[Light-Screen]
[ One of the most important early-Tang measures related to aristocratic clans was the promulgation of the Register of Clans.
From the late Wei–Jin period to the early Tang, the old aristocratic houses were shattered by whoever had stronger armies and better horses. On that foundation, the traditional gatekeeping clans gradually transformed into large scholarly families, eventually forming four major interest blocs.
After the Yongjia Catastrophe, members of elite families fled south in what was known as "crossing the river with caps and robes." These migrant elites continued to pride themselves on their Central Plains ancestry and were called the sojourner clans. The most famous among them were the Wang of Langya, the Xie of Chen Commandery, and the Xiao of Lanling.
As for southern local great families, they're more familiar to us—the four great Wu surnames: Zhu, Zhang, Gu, and Lu, who had their long love-hate relationship with "Ten-Thousand-Brother."
The great families of Jiangdong looked down on these northern migrants, calling them "barbarous rustics," mocking them as savages who should be laughed at by the whole realm.
Yet when it came to interests, the two sides still found common ground. Collectively, they became known as the Jiangzuo Aristocracy.
This uneasy alliance enjoyed roughly 240 years of relative harmony. During the Liang dynasty, Hou Jing sought marriage alliances with the Wang of Langya and the Xie of Chen Commandery. Because he was of Jie ethnicity, he was humiliated—thus beginning a bitter feud.
Later, when Hou Jing marched south and captured Jiankang, he slaughtered the aristocratic families like dogs. At the end of the Liang dynasty, Western Wei captured Jiangling and rounded up the remaining great families like pigs, hauling them off to Guanzhong.
Thus, the Jiangzuo aristocracy existed in name only.
In the north, after Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei pushed his Sinicization reforms, the Xianbei nobility—centered on Luoyang and Henan—transformed into Han-surnamed aristocrats known as the Daibei clans.
Prominent surnames included the Changsun, Yuwen, Yuan, Dou, and Yuan clans.
As a side note: the Chinese Yuan clan originally descended from the Qiang people. During Northern Wei, they submitted to Emperor Taiwu, Tuoba Tao, who accepted them and said, "You and I share the same origin; we differ only by circumstance," granting them the surname Yuan and the name Yuan He.
Four hundred years later, Japan's imperial treasury ran dry. Emperor Saga, unable to support his fifty children, stripped thirty-two princes and princesses of imperial status and made them common subjects. Their surname was copied directly from Tuoba Tao's precedent—Minamoto. Thus, Japan's Minamoto clan has no relation to China's Yuan clan and appeared four centuries later.
Forty years after Emperor Xiaowen's reforms, the strongman Erzhu Rong studied history and launched the Heyin Massacre, slaughtering Northern Wei royalty and Daibei aristocrats alike.
The Daibei clans never recovered.
The remaining two groups were the Guanzhong clans and the Shandong clans, both relatively straightforward.
During the Wei–Jin and Northern–Southern Dynasties, the Yang and Du families of Guanzhong merged with the Hedong elites, forming the Guanzhong aristocracy. Under Northern Wei, they further evolved into the Guanlong military nobility. Both the Sui Yang house and the Tang Li house emerged from this group.
Imperial power naturally suppresses regional power. Under Sui, tensions surfaced; by early Tang, the Guanlong group had already attached itself to imperial authority and transformed into merit nobility.
The Shandong aristocracy, meanwhile, maintained a tradition of classical scholarship and Confucian learning from Eastern Han through Tang. Their representatives—the Five Surnames and Seven Lineages—survived repeated upheavals and flourished even more under Tang stability.
Li Shimin's suppression of the Shandong clans is evident in the Register of Clans. When it was completed in the twelfth year of Zhenguan, he openly criticized it:
"These Shandong clans make their money by selling their daughters—why are you praising them so highly? Have you no backbone at all?"
Some people didn't understand this and said Li Shimin was obsessed with hollow fame, questioning what this accomplished. They even accused him of downgrading the Cui of Boling out of jealousy—was it because he couldn't marry their daughters?
