The Complete Biography of Chinese Emperors

Author: Shandong Education Press
Publisher:
Publishing Date: August 1, 1991
Features: Excerpt: Emperor Li Chengyou of Later Han, the second ruler of the Later Han Dynasty, was almost always listless during morning court sessions, constantly yawning. However, he was not the kind of flamboyant emperor who indulged in wine and women. The ministers, none could figure out why. Since ascending the throne, Emperor Li Chengyou had always felt someone was plotting to rebel. Every night after dark, when the palace was silent, he would ponder who might become a traitor. Nearby, the armory workshop almost every night resounded with the clanging of forging tools. Every time he heard this sound, he imagined the scene of rebellious soldiers and traitors rushing to his aid. Thus, he became inseparably linked with sleepless nights. Naturally, he had to be listless during morning court sessions. This was no surprise, for he was the second son of Emperor Zhiyuan of Later Han. In the first month of the Qianyou era (948), his father passed away, and he ascended the throne at the age of 18, with state affairs entirely dependent on a few key ministers and seasoned generals. Therefore, although he desperately tried to reclaim power, he never succeeded. The ruling ministers acted independently, merely treating him as a nominal monarch. Naturally, he was worried and often kept awake by sleepless nights. Among the ruling ministers, the main figures were Yang Bin, Guo Wei, Shi Hongzhao, Wang Zhang, and Su Fengji. Yang Bin and Guo Wei were both Secretaries of the Grand Secretariat, with Yang Bin handling internal affairs and Guo Wei leading military campaigns externally. Shi Hongzhao was the Commander of the Imperial Guard, responsible for guarding the capital. Wang Zhang was the Director of the Three Departments, overseeing finances. These were all military figures, especially Shi Hongzhao and Wang Zhang, who advocated a military-led governance, disliking scholars and literati. Su Fengji, a literary minister, was a former court official. The scholars, led by him, clashed heavily with the military. In the early days of Emperor Chengyou's reign, with the assistance of the ministers, the country was relatively peaceful, and rebellions led by figures like Li Shouzhen were quickly suppressed. However, Emperor Chengyou wanted to govern personally but lacked the ability to balance various factions and political experience. Therefore, he was often manipulated by one faction, intensifying the inherent conflicts among the ministers and even involving himself in the. As soon as Emperor Chengyou ascended the throne, Li Tao, the Co-prime Minister, acting on Su Fengji's behalf, requested that Emperor Chengyou send Yang Bin and Guo Wei, the two Secretaries of the Grand Secretariat, to important regions as Military Governors, handing over their power in the court to the prime ministers Su Fengji and others. This brought the conflict between military and civilian officials to the surface. Yang Bin and Guo Wei immediately knelt before the empress dowager, asking her to intervene. The empress dowager, named Li, had been captured by Emperor Zhiyuan in Jin'an years earlier and made his wife. However, she was highly skilled in governance. When Emperor Zhiyuan first raised troops in Taiyuan, he had wanted to impose taxes to reward his soldiers, but she strongly opposed it, urging instead that funds from the imperial treasury be used for rewards, which won the people's hearts. Upon learning of Yang Bin and Guo Wei's complaints, the empress dowager flew into a rage and immediately summoned Emperor Chengyou, demanding: "Yang and Guo are both pillars of the state, how could you listen to rumors and send them to the provinces?" She knew that under the circumstances, military figures with heavy troops posed a greater threat to her and Emperor Chengyou than bureaucratic officials. Emperor Chengyou explained to the empress dowager: "It was all Li Tao's suggestion." The next day, Li Tao was dismissed from office and forced to return home. By the early summer of Qianyou 3 (950), considering the frequent raids by the Khitan on Hebei, Emperor Chengyou ordered Guo Wei to garrison Ye (now Daiping, Hebei), overseeing the defense of Hebei against the Khitan. Shi Hongzhao suggested that Emperor Chengyou keep Guo Wei as the Secretary of the Grand Secretariat to facilitate military command. Su Fengji, however, argued that there was no precedent and strongly opposed it. Nevertheless, Emperor Chengyou accepted Shi Hongzhao's suggestion, appointing Guo Wei as the Garrison Commander of Ye and the Military Governor of Tianxiong, while still retaining his position as Secretary of the Grand Secretariat. He also issued an edict ordering all regions in Hebei to immediately comply with Guo Wei's orders for troops, weapons, and grain, without delay. At a farewell banquet for Guo Wei, Shi Hongzhao drank heartily with Guo Wei, shouting loudly: "Yesterday in court, the prime ministers deliberately made things difficult for us. Today, I will drink freely to celebrate my brother's departure as the Secretary of the Grand Secretariat." Su Fengji and others raised their cups and said: "It's all for the sake of the state, nothing to worry about!" Shi Hongzhao retorted sharply: "To stabilize the state, we rely on long guns and broadswords. No matter what, we have no need for such trivial things as brushes." At that time, brushes were referred to as "maozui" (literally "hairy"), due to their shape. Shortly after sending off Guo Wei, Wang Zhang, the Director of the Three Departments, hosted a banquet for court officials in his residence, where they played drinking games. Shi Hongzhao was clumsy with the drinking gestures, and Yan Jinqing, the Guest Minister, sat beside him, guiding him. Su Fengji immediately mocked: "There's a Yan here, why worry about drinking?" Shi Hongzhao's wife was also named Yan and was originally a courtesan. He believed Su Fengji was mocking him and flew into a rage, cursing wildly. Su Fengji remained silent and Shi Hongzhao threatened to resort to violence. Su Fengji withdrew, but Shi Hongzhao chased after him with his sword, only to be restrained by Yang Bin. After these two