In The Tang Dynasty, The Zhou Clan Family History Was Examined

Zhou Bi family is a typical bureaucratic family from early Tang Dynasty to Mid-Tang Dynasty for more than one hundred years. Due to the outstanding ability and morality, this family was reused and rewarded continuously from local to central. Especially the self-sacrifice of Zhou Bi and Zhou Xiao seems to be the top glory of this family. Zhou Bi family is skilled in military and diplomacy and establish feats repeatedly.But in the increasingly strong cultural atmosphere of the late Tang Dynasty, this family began to decline, maybe also due to offend the powerful eunuch group. Then this family almost disappeared in the history books.As Zhou Bi family is a typical model of general family and Zhou family and this family almost disappears in the history books, it is necessary to further analysis the Zhou family and find out development characteristics of it and reason for its rise and fall. This Can help us to observe the evolution of the tang dynasty histry during this period.Paper will be roughly discussed is divided into six parts in chronological order:The first part is the introduction of main research idea and academic history.The second part mainly explores the lineage of Zhou Bi family and its origin. This part need to find out the reasons for divergence of native place by using Yuanhexingzuan and related epigraph. Then the analysis of Zhou Xingjian’s official experiences from local to central can clear its meaning for whole family.The third part mainly studies the political debates about Turgesh between Guo Yuanzhen and Zhou Yiti. After Western Turks perished, Tang Dynasty took Jimi Gorerning in local. In this process, new conflicts emerged between the decadent Ashinas and the rising Turgesh. Guo Yuanzhen and Zhou Yiti put forward different solutions for new conflicts as the frontier military commanders. Attribute to a political wrangling in the central government, Zhou Yiti failed after the victory of the beginning.The fourth part mainly discusses the brief process and Far-reaching influence of the insurgency of Liangzhou. After the political turmoil of Turgesh, Zhou Yiti took part in the crusade against Xi people and unfortunately became the sacrifice of defeat. Zhou Bi-the son of Zhou Yiti-and his son also died a hero’s death in the insurgency of Liangzhou nearly half a century later. The Far-reaching influence of Liangzhou Insurgency is the focus of the research in this chapter.The fifth part mainly discusses experiences and causes of Zhou Hao’s fluctuant official career. Zhou Hao followed his father and joined in the war against Tibet when he was young and then entered Imperial Guards. During An Lushan Rebellion, Zhou Hao entered the army of Suzong Emperor and then became the commander of Shesheng Army which is the elite of Imperial Guards. During Daizong Emperor, Zhou Hao was involved in killing the powerful eunuch Yu Chaoen. During Dezong Emperor, Zhou Hao was back to the central officer under Lu Zhi’s recommendation after the rebellion of Jingyuan Army.The experiences and causes of Zhou Hao’s fluctuant official career and evolution of Imperial Guards in the Mid-Tang Dynasty is the focus of the research in this chapter.The sixth part explores the reasons of Zhou Bi family decline. Zhou Bi family began to decline after several generations of senior officials from grandson of Zhou Bi. And this complete decline in considerably affects the historical compilation for Zhou Bi family in historical writing. This chapter will explore the difficulties of Zhou Bi family’s continuous development by observing the cultural transformation of middle Tang Dynasty and the trajectory of professional bureaucracy family. Then finally preliminary tease out the cause of the decline.