Dynasties of ChinaFive Dynasties and Ten KingdomsLater Tang Dynasty
Tiancheng · Changxing · Reign 926—933
The illiterate veteran Shatuo was supported by the rebels and after reorganizing the government and resting with the people, he became known as the Five Generations of Well-off in seven years.
Li Siyuan is from Shatuo. His real name is Miao Jilie and he has no surname. He was a soldier of Li Keyong when he was young and was adopted as his adopted son. He was brave and good at fighting. He fought with Li Keyong and Li Cunxu for decades, solved the siege of Youzhou, captured Yunzhou by surprise, and made great contributions to the destruction of Liang. In 926, there was a mutiny in Weizhou. He was ordered to crusade, but was supported by the rebels. After Zhuangzong died in the Xingjiaomen rebellion, he entered Luoyang and ascended the throne in April at the age of sixty.
Mingzong was illiterate, and the four memorials had to be recited by others, but he was a generous man and practical in his affairs. After he came to the throne, he killed the accumulated Kong Qian, reduced taxes, dismissed the actors and eunuchs, and appointed Feng Dao and others as prime ministers. According to the "New History of the Five Dynasties", he often burned incense in the palace and prayed to heaven: "May heaven give birth to saints soon and live in democracy." During his seven years in office, he had successive harvests and was known as well-off in history. In his later years, the privy envoy An Zhonghui was killed on his own authority, and Meng Zhixiang separated the two Sichuan provinces. In 933, his son King of Qin Li Congrong was killed in an attempt to seize the throne, and Mingzong died of a fright.
Mingzong was born as a warrior and was illiterate, but he was able to sympathize with the people's sentiments and rectify bad governance. There were few major wars during his seven years in office, and he was hailed as a rare well-off era in the Five Dynasties. However, he was lenient in controlling his subordinates and failed to control An Zhonghui's autocratic power, nor could he properly handle the issue of feudal separatism and successors. Soon after his death, chaos broke out with various sons competing for the throne and adopted sons usurping the throne.
PoliticsYedu rebelled and ascended the throne
In March, Li Siyuan was ordered to attack the rebels who were occupying Yedu, but he was hijacked by the rebels and supported him. After Zhuangzong died in the Xingjiaomen Incident, he led his army into Luoyang and was first called the state of supervision. In April, he became emperor and changed his name to Tiancheng.
EconomyGet rid of harshness
After he ascended the throne, he killed Kong Qian, the envoy who had amassed rents, abolished the exorbitant taxes and miscellaneous taxes he had added, reduced the number of palace servants and court officials, dismissed all Taoist and military eunuchs, and strictly prohibited arbitrary levies in various places, so that the people's poverty could be alleviated.
PeopleFeng Dao pays homage to Prime Minister
In the first month of the year, Feng Dao, a Hanlin scholar, was appointed chief minister. Feng Dao came from a humble background and lived a frugal life. He often used people's sufferings as advice, which Mingzong was able to adopt. He served as an official for four dynasties since then, "entered Zhongshu three times and served in office for more than 20 years."
PoliticsSet up three envoys
Zhang Yanlang was appointed as the third department envoy to take unified charge of the affairs of the Salt and Iron Department, the Ministry of Household Affairs, and the Department of Finance, which changed the situation of the financial institutions having multiple administrative departments. This setting was inherited by Northern Song, and the three commanders were known as "Ji Xiang" in the early stages of Northern Song.
PoliticsAn Zhonghui was killed
Privy Councilor An Zhonghui was loyal but tyrannical. He repeatedly clashed with the vassal town, which provoked the rebellion of Meng Zhixiang and Dong Zhang from both sides of Sichuan. He also turned against King of Qin Li Congrong and others. Mingzong finally deposed him, and An Zhonghui and his two sons were killed in the fifth month of leap month.
CultureEngraved Nine Classics
In February, chief ministers Feng Dao and Li Yu commissioned the engraving of the Nine Sutra printing plates based on the text of the Stone Scripture Kaicheng of the Tang Dynasty. The Imperial College presided over the process, which lasted through the Later Tang, Later Jin, Later Han, and Later Zhou dynasties, and was not completed until 953. This was the beginning of large-scale government engraving and printing of Confucian classics.
PoliticsMeng Zhixiang occupied both Sichuan
Meng Zhixiang, the governor of Xichuan, attacked and destroyed Dong Zhang of Dongchuan, and gained control of both rivers. Mingzong was unable to conquer, so he had to appease him, and in 933 he made Meng Zhixiang the King of Shu. The following year Meng Zhixiang proclaimed himself emperor in Chengdu and established Hou Shu.
PoliticsChanges in King of Qin
In November, Mingzong fell seriously ill. King of Qin Li Congrong was worried that he would not be able to succeed to the throne. He led his troops to approach the palace gate, but was defeated and killed by the imperial army. Mingzong was shocked and saddened by the news, and died of illness a few days later at the age of sixty-seven. His third son, King Li Conghou of the Song Dynasty, came to the throne.
A native of Jingcheng, Yingzhou, Mingzong worshiped the prime minister. He was famous for his generosity and frugality, and was in charge of engraving and printing the Nine Classics. Since then, he has been an official in the Later Jin, Later Han, and Later Zhou dynasties, and he called himself "Changle Lao". Later generations have very different opinions on him.
Mingzong had been his confidant for many years, but Mingzong was illiterate. He recited most of the memorials from all directions, and he was extremely powerful. He was headstrong and turned against the feudal lord and clan, and was eventually executed by Mingzong.
He once accompanied the state Chongtao to conquer Shu. In his early years, Mingzong served as chief minister and judge of the three departments, and was very effective in rectifying the finances. He was at odds with An Zhonghui and was framed and sentenced to death in 927.
Li Keyong's niece-in-law, Zhuangzong served as the military governor of Xichuan at that time. Mingzong occupied two Sichuan provinces at that time. He proclaimed himself emperor in Chengdu in 934 and established Hou Shu. He died of illness in the same year.