The Newly Excavated Epitaph of Zhao Xuanben and the Political Situation in the Late Sui and Early Tang Dynasties

Abstract

Centered on the newly excavated Epitaph of Zhao Xuanben, this paper examines Zhao Xuanben's official career and its political significance during the reign of Emperor Gaozong, the Wu Zhou period and the Kaiyuan era, in combination with official histories and relevant institutional documents. According to the epitaph, Zhao Xuanben joined campaigns against the "Liao and Fan tribes" in his early years, later took part in military operations in the Wu Zhou period, and served successively as Prefecture Sima, General of the Right Garrison Guard Headquarters, Imperial City Protector of the Eastern Capital, and Prefect of E Prefecture. His career spanned the critical political transitions from Emperor Gaozong's reign through the Wu Zhou period to the early Kaiyuan era. Through analyzing relevant lines in the epitaph and combining them with Emperor Gaozong's eastern campaigns, the aftermath of the Goguryeo War, the military and personnel background of the Wu Zhou period, and the political adjustments in the early Kaiyuan era, this paper argues that Zhao Xuanben's promotion and retirement were not merely personal experiences, but were closely tied to the restructuring of political order, changes in the military official system, and political shifts from the early Tang to the high Tang period. The Epitaph of Zhao Xuanben not only provides new material for studying Zhao Xuanben's life, but also offers a valuable case for understanding military officials' career paths, the political structure of the Wu Zhou period, and individual choices amid political transformation from Emperor Gaozong's reign to the Kaiyuan era.