忱 Chén

In the third month, he enfeoffed his son Ze as Prince of Pu. Edit

In the fifth month, on jiwei, the first day of the month, there was an eclipse of the sun. Cui Yuanshi was dismissed. Zhou Chi, Vice Minister of War in charge of Public Revenue, and Ma Zhi, Vice Minister of Justice and Salt and Iron and Transport Commissioner of All Circuits, were made Joint Managers of Affairs with the Secretariat-Chancellery. On jimao, the Grand Empress Dowager died. Edit

In the seventh month, on jisi, further portraits of meritorious officials were painted in the Lingyan Pavilion. Edit

In the eleventh month, on renwu, the Grand Empress Dowager Yi'an was buried in the Jing Mausoleum. Wei Cong was demoted to Adviser to the Heir Apparent, with a branch office in the Eastern Capital. Edit

In the third year, in the second month, the Tibetans handed over to the authorities the three prefectures of Qin, Yuan and Anle and the seven passes of Shimen, Yizang, Muxia, Zhisheng, Liupan, Shixia and Xiao. Edit

In the third month, an edict ordered the officials awaiting edicts to take turns in audience with the judicial officials and the remonstrance officials. Ma Zhi was dismissed. Edit

That spring, frost fell and killed the mulberry trees. Edit

In the fourth month, on yiyou, Zhou Chi was dismissed. Cui Xuan, Censor-in-chief, became Vice Director of the Secretariat, and he and Wei Fu, Vice Minister of War in charge of the Ministry of Revenue, were made Joint Managers of Affairs with the Secretariat-Chancellery. On guisi, Zhang Zhongwu, Military Commissioner of the Lulong Army of You Prefecture, died, and his son Zhifang proclaimed himself Acting Military Commissioner. Edit

In the fifth month, the Wuning Army mutinied and drove out its Military Commissioner, Li Kuo. Edit

In the tenth month, on xinsi, there was an earthquake in the capital. That month there were earthquakes in Zhenwu and in Tiande, Lingwu and the two prefectures of Yan and Xia. The Tibetans handed over Wei Prefecture to the authorities. Edit

In the eleventh month, on jimao, he enfeoffed his younger brother Ti as Prince of Peng. Edit

In the twelfth month, the Tibetans handed over Fu Prefecture to the authorities. Edit

In the fourth year, in the first month, on gengchen, there was a general amnesty. Edit

In the fourth month, on renshen, because of continuous rain, an edict ordered the review of prisoners' cases in the capital and the Guanfu region, and remitted arrears owed to the Public Revenue, Salt and Iron, and Revenue departments. Edit

In the sixth month, on wushen, Wei Fu died. Cui Guicong, Minister of Revenue in charge of Public Revenue, was made Joint Manager of Affairs with the Secretariat-Chancellery. Edit

In the eighth month, the Lulong Army of You Prefecture mutinied and drove out its Military Commissioner, Zhang Zhifang, and the headquarters officer Zhang Yunshen proclaimed himself Acting Military Commissioner. Edit

In the tenth month, on xinwei, Linghu Tao, Hanlin Academician Recipient of Edicts and Vice Minister of War, was made Joint Manager of Affairs with the Secretariat-Chancellery. Edit

In the eleventh month, the Dangxiang Qiang raided Bin and Ning. Edit

In the twelfth month, Li Anye, Military Commissioner of Fengxiang, and Li Shi, Military Commissioner of Hedong, were made Commissioners for the Suppression of the Dangxiang. Edit

In the fifth year, in the third month, Bai Minzhong became Grand Minister of Works and Commander-in-chief of the Field Army for the Suppression of the Dangxiang of Nanshan and Pingxia. Edit

In the fourth month, the Dangxiang Qiang of Pingxia were pardoned. On xinwei, the three prefectures of Ling, Yan and Xia and the circuits of Binning, Fufang and others were exempted from taxes and labor service for three years. Edit

