Lingyan Pavilion () was a small tower beside Sanqing Hall () in the southwest of Taiji Palace (), Chang'an, the capital of the Tang dynasty. Its location in modern China is roughly in the north of Xi'an, Shaanxi.
The original 24 On 23 March 643,兩千年中西曆轉換 during the Zhenguan era of the reign of Emperor Taizong in the Tang dynasty, the emperor commissioned the artist Yan Liben to paint life-sized portraits of 24 officials to commemorate them for their meritorious service and contributions aiding him in his establishment of the Tang Empire. However, many among the 24 men were also instrumental in helping Taizong seize power during the Xuanwu Gate Incident.
The paintings were displayed in Lingyan Pavilion and all of them faced north. The pavilion was divided into three layers: the innermost held the portraits of chancellors; the middle displayed paintings of princes and dukes; the outermost for the remaining ones. Emperor Taizong often visited the pavilion to view the portraits and reminisce the past.
The 24 officials are listed as such:
+NameName in ChineseCourtesy nameCourtesy name in ChineseTitle of NobilityOccupationBornDiedZhangsun Wuji长孙无忌Fuji辅机Duke of ZhaoChancellor594659Li Xiaogong李孝恭unknownPrince of Hejian PrefectureGeneral591640Du Ruhui杜如晦Keming克明Duke of LaiChancellor585630Wei Zheng魏征Xuancheng玄成Duke of ZhengChancellor580643Fang Qiao房峤Xuanling玄龄Duke of LiangChancellor579648Gao Jian高俭Shilian士廉Duke of ShenChancellor575647Yuchi Gong尉迟恭Jingde敬德Duke of EGeneral585658Li Jing李靖Yaoshi药师Duke of WeyGeneral571649Xiao Yu萧瑀Shiwen时文Duke of SongChancellor574647Duan Xiong段雄Zhixuan志玄Duke of BaoGeneral598642Liu Hongji刘弘基unknownDuke of KuiGeneral582650Qutu Tong屈突通unknownDuke of JiangGeneral557628Yin Jiao殷峤Kaishan开山Duke Jie of XunGeneral?622Chai Shao柴绍Sichang嗣昌Duke of HuoGeneral588638Zhangsun Shunde长孙顺德unknownDuke of PiGeneral565631Zhang Liang张亮unknownDuke of XunGeneral?646Hou Junji侯君集unknownDuke of ChenGeneral?643Zhang Gongjin张公瑾Hongshen宏慎Duke of TanGeneral594632Cheng Zhijie (Cheng Yaojin)程知节 (程咬金)Yizhen义贞Duke of LuGeneral589665Yu Shinan虞世南Boshi伯施Duke of Yongxing CountyChancellor558638Liu Zhenghui刘政会unknownDuke of XingChancellor?635Tang Jian唐俭Maoyue茂约Duke of JuChancellor579656Li Shiji (Xu Shiji)李世勣 (徐世勣)Maogong懋功Duke of YingGeneral594669Qin Qiong秦琼Shubao叔宝Duke of HuGeneral571638
After Taizong Five Tang emperors after Taizong also honored officials whom they felt have contributed greatly to the empire, by hanging their portraits in Lingyan Pavilion. Such officials include Guo Ziyi (honored by Tang Daizong and Tang Dezong) and Li Guangbi (honored by Tang Suzong), who were vital in putting down the An Lushan Rebellion. In a twist of fate, Chu Suiliang, whose calligraphy was used when honoring the original 24, was posthumously inaugurated into Lingyan Pavilion by Tang Dezong, and again by Tang Xuanzong, Li Chen.
Some officials were commemorated by more than one emperor. Thus, while the final number of portraits hung in the pavilion was 132, only about 100 officials were honored.
However, some officials were inaugurated by emperors who seek to curry favor through such a move. This was due to the weakening of imperial authority after the An Lushan Rebellion. Such officials include enunchs like Yu Chaoen and Cheng Yuanzhen, and generals like Tian Chengsi who helped usher in the era of fanzhen which became largely autonomous and defied control by the imperial court.
See also The 28 Generals of Yuntai
References
Old Book of Tang, vol. 77 . Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 196.