1Emperor Taizong of Tang (reigned 626–649), personal name Li Shimin, second Tang emperor whose reign is remembered as the Reign of Zhenguan (Zhenguan zhi zhi)
Second emperor of the Tang, who took the throne after killing two brothers at the 玄武门之变 in 626. His reign, the 贞观之治, is the classic model of good government, open to the blunt advice of 魏征.
Emperor Taizong of Tang relied on virtuous ministers like Wei Zheng.
Tips
culture
His given name 世民 comes from 济世安民, 'save the age and bring peace to the people', which a physiognomist foretold for him as a boy. After his death the court avoided writing 世 and 民 in his honour.
culture
When 魏征 died in 643, Taizong said: 以铜为镜，可以正衣冠；以古为镜，可以知兴替；以人为镜，可以明得失, 'bronze as a mirror shows if your robes are straight, the past shows rise and fall, a person shows your own mistakes'.
