Emperor Dezong (德宗)

Overview

The translated histories identify Emperor Dezong as a ruler. This record brings together 57 passages from 12 chapters across 5 histories, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	Emperor Dezong	德宗	Dézōng
Temple name	Dezong	德宗	Dézōng
Temple	Dezong	德宗	Dezong
Temple	Dezong	德宗	Dézōng
Temple name	Dezong	德宗	Dezong
Temple	Dezong	德宗	De Zong
Title	emperor	上
Title	Emperor	皇帝
Temple name	Emperor Dezong	德宗	Dézōng
Temple	Emperor Dezong	德宗	Dezong
Temple	Emperor Dezong	德宗皇帝	Dezong huangdi
Personal	Emperor Dezong	德宗	Dezong
Title	Son of Heaven	天子	Tiānzǐ
Temple	Tang Dezong	唐德宗	Táng Dézōng
Title	Tang Dezong	唐德宗	Tang Dezong
Posthumous	Xiaowen	孝文	Xiaowen

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Explicit · jiutangshu:130:s0046, jiutangshu:150:s0001, liaoshi:099:s0100, songshi:110:s0151, xintangshu:045:s0171, xintangshu:051:s0170, xintangshu:172:s0011
Sex: male
Strongly inferred · jiutangshu:131:s0017, jiuwudaishi:143:s0007, xintangshu:052:s0005, xintangshu:141:s0191
Value: male
Strongly inferred · xintangshu:016:s0345

Roles

Ruler

Life and dates

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: 十二年 · Western Year: AD 796
Explicit event contextual date · xintangshu:052:s0147
Source Date: Text: 唐代本傳敘事 · Western Interval: Start: c. AD 755 · End: c. AD 858
Explicit · xintangshu:172:s0011
Source Date: Text: 唐德宗在位 · Western Interval: Start: AD 779 · End: AD 805
Strongly inferred · liaoshi:099:s0100
Source Date: Text: 大曆十四年 · Western Year: AD 779
Explicit event contextual date · jiutangshu:150:s0007
Source Date: Text: 大曆十四年 · Western Year: AD 779
Explicit · songshi:110:s0154
Source Date: Text: 建中 · Western Year: AD 780
Explicit · songshi:110:s0151
Source Date: Text: 建中初 · Western Year: AD 780
Explicit event contextual date · jiutangshu:150:s0094
Source Date: Text: 建中四年 · Western Year: AD 783
Explicit event contextual date · jiutangshu:131:s0017, jiutangshu:131:s0006
Source Date: Text: 德宗 · Western Interval: Start: AD 779 · End: AD 805
Explicit · xintangshu:052:s0005
Source Date: Text: 德宗 · Western Year: AD 779
Explicit · jiutangshu:130:s0046
Source Date: Text: 德宗即位 · Western Year: AD 779
Explicit · xintangshu:051:s0170
Source Date: Text: 德宗居奉天 · Western Interval: Start: AD 783 · End: AD 784
Explicit · xintangshu:052:s0163
Source Date: Text: 德宗時 · Western Interval: Start: AD 780 · End: AD 805
Explicit · xintangshu:045:s0171
Source Date: Text: 德宗朝 · Western Interval: Start: AD 780 · End: AD 805
Explicit event contextual date · jiuwudaishi:143:s0016
Source Date: Text: 興元元年 · Western Year: AD 784
Explicit event contextual date · xintangshu:141:s0191
Source Date: Text: 貞元三年八月 · Western Year: AD 787
Explicit · xintangshu:016:s0345
Source Date: Text: 貞元二十一年 · Western Year: AD 805
Explicit event contextual date · jiutangshu:150:s0082
Source Date: Text: 貞元四年 · Western Year: AD 788
Explicit event contextual date · xintangshu:052:s0050

Family

Immediate source-linked family. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select a person to open their record.

