Fiat or Finesse: Tang Emperor Taizong’s Use of Poems as Gifts

Abstract

This article investigates how Tang Emperor Taizong 唐太宗 (Li Shimin 李世民, 599–649; r. 626–649), one of the most highly regarded rulers of imperial China, used poems as gifts to achieve his political agendas. It explores three shi 詩 and two fu 賦 poems in the context of Taizong’s rise to power, his relationship with his ministers, and his goal to consolidate the newly founded empire. By discussing the nuances of those poetic gifts and how Taizong used them as a way to strengthen his ties with his ministers and legitimize himself and his reign, the article aims to contribute to our understanding of the subtle workings of the game of power under Taizong’s rule as well as the wider scholarship on the literary composition practices of rulers and the roles and uses of literature in court settings in medieval China.