Han Jian (Tang Dynasty)
Encyclopedia
Han Jian (855-August 15, 912), courtesy name Zuoshi (佐時), was a warlord late in the Chinese
dynasty Tang Dynasty
, who eventually became a subject of the succeeding Later Liang Dynasty
. He is most well known for having had Emperor Zhaozong of Tang
under his control at his power base at Hua Prefecture (華州, in modern Weinan
, Shaanxi
) from 896
to 898
and slaughtering the imperial princes while Emperor Zhaozong was there.
, during the reign of Emperor Xuānzong of Tang
. He was from Xu Prefecture (許州, in modern Xuchang
, Henan
). His ancestors, including his father Han Shufeng (韓叔豐), had served for generations in the army. When Qin Zongquan took over Cai Prefecture (蔡州, in modern Zhumadian
, Henan
) in 880
, he encouraged people to join his army, and Han Jian did.
In 881
, when the eunuch general Yang Fuguang
was able to persuade Zhou Ji
the military governor (Jiedushi
) of Zhongwu Circuit (忠武, headquartered at Xu Prefecture) to renounce his allegiance to Huang Chao
— a major agrarian rebel who had captured the Tang capital Chang'an
, forced then-reigning Emperor Xizong
(Emperor Xuānzong's grandson) to flee to Chengdu
, and declared himself the emperor of a new state of Qi — and return to the Tang fold, Yang also persuaded Qin to send forces to contribute to the war efforts against Huang's Qi state. Yang organized his army into eight corps, commanded by Lu Yanhong
, Jin Hui (晉暉), Wang Jian, Han Jian, Zhang Zao (張造), Li Shitai (李師泰), and Pang Cong (龐從) respectively. Han thereafter served under Yang.
Yang Fuguang died in 883
while stationed at Hezhong Circuit (河中, in modern Yuncheng, Shanxi
) and still fighting against Huang. Instead of continuing to fight against Huang, Lu decided to take his troops and rove around the region, pillaging as he went. Wang, Han, Zhang, Jin, and Li followed him as well. Later in 883, Lu captured Xingyuan (興元, in modern Hanzhong
, Shaanxi
) the capital of Shannan West Circuit (山南西道), expelling the military governor Niu Xu (牛勗) and claiming the title of acting military governor. He commissioned Han and the other Zhongwu corps commanders as prefects within Shannan West, but did not allow them to actually report to their prefectures. He was particularly suspicious of Wang and Han because of their deep friendship, but wanting to comfort them, he often treated them well. Wang and Han realized Lu's intentions, however, and in fall 884
, with Emperor Xizong's trusted eunuch Tian Lingzi
secretly tempting them with offers of good treatment, they, along with Zhang, Jin, and Li, abandoned Lu and fled to Chengdu to serve under Tian. After Emperor Xizong returned to Chang'an in 885
after Huang's defeat, Han was made the defender of Tong Pass and the prefect of Hua Prefecture.
the military governor of Jingnan Circuit (荊南, headquartered in modern Jingzhou
, Hubei
).
By 890
, Han was carrying the title of military governor as well, of a newly created Zhenguo Circuit (鎮國), which included only Hua Prefecture and nearby Tong Prefecture (同州, also in modern Weinan). That year, when Emperor Xizong's brother and successor Emperor Zhaozong
declared a general campaign against Li Keyong
the military governor of Hedong Circuit (河東, headquartered in modern Taiyuan
, Shanxi
) and put the chancellor Zhang Jun
in command of the operations, Han personally led his army to join Zhang's and was also responsible for supplying the army. The imperial army, however, was dealt a blow when Zhang's deputy commander, Sun Kui (孫揆), was captured in an ambush by Li Keyong's adoptive son Li Cunxiao
. Subsequently, when the imperial army and Li Keyong's main army met, Han carried out a nighttime attack against Li Cunxiao but was repelled. After Han's defeat, the armies from Fengxiang (鳳翔, headquartered in modern Baoji
, Shaanxi
) and Jingnan (靜難, headquartered in modern Xianyang
, Shaanxi
, not the same circuit Cheng ruled) deserted the imperial army. After Li Keyong's army further defeated Zhang and forced the imperial army into a defensive posture at Jin Prefecture (晉州, in modern Linfen
, Shanxi
), the armies from Baoda (保大, headquartered in modern Yan'an
, Shaanxi
) and Dingnan (定難, headquartered in modern Yulin
, Shaanxi
) Circuits also abandoned the imperial army, leaving Zhang and Han defending Jin Prefecture with troops sent by Li Keyong's archrival Zhu Quanzhong the military governor of Xuanwu Circuit (宣武, headquartered in modern Kaifeng
, Shanxi
). Li Cunxiao put Jin under siege, but after deciding that capturing a chancellor would be a bad idea, he lifted the siege and allowed Zhang and Han to flee, and they did. To flee back west across the Yellow River
, they were forced to tear down local residents' homes and use the building material to construct rafts. The defeat left the imperial army in shambles, although the extent of damage to Han's own army is unclear. Subsequently, Li Keyong, as a condition for resubmitting to the imperial government, demanded the exiles of Zhang and fellow chancellor Kong Wei
; however, instead of going into exile, both Zhang and Kong fled to Hua, where Han put them under his protection.
