TAIZU


Meaning of TAIZU in English

or T'ai-tsu

born 927, Luoyang, China

died Nov. 14, 976, Kaifeng

First emperor of the

Initially a general for the founder of the Later Zhou dynasty (951–960), he was induced by his troops to take over when the dynasty was left in the hands of a child successor. An upright man, Taizu forgave minor faults while holding his officials accountable in important matters. He had his ministers submit rough drafts of papers for his review, and he frequently traveled about incognito to observe conditions among his people. He reformed the {{link=Chinese examination system">Chinese examination system to prevent favouritism and began to award larger numbers of degrees. He gradually moved the administration of the prefectures from the military to civil officials. At his death, a solid foundation had been laid for the future development of the dynasty.

Britannica English dictionary.      Английский словарь Британика.