title: Brendan Bottcher

texts:
<mask> (born December 19, 1991) is a Canadian curler from Sherwood Park, Alberta. <mask> is a three-time provincial men's champion, and currently is the skip of the defending Canadian men's championship team, having led Alberta to victory at the 2021 Tim Hortons Brier. Born in Sherwood Park, Alberta, <mask> enjoyed a successful junior career winning the 2012 Canadian Junior Curling Championships and the 2012 World Junior Curling Championships. He was also the 2010 Alberta junior men's champion and the 2007 Alberta juvenile provincial finalist. <mask> skips his own team out of the Saville Sports Centre in Edmonton. Career

Junior career
In the 2009–2010 season, with Brad Thiessen at third, Landon Bucholz at second, Bryce Bucholz at lead, and Bernie Panich as their coach, they had much success winning four junior bonspiels and being a runner-up in another. In the Edmonton Men's Super-League, they posted a .500 record.In a few exhibition games throughout the season prior to the 2010 Winter Olympics, they played Olympic calibre teams such as Kevin Martin and Thomas Ulsrud. The team would then go on to win the Alberta junior provincial curling championships, beating their cross town rival Curtis Bale 6–4 in the final. This provincial junior title earned him a berth to the 2010 Canadian Junior Curling Championships in Sorel-Tracy, Quebec. At Canadian Junior Curling Championships, the team had mixed success, finishing with a 6–6 record. Although contenders to return the following Canadian junior curling championships, the team lost the 2011 Alberta junior provincial semi-final to Scott Smith of Calgary. The end of the 2010–2011 season saw Brad Thiessen age out of junior eligibility. The team then added long time Alberta junior competitor Evan Asmussen to the lineup prior to the 2011–2012 season.After his junior curling season concluded, <mask> skipped his University of Alberta Golden Bears men's team to a semi-final finish at the CIS curling championships. The 2011–2012 season saw <mask> continue his previous success at the 2012 Alberta junior provincials, finishing the round robin with a perfect record and defeating Jordan Steinke of Dawson Creek in the final to win his second provincial junior title. At the 2012 Canadian Junior Curling Championships in Napanee, Ontario the team finished the round robin with an 11–1 record, earning a bye to the Canadian final. <mask> himself would earn first team all-star skip honours for the highest shooting percentage in the round robin. <mask> would then defeated Wark of Northern Ontario 9-6 to win the Canadian junior championships. The team would then proceed to the 2012 World Junior Curling Championships in Östersund Sweden, where he finished the round robin with an 8–1 record, only losing to Scotland's Kyle Smith 8–4. A 1-2 page play-off 9–3 victory over Sweden gave <mask> and his team a direct berth to the final.Sweden would defeat Norway 8–4 in the semi-final game, setting up a re-match in the final. <mask> would score five points in the seventh end of the final for a 10–4 win and become the 2012 World Junior men's curling champion - the first world junior men's curling championship title for Canada since 2007. Prior to the World Junior Curling Championships and after the Canadian Junior Curling Championships, <mask>'s University of Alberta Golden Bears team went undefeated at the Canada West Curling Championships, qualifying them for the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) Curling Championships. Days after the world juniors, <mask> returned to Canada to compete at the CIS nationals and led the Golden Bears to the university's first ever curling national championship. <mask> and his university team of third Mick Lizmore, second Brad Thiessen, lead Karrick Martin and alternate Parker Konschuh had a strong weekend, only losing one game to the UPEI Panthers' Brett Gallant 10–4. The team's strong performance was demonstrated when the front end was awarded 1st team All-Canadian honours while the back end received 2nd team All-Canadian honours. The championship was <mask>'s third in five weeks.A chemical engineering student, he was named Athlete of the Year and Academic All-Canadian of the Year from the University of Alberta. <mask>'s rink represented Canada at the 2013 Winter Universiade, where he was named Canada's flag bearer for the opening ceremony. Team Canada won the bronze medal at the event. 2012–present
Now aged out of junior, <mask> continued to curl with his University of Alberta team. They won their first World Curling Tour (WCT) event at the 2012 Red Deer Curling Classic. The team played in their first men's provincial at the 2013 Boston Pizza Cup, winning just one game before being eliminated. The following season, the team played in two Grand Slam events: they played at the 2013 Canadian Open, finishing with a record of 1–4, and the 2014 National, again earning a 1–4 record.They did however win their second WCT event, the 2013 Spruce Grove Cashspiel. At the 2014 Boston Pizza Cup they again won just one game before being eliminated. Following the 2013–14 season, Lizmore left the team to form his own rink, and was replaced with Albertan veteran curler Tom Appelman. The team found immediate success with their new addition, beginning the 2014–15 season by winning the 2014 HDF Insurance Shoot-Out. That season, the team also won the German Masters. They also played in three Grand Slams, making it to the semifinals in all three events. At the 2015 Boston Pizza Cup, the team would make it all the way to the final, where they lost to the Kevin Koe rink.The following season, the team had less success on tour, as they did not win any events, and only made it as far as the quarterfinals in two of the five slams they played in. At the 2016 Boston Pizza Cup, they would lose in the semifinals. After two seasons, two-time Brier champion Pat Simmons joined <mask> in place of Appelman. Over the 2016 Christmas break Simmons left the rink, with Darren Moulding taking over at third. With Moulding on the team would make it to the quarterfinals at the 2017 Canadian Open of Curling, which was their first event with the new lineup. In February 2017 <mask>, Moulding, Brad Thiessen and Karrick Martin won the 2017 Boston Pizza Cup Alberta men's title and a place representing the province in that year's Brier Canadian championship; they had a perfect 5–0 record, beating Ted Appelman 6–5 in the final. The team represented Alberta at the 2017 Tim Hortons Brier, Botcher's first career Brier appearance.There, he led his province to a 3-8 round robin record, missing the playoffs. On the tour, the team would not win any events, and would only make the playoffs in one slam, the aforementioned Canadian Open. Team Bottcher qualified for the 2017 Canadian Olympic Curling Trials (held December 2–10 at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ontario) by winning one of the two pre-trials spots at the Home Hardware Road to the Roar Pre-Trials November 6–12 in Summerside, Prince Edward Island. They had a 4–4 record at the Trials for 4th spot, one place out of the playoffs. By winning the 2018 Boston Pizza Cup, Team Bottcher qualified as Team Alberta for the 2018 Tim Hortons Brier, held from March 3 to 11, 2018 at the Brandt Centre in Regina, Saskatchewan. The team had an 8-3 round robin record, and had to fight through the 3 vs. 4 game beating Brad Jacobs (Northern Ontario) and the semifinal against John Epping (Ontario) to make it to the final, where they would lose to Brad Gushue of Team Canada 6–4. On the tour, the team won the Medicine Hat Charity Classic and the Red Deer Curling Classic.2018 Team Bottcher won the Canad Inns Men's Classic beating Team Koe in the finals with a score of 7–5. The team came in second to Brad Jacobs losing in the finals at the Grand Slam of Curling 2018 Tour Challenge. In 2019 he would win his 1st Grand Slam of Curling titles at the Meridian Canadian Open with an 6–3 win over Team Epping, in April The Players Championship with a 6–1 win over Team Koe and again in the Champions Cup with another 6–5 win over Team Koe. Earlier in the year, Team Bottcher would win the 2019 Pinty's All-Star Curling Skins Game, the team winning $54,500. At the 2019 Tim Hortons Brier (held from March 2 to 10 at Westoba Place in Brandon, Manitoba), the team played their way into the main draw by winning the wildcard game over Team Epping (Ontario) and then went 8–3 in the round-robin, making the playoffs for the second straight year. The team was 8–3 in the Championship Pool. Beating Brad Gushue (Team Canada) and then Team Jacobs (Northern Ontario) in the semifinals in the playoffs to make it to the final for the second straight year.In the finals, Team Wildcard was defeated 4–3 by Kevin Koe of Team Alberta. Team Bottcher began their 2019–20 season at the 2019 AMJ Campbell Shorty Jenkins Classic where they lost the tiebreaker to Yannick Schwaller. In Grand Slam play, they had quarterfinal finishes at the Masters and the National, a semifinal finish at the Tour Challenge and missed the playoffs at the Canadian Open. They had a semifinal finish at the 2019 Canada Cup after losing to eventual winners John Epping. After losing the semifinal to Kevin Koe at provincials the previous season, Team Bottcher would win the 2020 Boston Pizza Cup with a draw to the button to defeat Karsten Sturmay 7–6. For the third year in a row, they would finish runner-up at the Brier, this year to Brad Gushue. It would be the team's last event of the season as both the Players' Championship and the Champions Cup Grand Slam events were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.Team Bottcher played in three tour events during the 2020–21 season, winning the ATB Okotoks Classic and reaching the semifinals at both the ATB Banff Classic and the Ashley HomeStore Curling Classic. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Alberta, the 2021 provincial championship was cancelled. As the reigning provincial champions, Team Bottcher was chosen to represent Alberta at the 2021 Tim Hortons Brier. At the 2020 Brier, they finished second in their pool during round-robin play, with a 6–2 record. In the championship pool they improved their record to 9–3, earning the third seed in the playoffs where they defeated Matt Dunstone's Team Saskatchewan in the semifinals to make it to their fourth Brier finals in a row. Team Bottcher defeated four-time Brier champion Kevin Koe in the finals, with a score of 4–2, to win their first Brier championship. With the Brier win, Team Bottcher earned the right to represent Canada at the 2021 World Men's Curling Championship.Bottcher led Canada to a 9–4 round robin record, in fourth place. This put them into the playoffs in a game against Scotland, skipped by Bruce Mouat, which they lost, eliminating the team. Coaching
<mask> coached the Spanish Mixed Doubles Team at the 2017 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship. Accomplishments
2006 Alberta Winter Games Participant
2007 Alberta Juvenile Provincial Finalist
2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 Alberta Junior Provincial Participant
2010 Alberta Junior Provincial Champion
2011 CIS Nationals Semifinalist
2012 Alberta Junior Provincial Champion
2012 M&M Meat Shops Canadian Juniors Champion
2012 M&M Meat Shops Canadian Juniors First All-Star Team
2012 CIS 2nd Team All-Canadian
2012 CIS Champion
2012 World Junior Champion
2015 Boston Pizza Alberta Men's Provincial Finalist
2017 Alberta Boston Pizza Cup Champion
2018 Alberta Boston Pizza Cup Champion
2018 Tim Hortons Brier Finalist
2018 Canad Inns Men's Classic
2018 Grand Slam of Curling Tour Challenge Finalist
2019 Grand Slam of Curling at the Meridian Canadian Open Champion
2019 Pinty's All-Star Curling Skins Game, Champion
2019 Grand Slam of Curling Players' Championship Champion
2019 Grand Slam of Curling Champions Cup Champion

Personal life
Bottcher works as an Application Specialist for Spartan Controls Ltd after studying chemical engineering at the University of Alberta. He is married to Bobbie Sauder. Year-by-year statistics

