Lingyan Pavilion was a small tower beside Sanqing Hall (Chinese: 三清殿) in the southwest of Taiji Palace (Chinese: 太極宮), Chang'an, the capital of the Tang dynasty. Its location in modern China is roughly in the north of Xi'an, Shaanxi.
On 23 March 643,[1] during the Zhenguan era of the reign of Emperor Taizong in the Tang dynasty, the emperor commissioned the artist Yan Liben to paint life-sized portraits of 24 officials to commemorate them for their meritorious service and contributions aiding him in his establishment of the Tang Empire. However, many among the 24 men were also instrumental in helping Taizong seize power during the Xuanwu Gate Incident.
The paintings were displayed in Lingyan Pavilion and all of them faced north. The pavilion was divided into three layers: the innermost held the portraits of chancellors; the middle displayed paintings of princes and dukes; the outermost for the remaining ones. Emperor Taizong often visited the pavilion to view the portraits and reminisce the past.
The 24 officials are listed as such:
| Zhangsun Wuji | 长孙无忌 | Fuji | 辅机 | Duke of Zhao | Chancellor | 594 | 659 | |
| Li Xiaogong | 李孝恭 | unknown | Prince of Hejian Prefecture | General | 591 | 640 | ||
| Du Ruhui | 杜如晦 | Keming | 克明 | Duke of Lai | Chancellor | 585 | 630 | |
| Wei Zheng | 魏征 | Xuancheng | 玄成 | Duke of Zheng | Chancellor | 580 | 643 | |
| Fang Qiao | 房峤 | Xuanling | 玄龄 | Duke of Liang | Chancellor | 579 | 648 | |
| Gao Jian | 高俭 | Shilian | 士廉 | Duke of Shen | Chancellor | 575 | 647 | |
| Yuchi Gong | 尉迟恭 | Jingde | 敬德 | Duke of E | General | 585 | 658 | |
| Li Jing | 李靖 | Yaoshi | 药师 | Duke of Wey | General | 571 | 649 | |
| Xiao Yu | 萧瑀 | Shiwen | 时文 | Duke of Song | Chancellor | 574 | 647 | |
| Duan Xiong | 段雄 | Zhixuan | 志玄 | Duke of Bao | General | 598 | 642 | |
| Liu Hongji | 刘弘基 | unknown | Duke of Kui | General | 582 | 650 | ||
| Qutu Tong | 屈突通 | unknown | Duke of Jiang | General | 557 | 628 | ||
| Yin Jiao | 殷峤 | Kaishan | 开山 | Duke Jie of Xun | General | ? | 622 | |
| Chai Shao | 柴绍 | Sichang | 嗣昌 | Duke of Huo | General | 588 | 638 | |
| Zhangsun Shunde | 长孙顺德 | unknown | Duke of Pi | General | 565 | 631 | ||
| Zhang Liang | 张亮 | unknown | Duke of Xun | General | ? | 646 | ||
| Hou Junji | 侯君集 | unknown | Duke of Chen | General | ? | 643 | ||
| Zhang Gongjin | 张公瑾 | Hongshen | 宏慎 | Duke of Tan | General | 594 | 632 | |
| Cheng Zhijie (Cheng Yaojin) | 程知节 (程咬金) | Yizhen | 义贞 | Duke of Lu | General | 589 | 665 | |
| Yu Shinan | 虞世南 | Boshi | 伯施 | Duke of Yongxing County | Chancellor | 558 | 638 | |
| Liu Zhenghui | 刘政会 | unknown | Duke of Xing | Chancellor | ? | 635 | ||
| Tang Jian | 唐俭 | Maoyue | 茂约 | Duke of Ju | Chancellor | 579 | 656 | |
| Li Shiji (Xu Shiji) | 李世勣 (徐世勣) | Maogong | 懋功 | Duke of Ying | General | 594 | 669 | |
| Qin Qiong | 秦琼 | Shubao | 叔宝 | Duke of Hu | General | 571 | 638 |
Five Tang emperors after Taizong also honored officials whom they felt have contributed greatly to the empire, by hanging their portraits in Lingyan Pavilion. Such officials include Guo Ziyi (honored by Tang Daizong and Tang Dezong) and Li Guangbi (honored by Tang Suzong), who were vital in putting down the An Lushan Rebellion. In a twist of fate, Chu Suiliang, whose calligraphy was used when honoring the original 24, was posthumously inaugurated into Lingyan Pavilion by Tang Dezong, and again by Tang Xuanzong, Li Chen.
Some officials were commemorated by more than one emperor. Thus, while the final number of portraits hung in the pavilion was 132, only about 100 officials were honored.
However, some officials were inaugurated by emperors who seek to curry favor through such a move. This was due to the weakening of imperial authority after the An Lushan Rebellion. Such officials include enunchs like Yu Chaoen and Cheng Yuanzhen, and generals like Tian Chengsi who helped usher in the era of fanzhen which became largely autonomous and defied control by the imperial court.