List of emperors of the Tang dynasty

This is a list of emperors of the Tang dynasty (618–690, 705–907) of China. Tang monarchs like Emperor Taizong of Tang were also addressed to as the Khan of Heaven (Tian Kehan) by Turkic peoples.

Emperor of the Tang dynasty
唐朝皇帝
Imperial
First to reign Emperor Gaozu 618–626
Details
Style	His Imperial Majesty Zhaijia (宅家) Shengren (聖人) Khan of Heaven (天可汗) (Taizong → Daizong)
First monarch	Emperor Gaozu
Last monarch	Emperor Ai
Formation	618 (first establishment) 705 (restoration)
Abolition	690 (usurpation by Wu Zhou dynasty) 907 (final collapse)
Residence	Taiji Palace, Chang'an Daming Palace, Chang'an
Appointer	Hereditary

List of emperors

The Chinese naming conventions is "Tang" (唐)+ temple name (e.g. Tang Gaozu), except for Emperors Shang and Ai, who are better known by their posthumous name.

Image	Temple name	Personal name[1]	Reigned from[2]	Reigned until[1][lower-alpha 1]	Posthumous name[lower-alpha 2]	Era name and years[4]
	Gaozu 高祖	Li Yuan 李渊	18 June 618	4 September 626  abdicated[5]	Emperor Shenyao 神堯皇帝	Wude (武德) 618–626
	Taizong 太宗	Li Shimin 李世民	4 September 626	10 July 649[6]	Emperor Wenwu 文武皇帝	Zhenguan (貞觀) 627–649
	Gaozong[lower-alpha 3] 高宗	Li Zhi 李治	15 July 649	27 December 683[7]	Emperor Tianhuang 天皇大帝	Yonghui (永徽) 650–655 Xianqing (顯慶) 656–661 Longshuo (龍朔) 661–663 Linde (麟德) 664–665 Qianfeng (乾封) 666–668 Zongzhang (總章) 668–670 Xianheng (咸亨) 670–674 Shangyuan (上元) 674–676 Yifeng (儀鳳) 676–679 Tiaolu (調露) 679–680 Yonglong (永隆) 680–681 Kaiyao (開耀) 681–682 Yongchun (永淳) 682–683 Hongdao (弘道) 683
	Zhongzong[lower-alpha 4] 中宗	Li Xian 李显	3 January 684	26 February 684[7]  deposed[5]	—	Sisheng (嗣聖) 23 January–27 February 684
	Ruizong[lower-alpha 5] 睿宗	Li Dan 李旦	27 February 684	16 October 690[8]  deposed[5]	—	Wenming (文明) 684 Guangzhai (光宅) 684 Chuigong (垂拱) 685–688 Yongchang (永昌) 689 Zaichu (載初) 690
	Interregnum (Wu Zhou dynasty)
	Zhongzong (second reign)	Li Xian 李显	23 February 705	3 July 710	Emperor Xiaohe 孝和皇帝	Shenlong (神龍) 705–707 Jinglong (景龍) 707–710
	none[lower-alpha 6]	Li Chongmao 李重茂	5 July 710	25 July 710[lower-alpha 7]	Emperor Shang 殤皇帝	Tanglong (唐隆) 5 July– 19 August 710
	Ruizong (second reign)	Li Dan 李旦	25 July 710	8 September 712  abdicated[5]	Emperor Xuanzhen 玄真皇帝	Jingyun (景雲) 710–711 Taiji (太極) 712 Yanhe (延和) 712
	Xuánzong 玄宗	Li Longji 李隆基	8 September 712	12 August 756  abdicated[5]	Emperor Zhidao I 至道皇帝	Xiantian (先天) 712–713 Kaiyuan (開元) 713–741 Tianbao (天寶) 742–756
	Suzong 肅宗	Li Heng 李亨	12 August 756	16 May 762	Emperor Wenming 文明皇帝	Zhide (至德) 756–758 Qianyuan (乾元) 758–760 Shangyuan (上元) 760–761
	Daizong 代宗	Li Yu 李豫	18 May 762	23 May 779	Emperor Ruiwen 睿文皇帝	Baoying (寶應) 762–763 Guangde (廣德) 763–764 Yongtai (永泰) 765–766 Dali (大曆 lì) 766–779
	Dezong 德宗	Li Gua 李适	12 June 779	25 February 805	Emperor Shenwu 神武皇帝	Jianzhong (建中) 780–783 Xingyuan (興元) 784 Zhenyuan (貞元) 785–805
	Shunzong 順宗	Li Song 李誦	28 February 805	28 August 805  killed[5]	Emperor Zhide 至德皇帝	Yongzhen (永貞) 805
	Xianzong 憲宗	Li Chu 李純	5 September 805	14 February 820  killed[5]	Emperor Zhaowen 昭文皇帝	Yuanhe (元和) 806–820
	Muzong 穆宗	Li Heng 李恆	20 February 820	25 February 824	Emperor Ruisheng 睿聖皇帝	Changqing (長慶) 821–824
	Jingzong 敬宗	Li Zhan 李湛	29 February 824	9 January 827  killed[5]	Emperor Ruiwu 睿武皇帝	Baoli (寶曆) 824–826
	Wenzong 文宗	Li Ang 李昂	13 January 827	10 February 840	Emperor Yuansheng 元聖皇帝	Baoli (寶曆) 826 Taihe (太和) 827–835 Kaicheng (開成) 836–840
	Wuzong 武宗	Li Yan 李炎	20 February 840	22 April 846	Emperor Zhidao II 至道皇帝	Huichang (會昌) 841–846
	Xuānzong 宣宗	Li Chen 李忱	25 April 846	7 September 859	Emperor Yuansheng 元聖皇帝	Dachong (大中) 847–859
	Yizong 懿宗	Li Cui 李漼	13 September 859	15 August 873	Emperor Zhaosheng 昭聖皇帝	Dazhong (大中) 859 Xiantong (咸通) 860–873
	Xizong 僖宗	Li Xuan 李儇	15 August 873	20 April 888	Emperor Huisheng 惠聖皇帝	Xiantong (咸通) 873–874 Qianfu (乾符) 874–879 Guangming (廣明) 880–881 Zhonghe (中和) 881–885 Guangqi (光啟) 885–888 Wende (文德) 888
	Zhaozong 昭宗	Li Ye 李曄	22 April 888	22 September 904	Emperor Shengmu 聖穆皇帝	Longji (龍紀) 889 Dashun (大順) 890–891 Jingfu (景福) 892–893 Qianning (乾寧) 894–898 Guanghua (光化) 898–901 Tianfu (天復) 901–904 Tianyou (天佑) 904
	Jingzong 景宗	Li Zhu 李柷	26 September 904	12 May 907  deposed[5]	Emperor Ai 哀皇帝	Tianyou (天佑) 904–907