Team events

Mixed doubles

Grand Slam record

Teams

Notes

References

External links

1991 births
Living people
Sportspeople from Sherwood Park
Curlers from Edmonton
Canadian male curlers
University of Alberta alumni
Canadian curling coaches
Universiade medalists in curling
Universiade bronze medalists for Canada
Competitors at the 2013 Winter Universiade
Continental Cup of Curling participants
Canada Cup (curling) participants
Brier champions

masks:
Brendan Michael Bottcher
Bottcher
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title: Emperor Gaozong of Tang

type: original

texts:
<mask> of Tang (21 July 628 – 27 December 683), personal name Li Zhi, was the third emperor of the Tang dynasty in China, ruling from 649 to 683; after January 665, he handed power over the empire to his second wife Empress Wu (the future Wu Zetian), and her decrees were carried out with greater force than the decrees of Emperor <mask>'s. Emperor <mask> was the youngest son of Emperor Taizong and Empress Zhangsun; his elder brothers were Li Chengqian and Li Tai. Emperor <mask>'s reign saw the primacy of Empress Wu, who became the effective power behind the Tang rule. Emperor <mask> was aided in his rule by Empress Wu during the later years of his reign after a series of strokes left him incapacitated. Emperor <mask> effectively after January 665 delegated all matters of state to his strong wife. Empress Wu is therefore unique in the annals of the Tang Empire for the political influence she wielded. Empress Wu gradually accumulated power by consolidating her influence over <mask> and eliminating potential political opponents.<mask>'s over-affection and trust of Wu led to her wielding a great deal of power in affairs of state until the end of his reign. <mask>'s disease made it easier for Empress Wu to exert her influence. In fact, she was partially in control of power since November 660, and then totally since January 665 to December 683. After Emperor <mask> died in December 683, power fell completely and solely into the hands of Empress Wu, who subsequently became the only empress regnant in Chinese history. After his death, he was interred at the Qianling Mausoleum along with Wu Zetian. Historians have generally viewed Emperor <mask> as a weak ruler, inattentive to the business of the state. Because he was always controlled by his wife, he was criticized for leaving such rule business to Empress Wu.During the first part of his reign, Tang territorial gains, which started with his father Emperor Taizong, continued, including the conquest of Baekje, Goguryeo, and the Western Turkic Khaganate, but throughout the 670s, much of those gains were lost to the Tibetan Empire, Silla, Khitan, and Balhae. Further, territory previously conquered that belonged to both the Göktürks and the Western Turkic Khaganate were subjected to repeated rebellions. Background and life as Prince of Jin
Li Zhi was born in 628. He was the ninth son of his father, Emperor Taizong, and the third son of his mother, Emperor Taizong's wife Empress Zhangsun. In 631, he was created the Prince of Jin. In 633, he was made commandant of Bing Prefecture (并州, roughly modern Taiyuan, Shanxi), but remained at the capital Chang'an rather than reporting to Bing Prefecture. When Empress Zhangsun died in 636, Emperor Taizong was particularly touched by the grief that Li Zhi displayed, and from that point on particularly favored him.Sometime while he was the Prince of Jin, at the recommendation of his grand aunt Princess Tong'an, he married the grandniece of Princess Tong'an's husband Wang Yu () as his wife and princess. Meanwhile, Li Zhi's two older brothers by Empress Zhangsun, Li Chengqian the Crown Prince and Li Tai the Prince of Wei, were locked in an intense rivalry, as Li Tai was favored by <mask> for his talent and was trying to displace Li Chengqian. Li Chengqian, in fear, entered into a conspiracy with the general Hou Junji, his uncle Li Yuanchang () the Prince of Han, the imperial guard commander Li Anyan (), and his brothers-in-law Zhao Jie (趙節, who was also his cousin) and Du He () to overthrow <mask>. The plot was discovered in 643, and <mask> deposed Li Chengqian. He was initially going to make Li Tai the new crown prince, but later began to believe that Li Tai's machinations were responsible for Li Chengqian's downfall. The powerful chancellor Zhangsun Wuji – Empress Zhangsun's brother—suggested that he make Li Zhi crown prince, a possibility that Li Tai was apprehensive about. Li Tai tried to intimidate Li Zhi, who had been friendly with Li Yuanchang, by pointing out to Li Zhi that Li Yuanchang had been part of the plot and that he should be concerned for himself.When Emperor Taizong noticed Li Zhi worrying about this and was told by Li Zhi of Li Tai's intimidation, Emperor Taizong's mind became set. He exiled Li Tai, and on 30 April 643, he created Li Zhi the new crown prince. He made Zhangsun and two other senior chancellors, Fang Xuanling and Xiao Yu, senior advisors to Li Zhi, and made another chancellor, Li Shiji, the head of Li Zhi's household. At the advice of another key official, Liu Ji, who pointed out that the crown prince needed to have a group of well-learned scholars that he was close to, Emperor Taizong appointed Liu, as well as Cen Wenben, Chu Suiliang, and Ma Zhou, to serve as Li Zhi's friends and advisors. As Crown Prince
Late in 643, <mask>zong issued an edict to select beautiful women among good households to serve as Li Zhi's concubines. However, after Li Zhi declined such treatment, <mask>zong cancelled the edict. However, during his years as crown prince, he was said to have favored his concubine Consort Xiao, having two daughters (the later Princesses Yiyang and Xuan Cheng) and one son (Li Sujie) with her, much to the chagrin of his wife Crown Princess Wang, who was childless and jealous of Consort Xiao.Three other concubines of his bore his other sons Li Zhong, Li Xiao (), and Li Shangjin (). Around the same time, however, <mask> also became concerned that Li Zhi, who was considered kind but weak in character, would not be strong enough to be an emperor, and secretly discussed with Zhangsun Wuji the possibility of making another son by his concubine Consort Yang (daughter of Emperor Yang of Sui), Li Ke the Prince of Wu, crown prince. Zhangsun repeatedly opposed the idea, and Emperor Taizong did not carry this out. In 645, when <mask> launched a campaign against Goguryeo, he took Li Zhi with him to Ding Prefecture (定州, roughly modern Baoding, Hebei) and then left Li Zhi there to be in charge of logistics, before heading to the front himself. He also left senior officials Gao Shilian, Liu Ji, Ma Zhou, Zhang Xingcheng, and Gao Jifu to assist Li Zhi. After the campaign ended in failure later that year, as <mask> was leading the army back from the front, Li Zhi went to meet him at Linyu Pass (臨渝關, now Shanhai Pass). <mask> suffered an injury during the campaign, and Li Zhi was said to have, as <mask>'s conditions were getting worse, sucked the pus out of his wound, until <mask> recovered somewhat.In 646, with <mask> still recovering, he transferred some of the imperial authorities to Li Zhi. Li Zhi stayed at the imperial palace and attended to Emperor Taizong in his illness. That year, when Emperor Taizong was due to visit Ling Prefecture (靈州, roughly modern Yinchuan, Ningxia) to meet with a number of tribal chiefs who were formerly vassals of Xueyantuo—which had collapsed under Tang and Huige attacks earlier that year—he was set to take Li Zhi with him, but at Zhang's suggestion left Li Zhi in charge at Chang'an instead, to allow Li Zhi to become more familiar with the important affairs of state in his absence. After <mask> returned from Ling Prefecture, he retained for himself the authorities over imperial worship, state guests, military, the commissioning of officers of higher than the fifth rank, and executions, and transferred all other authorities to Li Zhi. In 647, a commoner named Duan Zhichong () submitted a petition to Emperor Taizong, asking him to pass the throne to Li Zhi. Li Zhi, concerned that <mask> might be offended, was worried and grieving, and Zhangsun suggested that Duan be executed. Emperor Taizong did not take offense and did not punish Duan or Li Zhi.Meanwhile, Li Zhi began to build a Buddhist temple named Daci'en Temple () in commemoration of his mother Empress Zhangsun, and the temple was completed in 648. In 649, while at the summer palace Cuiwei Palace (翠微宮, in the Qin Mountains), Emperor Taizong was gravely ill, and he, while impressed with Li Shiji's abilities, was concerned that Li Shiji was too able and would not submit to Li Zhi. He stated to Li Zhi:

He then demoted Li Shiji to the post of the commandant of Die Prefecture (疊州, roughly modern Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Gansu). Li Shiji, realizing what was happening, after receiving the order, departed without hesitation. As <mask>'s illness was getting more serious, Li Zhi continuously attended to him and wept constantly, often going without food, which touched Emperor Taizong greatly. Emperor Taizong entrusted Li Zhi to Zhangsun and Chu Suiliang, and then died on 10 July 649. Initially, Li Zhi was so mournful that he could not carry out any actions other than holding onto the necks of Zhangsun and Chu.Zhangsun, while mourning himself, reminded Li Zhi that he was now in charge of the empire and must act accordingly. Zhangsun also ordered that Emperor Taizong's death not be announced for the time being, and then, the next day, accompanied Li Zhi back to Chang'an. Zhangsun issued several edicts in <mask>'s name—including making Yu Zhining, Zhang, and Gao Jifu chancellors. Two days later, Emperor Taizong's death was officially announced. On 15 July, Li Zhi took the throne (as Emperor <mask>). Reign as Emperor
During his 34-year reign, he was unable to exercise power alone and was under the control of several of his great ministers and his wife, Empress Wu. The order of the regents were:
Zhangsun Wuji and Yu Zhining (649-659)
Han Yuan, Lai Ji and Liu Shi (649-658)
Li Ji and Chu Suiliang (649-658)
Empress Wu (660-683)