And what difference could rankings make anyway? Could this really affect official appointments?
As it turns out—yes.
The Register of Clans truly could affect who became an official.]
The light-screen's explanation was clear, and surprisingly, Zhang Fei grasped it instantly.
Counting on his fingers, he said:
"So Sima Yi used dirty tricks to wipe out the Cao family, and a bunch of clans mixed together to form Jin, right?"
"Then chaos hit, and the clans split into four groups."
"The southern ones got killed by Hou Jing."
"The northern ones got slaughtered by Erzhu Rong."
"And the eastern and western groups fought through the entire Tang dynasty—until Huang Chao and some guy named Zhu Wen cleaned them all up in one go?"
Zhuge Liang was stunned.
"Yide… that's crude, but—"
"But basically right?" Zhang Fei grinned smugly.
Zhuge Liang nodded in admiration. What looked like foolishness often concealed real wisdom—and Zhang Fei fit that description perfectly.
He studied the Jiangzuo aristocracy again, then shook his head.
"It seems those Four Jiangdong Clans probably sold the Sun family for a very good price in the end."
From the light-screen, all they knew was that Jiangdong ultimately collapsed into chaos—but no one knew where that chaos began.
Yet a century passed with the four clans intact and no trace of the Sun house. Clearly, Jiangdong's submission to Jin was not without filth.
Pang Tong felt no nostalgia for Jiangdong, only sorrow.
"The grand ambition to devour the realm south of the river ended as nothing more than private estates for four surnames."
"At Red Cliffs, laughter scattered Cao's armies to ash.
A hundred years slipped by in compromise—
then Hou Jing's rebellion drowned Jiangdong."
Zhuge Liang patted Pang Tong gently. Pang Tong merely smiled—unbothered.
Liu Bei frowned deeply at the passage about Japan's Minamoto clan.
"That island nation across the sea knew of our customs from four hundred years earlier."
"If they admire the Central Plains so much, why do they know nothing of propriety or righteousness—acting like demons and beasts?"
Zhang Song's sharp voice cut in:
"My lord, these barbarians learn ritual without learning virtue. They are monkeys wearing hats—nothing more!"
"They envy the greatness of China and feel ashamed by comparison."
"And look at how they heap grand titles upon themselves—it reveals their ambition! When China was strong, they knelt. When China falls into chaos, they will surely turn traitor!"
"Is that not exactly what Sima Yi did?!"
Liu Bei fell silent for a moment.
That might be taking it too far—after all, Sima Yi was still only in his thirties, and Cao Cao was very much alive. It was unlikely he harbored treasonous intent at this point.
If Sima Yi knew how those islanders behaved, he'd probably curse them himself.
Still… in his heart, Liu Bei felt Zhang Song was mostly right.
Pang Tong sneered.
"Like feeding meat to a hawk—hungry, it serves you; full, it flies away."
Zhang Fei scratched his head.
"They act like beasts and don't even have something like India's Buddhism."
"There won't be people in later ages who worship them, right?"
...
"Whatever the ruler favors," Li Shimin slowly repeated, deep in thought,
"the people will pursue with even greater zeal."
Wei Zheng promptly offered his advice:
"When the people serve their ruler, they follow his conduct. Thus the ruler's likes and dislikes must be chosen with care, for he is the model of the people."
Li Shimin shot him an annoyed look.
I've read the Book of Rites, you know.
How did Wei Zheng manage to sneak a remonstrance in every gap?
His thoughts drifted further. From an emperor's perspective, Buddhism and Daoism were merely tools. Who truly believed in that stuff?
Xiao Yan believed in Buddhism. Whether he earned a next life was unknown—but becoming a historical joke was certain.
Still, when the ruler endorses a method, the people chase its effects. They cater upward, imitate downward.
Whether Buddhist or Daoist, imperial power needed to keep its distance—lest it be exploited as a prop for fraud without realizing it.
As the Book of Rites said: the ruler is the people's example.
But then Li Shimin's eyes sharpened again as he read further.
A struggle between Guanzhong and Guandong elites? Was it really that intense?
