Overview
Emperor Xianzong was a ruler.
IdentityHistorical · Male
Life and dates
Attested activity
AD 811 元和六年
AD 817 十二年
AD 806 to AD 820 憲宗朝
Places and affiliations
- Polity Tang 唐 · Relation Ruled
Works and attributed material
AD 817 十二年
- Speech · Speaker · Direct quotation
Assessments and attributes
- Assessment Du's survival was heaven's doing; relying on Du enough to crush three rebels · Mode named-source-report Speaker Emperor Xianzong (憲宗)
References in the histories
No matching passages.
New Book of Tang, Chapter 173Volume 173 Biographies 98: Pei Du · 15 passages
田弘正效魏、博六州於朝，憲宗遣度宣諭，弘正知度為帝高選，故郊迎趨跽受命，且請遍至屬州，布揚天子德澤，魏人由是歡服。
When Tian Hongzheng surrendered the six Wei and Bo prefectures to the throne, Emperor Xianzong dispatched Du to announce the imperial will. Knowing that Du was the emperor's chosen envoy, Hongzheng met him outside the city, knelt to receive his instructions, and asked him to visit every subordinate prefecture to proclaim the Son of Heaven's grace. The people of Wei thereupon accepted the new order with relief.
宰相武元衡婉辭諍，帝怒未置。
Chief minister Wu Yuanheng pleaded gently on Huan's behalf, but the emperor was furious and would not relent.
度見延英，言寰無辜，帝恚曰：「寰誠無罪，杖小使；
Du appeared before the emperor in the Yanying Hall and argued that Huan was innocent. The emperor snapped, "If Huan truly did no wrong, then flog the petty envoy;
度曰：「責若此固宜，第寰為令，惜陛下百姓，安可罪？」
Du replied, "That would be fair enough in the abstract, but Huan is a magistrate who was protecting Your Majesty's people. How can he be punished for that?"
帝色霽，乃釋寰。
The emperor's expression softened, and he released Huan.
王師討蔡，以度視行營諸軍，還，奏攻取策，與帝意合。
While the court's armies campaigned against Cai, Du was sent to inspect the forces at headquarters. On his return he submitted a plan of attack that matched the emperor's own thinking.
不三日，光顏破時曲兵，帝歎度知言。
Within three days Guangyan routed the enemy at Shiqu, and the emperor marveled that Du had judged so rightly.
議者欲罷度，安二鎮反側，帝怒曰：「度得全，天也！
Some advisers urged removing Du to placate the two rebellious circuits. The emperor thundered, "That Du survived at all was heaven's doing!
自行營歸，知賊曲折，帝益信杖。
When he returned from headquarters he understood the rebels' situation in detail, and the emperor relied on him still more.
帝不聽政，議置塚宰，度曰：「塚宰，商、週六官首，秉統百僚，王者諒暗，有權聽之制。
While the emperor withdrew from government, the court debated appointing a regent chancellor. Du said, "The regent chancellor was the head of the six ministries in antiquity, directing all officials while the king mourned in seclusion under the provisional-hearing system.
帝留奴仗內，遣使者如東都按責其貲。
The emperor kept the slave in the inner guard and sent envoys to Luoyang to investigate and seize the family's assets.
帝悟，殺二奴，還使者。
The emperor took his point, executed the two slaves, and recalled the envoys.
會唐鄧節度使高霞寓戰卻，它相揣帝厭兵，欲赦賊，鉤上指。
When Tang-Deng governor Gao Xiayu suffered a defeat, other chief ministers, guessing that the emperor was weary of war and inclined to pardon the rebels, exchanged knowing glances.
帝曰：「一勝一負，兵家常勢。
The emperor said, "Victory and defeat alternate—that is the nature of war.
唯度請身督戰，帝獨目度留，曰：「果為朕行乎？」
Only Du volunteered to take command in person. The emperor fixed his gaze on Du alone and asked, "Will you truly go for me?"