Early reign: Political struggles

Yonghui era (650–656)
Emperor <mask>'s first move as emperor was to cancel a second campaign against Goguryeo that Emperor Taizong had planned for later 649.While Li Tai was disallowed from attending Emperor Taizong's funeral, Emperor Gaozong permitted him to again have a staff and be allowed to use wagons, clothes, and foods of high quality. Emperor <mask> created his wife Crown Princess Wang empress and made her father Wang Renyou () the Duke of Wei. It was said that early in Emperor <mask>'s reign, he greatly respected both his uncle Zhangsun Wuji and Chu Suiliang and followed their advice, and that therefore, during this part of his reign, the government was organized well and the people were comforted, much like during the reign of Emperor Taizong, although in winter 650, Chu was accused of forcibly purchasing private land and paying below-market price, and was demoted to be a prefectural prefect. (Chu eventually returned to power in 653.) Also in 650, the general Gao Kan () – whose army had been launched by Emperor Taizong against the newly reconstituted Göktürk state under Chebi Khan Ashina Hubo prior to Emperor Taizong's death—captured Ashina Hubo and brought him back to Chang'an. Emperor <mask> spared Ashina Hubo and made him a general, putting his people directly under Tang rule. Meanwhile, with two of the states of the Western Regions previously conquered by Tang and governed by Tang-installed kings, Kucha and Karasahr in disturbance, Emperor Taizong returned their previously-captured kings, Bai Helibushibi () and Long Tuqizhi () respectively, to their thrones.In 651, the Western Turkic Khaganate prince Ashina Helu, who had sought and received protection from Emperor Taizong, broke away from Tang and defeated the Western Turkic Khaganate's Yipishekui Khan, taking over the Western Turkic Khaganate himself and no longer subordinate under Tang. In fall 651, Ashina Helu attacked Tang's Ting Prefecture (庭州, roughly Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang), and <mask> responded by commissioning the generals Liang Jianfang () and Qibi Heli () to attack Ashina Helu. Liang and Qibi achieved some victories against Ashina Helu's general Zhuxie Guzhu (), but then withdrew without engaging Ashina Helu. Meanwhile, as Empress Wang was sonless, her uncle, the chancellor Liu Shi, suggested to her that she ask <mask> to create his oldest son Li Zhong, whose mother Consort Liu was of low birth and therefore considered nonthreatening, crown prince so that Li Zhong would be grateful of her in the future. Liu also persuaded Zhangsun to suggest the idea as well, and in fall 652, Emperor <mask> created Li Zhong crown prince. By this point, however, Empress Wang was facing a major threat from another romantic rival. When <mask> was crown prince, he had an affair with one of Emperor Taizong's concubines, Consort Wu.After Emperor Taizong's death, all of his concubines who did not bear sons, which included Wu, were housed at Ganye Temple () to be Buddhist nuns. In either 650 or 651, Emperor <mask> was visiting Ganye Temple to offer incense to Buddha when he saw Consort Wu. Both of them wept. When Empress Wang heard this, she, wanting to divert Emperor <mask>'s favor from Consort Xiao, secretly instructed Consort Wu to grow her hair back, while suggesting to <mask> that he take her as a concubine. Consort Wu was intelligent and full of machinations, and therefore, when she first returned to the palace, she acted humbly and flattered Empress Wang, who trusted her greatly and recommended her to Emperor <mask>. Soon, Emperor <mask> became enamored with Consort Wu. Meanwhile, <mask>'s sister Princess Gaoyang and her husband Fang Yi'ai (房遺愛, Fang Xuanling's son), were implicated in 652 of conspiring with another brother-in-law Chai Lingwu (), the general Xue Wanche () and <mask>'s uncle Li Yuanjing () the Prince of Jing to make Li Yuanjing emperor.Fang, knowing that Zhangsun had long been apprehensive of Li Ke, falsely implicated Li Ke in the plot as well, hoping to ingratiate Zhangsun sufficiently that he would be spared. nevertheless, in spring 653, at the suggestion of Zhangsun and Cui Dunli – despite Emperor <mask>'s initial inclination to spare Li Yuanjing and Li Ke—Emperor <mask> ordered that Fang, Xue, and Chai be executed, and that Li Yuanjing, Li Ke, and the Princesses Gaoyang and Baling (Chai's wife) be forced to commit suicide. Zhangsun took this opportunity to accuse several other officials friendly with Fang or hostile to him—the chancellor Yuwen Jie, Li Daozong the Prince of Jiangxia, and the general Zhishi Sili () – of being friendly with Fang and had them exiled. He also deposed and exiled Li Ke's mother Consort Yang and Consort Yang's other son Li Yin () the Prince of Shu, as well as Fang's brother Fang Yizhi () and Xue's brother Xue Wanbei (). By 654, both Empress Wang and Consort Xiao had lost favor with Emperor <mask>, and the former romantic rivals joined forces against Consort Wu, but to no avail, and as a sign of his love to Consort Wu, in 654 he conferred posthumous honors on her father Wu Shihuo (). Later that year, Consort Wu gave birth to a daughter that died shortly after birth. Evidence implicated Empress Wang as the killer, although some historians believe Consort Wu killed her own daughter in order to frame Empress Wang, but no concrete evidence of this exists.In anger, <mask> considered deposing Empress Wang and replacing her with Consort Wu, but wanted to make sure that the chancellors would support this, and so visited Zhangsun's house with Consort Wu, awarding him with much treasure, but when he brought up the topic that Empress Wang was sonless (as an excuse for deposing her), Zhangsun repeatedly found ways to divert the conversation, and subsequent visits by Consort Wu's mother Lady Yang and the official Xu Jingzong, who was allied with Consort Wu, to seek support from Zhangsun were also to no avail. In summer 655, Consort Wu accused Empress Wang and her mother Lady Liu

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title: Emperor Gaozong of Tang

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 of using witchcraft. In response, <mask> barred Lady Liu from the palace and demoted Liu Shi. Meanwhile, a faction of officials began to form around Consort Wu, including Li Yifu, Xu, Cui Yixuan (), and Yuan Gongyu (). On an occasion in fall 655, <mask> summoned the chancellors Zhangsun, Li Shiji (who by now was using the name Li Ji to observe naming taboo for <mask>'s name Li Shimin), Yu Zhining, and Chu to the palace—which Chu deduced to be regarding the matter of changing the empress. Li Ji claimed an illness and refused to attend. At the meeting, Chu vehemently opposed deposing Empress Wang, while Zhangsun and Yu showed their disapproval by silence.Meanwhile, other chancellors Han Yuan and Lai Ji also opposed the move, but when Emperor <mask> asked Li Ji again, Li Ji's response was, "This is your family matter, Your Imperial Majesty. Why ask anyone else?" Emperor <mask> therefore became resolved. He demoted Chu to be a commandant at Tan Prefecture (roughly modern Changsha, Hunan), and then deposed both Empress Wang and Consort Xiao, putting them under arrest and creating Consort Wu empress instead to replace Empress Wang. (Later that year, Empress Wang and Consort Xiao were killed on orders by the new Empress Wu after Emperor <mask> showed signs of considering their release.) Then, at Xu's suggestion, in spring 656, <mask> demoted Li Zhong to be the Prince of Liang and created Empress Wu's oldest son Li Hong the Prince of Dai crown prince instead. In 655 as well, Emperor <mask> commissioned the general Cheng Zhijie () to attack Ashina Helu, but while the campaign saw some victories over Western Turkic Khaganate's substituent tribes Geluolu () and Chuyue (), it was hindered by Cheng's inability to restrain his assistant Wang Wendu () from pillaging and inappropriately halting the army.After the campaign ended in early 657, both Cheng and Wang were deposed from their offices. Xianqing era (656–661)

In 657, Emperor <mask> commissioned the general Su Dingfang, who had served under Cheng Zhijie in the earlier failed campaign, to command a campaign against Ashina Helu, assisted by Ren Yaxiang and Xiao Siye (). They were joined by the Western Turkic Khaganate’s leaders Ashina Mishe and Ashina Buzhen, who had submitted to <mask> during Emperor Taizong's reign. The campaign caught Ashina Helu by surprise, and Su defeated him in several battles, causing him to flee to the kingdom Shi (石國, centering modern Tashkent, Uzbekistan), which arrested him and delivered him to Su, thus largely ending the Western Turkic Khaganate as an organized state. (Emperor <mask> would try to continue the Western Turkic Khaganate's existence as a vassal stage by dividing it in half and creating Ashina Mishe and Ashina Buzhen as khans of the two halves.) Meanwhile, Xu Jingzong and Li Yifu, aligned with Empress Wu, began to carry out a campaign of reprisal on her behalf. In 657, they accused Han Yuan and Lai Ji of plotting treason with Chu Suiliang, who was then serving as the commandant at Gui Prefecture (桂州, roughly modern Guilin, Guangxi).Emperor Gaozong demoted Han and Lai to be prefects of distant prefectures, and demoted Chu and Liu Shi to even more distant prefectures—in Chu's case, to the extremely distant Ai Prefecture (愛州, roughly modern Thanh Hóa Province, Vietnam), and Chu's subsequent petition, sent from Ai Prefecture, pleading with <mask>, fell on deaf ears. Empress Wu's reprisals did not end there. In 659, Zhangsun Wuji became the next target. At that time, two low level officials, Wei Jifang () and Li Chao () had been accused of improper associations, and when Emperor Gaozong put Xu and Xin Maojiang of investigating, Xu falsely accused Wei and Li to be part of a treasonous plot by Zhangsun. Emperor <mask>, without meeting with Zhangsun, believed Xu, and put Zhangsun under house arrest in exile at Qian Prefecture (黔州, roughly modern southeastern Chongqing). Xu further implicated Chu, Liu, Han, and Yu Zhining in the plot as well. Yu was removed from his post.Chu, who had died in 658, was posthumously stripped of all titles, and his sons Chu Yanfu () and Chu Yanchong () were executed. Orders were also issued to execute Liu and Han, although Han died before the execution order reached his location. Meanwhile, Zhangsun, once he reached his place of exile, was forced to commit suicide. It was said that after Han's and Lai's deaths, no official dared to criticize the emperor any further. Also in 659, a vassal of Western Turkic Khaganate (Pin. Tujue), Duman (), the commander of the Esegels (aka Izgil, , Ch. Asijie, Sijie 思結) Tribe, rebelled against Tang occupation, along with the Western Turkic Khaganate's subject kingdoms Shule (), Zhujupo (), and Yebantuo () (all in modern Kashgar, Xinjiang).The joint forces commanded by Duman quickly defeated the Tang vassal Yutian (于田, in modern Hotan, Xinjiang). In winter 659, Emperor <mask> sent Su Dingfang against Duman, and once he arrived in the vicinity of Duman's army, he selected 10,000 infantry soldiers and 3,000 cavalry soldiers and made a surprise attack on Duman. When he arrived at Duman's headquarters, Duman was surprised, and after Su initially defeated Duman, Duman was forced to withdraw within the city. Su put the city under siege, and Duman surrendered. In spring 660, Su took Duman back to the eastern capital Luoyang, where Emperor Gaozong was at the time, to present Duman to him. Some officials requested that Duman be executed, but Su made a plea on Duman's behalf—that he had promised Duman life before Duman surrendered—and Emperor Gaozong stated that while under the law, Duman should die, he would honor Su's promise, and so he spared Duman. On the other end of the Tang atmosphere of influence, on the Korean Peninsula, Baekje had been attacking the Tang ally Silla.Once Su returned from the Esegel campaign, Emperor <mask> commissioned him to head over the sea to attack Baekje, in conjunction with Silla. Su quickly captured the Baekje capital Sabi, forcing Baekje's King Uija and his crown prince Buyeo Yung to surrender. Emperor <mask> ordered that Baekje be annexed as Tang territory. Emperor <mask> then followed up by commissioning Su, along with Qibi Heli, Liu Boying (), and Cheng Mingzhen (), to attack Goguryeo. In 660, Emperor <mask> and Empress Wu toured Bian Prefecture (modern-day Taiyuan), and Empress Wu had the opportunity to invite her old neighbors and relatives to a feast. Later that year, Emperor <mask> began to suffer from an illness that carried the symptoms of painful headaches and loss of vision, generally thought to be hypertension-related, and he began to have Empress Wu make rulings on petitions made by officials. It was said that Empress Wu had quick reactions and understood both literature and history, and therefore, she was making correct rulings.He also became very dependent on her advice over time. Thereafter, her authority rivaled Emperor <mask>'s, after this point on, Empress Wu became the undisputed power behind the throne for twenty-three years. Middle reign: Empress Wu's aggrandization of power

