生平

龙朔二年（662年）六月一日（6月22日）生于长安蓬莱宫含凉殿。当年，封殷王，遥领冀州大都督、单于大都护、右金吾卫大将军。睿宗「谦恭孝友，好学，工草隶，尤爱文字训诂之书」。乾封元年（666年），徙封豫王。总章二年（669年），徙封冀王。上元二年（675年），徙封相王，拜右卫大将军。仪凤元年（676年），十四岁的李轮纳豆卢氏为孺人（妾室）。仪凤三年（678年），迁洛牧；改名李旦，徙封豫王。在七月的一次宴会上，父亲唐高宗对叔父霍王李元轨说：因为他是最小的儿子，所以最为喜爱。679年，王妃刘氏生下他的长子李成器。

嗣圣元年（684年）二月七日，武则天废其兄中宗帝位，立他为帝，改元文明。不过，由于是武则天称制，「政事决于太后」，睿宗毫无实权，甚至连干预国家大政的权力都没有，沦为傀儡。载初元年（690年）睿宗禅让给武则天，改国号周，睿宗被贬为「皇嗣」（候补性质的皇位继承人。具仪一比皇太子，却不给皇太子的名分），改名武轮，迁居东宫。

武则天圣历元年（698年），武则天又改立中宗为储君。睿宗则从「皇嗣」再被贬为亲王，封号相王，他的五个儿子（李成器、李成义、李隆基、李隆范、李隆业）被封为郡王，唐睿宗从此重获自由，拥有干预国家大政的权力。

神龙元年（705年），宰相张柬之等五人发动神龙政变，杀张易之、张昌宗兄弟，逼武则天退位，迎中宗复辟，不久武则天去世。此后中宗封其为安国相王，随即辞去。景云元年（710年），中宗驾崩（传说是被韦皇后毒杀），（后在韦皇后矫诏下）由中宗幼子李重茂登位，改元唐隆，是为少帝。

睿宗的三子李隆基与太平公主等联络禁军将领，拥兵入宫，将韦后诛杀，迫少帝李重茂逊位，史曰唐隆之变。六月二十四日睿宗复辟于承天门楼，大赦天下，与其子李隆基一起铲除了韦皇后一党的势力。

延和元年（712年）七月二十五日，唐睿宗无法面对李隆基与太平公主的争端，于是再度禅让于李隆基，是为唐玄宗，自称「太上皇」，每五天在太极殿接受群臣的朝贺，仍自称「朕」，三品已上除授及大刑狱仍然自决，命令称诰、令，而玄宗每日受朝于武德殿，自称「予」，决定三品已下除授及徒罪，命令称制、敕。后来玄宗发动先天之变消灭太平公主一党，睿宗才不得不彻底放权。

