Taizu (太祖) | 24 Histories

Overview

Taizu was a ruler and Warlord.

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 899 二年
Dated from the passage context · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 183
AD 898 光化元年
Dated from the passage context · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 182
AD 883 to AD 908 太祖養子多矣
Dated from the passage context · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 6

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Parent of Siben (嗣本)
adopted son 養子 · Adoptive parentage · paternal line
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 6
Parent of Cunjin (存進)
adopted son 養子 · Adoptive parentage · paternal line
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 6
Parent of Mingzong (明宗)
adopted son 養子 · Adoptive parentage · paternal line
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 6
Parent of Si'en (嗣恩)
adopted son 養子 · Adoptive parentage · paternal line
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 6
Parent of Li Sizhao (李嗣昭)
adopted son 養子 · Adoptive parentage · paternal line
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 6
Parent of Cunxian (存賢)
adopted son 養子 · Adoptive parentage · paternal line
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 6
Parent of Cunxin (存信)
adopted son 養子 · Adoptive parentage · paternal line
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 6
Parent of Cunzhang (存璋)
adopted son 養子 · Adoptive parentage · paternal line
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 6
Parent of Cunxiao (存孝)
adopted son 養子 · Adoptive parentage · paternal line
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 6
Sibling of Kerou (克柔)
younger brother 弟 · Uncertain siblings · paternal line
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 11

Origins and identity

Ethnicity Shatuo 沙陀
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 5

Career and standing

Jin ruler styled Taizu 太祖
Held
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passages 6, 183
Held
Adoptive father of nine recorded sons
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 6

Places and affiliations

Polity Jin 晉 · Relation Ruled
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 183
Polity Tang / Later Tang 唐 · Relation Ruled
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passages 5-6
At north of Dai 代北 · Relation Rose from
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 5
Organization Adopted Sons Army 義兒軍 · Relation Founded
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 5

Events and relationships

Hunted and took infant
Personal · Hunter · With Li Sizhao (李嗣昭)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passages 10-11
Poisoned
AD 899 二年 · Legal · Authority · With Li Junqing (李君慶)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 183

Assessments and attributes

Assessment used adopted sons to complete the work and they also caused the fall · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 36, passage 5

References in the histories

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 36Volume 36 Biographies of Righteous Sons 16: Li Sizhao, Li Siben, Li Si'en, Li Cunxin, Li Cunxiao, Li Cunjin, Li Cunzhang, Li Cunxian · 7 passages

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太祖養子多矣，其可紀者九人，其一是為明宗，其次曰嗣昭、嗣本、嗣恩、存信、存孝、存進、存璋、存賢。 Taizu took many adopted sons; nine merit record—one became Mingzong; the others: Sizhao, Siben, Si'en, Cunxin, Cunxiao, Cunjin, Cunzhang, Cunxian.

太祖出獵，至其家，見其林中郁郁有氣，甚異之，召其父問焉。 Taizu hunted there, saw an uncanny vigor in the grove, and called the father to question him.

父言家適生兒，太祖因遺以金帛而取之，命其弟克柔養以為子。 The father said a son had just been born; Taizu left gold and silks, took the infant, and had his brother Kerou raise him as a son.

初喜嗜酒，太祖嘗微戒之，遂終身不飲。 He had loved wine until Taizu gently reproved him—then he never drank again.

太祖愛其謹厚，常從用兵，為衙內指揮使。 Taizu prized his steady character, kept him in the field, and made him commander of the inner guard.

陝州王珙與其兄珂爭立於河中，遣嗣昭助珂，敗珙於猗氏，獲其將三人。 Wang Gong of Shaanzhou contended with his elder brother Ke for control of Hezhong. Taizu sent Sizhao to aid Ke; Sizhao defeated Gong at Yishi and captured three of his generals.

二年，晉遣李君慶攻梁潞州，君慶為梁所敗，太祖酖殺君慶，嗣昭攻克之。 The next year Jin sent Li Junqing against Liang at Luzhou; Liang beat him; Taizu poisoned Junqing; Sizhao stormed the city and took it.