Longshuo and Linde eras (661–666)
Meanwhile, just after Su Dingfang left Baekje territory to attack Goguryeo, the Buddhist monk Dochim () and the former Baekje general Gwisil Boksin rose to try to revive Baekje. They welcomed the Baekje prince Buyeo Pung back from Japan to serve as king, with Juryu (주류, 周留, now Seocheon County, South Chungcheong) as their headquarters. They put the Tang general Liu Renyuan () under siege in Sabi. Emperor <mask> sent the general Liu Rengui, who had previously been demoted to commoner rank for offending Li Yifu, with a relief force, and Liu Rengui and Liu Renyuan were able to fight off the Baekje resistance forces' attacks, but were themselves not strong enough to quell the rebellion, and so for some time the armies were in stalemate. Meanwhile, Su advanced on the Goguryeo capital Pyongyang and put it under siege, but was unable to capture it quickly.In spring 662, after the general Pang Xiaotai () was defeated by Goguryeo forces at Sasu River (蛇水, probably Botong River) and was killed along with his 13 sons, Su ran into harsh snowstorms and withdrew. Around the same time, after the death of the Huige chief Yaoluoge Porun (), who had been obedient to <mask>, Yaoluoge Porun's nephew Yaoluoge Bisudu () rose in rebellion with the Tongluo () and Pugu () tribes in conjunction with other Tiele Confederation tribes. Emperor <mask> sent the general Zheng Rentai () to attack the Tiele, but while Zheng was initially victorious, his officers became bogged down in pillaging and eventually suffered great losses after being caught in poor weather. Emperor <mask> instead sent Qibi, who was ethnically Tiele, assisted by Jiang Ke, to Tiele to try to persuade them to surrender. Qibi was able to do so, and rebel leaders were arrested and turned over to <mask>. Qibi executed them and ended the rebellion. Meanwhile, for reasons unknown, also in 662 Emperor Gaozong sent the general Su Haizheng () to attack Qiuzi and ordered Ashina Mishe and Ashina Buzhen to assist him.Ashina Buzhen, who had a rivalry with Ashina Mishe, falsely informed Su that Ashina Mishe was set to rebel and would attack the Tang army, and Su responded by ambushing Ashina Mishe, killing him and his chief assistants. The Western Turkic Khaganate tribes, angry over Ashina Mishe's death, largely turned away from Tang and submitted to the Tibetan Empire instead, and when Ashina Buzhen died later that year, Tang influence in the region was greatly reduced. During these years, Li Yifu had been, due to favors from Emperor <mask> and Empress Wu, exceedingly powerful, and he grew particularly corrupt. In 663, after reports of Li Yifu's corruption were made to <mask>, <mask> had Liu Xiangdao and Li Ji investigate, finding Li Yifu guilty. Li Yifu was removed from his post and exiled, and would never return to Chang'an. During the years, Empress Wu had repeatedly, in her dreams, seen Empress Wang and Consort Xiao, in the states they were after their terrible deaths, and she came to believe that their spirits were after her. For that reason, Emperor <mask> started remodeling a secondary palace, Daming Palace (), into Penglai Palace (), and when Penglai Palace's main hall, Hanyuan Hall (), was completed in 663, Emperor <mask> and Empress Wu moved to the newly remodeled palace (which was itself later renamed to Hanyuan Palace).(However, Empress Wang and Consort Xiao continued to appear in her dreams even after this, and therefore, late in Emperor <mask>'s reign, he and Empress Wu were often at the eastern capital Luoyang, not at Chang'an.) Also in 663, the Tibetan Empire attacked a Tang vassal state, the Tuyuhun. Tuyuhun's Ledou Khan Murong Nuohebo, unable to withstand the Tibetan attack, took his people and fled into Tang territory to seek protection, thus ending Tuyuhun's existence as a state. Meanwhile, also in 663, Liu Rengui and Liu Renyuan, in conjunction with Munmu of Silla and the former Baekje crown prince Buyeo Yung, defeated Buyeo Pung and Japanese forces sent to assist him, at the Battle of Baekgang. Buyeo Pung fled to Goguryeo, ending the Baekje resistance movement. Emperor <mask> recalled Liu Renyuan, leading Liu Rengui in charge of former Baekje territory, but in 664 sent Liu Renyuan back to Baekje and tried to recall Liu Rengui. Liu Rengui petitioned to remain to prepare for another attack on Goguryeo, and Emperor <mask> agreed to let him remain.By 664, Empress Wu, who felt that her power was well established, was extending her influence further in the political arena and increases her controlling behavior over Emperor Gaozong and arbitrarily makes many government decisions, in the same year when the eunuch Wang Fusheng () reported to <mask> that she had engaged the sorcerer Guo Xingzhen () – an act that was strictly forbidden—<mask>, in anger, summoned the chancellor Shangguan Yi to consult Shangguan. Shangguan suggested that he depose Empress Wu. He agreed, and had Shangguan draft an edict to that effect. However, Empress Wu had received information that that was happening, and she emerged to defend herself. <mask> could not carry out the removal, and instead blamed Shangguan. As both Shangguan and Wang had previously served the former crown prince Li Zhong, Empress Wu had Xu Jingzong falsely accuse Shangguan, Wang, and Li Zhong of conspiring against Emperor <mask>'s life. Around the new year 665, Shangguan and Wang were executed, and Li Zhong was forced to commit suicide.From this point on, every day that Emperor <mask> presided over imperial meetings, Empress Wu would sit behind a pearl screen behind him to hear the reports. Emperor <mask> sat enthroned before his ministers as usual while they counseled him, Empress Wu would be parked behind a screen, listening in. “Promotion or demotion, life or death, were settled by her word,” according to Song dynasty historian Sīmǎ Guāng 司马光 in the Zizhi Tongjian. As a result, she came to control most major decisions made and presided over imperial gatherings with emperor or in his absence. She and Emperor <mask> were thereafter referred to as the "Two Saints." In 665, Emperor <mask> and his powerful wife Empress Wu went to Luoyang and began preparation in earnest to make sacrifices to heaven and earth at Mount Tai – a traditional ceremony for emperors that were rarely carried out in history due to the large expenses associated with them. At Empress Wu's request—as she reasoned that the sacrifice to earth also included sacrifices to past empresses (Emperor <mask>'s mother Empress Zhangsun and grandmother Duchess Dou, posthumously honored as an empress), she believed that it would be more appropriate to have females offer the sacrifices rather than male officials, as had been tradition in the past.Emperor <mask> decreed that the male ministers would offer sacrifices first, but Empress Wu would next offer sacrifices, followed by Princess Dowager Yan, the mother of Emperor Gaozong's younger brother Li Zhen the Prince of Yue. In winter 665, Emperor <mask> and Empress Wu and headed for Mount Tai. On the lunar new year (10 February 666), he and she initiated the sacrifices to heaven, which were not completed until the next day. On 12 February, sacrifices were made to earth. He and she gave general promotions to the imperial officials, and it was said that starting from this time, promotions of imperial officials, which were strict and slow during the reigns of Emperors Gaozu and Taizong, began to become more relaxed and often excessive. He and Empress Wu also declared a general pardon, except for long-term exiles. Japan, India, the Persian court in exile, Goguryeo, Baekje, Silla, the Turks, Khotan, the Khmer, and the Umayyad Caliphate all had representatives attending the Feng and Shan sacrifices held by Emperor <mask> and Empress Wu in 666 at Mount Tai.Qianfeng and Zhongzhang eras (666–670)

In summer 666, Yeon Gaesomun died and was initially succeeded as Dae Mangniji by his oldest son Yeon Namsaeng. As Yeon Namsaeng subsequently carried out a tour of Goguryeo territory, however, rumors began to spread both that Yeon Namsaeng was going to kill his younger brothers Yeon Namgeon and Yeon Namsan, whom he had left in charge at Pyongyang, and that Yeon Namgeon and Yeon Namsan were planning to rebel against Yeon Namsaeng. When Yeon Namsaeng subsequently sent officials close to him back to Pyongyang to try to spy on the situation, Yeon Namgeon arrested them and declared himself Dae Mangniji, attacking his brother. Yeon Namsaeng sent his son (later known

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title: Emperor Gaozong of Tang

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 as Cheon Heonseong/Quan Xiancheng (), as Yeon Namsaeng changed his family name from Yeon () to observe naming taboo for Emperor Gaozu, whose personal name was the same character) to <mask> to seek aid. Emperor <mask> and Empress Wu saw this as the opportunity to destroy Goguryeo, and he initially commissioned Qibi Heli to aid Yeon Namsaeng, and also sent the generals Pang Tongshan () and Gao Kan () to attack Goguryeo. Meanwhile, Empress Wu's sister, the Lady of Han (who had married the low-level official Helan Yueshi ()), and her daughter Lady Helan had both been frequently visiting the palace and were said to be "favored" by Emperor <mask>. When Lady of Han died in 666, Emperor <mask> created Lady Helan the Lady of Wei, and wanted to let her live in the palace, but hesitated because he thought Empress Wu would be jealous.When Empress Wu heard this, she was indeed jealous, and therefore she poisoned meat offered by her nephews Wu Weiliang () and Wu Huaiyun (), who had been on poor relations with her and whose grandmother were not her mother Lady Yang; she then gave the poisonous meat to Lady Helan, who ate it and died. Empress Wu then implicated Wu Weiliang and Wu Huaiyun in Lady Helan's death and executed them. Around the new year 667, Emperor <mask> and Empress Wu further commissioned Li Ji to be the overall commander of the attack on Goguryeo, assisted by Hao Chujun. In fall 667, Li Ji crossed the Liao River and captured Sinseong (新城, in modern Fushun, Liaoning). The Tang forces thereafter fought off counterattacks by Yeon Namgeon and joined forces with Yeon Namsaeng, although they were initially unable to cross the Yalu River. In spring 668, Li Ji turned his attention to Goguryeo's northern cities, capturing the important city Buyeo (扶餘, in modern Siping, Jilin). In fall 668, he crossed the Yalu and put Pyongyang under siege.Yeon Namsan and King Bojang surrendered, and while Yeon Namgeon continued to resist in the inner city, his general, the Buddhist monk Shin Seong () turned against him and surrendered the inner city to Tang forces. Yeon Namgeon tried to commit suicide, but was seized and treated. This was the end of Goguryeo, and Tang annexed Goguryeo into its territory, with Xue Rengui being put initially in charge of former Goguryeo territory as protector general. However, there was much resistance to Tang rule (fanned by Silla, which was displeased that Tang did not give the Goguryeo territory to it), and in 669, following Emperor <mask>'s order, a part of the Goguryeo people were forced to move to the region between the Yangtze River and the Huai River, as well as the regions south of the Qin Mountains and west of Chang'an, only leaving old and weak inhabitants in the original land. Xianheng era (670–674)
In summer 670, the Tibetan Empire captured the 18 prefectures that Tang had established over the Western Regions (Xiyu), and Emperor Gaozong, in response, commissioned Xue Rengui, assisted by Ashina Daozhen () and Guo Daifeng (), to attack the Qinghai Lake area, to try to open a second front against the Tibetan Empire as well as to try to restore the territory previously held by Tuyuhun. However, Guo, who felt himself to be Xue's equal as a general, was displeased at serving as an assistant, and their discord eventually led to a major defeat at the hands of the Tibetan Empire's prime minister Lun Qinling (). For the time being, the Xiyu territory was lost.By 672, Emperor <mask> gave up the hopes of reestablishing Tuyuhun and moved Murong Nuohebo and his people deep into Tang territory. By 674, Emperor <mask> and Empress Wu was displeased at King Munmu of Silla encouragement of Goguryeo revival movements who continued to resist Tang rule over the region and he stripped King Munmu of all Tang-bestowed titles, including the title of King of Silla, and arbitrarily conferred them on King Munmu's brother Kim Immun () instead, commissioning Liu Rengui, assisted by Li Bi (李弼, Li Ji's brother) and the ethnically Mohe general Li Jinxing (), to escort Kim Immun back to Silla territory. However, King Munmu formally apologized and offered tribute, Emperor <mask> and Empress Wu drawal and recalled Kim Immun. The Sassanian prince Peroz III fled to China during this time around 670. The Chinese Emperor, who allowed Sassanian refugees fleeing from the Arab conquest to settle in China. Late reign: Problems of succession