In 891
, after accusations of treason were made against the powerful eunuch Yang Fugong
(Yang Fuguang's brother), Emperor Zhaozong sent imperial guards to attack Yang's mansion. Yang fled to Yang Fuguang's adoptive son Yang Shouliang
the military governor of Shannan West, and they, along with Yang Fugong's other adoptive sons or nephews Yang Shouzhong (楊守忠), Yang Shouzhen (楊守貞), and Yang Shouhou (楊守厚), all of whom were nearby governors, rose against the imperial government. In spring 892
, Han, along with Li Maozhen
the military governor of Fengxiang, Wang Xingyu
the military governor of Jingnan, Li Maozhen's brother Li Maozhuang (李茂莊) the military governor of Tianxiong Circuit (天雄, headquartered in modern Tianshui
, Gansu
), and Wang Xingyu's brother Wang Xingyue (王行約) the military governor of Kuangguo Circuit (匡國, headquartered at Tong Prefecture) (thus showing that Han had lost control of Tong by this point), submitted a petition for Emperor Zhaozong to declare a general campaign against Yang Fugong and his adoptive sons/nephews and make Li Maozhen the overall commander of the operations. Emperor Zhaozong hesitated, believing that if Li Maozhen conquered the Yangs' territory, he would be even harder to control, but Li Maozhen launched the campaign anyway without imperial sanction, forcing Emperor Zhaozong to eventually agree to the campaign. Li Maozhen eventually defeated the Yangs, forcing them to try to flee to Li Keyong; on the way, they were intercepted and arrested by Han's soldiers. Han delivered them to Chang'an, where they were executed. Li Maozhen took over their territory.
In 895
, a succession dispute that rose after the death of Wang Chongying
the military governor of Huguo Circuit (護國, new name for Hezhong) brought Han and his allies Li Maozhen and Wang Xingyu into direct dispute with the imperial government and Li Keyong. Wang Chongying's brother and predecessor Wang Chongrong
had adopted Wang Ke
, the biological son of his brother Wang Chongjian (王重簡), as his own son, and after Wang Chongying's death, the soldiers at Hezhong, with Li Keyong's backing, wanted Wang Ke to succeed Wang Chongying. However, Wang Chongying's own biological sons Wang Gong
the military governor of Baoyi Circuit (保義, headquartered in modern Sanmenxia
, Henan
) and Wang Yao (王瑤) the prefect of Jin had wanted Wang Gong to take over instead, and thus induced Han, Li Maozhen, and Wang Xingyu to lobby Emperor Zhaozong on Wang Gong's behalf. Emperor Zhaozong approved Li Keyong's request and rejected that of Han and his allies, leaving the three feeling humiliated. Wang Xingyu and Han were further displeased that their requests to take over two Shence Army
bases were rejected as well. In summer 895, Han, Li Maozhen, and Wang Xingyu decided to march on Chang'an. They accused the former chancellors Wei Zhaodu
and Li Xi
, whom they viewed to be against them, of corruption, and when Emperor Zhaozong refused to execute Wei and Li Xi, they executed Wei and Li Xi anyway. They also forced Emperor Zhaozong to issue an edict transferring Wang Ke to Kuangguo, Wang Gong to Hezhong, and Wang Xingyue to Baoyi, before returning to their own circuits (but leaving troops at Chang'an to watch over Emperor Zhaozong).