开元四年六月二十日（716年7月13日）李旦病逝，享年五十五岁。

安国相王府

唐中宗于神龙元年正月复位后，李旦加号称安国相王。下列安国相王府官员。

• 开府仪同三司左千牛卫大将军上柱国安国相王旦

• 特进中书令兼检校安国相王府长史上柱国南阳郡王袁恕己（神龙元年正月－五月）

• 特进行尚书左仆射兼检校安国相王府长史平章军国重事上柱国芮国公豆卢钦望（神龙元年五月－

• 大中大夫行安国相王府司马护军皇甫忠

• 朝散大夫守安国相王府谘议上柱国邢国公王温

• 朝议大夫行安国相王府记室参军事丘悦

• 朝议郎行安国相王府文学韦利器

• 行安国相王府文学高仲舒

• 朝议大夫行安国相王府仓曹参军辛道瑜

• 行安国相王府功曹参军窦希瑊

• 行安国相王府属韦慎名

• 行安国相王府掾丘知几

• 行安国相王府典军丘琬

• 行安国相王府典军卫日新

• 行安国相王府典签裴耀卿

• 安国相王品官行内侍省奚官局令引参目

• 安国相王品官行内侍省掖庭局令戴思恭

家庭

家世

唐睿宗李旦的祖先

后妃

皇后

• 刘皇后，结发之妻，正室；生让皇帝李宪、寿昌公主、代国公主李华婉，被武则天勒令处死，追谥为肃明顺圣皇后

• 窦德妃，侧室；生唐玄宗李隆基、金仙公主、玉真公主，被武则天勒令处死，追谥为昭成顺圣皇后

妃

• 豆卢贵妃

• 崔贵妃，生鄎国公主

• 王德妃，惠宣太子李业母

• 王贤妃，名芳媚，王德妃之妹，李业养母

孺人

• 崔孺人，生惠文太子李范

• 唐孺人（672年—692年12月15日），唐俭孙女，考古发现唐孺人与崔孺人墓

• 崔孺人。因崔孺人墓志铭缺失，不知崔孺人与李范母是否同一人

宫人

• 柳宫人，前宰相柳奭孙女，生惠庄太子李撝

子

• 让皇帝李宪（679年－742年），母刘皇后

• 惠庄太子李撝（？－724年），母宫人柳氏

• 玄宗李隆基（685年－762年），母窦德妃

• 惠文太子李范（686年－726年），母崔孺人

• 惠宣太子李业（686年－734年），母王德妃

• 隋王李隆悌（早亡），母不详

女

《新唐书·诸帝公主列传》，记载唐睿宗共有11位女儿。具体的排行，出自对个人记载：

• 长女，寿昌公主（母刘皇后，下嫁崔真）

• 次女，安兴昭怀公主（早薨）

• 某女，荆山公主（下嫁薛伯阳，存疑，可能是凉国公主、鄎国公主两个公主的混记）

• 三女，淮阳公主（名花山，母王德妃，下嫁王承庆）

• 四女，代国公主（名华，字华婉（墓志铭记为花婉），母刘皇后，下嫁郑万钧）

• 五女，凉国公主（字华庄，母王德妃，先封为仙源公主，下嫁薛伯阳）

• 某女，薛国公主（先封为清阳公主，下嫁王守一，又嫁裴巽）

• 七女，鄎国公主（母崔贵妃，先封为荆山公主，下嫁薛儆，又嫁郑孝义）

• 八女，金仙公主（母窦德妃，先封为西城县主）

• 九女，玉真公主（字玄玄，号持盈，母窦德妃，始封崇昌县主）

• 某女，霍国公主（下嫁裴虚己）

影视作品

• 1986年：一代公主 由康殿宏饰演

• 1993年：唐明皇 由田成仁饰演

• 2000年：大明宫词 由王涛饰演

• 2011年：唐宫燕 由骆达华饰演

• 2018年：宫心计2深宫计 由李龙基饰演

注释

• 从684年－690年唐睿宗仍然在位期间，还有光宅、垂拱、永昌、载初几个年号。虽然有文献把这几个年号算作唐睿宗的，但是这段期间，武则天实际操纵朝政，睿宗毫无实权。因此大多文献把这几个年号算在武则天名下。

Background

Li Xulun was born in 662, as the youngest son of Emperor Gaozong and his second wife Empress Wu (later known as Wu Zetian). Later that year, he was created the Prince of Yin. In 664, he was nominally made the commandant at Ji Prefecture (冀州, roughly modern Hengshui, Hebei) and the Chanyu Protectorate General (headquarters in modern Hohhot, Inner Mongolia). It was said that, as he grew, he became known for humility, the love for his siblings, and talent in calligraphy. In 666, his title was changed to Prince of Yu. In 669, his title was changed to Prince of Ji, and his name was changed from Xulun to Lun. In 675, his title was changed to Prince of Xiang. In 678, his title was changed back to Prince of Yu, and his name was further changed to Li Dan. He was also made the prefect of Luo Prefecture (洛州), the prefecture containing the eastern capital Luoyang. Sometime between 676 and 679, he married his wife Princess Liu.

