Congshen (從審) | 24 Histories

Overview

Congshen was a Royal Family Member.

IdentityHistorical · Male

Roles

Found in

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal name	Congjing	從璟	Congjing
Changed name	Jijing	繼璟	Jijing

Life and dates

Death

Killed · Authority Yuan Xingqin (元行欽)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 70, passage 41
AD 926 明宗軍變於魏
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 15, passages 81, 88
AD 926 莊宗敗
killed by Yuan Xingqin 為元行欽所殺
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 51, passage 88

Attested activity

AD 926 同光四年
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 70, passage 39
AD 926 天成初
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 51, passage 89
AD 926 明宗即位
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 15, passage 89
AD 926 明宗軍變於魏
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 15, passage 81
AD 926 是日
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 34, passage 140
AD 926 莊宗敗
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 51, passages 84, 88

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Child of Li Siyuan (李嗣源)
eldest son 長子
son 子
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 51, passage 83; Old History of the Five Dynasties 70, passage 39; Old History of the Five Dynasties 34, passage 140; New History of the Five Dynasties 15, passage 78
Sibling of Li Congrong (李從榮)
four sons 四子 · Full siblings
Strongly inferred · New History of the Five Dynasties 15, passage 78
Sibling of Conghou (從厚)
four sons 四子 · Full siblings
Strongly inferred · New History of the Five Dynasties 15, passage 78
Sibling of Congyi (從益)
four sons 四子 · Paternal half siblings
Strongly inferred · New History of the Five Dynasties 15, passage 78

Key source chapters

Career and standing

commander of the Golden Spear Guard 金槍指揮使
Appointed
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 51, passage 84
commander of the Golden Spears 金槍指揮使
Held
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 15, passage 80
Grand Guardian 太保
AD 926 明宗即位 · Posthumously granted
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 15, passage 89
posthumous Grand Preceptor 贈太保
AD 926 天成初 · Received
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 51, passage 89
Entered
AD 926 是日 · Shackled · At Weizhou 衛州
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 34, passage 140

Places and affiliations

Polity Later Tang 後唐 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 34, passage 140

Works and attributed material

Speech · Speaker · With Yuan Xingqin (元行欽)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 15, passage 83

Events and relationships

Campaigned with
Military · Officer · With Emperor Zhuangzong of Later Tang (後唐莊宗)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 15, passage 80
Sent with edict
AD 926 是日 · Diplomatic · Envoy · With Li Siyuan (李嗣源)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 34, passage 140
Relation Adopted as son by · Person Emperor Zhuangzong of Later Tang (後唐莊宗)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 51, passage 87

Assessments and attributes

Assessment knew whom to follow and earned his death · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 15, passage 109
Assessment loyal unto death at lord's side · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 51, passage 196

Source notes

From Congjing 從璟 · To Jijing 繼璟 · By Person Id Emperor Zhuangzong of Later Tang (後唐莊宗)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 51, passage 87; New History of the Five Dynasties 15, passage 85
From Congshen 從審 · To Congjing 從璟
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 15, passage 79

References in the histories

Search passages

History

18 passages

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 34Volume 34 Book of Later Tang 10: Zhuangzong Annals 8 · 1 passage

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帝遣嗣源子從審與中使白從訓齎詔以諭嗣源，行至衛州，從審為元行欽所械，不得達。 Cunxu sent Siyuan's son Congshen and envoy Bai Congxun with an edict; at Weizhou, Xingqin shackled Congshen and they could not pass.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 51Volume 51 Book of Later Tang 27: Biographies 3: Imperial Family · 6 passages

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從璟，明宗長子，性忠勇沈厚，摧堅陷陣，人罕偕焉。 Congjing, Mingzong's eldest son, was loyal, brave, and steady by nature; in smashing enemy lines few could stand beside him.

