Five Dynasties · Military Officer and Royal Family Member

Kening 克寧

Kèníng

First attested AD 880; died AD 908

Passages: 17
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Kening was a Military Officer and Royal Family Member.

Life and dates

Death

AD 908 執而殺之
Seized and killed at a feast
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passage 152

Attested activity

AD 908 太祖崩後被殺
Dated from the passage context · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passages 134, 152
AD 880 to AD 908 從太祖至被殺
Dated from the passage context · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passages 131, 152

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Sibling of Taizu (太祖)
elder brother 兄 · Uncertain siblings
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passages 135-136
Spouse of Lady Meng (孟氏)
wife 妻
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passage 145
Sibling of Kexiu (克修)
Uncertain siblings
Strongly inferred · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passages 123, 130
Sibling of Kegong (克恭)
Uncertain siblings
Strongly inferred · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passages 123, 130

Career and standing

overseer of internal and external arrangements for Han and barbarian troops 內外制置蕃漢都知兵馬使
Appointed
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passage 132
acting Grand Guardian 檢校太保
Held
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passage 132
military governor of Zhenwu 振武軍節度使
Held
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passage 132
military governor of Datong 大同軍節度使
Sought
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passage 147

Works and attributed material

Speech · Speaker
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passages 136, 144

Events and relationships

Alleged to plot seizure of king and dowager for Liang with Cunhao
Political · Accused · With Cunhao (存顥) · Mode allegation Witness Person Id Shi Jingrong (史敬熔)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passage 148
Always accompanied Taizu in wars with Helian Duo and Li Keju, flight to the Tatars, and campaign against Huang Chao
AD 880 to AD 884 戰雲、蔚間，後奔達靼，入破黃巢 · Military · Follower · With Taizu (太祖)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passage 131
Bowed north in congratulation
Ritual · Actor
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passage 137
Decided all military matters great and small
Political · Decision maker
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passage 132
Killed Li Cunzhi for an offense
Legal · Authority · With Li Cunzhi (李存質)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passage 147
Seized and killed after troops were hidden at a headquarters feast
Political · Victim
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passage 152

Show 2 more source-backed claims

Relation Quarreled with · Person Zhang Chengye (張承業)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passage 147
Relation Quarreled with · Person Li Cunzhang (李存璋)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passage 147

Assessments and attributes

Assessment benevolent but indecisive; confused by many voices; came to disaster · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passage 146
Assessment humane, filial, and most worthy among the brothers · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passage 130

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passage 131

References in the histories

Search passages

History

17 passages

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 14Volume 14: Taizu of Later Tang's Family · 17 passages

克寧，為人仁孝，居諸兄弟中最賢，事太祖小心不懈。 Kening was kind and filial, the best of the brothers, and served Taizu tirelessly.

太祖與赫連鐸、李可舉戰雲、蔚間，後奔達靼，入破黃巢，克寧未嘗不從行。 From the wars with Helian Duo and Li Keju through exile among the Tatars and the campaign against Huang Chao, Kening always marched with him.

太祖鎮太原，以為內外制置蕃漢都知兵馬使，檢校太保、振武軍節度使，軍中之事，無大小皆決克寧。 At Taiyuan he oversaw Han and barbarian troops as acting Grand Guardian and governor of Zhenwu; every military matter passed through him.

太祖病，召莊宗侍側，屬張承業與克寧曰：「以亞子屬公等。」 Dying, Taizu called Zhuangzong and told Zhang Chengye and Kening: “I leave Yazi to you.”

太祖崩，莊宗告於克寧曰：「兒年孤稚，未通庶政，雖有先王之命，恐不足以當大事。 Zhuangzong told Kening: “I am young and untried; though Father commanded it, I fear I cannot bear the burden.

叔父勛德俱高，先王嘗任以政矣，敢以軍府煩季父，以待兒之有立。」 Uncle’s merit and virtue are both high; the late king once entrusted you with government—I dare trouble my younger uncle with the army and government until I can stand on my own."

克寧曰：「吾兄之命，以兒屬我，誰敢易之！」 Kening said: “My brother gave him to me—who would change that?”

養子存顥、存實告克寧曰：「兄亡弟及，古之道也。 Cunhao and Cunshi told Kening: “Elder brother dies, younger succeeds—that is the old law.

以叔拜姪，理豈安乎？ How can an uncle bow to a nephew?

克寧曰：「吾家三世，父慈子孝，先王土宇，茍有所歸，吾復何求也！」 Kening said: “Three generations of kindness—if the realm has an heir, what more do I want?”

克寧妻孟氏素剛悍，存顥等各遣其妻入說孟氏，孟氏數以迫克寧。 Lady Meng was fierce; the adoptees’ wives worked on her until she pressed Kening again and again.

克寧仁而無斷，惑於群言，遂至於禍。 Kening was kind but weak, swayed by many tongues, and fell to ruin.

都虞候李存質得罪於克寧，克寧殺之，而與張承業，李存璋有隙，又求兼領大同軍節度使。 He killed adjutant Li Cunzhi for an offense, quarreled with Zhang Chengye and Li Cunzhang, and sought Datong as well.

於是幸臣史敬熔見太后，告克寧與存顥謀執王及太后以降梁。 Favorite Shi Jingrong told the dowager that Kening and Cunhao meant to seize king and dowager for Liang.

莊宗召承業、存璋告之曰：「季父所為如此，奈何？ Zhuangzong told Chengye and Cunzhang: “My uncle has come to this—what now?

承業等請誅克寧。 They urged Kening’s death.

乃伏兵於府，置酒大會，克寧既至，執而殺之。 Troops lay in wait; at the feast they seized and killed him.