Taizu (太祖) | 24 Histories

Overview

Taizu was a ruler and Warlord.

PeriodSui and Tang

IdentityHistorical · Male

Roles

Found in

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 895 太祖封晉王
Dated from the passage context · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passage 4
AD 884 太祖東追黃巢…上源驛
Dated from the passage context · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passages 7-8
AD 901 to AD 902 梁遣氏叔琮、康懷英等連歲攻晉
Dated from the passage context · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passages 15-16

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Spouse of Lady Liu (劉氏)
chief wife 正室 · Primary marriage
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passage 2
Parent of Zhuangzong (莊宗)
father 父
Strongly inferred · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passage 237
Spouse of Lady Cao (曹氏)
secondary consort 次妃 · Secondary marriage
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passage 3

Career and standing

Prince of Jin 晉王
Received
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passage 4

Places and affiliations

Polity Jin 晉 · Relation Ruled
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passages 4, 15
At Fengchan Temple 封禪寺 · Relation Lodged at
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passage 7
At Shangyuan Post 上源驛 · Relation Present at
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passage 8

Works and attributed material

Speech · Speaker · Direct quotation · With Lady Liu (劉氏)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passage 17

Events and relationships

Attacked and was defeated by
Military · Commander · With Liu Rengong (劉仁恭)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passage 14
Lived among the Tatars and later returned south
Exile · Exile
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passage 20
Pursued
AD 884 太祖東追黃巢 · Military · Commander · With Huang Chao (黃巢)
Dated from the passage context · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passage 7

Assessments and attributes

violent; often killed in anger
Character
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passage 238

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 14, passage 1

References in the histories

Search passages

History

19 passages

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 14Volume 14: Taizu of Later Tang's Family · 19 passages

Open chapter

太祖劉太妃貞簡皇后曹氏 Taizu’s Grand Consort Liu and Empress Zhenjian, Lady Cao

太祖正室劉氏，代北人也； Taizu’s chief wife, Lady Liu, came from northern Dai;

太祖封晉王，劉氏封秦國夫人。 When Taizu became Prince of Jin, Liu was titled Lady of Qin.

自太祖起兵代北，劉氏常從征伐。 From Taizu’s first campaigns in northern Dai, Liu marched with him.

為人明敏多智略，頗習兵機，常教其侍妾騎射，以佐太祖。 Sharp-witted and versed in strategy, she trained her maids in riding and archery to aid Taizu.

太祖東追黃巢，還軍過梁，館於封禪寺。 Pursuing Huang Chao east, Taizu marched back through Liang and quartered at Fengchan Temple.

梁王邀太祖入城，置酒上源驛，夜半以兵攻之。 The Liang prince lured him into the city for wine at Shangyuan Post, then struck at midnight.

太祖左右有先脫歸者，以難告夫人，夫人神色不動，立斬告者，陰召大將謀保軍以還。 Men who had broken out first brought word to the lady; she never flinched, had the messengers killed at once, and quietly rallied the generals to save the army and withdraw.

遲明，太祖還，與夫人相向慟哭，因欲舉兵擊梁。 At daybreak Taizu returned; husband and wife wept together, and he meant to march against Liang.

太祖從之。 Taizu took her counsel.

其後，太祖擊劉仁恭，敗歸。 Later he attacked Liu Rengong and came back beaten.

梁遣氏叔琮、康懷英等連歲攻晉，圍太原，晉兵屢敗，太祖憂窘，不知所為。 Liang sent Shi Shuzong, Kang Huaiying, and others against Jin for years, besieging Taiyuan; Jin troops lost again and again, and Taizu was desperate.

大將李存信等勸太祖亡入北邊，收兵以圖再舉，太祖然之。 Li Cunxin and others urged him to flee north, regroup, and try again; Taizu agreed.

太祖大悟而止。 Taizu saw clearly and abandoned the plan.

夫人無子，性賢，不妒忌，常為太祖言：「曹氏相，當生貴子，宜善待之。」 Childless but kind and without jealousy, she often said: “Lady Cao’s face promises a noble heir—treat her well.”

曹氏封晉國夫人，後生子，是謂莊宗，太祖奇之，曹氏由是專寵。 Lady Cao was titled Lady of Jin and later bore Zhuangzong. Taizu was delighted, and she became his favorite.

太祖性暴，怒多殺人，左右無敢言者，惟曹氏從容諫譬，往往見聽。 Taizu was violent and killed in anger; no one dared speak except Lady Cao, who calmly remonstrated and was often heard.

太妃曰：「願吾兒享國無窮，使吾獲沒于地以從先君，幸矣，復何言哉！」 The grand consort said: “May my son reign forever; if I may die and join my late husband, that is blessing enough—what more can I ask?”

后生五六歲，晉王攻魏，掠成安，裨將袁建豐得后，納之晉宮，貞簡太后教以吹笙歌舞。 At five or six she was taken when the Prince of Jin raided Cheng’an; Yuan Jianfeng brought her to the Jin palace, where Dowager Zhenjian taught her music and dance.