Kin of County Princess of Yongshun (永順縣主)
Kinship Term: county princess / 縣主 · Line: paternal
Kin of County Princess of Deqing (德清縣主)
Kinship Term: county princess / 縣主 · Line: paternal
Kin of County Princess of Langling (朗陵縣主)
Kinship Term: county princess / 縣主 · Line: paternal
Kin of County Princess of Yang'an (陽安縣主)
Kinship Term: county princess / 縣主 · Line: paternal
Kin of County Princess of Nanhua (南華縣主)
Kinship Term: county princess / 縣主 · Line: paternal
Kin of County Princess of Xiangcheng (襄城縣主)
Kinship Term: county princess / 縣主 · Line: paternal
Kin of County Princess of Xinxiang (新鄉縣主)
Kinship Term: county princess / 縣主 · Line: paternal
Kin of County Princess of Yueyang (岳陽縣主)
Kinship Term: county princess / 縣主 · Line: paternal
Kin of County Princess of Yifang (宜芳縣主)
Kinship Term: county princess / 縣主 · Line: paternal
Kin of County Princess of Yuancheng (元城縣主)
Kinship Term: county princess / 縣主 · Line: paternal
Kin of County Princess of Xinning (信寧縣主)
Kinship Term: county princess / 縣主 · Line: paternal
Kin of Empress Dowager Shen (沈氏)
Kinship Term: empress dowager / 太后
Spouse of Empress Zhaode (昭德皇后王氏)
Kinship Term: empress / 皇后 · Union Category: primary-marriage · Relationship State: active
Child of Emperor Daizong (代宗)
Kinship Term: father / 父 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: father · Object Role: son
Kinship Term: son / 子 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: son · Object Role: father
Parent of Emperor Shunzong (順宗)
Kinship Term: father / 父 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: father · Object Role: son
Kinship Term: son / 子 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: son · Object Role: father
Kinship Term: son / 子 · Parentage: biological
Child of Mother of Tang Dezong
Kinship Term: mother / 母 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: mother · Object Role: son
Parent of Prince of Qin E (欽王諤)
Kinship Term: son / 子 · Parentage: biological · Subject Birth Order: 10
Parent of Prince of Zhen Kan (珍王諴)
Kinship Term: son / 子 · Parentage: biological · Subject Birth Order: 11
Parent of Prince of Tong Chen (通王諶)
Kinship Term: son / 子 · Parentage: biological · Subject Birth Order: 3
Parent of Prince of Qian Liang (虔王諒)
Kinship Term: son / 子 · Parentage: biological · Subject Birth Order: 4
Parent of Prince of Su Xiang (肅王詳)
Kinship Term: son / 子 · Parentage: biological · Subject Birth Order: 5
Parent of Prince of Zi Qian (資王謙)
Kinship Term: son / 子 · Parentage: biological · Subject Birth Order: 7
Parent of Prince of Dai Jin (代王諲)
Kinship Term: son / 子 · Parentage: biological · Subject Birth Order: 8
Parent of Prince of Zhao Jie (昭王誡)
Kinship Term: son / 子 · Parentage: biological · Subject Birth Order: 9
Parent of Prince of Shu Yi (舒王誼)
Kinship Term: son / 子 · Parentage: adoptive
Parent of Crown Prince Wenjing Song (文敬太子謜)
Kinship Term: son / 子 · Parentage: adoptive

Kinship Role: sons · Count: 11
Explicit · jiutangshu:150:s0001
Kinship Role: princes · Count: 2 · Note: 親王 whose belt gold was sold at Fengtian
Explicit · xintangshu:052:s0163
Kinship Role: sons by various consorts from Prince of Tong downward · Count: 8
Explicit · jiutangshu:150:s0004

Career and standing

Action: acceded
Explicit · xintangshu:051:s0170

Places and affiliations

Label: Tang / 唐 · Relation: ruled
Strongly inferred · xintangshu:016:s0345
Label: Tang / 唐 · Relation: ruled
Explicit · xintangshu:052:s0005
Label: Tang / 唐 · Relation: served
Strongly inferred · xintangshu:045:s0171
Polity: Tang / 唐 · Relation: ruled
Explicit · jiutangshu:150:s0001
Polity: Tang / 唐 · Relation: served
Explicit · xintangshu:051:s0170
Place: Fengtian / 奉天 · Relation: resided-at
Explicit · xintangshu:052:s0163

Works and attributed material

Kind: consultation · Role: addressee · Other Person Id: Du You (杜佑)
Explicit · xintangshu:052:s0020
Kind: edict · Role: author
Explicit · jiutangshu:150:s0096, jiutangshu:150:s0097, jiutangshu:150:s0098, jiutangshu:150:s0099, jiutangshu:150:s0100, jiutangshu:150:s0101, jiutangshu:150:s0102, jiutangshu:150:s0103, jiutangshu:150:s0104
Kind: speech · Role: speaker
Explicit · jiutangshu:131:s0117, jiutangshu:131:s0174, jiutangshu:150:s0116, jiutangshu:150:s0117, jiutangshu:150:s0119, xintangshu:141:s0126, xintangshu:141:s0127

Events and relationships

Kind: political · Role: ruler · Action: declined-to-adopt-Shen-Jiji-reform
Explicit · xintangshu:045:s0208
Kind: ritual · Role: authority · Action: eclipse-drum-rite-abandoned-as-consequence · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 貞元三年八月 · Western Year: AD 787
Strongly inferred · xintangshu:016:s0348
Kind: administrative · Role: ruler · Action: elevated Yang Yan and enacted Two-Tax Law
Explicit · xintangshu:052:s0005
Kind: political · Role: authority · Action: gave-no-reply-to-memorial · Other Person Id: Dong Jin (董晉) · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 貞元三年八月 · Western Year: AD 787
Explicit · xintangshu:016:s0347
Kind: ritual · Role: authority · Action: refused-drum-beating-for-solar-eclipse · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 貞元三年八月 · Western Year: AD 787
Explicit · xintangshu:016:s0345
Kind: political · Role: ruler · Action: took refuge at Fengtian with empty stores
Explicit · xintangshu:052:s0163
Kind: political · Role: ruler · Action: turned to accumulation and endless presented tribute after Zhu Ci pacified
Explicit · xintangshu:052:s0164
Relation: patron-of · Person Id: Yang Yan (楊炎)
Explicit · xintangshu:052:s0014
Relation: ruler-of · Person Id: Dong Jin (董晉)
Explicit · xintangshu:016:s0345, xintangshu:016:s0346
Relation: employed · Person Id: Cui Youfu (崔祐甫)
Explicit · xintangshu:051:s0170

