Sui and Tang · Emperor and Retired Emperor

Xuanzong 玄宗

Attested AD 743 - AD 757

Passages: 10
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Xuanzong was an emperor and Retired Emperor.

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 743 往十三年
Dated from the passage context · Old Book of Tang 112, passage 59
AD 756 to AD 757 至扶風郡…幸蜀…上皇至京師
Dated from the passage context · Old Book of Tang 112, passages 42, 53, 58, 84

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Parent of Suzong (肅宗)
father 父
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 112, passages 55, 58

Kinship Role sons · Quantity unspecified
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 112, passages 49, 58
Kinship Role younger-kinsmen · Quantity unspecified
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 112, passage 49

Career and standing

Became
AD 756 皇太子即位 · Retired emperor
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 112, passages 55, 58

Places and affiliations

Polity Tang 唐 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 112, passages 42, 58
AD 756 七月，至巴西郡
At Baxi Prefecture 巴西郡 · Relation Arrived at
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 112, passage 53
AD 756 上至扶風郡
At Fufeng Prefecture 扶風郡 · Relation Arrived at
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 112, passage 42
AD 757 十二月，上皇至京師
At capital 京師 · Relation Returned to
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 112, passage 84
AD 756 數日，至蜀郡
At Shu Prefecture 蜀郡 · Relation Arrived at
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 112, passage 54

Works and attributed material

Speech · Speaker · With Wei Jiansu (韋見素)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 112, passages 58-64
Speech · Speaker
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 112, passages 44-45, 47-49, 51

Events and relationships

Escorted from Shu to capital
Escorted · Escorted person · With Wei Jiansu (韋見素)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 112, passages 83-85
Fled toward Shu
AD 756 朕今須幸蜀 · Travel · Ruler · At Shu 蜀
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 112, passages 47, 53-54
Intended to abdicate thirteen years earlier
AD 743 往十三年 · Abdication intent · Ruler
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 112, passage 59
Rewarded troops with brocade and offered departure
AD 756 上至扶風郡 · Political · Ruler · At Fufeng 扶風
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 112, passages 44-51

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 112, passage 42

References in the histories

Search passages

History

10 passages

Old Book of Tang, Chapter 112Volume 108 Biographies 58: Wei Jiansu, Cui Yuan, Cui Huan, Du Hongjian · 10 passages

上至扶風郡，從駕諸軍各圖去就，頗出醜言。 When the emperor reached Fufeng Prefecture, the troops in his train each began planning to go their own way, and discontent spread openly.

陳玄禮不能制，上聞之憂懼。 Chen Xuanli could not restrain them, and the emperor grew deeply alarmed.

會益州貢春彩十萬疋，乃以其綱使濛陽尉劉景溫為監察御史，其彩悉陳於廷，召六軍將士等入，上謂之曰：「卿等皆國之功臣，勛勞素著，朕之優賞，常亦不輕。 Just then a tribute convoy from Yi Prefecture arrived with one hundred thousand bolts of spring brocade. The emperor made the convoy leader, Mengyang magistrate Liu Jingwen, an investigating censor, had all the cloth laid out in the courtyard, and summoned the officers and men of the Six Armies. He told them, "You are all meritorious servants of the state, and I have never been stingy in rewarding you.

眾咸俯伏號泣，曰：「死生從陛下。」 They all prostrated themselves, weeping, and cried, "In life or in death we follow Your Majesty."

上良久曰：「去住聽卿自便。」 After a long pause the emperor said, "Whether you stay or go is entirely for you to decide."

將行，上皇謂見素等曰：「皇帝自幼仁孝，與諸子有異，朕豈不知。 Before they set out, the retired emperor told Jiansu and the others, "The emperor has been filial and humane since childhood, unlike my other sons, and I have always known it.

及房琯以敗軍左降，崔圓、崔渙等皆罷知政事，上皇所命宰臣，無知政事者。 When Fang Guan was demoted after his military defeat and Cui Yuan, Cui Huan, and others were removed from office, none of the chief ministers appointed by the retired emperor still held real power.

十一月，肅宗自右輔還京，詔見素入蜀奉迎太上皇。 In the eleventh month, when Suzong returned to the capital from the western capital, he ordered Jiansu into Shu to escort the retired emperor home.

十二月，上皇至京師，肅宗禦樓大赦。 In the twelfth month the retired emperor reached the capital, and Suzong proclaimed a general amnesty from the palace tower.

見素以奉上皇幸蜀功，加開府儀同三司，食實封三百戶。 For accompanying the retired emperor to Shu, Jiansu was granted the honor of opening an office with ceremonial rank equal to the Three Excellencies and a fief of three hundred households.