明宗在魏府為軍士所逼，莊宗詔從璟曰：「爾父於國有大功，忠孝之心，朕自明信，今為亂兵所劫，爾宜自去宣朕旨，無令有疑。」 When Mingzong at Weifu was seized by mutinous troops, Zhuangzong sent Congjing this command: "Your father has rendered great service to the state, and I trust his loyalty without question. He is now held by rebellious soldiers. Go yourself and proclaim my will so that no suspicion remains."

從璟行至中途，為元行欽所製，復與歸洛下。 Congjing had not gone far when Yuan Xingqin seized him and brought him back to Luoyang.

莊宗改其名為繼璟，以為己子，命再往，從璟固執不行，願死於御前，以明丹赤。 Zhuangzong renamed him Jijing and treated him as a son, then ordered him to go again. Congjing refused outright, saying he would rather die before the throne than leave his loyalty in doubt.

從莊宗赴汴州，明宗之親舊多策馬而去，左右或勸從璟令自脫，終無行意，尋為元行欽所殺。 When Zhuangzong marched toward Bianzhou, many of Mingzong's kinsmen and old friends rode away. His attendants urged Congjing to flee on his own, but he would not budge, and soon Yuan Xingqin killed him.

從審感厚遇之恩，無苟免之意，死於君側，得不謂之忠乎！ Congshen repaid generous treatment with loyalty, refusing any easy escape, and died at his lord's side. Can this be called anything but faithful devotion?

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 70Volume 70 Book of Later Tang 46: Biographies 22: Yuan Xingqin, Xia Luqi, Yao Hong, Li Yan, Li Renju, Kang Sili, Zhang Jingda · 2 passages

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因令白從訓與明宗子繼璟至軍前，欲令見明宗，行欽縶繼璟於路。 He sent Bai Congxun and Mingzong's son Jijing to the front so they could meet Mingzong, but Xingqin seized Jijing on the way.

及莊宗出成皋，知明宗在黎陽，復令繼璟渡河召明宗，行欽即殺之，仍勸班師。 When Zhuangzong advanced from Chenggao and learned that Mingzong was at Liyang, he again ordered Jijing to cross the river and summon him. Xingqin killed Jijing on the spot and pressed for a general withdrawal.

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 15Volume 15: Mingzong of Later Tang's Family · 9 passages

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明宗四子，曰從璟、從榮、從厚、從益。 Mingzong had four sons: Congjing, Congrong, Conghou, and Congyi.

從璟初名從審，為人驍勇善戰，而謙退謹敕。 Congjing was first named Congshen—fierce in battle, yet modest, careful, and self-restrained.

明宗軍變於魏，莊宗謂從璟曰：「爾父於國有大功，忠孝之心，朕自明信。 When Mingzong’s army mutinied at Wei, Zhuangzong told Congjing: “Your father has served the realm with great merit; I know his loyalty and filial heart for myself.

從璟馳至衛州，為元行欽所執，將殺之，從璟呼曰：「我父為亂軍所逼，公等不亮其心，我亦不能至魏，願歸衛天子。」 Congjing raced to Weizhou, was seized by Yuan Xingqin, and faced execution; he cried: “Mutineers force my father; you do not see his heart—I cannot reach Wei; let me return to serve the Son of Heaven.”

莊宗憐其言，賜名繼璟，以為己子。 Moved by his words, Zhuangzong renamed him Jijing and treated him as a son.

從莊宗如汴州，將士多亡於道，獨從璟不去，左右或勸其逃禍，從璟不聽。 When Zhuangzong marched on Bianzhou, soldiers melted away on the road; Congjing alone stayed. Some urged him to flee, but he refused.

莊宗聞明宗已渡黎陽，復欲遣從璟通問。 Hearing Mingzong had crossed Liyang, Zhuangzong meant to send Congjing again as envoy.

明宗即位，贈太保。 When Mingzong succeeded, he posthumously made Congjing Grand Guardian.

從璟之於莊宗，知所從而得其死矣。 Congjing, facing Zhuangzong, knew where he stood—and met the death that was his due.