Emperor Gaozong died in 683 and was succeeded by Li Dan's older brother Li Zhe the Crown Prince (as Emperor Zhongzong), but Empress Wu retained power as empress dowager and regent. In 684, when Emperor Zhongzong displayed signs of independence, she deposed him and replaced him with Li Dan (as Emperor Ruizong), but wielded power even more firmly. Indeed, she housed Emperor Ruizong in a different palace and did not let him meet the imperial officials or give input on affairs of state. Emperor Ruizong's wife Princess Liu was created empress, while her son Li Chengqi was created crown prince.

First reign: under Empress Dowager Wus regency and dethronement

Soon after Emperor Ruizong took the throne, Empress Dowager Wu carried out a major renaming of governmental offices and banners. She, who disliked the capital Chang'an, also elevated Luoyang's status, making it a co-equal capital with Chang'an. She further, at the suggestion of her nephew Wu Chengsi, built an ancestral temple for five generations of her ancestors and had Emperor Ruizong posthumously create them princes.

In fall 684, Li Jingye the Duke of Ying (the grandson of the deceased general Li Ji), started a rebellion against Empress Dowager Wu at Yang Prefecture, seeking the restoration of Emperor Zhongzong. Empress Dowager Wu, in response, sent the general Li Xiaoyi (李孝逸), assisted by the generals Li Zhishi (李知十) and Ma Jingchen to suppress Li Jianye's rebellion, and Li Xiaoyi quickly did so. Meanwhile, believing the chancellor Pei Yan to be undermining her authority, she executed Pei under accusation of treason and demoted a large number of officials and generals who dared to speak in Pei's defense, later executing some of them.

In 686, Empress Dowager created a number of bronze boxes designed to encourage secret reports of crimes. She also began to retain a group of secret police officials to carry out torture and interrogation of people suspected of opposing her rule, including Suo Yuanli, Zhou Xing, and Lai Junchen. On one occasion, she offered to return imperial authorities to Emperor Ruizong, but Emperor Ruizong knew that she was not actually intending to do so, and therefore declined. She thereafter resumed exercising imperial powers.

Emperor Ruizong had completely stayed out of political matters during these years, but he made an exception in 687 when Empress Dowager Wu believed the chancellor Liu Yizhi, who had previously served on his staff when he was a prince, whom she had trusted and promoted, to have turned against her in favoring that she return imperial authorities to Emperor Ruizong. She had Liu accused of corruption and arrested, and Emperor Ruizong personally wrote a petition to request her to spare Liu—which, however, as Liu observed, had the opposite effect, and she ordered Liu to commit suicide.

In 688, fearing that Empress Dowager Wu was using a ceremony to worship the god of the Luo River (洛水, flowing near Luoyang) as an excuse to summon them to Luoyang to slaughter them, the imperial princes considered rebellion, and one was launched by Emperor Ruizong's uncle Li Zhen the Prince of Yue and Li Zhen's son Li Chong the Prince of Langye, claiming that Emperor Ruizong was under arrest and needed to be rescued. However, both Li Zhen and Li Chong were quickly defeated; Li Chong was killed in battle, while Li Zhen committed suicide. Empress Dowager Wu used this opportunity to carry out a major purge of senior imperial Li clan members, including Emperor Ruizong's granduncles Li Yuanjia (李元嘉) the Prince of Han and Li Lingkui (李灵夔) the Prince of Lu.

In 690, Empress Dowager Wu received a number of petitions that she take the throne herself, and Emperor Ruizong also submitted such a petition. She accepted, and she took the throne as "empress regnant," establishing a new Zhou Dynasty and interrupting Tang Dynasty. She demoted Emperor Ruizong to the position of crown prince (with the unusual title Huangsi (皇嗣)), and changed his name back to Lun. She further had him take her family name of Wu.

During Wu Zetians reign

Despite the fact that Wu Zetian created Li Dan crown prince, she considered creating one of her nephews, Wu Chengsi the Prince of Wei or Wu Sansi the Prince of Liang crown prince, and a petition drive for Wu Chengsi to be created crown prince reached its peak in 691. The chancellors Cen Changqian and Ge Fuyuan were even executed for opposing it, but Wu Zetian never did carry out the change, and when the leader of the petition drive, Wang Qingzhi (王庆之) was caned to death by the official Li Zhaode, the petition drive dissipated.

