Five Dynasties · Ruler

Meng Chang 孟昶

Attested AD 934 - AD 948

Passages: 17
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Meng Chang was a ruler.

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 934 to AD 948 明德至廣政十一年
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 64, passage 115

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Child of Meng Zhixiang (孟知祥)
third son 第三子
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 64, passage 115

Career and standing

Military Commissioner of Eastern River 東川節度使
Appointed
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 64, passage 117
Campaigning Marshal 行軍司馬
Held
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 64, passage 116
AD 934 明德元年
Polity Shu 蜀
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 64, passages 120-121

Works and attributed material

Speech · Speaker
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 64, passages 130-131

References in the histories

Search passages

History

17 passages

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 64Volume 64: Hereditary House of Later Shu · 17 passages

昶，知祥第三子也。 Chang was Zhixiang's third son.

知祥為兩川節度使，昶為行軍司馬。 While Zhixiang held both river circuits, Chang served as campaigning marshal.

知祥僭號，以昶為東川節度使、同中書門下平章事。 When Zhixiang declared himself emperor, he made Chang military commissioner of Eastern River and Associate Director of the Secretariat.

知祥病，昶監國。 When Zhixiang fell ill, Chang served as regent.

處回遂與季良立昶，而後發喪。 Chuhui and Jiliang thereupon installed Chang and only then announced the mourning.

昶立，不改元，仍稱明德，至五年始改元曰慶政。 On his accession Chang kept the reign title Bright Virtue; only in his fifth year did he change it to Celebrated Governance.

明德三年三月，熒惑犯積屍，昶以謂積屍蜀分也，懼，欲禳之，以問司天少監胡韞，韞曰：「按十二次，起井五度至柳八度，為鶉首之次，鶉首，秦分也，蜀雖屬秦，乃極南之表爾。 In the third month of the third year of Bright Virtue the Sparkling Deluder invaded the Heap of Corpses. Chang took this as a sign for Shu and grew fearful, wishing to perform expiatory rites. He asked Vice Director of Astronomy Hu Yun, who said: "By the twelve celestial stations, from five degrees in Well to eight degrees in Willow lies Quail's Head—Qin territory. Shu belongs to Qin only in the sense that it lies at Qin's far southern edge.

乃止。 Chang then abandoned the idea.

昶好打球走馬，又為方士房中之術，多采良家子以充後宮。 Chang loved polo and horse racing and practiced the bedroom arts of Daoist masters, taking many daughters of respectable families into the rear palace.

樞密副使韓保貞切諫，昶大悟，即日出之，賜保貞金數斤。 Deputy Chief Palace Secretary Han Baozhen remonstrated sharply. Chang took the lesson to heart, released the women the same day, and rewarded Baozhen with several jin of gold.

有上書者，言臺省官當擇清流，昶嘆曰：「何不言擇其人而任之？」 A memorial arrived arguing that Secretariat and Censorate posts should go only to men of pure pedigree. Chang sighed and said: "Why not say choose the right man for the post?"

左右請以其言詰上書者，昶曰：「吾見唐太宗初即位，獄吏孫伏伽上書言事，皆見嘉納，奈何勸我拒諫耶！」 His attendants urged him to use these words to rebuke the memorialist. Chang said: "I recall that when Emperor Taizong of Tang first took the throne, the prison clerk Sun Fugai submitted memorials on public affairs and all were welcomed—how can you urge me to shut out remonstrance!"

然昶年少不親政事，而將相大臣皆知祥故人，知祥寬厚，多優縱之，及其事昶，益驕蹇，多逾法度，務廣第宅，奪人良田，發其墳墓，而李仁罕、張業尤甚。 Yet Chang was young and left government largely to others. His generals and chief ministers were Zhixiang's old companions; Zhixiang had been indulgent with them, and under Chang they grew still more arrogant and lawless, enlarging their mansions, seizing fertile land, and opening graves—Li Renhan and Zhang Ye worst of all.

昶即位數月，執仁罕殺之，並族其家。 Within months of his accession Chang seized Renhan and executed him, exterminating his entire clan.

仁罕被誅時，業方掌禁兵，昶懼其反，乃用以為相，業兼判度支，置獄於家，務以酷法厚斂蜀人，蜀人大怨。 When Renhan was executed Ye still commanded the palace guard. Fearing rebellion, Chang made him chief minister. Ye also oversaw the Revenue Bureau, maintained a private prison, and squeezed the people of Shu with harsh laws until they bitterly resented him.

十一年，昶與匡聖指揮使安思謙謀，執而殺之。 In the eleventh year Chang plotted with Upright Sage Command Commissioner An Siqian, seized Ye, and killed him.

昶始親政事，於朝堂置匭以通下情。 Chang at last took up government himself and placed a complaint box in the court hall to hear from the people.