Li Yuan, the founding emperor of the Tang Dynasty, led a legendary life. His actions and decisions after capturing Chang'an were particularly thought-provoking. So, what did Li Yuan do after capturing Chang'an? Why didn't he immediately proclaim himself emperor?

In 617 AD, Li Yuan rose up against the Sui Dynasty in Taiyuan and captured Chang'an the next year, ending the reign of the Sui Dynasty. Surprisingly, however, Li Yuan did not immediately proclaim himself emperor. Instead, he chose to make Yang You, the grandson of Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty, a puppet emperor, while he himself took on the role of the regent as the Tang King. This move was undoubtedly the result of careful consideration of the situation at that time.

Firstly, Li Yuan understood that although the Sui Dynasty was nominally extinct, its lingering power still existed. If he had immediately proclaimed himself emperor, it might have provoked disgust from other separatist forces and even triggered civil war. Therefore, he chose to act as the regent of the Tang Kingdom, which could temporarily stabilize the situation and avoid premature conflicts.

Secondly, Li Yuan was a shrewd politician who knew that to truly unify China, he could not rely solely on military force but also needed to win the hearts of the people. Therefore, he chose to make Yang You, the grandson of Emperor Yang, a puppet emperor. This could temporarily appease the survivors of the Sui Dynasty and also serve as a declaration to the world that he was seeking revenge for the Sui Dynasty, rather than usurping the throne.

Lastly, Li Yuan was also a far-sighted individual who knew that to establish a long-lasting dynasty, a solid foundation was necessary. Therefore, after capturing Chang'an, he immediately implemented a series of political reforms, including abolishing some of the oppressive policies of the Sui Dynasty and implementing policies beneficial to the people. These reforms laid the foundation for his later proclamation as emperor.

Overall, Li Yuan's actions and decisions after capturing Chang'an fully demonstrated his wisdom and foresight. Instead of immediately proclaiming himself emperor, he chose to act as the regent of the Tang Kingdom, which was both to stabilize the situation and to win the hearts of the people. His subsequent success also proved that his decisions were correct.

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