Emperor Xianzong of Tang
Emperor Xianzong of Tang 唐憲宗 | |
---|---|
Lǐ (李) Chún (淳), later changed to Chún (純) (changed 805) | |
Era name and dates | |
Yúanhé (元和): January 25, 806[7][8] – February 14, 820[6][9] | |
Posthumous name | |
Emperor Zhangwu (章武皇帝) (short) Emperor Zhaowen Zhangwu Dasheng Zhishen Xiao (昭文章武大聖至神孝皇帝) (full) | |
Temple name | |
Xiànzōng (憲宗) |
Tang Xianzong | |
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Hanyu Pinyin | Lǐ Chún |
Emperor Xianzong of Tang (4 March to 1 April 778[4][5] – 14 February 820;[3] r. 805 – 820), personal name Li Chun, né Li Chun (李淳), was an emperor of the Chinese Tang dynasty. He was the eldest son of Emperor Shunzong, who reigned for less than a year in 805 and who yielded the throne to him late that year.
Once emperor, Emperor Xianzong set out to curb the power of the military governors (
Emperor Xianzong's reign briefly stabilized Tang from the destructive forces of the military governors, but saw the rise of the power of
Background
Li Chun was born in 778, during the reign of his great-grandfather
As the Prince of Guangling and Crown Prince
In 788, by which time Li Song (Shunzong) was crown prince, Li Chun was created the Prince of Guangling.[4] In 793, he married Lady Guo, a daughter of the deceased general Guo Ai (郭曖) and Emperor Daizong's daughter Princess Shengping, as his wife and princess.[11][12]
In 804, Li Song (Shunzong)[13] suffered a stroke and became unable to speak. When Emperor Dezong fell gravely ill in spring 805, Li Song was unable to visit him, and Emperor Dezong, distressed over this, died soon thereafter. After Emperor Dezong's death, the eunuchs in the palace initially considered supporting another person as emperor, but due to the objections of the imperial scholars Wei Cigong (衛次公) and Zheng Yin, Li Song was able to assume the throne (as Emperor Shunzong), although during Wei and Zheng's discussion with the eunuchs, the possibility of having Li Chun take the throne directly was mentioned.[2]
As Emperor Shunzong continued to be seriously ill and unable to speak, a group of his close associates—the eunuch Li Zhongyan (李忠言), his
By summer 805, a group of military governors (Jiedushi) that Wang Shuwen had disputes with—Wei Gao, Pei Jun (裴均), and Yan Shou (嚴綬)—were submitting petitions to Emperor Shunzong requesting that he let Li Chun serve as regent, and Wei Gao further submitted a petition to Li Chun as well requesting that he take power away from Wang Pi, Wang Shuwen, and Li Zhongyan. On August 26, an edict was issued in Emperor Shunzong's name for Li Chun to serve as regent. Thereafter, the imperial officials began to report to Li Chun. On August 31, Emperor Shunzong further issued an edict yielding the throne to Li Chun, taking for himself the title of "Retired Emperor" (Taishang Huang) and creating Li Chun's mother Consort Wang "Retired Empress." On September 5, Li Chun took the throne (as Emperor Xianzong).[1][2]
As Emperor
Early reign
Immediately after Emperor Xianzong's ascension to the throne, he purged the government of Wang Shuwen and Wang Pi's associates, exiling them. (He would later order Wang Shuwen to commit suicide.)[2] Emperor Xianzong's father Emperor Shunzong died in spring 806.[8] Some later historians would come to believe that Emperor Shunzong did not die of natural causes, but was murdered by the same eunuchs who had supported Emperor Xianzong's ascension.[14][15]
Meanwhile, Wei Gao died late in 805, and his deputy Liu Pi seized power of Xichuan Circuit (西川, headquartered in modern Chengdu, Sichuan), which Wei had governed, rejecting the replacement that Emperor Xianzong sent, Yuan Zi. Emperor Xianzong, believing himself to lack the power to attack Liu at this point, initially made Liu the acting military governor.[2] However, Liu then made further demands to be given two neighboring circuits—Dongchuan (東川, headquartered in modern Mianyang, Sichuan) and Shannan West (山南西道, headquartered in modern Hanzhong, Shaanxi)—as well. When Emperor Xianzong refused his demand, he launched an attack on Dongchuan's capital prefecture Zi Prefecture (梓州) in spring 806. At the suggestion of the chancellor Du Huangchang, Emperor Xianzong commissioned the general Gao Chongwen to attack Liu, assisted by the generals Li Yuanyi (李元奕) and Yan Li (嚴礪). In fall 806, Gao captured Xichuan's capital Chengdu and delivered Liu to the capital Chang'an to be executed.[8]