Meanwhile, in 693, Wu Zetian's lady in waiting Wei Tuan'er (韦团儿), who was resentful of Li Dan for reasons lost to history, falsely accused Li Dan's wife Crown Princess Liu and concubine Consort Dou of witchcraft, and Wu Zetian killed Crown Princess Liu and Consort Dou. In fear of offending Wu Zetian, Li Dan did not dare to mourn either and continued to behave normally. When Wei Tuan'er tried to further falsely accuse Li Dan, someone, in turn, reported her activities to Wu Zetian, and Wu Zetian executed her. Still, thereafter, Li Dan's sons were demoted in rank and kept under secure watch. Later in 693, the officials Pei Feigong (裴匪躬) and Fan Yunxian (范云仙) were executed on account of meeting Li Dan secretly, and there were accusations that Li Dan was planning to rebel against Wu Zetian. Wu Zetian ordered that the officials not be allowed to meet Li Dan, and further arrested his servants to interrogate them. The secret police official Lai Junchen tortured Li Dan's servants, and many of them, unable to stand up to the torture, considered falsely implicating Li Dan. One of them, An Jinzang, however, cut his own belly open and proclaimed Li Dan's innocence. When Wu Zetian heard this, she sent imperial doctors to save An, and, impressed by An's willingness to die to show Li Dan's innocence, ended the investigation against Li Dan.

In 698, after Wu Zetian had, at the encouragement of the chancellors Di Renjie, Wang Fangqing, and Wang Jishan, as well as her close associate Ji Xu and lovers Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong, recalled Li Zhe from exile, Li Dan offered to yield the crown prince position to Li Zhe. Wu Zetian agreed and created Li Zhe crown prince (changing his name initially back to Li Xian and then Wu Xian) and Li Dan the Prince of Xiang.

In 699, Wu Zetian, in fear that after her death that Li Xian and the Wu clan princes would not be able to coexist peacefully, had Li Xian, Li Dan, their sister Princess Taiping, her husband Wu Youji (Wu Zetian's nephew), and the other Wu clan princes swear an oath to each other and read the oaths to the gods. The oaths were then carved on iron and kept in the imperial archives. Later that year, the restrictions on his and Li Xian's sons were lifted, and they were allowed to live outside the palace.

In 701, when there was an incursion by the Eastern Tujue khan Ashina Mochuo, Li Dan was put in command of an army to defend against the attack, but before the army could be launched, Ashina Mochuo withdrew. Subsequently, Li Dan was nominally put in charge of the imperial guards.

In 702, Wu Zetian put Li Dan in command of an army and made the prefect of Bing Prefecture (并州, roughly modern Taiyuan, Shanxi), with Wu Sansi, Wu Youning, and Wei Yuanzhong as his assistants, apparently preparing to attack Eastern Tujue, but the army was never launched. Later that year, she had Li Xian, Li Dan, and Princess Taiping submit formal petitions to have Zhang Changzong created a prince. She then formally rejected the petitions, but created Zhang Changzong and Zhang Yizhi dukes.

In 703, Li Dan was made the prefect of Yong Prefecture (雍州, roughly modern Xi'an, Shaanxi), the prefecture that included Chang'an.

During Emperor Zhongzongs second reign under Empress Weis shadow

In 705, Wu Zetian was overthrown in a coup led by Zhang Jianzhi, Cui Xuanwei, Huan Yanfan, Jing Hui, and Yuan Shuji. (Yuan was Li Dan's secretary general, and during the coup, Yuan's responsibility was to safeguard Li Dan, suggesting, but not proving, that Li Dan might have known about the coup plans.) Li Xian was restored to the throne, and he gave Li Dan the special title of Anguo Xiangwang, literally "the Prince of Xiang who pacified the state." Emperor Zhongzong also gave Li Dan the title of Taiwei (太尉, one of the Three Excellencies) and made him a chancellor with the designation of Tong Zhongshu Menxia Sanpin. Li Dan declined both honors, and Emperor Zhongzong then offered to create him heir apparent, which Li Dan declined as well. Emperor Zhongzong subsequently created his son Li Chongjun crown prince.