In the sixth month, he enfeoffed his son Run as Prince of E. Edit

In the eighth month, on yisi, the Dangxiang Qiang of Nanshan were pardoned. Edit

In the tenth month, Zhang Yichao, a man of Sha Prefecture, handed over to the authorities the eleven prefectures of Gua, Sha, Yi, Su, Shan, Gan, He, Xi, Lan, Min and Kuo. Bai Minzhong was dismissed. On wuchen, Wei Mo, Vice Minister of Revenue in charge of the Ministry of Revenue, was made Joint Manager of Affairs with the Secretariat-Chancellery. Edit

In the eleventh month, Cui Guicong was dismissed. Edit

In the twelfth month, thieves hacked at the halberds at the gate of the Jing Mausoleum. Edit

That year there was famine in Hunan. Edit

In the sixth year, in the third month, a comet appeared in the lodges Zi and Shen. Edit

In the seventh month, Mei, Prince of Yong, died. Edit

In the eighth month, Pei Xiu, Minister of Rites and Salt and Iron and Transport Commissioner of All Circuits, was made Joint Manager of Affairs with the Secretariat-Chancellery. Edit

In the ninth month, the Lao raided the two prefectures of Chang and Zi. Edit

In the eleventh month, he enfeoffed his younger brother Zhui as Prince of Di. Edit

That year there was famine in Huainan. Edit

In the seventh year, in the first month, on bingwu, he made offerings at the Taiqing Palace. On dingwei, he made offerings at the Imperial Ancestral Temple. On wushen, he performed the sacrifice at the southern suburb, and there was a general amnesty. Edit

In the eighth year, in the first month, on bingxu, the first day of the month, there was an eclipse of the sun. Edit

In the third month, because of drought, the cases of prisoners were reviewed. Edit

In the ninth month, he enfeoffed his sons: Qia as Prince of Huai, Rui as Prince of Zhao, and Wen as Prince of Kang. Edit

In the ninth year, in the first month, on jiashen, Wang Yuankui, Military Commissioner of the Chengde Army, died, and his son Shaoding proclaimed himself Acting Military Commissioner. Edit

In the intercalary fourth month, on xinchou, the people beyond the Ranges were forbidden to sell boys and girls. Edit

In the seventh month, because of drought, envoys were sent to tour and comfort Huainan; the tribute transport to the capital was reduced, arrears of tax were remitted, and grain was issued for the relief of the people. On bingchen, Cui Xuan was dismissed. On gengshen, the regular tribute of Huainan, Xuanshe and Zhexi at the winter solstice and on New Year's Day was abolished and applied instead to the taxes of the lowest-grade households. That month the army of the Zhejiang East Circuit mutinied and drove out its Surveillance Commissioner, Li Ne. Edit

In the tenth year, in the first month, on dingsi, Zheng Lang, Censor-in-chief, became Minister of Works and Joint Manager of Affairs with the Secretariat-Chancellery. Edit

In the ninth month, he enfeoffed his son Guan as Prince of Wei. Edit

In the tenth month, on wuzi, Pei Xiu was dismissed. Edit

In the twelfth month, on renchen, Cui Shenyou, Vice Minister of Revenue in charge of the Ministry of Revenue, became Minister of Works and Joint Manager of Affairs with the Secretariat-Chancellery. Edit

In the eleventh year, in the second month, on xinsi, Wei Mo was dismissed. Edit

In the fifth month, the army of Rong Administration mutinied and drove out its Military Affairs Commissioner, Wang Qiu. Edit

In the seventh month, on gengzi, Xiao Ye, Vice Minister of War in charge of Public Revenue, was made Joint Manager of Affairs with the Secretariat-Chancellery. Wang Shaoding, Deputy Grand Military Commissioner of the Chengde Army, died, and his younger brother Shaoyi proclaimed himself Acting Military Commissioner. Edit

In the eighth month, he enfeoffed his son Yong as Prince of Guang. Edit

In the ninth month, on yiwei, a comet appeared in the lodge Fang. Edit

In the tenth month, on renshen, Zheng Lang was dismissed. Edit

In the twelfth year, in the first month, on wuxu, Liu Zhuan, Vice Minister of Revenue in charge of Public Revenue, was made Joint Manager of Affairs with the Secretariat-Chancellery. Edit

In the second month, the observance of Muzong's death day was abolished, and the court visits to the Guang Mausoleum and the palace women guarding the mausoleum were discontinued. On renshen, Cui Shenyou was dismissed. Edit