Han's and his allies' actions spurred Li Keyong into action. He quickly defeated and killed Wang Yao, and then advanced across the Yellow River, putting Hua Prefecture under siege. Han's pleas to Li Keyong to lift the siege were initially spurned by Li Keyong, but Li Keyong, after hearing that Li Maozhen and Wang Xingyu were both intending to capture Emperor Zhaozong, advanced quickly toward Jingnan. (Li Maozhen's and Wang Xingyu's forces at Chang'an did, in fact, dispute among themselves and each attempted to capture Emperor Zhaozong, but Emperor Zhaozong, under protection by the imperial guards, fled into the Qinling Mountains
instead and eluded capture.) Li Keyong put Jingnan's capital Bin Prefecture (邠州) under siege; Wang Xingyu tried to flee, but was killed in flight by his own subordinates. Li Maozhen and Han, in fear, became very submissive in their attitude toward the imperial government. Li Keyong subsequently requested permission from Emperor Zhaozong to destroy Li Maozhen as well, but Emperor Zhaozong, wanting to maintain a balance of power, forbid him, and he subsequently withdrew — and it was said that after Li Keyong's withdrawal, Li Maozhen and Han again became arrogant.
In 896
, Emperor Zhaozong tried to alleviate the pressures that Li Maozhen and Han were putting on the imperial government by recruiting new soldiers for the imperial guards, putting them under the commands of several imperial princes. Li Maozhen declared that the imperial princes were planning to attack him and that he would defend himself, mobilizing his own forces to again march on Chang'an. Emperor Zhaozong sought emergency aid from Li Keyong, but Li Keyong was unable to respond. When Li Maozhen then defeated Li Sizhou (李嗣周) the Prince of Qin and approached Chang'an, Emperor Zhaozong decided to take the imperial officials and princes and flee Chang'an — which Fengxiang forces then entered and burned. After leaving Chang'an, he initially intended, at the recommendation of Li Jiepi (李戒丕) the Prince of Yan, to flee to Hedong. However, Han made several petitions to Emperor Zhaozong, urging him to head to Zhenguo instead, arguing that if Emperor Zhaozong went as far as Hedong, he would never be able to return to the Chang'an region. Emperor Zhaozong and his attendants also were hesitant to make the long trek to Hedong, and so went to Zhenguo instead.
, Sun Wo
, and Lu Yi
), who fled with him to Zhenguo, were apprehensive of Han Jian and were not daring to decide on policy matters. Emperor Zhaozong, in response, issued an edict asking Han to participate in the policy decisions, but after Han declined, cancelled the request. Meanwhile, another chancellor who had been removed at Han's behest, Cui Yin
, sought aid from Zhu Quanzhong, who had submitted a petition asking Emperor Zhaozong to move the capital to Luoyang
; Zhu made a posture to attack Han and wrote Han to suggest that Cui should be restored. Han, in fear, recommended Cui's restoration, and Cui was subsequently restored.
Emperor Zhaozong subsequently bestowed the honorary chancellor title of Zhongshu Ling (中書令) on Han. He also put Sun in command of the operations against Li Maozhen and had Han be Sun's assistant as well as the mayor of Jingzhao Municipality (京兆, i.e., Chang'an region), preparing to attack Li Maozhen. However, Han did not want the emperor to attack his long-time ally, and Li Maozhen also submitted petitions begging forgiveness, and the imperial army was never put into actual attack mode. Meanwhile, Han, apprehensive of the imperial army soldiers that the imperial princes who fled to Zhenguo with Emperor Zhaozong commanded, falsely accused them of plotting treason, going as far as having soldiers surround Emperor Zhaozong's provisional palace clamoring for the princes to be stripped of their commands. Due to this threat, Emperor Zhaozong was forced to strip the princes of their commands, and to execute the imperial guard command Li Yun (李筠), who had up to that point protected Emperor Zhaozong well. Han then put the imperial princes under effective house arrest, leaving Emperor Zhaozong with no forces that he could command. Knowing that Emperor Zhaozong was displeased with him, he tried to alleviate the displeasure by urging Emperor Zhaozong to create his oldest son Li You
the Prince of De crown prince
. Emperor Zhaozong agreed and created Li You crown prince (changing his name to Li Yu) and Li Yu's mother Consort He empress. Also around the same time, Han falsely accused two of Emperor Zhaozong's close associates, the astronomer Ma Daoyin (馬道殷) and the physician Xu Yanshi (許巖士) and had them executed, and then used the excuse that Sun and a new chancellor, Zhu Pu
, were associated with Ma and Xu, to have Sun and Zhu removed from their chancellor positions.
