Emperor Zhaozong (昭宗)

Overview

Emperor Zhaozong was a ruler.

PeriodSui and Tang

IdentityHistorical · Male

Roles

Found in

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 903 to AD 904 唐昭宗召見…迫遷都
Strongly inferred · New History of the Five Dynasties 21, passages 219, 254

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Spouse of Empress He (何皇后)
empress 皇后
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 21, passage 217

References in the histories

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 21Volume 21 Later Liang Biographies 1: Jing Xiang, Zhu Zhen, Pang Shigu, Ge Congzhou, Huo Cun, Zhang Cunjing, Fu Daozhao, Liu Han, Kou Yangqing · 6 passages

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唐昭宗召見，問梁軍中事，稱旨，賜以錦袍，拜登州刺史，賜號「迎鑾毅勇功臣」。 Emperor Zhaozong summoned him, questioned him on Liang’s armies, liked his answers, gave him a brocade robe, made him prefect of Deng, and granted the title “Meritorious Minister Who Welcomes the Imperial Carriage with Resolute Courage.”

初，太祖與崔胤謀，欲遷都洛陽，而昭宗不許。 Early on Taizu and Cui Yin schemed to shift the capital to Luoyang, but Emperor Zhaozong refused.

其後昭宗奔於鳳翔，太祖以兵圍之，昭宗既出，明年，太祖以兵至河中，遣彥卿奉表迫請遷都。 Then the emperor fled to Fengxiang and Taizu besieged him. Once he was extracted, Taizu marched to Hezhong the next year and sent Yanqing with a memorial to force the move east.

昭宗亦顧瞻陵廟，傍徨不忍去，謂其左右為俚語云：「紇幹山頭凍死雀，何不飛去生處樂。」 Emperor Zhaozong looked back at the imperial tombs, lingered, and could not bear to go. He told his attendants a folk verse: “On Hegu hilltop sparrows freeze to death—why not fly back to where you were born and take your joy?”

昭宗行至華州，遣人告太祖以何皇后有娠，願留華州待冬而行。 At Huazhou the emperor sent word that Empress He was pregnant and begged to wait there until winter before moving on.

彥卿復馳至華，即日迫昭宗上道。 Yanqing galloped back to Huazhou and that same day drove the emperor onto the road.