In 707, Li Chongjun, who was not born of Emperor Zhongzong's powerful wife Empress Wei (her only son Li Chongrun having been killed by Wu Zetian), was angry that Empress Wei's daughter Li Guo'er the Princess Anle and her husband Wu Chongxun (武崇训, Wu Sansi's son) repeatedly insulted him and were trying to persuade Emperor Zhongzong to create Li Guo'er crown princess to displace Li Chongjun, rose in rebellion and killed Wu Sansi and Wu Chongxun. His subsequent attack on the palace, however, was repelled, and he was killed in flight. Some of his followers implicated Li Dan and Princess Taiping after they were arrested and interrogated. Emperor Zhongzong initially had the imperial censor Xiao Zhizhong put in charge of investigating Li Dan and Princess Taiping, but at Xiao's earnest urging stopped the investigation.

In 708, when Li Guo'er married again, to Wu Yanxiu (武延秀), Li Dan was the ceremonial protector of her litter.

During Emperor Shangs reign under Empress dowager Weis regency

On 3 July 710, Emperor Zhongzong died suddenly—a death that traditional historians believed to be a poisoning carried out by Empress Wei and Li Guo'er, so that Empress Wei could be Empress Regnant like Wu Zetian and Li Guo'er could be crown princess. Under a will drafted for Emperor Zhongzong by Princess Taiping and Emperor Zhongzong's concubine Consort Shangguan Wan'er, Emperor Zhongzong's son by another concubine, Li Chongmao would be named emperor, with Empress Wei serving as empress dowager and regent, but with Li Dan as co-regent. This plan, however, was opposed by and ultimately altered at the suggestions of Empress Wei's cousin Wei Wen and Zong Chuke. After Li Chongmao took the throne (as Emperor Shang), Empress Wei became empress dowager and regent, while Li Dan only received an entirely ceremonial title of senior advisor to the crown prince (太子太师, Taizi Taishi) – as there was no crown prince at the time.

Meanwhile, Empress Dowager Wei's party viewed Li Dan and Princess Taiping as threats and considered eliminating them. One of her partisans, Cui Riyong, was fearful of what would happen if the plan failed, and therefore informed the plan to Li Dan's son (by Consort Dou) Li Longji the Prince of Linzi. Li Longji responded by conspiring with Princess Taiping, Princess Taiping's son Xue Chongjian (薛崇简), as well as several low level officials close to him – Zhong Shaojing, Wang Chongye (王崇晔), Liu Youqiu, and Ma Sizong (麻嗣宗) – to act first. Meanwhile, Empress Wei's nephews Wei Bo (韦播) and Gao Song (高嵩), who had recently been put in command of imperial guards and who had tried to establish their authority by dealing with the guards harshly, had alienated the guards, and the guard officers Ge Fushun (葛福顺), Chen Xuanli, and Li Xianfu (李仙凫) thereafter also joined the plot.

Without first informing Li Dan, the conspirators rose on 21 July, first killing Wei Bo, Gao, and Empress Wei's cousin Wei Gui (韦璇). They then attacked the palace. When Empress Dowager Wei panicked and fled to an imperial guard camp, a guard beheaded her. Li Guo'er, Wu Yanxiu, and the powerful lady in waiting Lady Helou were killed as well. Li Longji soon slaughtered a number of officials in Empress Dowager's faction as well as her clan, while displaying Empress Dowager Wei's body on the street. Li Dan took over as regent, but at the urging of Princess Taiping, Li Longji, and Li Chengqi, Li Dan soon took the throne from Emperor Shang and again became emperor. Emperor Shang was reduced in rank back to Prince of Wen.

