From "Tang Huiyao, Volume 30, Hongyi Palace": On the fifth day of the seventh month in the fifth year of the WuDe Era, the construction of Hongyi Palace began. Initially, Prince Qin resided in the Inheriting Heaven Hall within the palace. Gaozu, recognizing Prince Qin's merits in pacifying the realm, bestowed special honors upon him and had this separate palace built for his residence.
By the seventh month of the ninth year (after the Xuanwu Gate Incident), Gaozu, fond of the scenic mountainous surroundings of Hongyi Palace, moved there. In the fourth month of the third year of the Zhenguan Era, it was renamed Great Peace Palace... Censor Ma Zhou submitted a memorial stating: "I observe that the Great Peace Palace lies west of the palace city. Its walls, gates, and towers, compared to the Purple Forbidden City, are still humble and small. The Crown Prince's residence remains within the palace city, while the Great Peace Palace, where the Supreme Emperor resides, is outside the city walls. Although the Supreme Emperor cherishes simplicity and frugality, and Your Majesty respects his wishes by conserving labor, foreign envoys and visitors from afar may find it lacking in grandeur. I propose enhancing the battlements, rebuilding the gate towers, and elevating their height and splendor to meet the expectations of all, thus manifesting great filial piety to the world."
The above reference illustrates two points: first, the Great Peace Palace's terrain featured "scenic mountainous surroundings," and second, though it had "walls and gates," they were of a lower rank (built to princely standards) and unworthy of the Supreme Emperor's status. Ma Zhou suggested upgrading the palace to help Li Shimin gain a reputation as a "filial son." Some scholars interpret this as evidence of Li Shimin intentionally mistreating his father, which is an overstretched assumption.
Additionally, the "Book of Sui" mentions a renowned physician named "Wu Jingxian" in two instances. One is in the biography of Mai Tiezhuang: During the Liaodong campaign, Mai requested to lead the vanguard and told physician Wu Jingxian, "A true man's life and death are predestined. How can I die lying in the hands of children, treated with moxibustion and melon-stalk nasal sprays?" The other is in the "Bibliographic Treatise," listing Wu Jingxian as one of the authors of the medical text "Treatise on the Origins and Symptoms of Diseases." Given the low probability of two famous physicians sharing the same name in the same era, and considering Li Shimin's status and power when he wrote the letter, it is likely that the "Jingxian" he referred to was indeed Wu Jingxian.
This book includes numerous historical artifact images in its annotations. Since the publishing platform does not support image uploads, please visit the author's Weibo to view them. Search for the ID "Tangchuan Tour Guide Forest Deer" on Sina Weibo for discussions. Welcome to engage.
OpenNovel