Also in spring 806, Yang Huilin, the nephew of the general Han Quanyi (韓全義) the military governor of Xiasui Circuit (夏綏, headquartered in modern Yan'an, Shaanxi), seized control of the circuit after Han had been ordered to retire and resisted imperial orders. With imperial forces approaching Xiasui's capital Xia Prefecture (夏州), Yang was quickly killed by his own subordinate Zhang Chengjin (張承金), ending his rebellion. Around the same time, the warlord Li Shigu, the military governor of the powerful Pinglu Circuit (平盧, headquartered in modern Tai'an, Shandong), died, and his subordinates supported his brother Li Shidao to succeed him. Du advocated trying to divest Pinglu of some of its territory, but Emperor Xianzong, believing that with the campaign against Liu not over by that point, that he should not wage another campaign, and therefore allowed Li Shidao to inherit Pinglu.[8]
After Liu's and Yang's destruction, another warlord,
In 808, an incident occurred that, as later historians opined, precipitated the later
Also around that time, the
In 809, after much urging by the imperial scholars (翰林學士, Hanlin Xueshi), led by Li Jiang, that he needed to have a crown prince, Emperor Xianzong created his oldest son Li Ning, born of his concubine Consort Ji, crown prince.[8]
Also in 809, after the death of another warlord, Wang Shizhen the military governor of Chengde Circuit (成德, headquartered in modern Shijiazhuang, Hebei), Emperor Xianzong was initially poised to let Wang Shizhen's son Wang Chengzong inherit Chengde, after Wang Chengzong offered to surrender two of his six prefectures to imperial control. However, after Wang Chengzong reneged on his promise, Emperor Xianzong commissioned the eunuch Tutu Chengcui to command the imperial troops to attack Chengde.[8][19] (As a result of this campaign's launch, when another warlord, Wu Shaocheng the military governor of Zhangyi Circuit (彰義, headquartered in modern Zhumadian, Henan) subsequently died, he was unable to act against Wu Shaocheng's subordinate Wu Shaoyang, who seized control of the circuit, and was forced to commission Wu Shaoyang, much to the lament of his imperial scholar advisors, who viewed Zhangyi as a far easier target than Chengde.) The campaign against Chengde stalled, however, with one of its original major proponents, Lu Congshi (盧從史) the military governor of Zhaoyi Circuit (昭義, headquartered in modern Changzhi, Shanxi), secretly communicating with Chengde and interfering with the campaign. In summer 810, after Tutu arrested Lu at a feast and allowed the imperial general Meng Yuanyang (孟元陽) to take control of Zhaoyi, Wang agreed to formally submit to Emperor Xianzong, claiming that it was Lu who interfered in his relationship with the imperial government. Emperor Xianzong, seeing that the campaign was making no advances, ended it and made Wang the military governor of Chengde.[19]
Middle reign
After the end of the Chengde campaign, Zhang Maozhao (張茂昭) the military governor of Chengde's neighboring Yiwu Circuit (義武, headquartered in modern Baoding, Hebei), who had inherited his position from his father Zhang Xiaozhong,[11][20] offered to yield the circuit to imperial control, and Emperor Xianzong agreed, sending the official Ren Dijian (任迪簡) to replace Zhang Maozhao. (After Zhang's departure from Yiwu, however, the Yiwu soldiers mutinied against Ren and put him under house arrest, although eventually another group of soldiers then countered their mutiny and restored Ren, allowing Yiwu to be in imperial hands from this point on.) Also in the aftermaths of the Chengde campaign, Tutu Chengcui was demoted and, later, after he was involved in a corruption scandal, sent out of the capital to serve as the eunuch monitor for Huainan Circuit (淮南, headquartered in modern Yangzhou, Jiangsu).[19]