The Zhenguan ministers also found the four-group division of aristocracy novel. They glanced at one another, silently categorizing who belonged to which camp.
Fang Xuanling had only one thought:
This is ready-made material for writing the Book of Jin.
Li Shimin, however, couldn't sit still.
"First they say I'm petty—now they slander me as obsessed with empty fame!"
Yet there was little anger in his voice.
They weren't compliments, but he could hear the tone clearly.
Later generations weren't placing him on an untouchable pedestal. They spoke of his achievements, his life, his merits and faults—like chatting casually about an elder.
Praising his deeds without hiding his flaws, proclaiming his virtue while acknowledging his shortcomings.
That attitude actually made him feel… comfortable.
Smiling, he said to those around him:
"Sometimes I really want to reach into that light-screen and spank that youngster a few times."
Changsun Wuji laughed.
"Your Majesty isn't alone."
"If not for the thousand-year divide, we'd love to sit with him, drink together, and hear of later ages' prosperity."
"That would be immensely satisfying."
[Lightscreen]
[ First, we must correct a common misconception: the Five Surnames and Seven Lineages of early Tang were not the later 'marriage-prohibited clans'.
They were:
Li of Longxi,
Li of Zhao Commandery,
Cui of Boling,
Cui of Qinghe,
Lu of Fanyang,
Zheng of Xingyang,
and Wang of Taiyuan.
The Li and Cui each had two lineages—five surnames total, seven lineages—showing just how powerful the Cui clan was.
Early on, these families were quite eager to marry into the imperial house, even currying favor—because Li Shimin's blade was simply too fast.
Before Zhenguan, the Cui of Qinghe sent a daughter into the palace. Li Shimin casually granted her the rank of Cairen and paid little attention. She left few historical traces.
Around the eighth year of Zhenguan, rumors spread of a stunning beauty from the Zheng of Xingyang. Empress Zhangsun sent people to investigate and requested she be appointed Chongyuan. Li Shimin readily approved.
Chongyuan ranked lowest among the Nine Consorts—thirteenth overall. A decent starting point, but hardly special.
Then Wei Zheng stepped in, stating he had heard the Zheng family had already accepted betrothal gifts from Lu Shuang of the Lu clan and demanded the edict be rescinded.
Lu Shuang came crawling to Chang'an, claiming the gifts were merely "red packets"—no engagement existed.
No one listened.
The matter spiraled into a major debate over imperial ritual and propriety. In the end, Li Shimin revoked the edict and ordered the Zheng woman to marry Lu Shuang.
From these incidents, it's clear that before Li Shimin, the Five Surnames and Seven Lineages stood like lackeys.
The later impression that aristocratic families looked down on the Tang and refused intermarriage exists mainly because Li Shimin was simply too formidable.
Before the Song, elite power struggles followed a simple logic: imperial power versus great clans. When the clans were weak, the throne was strong.
A strong throne meant Tang princesses were famously unrestrained. For aristocratic families, marrying a princess meant inviting imperial authority into internal family struggles—naturally undesirable.
Some princesses were forceful, like Princess Pingyang, who led troops during the founding wars and guarded Weize Pass—later known as Niangzi Pass.
Others were scandalous, like Princess Yongjia. Married to Dou Fengjie, she soon had an affair with her nephew Yang Yuzhi—the son of her sister Princess Changgong. Even during mourning for Changgong, the affair continued.
Dou Fengjie, a martial general, eventually caught them, executed Yang Yuzhi by the Five Punishments, and divorced the princess.
Even more extreme was Princess Taiping, who openly kept male lovers, later controlled the court, and attempted a coup—failing and being executed.
Later examples include Li Guo'er, Princess Yuzhen, Princess Shengping, Princess Xianmu, and many more.
Returning to the Zheng of Xingyang: later historians believe Empress Zhangsun acted to arrange affairs in advance.
She died barely two years later and likely sensed her failing health.
After her death, Consort Wei attempted to imitate her by selecting beauties for the harem—bringing in Lady Wu, later known as Wu Zetian.
But that is another story entirely.]