炎 Yán

In the second month, on dingchou, Li Shen, Vice Grand Military Commissioner of Huainan, was made Vice Director of the Secretariat and Joint Manager of Affairs with the Secretariat-Chancellery. Edit

In the third month the Uighurs raided Yun and Shuo. Edit

In the fourth month, on dinghai, the officials presented the honorific title Rensheng Wenwu Zhishen Daxiao Huangdi. There was a general amnesty, and civil and military officials were granted ranks, merit ranks and noble titles. Edit

In the fifth month, on bingshen, Wamosi of the Uighurs surrendered. Edit

In the sixth month Chen Yixing was dismissed. Liu Mian, Military Commissioner of Hedong, fought the Uighurs at Yun Prefecture and was defeated. Edit

In the seventh month the emperor went to the Left Shence Army to review its troops. Li Rangyi, Right Assistant Director of the Department of State Affairs and concurrently Vice Censor-in-Chief, was made Vice Director of the Secretariat and Joint Manager of Affairs with the Secretariat-Chancellery. Tian Manchuan, a commoner of Lan Prefecture, rebelled and was put to death. The Uighur khan raided the Datong Plain. Edit

In the ninth month Liu Mian was made Commissioner for Pacification of the Uighurs on the Southern Front, Zhang Zhongwu, Military Commissioner of the Lulong Army of You Prefecture, Commissioner for Pacification on the Eastern Front, and Li Sizhong, General-in-Chief of the Left Imperial Insignia Guard, Chief General of the Dangxiang of Hexi and Commissioner for Bandit Suppression on the Southwestern Front. Edit

In the tenth month, on dingmao, the emperor's son Xian was enfeoffed as Prince of Yi and Qi as Prince of Yan. Edit

In the eleventh month the emperor hunted at Bailu Plain. Edit

In the twelfth month his son Yi was enfeoffed as Prince of De and Cuo as Prince of Chang. On guiwei there was an earthquake in the capital. Edit

In the third year, in the first month, on gengzi, Shi Xiong, Vice Commissioner of the Field Army of Tiande, fought the Uighurs at Shahu Mountain and defeated them. Edit

In the second month, on gengshen, the first day of the month, there was an eclipse of the sun. On xinwei Cui Gong was dismissed. Edit

In this spring there was heavy rain and snow. Edit

In the fourth month, on yichou, Liu Congjian, Military Commissioner of the Zhaoyi Army, died, and his son Zhen named himself Acting Military Commissioner. Edit

In the fifth month, on jiawu, there was thunder, and the Guangyun Tower at the Eastern Capital burned. On xinchou Wang Yuankui, Military Commissioner of the Chengde Army, was made Commissioner for the Suppression of Ze-Lu on the Northern Front, and He Hongjing, Military Commissioner of Weibo, Commissioner for the Suppression of Ze-Lu on the Eastern Front, and together with Chen Yixing, Military Commissioner of Hezhong, Wang Maoyuan, Military Commissioner of Heyang, and Liu Mian, they were to attack Liu Zhen. On wushen Cui Xuan, Recipient of Edicts of the Hanlin Academicians and Secretariat Drafter, was made Vice Director of the Secretariat and Joint Manager of Affairs with the Secretariat-Chancellery. Li Yanzuo, Military Commissioner of the Wuning Army, was made Military and Suppression Commissioner of all the armies of the Jin-Jiang Field Army. Edit

In the sixth month the Shenlong Monastery in the Western Palace caught fire. On xinyou Li Deyu was made Grand Minister over the Masses. Edit

In this summer a Belvedere for Watching the Immortals was built in the palace. Edit

In the seventh month, on gengzi, this year's autumn tax in Hedong was remitted. Edit

In the ninth month, on xinmao, Wang Zai, Military Commissioner of the Zhongwu Army, was concurrently made Commissioner of Attack of the Heyang Field Army. On dingwei, because of continuous rain, the cases of prisoners were reviewed and the autumn tax of Jingzhao Superior Prefecture was remitted. Edit

In the tenth month, on jisi, Shi Xiong, Military Commissioner of the Jin-Jiang Field Army, fought Liu Zhen at Wu Ridge and defeated him. On renwu at midday the moon occulted Venus. In this month the Dangxiang Qiang raided Yan Prefecture. Edit

In the eleventh month they raided Bin and Ning. Qi, Prince of Yan, was made Marshal of the Six Circuits of Ling and Xia and Grand Commissioner for Pacification of the Dangxiang, with Li Hui, Vice Censor-in-Chief, as his deputy. The army of Annam mutinied and drove out its Military Commissioner Wu Hun. Edit

In the twelfth month, on dingsi, Wang Zai took Tianjing Pass. Edit

In the fourth year, in the first month, on yiyou, Yang Bian, a general of Hedong, drove out his Military Commissioner Li Shi. Edit

In the second month, on jiayin, the first day of the month, there was an eclipse of the sun. On xinyou Yang Bian was put to death. Edit

In the third month Shi Xiong was concurrently made Commissioner of Attack of the Jishi Field Army, with Li Pi, Prefect of Jin Prefecture, as his deputy. Edit

In the sixth month, on jiwei, the Secretariat, the Chancellery and the Censorate reviewed the cases of prisoners. Edit