In summer 897
, Li Maozhen, whose ally Gu Yanhui
the military governor of Dongchuan Circuit (東川, headquartered in modern Mianyang
, Sichuan
) had suffered repeated defeats by Wang Jian (who by that point had taken over neighboring Xichuan Circuit (西川, headquartered in modern Chengdu) and was expanding his territory), submitted a petition urging Emperor Zhaozong to punish Wang for attacking Dongchuan. In response, Emperor Zhaozong, trying to use this as an excuse to recover Fengxiang, issued demoting Wang to be a prefectural prefect, transferring Li Maozhen to Xichuan, and making Li Sizhou the military governor of Fengxiang. When Li Sizhou headed for Fengxiang, Li Maozhen refused to let him take over the circuit, and put him and his soldiers under siege. It was only after Han wrote a letter to Li Maozhen that Li Maozhen lifted the siege against Li Sizhou to allow Li Sizhou to return to Zhenguo. Subsequently, as Wang also refused to yield Xichuan to Li Maozhen, the orders were cancelled.
Soon after Li Sizhou's return, Li Jiepi also returned from Hezhong, where he had gone to seek aid from Li Keyong — thus exposing the fact that Li Keyong, who had suffered defeats lately, would be unable to come to the emperor's aid. With the possibility that Li Keyong might intervene removed, Han submitted a petition demanding the deaths of Li Sizhou, Li Jiepi, and the other imperial princes, on accusations of treason. Emperor Zhaozong tried to alleviate the situation by not acting on Han's petition, but Han and the eunuch Li Jishu the acting director of palace communications then acted on their own and executed Li Sizhou, Li Jiepi, Li Yun (李允) the Prince of Dan, Emperor Zhaozong's uncle Li Zi
the Prince of Tong, and seven other princes. Meanwhile, Han sent threats to Li Maozhen's adoptive son Li Jitang (李繼瑭), who was then the military governor of Kuangguo, and Li Jitang fled back to Fengxiang, allowing Han to take over Kuangguo. Emperor Zhaozong thereafter made him the military governor of Kuangguo, in addition to Zhenguo.
Meanwhile, Zhu Quanzhong made repeated requests to have Emperor Zhaozong move to Luoyang. Both Li Maozhen and Han were apprehensive that Zhu would attack west, and therefore decided to repair the palaces at Chang'an to have Emperor Zhaozong return to Chang'an. They also made peace with Li Keyong. The palace reconstruction was completed in spring 898
, and Han personally went to Chang'an to inspect them. In autumn 898, Emperor Zhaozong and his court returned to Chang'an, while Han remained at Zhenguo. Emperor Zhaozong bestowed the honorific title of acting Taifu (太傅) on him, and converted Hua Prefecture into a special municipality, Xingde (興德), making Han its mayor. He also created Han the Duke of Xu.
, after Emperor Zhaozong had been deposed by Liu Jishu and Wang Zhongxian (王仲先) in 900
but then restored by Shence Army officers who were loyal to him, Cui Yin proposed to Emperor Zhaozong that all of the eunuchs be massacred. The plan became known to Liu's and Wang's successors Han Quanhui
and Zhang Yanhong (張彥弘), who, fearful of being killed, entered into an alliance with Li Maozhen and tried to have Cui removed. Cui, in turn fearful that the eunuchs would have him killed, requested that Zhu Quanzhong bring an army to Chang'an to act against the eunuchs. Hearing that Zhu had launched his troops, Han and Zhang forcibly took Emperor Zhaozong to Fengxiang.
