Sui and Tang · Ruler

Emperor Jingzong 敬宗

Jingzong

Attested AD 824 - AD 826

Passages: 20
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Emperor Jingzong was a ruler.

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 826 寶曆二年
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 173, passage 177
AD 824 長慶四年
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 173, passage 166

Career and standing

Held court late
Lax
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 173, passage 211

Places and affiliations

Polity Tang 唐 · Relation Ruled
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 173, passage 166

Works and attributed material

Speech · Speaker · With Wei Chuhou (韋處厚) · Direct quotation · Mode speech Speaker Emperor Jingzong (敬宗)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 173, passage 174
Speech · Speaker · With Pei Du (裴度) · Direct quotation · Mode speech Speaker Emperor Jingzong (敬宗)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 173, passages 190-191
Speech · Speaker · Direct quotation · Mode speech Speaker Emperor Jingzong (敬宗)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 173, passages 184-185, 207

Events and relationships

Accepted advice and held court more often
Political · Ruler · With Pei Du (裴度)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 173, passage 220
Adopted Du second plan
Political · Ruler · With Pei Du (裴度)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 173, passage 208
Angered and considered sending senior minister to appease
Political · Ruler · With Zhu Kerong (朱克融)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 173, passage 198
Kept attention on Du and sent eunuchs to reassure
Political · Patron · With Pei Du (裴度)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 173, passage 176
Moved by memorial and questioned Chuhou
AD 824 長慶四年 · Political · Ruler · With Wei Chuhou (韋處厚)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 173, passage 174
Planned visit to eastern capital then canceled
AD 826 寶曆二年 · Travel · Planner · At eastern capital 東都
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 173, passages 183, 192

Show 2 more source-backed claims

Restored Du as concurrent grand councillor
AD 824 長慶四年 · Appointment · Appointing authority · With Pei Du (裴度)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 173, passage 175
Saw through slander and restored Du to chancellorship
AD 826 寶曆二年 · Political · Ruler · With Pei Du (裴度)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 173, passage 182

Assessments and attributes

Assessment lamented that chief ministers were unworthy and had let rebels run wild · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 173, passage 166
Assessment praised and accepted Du's remonstrance on court attendance · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 173, passage 220
Assessment praised Pei Du's advice as better than other ministers' remonstrance · Mode speech Speaker Emperor Jingzong (敬宗)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 173, passage 190
young and inexperienced (孺蒙)
Age character
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 173, passage 176

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 173, passage 166

References in the histories

Search passages

History

20 passages

New Book of Tang, Chapter 173Volume 173 Biographies 98: Pei Du · 20 passages

長慶四年，王廷湊屠元翼之家，敬宗嗟惋，歎宰輔非其人，使凶賊熾肆。 In 824 Wang Tingcou massacred Niu Yuanji's household. Emperor Jingzong sighed in grief and lamented that his chief ministers were unworthy men who had let vicious rebels run wild.

陛下當饋而歎，恨無蕭、曹，今一裴度擯棄於外，所以馮唐知漢文帝有頗、牧不能用也。」 Your Majesty sighs at table, lamenting the lack of men like Xiao He and Cao Shen. Yet Pei Du alone has been cast aside. This is why Feng Tang knew that Emperor Wen of Han possessed generals like Lian Po and Li Mu yet could not use them."

帝感悟，謂處厚曰：「度累為宰相，而官無平章事，謂何？」 The emperor was moved and asked Chuhou, "Du has served repeatedly as chief minister, yet his title lacks grand councillor. What does that mean?"

處厚具道其由，帝於是復度兼平章事。 Chuhou explained the whole story, and the emperor restored Du as grand councillor.

帝雖孺蒙，然注意度，中人至度所，必丁甯尉安，且示召期。 Though the emperor was young and inexperienced, he kept his eye on Du. Whenever eunuchs visited Du's residence they reassured him and hinted when he would be recalled.

天子獨能明其誣，詔復使輔政。 The emperor alone saw through the slander and ordered Du restored to the chancellorship.

先是，帝將幸東都，大臣切諫，不納。 Earlier the emperor had planned to visit the eastern capital. Chief ministers remonstrated urgently, but he would not listen.

帝恚曰：「朕意決矣！ The emperor snapped, "My mind is made up!

自艱難以來，宮闕、署屯、百司之區，荒圮弗治，假歲月完新，然後可行。 Since the rebellions, the palaces, offices, and government quarters have fallen into ruin. Allow months to restore them, and only then can Your Majesty travel.

帝悅曰：「群臣諫朕不及此。 The emperor said with pleasure, "My ministers never advised me this well.

且請遣工五千助治東都，須天子東巡。 and asked for five thousand laborers to repair the eastern capital, insisting the emperor must tour east.

帝怒，患之，欲遣重臣臨慰。 The emperor was furious and troubled, and considered sending a senior minister to appease him.

陛下無庸遣重使，第以詔書言：'中人倨驕，須還，我自責譴。 Your Majesty need not send a senior envoy. Simply issue an edict saying, 'The eunuch envoy was arrogant and must return. I shall punish him myself.

陛下若未能然，則答：'宮室營繕既有序，毋遣工為重勞。 If Your Majesty cannot do that, reply instead: 'Palace repairs are already in hand. Do not send laborers and burden us further.

'」帝曰：「善。」 The emperor said, "Excellent."

帝縱弛，日晏坐朝。 The emperor grew lax and held court late in the day.

度諫曰：「此陛下月率六七臨朝，天下人知勤政，河朔賊臣皆聳畏。 Du remonstrated, "Your Majesty used to hold court six or seven times a month. The realm knew you were diligent, and rebels in Hebei stood in awe.

今方居盛夏，謂宜詰旦數坐，廣加延問； We are now in deep summer. Your Majesty should hold court at dawn and hear reports at length;

漏及巳午，則炎赫可畏，聖躬勞矣。」 but by the si and wu hours the heat is fearsome and Your Majesty will be exhausted."

帝嘉納，為數視朝。 The emperor approved and for a time held court more often.