Dynasties of ChinaFive Dynasties and Ten KingdomsLater Tang Dynasty
Tongguang · Reign 923—926
Inheriting his father's legacy, he destroyed Yan, defeated Khitan, and Liang, and founded the Later Tang Dynasty. Three years after he became emperor, he died in a mutiny because he doted on actors and treated soldiers harshly.
Li Cunxu is from Shatuo, the eldest son of King Li Keyong of Jin Dynasty, nicknamed Yazi. He has been fighting with his father since he was a child. He is good at riding and shooting, and is familiar with music. Li Keyong died of illness in 908. He succeeded to the throne as King of Jin. He first killed his uncle Li Kening who was trying to seize the throne, and then personally led the reinforcements to defeat the Liang army that besieged Luzhou. It is said that Li Keyong gave him three arrows before his death and asked him to attack Liu Rengong, Khitan and Zhu Wen. He gave the three arrows to his family temple and took them with him when he went on an expedition.
After that, he defeated the Liang army in Baixiang, attacked and destroyed Liu Shouguang of Yan State in 913, captured Weibo in 915, defeated the Khitan who went south in Youzhou and Wangdu, and fought fiercely with Houliang Jiahe for more than ten years. In April 923, he proclaimed himself emperor in Weizhou and named his country Tang. In October, he made a surprise attack on Kaifeng and destroyed Liang, and then made Luoyang his capital. In 925, he sent troops to destroy Qianshu in only seventy days, and his reputation reached its peak. He is proficient in melody, and the Ci Pai "Ru Meng Ling" is derived from his "Recalling the Immortal Pose".
However, after he became emperor, he indulged in entertainment, favored actors and eunuchs, and used free money to amass wealth. Liuhuanghou was greedy and stingy, and his soldiers complained. In 926, he unjustly killed the heroes Guo Chongtao and Zhu Youqian, and the Weizhou garrison immediately rebelled. Li Siyuan, who was ordered to attack, was supported by the rebels. Guo Congqian, who was born as an actor in April, launched the Xingjiaomen revolution in Luoyang, and Zhuangzong died in the middle of nowhere.
Li Cunxu was brave and good at fighting. In the fifteen years after inheriting his father's legacy, Li Cunxu destroyed Yan, defeated Khitan, subjugated Liang, and sent troops to pacify Shu. He was one of the most accomplished monarchs in the Five Dynasties in martial arts. However, after he conquered the world, he was arrogant and complacent, favored actors and eunuchs, allowed the queen to amass wealth, improperly rewarded and punished officials, and unjustly killed meritorious officials. He died in the chaos of the country only three years after becoming emperor. Ouyang Xiu's "Preface to the Biography of Lingguan" summarizes his success or failure with the words "worry and labor can rejuvenate a country, and leisure and leisure can destroy one's life", which has become a warning for future monarchs.
MilitaryBattle of Jiazhai
In the first month of the first month, Li Keyong died of illness. After Li Cunxu succeeded to the throne, he first got rid of his uncle Li Kening who had rebelled. In May, he personally led the reinforcements to attack the Liang army's stronghold that besieged Luzhou in the heavy fog, and won a great victory. When Zhu Wen heard the news, he sighed: "Having a son should be like Li Yazi!"
MilitaryGreat victory in Baixiang
In the first month of the first month, Li Cunxu responded to the request of Chengde King Rong and Yi King Wu Chuzhi to send troops. He used cavalry to lure and exhaust the enemy in Baixiang, and then attacked across the board, defeating Liang General Wang Jingren.
MilitaryAttack and destroy Yan State
Liu Shouguang of Youzhou proclaimed himself emperor, and Jin general Zhou Dewei led an attack. They captured Youzhou at the end of 913 and captured Liu Shouguang and his father Liu Rengong. They were taken back to Taiyuan and executed the following year, and Jin was able to take possession of the land of Youyan.
MilitaryCapture Hebei
In 915, Wei Bo's army surrendered to Jin in chaos, and Li Cunxu entered Weizhou; in 916, he defeated Liang general Liu Xun in Guyuan City, and almost all the prefectures and counties in Hebei fell to Jin. The two sides then faced off along the Yellow River.
MilitaryRelieve the siege of Youzhou
Khitan Yelü Abaoji led a large army to besiege Youzhou for about 200 days, and the defender Zhou Dewei became desperate. Li Cunxu sent Li Siyuan, Li Cunshen, and Yan Bao with 70,000 infantry and cavalry to rush to the rescue. They defeated the Khitan and lifted the siege of Youzhou.
MilitaryBattle of Huliupi
At the end of the year, Li Cunxu led his army south and fought a fierce battle with Liang Jun at Huliupi. His rash advance led to a huge chaos in the supplies, and veteran general Zhou Dewei and his son were killed in the battle. The Jin army later turned defeat into victory, but suffered heavy casualties and was unable to cross the river with the victory.