Meanwhile, as Zhu's forces approached the region, Han Jian's subordinate Sima Ye (司馬鄴), whom Han had made the acting military governor of Kuangguo, surrendered Kuangguo to Zhu. Zhu sent Sima back to Zhenguo to have him relay Zhu's message — that if Han did not surrender, Zhu would attack. In fear, Han sent his deputy military governor Li Juchuan (李巨川) to surrender. The retired chancellor Zhang Jun
met with Zhu and persuaded him that Han, who had long been allied with Li Maozhen, must be removed. When Zhu met him to rebuke him for his past deeds, Han blamed them on Li Juchuan. Zhu executed Li Juchuan but spared Han. Wanting to remove Han from the scene, however, he made Han the military governor of Zhongwu and transferred Zhongwu's military governor Zhao Xu (趙珝) to Kuangguo. It was said that the large amount of tax revenue that Han had obtained and saved during Emperor Zhaozong's stay at Hua Prefecture (Xingde Municipality having been abolished by this point) now fell into Zhu's hands.
Zhu subsequently put Fengxiang under siege. In 903
, with Fengxiang suffering from a terrible famine due to the siege, Li Maozhen surrendered Emperor Zhaozong to Zhu and sued for peace. Zhu, with the emperor in his hands, began to consider usurping the throne. He first forced Emperor Zhaozong to kill Cui (who by now was aware of his intentions and were trying to raise an imperial army to counter it) and then forced Emperor Zhaozong to abandon Chang'an and move the capital to Luoyang. As Emperor Zhaozong went on the journey to Luoyang, he stopped at Hua Prefecture and stayed for some time there. At one point, Zhu went to meet him, along with Han, and he held a feast in their honor. Han, however, warned Zhu that Emperor Zhaozong might be planning to assassinate him at the feast (Han did so by stomping on Zhu's feet during the feast), and therefore Zhu cut the feast short and left it. Zhu thus became grateful to Han. Subsequently, Zhu made the Chang'an region into a new Youguo Circuit (佑國, headquartered at Chang'an) and made Han the military governor of Youguo. However, in 906
(by which time Emperor Zhaozong had been assassinated under Zhu's orders and succeeded by his son Emperor Ai
), apparently concerned that given Youguo's vicinity to Fengxiang that Han might collaborate with Li Maozhen again, Zhu transferred Han to Pinglu Circuit (平盧, headquartered in modern Weifang
, Shandong
) and transferred the military governor of Pinglu, Wang Zhongshi (王重師), to Youguo.
, Zhu Quanzhong forced Emperor Aizong to yield the throne to him, ending Tang and starting a new Later Liang Dynasty
as its Emperor Taizu. He made Han Jian acting Situ (司徒, one of the Three Excellencies
) and gave him the designation of Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事), making Han a chancellor, and in 908
gave Han the greater chancellor title of Shizhong (侍中). It was said that by this point, Emperor Taizu was often violent and unreasonable, and very few officials dared to make suggestions to him. Han, however, would do so, and he appreciated Han's advice. In 909
, however, Han was removed from his chancellor post and given the honorary title of Taibao (太保). In 910
, with Zhongwu and Kuangguo's names having been swapped in 908, Han was made the military governor of Kuangguo (i.e., the old Zhongwu Circuit).
In 912
, Emperor Taizu was assassinated by his son Zhu Yougui the Prince of Ying, who falsely claimed that the assassination was by Emperor Taizu's adoptive son Zhu Youwen the Prince of Kang and had Zhu Youwen killed. Zhu Yougui then took the throne. In the aftermaths of Emperor Taizu's death, the armies throughout the Later Liang realm became disturbed, but Han took no precautions against any disturbances at Kuangguo. Soon thereafter, his officer Zhang Hou (張厚) started a mutiny and killed Han. Han's son Han Congxun (韓從訓), whom Zhu Yougui had sent to Kuangguo to announce the news of Emperor Taizu's death, was also killed in the mutiny.
History of China
Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...
dynasty Tang Dynasty
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
, who eventually became a subject of the succeeding Later Liang Dynasty
Later Liang Dynasty
The Later Liang was one of the Five Dynasties during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period in China. It was founded by Zhu Wen, posthumously known as Taizu of Later Liang, after he forced the last emperor of the Tang dynasty to abdicate in his favour...
. He is most well known for having had Emperor Zhaozong of Tang
Emperor Zhaozong of Tang
Emperor Zhaozong of Tang , né Li Jie , name later changed to Li Min , yet later name changed to Li Ye , was the penultimate emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China. He reigned from 888 to 904...
under his control at his power base at Hua Prefecture (華州, in modern Weinan
Weinan
Weinan is a Municipality in the province of Shaanxi, PRC. The Grand Historian Sima Qian was born in Weinan.-Administration:...