Timeline

References

1. Heng 1999, p. ix; Cotterell 2008, p. 283.
2. Kroll 2019, pp. xi–xiii.
3. Old Book of Tang Vol 4
4. Twitchett 1979, p. viii; Kroll 2019, pp. xi–xiii.
5. Twitchett 1979, p. xviii; Cotterell 2008, p. 283.
6. Kang-i Sun Chang, ed. (2010). The Cambridge History of Chinese Literature. Vol. 1. p. 293. ISBN 9780521855587.
7. Jinhua Chen (2007). The Many Lives of Fazang (643-712). Brill. p. 168. ISBN 9789047420002.
8. Kroll 2019, p. 3.
9. Jinhua Chen (2016). The Middle Kingdom and the Dharma Wheel. Brill. pp. 141–142. ISBN 9789004322585.
10. Xiong, Victor Cunrui (2000). Sui-Tang Changʻan. University of Michigan. p. 68. ISBN 9780892641376.

Notes

1. Exact dates are extracted from the Old Book of Tang and converted to Western dates using the Calendar converter of Academia Sinica.
2. These are just the shortened versions of the names. Gaozu's full posthumous name, for example, was actually Shényáo Dàshèng Dàguāng Xiào Huángdì (神堯大聖大光孝皇帝, "Emperor Yao the Divine, the Great Sage, the Most Radiantly Filial").^[3]
3. In the late years of his reign he was influenced by Empress Wu
4. Under the rule of his mother Wu Zetian
5. Under the rule of his mother Wu Zetian
6. Better known for his porthumous name, Emperor Shang, or as Emperor Shao ("young").
7. Some sources give the period of his reign as 5–18 July,^[9] while others give 8–25 July.^[10]

Sources

• Cotterell, Arthur (2008). "Emperors and Their Reigns". The Imperial Capitals of China. New York: Overlook Press. ISBN 978-1-4683-0605-7.
• Heng, Chye Kiang (1999). "List of Selected Dynasties and Rulers". Cities of Aristocrats and Bureaucrats: The Development of Medieval Chinese Cityscapes. Singapore: Singapore University Press. ISBN 978-9971-69-223-0.
• Kroll, Paul W. (2019). "Tang Emperors' Accession Dates and Reign Titles". Critical Readings on Tang China. Vol. 1. Brill. ISBN 9789004380158.
• Twitchett, Denis (1979). "The T'ang emperors and their reign periods". The Cambridge History of China. Vol. 3. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-21446-9.