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Why did Taizong order a national compendium of genealogies?
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Taizong
The Taizong emperor, detail of a portrait; in the National Palace Museum, Taipei.
The Taizong emperor ordered a national compendium of genealogies to address the challenge posed by the great clans of Shandong. These powerful families considered themselves superior to the royal house of the Tang dynasty. By commissioning this official record, Taizong effectively reordered social status by ranking the royal house at the top of the hierarchy.1