The Guanlong Bloc has been widely believed to have enjoyed significant advantages in the dynasties founded between the Western Wei and the Tang. Based on an analysis of the sociopolitical framework and geo-strategic factor before the Taiyuan Uprising, this article aims to explain how in order to strike a severe blow against the Sui. Li Yuan, a core member of the Guanlong Bloc, made use of forces alienated by, or simply unrelated to, the establishment. In addition to showing their considerable resentment against the establishment, a substantial number of meritorious officials collaborating with Li Yuan during the Sui were not directly affiliated with the Guanlong Bloc in terms of family and regional backgrounds; some of them were from humble origin or even desperados not tolerated by the establishment. Amongst the desperados, some were originally members of the Guanlong Bloc but committed crimes while the others were local bandits and chivalrous swordsmen. During his time governing Taiyuan and leading the troop to march towards Chang’an, Li Yuan had managed to recruit local bandits and chivalrous swordsmen. During the medieval era, aristocratic elites played a dominant role in shaping both politics and society; class differentiation was considered a major feature characterized by aristocratic preference. This prevailing mindset, however, did not seem to place any restrictions on Li Yuan in his efforts to recruit locals from humble origin. This practice was instrumental in drawing local supports, thus tremendously strengthening his military force to overthrow the establishment. The method adopted by Li Yuan highlights the point that despite his deep connection with the Guanlong Bloc, he adopted a policy of drawing on local human resources rather than relying on the military strength of the Guanlong region in the process of establishing his own authority. Another major point of discussion is the weakening of the Guanlong Bloc during the Sui. Yang Jian and his sons had counted heavily on those who were not the Guanlong Bloc members; some members of the Bloc had even become the target of purges during the reign of Yang Guang. In this sense, the strategy of using forces outside the establishment to overthrow it was not Li Yuan’s creation; instead, Li simply followed what Yang Jian and his sons had been doing in their endeavors to overthrow the existing order. The above historical facts are sufficient to cast doubt on the advantageous position that the Guanlong Bloc was supposed to be enjoying during medieval China. As a whole, similar to all other military and political blocs in history, the Guanlong Bloc passed through the stages of both establishment and transformation before stepping out of the historical arena.

中文翻译：

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扰乱体制

人们普遍认为，在西魏和唐之间建立的朝代中，关龙集团享有显着的优势。本文通过对太原起义前的社会政治格局和地缘战略因素的分析，阐释如何重创隋朝。关龙集团的核心成员李渊利用了被当权派疏远或完全与建制无关的力量。隋朝时期与李渊勾结的功臣，除了对建制表现出极大的反感外，在家庭和地域背景上，与关龙集团并无直接关系；他们中的一些人出身卑微，甚至是当权派不能容忍的亡命之徒。在亡命之徒之中，有的原本是关龙集团的成员，但犯了罪，而其他的则是土匪和侠客。李渊在治理太原，率领大军进军长安期间，曾在当地招收过土匪和侠客。在中世纪时期，贵族精英在塑造政治和社会方面发挥了主导作用；阶级分化被认为是贵族偏好的主要特征。然而，这种普遍的心态似乎并没有对李源招募出身卑微的当地人的努力施加任何限制。这种做法有助于获得当地的支持，从而极大地加强了他推翻建制的军事力量。李渊的做法凸显出，尽管他与关龙集团关系密切，但在建立自己的权威的过程中，他采取了汲取当地人力资源而不是依靠关龙地区的军事力量的政策。另一个主要讨论点是隋朝关龙集团的削弱。杨健父子对关龙集团以外的人寄予厚望；在杨光统治时期，一些集团成员甚至成为清洗的目标。从这个意义上说，利用体制外力量推翻体制的策略，并不是李渊一手创造的；相反，李只是遵循了杨建和他的儿子们为推翻现有秩序所做的努力。上述史实足以让人怀疑关龙集团在中古时期本应享有的优势地位。从整体上看，关龙集团与历史上所有其他军事政治集团一样，在走出历史舞台之前，也经历了建立和转型的两个阶段。