666:, but you allowed your teacher to commit crimes out of poverty. Based on the foolish view of your subject, it is not your teacher's fault." Emperor Dezong's anger subsided, and he merely relieved Zhang of his posts and sent him home. Meanwhile, Xin, who, in addition to this, was also accused of killing one of his soldiers due to a private dispute, was set to be executed. Emperor Dezong was about to approve the execution, when Li Zhongchen stated, "Xin Jinggao should have died long ago." When Emperor Dezong asked him why, he responded, "Xin's uncles and brothers all died in service to the empire. Only he remains. That is why I say that he should have died long ago." Emperor Dezong took pity and spared Xin's life, merely demoting him to be a teacher to one of the imperial princes. For these actions of saving colleagues, Li Zhongchen was praised. However, it is said that Li Zhongchen was a straight thinker, and that he did not read or favor scholars. Despite the fact that he had high positions, he was not happy about having lost his military command.
718:— and began planning for declaring himself emperor of a new state of Qin. At a meeting of this close circle, however, Duan, who had not been willing to submit to him, tried to assassinate him. Zhu escaped death only with help from Li Zhongchen, and Duan was killed. When Zhu then declared himself the emperor of Qin, he made Li Zhongchen one of his chancellors, and he kept Li Zhongchen in charge of Chang'an when he subsequently personally led troops to siege Fengtian. Li Zhongchen, however, was not able to deal with Tang resistance fighters near Chang'an, forcing Zhu to repeatedly send aid from Fengtian, hindering Zhu's efforts in sieging Fengtian. When the Tang general
327:), served under Xu. When Shi arrived at Bian Prefecture and initially defeated Xu, however, Xu surrendered, along with Dong, Tian, Liang, and Liu. Shi had long been impressed by Dong, and he patted Dong's back and stated, "Before, I had only a left hand. Now that I have you, lord, I also have a right hand." When Dong subsequently accompanied Shi in capturing Luoyang and then attacking the key outpost Heyang (河陽, near Luoyang), however, he took the opportunity to flee from Shi's camp and rejoin Li Guangbi, then defending Heyang. Emperor Suzong made Dong the military commander of the Shanxi (
494:) could not suppress them and only was spared by humiliating himself before them. Emperor Daizong ordered Li Zhongchen, then on another trip to Chang'an to pay homage to him, to suppress the mutiny. When Li Zhongchen arrived at Shan Prefecture, the soldiers knew his reputation and submitted to him, not daring to do anything else. He ordered that they surrender the pillaged items and promised that those who did would not be further prosecuted. They did so, and after he collected the plunders, he did not return them to Shan Prefecture's treasury, but distributed them to his own soldiers.
468:) and threatening to the emperor, Emperor Daizong sent Guo to attack Zhou, whose subordinates subsequently killed him and surrendered. At that time, Li Zhongchen happened to be heading toward Chang'an from Huaixi to pay homage to the emperor, and he used the excuse of attacking Zhou to enter Hua Prefecture (華州, also in modern Weinan), one of the prefectures under Zhou's command, and pillaged it heavily. It was said that the entire region between the
650:. On an occasion, when he met Emperor Dezong to discuss official business, Emperor Dezong commented, "You, lord, have large ears. That is the sign that you are a truly honored person." Li Zhongchen responded, "Your subject has heard that donkeys have large ears and dragons have small ears. My ears are large, but they are donkey ears." Emperor Dezong was happy about the flattery. In 780, when the official Zhang She (
307:, who had briefly submitted to Emperor Suzong but then turned against Tang again, attacked Tang forces at Yecheng and caused them to collapse and scatter, and then killed An Qingxu, taking over as Yan's emperor. He then attacked south. With Guo blamed for the collapse at Yecheng, Li Guangbi was put in overall command of Tang forces in the region, and he put Xu in charge of defending Bian Prefecture (汴州, in modern
554:, and their armies constituted the main assault force against Biansong's capital Bian Prefecture. After an initial defeat at Li Lingyao's hands, Li Zhongchen considered withdrawing, but when Ma stood his ground, Li Zhongchen stayed as well and continued the campaign. After several victories, in winter 776, they put Bian Prefecture under siege. When Tian Chengsi dispatched an army commanded by his nephew