Shangyuan and Yifeng eras (674–679)
In 675, Li Jinxing reached Silla territory with Mohe forces that submitted to Tang. However, Tang forces were repelled by Silla army at Maeso fortress.The emperor over the years suffered much more severe headaches from consuming many of the dangerous substances that Empress Wu ordered. Because he could not run the empire, power in the imperial court gradually passed to Empress Wu. Meanwhile, by this time, even more Emperor <mask> was continuously suffering from a persistent headache, and he considered making Empress Wu regent, to gain all power. Both Hao Chujun and Li Yiyan objected strenuously, and Emperor <mask> did not make her regent, but until the end of his reign, she has decision-making power on most events in the governmental and border matters. (The modern Chinese historian Bo Yang suggested that Emperor <mask>'s illnesses may be the result of long-term poisoning by Empress Wu, but did not provide evidence.) However, this did not prevent Empress Wu from engaging a number of mid-level officials, including Yuan Wanqing () and Liu Yizhi, known as the "North Gate Scholars" (北門學士, as the palace sat north of the imperial government) to serve as her advisors and to divert the powers of the chancellors in government affairs. Therefore, she exercised her power stronger and ruled over political issues without talking much to the chancellors.Also in 675, Li Hong the Crown Prince died suddenly—with traditional historians largely attributing his death to poisoning by Empress Wu, due to her anger that he tried to curb her power grab and had shown sympathy to his two older sisters born of Consort Xiao—Princesses Yiyang and Gao'an. Emperor <mask>, in grief, posthumously honored Li Hong as an emperor, and he created Empress Wu's second son, Li Xian the Prince of Yong, crown prince. Along with the war with Silla, some resistance of Goguryeo people continued to plague Tang rule there. In 676, Xue Rengui crossed the Yellow Sea to fight against Silla. However, Silla navy expelled Tang forces on the coast of western Silla. Emperor <mask> order withdrawal of Tang forces from the Korean Peninsula entirely and moved the Protectorate General to Pacify the East to Liaodong (遼東, in modern Liaoyang, Liaoning) and the commandant of Xiongjin (), who governed the former Baekje territory at Sabi, to Geonan (建安, in modern Yingkou, Liaoning), allowing Silla eventually to expel Tang out of the Korean Peninsula and unified the parts of the peninsula south of the Taedong River. In 677, he bestowed on Goguryeo's former King Bojang, Go Jang, the titles of Prince of Chaoxian and commandant of Liaodong, giving him the forcibly removed Goguryeo people.He also bestowed on Buyeo Yung the title of Prince of Daifang and commandant of Xiongjin—with the intent of letting Go Jang and Buyeo Yung to rebuild Goguryeo and Baekje as loyal vassals to counteract Silla. To accommodate these movements, the Protectorate General was further moved to Xincheng. (Buyeo Yung was not able to make any headway in leading his people back to Baekje territory, while Go Jang tried to break away from Tang rule in alliance with the Mohe; when this was discovered, Emperor <mask> recalled him to Chang'an and exiled him to Qiong Prefecture.) Meanwhile, Tang had to endure multiple attacks from the Tibetan Empire, and in 677, he commissioned Liu Rengui, then a chancellor, to take up defense position at Taohe Base (洮河軍, in modern Haidong Prefecture, Qinghai), to prepare a counterattack against the Tibetan Empire. However, Liu's proposals were repeatedly blocked by another chancellor, Li Jingxuan. In order to retaliate against Li Jingxuan, even though Liu knew that Li Jingxuan was not capable in military matters, he nevertheless recommended that Li Jingxuan take over for himself, and despite Li Jingxuan's attempt to decline, <mask> commissioned Li Jingxuan to command the army against the Tibetan Empire. In fall 678, Li Jingxuan's forces engaged Tibetan forces commanded by Lun Qinling, and was soundly defeated, with Li Jingxuan's assistant Liu Shenli () captured by the Tibetan Empire.Li Jingxuan was only able to escape after being protected by the ethnically Baekje general Heichi Changzhi. Tiaolu, Yonglong, Kaiyao, Yongchun, and Hongdao eras (679–683)
Meanwhile, the Western Turkic Khaganate chieftain Ashina Duzhi had claimed the title of Shixing Khan and was allied with another chieftain, Li Zhefu (), and they pillaged Anxi (i.e., Suyab). Emperor <mask> was ready to commission an army against Ashina Duzhi and Li Zhefu, but the official Pei Xingjian (), who had previously served as secretary general at Xi Prefecture (西州, roughly modern Turfan Prefecture, Xinjiang), opposed—instead proposing that a small detachment be announced to escort the Persian prince Narsieh back to Persia to contend for regal title. Emperor <mask> agreed and put Pei in charge of the detachment. When Pei arrived at Xi Prefecture, he, under the guise of a hunting party, summoned a number of tribal chiefs loyal to <mask> in the area, and once they arrived, launched a surprise attack on Ashina Duzhi, who, caught by surprise, was forced to surrender; Li Zhefu then surrendered as well. (Narsieh, having been used in this manner, was left in the region to fend for himself.) Meanwhile, though, another trouble was flaring up for <mask>.The former Göktürk territory, over which Tang had established 24 prefectures with the tribal chiefs serving as prefects, rebelled, and, under the leadership of Ashide Wenfu () and Ashide Fengzhi (), supported Ashina Nishoufu as khan. Emperor <mask> sent Xiao Siye to attack Ashina Nishoufu, but after Xiao achieved a few victories, he became careless, and a counterattack by Ashina Nishoufu crushed him, advancing as far as Ding Prefecture. Ashina Nishoufu also encouraged the Xi and the Khitan to attack Ying Prefecture (營州, roughly modern Zhaoyang, Liaoning), although those attacks were fought off. Around the new year 680, after Pei returned from the Western Turkic Khaganate front, <mask> commissioned him to attack the Göktürks. Pei defeated and captured Ashide Fengzhi, and Ashina Nishoufu's subordinates killed him and surrendered, ending the rebellion. Meanwhile, Li Xian's relationship with Empress Wu was deteriorating, as Li Xian heard rumors that he was not born of Empress Wu but her sister Lady of Han, and was fearful. Meanwhile, earlier, Ming Chongyan (), a sorcerer trusted by Empress Wu and <mask>, had repeatedly stated that he believed Li Xian did not have the abilities to be emperor, that his younger brother Li Zhe the Prince of Ying had an appearance like Emperor Taizong, and that another younger brother, Li Dan the Prince of Xiang, had the most honored appearance of all.Knowing that Li Xian was fearful of her, Empress Wu had the North Gate Scholars author teachings on filial piety to give to Li Xian, and also personally rebuked him, further causing him to be alarmed. When Ming was assassinated in 679, Empress Wu suspected Li Xian of carrying out the assassination. She had a report made to <mask> that accused Li Xian of assassinating Ming. When the officials Xue Yuanchao, Pei Yan, and Gao Zhizhou were put in charge of investigations, they discovered a number of armors in Li Xian's palace. Empress Wu thus accused Li Xian of treason, and while Emperor <mask> initially wanted to take no actions against Li Xian, at Empress Wu's insistence he relented. In fall 680, he reduced Li Xian to commoner rank, and created Li Zhe as the new crown prince. In 681, the Göktürk territory flared up again, as the chieftain Ashina Fu'nian claimed khan title and allied with Ashide Wenfu to attack Chinese territory.Emperor <mask> again commissioned Pei to attack Göktürk forces. Pei's assistant Cao Huaishun () was initially defeated by Ashina Fu'nian, but after Pei sent spies to spread rumors, the rumors led to discord between Ashina Fu'nian and Ashide Wenfu. When Pei's forces approached Ashina Fu'nian's position, Ashina Fu'nian arrested Ashide Wenfu and surrendered. (Against Pei's recommendation to spare Ashina Fu'nian, Emperor Gaozong executed him.) In 682, the Western Turkic Khaganate chieftain Ashina Chebo () rebelled against Tang rule, and Emperor <mask> initially was to commission Pei again, but before the army could depart, Pei died. However, the commandant at Anxi, Wang Fangyi (王方翼, Empress Wang's cousin) was able to defeat Ashina Chebo and crush the rebellion. Also in 682, the Göktürk chief Ashina Gudulu rose, in alliance with Ashide Yuanzhen (), to claim khan title.This, unlike the several earlier rebellions, actually saw the Göktürk khanate being permanently reestablished to Tang's north and persisting for decades, and would plague the last two years of Emperor <mask>'s reign as well as the reigns of his successors. Late in 683, Emperor <mask> was seriously ill, and he, who was then at Luoyang, summoned Li Zhe, then in charge of Chang'an, to Luoyang to attend to him. In November his illness led him to blindness. Imperial physician Qin Minghe (秦鳴鶴), hailing from the West/Daqin (now believed to be from Syria/Eastern Roman Empire) offered a cure of acupuncture and bloodletting, which was applied (and healed the blindness) despite Empress Wu's protests. Qin Minghe On 27 December 683, he died. Li Zhe succeeded him (as Emperor Zhongzong), but all actual power still would be in the still hands of Empress Wu, who became empress dowager. Hui Islamic legends
Known in Hui Islamic legends as Yung Wei, which was in fact the name of the first era in his reign (Yonghui era from February 650 to February 656; see era name), Islamic sources credit him with building the first mosque in China, the Huaisheng Mosque that still stands in Guangzhou.Portrayed by Lo Chun Shun in the 1984 ATV TV series Empress Wu. Portrayed by Fan Jih Hsing in the 1985 CTV TV series The Empress of the Dynasty. Portrayed by Chen Baoguo in the 1995 CCTV TV series Wu Zetian. Portrayed by Li Zhi Xing in the 2000 CCTV TV series Palace of Desire. Portrayed by Bao Jianfeng in the 2003 CTS TV series Lady Wu: The First Empress. Portrayed by Zhang Tielin in the 2006 TV series Wu Zi Bei Ge. Portrayed by Ma Xiao Wei in the 2007 CCTV TV series The Shadow of Empress Wu.Portrayed by Yu Shao Qun and Winston Chao in the 2011 Hunan TV TV series Secret History of Empress Wu. Portrayed by Patrick Tam in the 2011 Hunan TV TV series Meng Hui Tang Chao. Portrayed by Zheng Guo Lin in the 2011 Guangzhou Zonghe Channel TV series Beauty World. Portrayed by Gao Zi in the 2012 Hunan TV TV series Secret History of Princess Taiping. Portrayed by Seo Dong-soo in the 2012-2013 KBS1 TV series Dream of the Emperor. Portrayed by Aarif Rahman in the 2014 Hunan TV TV series The Empress of China. Portrayed by Yuan Hong in the 2014 ZJTV TV series Young Sherlock.Portrayed by Yu Rongguang in the 2015 TV series Heroes of Sui and Tang Dynasties 5. Portrayed by Qu Ao Hui in the 2017 Anhui TV TV series Legendary Di Renjie. See also
Chinese emperors family tree (middle)

References

Sources
 Old Book of Tang, vols. 4, 5. New Book of Tang, vol. 3. 628 births
683 deaths
Tang dynasty emperors
7th-century Chinese monarchs
Emperor Taizong of

