Abstract Li Kuan was a significant figure in the founding period of the Tang Dynasty who went through the Sui Dynasty, as well as Emperors Taizong and Gaozong in the Tang Dynasty. He had important relations with several momentous political events in the early Tang Dynasty. However, his deeds were buried in oblivion for thousands of years. The excavation of Li Kuan's tablet and epitaph demonstrated his life story, confirmed and revealed the history of the Early Tang Dynasty. The rubbing of Li Kuan's tablet was obtained from Mr. Zhang in the Forest of Steles, Xi'an. The rubbing of Li Kuan's epitaph is now collected by the Ancient Rubbings Research and Conservation Center of Zhejiang University. Text and punctuation were arranged based on the rubbings. Firstly, Li Kuan's family went through the process of the surname change and granting. Li Kuan's forefathers were granted surnames by the monarchs twice, and as a result, they finally restored their original surname. It is a special remembrance circumstance of Surname Li in Longxi, which is also a typical case of family vicissitude in ancient China. It was clearly recorded in the tablet and epitaph of Li Kuan's extraction. Bing Qiu, Bing Ming and Li Can were Li Kuan's most important ancestors. Secondly, Li Kuan was a significant figure in the early period of the Tang Dynasty. He participated in the battles with Wang Shichong, Liu Heita, Tuguhun, Gaochang, Koryo and other momentous political events. These records in the tablet and epitaph could make up the absence and error of handed-down documents. Moreover, the historical facts contained in Li Kuan's tablet and epitaph have high literature values, which help identify major ancient books and records. For example, handed-down documents recorded Li Can as the interested party of ″To ride a horse by the Imperial Palace″ event, but Li Kuan's tablet and epitaph recorded it was Li Kuan. Meanwhile, Li Kuan's official experience could help supplement and correct Tang Cishi Kao and Tang Jiuqing Kao. Finally, the writing and building of Li Kuan's tablet and epitaph contained complicated political and familial factors. There was a long time lag between the writing and building of Li Kuan's tablet, along with the difference between titles, narratives and historical facts. It implied some political changing factors from Empress Wu Zetian to Emperor Tang Xuanzong, as well as Li Kuan's family elements. The tablet was written by Liu Yizhi, the Prime Minister of Empress Wu Zetian's court, but it hadn't been built at that time, probably because Liu Yizhi was sentenced to death for offending Empress Wu Zetian. These factors revealed some traces to the writer and building time.
|