Song, Liao, and Jin · Ruler

Meng Chang 孟昶

First attested AD 934; died AD 965

Passages: 16
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Meng Chang was a ruler.

Life and dates

Death

AD 965 乾德三年
died 卒
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 64, passage 194

Attested activity

AD 934 to AD 965 廣政至乾德三年
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 64, passage 166

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Child of Empress Dowager Li (李太后)
mother 母
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 64, passages 176, 195
Parent of Meng Xuanzhe (孟玄喆)
son 子
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 64, passage 179

Career and standing

Duke of Qin 秦國公
Enfeoffed
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 64, passage 194
Prince of Chu 楚王
Posthumously enfeoffed
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 64, passage 194

Works and attributed material

Speech · Speaker
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 64, passage 190

Events and relationships

Surrendered to Song
AD 965 乾德三年正月 · Political · Surrendered
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 64, passage 191

References in the histories

Search passages

History

16 passages

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 64Volume 64: Hereditary House of Later Shu · 16 passages

昶幸晉、漢之際，中國多故，而據險一方，君臣務為奢侈以自娛，至於溺器，皆以七寶裝之。 Chang was fortunate to reign while Jin and Han collapsed and the central plains were in chaos, holding a secure corner apart. Court and ministers devoted themselves to luxury—even their chamber pots were set with the seven treasures.

宋興，已下荊、潭，昶益懼，遣大程官孫遇以蠟丸書間行東漢，約出兵以撓中國，遇為邊吏所得。 When the Song rose and took Jing and Tan, Chang grew more fearful and sent Senior Process Officer Sun Yu with a wax-sealed letter through secret routes to Eastern Han to arrange a diversion against the central plains. Yu was captured by frontier officials.

詔八作司度右掖門南、臨汴水為昶治第一區，凡五百餘間，供帳什物皆具，以待昶。 and ordered the Eight Works Bureau to build south of the Right Flank Gate on the Bian River a first-class residence of more than five hundred rooms, fully furnished, to await Chang's arrival.

昶遣王昭遠、趙彥韜等拒命。 Chang sent Wang Zhaoyuan, Zhao Yantao, and others to resist.

時昶方就學，即命昭遠給事左右，而見親狎。 Chang was then still at his studies, and Zhixiang put Zhaoyuan in his service, where he grew intimate with the prince.

昶立，以為捲簾使。 When Chang took the throne he made him Curtain-Raising Commissioner.

樞密使王處回致仕，昶以樞密使權重難制，乃以昭遠為通奏使知樞密使事，然事無大小，一以委之，府庫金帛恣其所取不問。 When Wang Chuhui retired, Chang found the Chief Palace Secretary's office too powerful to control and made Zhaoyuan Memorial Transmission Commissioner acting in that role. Every matter, large or small, was left to him, and he helped himself to treasury gold and silk without question.

昶母李太后常為昶言昭遠不可用，昶不聽。 Empress Dowager Li often told Chang that Zhaoyuan was unfit for office, but he would not listen.

兵始發成都，昶遣李昊等餞之，昭遠手執鐵如意，指揮軍事，自比諸葛亮，酒酣，謂昊曰：「吾之是行，何止克敵，當領此二三萬雕面惡少兒，取中原如反掌爾！」 As the army left Chengdu, Chang sent Li Hao and others to see them off. Zhaoyuan gripped an iron ruyi scepter, directed the troops, and compared himself to Zhuge Liang. Deep in wine he told Hao: "This campaign will be more than defeating the enemy—I mean to lead these twenty or thirty thousand fierce young brutes and take the central plains as easily as turning my hand!"

昶又遣子玄喆率精兵數萬守劍門。 Chang also sent his son Xuanzhe with tens of thousands of elite troops to hold Sword Gate.

昶問計於左右，老將石頵以謂東兵遠來，勢不能久，宜聚兵堅守以敝之。 Chang asked his advisers for counsel. The veteran Shi Yun said the eastern army had come from far away and could not sustain a long campaign; they should mass their forces and hold out to wear the enemy down.

昶嘆曰：「吾與先君以溫衣美食養士四十年，一旦臨敵，不能為吾東向放一箭，雖欲堅壁，誰與吾守者邪！」 Chang sighed: "My father and I clothed and fed these men generously for forty years, yet when the enemy comes not one will shoot an arrow eastward for me. Even if I wanted to hold behind walls, who would stand with me!"

自興師至昶降，凡六十六日。 From the opening of the campaign to Chang's surrender, sixty-six days had passed.

初，昊事王衍為翰林學士，衍之亡也，昊為草降表，至是又草焉，蜀人夜表其門曰「世修降表李家」，當時傳以為笑。 Hao had earlier served Wang Yan as Hanlin Academician and drafted Yan's surrender; now he drafted Chang's as well. The people of Shu posted on his gate by night: "The Li family—hereditary drafters of surrender memorials," and the line became a byword for ridicule.

昶至京師，拜檢校太師兼中書令，封秦國公，七日而卒，追封楚王。 Chang reached the capital, was made Acting Grand Preceptor and Director of the Secretariat, and enfeoffed Duke of Qin. He died seven days later and was posthumously enfeoffed Duke of Chu.

昶之卒也，李氏不哭，以酒酹地祝曰：「汝不能死社稷，茍生以取羞。 When Chang died, Lady Li did not weep. She poured a libation on the ground and prayed: "You could not die for your state but lived on in shame.