Five Dynasties · Ruler

Meng Chang 孟昶

Attested AD 947 - AD 958

Passages: 14
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Meng Chang was a ruler.

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 947 to AD 958 廣政
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 64, passage 141

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Parent of Meng Xuanjue (孟玄珏)
second son 次子
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 64, passage 151
Parent of Meng Xuanzhe (孟玄喆)
son 子
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 64, passage 150
Sibling of Meng Renyu (孟仁裕)
younger brother 弟
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 64, passage 152
Sibling of Meng Renyi (孟仁毅)
younger brother 弟
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 64, passage 152
Sibling of Meng Renzan (孟仁贄)
younger brother 弟
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 64, passage 152
Parent of Meng Xuanbao (孟玄寶)
youngest son 幼子
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 64, passage 163

Works and attributed material

Speech · Speaker
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 64, passage 154

Events and relationships

Recovered Wang Yan former territory
Military · Ruler
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 64, passage 141

References in the histories

Search passages

History

14 passages

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 64Volume 64: Hereditary House of Later Shu · 14 passages

是時，契丹滅晉，漢高祖起於太原，中國多故，雄武軍節度使何建以秦、成、階三州附於蜀，昶因遣孫漢韶攻下鳳州，於是悉有王衍故地。 The Khitan had destroyed Jin and Han Gaozu had risen at Taiyuan; the central plains were in turmoil. Heroic Martial commissioner He Jian submitted Qin, Cheng, and Jie prefectures to Shu. Chang sent Sun Hanshao to take Feng Prefecture and thereby recovered all of Wang Yan's former territory.

漢將趙思綰據永興、王景崇據鳳翔反，皆送款於昶。 Han generals Zhao Sixuan at Yongxing and Wang Jingchong at Fengxiang rebelled and both offered their allegiance to Chang.

昶遣張虔釗出大散關，何建出隴右，李廷珪出子午谷，以應思綰。 Chang sent Zhang Qianzhao through Great Scatter Pass, He Jian through the Longyou region, and Li Tinggui through Ziwu Valley to support Sixuan.

昶相母昭裔切諫，以為不可，然昶誌欲窺關中甚銳，乃遣安思謙益兵以東。 Chancellor Mu Zhaoyi remonstrated sharply that the move was unwise, but Chang was eager to probe the Guanzhong region and sent An Siqian east with reinforcements.

昶與翰林使王藻謀殺思謙，而邊吏有急奏，藻不以時聞，輒啟其封，昶怒之。 Chang plotted with Hanlin envoy Wang Zao to kill Siqian. When an urgent frontier report arrived, Zao failed to forward it promptly and opened the seal himself; Chang was furious.

十三年，昶加號睿文英武仁聖明孝皇帝。 In the thirteenth year Chang added the honorific Sagacious in Culture, Heroic in Martial Affairs, Benevolent and Sage, Bright and Filial Emperor.

昶以韓繼勛為雄武軍節度，聞周師來伐，嘆曰：「繼勛豈足以當周兵邪！」 Chang appointed Han Jixun military commissioner of the Heroic Martial Army. Hearing that Zhou forces were advancing, he sighed: "Can Jixun really stand against the Zhou army!"

客省使趙季劄請行，乃以季劄為秦州監軍使。 Guest Reception Commissioner Zhao Jizha volunteered to go, and Chang made him army supervisor at Qin Prefecture.

昶問之，季劄惶懼不能道一言，昶怒殺之，乃遣高彥儔、李廷珪出堂倉以拒周師。 Chang questioned him, but Jizha was too terrified to speak. Chang had him executed and sent Gao Yanchou and Li Tinggui out from Tang Granary to resist the Zhou army.

昶懼，分遣使者聘於南唐、東漢，以張形勢。 Alarmed, Chang sent envoys to Southern Tang and Eastern Han to display his strength.

二十年，世宗以所得蜀俘歸之，昶亦歸所獲周將胡立於京師，因寓書於世宗，世宗怒昶無臣禮，不答。 In the twentieth year Shizong returned the Shu captives he had taken. Chang sent back the Zhou general Hu Li and enclosed a letter to Shizong, who, angered by Chang's lack of subject ritual, did not reply.

荊南高保融以書招昶使歸周，昶以前嘗致書世宗不答，乃止。 Gao Baorong of Southern Jing wrote inviting Chang to submit to Zhou, but Chang, remembering Shizong's silence to his earlier letter, let the matter drop.

昶幼子玄寶，生七歲而卒，太常言無服之殤無贈典，昶問李昊，昊曰：「昔唐德宗皇子評生四歲而卒，贈揚州大都督，封肅王，此故事也。」 Chang's youngest son Xuanbao died at seven. The Court of Imperial Sacrifices said a child who died before wearing mourning had no posthumous honors. Chang asked Li Hao, who said: "Under Tang Dezong the imperial son Ping died at four and was posthumously made Grand Governor of Yang Prefecture and enfeoffed Prince of Su—that is precedent."

昶乃贈玄寶青州大都督，追封遂王。 Chang thereupon posthumously made Xuanbao Grand Governor of Qing Prefecture and enfeoffed him as Prince of Sui.