702:, who had been relieved of his command after Zhu Tao's rebellion, as their leader. Zhu Ci initially acted as if he was going to calm the situation and then welcome Emperor Dezong back to Chang'an, but was secretly considering taking over as emperor himself. He gathered a group of officials whom he believed to be disaffected from Emperor Dezong — Li Zhongchen, Yuan Xiu (
440:), and Li Zhongchen. It was said that, though, when most of these generals received the orders, they did not launch their forces immediately. As to Li Zhongchen, though, after he received the orders while playing a ball game with the officers, he immediately ordered that the army be launched. When his subordinates and the
444:
monitoring his army suggested that the army should be launched on a day considered to be lucky, Li
Zhongchen became angry and responded, "If parents have a sudden disaster, children cannot wait until a good day to save them." Subsequently, before he and the other generals could reach Chang'an, Pugu
605:
It was said that by this point, Li
Zhongchen was greedy, violent, and sexually immoral. If his officers' and soldiers' had beautiful wives or daughters, he would often force the women to have sexual relations with him. He entrusted the important matters of the circuit to his brother-in-law Zhang
722:
subsequently arrived from the eastern regions and had successes against Qin forces, Zhu was forced to lift the siege on
Fengtian and return to Chang'an, allowing Emperor Dezong to survive. After Zhu (who changed his state's name to Han in 784) was further defeated in 784 and fled Chang'an, Li
582:), a Biansong general who had submitted to imperial authority early in the campaign and who had participated in Li Lingyao's defeat, disputed with Li Zhongchen, Li Zhongchen surprised him and killed him at a meeting. Emperor Daizong subsequently gave Li Zhongchen the honorary
445:
died, and the Huige and Tufan army, while initially still advancing toward Chang'an, slowed down. He participated in the subsequent defense of Chang'an, although Huige forces withdrew after Guo persuaded them to do so, and Tufan forces withdrew thereafter as well.
535:) under siege, but after Li Zhengji withdrew from the campaign due to fears that his own soldiers would mutiny and a humble letter Tian sent him, Li Zhongchen withdrew as well. Emperor Daizong was subsequently forced to abandon the campaign against Tian.
596:) and issued orders adding Bian Prefecture to his circuit and moving Huaixi's headquarters to Bian Prefecture. (However, Li Zhongchen appeared to not have actually moved headquarters to Bian Prefecture from his then-headquarters at Cai Prefecture (
622:). On March 28, 779, Li Xilie and Ding killed Zhang and his son and expelled Li Zhongchen. Li Zhongchen fled to Chang'an. Emperor Daizong, crediting him for his past achievements, kept him at Chang'an and gave him the honorary title of acting
181:. When Yan informed the Tang imperial government of the situation, Liu was made the military governor to replace Lü, Wang made the deputy protectorate general to replace Fumeng, and Dong was made the military commander of the circuit (兵馬使,
343:, but also a new personal name, Zhongchen ("faithful subject"). He also created Li Zhongchen the Duke of Longxi and awarded him with much treasure. Li Zhongchen and another military commander of Shence Army, Wei Boyu (
576:) and delivered to Chang'an to be executed. It was said that Ma knew that Li Zhongchen would credit only himself with the victory, and so did not enter Bian Prefecture in order to avoid a conflict. When Li Senghui (
129:, and because of his accomplishments received repeated promotions, eventually receiving a title as general and forward commander at one of the circuits that An governed, Pinglu Circuit (平盧, headquartered in modern
185:). The Pinglu army subsequently made a number of harassing attacks against An's original base at Fanyang (范陽, i.e., modern Beijing), and Dong distinguished himself in these battles, including a victory over the
195:) when the Xi allied with Yan. Subsequently, after Liu suffered a defeat and returned to Pinglu, Wang, for reasons lost to history, poisoned Liu to death. In spring 757, Wang sent Dong with an army over the
746:
833:
995:
472:
and Chi River (赤水, flowing through Hua
Prefecture), all of the people's wealth was stripped, and even the officials' clothes were stripped such that they had to wear clothes made of paper.