In the intercalary month: from the tenth month there had been no rain, and only in this month did it rain. Edit

In the third month, Yang Xuanjie, Army Supervisor of Yan Prefecture, killed his Prefect, Liu Gao. Edit

In the fourth month, on gengzi, the army of Lingnan mutinied and drove out its Military Commissioner, Yang Fa. On wushen, Xiahou Zi, Vice Minister of War and Salt and Iron and Transport Commissioner of All Circuits, was made Joint Manager of Affairs with the Secretariat-Chancellery. Edit

In the fifth month, on bingyin, Liu Zhuan died. On gengchen, the army of Hunan mutinied and drove out its Surveillance Commissioner, Han Cong. Edit

In the sixth month, on bingshen, Mao He, a general of Jiangxi, drove out his Surveillance Commissioner, Zheng Xian. On xinhai, the southern barbarians raided the border. Edit

In the seventh month, Lai Zheng, a general of Rong Prefecture, rebelled and was executed. Edit

In the eighth month, Kang Quantai, a general of Xuanshe, drove out his Surveillance Commissioner, Zheng Xun, and Cui Xuan, Military Commissioner of Huainan, was concurrently made Surveillance and Disposition Commissioner of Xuan, She and Chi to suppress him. On dingsi, there was an earthquake at Taiyuan. Edit

In the tenth month, Kang Quantai was executed. Edit

In the twelfth month, Mao He was executed. On jiayin, Jiang Shen, Vice Minister of War in charge of the Ministry of Revenue, was made Joint Manager of Affairs with the Secretariat-Chancellery. Edit

In the thirteenth year, in the first month, on wuwu, there was a general amnesty; arrears owed to the Public Revenue and Revenue departments were remitted, and palace women were released. Edit

In the eighth month, on renchen, Wang Zongshi, Palace Commandant-protector of the Left Shence Army, set up Wen, Prince of Yun, as Heir Apparent, temporarily in charge of military and state affairs. On guisi, the emperor died in the Xianning Hall, aged fifty. He was given the posthumous title Emperor Shengwu Xianwen Xiao. In the thirteenth year of Xiantong, the posthumous title was extended to Emperor Yuansheng Zhiming Chengwu Xianwen Ruizhi Zhangren Shencong Yidao Daxiao. Edit

Appraisal

The appraisal says: By the rule of the Spring and Autumn Annals, when a ruler is murdered and the murderers are not punished, the state is gravely blamed, 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 make plain the crimes of Hongzhi and the others so as to set right the laws of the state; he could only kill him, and that is lamentable. Muzong and Jingzong were benighted boys who lost their virtue; because they were not long on the throne, the empire did not fall into ruin and disorder, but Jingzong in the end met disaster himself. How could they have had any will to punish the murderers? Wenzong was respectful, frugal, cultivated and refined by nature. He once read the Essentials of Government of Taizong and was moved to admire him. When he came to the throne, he was intent on good government; each time he received the chief ministers in the Yanying Hall, it generally lasted until the water clock had fallen eleven marks. By Tang rule the Son of Heaven held court on odd-numbered days, so he ordered that suspensions and dismissals of court should all fall on even-numbered days. Whenever he appointed an official, he always summoned him and questioned him, judging for himself whether the man was capable. So at the start of Dahe the conduct of government was well ordered and was called clean and enlightened. But he was kind and lacked decision; he inherited the faults of his father and brother, the eunuchs bent power to themselves, and he did not have the means to control them, so in the end he was undone by this. In the Sweet Dew affair, disaster reached loyal and good men; he could not bear the injustice and his anger, and could only swallow his grief. Seen in this light, his killing of Hongzhi was enough to show his purpose. Edit

Of old, Wu Ding found one Fu Yue and became Gaozong of Shang. Wuzong employed one Li Deyu and so achieved his great deeds. Yet while he swept away the teaching of the Buddha with great vigor, 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 of delusion; it was only that his likes and dislikes differed. Xuanzong was skilled at hearing cases and making decisions, but he took scrutiny for clear sight and no longer had any thought of kindness and grace. Alas, from this time on, the Tang declined! Edit