Chongmei (重美) | 24 Histories

Overview

Chongmei was an Imperial grandson and court official.

IdentityHistorical · Male

Roles

Found in

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal name	Li Chongmei	李重美	Li Chongmei

Life and dates

Death

AD 936 后及重美與俱死
Died with father
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 16, passage 30
AD 936 清泰三年
self-immolation with Last Emperor 自焚死
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 51, passage 187

Attested activity

AD 935 清泰二年二月甲戌
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 47, passage 21
AD 936 丁未
Dated from the passage context · New History of the Five Dynasties 7, passage 81
AD 936 后及重美與俱死
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 16, passage 30
AD 934 廢帝即位
Dated from the passage context · New History of the Five Dynasties 16, passage 22
AD 936 清泰三年
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 51, passage 186
AD 931 長興二年
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 42, passage 102

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Descendant of Li Siyuan (李嗣源)
imperial grandson 皇孫 · 2 generations · AD 931 長興二年
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 42, passage 102
Descendant of Empress Dowager Xuanxian (宣憲皇太后)
paternal grandmother 皇妣 · paternal line · 2 generations · Through the Emperor (帝)
Strongly inferred · Old History of the Five Dynasties 47, passages 21, 25
Sibling of Li Chongji (李重吉)
brother 子 · Uncertain siblings
Strongly inferred · New History of the Five Dynasties 16, passage 15
Child of the Emperor (帝)
imperial son 皇子 · paternal line
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 47, passage 21
Child of Empress of the Last Emperor (末帝皇后)
mother empress 母後
Strongly inferred · Old History of the Five Dynasties 51, passage 199
Child of Last Emperor (末帝)
second son 第二子
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 51, passage 186
Sibling of Youcheng (幼澄)
sister 女 · Uncertain siblings
Strongly inferred · New History of the Five Dynasties 16, passage 15
Child of Li Congke (從珂)
son 子
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 16, passage 15; New History of the Five Dynasties 7, passage 81

Key source chapters

Career and standing

Associate Counselor in the Halls of State 同平章事
AD 935 清泰二年二月甲戌 · Appointed
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 47, passage 21
honorary Grand Marshal 檢校太尉
AD 935 清泰二年二月甲戌 · Appointed
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 47, passage 21
military commissioner of the Tianxiong Army 天雄軍節度使
AD 935 清泰二年二月甲戌 · Appointed
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 47, passage 21
military governor of the Chengde Army 成德軍節度使
AD 934 廢帝即位 · Appointed
Dated from the passage context · New History of the Five Dynasties 16, passage 22
Vice Director of the Ministry of Merit; formerly Crown Prince aide 司勳員外郎、太子舍人
AD 931 長興二年 · Appointed
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 42, passage 102
Grand Councilor 同中書門下平章事
Appointed
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 16, passage 22

Show 10 more source-backed claims

Grand Guardian of Henan 河南尹
Held concurrently
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 16, passage 22
overseer of the Six Armies and all guards 判六軍諸衞事
Held concurrently
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 16, passage 22
commissioner of the left and right wards 左右街坊使
AD 935 清泰二年二月甲戌 · Held
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 47, passage 21
director of the Six Armies and palace guards 判六軍諸衛事
AD 935 清泰二年二月甲戌 · Held
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 47, passage 21
military commissioner of Zhen Prefecture 鎮州節度使
AD 935 清泰二年二月甲戌 · Held
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 47, passage 21
prefect of Henan 河南尹
AD 935 清泰二年二月甲戌 · Held
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 47, passage 21
General of the Left Guard 左衞上將軍
Held
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 16, passage 22
military governor of the Tianxiong Army 天雄軍節度使
Transferred
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 16, passage 22
Prince Yong 雍王
AD 936 清泰三年 · Enfeoffed
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 51, passage 186
Prince of Yong 雍王
Enfeoffed
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 16, passage 22

Places and affiliations

Polity Later Tang 後唐 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 47, passage 21
At Henan 河南 · Relation Posted to
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 47, passage 21
At the capital 京師 · Relation Left to guard
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 16, passage 24
At Zhen Prefecture 鎮州 · Relation Posted to
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 47, passage 21
Organization Tianxiong Army 天雄軍 · Relation Commanded · From Source Date: Text: 清泰二年二月甲戌 · Regnal Year: 2 · Western Year: AD 935
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 47, passage 21

Works and attributed material

Speech · Speaker · Direct quotation · With Empress Liu (劉後) · Summary dissuaded burning the palace lest it burden the people and win posthumous resentment
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 16, passage 28
Speech · Speaker · Direct quotation · Summary argued the state could not forbid people fleeing disaster when it could not protect them
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 16, passage 26
Speech · Speaker · Direct quotation
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 51, passages 190-191, 193