107:) served as a military recruiting officer. Dong Qin became a soldier when he was young and was said to be unusually capable and strong. He successively served three military governors (
630:) and allowed him to exercise his previously honorary authorities as a chancellor. He made Li Xilie acting military governor, but stripped the circuit of Bian and Ying (潁州, in modern
612:), whom he made his deputy. Zhang was said to be corrupt and causing much grief to the soldiers. Zhang's son, an officer, was even more corrupt than his father. The officer
1000:
970:
975:
985:
1005:
980:
378:), governing over 12 prefectures. He subsequently joined other Tang and Huige generals in recapturing Luoyang from Shi Siming's son and successor
398:) gathered groups of bandits and pillaged the region. Emperor Daizong commissioned Dong to destroy them, and he did, before returning to Huaixi.
98:
616:, a son of a cousin of Li Zhongchen's, was supported by the soldiers, and he took this opportunity to plot a mutiny with his colleague Ding Gao (
478:
In 775, there was a disturbance at Shan
Prefecture in which the soldiers mutinied and forcibly expelled their military commander, Zhao Lingzhen (
1010:
509:), had offended both the emperor and the military governors nearby, Emperor Daizong ordered a campaign be waged against him. Li Zhongchen and
990:
303:), converged on Yecheng and put it under siege, although Tang forces were unable to capture Yecheng quickly. In spring 759, the Yan general
544:), the circuit he then governed, Biansong Circuit (汴宋, headquartered in modern Kaifeng), fell into the hands of his officer Li Lingyao (
690:. Angry that they were not given rewards while at Chang'an, they mutinied, forcing Emperor Dezong to flee to Fengtian (奉天, in modern
462:), became increasingly violent (including, among other things, slaughtering the entire household of fellow military governor Du Mian (
475:
In 771, Li
Zhongchen personally participated in the yearly defense rotation on the western border against possible Tufan attacks.
662:), Emperor Dezong was initially set to punish Zhang harshly. Li Zhongchen interceded and stated, "Your Imperial Majesty is the
583:
564:) to launch a surprise attack on Tian Yue's army, causing it to collapse. Without aid, Li Lingyao fled, but was captured by
656:), who had previously been Emperor Dezong's teacher, was accused of receiving a bribe from another official, Xin Jinggao (
382:, forcing Shi Chaoyi to flee. (Shi Chaoyi would subsequently commit suicide, ending the Anshi Rebellion.) After Huige's
762:
used the somewhat-unusual phrase of "he claimed" as to Li
Zhongchen's ancestry, indicating the authors' skepticism. See
155:), was a follower of An's, and he trapped and killed the deputy Protectorate General to Pacify the East, Fumeng Lincha (
944:
940:
936:
932:
928:
924:
920:
916:
912:
908:
904:
892:
863:
847:
821:
802:
646:
After
Emperor Daizong died later in 779, Li Zhongchen remained as chancellor under Emperor Daizong's son and successor
418:
troops to join him to attack Chang'an, Emperor
Daizong, at Guo Ziyi's suggestion, issued orders summoning the generals
727:
at
Fanchuan (樊川, near Chang'an). He was executed on July 8, along with his son. His possessions were confiscated.
