Tang Jian

Tang Jian (Chinese: 唐俭) (579–656) was a famous diplomatist of Tang Dynasty.

Family

Tang's grandfather Tang Yong (唐邕) was the chancellor of Northern Qi Dynasty. Tang's family has a close friendship spanning for generations with Li family, which was the founding family of Tang Dynasty; including that Tang's father Tang Jian (唐鉴) was a close ally with Li Yuan (李渊).

Tang was born in Jin Yang (晋阳), current Taiyuan City, the capital of Shanxi Province.

Tang had 3 sons:

• Tang Shanshi (唐善識)
• Tang Heshang (唐河上)
• Tang Guan (唐観)

Diplomat

Tang played an important diplomatic role in erasing Eastern Tujue's power over East Asia. Tang was sent by Emperor Taizong of Tang to the Khan of Eastern Tujue (Göktürks). His main task was to persuade Jiali Khan to surrender.

In parallel, General Li Jing's army campaigned and attacked Eastern Tujue by surprise, and Khan was captured immediately.

References

Historic records:

• Book of Tang; Volume 58, The Biography of Tang Jian.
• New Book of Tang; Volume 89, The Biography of Tang Jian.

Cultural relics:

• The Epitaph of Tang Jian (唐故開府儀同三司特進戸部尚書上柱国莒国公唐君墓誌(唐倹墓誌))
• The Epitaph of Tang Heshang (大唐故殿中少監上柱国唐府君墓誌銘(唐河上墓誌))