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title: Francis Haar

texts:
<mask> born as Haár Ferenc (July 19, 1908 – December 22, 1997) was a Hungarian socio-photographer. He studied interior architecture at Hungarian Royal National School of Arts and Crafts between 1924 and 1927. His master was Gyula Kaesz. Life and career
He started working as an interior architect and poster designer in 1928, and taught himself photography. In 1930 he became acquainted with Munka-kör (Work Circle) led by socialist avant-garde poet and visual artist Lajos Kassák, who just returned from Vienna. Kassák pointed out that the photography is more than the painting and can access to such part of reality that cannot be accessed by painters. Kassák's motto was photography is the real child of our age not the painting.That was a lifelong inspiration to <mask>. He became an active and leading member of the Munka Kör, his partners in socio-photography were among others Sándor Gönci, Árpád Szélpál and Lajos Lengyel, who later became renowned graphic artist and book designer. The first socio photo exhibition ever in Hungary was held in 1932, which brought the first success to <mask>. His first photo studio was opened in Budapest in 1934. Some of his photos were exhibited at the Paris Exposition Internationale des Arts et Techniques dans la Vie Moderne in 1937, so <mask> decided to move to Paris where he established himself as a portrait photographer. However, in 1939 he was invited by Hiroshi Kawazoe to Japan and the International Cultural Society of Japan (Kokusai Bunka Shinkokai) officially arranged his trip. With help of Japanese friends he opened and operated his photo studio in Tokyo between 1940 and 42.The Haar family was evacuated to Karuizawa in 1943 and they spent 3 years there. He became the photographer of Yank, the Army Weekly magazine of the U.S. occupation forces in Japan, and subsequently filmmaker with U.S. Public Health and Welfare Section (1946–48). Again his Tokyo photo studio was opened in 1946 and was in active business until 1956. His wife Irene opened the famous restaurant  Irene's Hungaria in Ginza, downtown Tokyo, which was frequented by celebrities, intellectuals, army men and sports people from all over the world besides the Japanese. Accepting a challenge he moved and worked as photographer for the Container Corporation of America, Chicago from 1956 until 1959. He returned to Tokyo and operated his photo studio again for a year. 1960 brought a great decision and the Haars moved to Hawai'i and <mask> started his photo studio there.He taught photography at the University of Hawai'i between 1964 and 1974. He became the production photographer for the Kennedy Theater, the University of Hawai'i Drama Department. <mask> died at the age of 89 in Honolulu. References
 <mask> – A Lifetime of Images (edited by <mask>). University of Hawaii Press, 2001. Haár Ferenc in Hungarian

Awards
 1933, 1935 First Prize, National Photo Contest, Budapest
 1959 First Prize, Metropolitan Improvement Photo Contest, Chicago
 Golden Eagle Award for Pineapple Country Hawai'i, C.I.N.E., Washington D.C. Photographic Award, Educational Perspectives Magazine, University of Hawai'i
 Gift Print Award, Arts Council of Hawai'i
 Living Treasure of Hawai'i, Honpa Hongwanji and the Hawai'i State Legislature
 Lifetime Achievement Award, Hungarian Photographic Society

Books
 Way to Orient Arts Publishing Company, Tokyo, 1940
 Hungarian Picture Book Benrido Publishing Company, Kyoto, 1941
 Around Mount Fuji Benrido Publishing Company, Kyoto, 1942
 The Best of Old Japan Charles Tuttle Company, Tokyo, 1951
 Japanese Theatre in Highlights Charles Tuttle Company, Tokyo, 1951
 Mermaids of Japan Kanabeshobo Company, Tokyo, 1954
 Geisha of Pontocho by P.D.Perkins. Photographs by <mask>. Tokyo News Service, 1954
 The World of Dew : aspects of living Japan by D.J. Enright. Photographs by <mask>. Secker & Warburg, 1955
 Tokyo You Should See Charles Tuttle Company, Tokyo, 1960
 Foto Haár Ferenc Corvina Publishing Company, Budapest, 1969
 Legends of Hawai'i Victoria Publishers, Honolulu, 1972
 Artists of Hawai'i Vol. 1 University of Hawai'i Press, Honolulu, 1974
 Artists of Hawai'i Vol.John Young Museum of Art, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa

Documentary films
 1948 • Hamajo Fishing Village, Palmer Pictures
 1950 • Picturesque Japan, Japan Travel Bureau
 1951 • Students Today – Japan's Tomorrow , Australian Mission, Tokyo
 1953 • Arts of Japan, U.S. Information Agency, Tokyo
 1954 • Awakening, Sophia University, Tokyo
 1955 • Japanese Calligraphy, Belgian Education Ministry
 1959 • Ukiyoe – Prints of Japan, Art Institute of Chicago
 1959 • Juvenile Delinquency in Chicago, Chicago Public Television
 1961 • Hula Ho'olaulea – Traditional Dances of Hawai'i, Honolulu Academy of Arts
 1962 • Pineapple Country Hawai'i, Pineapple Growers Association, Honolulu
 1963 • The Other Language, AID Far East Training Center, Hawai'i
 1964 • Tenno – Symbol and Myth, Asuka Production with Fuji Television Company, Tokyo
 1966 • Hawaii's Asian Heritage', Island Films Production, Honolulu
 1968 • Aala – Life and Death of a Community, B.B.H. Productions, Honolulu
 1976 • Artists of Hawai'i'', Bicentennial Commission and Hawai'i State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, Honolulu

Works in public collections
 Victoria and Albert Museum, London
 Museum of Modern Art, New York
 Hawai'i State Foundation on Culture and the Arts
 Mayor's Office of Culture and the Arts, Honolulu
 The Contemporary Museum, Honolulu
 Hungarian Museum of Photography, Kecskemét

Photographers from Budapest
1908 births
1997 deaths
Photography in Japan
University of Hawaiʻi faculty

masks:
Francis Haar
Francis
Francis
Francis Haar
Francis
Francis Haar
Francis Haar
Tom Haar
Francis Haar
Francis Haar


title: Henry Dyer

texts:
<mask> (23 August 1848 – 25 September 1918) was a Scottish engineer who contributed much to founding Western-style technical education in Japan and Anglo-Japanese relations. Early life

<mask> was born on 16 August 1848, in the village of Muirmadkin (now absorbed into the town of Bellshill) in the Parish of Bothwell in what is now known as North Lanarkshire. Around 1865, the <mask> family moved to Glasgow where <mask> was employed at James Aitken and Company's foundry in Cranstonhill. There he served his apprenticeship as a student engineer under Thomas Kennedy and A C Kirk. At the same time, he attended classes at Anderson's College (later to become the University of Strathclyde) together with Yamao Yōzō. <mask> studied engineering education at Glasgow University from 1868 under Professor William Rankine, who was eager to establish the faculty of engineering. He was the first Scot to win the Whitworth scholarship awarded in 1868, which was for the further instruction of young men gifted in the practice and theory of mechanics.<mask> graduated from Glasgow University in 1873 with a "certificate in proficiency in engineering", the forerunner of the BSc in Engineering, from the Engineering department. Japan (1873–1882)

<mask> is principally remembered in Japan for his contributions to curriculum development for the Imperial College of Engineering an engineering institution under the Public Works (Kobu Sho) of the Meiji Japan aimed at creating young Japanese engineers of various industrial fields to achieve rapid modernization. Through an initiative in 1872 led by Yozo Yamao, the Meji government sought teaching staff for a newly established engineering school. Hugh Matheson, a contact of Yamao, . consulted with Lewis Gordon, and William John Macquorn Rankine. Rankine arranged for teaching staff lead by <mask> as Principal and Professor of Engineering, and informed it to Itō Hirobumi, minister of Public Works, at the time vice Ambassador of the Iwakura Mission. The Engineering Institution aimed at creating young Japanese engineers who take responsibility for rapid industrialization.<mask> designed a six year academic curriculum consisting of basic (general and science subjects), professional (technical subjects) and practical courses of two years in duration for six departments. The ICE programme was a revised version of the Royal Indian Engineering College curriculum adapted to Japan's specific scientific and technical needs. To provide practical training, <mask> helped set up the Akabane Engineering Works, the largest in the Empire of Japan. Many of the major engineering works carried out in Japan at the end of the 19th century were by his former students, and <mask> also sent many to Glasgow to complete their education. When he left the ICE in 1882, <mask> was made Honorary Principal and Emperor Meiji awarded him the Third Class of the Order of the Rising Sun, the highest Japanese honour available to foreigners. He had established a progressive system of engineering education in Tokyo and greatly contributed to the progress Japan made as an industrial power. Returning from Japan, <mask> brought back various Japanese artifacts and art works, some of which were later donated by his descendants to the Mitchell Library, Glasgow and Edinburgh Central Library.Included in the bequest to Edinburgh Central Library donated by <mask>'s daughter Marie Ferguson <mask>, is the painted handscroll Theatres of the East by the Japanese artist Furuyama Moromasa, loose Japanese woodblock prints, bound woodblock printed volumes, bound volumes of paintings, and a collection of nineteenth century Japanese photographs attributed to Franz von Stillfried-Ratenicz. Scotland (1882–1918)
<mask> went back to Scotland and in 1886 became a life governor of the Glasgow and West of Scotland Technical College (previously Anderson's College, where he had been a student, and later to become the University of Strathclyde, and governor of the Glasgow and West of Scotland Agricultural College. He became a member of the Glasgow School Board in 1891 and was its president from 1914 until his death. <mask> represented a tireless pro-Japanese lobby within Scotland. He assisted Japanese students, engineers and trainee managers and had a staunch ally in Captain A R Brown of the company Brown, McFarlane who had been responsible for taking the first Clyde-built ships to Japan. <mask> worked as an unofficial liaison officer for the Japanese Government in Glasgow and thanks to his efforts Glasgow University Court permitted Japanese as a language for entry in 1901. In the same year Professors Jōji Sakurai and Isao Iijima of the Tokyo Imperial University were awarded honorary degrees during the University’s Ninth Jubilee celebrations.The University of Strathclyde's <mask> Building, home to the Department of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, was named after him. In 2015 he was inducted into the Scottish Engineering Hall of Fame

Family
Married 23 May 1874, Marie Euphemia Aqaurt Ferguson, eldest daughter of Duncan Ferguson of Glasgow at the British Legation in Yokohama, Japan. Publications
 The Evolution of Industry (1895)
 Dai Nippon: The Britain of the East (1904)
Japan in World Politics (1909)
Collected Writings of <mask>, in 5 vols., edited by Nobuhiro Miyoshi, Tokyo: Edition Synapse. See also
Imperial College of Engineering
James Alfred Ewing
William Edward Ayrton
John Milne
Mechanical Engineering Heritage (Japan) No.100 in 2020

References

Olive Checkland, '<mask> at the Imperial College of Engineering Tokyo, and afterwards in Glasgow', Chapter 11, Britain & Japan: Biographical Portraits, Volume 3, Japan Library,
Collected Writings of <mask>,
<mask>: Pioneer of Education in Japan, by Nobuhiro Miyoshi, 2004,
<mask>, a Scottish Engineer in Japan, Robin Hunter (with a Foreword by Lesley Hart), available as an ebook or paperback from Amazon. External sources

<mask>, 1848-1918 - a detailed and informative site
Japan and People
Japan and Shipbuilding
Glasgow University and Japan
 - Henry Dyer Building, University of Strathclyde

1848 births
1918 deaths
Alumni of the University of Glasgow
Foreign advisors to the government in Meiji-period Japan
Foreign educators in Japan
Scottish engineers
Scottish expatriates in Japan
People from North Lanarkshire
University of Tokyo faculty
Recipients of the Order of the Rising Sun
Alumni of the University of Strathclyde
Academics of the University of Strathclyde
Scottish educators
Japanese diplomats
Scottish Engineering Hall of Fame inductees

masks:
Henry Dyer
Henry Dyer
Dyer
Henry
Dyer
Henry Dyer
Dyer
Dyer
Dyer
Dyer
Dyer
Dyer
Henry Dyer
Dyer
Dyer
Henry Dyer
Dyer
Dyer
Henry Dyer
Henry Dyer
Henry Dyer
Henry Dyer
Henry Dyer
Henry Dyer
Henry Dyer


title: Michael Chiesa

texts:
<mask> (; born December 7, 1987) is an American professional mixed martial artist, and sports analyst who currently competes in the welterweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). A professional MMA competitor since 2008, <mask> was the winner of FX's inaugural The Ultimate Fighter: Live. , he is #10 in the UFC welterweight rankings. Mixed martial arts career

