Jitao (繼韜) | 24 Histories

Overview

Jitao was an official and Rebel.

PeriodFive Dynasties

IdentityHistorical · Male

Roles

Found in

Life and dates

Death

AD 923 莊宗滅梁
Beheaded · At Tianjin Bridge 天津橋
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 61

Attested activity

AD 922 to AD 923 嗣昭諸子
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 47
AD 923 莊宗滅梁
Dated from the passage context · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 51

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Child of Lady Yang (楊氏)
mother 母 · maternal line
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 54
Child of Li Sizhao (李嗣昭)
son 子 · paternal line
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passages 47, 69
Sibling of Jichou (繼儔)
younger brother 弟 · Full siblings · paternal line
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 47
Sibling of Jiyuan (繼遠)
younger brother 弟 · Full siblings · paternal line
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 50

his two sons 其二子
Kinship Role sons · Count 2 · Liang hostages, later executed
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passages 62-63

Career and standing

co-chancellor 同中書門下平章事
AD 923 梁末帝即拜 · Appointed
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 50
acting governor of Zhaoyi 昭義軍留後
Appointed
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 47
Entered
Pardoned
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 58
Entered
Rebel
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passages 48, 51
beheaded for plotting mutiny 斬於天津橋
Executed · Authority Zhuangzong (莊宗)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 61

Events and relationships

Jailed elder brother and seized Zhaoyi
Political · Usurper · With Jichou (繼儔)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 47
Sent Jiyuan to Liang
Political · Defector · With Last Emperor of Liang (梁末帝)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 50

References in the histories

Search passages

History

11 passages

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 36Volume 36 Biographies of Righteous Sons 16: Li Sizhao, Li Siben, Li Si'en, Li Cunxin, Li Cunxiao, Li Cunjin, Li Cunzhang, Li Cunxian · 11 passages

Open chapter

嗣昭諸子，繼儔長而懦，其弟繼韜囚之以自立，莊宗方與梁兵相持河上，不暇究其事，因即以為昭義軍留後。 Sizhao's eldest son Jichou was grown but weak; brother Jitao jailed him and seized power; Zhuangzong, fighting Liang on the river, had no time to inquire and confirmed Jitao as acting governor.

繼韜委其政於魏琢、申蒙，琢等常教繼韜反，繼韜未決。 Jitao left rule to Wei Zhuo and Shen Meng, who kept urging rebellion; he still hesitated.

琢等以謂莊宗召居翰等問繼韜事，繼韜且見誅，因以語趣之，繼韜乃遣其弟繼遠入梁，梁末帝即拜繼韜同中書門下平章事。 Zhuo believed Zhuangzong had called them to judge Jitao's treason and pressed him to act; Jitao sent Jiyuan to Liang, and the Last Emperor made him co-chancellor at once.

居數月，莊宗滅梁，繼韜將走契丹，會赦至，乃已，因隨其母朝於京師，繼遠諫曰：「兄為臣子，以反為名，復何面以見天子？ Months later Zhuangzong ended Liang; Jitao nearly fled to the Khitan until amnesty came; he followed his mother to the capital; Jiyuan said: "You rebelled as a subject—what face have you to see the Son of Heaven?

繼韜不聽。 Jitao would not hear him.

繼韜母楊氏，善畜財，平生居積行販，至貲百萬。 Jitao's mother Lady Yang hoarded wealth all her life through trade until she held a million in assets.

至是，乃賫銀數十萬兩至京師，厚賂宦官、伶人，宦官、伶人皆言：「繼韜初無惡意，為奸人所誤耳。」 She now sent hundreds of thousands of taels of silver to the capital and bribed eunuchs and actors, who all said: "Jitao had meant no harm—only villains had misled him."

由是莊宗釋繼韜。 Zhuangzong freed Jitao.

李存渥尤切齒，數詆責之，繼韜懷不自安，復賂宦官、伶人求歸鎮，莊宗不許。 Li Cunwo hated him bitterly and often denounced him; uneasy, Jitao bribed eunuchs and actors to plead for his post back—Zhuangzong refused.

繼韜陰使人告繼遠，令起變於軍中，冀天子遣己往安緝之，事泄，斬於天津橋。 He secretly told Jiyuan to stir mutiny in the army so the throne would send him to calm it; exposed, he was beheaded at Tianjin Bridge.

已而召繼儔還京師，繼儔悉取繼韜妓妾珍玩，而不時即路。 Soon he recalled Jichou to the capital; Jichou seized Jitao's women and treasures and delayed his departure.