550:). Emperor Daizong ordered the military governors around Biansong to attack it. Li Zhongchen joined forces with
370:. Soon thereafter, Li Zhongchen was made the military governor of Huaixi Circuit (淮西, headquartered in modern
78:
682:), were at Chang'an, ready to be deployed to the east to battle four rebellious military governors — Zhu Tao,
880:
786:
767:
221:) Commanderies, recapturing them from Yan forces. The Tang general in overall command in the area, Li Xian (
724:
441:
367:
54:
47:. He was known as both a supporter of the imperial cause but also a corrupt and violent military governor (
647:
240:
58:
687:
965:
960:
527:) were to attack from the north. Li Zhongchen initially put Weibo's Wei Prefecture (衛州, in modern
228:
53:). He was later expelled by his own army and, because of his service to imperial causes, kept by
627:
149:
and declared himself emperor of a new state of Yan. The military governor of Pinglu, Lü Zhihui (
130:
383:
255:
and put up his defense there. A number of Tang generals, including, in addition to Dong Qin,
887:
875:
758:
663:
41:
23:
251:(An Lushan having been assassinated by An Qingxu earlier in the year). An Qingxu fled to
142:
411:
899:
415:
247:
army recaptured Chang'an and Luoyang from Yan, then under the rule of An Lushan's son
954:
723:
Zhongchen fled Chang'an as well, but was captured by soldiers under the Tang general
719:
498:
178:
174:
44:
386:
Yaoluoge Yidijian returned to his own realm, the remaining Huige generals An Ke (
715:
62:
340:
683:
638:) Prefectures, transferring them to Yongping Circuit under Li Mian's command.
518:
510:
379:
304:
294:
484:). They also pillaged the prefectural treasury. The circuit governor (觀察使,
69:'s rebel Qin state, and after Zhu's defeat in 784 was captured and executed.
675:
469:
371:
350:
252:
248:
196:
145:
against Emperor Xuanzong's rule, and soon captured the Tang eastern capital
126:
691:
674:
In fall 783, soldiers from Jingyuan Circuit (涇原, headquartered in modern
613:
555:
528:
419:
256:
218:
210:
109:
49:
173:) killed Lü and took over the circuit, remaining in remote contact with
695:
568:
the military governor of Yongping Circuit (永平, headquartered in modern
565:
514:
453:
308:
278:
214:
186:
146:
82:
501:, the military governor of Weibo Circuit (魏博, headquartered in modern
699:
631:
569:
551:
502:
449:
206:
66:
558:
to aid Li Lingyao, Li Zhongchen sent his subordinate Li Chongqian (
448:
In 767, as the military governor of Tonghua Circuit (同華, in modern
679:
635:
573:
532:
506:
375:
354:
312:
244:
538:
In 776, after the death of Tian Shen'gong's brother Tian Shenyu (
177:, one of the few Tang generals resisting Yan forces north of the
686:, Tian Yue (who had inherited his post from Tian Chengsi), and
339:) Armies, and bestowed on him not only the imperial surname of
231:. (Dong would not again return to Pinglu from this point on.)
91:) was a prefectural prefect; his grandfather Dong Xuanjiang (
227:), exercising imperial authority, made Dong the governor of
81:. His family was from You Prefecture (幽州, roughly modern
366:
Emperor Suzong died in 762 and was succeeded by his son
349:), subsequently defended Shan Prefecture (陝州, in modern
422:, Li Guangjin (李光進, Li Guangbi's brother), Bai Xiaode (
199:, on simple rafts, to join the general Tian Shen'gong (
161:). In response, Dong Qin and his colleagues Liu Kenu (
85:). He claimed that his great-grandfather Dong Wenyu (
996:
People executed by the Tang dynasty by decapitation
357:) against the attacks by Shi's general Li Guiren (
414:, who had rebelled earlier, persuaded Huige and
77:Dong Qin was born in 716, during the reign of
709:
703:
657:
651:
617:
607:
597:
591:
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559:
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539:
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489:
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222:
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114:
102:
92:
86:
35:
16:Chinese military governor during Tang Dynasty
8:
243:had taken over as emperor, a joint Tang and
235:As roving general during the Anshi Rebellion
113:) stationed at You Prefecture — Xue Chuyu (
1001:8th-century executions by the Tang dynasty
239:Later in 757, when Emperor Xuanzong's son
971:Chancellors under Emperor Daizong of Tang
513:were to attack Weibo from the south, and
205:) to attack Pingyuan (平原, roughly modern
976:Chancellors under Emperor Dezong of Tang
670:As official of Zhu Ci's state of Qin/Han
986:Tang dynasty jiedushi of Huaixi Circuit
813:
811:
778:
776:
742:
740:
736:
99:Protectorate General to Pacify the East
698:). They supported Zhu Tao's brother
315:). Dong, along with Tian, Liang Pu (
7:
363:) and were able to repel Li Guiren.
