Jing Xiang (敬翔) | 24 Histories

Overview

Jing Xiang was an official and Strategist.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Courtesy name	Zizhen	子振	Zizhen

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 874 to AD 879 乾符中
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 21, passage 9
AD 907 太祖即位 / 梁之篡弒
Dated from the passage context · New History of the Five Dynasties 21, passages 30-31
AD 903 太祖奉昭宗自岐還長安
Dated from the passage context · New History of the Five Dynasties 21, passage 19
AD 906 破趙匡凝…攻淮南
Dated from the passage context · New History of the Five Dynasties 21, passages 25-26, 28

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Descendant of Hui, Prince of Pingyang (暉)
descendant of 之後 · Claimed parentage · paternal line
ancestor of 之後 · Claimed parentage · paternal line
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 21, passage 7
Spouse of Lady Liu (劉氏)
wife 妻 · Given by Taizu
wife of 妻
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 21, passage 36

Origins and identity

Claimed descent from Tang Prince of Pingyang Hui
Ancestor Person Id Hui, Prince of Pingyang (暉)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 21, passage 7

Career and standing

guest drafter of letters and memorials 為人作箋刺
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 21, passage 11
Commissioner of the Chongzheng Court 崇政院使
AD 907 太祖即位 · Appointed
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 21, passage 31
courier-station patrol officer 館驛巡官
Appointed
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 21, passage 17
Grand Academician of the Golden Hall 金鑾殿大學士
Appointed
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 21, passage 32
Grand Treasurer 太府卿
Appointed
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 21, passage 19
military post 軍職
Appointed
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 21, passage 17

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Minister of War 兵部尚書
Appointed
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 21, passage 32

Places and affiliations

Polity Later Liang 後梁 · Relation Served
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 21, passages 30-31
Polity Tang 唐 · Relation Served
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 21, passages 9, 19
At Fengyi, Tongzhou 同州馮翊
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 21, passage 7
At Daliang 大梁 · Relation Sojourned at
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 21, passage 9

Learning and skills

Loved learning; skilled at dispatches
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 21, passage 8
Attempted
Credential Presented Scholar examination 進士 · Negated true · failed
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 21, passage 9
Skill writing military dispatches 書檄 · Level skilled
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 21, passage 8

Works and attributed material

Affairs of feudal lords at war
Speech · Speaker · With Taizu of Later Liang (太祖)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 21, passage 14
Ancient Spring and Autumn methods cannot be used today
Speech · Speaker · With Taizu of Later Liang (太祖)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 21, passage 16

Events and relationships

Counseled Taizu in war with Cai outside Bian
Counsel · Advisor · Advised · With Taizu of Later Liang (太祖)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 21, passage 18
Apologized and retained Lady Liu for Taizu's sake
Personal · Husband
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 21, passage 42
Feigned drunkenness and withdrew
Political · Summoned proxy · With Emperor Zhaozong (昭宗)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 21, passages 23-24
Planned usurpation and regicide for Liang
Political · Chief plotter
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 21, passage 30
Summoned
Audience · Honoree · With Emperor Zhaozong (昭宗) · At Ascending Bliss Tower 延喜樓
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 21, passage 19
Urged caution before Huainan campaign
Counsel · Remonstrator · With Taizu of Later Liang (太祖)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 21, passage 26

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Relation Client of · Person Wang Fa (王發)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 21, passage 10

Assessments and attributes

Assessment deep, reserved, with great strategic vision · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 21, passage 33
Assessment tireless; rested only on horseback · Mode self-report
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 21, passage 34
Hinted rather than openly contradicting Taizu
Method
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 21, passage 35

References in the histories

Search passages

History

24 passages

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 · 24 passages

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敬翔，字子振，同州馮翊人也，自言唐平陽王暉之後。 Jing Xiang, styled Zizhen, came from Fengyi in Tongzhou and claimed Tang’s Prince of Pingyang, Hui, as ancestor.

翔同里人王發為汴州觀察支使，遂往依焉。 A fellow townsman, Wang Fa, served as aide to Bianzhou’s observation commissioner; Xiang attached himself to him.

久之，發無所薦引，翔客益窘，為人作箋刺，傳之軍中。 Fa never found him a post; Xiang’s guest life grew thin; he drafted letters and memorials for hire and passed them through the camps.

太祖素不知書，翔所作皆俚俗語，太祖愛之，謂發曰：「聞君有故人，可與俱來。」 Taizu of Liang could barely read; Xiang wrote in plain soldier’s speech, and Taizu loved it. He told Fa: “I hear you have an old friend—bring him along.”

翔見太祖，太祖問曰：「聞子讀《春秋》，《春秋》所記何等事？」 Xiang was brought in. Taizu asked: “They say you’ve read the Spring and Autumn—what does it record?”

翔曰：「諸侯爭戰之事耳。」 Xiang said: “Lords fighting one another—that is all.”

翔曰：「兵者，應變出奇以取勝，《春秋》古法，不可用於今。」 Xiang said: “War means adapting and striking where the enemy does not expect it—the Spring and Autumn’s old ways won’t serve today.”

太祖大喜，補以軍職，非其所好，乃以為館驛巡官。 Taizu was delighted, gave him a military appointment—not what Xiang wanted—so he made him patrol officer of the post stations.

太祖與蔡人戰汴郊，翔時時為太祖謀畫，多中，太祖欣然，以謂得翔之晚，動靜輒以問之。 When Taizu fought the Cai outside Bian, Xiang’s counsel usually proved right; Taizu rejoiced that he had found him so late and consulted him on every decision.

太祖奉昭宗自岐還長安，昭宗召翔與李振升延喜樓勞之，拜翔太府卿。 When Taizu brought Emperor Zhaozong from Qi back to Chang’an, Zhaozong summoned Xiang and Li Zhen to Ascending Bliss Tower to honor them and made Xiang Grand Treasurer.

昭宗曰：「卿不欲來，可使敬翔來。」 Zhaozong said: “If you won’t come, send Jing Xiang.”