Second reign under Princess Taipings shadow

Emperor Ruizong was immediately faced with the issue of whom to make crown prince—as Li Chengqi, as the oldest son overall and the oldest son of his wife, was the appropriate heir under Confucian principles of succession, but Li Longji had been the one whose accomplishments had allowed him to retake the throne. He hesitated. Li Chengqi declined consideration to be crown prince—stating to his father:

Li Chengqi wept and begged to yield for several days, and after further persuasion by the chancellor Liu Youqiu – who had been part of Li Longji's coup plans—Emperor Ruizong agreed, and created Li Longji crown prince. Li Longji submitted a petition offering to yield to Li Chengqi, but Emperor Ruizong rejected it.

Emperor Ruizong reversed many of Emperor Zhongzong's actions and posthumously honored many people who lost their lives during the reigns of Wu Zetian and Emperor Zhongzong. He further removed thousands of officials that Emperor Zhongzong had commissioned at the recommendations of powerful courtiers, without having been submitted for examination by the examination (门下省, Menxia Sheng) and legislative (中书省, Zhongshu Sheng) bureaus of government, as was proper. Meanwhile, though, with Emperor Ruizong considered meek, the court was dominated by two competing factions—of Princess Taiping and Li Longji. Indeed, it was said that whenever chancellors brought proposals to Emperor Ruizong, Emperor Ruizong would ask them whether they had consulted Princess Taiping and Li Longji, and only act if the chancellors had consulted them. Princess Taiping, finding Li Longji to be not receptive to her influences, began to spread news of offenses by Li Longji, hoping that he would eventually be removed. In 711, the chancellors Yao Yuanzhi and Song Jing tried to defuse the situation by having Princess Taiping sent to Pu Prefecture (蒲州, roughly modern Yuncheng, Shanxi) and the two princes with arguable better claims on the throne than Li Longji—Li Chengqi and Li Shouli the Prince of Bin (whose father Li Xián (note different tone than Emperor Zhongzong) was an older brother to both Emperors Zhongzong and Ruizong) – out of the capital to serve as prefectural prefects, but after their plan was discovered by Princess Taiping, she angrily complained, and was recalled to the capital along with Li Chengqi and Li Shouli. Yao and Song, credited with reforming the civil service system, were demoted, and it was said that thereafter, the civil service system became as confused as it was during Emperor Zhongzong's reign.

In 712, the general Sun Quan, the commandant at You Prefecture (幽州, roughly modern Beijing), aggressively attacked the Xi chieftain Li Dabu (李大酺), and was defeated by Li Dabu, at the loss of nearly the entire army.

Later in 712, Princess Taiping had astrologers warn Emperor Ruizong that the constellation that symbolized the imperial throne, Dizuo (帝座), showed that there would be a change in the emperor's position—believing that Emperor Ruizong would suspect Li Longji of plotting a coup and that she could remove Li Longji this way. Instead, Emperor Ruizong, reasoning that the change in the emperor's position could be accounted by an orderly transition, offered to pass the throne to Li Longji. Princess Taiping fervently opposed it, and Li Longji initially declined, but at Emperor Ruizong's insistence finally accepted and took the throne (as Emperor Xuanzong). However, at Princess Taiping's suggestion, Emperor Ruizong retained much of the imperial power as Taishang Huang (retired emperor), and his edicts continued to carry greater force than Emperor Xuanzong's.

As retired emperor under princess Taipings shadow

Meanwhile, Princess Taiping continued to be highly influential in governmental matters management through Emperor Ruizong, and most Government officials and chancellors were her associates. (Of the seven chancellors at the time, five – Dou Huaizhen, Xiao Zhizhong, Cen Xi, Cui Shi, and Lu Xiangxian – were made chancellors at her recommendation, although Lu was not considered a member of her party.) Liu Youqiu and the general Zhang Wei, with Emperor Xuanzong's approval, planned to mobilize the imperial guards to kill several of those chancellors—Dou, Cui, and Cen. However, after Zhang told the plan to the imperial censor Deng Guangbin (邓光宾), the news was leaked. Liu was arrested, and initially set to be executed. Emperor Xuanzong interceded on his behalf with Emperor Ruizong, and Liu, Zhang, and Deng were spared but exiled.