In 811, at Li Jifu's suggestion, Emperor Xianzong appointed several officials—Duan Pingzhong (段平仲), Wei Guanzhi, Xu Mengrong (許孟容), and Li Jiang—to review the governmental structure, to streamline it, reduce the number of officials who were not carrying out any crucial tasks, and revise the officials' wage scale. Later in the year, with Emperor Xianzong believing that Li Jifu had often used his own personal likes and dislikes to decide on his policies, he promoted Li Jiang to be a chancellor as well, to counterbalance Li Jifu.[19]
Around the new year 812, Li Ning died. In fall 812, Emperor Xianzong created another son Li You the Prince of Sui, born of his wife, Consort Guo (formerly the Princess of Guangling), crown prince and changed Li You's name to Li Heng, even though he had an older son, Li Kuan (李寬) the Prince of Li, as it was viewed by officials such as Cui Qun that Li Heng, born of a wife rather than a concubine, was the proper heir.[19] Still, despite repeated petitions by the officials to create Consort Guo empress, Emperor Xianzong was apprehensive that, because of the prominent bloodlines that Consort Guo represented (being the granddaughter of the great general Guo Ziyi and the daughter of a princess), if she were created empress, other consorts would not dare to have sexual relations with him, and therefore repeatedly formed excuses with regard to not being able to find the right date to do so. He would eventually never create her (or any other consort) empress.[21]
Later in 812, the warlord Tian Ji'an the military governor of Weibo Circuit died. With Tian Ji'an's son and designated successor Tian Huaijian being young, soon thereafter, the soldiers mutinied and supported Tian Ji'an's relative Tian Xing.[19][21] Tian Xing offered to subject Weibo to imperial commands, and soon thereafter, Emperor Xianzong made Tian Xing the military governor of Weibo and changed his name to Tian Hongzheng. With Tian Hongzheng as Weibo's military governor, for the rest of Emperor Xianzong's reign, Weibo became obedient to the imperial government.[21]
In 814, Wu Shaoyang died. Emperor Xianzong did not confirm Wu Shaoyang's son
Late reign
The imperial forces sent against Zhangyi and Chengde were unsuccessful in quickly achieving final victory against them, however. In 817, with suggestion from the chancellor Li Fengji that he should concentrate on one campaign, Emperor Xianzong called off the campaign against Chengde (although he did not pardon Wang). Meanwhile, Pei Du volunteered to head to the Zhangyi front to oversee the operation, and Emperor Xianzong agreed. Later in the year, Li Su the military governor of Tangsuideng Circuit (唐隨鄧, headquartered in modern Zhumadian) launched a surprise attack against Zhangyi's capital Cai Prefecture (蔡州), catching its defenders off guard and capturing it, seizing Wu Yuanji. Wu was subsequently delivered to Chang'an to be executed, and the imperial troops under Pei took over Zhangyi.[22]
After Wu Yuanji's execution, Li Shidao and Wang Chengzong both became fearful. In 818, Wang offered to surrender two prefectures to imperial control and send his two sons to Chang'an to serve as hostages. He also sought intercession from Tian Hongzheng. With Tian also requesting that Emperor Xianzong accept his offer, Emperor Xianzong did so, merging the two prefectures that Wang surrendered into neighboring Henghai Circuit (橫海, headquartered in modern Cangzhou, Hebei), which had been obedient to the imperial government. Li Shidao also offered to surrender three of his 12 prefectures to imperial control and send his son as a hostage—but soon reneged on the offer. Emperor Xianzong thus declared a general campaign against his Pinglu Circuit, and soon, the imperial forces were repeatedly dealing defeats to Pinglu troops.[22]