MilitaryWangdu defeated the Khitan
The Khitan responded to the request of the Zhenzhou rebel Zhang Chujin and went south to rescue. In the first month of the first month, Li Cunxu personally led the cavalry to attack in the Xincheng and Wangdu areas. They were once surrounded, but fought hard to escape, and finally repelled the Khitan, and Abaoji retreated north.
PoliticsWeizhou proclaims himself emperor
In April, Li Cunxu ascended the throne as emperor in Weizhou, and the country was named Tang. He changed the Yuan Dynasty to Tongguang to show that he inherited the Tang dynasty orthodoxy, and was known as the Later Tang Dynasty in history. At the same time, Weizhou was promoted to Tokyo Xingtang Prefecture, and Taiyuan was promoted to Xijing.
MilitarySurprise attack and destroy Liang
In October, he adopted the strategy of Kang Yanxiao, the general of Liang Dynasty. Taking advantage of the fact that the main force of the Liang army was far north of the Yellow River, he personally led his elite troops from Yunzhou and invaded Kaifeng within a few days. The Last Emperor of Liang committed suicide and Hou Liang was destroyed. At the end of the year, the Tang Dynasty moved its capital to Luoyang.
PeopleActors interfere in politics
Zhuangzong often acted on the same stage with actors and took his stage name "Li Tianxia". The actor Jing Jin and others went in and out of the palace to spy on the ministers. Actors such as Chen Jun and Chu Deyuan were awarded the title of governor. However, the soldiers who had fought for many years were not rewarded and their morale was scattered.
EconomyKong Qian gathers
The envoy Kong Qian was dedicated to amassing money. He repeatedly violated the imperial court's amnesty orders on tax reduction and exemption, increased miscellaneous taxes in various categories, and deducted military pay. In 925, floods and droughts caused disasters in various places, and people died of hunger everywhere. Many of the families of soldiers were also frozen, and the people were filled with resentment.
MilitaryDestroy Qianshu
In September, Wei King Li Jiji was the commander-in-chief and the privy envoy Guo Chongtao actually led the army to attack Shu. The Last Ruler Wang Yan of former Shu was dissolute and derelict, and the Shu army surrendered. In November, Wang Yan surrendered. In only seventy days, the Later Tang Dynasty occupied two Sichuan.
PoliticsUnjust Killing of Guo Chongtao
Guo Chongtao was falsely accused by eunuchs of treason in the middle of Shu. Liuhuanghou ordered without authorization that Li Jiji kill him in Chengdu in the first month, and his son was also killed. Soon the hero Zhu Youqian was also executed by his clan, and everyone in the court was in danger.
MilitaryYedu Mutiny
In February, the sergeants guarding Beizhou rebelled under the leadership of Huangfu Hui and supported Zhao Zaili to occupy Yedu. Zhuangzong sent Li Siyuan to crusade, but Li Siyuan was kidnapped by the rebels and supported him, so he turned to Luoyang.
PoliticsThe Xingjiaomen Incident
On the first day of April, the commander Guo Congqian, who was an actor, led his troops to rebel in Luoyang and attacked Xingjiaomen. Zhuangzong resisted in person and died at the age of 42. According to the New History of the Five Dynasties, the actors covered their bodies with musical instruments and burned them.
The Yanmen people of Daizhou were resourceful and planned a surprise attack on Kaifeng, which was the first to destroy Liang. Later, he served as the actual commander-in-chief of the expedition against Shu. He was jealous of his great achievements and was framed and killed by the eunuchs and Liuhuanghou.
A native of Mayi in Shuozhou, he had been a general since Li Keyong. He was both wise and brave. He repeatedly defeated Liang Jun and Khitan, attacked and destroyed Yan State, and guarded Youzhou. He died in the Battle of Huliupi in 918.
His real name is Fu Cunshen. He is the adopted son of Li Keyong. He participated in the Battle of Baixiang and the liberation of the siege of Youzhou. He was known for his prudent and good fighting skills. He later guarded Youzhou to defend against Khitan.
Born in a humble family, she gained favor through singing and dancing. After becoming a queen, she disowned her biological father. She was greedy for money and stingy, and interfered in the government affairs. After Zhuangzong died, he fled with Li Cunwo and was sentenced to death by Mingzong.
He was born as a minor official in Weizhou and was good at managing and amassing money. He took charge of the finances of the Later Tang Dynasty and imposed excessive taxes and expropriations, causing deep resentment among the people. Mingzong executed him after he came to the throne.
The leader of the Khitan, he proclaimed himself emperor and founded the country in 916. In 917 and 922, he went south twice and was repulsed by the Jin army. Then he turned to the east and conquered the Bohai Kingdom in 926. He died of illness in the same year.
Zhuangzong's favorite actor. According to "New History of the Five Dynasties", Zhuangzong called himself "Li Tianxia" in the play. He stepped forward and slapped Zhuangzong, saying, "There is only one person who can manage the world, who should call him?" Zhuangzong was overjoyed.