Later in 712, Emperor Ruizong decreed that Emperor Xuanzong lead a group of soldiers to examine the northern border. However, the group of conscripted soldiers was disbanded in spring 713, and the plan was never carried out.

By summer 713, it was said that Princesses Taiping, Dou, Cen, Xiao, Cui; along with other officials Xue Ji, Li Jin (李晋) the Prince of Xinxing (a grandson of Li Deliang (李德良), a cousin of Tang's founder Emperor Gaozu), Li You (李猷), Jia Yingfu (贾膺福), Tang Jun (唐晙); the generals Chang Yuankai (常元楷), Li Ci (李慈), and Li Qin (李钦); and the monk Huifan, were plotting to overthrow Emperor Xuanzong. It was further said that they discussed, with the lady in waiting Lady Yuan to poison the gastrodia elata that Emperor Xuanzong routinely took as an aphrodisiac. When this alleged plot was reported to Emperor Xuanzong by Wei Zhigu, Emperor Xuanzong, who had already received advice from Wang Ju (王琚), Zhang Shuo, and Cui Riyong to act first, did so. He convened a meeting with his brothers Li Fan (李范) the Prince of Qi, Li Ye (李业) the Prince of Xue, Guo Yuanzhen, along with a number of his associates—the general Wang Maozhong (王毛仲), the officials Jiang Jiao (姜皎) and Li Lingwen (李令问), his brother-in-law Wang Shouyi (王守一), the eunuch Gao Lishi, and the military officer Li Shoude (李守德)—and decided to act first. On 29 July, Emperor Xuanzong had Wang Maozhong take 300 soldiers to the imperial guard camp to behead Chang and Li Ci. Then, Jia, Li You, Xiao, and Cen were arrested and executed as well. Dou fled into a canyon and committed suicide by hanging. Xue Ji was forced to commit suicide. When Emperor Ruizong heard about this, he quickly ascended the tower at Chengtian Gate to ascertain what was happening. Guo reported to him Emperor Xuanzong's intentions, and Emperor Ruizong felt compelled to affirm Emperor Xuanzong's actions in an edict. The next day, Emperor Ruizong issued an edict transferring all authorities to Emperor Xuanzong and moved to a secondary palace, Baifu Hall (百福殿). Meanwhile, Princess Taiping, hearing what happened to her associates, fled into a temple in the mountains, only appearing three days later. Emperor Xuanzong ordered her to commit suicide at home, and put to death her sons and associates, except for Xue Chongjian. It was said that when Emperor Ruizong was at Baifu Hall, the only person who attended to him regularly was Emperor Xuanzong's daughter Princess Shouchun.

In 716, Emperor Ruizong died at Baifu Hall. He was enshrined into the imperial temple, along with Emperor Xuanzong's mother Consort Dou, who was posthumously honored an empress. Emperor Xuanzong had his daughter Princess Wan'an become a Taoist nun to seek blessings for Emperor Ruizong.

Chancellors during reign

First reign

• Liu Rengui (684–685)

• Pei Yan (684)

• Guo Daiju (684)

• Cen Changqian (684–690)

• Wei Xuantong (684–689)

• Liu Jingxian (684)

• Wei Hongmin (684)

• Wang Dezhen (684–685)

• Liu Yizhi (684–687)

• Wu Chengsi (684, 685, 689–690)

• Li Jingchen (684)

• Qian Weidao (684–685, 688)

• Shen Junliang (684–685)

• Cui Cha (684–685)

• Wei Fangzhi (684–690)

• Wei Siqian (685–687)

• Pei Judao (685–690)

• Su Liangsi (685–690)

• Wei Daijia (685–689)

• Zhang Guangfu (687–689)

• Wang Benli (688–690)

• Fan Lübing (689–690)

• Xing Wenwei (689–690)

• Wu Youning (690)

Second reign

• Wei Anshi (710, 711)

• Tang Xiujing (710)

• Li Jiao (710)

• Su Gui (710)