Assessments and attributes

Assessment: benevolent and filial; followed the law even toward kin · Provenance: Mode: historian-judgment
Explicit · jiutangshu:150:s0093
Assessment: praised the remonstrance but would not reform · Provenance: Mode: historian-judgment
Explicit · xintangshu:045:s0208
Assessment: Xiaowen upheld ritual; Way flourished in princely mansions · Provenance: Mode: historian-judgment
Explicit · jiutangshu:150:s0209, jiutangshu:150:s0210

Source notes

Historicity: historical
Explicit · xintangshu:045:s0171, xintangshu:051:s0170, xintangshu:172:s0011

References in the histories

Open any source group to read the Chinese and English passage in context.

Old Book of Tang, Chapter 130Volume 126 Biographies 76: Li Kui, Li Han, Chen Shaoyou, Lu Yue, Pei Xu · 3 passages

Open chapter

德宗在山南，令充入蕃會盟使，加左僕射。 While Dezong was in exile in Shannan, Kui was appointed envoy to Tibet for the peace conference and promoted to Left Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs.

德宗即位，以涵和易，無剸割之才，除太子少傅，充山陵副使。 When Dezong came to the throne he judged Han too mild for hard decisions and made him junior tutor of the heir apparent and deputy commissioner for the imperial tombs.

上即位，累加檢校禮部、兵部尚書。 When Dezong came to the throne, Shaoyou was repeatedly promoted to acting minister of rites and minister of war.

Old Book of Tang, Chapter 131Volume 127 Biographies 77: Yao Lingyan, Zhang Guangcheng, Yuan Xiu, Qiao Lin, Zhang She, Jiang Zhen, Hong Jinglun, Peng Yan · 4 passages

Open chapter

德宗令普王與學士姜公輔往撫勞之，才出內門，賊已斬關，陣於丹鳳樓下。 Dezong ordered Prince Pu and Academician Jiang Gongfu to go and comfort them. They had barely left the inner gate when the rebels had already broken through the passes and formed battle lines below Danfeng Tower.

是日，德宗倉卒出幸，賊縱入府庫輦運，極力而止。 That day Dezong fled the capital in haste. The rebels entered the storehouses and drove off cartloads of goods until they could carry no more.

德宗在春宮，受經於涉。 When Dezong was heir apparent he received the classics from She.

德宗曰：「叔明此奏，可為天下通制，不唯劍南一道。」 Dezong said: "Shuming's memorial may serve as a general regulation for the realm, not only for the Jiannan circuit."

Old Book of Tang, Chapter 150Volume 146 Biographies 96: Xue Bo, Bao Fang, Li Ziliang, Li Shuo, Yan Shou, Xiao Xin, Du Ya, Wang Wei, Li Ruochu, Yu Qi, Lu Zheng, Yan Ping, Zheng Yuan, Du Jian, Pei Bin, Xue Pi · 17 passages

Open chapter

德宗子德宗皇帝十一子：昭德皇后王氏生順宗皇帝； Emperor Dezong had eleven sons. Empress Zhaode, Lady Wang, bore Emperor Shunzong.

以其最幼，德宗憐之，命之為子。 As the youngest, he won Dezong's affection, and the emperor adopted him as his own son.

德宗初聞兵士出怨言，不得賞設，乃令誼與翰林學士姜公輔傳詔安撫，許以厚賞。 When Dezong first heard the troops complaining that they had received no rewards or provisions, he ordered Yi and Hanlin academician Jiang Gongfu to convey an edict of reassurance and promised generous rewards.

誼狼狽而還，遂奉德宗出幸奉天。 Yi turned back in disarray, and then escorted Dezong on the flight to Fengtian.

通王諶，德宗第三子也。 Prince of Tong Chen was Dezong's third son.

虔王諒，德宗第四子。 Prince of Qian Liang was Dezong's fourth son.

肅王詳，德宗第五子。 Prince of Su Xiang was Dezong's fifth son.

性聰惠，上尤憐之，追念無已，不令起墳墓，詔如西域法，議層磚造塔。 Clever and quick-witted, he was especially beloved by the emperor, whose grief knew no end. Dezong would not permit a tomb mound and ordered that, following Western Regions practice, a pagoda of stacked bricks be built instead.

德宗愛之，命為子。 Dezong loved him and adopted him as his own son.

資王謙，德宗第七子。 Prince of Zi Qian was Dezong's seventh son.

代王諲，德宗第八子。 Prince of Dai Jin was Dezong's eighth son.