Emperor Taizu of Later Zhou (周太祖)

Overview

Emperor Taizu of Later Zhou was a ruler.

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 951 太祖即位
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 124, passage 21
AD 953 廣順三年冬
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 124, passage 33
AD 950 請太祖赴內難
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 124, passage 19

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Parent of Chenghui (承誨)
his son 其子
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 124, passage 25

Career and standing

AD 951 太祖即位
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 124, passage 21

Places and affiliations

Polity Later Zhou 周 · Relation Ruled
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 124, passage 21

Works and attributed material

Edict · Author · With Wang Yin (王殷)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 124, passage 23

References in the histories

Search passages

History

12 passages

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 124Volume 124 Book of Later Zhou 26: Biographies 4: Wang Yin, He Fejin, Liu Ci, Wang Jin, Shi Yanchao, Shi Yi, Wang Lingwen, Zhou Mi, Li Huaizong, Bai Wenke, Bai Yanyu, Tang Jinsi · 12 passages

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及李業等作亂，漢隱帝密詔澶帥李洪義遣圖殷，洪義懼不克，反以變告殷，殷與洪義同遣人至鄴，請太祖赴內難。 When Li Ye and his faction rebelled, the Hidden Emperor of Han secretly ordered Li Hongyi, commander at Chanzhou, to move against Yin. Hongyi, fearing failure, instead warned Yin of the plot. Yin and Hongyi together sent envoys to Ye asking Taizu to come to the capital's aid.

太祖即位，授天雄軍節度使，加同平章事，典軍如故。 When Taizu took the throne, Yin was made military governor of the Tianxiong army and granted the title of co-equal with the Secretariat and Chancellery, while retaining command of the army as before.

又於民間多方聚斂，太祖聞而惡之，因使宣諭曰：「朕離鄴時，帑廩所儲不少，卿與國家同體，隨要取給，何患無財。」 He also extorted wealth from the populace on many pretexts. When Taizu learned of this he was displeased and sent word: "When I left Ye the treasury was well stocked. You and the state are one body—take what you need whenever you need it. Why should you lack for money?"

二年夏，太祖征兗還，殷迎謁於路，宴賜而去。 In the summer of the second year Taizu returned from the Yan campaign. Yin met him on the road to pay his respects, was entertained and rewarded, and then went on his way.

及王峻得罪，太祖遣其子飛龍使承誨往鄴，令口諭峻之過惡，以慰其心。 When Wang Jun fell from favor, Taizu sent his son, the Feilong envoy Chenghui, to Ye with instructions to recount Jun's crimes to Yin by word of mouth and set his mind at ease.

三年秋，以永壽節上表請覲，太祖雖允其請，且慮殷之不誠，尋遣使止之。 In the autumn of the third year he memorialized the court for an audience on the Yongshou festival. Taizu granted the request but doubted his sincerity and soon sent an envoy to forbid the journey.

何福進在鎮州，素惡殷之太橫，福進入朝，摭其陰事以奏之，太祖遂疑之。 He Fujin, stationed at Zhen Prefecture, had long resented Yin's overbearing ways. When Fujin came to court he laid out Yin's secret wrongdoing in a memorial, and Taizu began to suspect him.

是年冬，以郊禋有日，殷自鎮入覲，太祖令依舊內外巡警。 That winter, with the suburban sacrifice approaching, Yin came in from his command to attend court. Taizu restored him to his former duties of internal and external patrol.

太祖難之。 Taizu was troubled by the request.

時中外以太祖嬰疾，步履稍難，多不視朝，俯逼郊禋，殷有震主之勢，頗憂之。 At the time, because Taizu was ill and walked with difficulty, he seldom held court. With the suburban sacrifice near at hand, Yin had grown so formidable that he seemed to overshadow his sovereign, and many at court were deeply uneasy.

太祖乃力疾坐於滋德殿，殷入起居，即命執之，尋降制流竄，及出都城，遽殺之，眾情乃安。 Taizu then dragged himself, despite his illness, to the Zide Hall. When Yin came in to pay his respects he was seized on the spot. An edict soon ordered him into exile, and as soon as he had left the capital he was put to death. Only then did public anxiety subside.

太祖尋令澶帥鄭仁誨赴鄴，殷次子為衙內指揮使，不出候謁，仁誨誅之，遷其家屬於登州。 Taizu soon sent Zheng Renhui, commander at Chanzhou, to Ye. Yin's second son, a commander of the inner guard, failed to come out to receive him. Renhui had him executed and sent the rest of the family into exile at Deng Prefecture.