Five Dynasties · Ruler

Meng Zhixiang 孟知祥

First attested AD 932; died AD 934

Passages: 17
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Meng Zhixiang was a ruler.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Posthumous name	Civil and Martial Sage of Virtue, Heroic and Illustrious, Bright and Filial Emperor	文武聖德英烈明孝皇帝
Temple name	High Ancestor	高祖

Life and dates

Death

AD 934 明德元年
died of illness 卒
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 64, passage 114

Attested activity

AD 932 to AD 934 長興三年至明德元年
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 64, passage 93

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Spouse of Princess of Long Felicity (福慶公主)
princess 公主 · Marriage
Strongly inferred · New History of the Five Dynasties 64, passage 102
Parent of Meng Chang (孟昶)
son 子
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 64, passage 113
Sibling of Lady Meng (孟氏)
younger sister 妹
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 64, passage 95

Career and standing

King of Shu 蜀王
AD 933 長興四年二月 · Enfeoffed
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 64, passage 106
AD 934 明年閏正月
Polity Shu 蜀
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 64, passage 109

Events and relationships

Adopted reign title Bright Virtue
Ritual · Subject
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 64, passage 112

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

唐樞密使範延光曰：「知祥雖已破璋，必借朝廷之勢，以為兩川之重，自非屈意招之，彼亦不能自歸也。」 Tang Chief Palace Secretary Fan Yanguang said: "Though Zhixiang has defeated Zhang, he will surely lean on the court's authority to consolidate his hold on both circuits. Unless we woo him with deliberate humility, he will not come back on his own."

明宗曰：「知祥，吾故人也，本因間諜致此危疑，撫吾故人，何屈意之有？」 Mingzong said: "Zhixiang is an old friend. Spies and informers created this crisis. To comfort an old friend—where is the need for humility?"

先是，克寧妻孟氏，知祥妹也。 Earlier, the wife of Kerning—Lady Meng—was Zhixiang's younger sister.

莊宗已殺克寧，孟氏歸於知祥，其子瑰，留事唐為供奉官。 Zhuangzong had executed Kerning; Lady Meng returned to Zhixiang. Her son Gui remained at the Tang court as a palace attendant.

明宗即遣瑰歸省其母，因賜知祥詔書招慰之。 Mingzong sent Gui home to visit his mother and with him an edict summoning and reassuring Zhixiang.

知祥兼據兩川，以趙季良為武泰軍留後、李仁罕武信軍留後、趙廷隱保寧軍留後、張業寧江軍留後、李肇昭武軍留後。 Holding both circuits, Zhixiang appointed Zhao Jiliang acting regent of the Martial Grand Army, Li Renhan of the Martial Faith Army, Zhao Tingyin of the Tranquil Preservation Army, Zhang Ye of the Tranquil River Army, and Li Zhao of the Illustrious Martial Army.

季良等因請知祥稱王，以墨制行事，議未決而瑰至蜀。 Jiliang and the others urged Zhixiang to declare himself king and govern by informal imperial writ, but the matter was still undecided when Gui reached Shu.

知祥見瑰倨慢。 Zhixiang found Gui arrogant and disrespectful.

九月，瑰自蜀還，得知祥表，請除趙季良等為五鎮節度，其餘刺史已下，得自除授。 In the ninth month Gui returned from Shu with Zhixiang's memorial asking that Zhao Jiliang and the others be made military commissioners of the five armies and that all appointments from prefect downward be left to his own discretion.

政恩復命，知祥始遣其將朱滉來朝。 After Zheng'en reported back, Zhixiang at last sent his general Zhu Huang to court.

四年二月癸亥，制以知祥檢校太尉兼中書令，行成都尹、劍南東西兩川節度，管內觀察處置、統押近界諸蠻，兼西山八國雲南安撫制置等使。 On the guihai day of the second month in the fourth year an edict named Zhixiang Acting Grand Guardian and Director of the Secretariat, acting Chengdu Intendant, military commissioner of both Sword-South circuits, with circuit-wide observation and disposition, overall command of neighboring border tribes, and concurrent commissioner for the Eight Kingdoms of the Western Mountains and Yun'an pacification.

遣工部尚書盧文紀冊封知祥為蜀王，而趙季良等五人皆拜節度使。 Minister of Works Lu Wenji was dispatched to invest Zhixiang as King of Shu, and Zhao Jiliang and the other four were all appointed military commissioners.

唐兵先在蜀者數萬人，知祥皆厚給其衣食，因請送其家屬，明宗詔諭不許。 Several tens of thousands of Tang troops remained in Shu; Zhixiang generously supplied their food and clothing and asked permission to send their families home, but Mingzong refused by edict.

明年閏正月，知祥乃即皇帝位，國號蜀。 In the intercalary first month of the following year Zhixiang proclaimed himself emperor and named his state Shu.

四月，知祥改元曰明德。 In the fourth month Zhixiang adopted the reign title Bright Virtue.

六月，虔釗等至成都，知祥宴勞之，虔釗奉觴起為壽，知祥手緩不能舉觴，遂病，以其子昶為皇太子監國。 In the sixth month Qianzhao and the others reached Chengdu, where Zhixiang feasted them. Qianzhao rose with a cup to toast his health, but Zhixiang's hand trembled and he could not raise his cup. He fell ill and made his son Chang crown prince regent.

知祥卒，謚為文武聖德英烈明孝皇帝，廟號高祖，陵曰和陵。 Zhixiang died. He was posthumously titled Civil and Martial Sage of Virtue, Heroic and Illustrious, Bright and Filial Emperor; his temple name was High Ancestor; his tomb was called Harmonious Tomb.