Five Dynasties · Ruler and General

Emperor Zhuangzong 莊宗

Zhuangzong

Attested AD 890 - AD 917

Passages: 7
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Emperor Zhuangzong was a ruler and General.

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 916 十三年二月
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 75, passages 18-19, 21
AD 890 to AD 910 事後唐武皇及莊宗
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 75, passage 10
AD 915 天祐十二年
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 75, passage 17
AD 917 明年
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 75, passage 23

Career and standing

emperor 莊宗
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 75, passage 10

Places and affiliations

Polity Later Tang 後唐 · Relation Ruled
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 75, passage 10
AD 916 十三年二月
At Ganling 甘陵 · Relation Traveled from
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 75, passage 19
AD 915 天祐十二年
At Hebei 河北 · Relation Controlled
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 75, passage 17
AD 915 天祐十二年
At Ye 鄴 · Relation Headquartered at
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 75, passage 17

Works and attributed material

AD 916 十三年二月
Speech · Speaker · With Shi Jingtang (石敬瑭) · Direct quotation
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 75, passage 21

Events and relationships

Arrived from Ganling before ranks formed and many were overrun by Xun
AD 916 十三年二月 · Military · Commander · At Qingping 清平 · With Liu Xun (劉鄩)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 75, passage 19
Brought Hebei under control and opened headquarters at Ye
AD 915 天祐十二年 · Military · Commander · At Ye 鄴
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 75, passage 17
Fought a hard battle northwest of Shen with Mingzong
AD 917 明年 · Military · Commander · At northwest of Shen 莘之西北
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 75, passage 23
Praised Jingtang, awarded gifts, and fed him butter
AD 916 十三年二月 · Honor · Bestower · With Shi Jingtang (石敬瑭)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 75, passages 21-22
Relation Commander of · Person Shi Jingtang (石敬瑭)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 75, passage 15
Relation Lord of · Person Shi Shaoyong (石紹雍)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 75, passage 10

Show 1 more source-backed claim

Relation Commander of · Person Emperor Mingzong (唐明宗)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 75, passage 16

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 75, passage 10

References in the histories

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 75Volume 75 Book of Later Jin 1: Gaozu Annals 1 · 7 passages

皇考諱紹雍，番字臬捩雞，善騎射，有經遠大略，事後唐武皇及莊宗，累立戰功，與周德威相亞，歷平、洺二州刺史，薨於任，贈太傅，追尊為孝元皇帝，廟號憲祖，陵曰昌陵。 His imperial father, whose name was Shaoyong, also bore the non-Chinese name Niejieji. Skilled in horsemanship and archery and possessed of broad strategic vision, he served Later Tang's Martial Emperor and Emperor Zhuangzong, winning repeated battle honors and ranking only below Zhou Dewei. He served as prefect of Ping and Mo, died in office, was posthumously made Grand Tutor, and was honored as Emperor Xiaoyuan, with the temple name Xianzu and the mausoleum Changling.

唐莊宗聞其善射，擢居左右，明宗請隸大軍，從之。 When Emperor Zhuangzong of Tang heard of his skill in archery, he brought him into his personal service. Mingzong asked that he be assigned to the main army, and the request was granted.

後明宗從莊宗征行，命帝領親騎，號「三討軍」，倚以心腹。 Later, when Mingzong followed Zhuangzong on campaign, he put the Emperor in command of the personal cavalry, a unit called the "Three Campaigns Army," and treated him as a trusted inner circle man.

天祐十二年，莊宗並有河北之地，開府於鄴，梁遣上將劉鄩以兵五萬營於莘。 In the twelfth year of Tianyou, Zhuangzong brought all of Hebei under his control and opened his headquarters at Ye. Liang sent its senior general Liu Xun with fifty thousand troops to encamp at Shen.

莊宗至自甘陵，兵未陣，多為鄩所掩。 Zhuangzong arrived from Ganling before the army had finished forming its ranks, and many units were caught and overrun by Xun.

莊宗壯之，拊其背曰：「將門出將，言不謬爾。」 Zhuangzong was impressed by his bravery, clapped him on the back, and said, "A general's house breeds a general—the saying is no empty phrase."

明年，鄩兵陣於莘之西北，明宗從莊宗酣戰。 The following year, Xun's army drew up northwest of Shen, and Mingzong fought alongside Zhuangzong in a hard-fought battle.