61:as an official at the Tang capital
1006:Tang dynasty generals from Beijing
14:
588:Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi
981:Tang dynasty nonimperial princes
756:Li Zhongchen's biography in the
669:
602:), based on subsequent events.)
213:) and Le'an (樂安, roughly modern
101:; and his father Dong Shenjiao (
710:
652:
608:
592:
490:
480:
430:
323:
283:
163:
151:
121:
1:
1011:People of An Lushan Rebellion
991:Executed people from Beijing
97:) was an officer under the
1027:
30:) (716 – July 8, 784), né
704:
658:
618:
598:
578:
560:
546:
540:
523:
464:
458:
436:
424:
410:In 765, when the general
394:
388:
359:
345:
335:
329:
317:
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289:
273:
267:
261:
223:
201:
191:
169:
157:
137:Service at Pinglu Circuit
115:
103:
93:
87:
36:
27:
40:), was a general of the
642:As official at Chang'an
708:), Zhang Guangsheng (
65:. In 783, he joined
731:Notes and references
321:) and Liu Congjian (
167:) and Wang Xuanzhi (
521:, and Xue Jianxun (
497:Later in 775, when
229:Pingyuan Commandery
628:Three Excellencies
456:), Zhou Zhiguang (
392:) and Shi Diting (
287:), Cui Guangyuan (
141:In 755, An Lushan
131:Chaoyang, Liaoning
119:), Zhang Shougui (
406:of Huaixi Circuit
297:, and Wang Sili (
1018:
888:New Book of Tang
876:Old Book of Tang
867:
857:
851:
841:
835:
831:
825:
815:
806:
796:
790:
783:Old Book of Tang
780:
771:
764:Old Book of Tang
759:Old Book of Tang
754:
748:
744:
713:
712:
707:
706:
661:
660:
655:
654:
641:
626:(司空, one of the
621:
620:
611:
610:
601:
600:
595:
594:
581:
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563:
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281:, Ji Guangchen (
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79:Emperor Xuanzong
39:
38:
29:
1026:
1025:
1021:
1020:
1019:
1017:
1016:
1015:
951:
950:
871:
870:
858:
854:
842:
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832:
828:
816:
809:
797:
793:
781:
774:
755:
751:
745:
738:
733:
672:
644:
586:designation of
434:), Hao Tingyu (
408:
368:Emperor Daizong
237:
189:general Abuli (
139:
75:
55:Emperor Daizong
17:
12:
11:
5:
1024:
1022:
1014:
1013:
1008:
1003:
998:
993:
988:
983:
978:
973:
968:
963:
953:
952:
949:
948:
900:Zizhi Tongjian
896:
884:
869:
868:
860:Zizhi Tongjian
852:
844:Zizhi Tongjian
836:
826:
818:Zizhi Tongjian
807:
799:Zizhi Tongjian
791:
772:
749:
735:
734:
732:
729:
671:
668:
648:Emperor Dezong
643:
640:
488:) Li Guoqing (
407:
400:
333:) and Shence (
241:Emperor Suzong
236:
233:
138:
135:
74:
71:
59:Emperor Dezong
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1023:
1012:
1009:
1007:
1004:
1002:
999:
997:
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984:
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840:
837:
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827:
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721:
