Five Dynasties · Ruler

Emperor Zhuangzong 莊宗

Zhuangzong

Attested AD 921

Passages: 8
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Emperor Zhuangzong was a ruler.

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 921 十八年十月
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 137, passage 31

Career and standing

Emperor Zhuangzong 莊宗
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 137, passage 31

Places and affiliations

Later Tang 後唐
Relation Ruled
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 137, passage 31
At Zhenzhou field camp 鎮州行營 · Relation Encamped at
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 137, passage 34

Works and attributed material

Speech · Speaker · Direct quotation · Mode quotation Speaker Emperor Zhuangzong (莊宗)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 137, passages 35-40, 48

Events and relationships

Campaigned
AD 921 十八年十月 · Military · Commander · With Zhang Wenli (張文禮) · Summary Marched to punish Zhang Wenli after Wang Rong's murder.
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 137, passage 31
Fought
AD 921 十二月 · Military · Commander · With Tuonuo (托諾) · At Dingzhou 定州 · Summary Camped at Dingzhou, next day fought Xi chief Tuonuo, was surrounded, and charged in and out of the ring four times.
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 137, passage 43
Pursued
AD 921 十二月 · Military · Commander · With Yelü Abaoji (安巴堅) · Summary Pursued Abaoji's northward retreat with elite cavalry and praised Khitan camp discipline.
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 137, passage 48
Reconnoitered
AD 921 十二月 · Military · Commander · At Youzhou 幽州 · Summary Reached Youzhou, sent two hundred scouts who were all captured, and turned back.
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 137, passage 49
Refused withdrawal
AD 921 十二月 · Military · Commander · Summary Refused advice to lift the siege of Zhenzhou and withdraw from the Khitan.
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 137, passages 34-35, 40
Rescued
AD 921 十二月 · Military · Rescued · With Li Sizhao (李嗣昭) · Summary Brought back to safety by Li Sizhao.
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 137, passage 44

Show 1 more source-backed claim

Routed
AD 921 十二月 · Military · Commander · At north of Xincheng 新城北 · Summary Personally led five thousand armored horsemen, burst from Mulberry Grove, and scattered the Khitan vanguard of ten thousand.
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 137, passage 41

Assessments and attributes

Assessment Khitan camp discipline surpasses China · Mode quotation Speaker Emperor Zhuangzong (莊宗)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 137, passage 48

References in the histories

Search passages

History

8 passages

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 137Volume 137: Foreign States Biographies 1: Khitan · 8 passages

十八年十月，鎮州大將張文禮弒其帥王镕，莊宗討之，時定州王處直與文禮合謀，遣威塞軍使王郁復引契丹為援。 In the tenth month of year eighteen the Zhenzhou general Zhang Wenli murdered his lord Wang Rong, and Emperor Zhuangzong marched to punish him. Wang Chuzhi of Dingzhou joined the plot and sent the Weisai commissioner Wang Yu to bring the Khitan in as allies again.

時莊宗在鎮州行營，聞前鋒報日「敵渡沙河」，軍中鹹恐，議者請權釋鎮州之圍以避之。 Emperor Zhuangzong was then at his field camp before Zhenzhou. When the vanguard reported, "The enemy has crossed the Sha River," panic spread through the army, and some urged him to raise the siege of Zhenzhou and withdraw.

莊宗曰：「霸王舉事，自有天道，契丹其如我何！ Emperor Zhuangzong said, "When a true conqueror takes the field, Heaven itself is on his side. What can the Khitan do to me?

莊宗親禦鐵騎五千，至新城北，遇契丹前鋒萬騎，莊宗精甲自桑林突出，光明照日，諸部愕然緩退，莊宗分二廣以乘之，敵騎散退。 He personally led five thousand armored horsemen to the north of Xincheng and met ten thousand Khitan vanguard troops. His elite cavalry burst from Mulberry Grove, armor flashing in the sun. The Khitan clans faltered and fell back. Zhuangzong split his force in two wings, routed them, and the enemy scattered.

是夜，莊宗次定州，翌日出戰，遇奚長托諾五千騎，莊宗親軍千騎與之鬥，為其所圍，外救不及，莊宗挺馬奮躍，出入數四，酣戰不解。 That night he camped at Dingzhou. The next day he gave battle and met the Xi chief Tuonuo with five thousand horsemen. A thousand of Zhuangzong's personal guard engaged them, were surrounded, and no relief could reach them in time. Zhuangzong spurred his horse and charged in and out of the ring four times, fighting on without pause.

李嗣昭聞其急也，灑泣而往，攻破敵陣，掖莊宗而歸。 Li Sizhao, hearing that he was in peril, rode forward in tears, broke the enemy line, and brought Emperor Zhuangzong back to safety.

莊宗率精兵騎躡其後，每經安巴堅野宿之所，布稭在地，方而環之，雖去，無一莖亂者，莊宗謂左右曰：「蕃人法令如是，豈中國所及！」 Emperor Zhuangzong pursued with elite cavalry. At every camp Abaoji had used, the straw was laid in neat squares and rings; even after the Khitan had gone, not a stalk was out of place. Zhuangzong told his attendants, "Their discipline is like this. China cannot match it."

莊宗至幽州，發二百騎偵之，皆為契丹所獲，莊宗乃還。 He reached Youzhou and sent two hundred horsemen to scout. The Khitan captured them all, and he turned back.