In the intercalary seventh month, on renxu, Li Shen was dismissed. Du Cong, Vice Grand Military Commissioner of Huainan, was made Right Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs, concurrently Vice Director of the Secretariat, and Joint Manager of Affairs with the Secretariat-Chancellery. On bingzi Pei Wen, a general of the Zhaoyi Army, and Cui Gu, Prefect of Xing Prefecture, surrendered with their city. In this month Wang Zhao, Prefect of Ming Prefecture, and An Yu, Prefect of Ci Prefecture, surrendered with their cities. Edit

In the eighth month, on yiwei, Guo Yi, a general of the Zhaoyi Army, killed Liu Zhen and surrendered. On wuxu the five prefectures of Ze, Lu, Xing, Ming and Ci were exempted from service for one year, and the autumn tax of Taiyuan, Heyang and the four prefectures of Huai, Shan, Jin and Jiang was remitted. On wushen Li Deyu was made Grand Commandant. Edit

In the tenth month the emperor hunted in Hu County. Edit

In the twelfth month he hunted at Yunyang. Edit

In the fifth year, in the first month, on jiyou, the officials presented the honorific title Rensheng Wenwu Zhangtian Chenggong Shende Mingdao Daxiao Huangdi. On that day the emperor made offerings at the Palace of Great Purity. On gengxu he made the court offering at the Ancestral Temple. On xinhai he sacrificed at the southern suburb. There was a general amnesty; civil and military officials were granted ranks, merit ranks and noble titles, and the Duke Wenxuan and the descendants of the two preceding royal houses and the three honoured lineages each had one son qualified for office as the one son so favoured. An Immortals' Terrace was built at the southern suburb. On gengshen the Empress Dowager died. Edit

In the third month there was drought. Edit

In the fifth month, on renzi, Empress Dowager Gongxi was buried at the Guang Tomb. On renxu Du Cong and Cui Xuan were dismissed. On yichou Li Hui, Vice Minister of Revenue, was made Vice Director of the Secretariat and Joint Manager of Affairs with the Secretariat-Chancellery. Edit

In the sixth month, on jiashen, a Tower for Watching the Immortals was built in the Shence Army. Edit

In the seventh month, on bingwu, the first day of the month, there was an eclipse of the sun. In this month Zheng Su, Military Commissioner of the Shannan East Circuit, was made Acting Right Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs and Joint Manager of Affairs with the Secretariat-Chancellery. Edit

In the eighth month, on renwu, Buddhist monasteries were destroyed on a great scale, and monks and nuns were returned to lay life. Edit

In the tenth month a Zhaowu Temple was built at Hulao Pass. Edit

In the sixth year, in the second month, on guiyou, because of drought, sentences of death and below were reduced and this year's summer tax was remitted. On gengchen Mi Ji, Military Commissioner of Xia, Sui and Yin, was made Commissioner for the Suppression of the Dangxiang of the Northeast Circuit. Edit

In the third month, on renxu, the emperor fell ill. Ma Yuanzhi, Army Protector-Commandant of the Left Shence Army, set up Yi, Prince of Guang, as Imperial Uncle and Heir, temporarily in charge of military and state affairs. On jiazi the emperor died in the Daming Palace, aged thirty-three. Edit

Appraisal

The appraisal says: By the method of the Spring and Autumn Annals, when a ruler is murdered and the murderers are not punished, the state is gravely censured, as having no true ministers or sons. Xianzong was murdered, and through three reigns the murderers were still alive. When it came to Wenzong, he could not expose the crimes of Hongzhi and the others so as to set right the laws and punishments of the state; he could only kill him, and that is lamentable. Muzong and Jingzong were dull youths who lost their virtue, and because they did not reign long the empire did not fall into ruin and disorder, but Jingzong in the end brought disaster on himself; did either of them have any intention of punishing the murderers! Wenzong's reverence, frugality and refined learning came from his nature. He once read the Essentials of Government of Taizong and was moved to admire him. When he came to the throne he set his mind on good government, and whenever he met the chief ministers in the Yanying Hall the water clock usually fell eleven marks. Under the Tang system the Son of Heaven held court on odd days, so he ordered that days when court was suspended or excused should all be even days. Whenever an official was appointed he summoned him and questioned him, and judged his ability himself. So at the start of Dahe the government was well ordered and was called pure and bright. But he was humane and lacking in decision, and he inherited the faults of his father and brother: the eunuchs bent power to their will, and he did not find the right means to control them, so in the end it was this that brought him to grief. In the Sweet Dew affair, disaster reached loyal and good men, and he could only swallow his grief and indignation. From this it can be said that in being able to kill Hongzhi he also did enough to fulfil his purpose. Edit

In ancient times Wu Ding found one Fu Yue and became Gaozong of the Shang. Wuzong employed one Li Deyu and so achieved his great deeds. Yet he was fierce and determined in sweeping away the teachings of Buddhism, while he himself received the registers of the Taoists and took drugs in search of long life. From this one sees that he was not a man of clear wisdom free from delusion; it was only that his likes and dislikes were different. Xuanzong was skilled at hearing cases and deciding them, but he took close scrutiny for clear sight and no longer had any thought of humane kindness. Alas, from then on the Tang declined! Edit