Meanwhile, it was said that after the victory over Zhangyi, Emperor Xianzong began to be arrogant and extravagant in his lifestyle, and he favored such officials as
Also in spring 819, after Li Shidao became suspicious of his officer Liu Wu, who was then resisting Tian's attack, and secretly ordered Liu's deputy Zhang Xian (張暹) to execute Liu and take over the troops. Zhang, who was friendly with Liu, revealed Li Shidao's orders to Liu. Liu responded by launching a surprise attack on Pinglu's capital Yun Prefecture (鄆州), capturing Li Shidao and his sons and executing them, delivering their heads to Chang'an. Emperor Xianzong made Liu, who had expected to succeed Li Shidao, the military governor of Yicheng Circuit (義成, headquartered in modern Anyang, Henan), and divided Pinglu into three circuits to weaken it and keep its territory under imperial control.[6]
By this point, Emperor Xianzong was taking medicines made by the
Chancellors during reign
- Du You (805–812)
- Jia Dan (805)
- Wei Zhiyi (805)
- Du Huangchang (805–807)
- Yuan Zi (805)
- Zheng Yuqing (805–806)
- Zheng Yin (805–809)
- Wu Yuanheng (807, 813–815)
- Li Jifu (807–808, 811–814)
- Yu Di (808–813)
- Pei Ji (808–810)
- Li Fan (809–811)
- Quan Deyu (810–813)
- Li Jiang (811–814)
- Zhang Hongjing (814–816)
- Wei Guanzhi (814–816)
- Pei Du (815–819)
- Li Fengji (816–817)
- Wang Ya (816–818)
- Cui Qun (817–819)
- Li Yong (817–818)
- Li Yijian (818)
- Huangfu Bo (818–820)
- Cheng Yi (818–819)
- Linghu Chu (819–820)
- Han Hong(819–820)
Family
Consorts and Issue:
- Empress Yi'an, of the Guo clan of Huayin (懿安皇后 華陰郭氏/懿安皇后 华阴郭氏; d. 851), first cousin once removed, personal name Nianyun (念雲/念云)
- Empress Xiaoming, of the Zheng clan (孝明皇后 鄭氏; d. 865)
- Li Chen, Xuanzong (宣宗 李忱; 810–859), 13th son
- Princess Anping (安平公主)
- Married Liu Yi (劉異/刘異)
- Able Consort, of the Wang clan (王贤妃)
- Taiyi, of the Xu clan (太儀 許氏/太仪 许氏)
- Princess Nankang (南康公主)
- Married Shen Fen (沈汾)
- Princess Nankang (南康公主)
- Taiyi, of the Yang clan (太仪 杨氏)
- Li Yue, Prince Qiong (瓊王 李悅/琼王 李悦; d. 840), ninth son
- Meiren, of the Ji clan (美人 纪氏)
- Li Ning, Crown Prince Huizhao (惠昭皇太子 李寧/惠昭皇太子 李宁; 793–812), first son
- Lady, of the Du clan (杜氏)
- Li Xun, Prince Mian (沔王 李恂; 808–844), tenth son
- Lady, of the Zhao clan (赵氏)
- Li Yin, Prince Mao (茂王 李愔; 809–853), 12th son
- Lady, of Zheng clan (郑氏)
- Princess Zhengwenyi (鄭溫儀公主/郑温仪公主)
- Married Wei Rang (韋讓/韦让) in 816, and had issue (four sons, three daughters)
- Princess Zhengwenyi (鄭溫儀公主/郑温仪公主)
- Unknown
- Li Yun, Prince Li (澧王 李惲/澧王 李恽; d. 820), second son
- Li Cong, Prince Shen (深王 李悰), fourth son
- Li Xin, Prince Yang (洋王 李忻; 801–828), fifth son
- Li Ke, Prince Jian (建王 李恪; 805–821), seventh son
- Li Jing, Prince Fu (鄜王 李憬; d. 839), eighth son
- Li Yi, Prince Wu (婺王 李懌/婺王 李译), 11th son
- Li Xie, Prince Zi (淄王 李恊/淄王 李协; d. 836), 14th son
- Li Dan, Prince Heng (衡王 李憺), 15th son
- Li Chong, Prince Chan (澶王 李㤝), 16th son
- Li Zhui, Prince Di (棣王 李惴), 17th son
- Li Ti, Prince Peng (彭王 李惕), 18th son
- Li Tan, Prince Xin (信王 李憻; d. 867), 19th son
- Li Ce, Prince Rong (榮王 李㥽/荣王 李㥽; 815–880), 20th son
- Princess Lianghuikang (梁惠康公主), first daughter
- Married Yu Jiyou of Henan (河南 於季友/河南 于季友), the fourth son of Yu Di, in 807
- Princess Yongjia (永嘉公主)
- Princess Hengyang (衡陽公主/衡阳公主)
- Princess Xuancheng (宣城公主), sixth daughter
- Married Shen Chai (沈𥐟)
- Princess Chenliu (陳留公主/陈留公主)
- Married Pei Sun of Hedong (河東 裴損/河东 裴损)
- Princess Zhenning (真寧公主/真宁公主), second daughter
- Married Xue Hong of Hedong (河東 薛翃/河东 薛翃) in 806
- Princess Linzhen (臨真公主/临真公主)
- Married Wei Zhu (衛洙/卫洙)
- Princess Pukang (普康公主)
- Princess Zhenyuan (真源公主)
- Married Du Zhongli (杜中立)
- Princess Yongshun (永順公主/永顺公主)
- Married Liu Hongjing (劉弘景/刘弘景)
- Princess Yong'an (永安公主), ninth daughter