Events and relationships

Advanced in honorary rank and assigned to the Tianxiong Army while retaining prior posts
AD 935 清泰二年二月甲戌 · Administrative · Officer
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 47, passage 21
Allowed residents to flee capital
Political · Administrator
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 16, passages 26-27
Urged caution against northern campaign
AD 936 石敬瑭反 · Political · Advisor · With Li Congke (從珂)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 16, passage 23

Assessments and attributes

Assessment worthy youth who spared people and stopped palace burning · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 51, passages 199-200
bright and keen from childhood like an adult
Character
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 16, passage 21

Source notes

his other posts remained unchanged (餘如故)
AD 935 清泰二年二月甲戌
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 47, passage 21

References in the histories

Search passages

History

15 passages

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 42Volume 42 Book of Later Tang 18: Mingzong Annals 8 · 1 passage

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庚辰，皇孫太子舍人重美授司勳員外郎，重真已下六人並授同正將軍及檢校官。 On gengchen imperial grandson Chongmei, crown prince aide, became vice director of merit; Chongzhen and six below received honorary regular general and acting commissioner posts.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 47Volume 47 Book of Later Tang 23: Later Emperors Annals 2 · 1 passage

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皇子鎮州節度使兼河南尹、判六軍諸衛事、左右街坊使重美加檢校太尉、同平章事，充天雄軍節度使，餘如故。 Prince Chongmei, Zhenzhou commander, Henan prefect, overseer of the Six Armies and palace guards, and ward commissioner, was advanced to honorary Grand Marshal and Associate Counselor and made Tianxiong commander; his other duties were unchanged.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 51Volume 51 Book of Later Tang 27: Biographies 3: Imperial Family · 4 passages

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雍王理美，末帝第二子，清泰三年封。 Prince Yong Limei, the Last Emperor's second son, was enfeoffed in Qingtai 3.

門者請禁之，雍王重美曰：「國家多難，未能為百姓主，又禁其求生，徒增惡名耳。 The gatekeepers asked to stop them. Prince Yong Chongmei said, "The state is in grave trouble and cannot yet protect its people. To forbid them to save themselves would only deepen our ill repute.

又云：皇后積薪欲燒宮室，重美諫曰：「新天子至，必不露居，他日重勞民力，死而遺怨，將安用之。」 The text also records that the empress piled firewood to burn the palace. Chongmei remonstrated, "The new emperor will not live in the open air. To burn the palace would burden the people again after your death and leave only resentment. What good would that do?"

重美聽洛民之奔亡，止母後之燔爇，身雖燼於戲焰，言則耀乎青編。 Chongmei allowed the people of Luoyang to flee and stopped the empress from burning the palace. Though his body perished in the flames, his words shine in the annals.

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 7Volume 7 Later Tang Annals 4: Deposed Emperors · 1 passage

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丁未，封子重美為雍王。 On dingwei his son Chongmei was created Prince of Yong.

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 16Volume 16: Family of the Tang Deposed Emperor · 8 passages

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廢帝二子，曰重吉、重美，一女為尼，號幼澄，皆不知其所生。 His sons bore the names Chongji and Chongmei; a daughter took vows as a nun under the sobriquet Youcheng. History does not record who bore any of them.

重美，幼而明敏如成人。 Chongmei had been clever and quick-witted from childhood, like a grown man.

廢帝即位，自左衞上將軍領成德軍節度使、兼河南尹、判六軍諸衞事，改領天雄軍節度使、同中書門下平章事，封雍王。 When the deposed emperor acceded, Chongmei advanced from general of the Left Guard to military governor of the Chengde Army, concurrently grand guardian of Henan and overseer of the Six Armies and all guards; he was then transferred to military governor of the Tianxiong Army, made grand councilor, and enfeoffed as Prince of Yong.

石敬瑭反，廢帝欲北征，重美謂宜持重，固請毋行。 When Shi Jingtang rebelled, the deposed emperor wanted to march north; Chongmei urged caution and firmly pleaded that he not go.

廢帝心憚敬瑭，初不欲往，聞重美言，以為然，而劉延皓與劉延朗等迫之不已，廢帝遂如河陽，留重美守京師。 The deposed emperor feared Jingtang and at first did not want to march; hearing Chongmei, he agreed, but Liu Yanhao, Liu Yanlang, and others kept pressing him, so he proceeded to Heyang and left Chongmei to hold the capital.

重美曰：「國家多難，不能與民為主，而欲禁其避禍，可乎？」 Chongmei said, “The realm is in grave trouble; we cannot protect the people, yet would forbid them to escape disaster—how can that be right?”

及晉兵將至，劉皇后積薪于地，將焚其宮室，重美曰：「新天子至，必不露坐，但佗日重勞民力，取怨身後耳！」 As the Jin army neared, Empress Liu heaped firewood to burn the palace. Chongmei said, “When the new emperor arrives he will not sit in the open air; this would only waste the people’s labor later and bring hatred after our deaths!”

廢帝自焚，后及重美與俱死。 The deposed emperor set himself afire; the empress and Chongmei perished with him.