In April, 649, Taizong passed away, his son Li Zhi ascended the throne that is Emperor Tang Gaozong, and the title of his reign is Yonghui.
贞观二十三年(649）四月，太宗驾崩。唐高宗李治即位，年号永徽。
Gaozong kept on carrying out Taizong’s “methods of managing state affairs”，so in Yonghui period, there still retained the reliquary of Zhenguan period.
他依然执行唐太宗的“治国之道”，故唐永徽年间仍有贞观遗风。
In 655, Gaozong made Wu Zetian his queen, whose father was ever a timber businessman and an important official in the early Tang Dynasty.
高宗于永徽六年(655年）立武则天为皇后，其父曾为木材商人、唐初大臣。
Wu Zetian was shrewd and tactful, and also an expert in literature and history.
武则天精明机智,通文史。
Because of eye disease, Li Zhi could not read well, he often made Wu his assistant in verdict the government affairs.
唐高宗因患风眩，目不能视，使武则天协助裁决政事。
In 683, Emperor Tang Gaozong died in bed； the throne prince Li Xian(Wu，s third son) became the new emperor, that’s Tang Zhongzong.
公元683年（弘道元年），唐高宗病死，太子李显（武则天第三子）即位，是为唐中宗。
The year, Wu Zetian dethroned him as King of Luling, made Li Dan (her fourth son) the emperor, that’s Tang Ruizong，but uncrowned him soon.
次年,武则天废中宗为庐陵王，另立李旦（武则天第四子）为皇帝，是为唐睿宗，旋即废黜。
In 690, Wu Zetian declared to change the Tang into the Zhou Dynasty, made Luoyang the deity capital, Tang Ruizong the royal heir, herself the Empress.The historical event was referred as “Wu Zhou Revolution” in history.
公元690年（天授元年），武则天宣布改唐为周，以洛阳为神都,降唐睿宗为皇嗣，自称皇帝，史称“武周革命”。
Wu Zetian is the only empress in Chinese history.
武则天是中国历史上仅有的一个女皇帝。
During her reign, the politics,* economy kept developing progressively.
武则天在位期间，将唐朝的政治、经济的发展又向前推进了一步。
But in the late period of her reign, she specially trusted crafty and fawning officials which caused the dissatisfaction of her ministers. In 705, she was seriously ill, Prime Minister Zhang Jianzhi and other ministers came into contact with General Li Duozuo of right armed escorts to launch a place coup, forcing Wu passed the imperial throne to Tang Zhongzong Li Xian, thus the Tang Dynasty was recovered. Thereby, the history that empress ruled came to an end after 15 years.
但执政末期，她宠信侯臣，深为大臣不满，到公元705年（神龙元年）她82岁时得了重病，宰相张柬之等人联络右羽林卫大将军李多祚发动政变，强迫武则天传帝位给唐中宗李显，复唐国号,武则天共做了16年皇帝。
Because Li Xian was mediocre and incompetent, his queen Empress Wei and his daughter Princess Anle forcibly occupied the power and played politics. Li Longji, Li Dan’s son bom down Empress Wei’s gang and ascended the throne, that’s Emperor Tang Xuanzong, the title of his reign was Kaiyuan.
中宗李显庸懦无能，致使皇后韦氏与安乐公主弄权，李旦之子李隆基击败了韦后而即位，改国号开元，是为唐玄宗。
Xuanzong was another enlightened emperor after Li Shimin in the Tang Dynasty.
玄宗是唐代继李世民之后又一位开明国君。
During the Kaiyuan period, he made great effort to develop the country, attached great importance to the selection of officials, examined the reposting county magistrates in person.
开元年间,玄宗励精图治，重视官员的人选，亲自考核新任命的县令。
He appointed talented Yao Chong and Song Jing as his chief ministers, reformed the government system and military system. Meantime, he effectively developed economy, reformed tax system, started irrigation construction. With these efforts, the feudal Chinese society presented unprecedented flourishing atmosphere, reaching the peak of feudal Chinese society.
他任用了有才干的姚崇、宋景做宰相，改革官制和兵制，与此同时大力发展经济，改革税制，兴修水利，中国封建社会呈现前所未有的盛世景象，达到了中国封建社会的最高峰。
So far, China reached the height of power and splendour among her contemporary empires. This period was “Kaiyuan Flourishing Age” in history.
至此，中国在世界同时代的国家中已成为鼎盛帝国,史称“开元盛世”。