- Princess Yining (義寧公主/义宁公主)
- Princess Ding'an (定安公主), fifth daughter
- Married Chongde Qaghan (崇德可汗; d. 824) of the Uyghur Khaganate in 821
- Princess Gui (貴公主/贵公主)
Ancestry
Emperor Suzong of Tang (711–762) | |||||||||||||||||||
Emperor Daizong of Tang (726–779) | |||||||||||||||||||
Empress Zhangjing (713–730) | |||||||||||||||||||
Emperor Dezong of Tang (742–805) | |||||||||||||||||||
Shen Yizhi | |||||||||||||||||||
Empress Ruizhen | |||||||||||||||||||
Emperor Shunzong of Tang (761–806) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wang Yu | |||||||||||||||||||
Empress Zhaode (d. 786) | |||||||||||||||||||
Lady Zheng | |||||||||||||||||||
Emperor Xianzong of Tang (778–820) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wang Sijing | |||||||||||||||||||
Wang Nande (d. 763) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wang Ziyan | |||||||||||||||||||
Empress Zhuangxian (763–816) | |||||||||||||||||||
References
- ^ a b Volume 236 of the Zizhi Tongjian recorded that Xianzong assumed the throne on the yisi day of the 8th month of the 1st year of the Yongzhen era of Shunzong's reign. This corresponds to 5 Sep 805 in the Gregorian calendar. [(永贞元年八月)乙巳,宪宗即位于宣政殿。] Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 236
- ^ a b c d e f Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 236.
- ^ a b c Volume 241 of the Zizhi Tongjian recorded that Xianzong died suddenly on the gengzi day of the 1st month of the 15th year of the Yuanhe era of his reign. This corresponds to 14 Feb 820 in the Gregorian calendar. Xianzong's biography in the Old Book of Tang added that he died in the evening, aged 43 (by East Asian reckoning).[(元和十五年正月)庚子,暴崩于中和殿。] Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 241
- ^ a b c d Old Book of Tang, vol. 14.
- ^ a b According to Xianzong's biography in the Old Book of Tang, he was born in the 2nd month of the 13th year of the Dali era of Tang Daizong's reign. This corresponds to 4 Mar to 1 Apr 778 in the Gregorian calendar. (大历十三年二月生于长安之东内) Old Book of Tang, vol. 14.
- ^ a b c d e Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 241.
- ^ Volume 237 of the Zizhi Tongjian recorded that the Yuanhe era was proclaimed on the dingmao day of the 1st month of the 1st year of the Yuanhe era of Xianzong's reign. This corresponds to 25 Jan 806 in the Gregorian calendar. [(元和元年正月)丁卯,...,改元。] Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 237
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 237.
- ^ Volume 241 of the Zizhi Tongjian recorded that Xianzong died suddenly on the gengzi day of the 1st month of the 15th year of the Yuanhe era of his reign. This corresponds to 14 Feb 820 in the Gregorian calendar. [(元和十五年正月)庚子,暴崩于中和殿。] Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 241
- ^ E.g., Bo Yang Edition of the Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 57, preface.
- ^ a b Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 234.
- ^ Old Book of Tang, vol. 52.
- ISBN 978-0-393-92207-3.
- ^ (时以暴崩,皆言内官陈弘志弑逆,史氏讳而不书。) Old Book of Tang, vol. 15.
- ^ (时人皆言内常侍陈弘志弑逆,其党类讳之,不敢讨贼,但云药发,外人莫能明也。) Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 241
- ^ a b E.g., Bo Yang, Outlines of the History of the Chinese (中國人史綱), vol. 2, pp. 568–571.
- ^ Bo, Outlines of the History of the Chinese, vol. 2, p. 574.
- ^ Bo, Outlines of the History of the Chinese, vol. 2, pp. 592–603.
- ^ a b c d e f Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 238.
- ^ Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 233.
- ^ a b c d Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 239.
- ^ a b c d Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 240.
- ^ Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 248.
- ^ Bo Yang Edition of the Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 60 [858].
- Old Book of Tang, vol. 15.
- New Book of Tang, vol. 7.
- Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 234, 236, 237, 238, 239, 240, 241.