Early career
<mask> began his professional mixed martial arts career in 2008. He fought for several regional promotions in the Pacific Northwest, going undefeated in his first seven fights, before gaining an opportunity to appear on The Ultimate Fighter: Live reality show. The Ultimate Fighter
<mask> was one of 32 lightweight fighters announced by the UFC to participate in first live season of The Ultimate Fighter reality show. Chiesa earned his way into The Ultimate Fighter house, and a $5,000 bonus, with a submission victory over Johnavan Vistante in the elimination rounds.He was chosen as the fifth pick for Team Faber. <mask>'s terminally ill father died shortly after his victory. After teammate Al Iaquinta picked up the first win for Team Faber, his coach decided that <mask> would fight Jeremy Larsen next. <mask> would go on to defeat Larsen by unanimous decision after two rounds. For his quarter-final fight, Chiesa was matched up with the highly favored prospect, Justin Lawrence. After a hard-fought two rounds, the judges declared a draw and the fight went to a third, "sudden-victory" round. Early in the third round, <mask> was able to reverse Lawrence on the ground, gain a mount position and win the fight by TKO, earning a $5,000 knock-out bonus and a place in the semi-finals.<mask> was selected to fight Team Cruz fighter, James Vick, in the semi-final round. <mask> won the fight by technical knockout in the second round. He moved on to the finals against Team Faber teammate Al Iaquinta. Ultimate Fighting Championship
<mask> officially made his UFC debut at The Ultimate Fighter 15 Finale on June 1, 2012, against fellow Team Faber teammate Al Iaquinta. <mask> defeated Iaquinta by technical submission due to a rear-naked choke 2:47 into the opening round thus becoming The Ultimate Fighter: Live's inaugural winner and received Submission of the Night honors for his efforts. <mask> was expected to face Rafaello Oliveira on December 8, 2012, at UFC on Fox 5. However, Oliveira was forced out of the bout with a broken hand and replaced by Marcus LeVesseur.Then, the week of the event, <mask> was forced out of the bout with LeVesseur with the shingles and the bout was scrapped altogether. <mask> next fought Anton Kuivanen on February 23, 2013, at UFC 157. <mask> submitted Kuivanen with a rear-naked choke in the second round. <mask> was expected to face Reza Madadi on July 27, 2013, at UFC on Fox 8. However, on May 14, 2013, it was announced Madadi was pulled from the bout due to visa issues. <mask> instead faced Jorge Masvidal. <mask> was stopped by Masvidal in the second round due to a d'arce choke submission, resulting in the first defeat in his professional career.<mask> next faced Ultimate Fighter winner Colton Smith on November 6, 2013, at UFC Fight Night 31. He won the fight via submission in the second round. The win also earned <mask> his second Submission of the Night bonus award. <mask> faced Francisco Trinaldo at UFC 173 on May 24, 2014. He won the fight via unanimous decision. <mask> faced Joe Lauzon on September 5, 2014, at UFC Fight Night 50. After a back and forth fight, Lauzon defeated <mask> via TKO in the second round after opening a significant cut above <mask>'s right eye, forcing a doctor's stoppage.The performance earned both participants Fight of the Night honors. <mask> faced Mitch Clarke on April 4, 2015, at UFC Fight Night 63. He won the fight by unanimous decision. <mask> faced Jim Miller on December 10, 2015, at UFC Fight Night 80. He won the fight via submission in the second round. The bout also earned <mask> his second Fight of the Night bonus award. <mask> faced Beneil Dariush on April 16, 2016, at UFC on Fox 19.He won the bout via submission in the second round and was also awarded a Performance of the Night bonus. <mask> was expected to face Tony Ferguson on July 13, 2016, at UFC Fight Night 91. However, <mask> pulled out of the fight on June 27 citing a back injury and was replaced by promotional newcomer Lando Vannata. <mask> faced Kevin Lee on June 25, 2017, at UFC Fight Night 112. At a UFC summer kick off press conference in association with UFC 211, Kevin Lee mentioned Chiesa's mother had tickets to the show, in which Chiesa responded "don't you ever talk about my mom". This verbal altercation ultimately led to punches being thrown, and both were escorted from the stage. <mask> lost the fight via technical submission at the end of the first round.He appealed to the Oklahoma State Athletic Commission to overturn the defeat, claiming referee Mario Yamasaki erred both in stopping the fight despite no tapout nor loss of consciousness and in allowing Lee to use illegal downward elbows, which cut his head. Albeit having one fight left on his contract, <mask> signed a new four-fight deal with UFC at the end of August 2017. <mask> was expected to face Anthony Pettis on April 7, 2018, at UFC 223; however, the bout was canceled after a backstage incident with Conor McGregor on April 5, 2018. McGregor threw a dolly at a UFC bus that Chiesa was traveling on and broke a window. <mask> was hit by shards of glass, which opened a cut on his forehead, and needed hospitalization subsequently resulting in the fight's cancellation. On September 10, 2018, <mask> told the media he has sued McGregor for assault, battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. He also sued Barclay's Center for negligence, although he didn't disclose the amounts or further details of either of the cases.The bout with Pettis was rescheduled to UFC 226. At weight-ins, <mask> weighed in at 157.5 pounds, 1.5 pounds over the lightweight limit of 156 pounds. As a result, the fight proceeded at a catchweight bout and <mask> forfeited 30% of his purse to Pettis. <mask> lost the fight via submission in round two. Shortly after the loss, <mask> announced going up to welterweight division. <mask> faced Carlos Condit on December 29, 2018 at UFC 232. He won the fight via submission in the second round.<mask> faced Diego Sanchez on July 6, 2019 at UFC 239. He won the fight via unanimous decision. <mask> dedicated the win to the memory of Jess Roskelley. <mask> faced Rafael dos Anjos on January 25, 2020 at UFC Fight Night 166. He won the fight via unanimous decision. <mask> faced Neil Magny on January 20, 2021 at UFC on ESPN 20. <mask> won the fight via unanimous decision after controlling Magny on the ground for most of the 5 rounds.<mask> faced Vicente Luque on August 7, 2021 at UFC 265. He lost the fight via a submission in round one. <mask> faced Sean Brady on November 20, 2021 at UFC Fight Night 198. He lost the bout via unanimous decision. Film and television
<mask> was featured in the award-winning mixed martial arts documentary Fight Life. The film is directed by James Z. Feng and was released in 2013.

masks:
Michael Keith Chiesa
Chiesa
Chiesa
Chiesa
Chiesa
Chiesa
Chiesa
Chiesa
Chiesa
Chiesa
Chiesa
Chiesa
Chiesa
Chiesa
Chiesa
Chiesa
Chiesa
Chiesa
Chiesa
Chiesa
Chiesa
Chiesa
Chiesa
Chiesa
Chiesa
Chiesa
Chiesa
Chiesa
Chiesa
Chiesa
Chiesa
Chiesa
Chiesa
Chiesa
Chiesa
Chiesa
Chiesa
Chiesa
Chiesa
Chiesa
Chiesa
Chiesa
Chiesa
Chiesa
Chiesa
Chiesa
Chiesa
Chiesa
Chiesa
Chiesa


title: Timo Hildebrand

texts:
<mask> (born 5 April  1979) is a German former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. <mask> holds a Bundesliga record for keeping a clean sheet for the most consecutive minutes (884 minutes), which he set during the 2003–04 season. Club career

VfB Stuttgart

After starting his career at the little-known FV Hofheim/Ried, <mask> joined the Stuttgart youth team in 1994. In the 1999–2000 season, <mask> played in six Bundesliga matches. From the summer of 2000, he was the club's number one goalkeeper and contributed largely to Stuttgart's successes, particularly as part of what became known as "Stuttgart's young wild ones" team under coach Felix Magath. He began the 2000–01 season by playing in eight matches in the Intertoto Cup. He went on making 32 Bundesliga appearances, five German Cup appearances, and eight UEFA Cup.The following season, he made 34 appearances. VfB Stuttgart managed to be Bundesliga runners-up in 2003. He had made 20 Bundesliga appearances, one German Cup appearance, four UEFA Cup appearances, and eight Intertoto Cup matches. He survived the Champions League group stage the following season, before bowing out to Chelsea FC in the second round. He made 43 appearances during the 2003–04 season. <mask> also played a significant role in Stuttgart's victorious 2006–07 Bundesliga campaign, figuring as a backbone for the next generation of "wild ones" like Serdar Tasci or Mario Gómez and helping Stuttgart provide the third-best defence of the season. The 2006–07 campaign remains his greatest domestic success to this day, and his last season with Stuttgart as in December 2006 he did not accept the club's offer to extend his contract.He made 39 appearances during the  2006–07 season. Valencia
Hildebrand joined the Spanish club Valencia on a free transfer on 3 July 2007, with Valencia unveiling <mask> via a news conference the next day on 4 July 2007. He stated in the news conference that he would "give everything" to the club. <mask> was being viewed as a replacement to the club's long-serving goalkeeper Santiago Cañizares. He made his debut for Valencia on 29 August, for the third qualification round second leg of UEFA Champions League against IF Elfsborg. He played the full 90 minutes of that game of which they won 2–1. <mask> was Valencia's first-choice goalkeeper for most of the 2007–08 season, collecting a Copa del Rey trophy on the way.After the departure of manager Ronald Koeman, <mask> lost his place in the first team as Koeman's successor Unai Emery preferred newly signed Renan Brito. According to media coverage, <mask> refused consignment to the bench and was eventually cut from the squad altogether. <mask> had not been playing for Valencia for several months since the Supercopa de España second leg on 24 August 2008. On 4 December 2008, he left Valencia by mutual consent. Hoffenheim

On 10 December 2008, <mask> signed for the Bundesliga side 1899 Hoffenheim. He made his Bundesliga debut for Hoffenheim on 31 January 2009 in their 2–0 win at home to Energie Cottbus, being substituted in the 60th minute due to an injury. During the 2008–09 season, he made 14 appearances.During the 2009–10 season, he made 32 appearances. In summer 2010, <mask> left Hoffenheim. Sporting
Hildebrand signed a one-year deal with Portuguese club Sporting CP and debuted on 16 October 2010 in a 2–1 win over GD Estoril Praia in the Portuguese cup. After <mask> left Sporting, he was on trial with Manchester City on their pre-season tour of USA before the 2011–12 season, but they did not take up the option to sign him. Schalke 04
<mask> signed onto Schalke 04 in the middle of the 2011–12 Bundesliga campaign after starting keeper Ralf Fährmann was injured. During the 2013–14 season. Eintracht Frankfurt
On 25 September 2014 <mask> signed for Eintracht Frankfurt in the wake of a major injury to their first-choice keeper Kevin Trapp.He made three appearances. This final top-flight matches for Eintracht were the last of over 300 Bundesliga appearances for <mask>. International career