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697:
693:
689:
685:
681:
677:
667:
665:
664:Son of Heaven
649:
639:
637:
633:
629:
625:
615:
603:
589:
585:
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571:
567:
557:
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385:
381:
377:
373:
369:
364:
356:
352:
342:
314:
310:
306:
296:
280:
271:), Xu Shuji (
258:
254:
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56:
52:
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46:
43:
33:
25:
21:
898:
886:
874:
859:
855:
843:
839:
829:
817:
798:
794:
782:
763:
757:
752:
720:Li Huaiguang
673:
645:
623:
604:
587:
537:
499:Tian Chengsi
496:
485:
477:
474:
447:
412:Pugu Huai'en
409:
403:
365:
265:), Li Huan (
259:, Lu Jiong (
238:
182:
179:Yellow River
175:Yan Zhenqing
140:
108:
76:
48:
45:Tang dynasty
31:
20:Li Zhongchen
19:
18:
716:Duan Xiushi
428:), Ma Lin (
384:Bögü Qaghan
966:784 deaths
961:716 births
955:Categories
893:vol. 224.2
684:Wang Wujun
606:Huiguang (
584:chancellor
519:Li Baochen
511:Li Zhengji
486:Guanchashi
380:Shi Chaoyi
305:Shi Siming
295:Li Guangbi
73:Background
676:Pingliang
470:Tong Pass
372:Zhumadian
351:Sanmenxia
249:An Qingxu
197:Bohai Sea
183:Bingmashi
127:An Lushan
903:, vols.
881:vol. 145
864:vol. 228
848:vol. 226
822:vol. 225
803:vol. 223
787:vol. 145
768:vol. 145
725:Li Sheng
692:Xianyang
614:Li Xilie
593:同中書門下平章事
556:Tian Yue
529:Xinxiang
420:Li Baoyu
404:Jiedushi
257:Guo Ziyi
219:Shandong
211:Shandong
143:rebelled
110:Jiedushi
63:Chang'an
50:Jiedushi
32:Dong Qin
714:), and
696:Shaanxi
566:Li Mian
515:Zhu Tao
454:Shaanxi
309:Kaifeng
279:Li Siye
253:Yecheng
215:Binzhou
147:Luoyang
125:), and
83:Beijing
42:Chinese
24:Chinese
700:Zhu Ci
632:Fuyang
624:Sikong
570:Anyang
552:Ma Sui
503:Handan
450:Weinan
442:eunuch
207:Dezhou
67:Zhu Ci
26::
688:Li Na
680:Gansu
636:Anhui
574:Henan
533:Henan
507:Hebei
416:Tufan
376:Henan
355:Henan
313:Henan
245:Huige
158:夫蒙靈詧
57:and
945:231
941:229
937:228
933:226
929:225
925:224
921:223
917:221
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711:張光晟
659:辛京杲
609:張惠光
579:李僧惠
561:李重倩
547:李靈曜
541:田神玉
524:薛兼訓
491:李國清
481:趙令珍
465:杜冕)
459:周智光
437:郝庭玉
425:白孝德
402:As
395:石帝庭
360:李歸仁
346:衛伯玉
324:劉從諫
300:王思禮
293:),
290:崔光遠
284:季廣琛
277:),
274:許叔冀
202:田神功
192:阿布離
170:王玄志
164:劉客奴
152:呂知誨
133:).
122:張守珪
116:薛楚玉
104:董神嶠
94:董玄獎
88:董文昱
28:李忠臣
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943:,
939:,
935:,
931:,
927:,
923:,
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775:^
766:,
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705:源休
694:,
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634:,
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599:蔡州
572:,
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517:,
505:,
452:,
431:馬璘
389:安恪
374:,
353:,
341:Li
336:神策
330:陝西
318:梁浦
311:,
268:李奐
262:魯炅
224:李銑
217:,
209:,
187:Xi
37:董秦
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