• Zhang Renyuan (710)

• Zhang Xi (710)

• Pei Tan (710)

• Cen Xi (710, 712)

• Liu Youqiu (710–711, 711–712)

• Zhong Shaojing (710)

• Li Longji (710)

• Li Rizhi (710–711)

• Xue Ji (710)

• Yao Yuanzhi (710–711)

• Wei Sili (710)

• Xiao Zhizhong (710)

• Zhao Yanzhao (710)

• Cui Shi (710, 711–712)

• Cui Riyong (710)

• Song Jing (710–711)

• Li Chengqi (710)

• Guo Yuanzhen (711)

• Zhang Shuo (711)

• Dou Huaizhen (711, 712)

• Lu Xiangxian (711–712)

• Wei Zhigu (711–712)

Family

Consorts and Issue:

• Empress Suming, of the Liu clan of Pengcheng (肃明皇后 彭城刘氏; d. 693)

　• Li Xian, Emperor Rang (让皇帝 李宪; 679–742), first son

　• Princess Shouchang (寿昌公主), first daughter

　　• Married Cui Zhen of Boling (博陵 崔真)

　• Princess Dai (代公主; 689–734), personal name Hua (华), fourth daughter

　　• Married Zheng Wanjun of Xingyang, Duke Xingyang (荥阳 郑万钧) in 705, and had issue (two sons, four daughters)

• Empress Zhaocheng, of the Dou clan of Henan (昭成皇后 河南窦氏; d. 693), second cousin

　• Li Longji, Xuanzong (玄宗 李隆基; 685–762), third son

　• Princess Jinxian (金仙公主; 689–732), eighth daughter

　• Princess Yuzhen (玉真公主; d. 762), personal name Chiying (持盈), ninth daughter

• Noble Consort, of the Cui clan of Qinghe (贵妃 清河崔氏; d. 691)

　• Li Fan, Crown Prince Huiwen (惠文皇太子 李范; 686–726), fourth son

　• Princess Xi (鄎公主; 689–725), seventh daughter

　　• Married Xue Jing of Hedong, Duke Fenyin (河东 薛儆; 689–720), and had issue (four sons, five daughters)

　　• Married Zheng Xiaoyi of Xingyang (荥阳 郑孝义) in 720

• Virtuous Consort, of the Wang clan of Taiyuan (德妃 太原王氏)

　• Li Ye, Crown Prince Huixuan (惠宣皇太子 李业; 686–734), fifth son

　• Princess Huaiyang (淮阳公主; 686–704), personal name Huashan (花山), third daughter

　　• Married Wang Chengqing of Langya, Duke Linyi (琊琅 王承庆; d. 717) in 702, and had issue (one daughter)

　• Princess Liang (凉公主; 687–724), personal name Nou (㝹), fifth daughter

　　• Married Xue Boyang of Hedong, Duke Anyi (河东 薛伯阳; d. 713), a son of Xue Ji, and had issue (one son)

　　• Married Wen Xi (温曦) in 713, and had issue (one son)

• Lady, of the Liu clan of Hedong (宫人 河东柳氏)

　• Li Hui, Crown Prince Huizhuang (惠庄皇太子 李㧑; d. 724), second son

• Unknown

　• Li Longti, Prince Sui (隋王 李隆悌; 692–702), sixth son

　• Princess Anxing Zhaohuai (安兴昭怀公主; d. 692), second daughter

　• Princess Xue (薛公主)

　　• Married Wang Shouyi of Taiyuan, Duke Qi (太原 王守一; d. 723), and had issue (one daughter)

　　• Married Pei Xun of Hedong, Duke Wei (河东 裴巽; 672–726) in 723

　　• Married, and had issue (one daughter)

　• Princess Huo (霍公主; d. 756)

　　• Married Pei Xuji of Hedong (河东 裴虚己)

Ancestry

In fiction and popular culture

• Portrayed by Lee Lung Kei in Deep in the Realm of Conscience (2018)

• Portrayed by Wang Tao and Yuan Shilong in Palace of Desire (2000)