窦

CIVILIZATION DOSSIER

Dou Huaizhen窦怀贞

TangHistory × Fiction

Director of the Palace Administration, later Attendant-in-Chief and Left Chancellor of the Department of State Affairs.

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DIRECT FIGURES
10
RELATION RECORDS
13
SOURCE WORKS
3

RELATIONSHIP COMPASS

Dou Huaizhen, and the people around them.

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01
ALLEGIANCE

Allegiance

Rulers, appointments and allegiance

2 figures · 3 records
02
CONFLICT

Conflict

Battles, captures and defeat

10 figures · 10 records
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12 key relationships are shown here. The complete record remains below.

In history · Old Book of Tang

Director of the Palace Administration, later Attendant-in-Chief and Left Chancellor of the Department of State Affairs; executed, with seventeen families implicated. Appointed Left Chancellor, later implicated in rebellion with Princess Taiping and executed.

In fiction · New Book of Tang · Romance of Sui and Tang

Court official, plotted rebellion, hanged himself.

Across source works

How this figure changes across texts

Works are shown side by side, not as a chronology. No influence between texts is inferred.

  1. Official history

    Old Book of Tang

    17 profile notes
    10 relations10 verified quotations
    • Emperor Xuanzong of Tang→ kill →Dou Huaizhen
    • Princess Taiping→ accomplice →Dou Huaizhen
    • Dou Huaizhen→ gloss over →Princess Taiping
    • Li Longji→ kill →Dou Huaizhen
    Verified original text · 10
    1. 勒兵诛其党窦怀贞

      kill · Old Book of Tang, 外戚传

    2. 与太平公主谋逆事泄

      accomplice · Old Book of Tang, 魏元忠韦安石萧至忠宗楚客纪处讷传

    8 more verified quotations in the relationship records below.

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  2. Literature / legend

    Romance of Sui and Tang

    1 profile notes
    2 relations2 verified quotations
    • Princess Taiping→ form clique →Dou Huaizhen
    • Li Longji→ kill →Dou Huaizhen
    Verified original text · 2
    1. 与朝臣萧至忠、岑羲、窦怀贞、崔湜等结为党援

      form clique · Romance of Sui and Tang, 078

    2. 窦怀贞自缢

      force to death · Romance of Sui and Tang, 078

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  3. Official history

    New Book of Tang

    16 profile notes
    5 relations6 verified quotations
    • Emperor Ruizong→ kill →Dou Huaizhen
    • Princess Taiping→ accomplice →Dou Huaizhen
    • Xiao Zhizhong→ accomplice →Dou Huaizhen
    • Xue Ji→ accomplice →Dou Huaizhen
    Verified original text · 6
    1. 太平公主及岑羲、萧至忠、窦怀贞谋反，伏诛

      kill · New Book of Tang, 睿宗玄宗本纪

    2. 与尚书左仆射窦怀贞

      accomplice · New Book of Tang, ch. 83

    4 more verified quotations in the relationship records below.

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History vs. fiction

In the official history, Dou Huaizhen ingratiated himself with Princess Taiping and conspired in a coup, but after defeat he committed suicide. The novel faithfully dramatizes his rebellion and death.

  • attestedDou Huaizhen, relying on Princess Taiping, rebelled and was defeated and died.

    The 'New Book of Tang: Biography of Dou Huaizhen' records that Dou Huaizhen ingratiated himself with the powerful, and when he was Left Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs, 'he conspired with Princess Taiping to rebel; after defeat, he drowned himself, his corpse was mutilated, and his surname was changed to Du.' In 'Romance of the Sui and Tang Dynasties', Chapter 78, it is written that Princess Taiping 'then formed a faction with court officials Xiao Zhizhong, Cen Xi, Dou Huaizhen, Cui Shi, and others, plotting privately.' When Emperor Xuanzong raised troops to exterminate their faction, Dou Huaizhen hanged himself. The fact that he joined the rebellion and was defeated and died is consistent with historical records.

Relationship network

11 figures · 64 links
Dou HuaizhenDou HuaizhenEmperor Xuanzong of TangEmperor Xuanzong of TangEmperor RuizongEmperor RuizongPrincess TaipingPrincess TaipingLi LongjiLi LongjiXiao ZhizhongXiao ZhizhongLiu YouqiuLiu YouqiuCen XiCen XiXue JiXue JiKing PingKing PingWei ZhiguWei Zhigu
historyliteraturedual
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Sources: New Book of Tang, 二王韦陆二李杜传; Old Book of Tang, 中宗睿宗本纪; Romance of Sui and Tang, 078; New Book of Tang, 刘锺崔二王传; Old Book of Tang, 五行志; New Book of Tang, ch. 83; Old Book of Tang, 刘幽求锺绍京郭元振张说传; New Book of Tang, 宰相表上

This page was extracted from classical texts with AI assistance and revised; errors remain possible. Spotted a mistake? Tell us →

Compiled with AI assistance from public-domain texts; for cultural reference. Mythological accounts vary — corrections welcome.