忠 Zhōng

Prince of Yan

Zhong, Prince of Yan, had the courtesy name Zhengben. He was born just after the emperor [Gaozong] became Heir Apparent. A banquet was held in the palace, and Taizong soon came in person and said to the palace officials, "I have a grandson for the first time and want to share the joy with you all." When the wine was flowing, the emperor [Gaozong] rose to dance and invited the officials to join him; everyone present danced, and gifts were given according to rank. In the twentieth year of Zhenguan Zhong was first made Prince of Chen. At the beginning of Yonghui he was appointed Governor of Yong Prefecture. Empress Wang had no son, and her maternal uncle Liu Shi persuaded her that, since Zhong's mother was of low birth, if he were made heir he would be sure to be close to her. The empress agreed and asked the emperor, and Liu Shi, together with Chu Suiliang, Han Yuan, Zhangsun Wuji, Yu Zhining and others, made the request one after another, so Zhong was made Heir Apparent. After Empress Wang was deposed, when Empress Wu's son Hong was just three years old, Xu Jingzong, catering to her wishes, proposed: "The state has a true heir by the principal wife; the Heir Apparent should follow the precedent of Liu Qiang of the Han." The emperor summoned Jingzong and said, "What of setting up the son of the principal wife?" He answered, "If the root is set right, all things are well ordered, and the Heir Apparent is the root of the state. Besides, the present occupant of the Eastern Palace was born of a humble mother; now that he knows there is a true heir, he cannot be at ease. To hold a place by usurpation and not be at ease is no plan for the state." The emperor said, "Zhong has in fact offered to give way himself." Jingzong said, "If he can be a Taibo, is that not good?" So Zhong was reduced to Prince of Liang and made Area Commander-in-chief of Liang Prefecture, and was given a fine mansion, an actual fief of two thousand households and twenty thousand lengths of goods. Soon he was moved to Prefect of Fang Prefecture. Zhong lived in such fear that he could not sleep, and went so far as to wear women's clothes to guard against assassins. He often had ominous dreams and once divined them himself. When this came out, he was reduced to a commoner and imprisoned in Chengqian's old house in Qian Prefecture. At the beginning of Linde, when the eunuch Wang Fusheng offended Empress Wu, Jingzong falsely accused Zhong and Shangguan Yi of plotting rebellion with Fusheng, and Zhong was ordered to take his own life, aged twenty-two. He had no son. The next year the Heir Apparent Hong memorialised asking that his body be recovered and buried, and this was granted. At the beginning of Shenlong his title was restored posthumously, and he was also given the posthumous titles Grand Commandant and Grand Area Commander-in-chief of Yang Prefecture. Edit