Last Emperor of Tang (唐末帝)

Overview

Last Emperor of Tang was a ruler.

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 926 to AD 930 後唐天成中
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 93, passage 45
AD 934 末帝即位
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 93, passage 50

Career and standing

military governor of Hezhong 鎮河中
AD 926 to AD 930 後唐天成中 · Held · At Hezhong 河中
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 93, passage 45
AD 934 末帝即位
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 93, passage 50

Places and affiliations

Polity Later Tang 後唐 · Relation Ruled
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 93, passages 45, 50
At Chang'an 長安 · Relation Posted to · Regent
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 93, passage 49
At Fengxiang 鳳翔 · Relation Posted to
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 93, passages 49, 51

Works and attributed material

Speech · Speaker · Addressed to Li Zhuanmei (李專美) · Direct quotation · Units s0053
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 93, passage 53
Speech · Speaker · Addressed to Li Su (李肅) · Direct quotation · Mode dream-report · Units s0046
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 93, passage 46

Events and relationships

Dreamed of summons and shared tonsure with Prince of Song
Omen · Dreamer · With Prince of Song (宋王) · Mode dream
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 93, passage 46
Found treasury inadequate and levied capital households
Fiscal · Sovereign · At Luoyang 洛陽
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 93, passage 52
Rose from Fengxiang promising lavish rewards
Military · Leader · At Fengxiang 鳳翔
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 93, passage 51
Took the throne
Accession · Sovereign
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 93, passage 50
Relation Esteemed · Person Li Zhuanmei (李專美)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 93, passages 45, 48
Relation Patron of · Person Li Zhuanmei (李專美)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 93, passages 45, 48-49

Source notes

Value historical
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 93, passage 45

References in the histories

Search passages

History

12 passages

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 93Volume 93 Book of Later Jin 19: Biographies 8: Lu Zhi, Li Zhuanmei, Lu Zhan, Cui Zhuo, Xue Rong, Cao Guozhen, Zhang Renyuan, Zhao Xi, Li Xia, Yin Yuyu, Zheng Yunsou · 12 passages

Open chapter

後唐天成中，安邑榷鹽使李肅辟為推官，時唐末帝鎮河中，見其敦雅，心重之。 In the Tiancheng era of Later Tang, Li Su, commissioner for the salt monopoly at Anyi, recruited him as investigating officer. The Last Emperor of Tang was then military governor of Hezhong; seeing Zhuanmei's earnest refinement, he came to esteem him highly.

末帝一日曾召肅宴於衙署，專美亦預坐，末帝謂肅曰：「某夜來夢主上召去，與宋王同剃卻頭，何也？」 One day the Last Emperor summoned Su to a banquet at headquarters; Zhuanmei was also present. The Last Emperor said to Su: "Last night I dreamed that the sovereign summoned me and that the Prince of Song and I had our heads shaved together—what can this mean?"

由是愈重焉。 From that time the Last Emperor valued him all the more.

末帝留守長安，奏為從事，及移鎮鳳翔，遷為記室。 When the Last Emperor served as regent at Chang'an, he had Zhuanmei appointed as staff officer; when he was transferred to Fengxiang, Zhuanmei was promoted to recorder.

末帝即位，除尚書庫部郎中，賜金紫，充樞密院直學士。 When the Last Emperor took the throne, Zhuanmei was appointed Director in the Bureau of Storehouses, granted the gold seal and purple robe, and made direct academician of the Bureau of Military Affairs.

初，末帝起自鳳翔，大許諸軍厚賞。 When the Last Emperor first rose from Fengxiang, he had promised the armies lavish rewards.

洎至洛陽，閱內庫金帛不過二三萬，尋又配率京城戶民，雖行捶楚，亦所獲無幾，末帝憂之。 When he reached Luoyang and inspected the inner treasury, he found no more than twenty or thirty thousand in gold and silk. He then levied assessments on the capital's households, but even with beatings the yield was meager, and the Last Emperor was deeply troubled.

會專美宿於禁中，末帝召而讓之曰：「卿士人子弟，常言有才術，今致我至此，不能度運以濟時事，留才術何施也！」 Once when Zhuanmei was staying in the palace, the Last Emperor summoned and rebuked him: "You are the son of a scholar-official family and always claim talent and ability—yet you have brought me to this pass and cannot read the times to rescue the situation. What good is talent left unused?"

專美惶恐待罪，良久奏曰：「臣才力駑劣，屬當興運，陛下猥垂錄任，無以裨益聖朝，然府藏空竭，軍賞不給，非臣之罪也。 Zhuanmei, trembling with fear, waited a long while and then replied: "Your servant's abilities are mean, and though I have had the honor of serving in a time of rising fortune, I have been unable to benefit the court. Yet the treasury is empty and army rewards cannot be paid—this is not my fault.

臣思明宗棄代之際，是時府庫濫賞已竭，繼以鄂王臨朝，紀綱大壞，縱有無限之財賦，不能滿驕軍溪壑之心，所以陛下孤立岐陽而得天下。 Consider Mingzong's death: the treasury had already been drained by reckless rewards. Then the Prince of E held court and discipline collapsed utterly. Even limitless wealth could not have satisfied the insatiable armies. That is why Your Majesty, standing alone at Qiyang, was able to win the realm.

若陛下不改覆車之轍，以賞無賴之軍，徒困蒸民，存亡未可知也。 If Your Majesty does not turn from the path that overturned the cart and keeps rewarding unruly troops, you will only exhaust the people, and whether the state survives is uncertain.

末帝然之。 The Last Emperor agreed.