After Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Li Longji, ascended the throne, he appointed a group of virtuous ministers such as Yao Chong, Song Jing, and Zhang Jiuling. With their assistance, Emperor Xuanzong worked diligently to govern and vigorously develop production. By the end of the Kaiyuan era, the national treasury was abundant, the people lived in peace and prosperity, and the household registration had increased fourfold compared to the early Tang Dynasty. The Tang Dynasty became the center of economic and cultural exchange in Asia, with envoys from Japan, Central Asia, and West Asia frequently arriving in Chang'an. Since this period coincided with the Kaiyuan reign of Emperor Xuanzong, people later referred to this flourishing era as the "Kaiyuan Prosperity."
Yao Chong served as Prime Minister during the reigns of Empress Wu Zetian and Emperor Ruizong of the Tang Dynasty. In 713 AD, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang held a grand military review at the foot of Mount Li, with Prime Minister and Minister of War Guo Yuanzhen serving as the overall commander of the review. Due to the disorderly and undisciplined appearance of the troops, Emperor Xuanzong, in a fit of anger, dismissed Guo Yuanzhen from his post and exiled him to a remote area. Afterwards, Emperor Xuanzong ordered Yao Chong to rush to the military camp at Mount Li. When Yao Chong arrived, Emperor Xuanzong was hunting by the Wei River. Emperor Xuanzong asked Yao Chong, "Are you familiar with hunting?"
Yao Chong replied, "I have been an orphan since childhood. At the age of twenty, I lived in Guangcheng Marsh and spent my days enjoying hunting. When I was forty, I met Zhang Jingzang. He told me that I would become Prime Minister due to my literary talent. From then on, I devoted myself to studying diligently. Although I have not yet become Prime Minister, I still have not forgotten hunting, even at my advanced age."
After hearing this, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang was very pleased and immediately asked Yao Chong to demonstrate his skills. Yao Chong commanded the troops with ease, advancing and retreating as he pleased, and was highly skilled in archery and spear-throwing. The emperor was thoroughly impressed and promptly appointed him as Minister of War, also making him the Prime Minister in place of Guo Yuanzhen.
After Yao Chong became Prime Minister, he advised Emperor Xuanzong of Tang to thoroughly eliminate the accumulated abuses from the chaotic politics of the late years of Empress Wu Zetian, proposing ten suggestions including that imperial relatives should not serve as prime ministers, governing with benevolence and righteousness, and halting border expansion wars. Emperor Xuanzong immediately agreed to implement Yao Chong's proposals. Yao Chong served as prime minister for three years, during which he streamlined government institutions, rewarded integrity, punished corrupt officials, and selected talented individuals for their merits, revitalizing the political landscape and laying a solid foundation for the "Golden Age of Kaiyuan."
After Yao Chong passed away, Song Jing became the prime minister. Emperor Xuanzong of Tang held Song Jing in high regard, even to the point of being somewhat in awe of him, always treating him with the respect due a teacher. Song Jing dared to voice his opinions directly in front of Emperor Xuanzong, unafraid of angering him. At times, Emperor Xuanzong was not satisfied with Song Jing's suggestions but had no choice but to agree.
Although Song Jing held the esteemed position of Prime Minister, he maintained a clear distinction between public and private matters and never showed favoritism. When his uncle Song Yuanchao became a candidate for an official post and sought preferential treatment from the Ministry of Personnel through his nephew's influence, Song Jing personally wrote a letter to the ministry officials upon learning of this, demanding that they administer justice impartially.
During the reign of Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty, the prime minister and third-rank officials could only report to the emperor in the presence of remonstrance officials and court historians, a practice designed to prevent high-ranking officials from slandering others. However, this practice was abolished after Emperor Gaozong and Empress Wu Zetian came to power, leading to a gradual rise in the culture of falsely accusing colleagues and spreading slander. After Song Jing became prime minister, he reinstated the rule that all officials reporting to the emperor must have court historians and remonstrance officials present, which deterred court officials from casually spreading slander.
At that time, many local officials who came to the capital to report to the emperor and the prime minister, seeking opportunities for promotion, brought expensive gifts to curry favor with influential officials, making bribery among the powerful very common. Song Jing was deeply dissatisfied with this, and after obtaining Emperor Xuanzong's approval, he demanded that those powerful officials who had accepted bribes return all the gifts, effectively curbing the trend of bribery.
Before becoming Prime Minister, Song Jing served as an official in Guangzhou. Local officials there, hoping to flatter him, decided to erect a stele in his honor. When Song Jing learned of this, he said to Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, "Although I served as an official in Guangzhou, my achievements were quite ordinary. Now that I have been promoted to Prime Minister by Your Majesty, they are using the erection of a stele to flatter me. I believe this kind of practice could set a very bad precedent, so I request that Your Majesty issue an edict to firmly prohibit such behavior." Emperor Xuanzong greatly admired Song Jing's integrity and thus adopted his advice.
In 720 AD, Song Jing offended many powerful officials by banning the circulation of illicit money and suppressing appeals against corrupt officials, leading to his dismissal as Prime Minister. In 729 AD, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang reappointed him as Prime Minister. In 733 AD, feeling advanced in age, Song Jing resigned from his position and retired to Luoyang.
After Song Jing left office, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang appointed Zhang Jiuling as prime minister. Thanks to the efforts of Yao Chong and Song Jing, the Tang Dynasty had entered its golden age. However, beneath this prosperous era, many crises still lurked. In response to these various issues, Zhang Jiuling proposed a political philosophy of replacing "hegemonic rule" with "kingly way." Through his efforts, the centralization of power in the Tang Dynasty was strengthened, social conflicts were alleviated, and the "Golden Age of Kaiyuan" was sustained.
Zhang Jiuling repeatedly advised Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty to remain vigilant in times of peace and not become complacent after achieving some successes. Consort Wu Huifei, a favored concubine of the emperor, hoped that Zhang Jiuling would help her depose Crown Prince Li Ying and install her own son as heir. Recognizing the grave implications of this matter and the potential for severe political instability if mishandled, Zhang Jiuling firmly stated his position, resolutely refusing to collude with Consort Wu Huifei, thereby preserving the stability of the court.
Emperor Xuanzong of Tang was able to appoint virtuous ministers such as Yao Chong, Song Jing, and Zhang Jiuling, which made the Tang Dynasty more prosperous and powerful during his reign, brought greater clarity and stability to governance, and led to significant progress in social production.