民族共主，开创了奠定唐朝立国基础的“贞观之治”，因此成为唐代乃至中国历史上最享负盛名的皇帝之一，亦是为后世争相效仿的明君典范之一。在灭亡东突厥汗国之后，被九姓铁勒、西域诸国国王、吐火罗叶护尊称为“天可汗”，成为首位天可汗。

李世民少年从军，曾于雁门关营救隋炀帝。晋阳起兵攻取长安后，受封秦公。唐朝建立后，封为天策上将、秦王、太尉、司徒兼尚书令，他是杰出的军事家，率部平定了薛仁杲、刘武周、窦建德、王世充等隋末群雄，为唐朝的建立与统一过程立下赫赫战功。 武德九年（公元626年）发动玄武门之变杀死兄长太子李建成、四弟齐王李元吉二人及二人诸子而被立为太子，不久，唐高祖李渊被迫退位，李世民即位，是为唐太宗。在位时间只使用一个年号—贞观。

李世民登基后，积极听取群臣意见，文治天下，开疆拓土，成为中国史上著名的明君。他虚心纳谏，在国内厉行节约，使百姓能够休养生息，终于使得社会出现了国泰民安的局面，开创中国历史上著名的贞观之治，为后来的开元盛世(亦称为开元之治)以及唐朝130年的盛世奠定重要基础。李世民爱好文学与书法，其真迹今仅存晋祠之铭并序碑刻。649年7月10日（贞观二十三年五月己巳日），李世民因病崩于含风殿，享年51岁，在位23年，庙号太宗 ，谥号“文皇帝”，与原配文德皇后长孙氏合葬于昭陵。

Note:

① 《Old Book of Tang》 (《旧唐书》) was compiled in the Later Jin dynasty by Zhang Zhao, Jia Wei, and others. In the 6th year of the Tianfu era of Later Jin (941 CE), Emperor Gaozu of Jin, Shi Jingtang, ordered Zhang Zhao, Jia Wei, Zhao Xi, Zheng Shouyi, Li Weixian, and others to compile a history of the Tang dynasty, under the supervision of Chancellor Zhao Ying. After Zhao Ying was dismissed, Liu Xu took over as supervising editor. The work was completed in the 2nd year of the Kaiyun era (945 CE). Since Liu Xu was then serving as chancellor, the book was published under his name.

Originally, in order to avoid taboos associated with Shi Jingtang, it was titled The Book of the Li Clan. Bibliographies such as 《Catalogue of Books in the Junzhai 》(《郡斋读书志》), 《Annotated Catalogue of Books in the Zhizhai》 (《直斋书录解题》), the 《Song History – Treatise on Literature》 (《宋史·艺文志》), and Southern Song editions all listed it simply as 《Book of Tang》 (《唐书》). Later, in order to distinguish it from the 《New Book of Tang》 compiled by Ouyang Xiu and others during the Northern Song, the title was changed to 《Old Book of Tang》 (《旧唐书》).

The work comprises 200 volumes: 20 volumes of annals, 30 volumes of treatises, and 150 volumes of biographies. It records events from the first year of Emperor Gaozu’s Wude era (618 CE) through the 4th year of Emperor Ai’s Tianyou era (907 CE).

② Emperor Taizong of Tang ( 598–649 CE), personal name Li Shimin, was the second emperor of the Tang dynasty and also served as its first chancellor. He was the second son of Emperor Gaozu (Li Yuan) and Empress Taimu (née Dou). A renowned statesman, military strategist, and unifying ruler in Chinese history。He established the celebrated “Reign of Zhenguan,” which laid the foundation for Tang prosperity and made him one of the most admired monarchs in Chinese history, later regarded as a model of enlightened rulership. After the fall of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate, he was honored by the Tiele confederation, Western Regions kings, and the Tokharian Yabghu with the title of Heavenly Khagan (Tian Kehan)—becoming the first Chinese emperor to hold this title.

As a youth, Li Shimin joined military campaigns and once defended Emperor Yang of Sui at Yanmen Pass. After rising in rebellion at Jinyang and capturing Chang’an, he was enfeoffed as Duke of Qin. Following the founding of the Tang dynasty, he was granted the titles of Grand General of the Heavenly Strategy Command, Prince of Qin, Grand Commandant, Minister over the Masses, and Head of the Department of State Affairs. A brilliant commander, he personally led campaigns that crushed warlords such as Xue Rengao, Liu Wuzhou, Dou Jiande, and Wang Shichong, securing the Tang dynasty’s establishment and unification.

In 626 CE (9th year of Wude), Li Shimin staged the Xuanwu Gate Incident, killing his elder brother Crown Prince Li Jiancheng, his younger brother Prince Li Yuanji, and their sons. Soon afterward, Gaozu was forced to abdicate, and Li Shimin ascended the throne as Emperor Taizong. His reign used a single era name—Zhenguan.

As emperor, Taizong actively listened to his ministers, governed diligently, expanded the empire’s frontiers, and earned renown as one of China’s greatest monarchs. His humility in accepting remonstrance and his policies of frugality allowed the people to recover, ushering in an era of peace and prosperity. The Reign of Zhenguan became one of the most admired periods in Chinese history, laying the groundwork for the later Kaiyuan Golden Age and over 130 years of Tang prosperity. Taizong also loved literature and calligraphy, though only one authentic inscription survives today—the Stele of the Jin Shrine.

He died on July 10, 649 (23rd year of Zhenguan), aged 51, after 23 years on the throne. His temple name was Taizong, his posthumous title “Emperor Wen,” and he was buried alongside his empress, Empress Wende (née Changsun), in the Zhaoling Mausoleum.