Li Shimin said: husbands can dress up their clothes with copper as a mirror; Taking history as a mirror, we can know the rise and fall; Take people as a mirror, you can know the gains and losses. I have kept these three mirrors in case I miss them. Now Wei Zhi is dead. He died in a mirror.
It means that a mirror made of copper can be used to tidy up your clothes, history can be used as a mirror to know the rise and fall of dynasties, and people can be used as a mirror to know their own gains and losses. I often use three mirrors to prevent me from making any mistakes. Today, Wei Zhi died, and I lost a mirror.
Source: Biography of Wei Zhi in the Old Tang Dynasty, said by Emperor Taizong after the death of his trusted prime minister Wei Zhi.
character introduction
Li Shimin (65438+5981October 28th, 65438+1October 23rd, 599-10, July 649) was originally from Ji Cheng, Longxi (now Qin 'an, Gansu), Didao, Longxi (now Lintao County, Gansu). The second emperor of the Tang Dynasty (reigned from 626 to 649) was a politician, strategist, strategist and poet.
Li Shimin joined the army as a teenager and went to Yanmenguan to rescue Yang Di. Propose Jinyang arise, worship the Emperor, seal Dunhuang Duke, lead the troops to attack Chang 'an, worship the ministers and doctors, and seal Qin Gong and Zhao Gong. After the establishment of the Tang Dynasty, he led the troops to pacify the separatist forces such as Xue, Liu Wuzhou, Dou Jiande, Wang and Liu Heita, and made great contributions to the establishment and unification of the Tang Dynasty, worshiping the generals and sealing the king of Qin.
On the fourth day of June (July 2, 626), Wude launched the "Xuanwumen Rebellion", killing Prince Li and Li Yuanji, the king of Qi, and was posthumously named the Crown Prince. On August 9th, Tang Gaozu Tang Gaozu abdicated, and Li Shimin proclaimed himself emperor, with the title of Zhenguan. In the early days of his rule, he listened to the opinions of ministers and accepted advice with an open mind.
Governing the country and leveling the world with Chinese characters, practicing economy, persuading farmers and mulberry workers to recuperate, making the country prosperous and the people safe, and creating "the rule of chastity." Open up territory to the outside world, attack and destroy East Turkistan and Xueyantuo, conquer Gaochang, Qiuci and Tuguhun, and hit Goguryeo hard. And set up four towns in Anxi to live in harmony with all ethnic groups in the north, and won the title of "Tiankhan", which laid an important foundation for the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty 100 years.
On May 26th, the 23rd year of Zhenguan (10, July 649), Li Shimin died in Hanfeng Temple at the age of 52, and he reigned for 23 years. His temple name is Taizong, the emperor of posthumous title (later a great emperor, a great sage with both civil and military skills), and he was buried in Zhaoling. He loves literature and calligraphy, and has poems handed down from generation to generation by Mo Bao.
Refer to the above information: Baidu Encyclopedia-Li Shimin