After collecting 18 Under-21-caps, <mask> made his full international debut for Germany on 28 April 2004 in a friendly against Romania in Bucharest as he came on as a half-time substitute for Oliver Kahn with Germany 0–4 down, and eventually lost 1–5. <mask> was selected for three consecutive tournaments for Germany, Euro 2004, 2005 Confederations Cup and 2006 World Cup, as Germany's third-choice goalkeeper behind Jens Lehmann and Oliver Kahn. He played his first competitive international at the 2005 Confederations Cup against Argentina (final score 2–2). He was the only member of the 2006 World Cup squad who did not play at the tournament, as Germany came third on home soil. After Kahn's retirement from international football in 2006, <mask> stepped up to become Germany's number two and was Jens Lehmann's natural replacement during the Euro 2008 qualification.Somewhat surprisingly, Joachim Löw dropped <mask> from the final squad for the tournament and picked Robert Enke and René Adler ahead of him. Although Löw stated that <mask> was an important player and may return to the set-up in near future, he never appeared for Germany since his omission from their squad for Euro 2008. Career statistics

Club

International

Honours
VfB Stuttgart
UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2000, 2002
 Bundesliga: 2006–07
 DFB-Pokal runner-up: 2006–07

Valencia
 Copa del Rey: 2007–08

Germany
 FIFA World Cup third place: 2006
 FIFA Confederations Cup third place: 2005

Individual
ESM Team of the Year:  2003–04

References

External links

1979 births
Living people
People from Worms, Germany
Association football goalkeepers
German footballers
Germany under-21 international footballers
Germany international footballers
Germany B international footballers
Germany youth international footballers
German expatriate footballers
Expatriate footballers in Spain
Expatriate footballers in Portugal
German expatriate sportspeople in Spain
German expatriate sportspeople in Portugal
VfB Stuttgart players
VfB Stuttgart II players
Valencia CF players
TSG 1899 Hoffenheim players
Sporting CP footballers
FC Schalke 04 players
FC Schalke 04 II players
Eintracht Frankfurt players
Bundesliga players
Regionalliga players
La Liga players
Primeira Liga players
UEFA Euro 2004 players
2005 FIFA Confederations Cup players
2006 FIFA World Cup players
Footballers from Rhineland-Palatinate

masks:
Timo Hildebrand
Hildebrand
Hildebrand
Hildebrand
Hildebrand
Hildebrand
Hildebrand
Hildebrand
Hildebrand
Hildebrand
Hildebrand
Hildebrand
Hildebrand
Hildebrand
Hildebrand
Hildebrand
Hildebrand
Hildebrand
Hildebrand
Hildebrand
Hildebrand
Hildebrand


title: Lal Singh Dil

texts:
<mask>  <mask> (Punjabi ਲਾਲ ਸਿੰਘ ਦਿਲ) (11 April 1943 – 14 August 2007) was one of the major revolutionary Punjabi poets emerging out of the Naxalite (Marxist-Leninist) Movement  in the Indian Punjab towards the late sixties of the 20th century. The Movement was a political failure and died down quickly, but it brought in revolutionary changes in the subject matter, language and idiom, tone and tenor of Punjabi poetry. Referring to the impact of the Naxalite Movement in Punjab, sociologist Paramjit S. Judge says, "The consequences of the Naxalite movement have been almost ephemeral and have hardly made an impact on the social and political spheres... Its positive contribution is that it has revolutionized Punjabi poetry which can never be traditional and romantic again." "The prominent poets belonging to this school are: Pash, <mask>, Harbhajan Halvarvi, Darshan Khatkar, Amarjit Chandan and Sant Ram Udasi," says Paramjit S Judge. Prof Ronki Ram called him "one of the most popular and serious poets of the Naxal Movement in Punjab of the late 1960s." Biography

Birth and family background
<mask> was born on 11 April in 1943 in a Ramdasia Chamar, (an 'outcaste' community of tanners) family in Ghungrali Sikhãn (Punjabi text: 'ਜਨਮ ਸਥਾਨ: ਘੂੰਗਰਾਲੀ ਸਿੱਖਾਂ') near Samrala, a small town in Punjab (Malwa region) in then British India, now Indian Punjab. His was a family without money, without land, without education, without any financial and intellectual resources that could give <mask> a start for upward social or economic mobility.The family was fitted to perform only manual and menial agricultural labour, and <mask>'s father, almost throughout his life, worked as an agricultural labourer on someone's land. The family, like most of the Ramadasia community in the Malwa region of Punjab, formally subscribed to Sikhism. Education
<mask> <mask> passed his high school examination from the Government School, Samrala in 1960-61, being the first in his clan to pass tenth standard, while working as a wage labourer, and go to college. He joined A.S. College at another town, Khanna, close by, but dropped out after one year. He joined Junior Teachers' Training course in 1964 at SHS College in Bahilolpur, another close-by town, but gave up after two years without completing the course. He spent a year studying for Gayani, an honours course in Punjabi literature, but gave up without completing the course. During this period <mask> <mask> supported himself by working as a wage labourer and herder, and by giving tuitions.(Punjabi text:'ਵਿੱਦਿਆ: ਮੈਟਿ੍ਕ (1960–61) ਸਰਕਾਰੀ ਹਾਈ ਸਕੂਲ, ਇਕਸਾਲ ਏ. ਐਸ ਕਾਲਜ ਖੱਨਾ ਵਿਚ ਪੜਿਆ, ਦੋ ਸਾਲ ਸ.ਹ.ਸ ਬਹਿਲੋਲਪੁਰ `ਚ ਜੂਨੀਅਰ ਬੇਸਿਕ ਟ੍ਰੇਨਿੰਗ ਕਰਦਿਆਂ ਲਾਏ,ਇਕ ਸਾਲ ਗਿਆਨੀ ਦੀ ਤਿਆਰੀ ਕਰਦਿਆਂ ।…ਪੜਦਿਆਂ ਖੇਤ ਮਜ਼ਦੂਰੀ ਕੀਤੀ, ਰਾਜ ਮਿਸਤ੍ਰੀਆਂ ਨਾਲ ਦਿਹਾੜੀ ਕੀਤੀ…')

Discrimination
Right from his childhood he faced discrimination because he belonged to a 'lower caste'. This is what he writes in the opening paragraph of his autobiography, Dastaan: 'I have endured the ordeal by fire time and again in my life, and it is a miracle that I have been able to emerge unscathed.' What that fire was he illustrates with an example in the next few lines of the same opening paragraph. While as a small boy of  five or six, out of innocence, he dares to bathe at  a jat farmer's well. He is immediately dragged away, whip-lashed thrice and, driven out by the farmer's son. As   a 'chamar' he is not permitted to bathe at the well of an upper caste.He is pushed into this 'fire' again and again, at school, at college where he dares to fall in love with an upper caste girl, and even within the egalitarian Naxalite movement. '<mask> <mask> was born in a 'chamar' family. Reference to this occurs at many places in his poetry. In his autobiography he has written freely about the prevalence of the arrogance of caste superiority in his locality, at his school, and in the Naxalite organizations and among the police,' says Amarjit Chandan. (Punjabi text:'ਲਾਲ ਸਿੰਘ ਦਿਲ ਚਮਾਰਾਂ ਦੇ ਘਰ ਜੰਮਿਆ । ਇਹ ਗੱਲ ਇਹਦੀ ਕਵਿਤਾ ਵਿਚ ਕਈ ਥਾਈਂ ਆਈ ਹੈ । ਸਵੈਜੀਵਨੀ ਵਿਚ ਇਹਨੇ ਆਪਣੇ ਵਿਹੜੇ, ਸਕੂਲ ਤੇ ਨਕਸਲੀ ਪਾਰਟੀ ਅਤੇ ਫੇਰ ਪੁਲਸ ਦੇ ਜ਼ਾਤ ਅਭੀਮਾਨ ਬਾਰੇ ਖੁੱਲ਼ ਕੇ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਹੈ')

In the Naxalite Movement
<mask> was introduced to the Marxist ideology by one Comrade Jagjit <mask> of his own town in 1968 (Punjabi text:'ਪ੍ਰੇਰਨਾ: ਸਾਹਿਤ ਤੇ ਸਮਾਜਵਾਦੀ ਸੋਚ ਦੀ ਪਹਿਚਾਣ 1968 `ਚ ਕਾਮਰੇਡ ਜਗਜੀਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਬਾਗੀ, ਸਮਰਾਲਾ ਨੇ ਕਰਾਈ ।') This is how he himself describes his enthusiasm for the Naxalite movement: 'The news of Naxalbari spread like wildfire. Those days I was working as a labourer on daily wages. I carried heavy loads up and down a ladder, and all this activity gave me strange energy.I felt now I would be able to accomplish what I could have achieved had I been present during the upsurge in Vietnam. I felt I was on the threshold of realizing the imminent Revolution. He took part in a Naxlite agitation (Birla Seed Farm Agitation, Ropar)  in 1969 and later, in the same year, was part of a group of Naxalites who unsuccessfully raided the police station in the town of Chamkaur on 30 April 1969. He fled from the scene but was soon arrested and faced severe police torture during a long police remand. He was tried and sentenced to six months imprisonment with hard labour, in his own words (Punjabi text:'ਛੇ ਮਹੀਨੇ ਦੀ ਬਾਮੁਸ਼ੱਕਤ ਕੈਦ…'). He remained in jail for sometime between middle of 1969 and 1971. After release from jail in 1971, fearing police persecution, facing neglect from family, friends and comrades, and lacking support from any quarter he fled to Uttar Pradesh, another Indian province.'Pushed out of Punjab, <mask> left for Uttar Pradesh towards the end of 1971. The main reasons for running away from Punjab were his disillusionment with the political Movement and the fear of police persecution.' (Punjabi text:'ਲਾਲ 1971 ਦੇ ਅਖੀਰ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਦਾ ਧੱਕਿਆ ਯੂ.ਪੀ ਚਲੇ ਗਿਆ। ਓਥੇ ਜਾਨ ਦਾ ਵਡਾ ਕਾਰਨ ਸਿਆਸੀ ਲਹਿਰ ਤੋਂ ਹੋਇਆ ਮੋਹਭੰਗ ਸੀ ਤੇ ਪੁਲਿਸ ਦਾ ਡਰ ਵੀ।' )

In Uttar Pradesh
In Uttar Pradesh he moved from one town or village to another, seeking one or another kind of subsistence employment about which he talks extensively in his autobiography. His friend, and story writer, Prem Parkash says: 'I received one letter from Lakhimpur Kheri. It was evident from his letters, many of which are lost, that sometimes he worked with the Imam in the mosque, and sometimes he was caretaker of the factory, sometimes he looked after the orchards, sometimes he became a cloth vendor moving from village to village. He also lived in a timber godown.' Sometime in 1972 he had converted to Islam because he believed there was no caste discrimination in Islam; and also in the hope of marrying, a hope that did not materialize.This is what he says to his friend Amarjit Chandan in an undated long letter written in 1973: '…First of all let me tell you that I have converted to Islam. This happened about a year ago.' (Punjabi text:' ... ਸਭ ਤੋਂ ਪਹਿਲਾਂ ਮੈਂ ਦਸੱ ਦਿਆਂ  ਕਿ ਮੈਂ  ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ਹੋ ਗਿਆ ਹਾਂ। ਇਸ ਨੂੰ ਸਾਲ ਹੋ ਗਿਆ ... '  )

While he was a student at college he had become enamoured of a few girls but it all remained a one-sided affair, his caste

masks:
Lal
Singh Dil
Lal Singh Dil
Lal Singh Dil
Lal Singh
Lal Singh
Lal Singh
Dil
Lal Singh
Dil
Lal Singh
Dil
Lal Singh
Singh Baghi
Lal Singh