incidents, the military and civilian officials were at odds, and Emperor Chengyou once tried to reconcile them through a banquet hosted by Wang Jun, the Director of the Court of Special Envoys, but it had no effect. The conflict between the military and civilian officials remained unresolved, while the contradiction between Emperor Chengyou and the powerful ministers intensified. As Emperor Chengyou's reign progressed and he aged, he refused to give up his lost power. He gathered a group of sycophants and relatives around him, urging him to reclaim his authority. At this time, the actual holders of power in Later Han were still the military figures Yang Bin, Shi Hongzhao, and Guo Wei, while the literary ministers had no real authority. Therefore, Emperor Chengyou's main obstacles were these military officials. In Qianyou 3 (950), Emperor Chengyou repeatedly recommended his trusted men to Yang Bin and Shi Hongzhao. He wanted Li Ye, the younger brother of the empress dowager, to become the Director of the Court of Special Envoys, and officials like Yan Jinqing, the Guest Minister, to be promoted, but none of these were successful. A son of a friend of the empress dowager requested to join the imperial guard, but Shi Hongzhao had him beheaded and displayed publicly. By the end of the year, Emperor Chengyou rewarded the entertainers with brocade robes and jade belts. After receiving the rewards, they went to thank Shi Hongzhao. Shi Hongzhao flew into a rage, shouting: "Soldiers fight in blood on the battlefield and still receive nothing, how dare you deserve these rewards for your merits?" He ordered his attendants to seize the gifts and send them to the imperial treasury. Emperor Chengyou was furious upon hearing this but could do nothing. Every time he discussed state affairs with Yang Bin and others, they paid little heed to his opinions, often telling him: "Your Majesty, just keep silent and bow your hands in governance, for we will handle external affairs." Under these circumstances, Emperor Chengyou's sycophants began to report "secrets" of Yang Bin and others to him, accusing them of tyranny and plotting rebellion. Emperor Chengyou and Li Ye decided to eliminate Yang Bin and the others. On the 11th day of the 11th month, Emperor Chengyou and Li Ye told the empress dowager of their plan, but she advised: "This matter should not be acted upon hastily. You should consult the prime ministers again." Li Ye told the empress dowager: "The late emperor once said that major court affairs should not be discussed with scholars, for they are timid and likely to cause trouble." The empress dowager still insisted on consulting the prime ministers. Emperor Chengyou grew angry and said: "State affairs are not for the women's quarters to know." With that, he stormed out. The next morning at court, as Yang Bin, Shi Hongzhao, and Wang Zhang were about to reach the Guangzheng Palace, dozens of warriors emerged from the palace, killing the three. Emperor Chengyou immediately announced to the ministers and military commanders that Yang Bin and the others had rebelled and had been executed. Su Fengji, upon hearing the news, was shocked and said to others: "The matter was too rushed. If the emperor had consulted me in advance, this would not have happened." The people in and around the capital were in a state of panic, fearing impending chaos. After eliminating Yang Bin and the others, Emperor Chengyou immediately ordered the Garrison Commander of the Ye Expeditionary Corps, Guo Chongwei, and the Commander of the Infantry, Cao Wei, to kill Guo Wei and the monitor Wang Jun. He also summoned the Military Governor of TaiNING, Murong Yanchao, and others to enter the capital quickly to prevent a mutiny. Guo Wei, upon learning of the plot, immediately raised troops and marched south, claiming to go to the capital to atone for his faults. On the 16th day of the 11th month, he arrived in Changzhou, and on the 18th, he entered Huazhou. By then, Emperor Chengyou had already regretted his actions and told others: "The previous measures were too hasty." The previous measures referred to the recent events. Li Ye and others requested that all funds in the treasury be distributed to the troops. The prime minister Su Yuwei opposed this, but Li Ye repeatedly bowed, saying: "First, think of the emperor, do not be stingy with the treasury." As a result, each soldier in the imperial guard received 20 strings of coins, while others received 10. They were preparing to resist.
Postscript: The Postscript of The Complete Biography of Chinese Emperors is a new-style feudal Chinese social history that records the political careers of over 400 Chinese emperors. Emperors, born in the 3rd century BC, have walked across the land of China for over 2,000 years. The profound and far-reaching impact they have had on the long history of China's feudal society is unmatched by any historical figure of that era. Studying the rise, development, and decline of this unique feudal phenomenon—the emperor—with scientific and comprehensive methods undoubtedly holds positive significance for the great cause we are all working on today. However, in the vast sea of books, there is yet no comprehensive and objective biographical work that introduces the lives of Chinese emperors throughout history. Based on this, under the guidance of Professor An Zuozhang, we organized professors, experts, and scholars from the History Department of Shandong University, the History Department of Shandong Normal University, and other institutions with similar aspirations to spend three years researching and writing this large-scale, accessible, and enjoyable history book. Comrade Li Hongsheng participated in some of the review and organizational work for this book. Comrades like Qi Jixiang also provided some photographs for it. At this time, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to them. Compiling such a large-scale historical work is indeed a pioneering and challenging endeavor. Coupled with limitations in materials, expertise, and time, this book may inevitably have omissions, inaccuracies, or even errors. We sincerely hope that experts and readers will correct and advise us, for which we are deeply grateful. Editors March 1991.