Research on the Political Relationship between the Hebei Region and the Central Authority during the Tang Dynasty
Being an abundant, populous, convenient, and prosperous area, Hebei had been a leading region in defending the frontier since ancient times. Therefore, Hebei was still a principal district in Sui and Tang Dynasties.
In the early Tang, the political authority of Li Tang was cautious, or even biased about Hebei Dao. But Emperor Kao Tsu and Emperor Tai Tsung chose their ministers both from Kuan Lung aristocracy and beyond. In terms of the choice about Hebei Dao Prefects (tzu-shih) and county magistrates (hsien-ling), both emperors chose men of ability from diverse regions and cultures, not confined to Kuan Lung aristocracy.
In the early Tang, the central authority did not ignore the administration of Dongbei region, though with a foreign threat of Turks (Tu-chueh). Ever since Tibet (Tu-fan) became the focus of national defense in Tang period, the authority was forced to turn passive in the administration of Dongbei. The institution of military governorship (chieh-tu shih) was formed to suppress the rebellion of Li Chin-chung and Sun Wan-jung during the reign of Empress Wu. At first, the military governorship was established in the frontier for the purpose of military defense. Later when military governorship was additionally endowed with the duty of civil inspecting commissioner (tsai-fang chu-chin shih), the governors gained greater power. In the year of Tien Pao fourteen (755), the military governors of three Daos—Fan Yang, Ping-Lu, Hedao, An Lu-shan, rebelled against Tang. Since then, Tang dynasty declined drastically.
After AnShi rebellion, the system of provincial command (fan-chen) was established, and thus provincial commands, eunuchs, cliques altogether caused the downfall of the Tang dynasty. In the reign of Emperor Su-tsung, provincial commands were set up everywhere. Subsequently Emperor Dai-tsung appointed a great number of military governors. Adopted Pu-gu Huai-en’s opinion, Emperor Dai-tsung appointed Tiencheng Suu, the ex-rebel general from Anshi rebellion, as the military governor of Hebei region. Such appointments resulted in the failure to eradicate the provincial commands.
From Su-tsung onward, the Tang emperors adopted a policy of appeasing toward the three provincial commands in Hebei region. However, Emperor Hsien-tsung took tough measures to deal with provincial commands, and he succeeded with the achievement of “Yuan-Ho resurgence.” In the rule of Emperor Mu-tsung, the provinces of Wei-po, Cheng-de, Youzou rebelled once and again until the end of Tang.
It is assumed that the three provincial commands of Hebei region had long been separated and independent from the central government. They built up the army and fortified their bases, following their own rules. United with one another, the three provincial commands fought against the central government and maintained a semi-independent state that Tang authority was unable to suppress. As a matter of fact, the three provincial commands of Hebei kept with Tang court an ambiguous relationship, not as clear-cut as what Chen Yinke claimed.