, Shaanxi
Shaanxi
' is a province in the central part of Mainland China, and it includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River in addition to the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of this province...
) from 896
896
Year 896 was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Decisive Bulgarian victory over Magyars in the Battle of Southern Buh....
to 898
898
Year 898 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* A Magyar army headed by Álmos besieges Kiev.* Magyar tribes found the state of Szekesfehervar in Hungary....
and slaughtering the imperial princes while Emperor Zhaozong was there.
Background and early career
Han Jian was born in 855855
Year 855 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Louis II succeeds Lothar as Western Emperor...
, during the reign of Emperor Xuānzong of Tang
Emperor Xuanzong of Tang
Emperor Xuanzong of Tang , also commonly known as Emperor Ming of Tang , personal name Li Longji , known as Wu Longji from 690 to 705, was the seventh emperor of the Tang dynasty in China, reigning from 712 to 756. His reign of 43 years was the longest during the Tang Dynasty...
. He was from Xu Prefecture (許州, in modern Xuchang
Xuchang
Xuchang is a prefecture-level city in central Henan province in Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the northwest, Kaifeng to the northeast, Zhoukou to the east, Luohe to the southeast, and Pingdingshan to the southwest....
, Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
). His ancestors, including his father Han Shufeng (韓叔豐), had served for generations in the army. When Qin Zongquan took over Cai Prefecture (蔡州, in modern Zhumadian
Zhumadian
Zhumadian is a prefecture-level city in southern Henan province, People's Republic of China. It borders Xinyang to the south, Nanyang to the west, Pingdingshan to the northwest, Luohe to the north, Zhoukou to the northeast, and the province of Anhui to the east.Its population is 7,230,744 at the...
, Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
) in 880
880
Year 880 was a leap year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar.- Religion :* Pope John VIII issues the bull Industriae Tuae, creating an independent ecclesiastical province in Great Moravia with Archbishop Saint Methodius as its head...
, he encouraged people to join his army, and Han Jian did.
In 881
881
Year 881 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Charles the Fat is crowned Western Emperor.* Battle of Saucourt-en-Vimeu: Louis III of France routs Norman pirates....
, when the eunuch general Yang Fuguang
Yang Fuguang
Yang Fuguang , formally Duke Zhongsu of Hongnong , was an eunuch general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who was considered a major contributor to the Tang cause in finally defeating Huang Chao's rebellion.- Background :...
was able to persuade Zhou Ji
Zhou Ji (Tang Dynasty)
Zhou Ji was a warlord of the late Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty who seized control of Zhongwu Circuit in 880, briefly submitted to the agrarian rebel Huang Chao's new state of Qi, and later returned the Tang fold, controlling Zhongwu until he was forced to abandon it in 884 due to an attack by Lu...
the military governor (Jiedushi
Jiedushi
The Jiedushi were regional military governors in China during the Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. Originally set up to counter external threats, the jiedushi were given enormous power, including the ability to maintain their own armies, collect taxes, and pass their...
) of Zhongwu Circuit (忠武, headquartered at Xu Prefecture) to renounce his allegiance to Huang Chao
Huang Chao
Huang Chao was the leader of the Huang Chao Rebellion , known in mainland China as the Huang Chao Revolution in China that seriously weakened the once mighty Tang Dynasty of China...
— a major agrarian rebel who had captured the Tang capital Chang'an
Chang'an
Chang'an is an ancient capital of more than ten dynasties in Chinese history, today known as Xi'an. Chang'an literally means "Perpetual Peace" in Classical Chinese. During the short-lived Xin Dynasty, the city was renamed "Constant Peace" ; yet after its fall in AD 23, the old name was restored...
, forced then-reigning Emperor Xizong
Emperor Xizong of Tang
Emperor Xizong of Tang , né Li Yan , later name changed to Li Xuan , was an emperor of the Tang dynasty of China. He reigned from 873 to 888. He was the fifth son of his predecessor Emperor Yizong and was the elder brother of his successor Emperor Zhaozong...
(Emperor Xuānzong's grandson) to flee to Chengdu
Chengdu
Chengdu , formerly transliterated Chengtu, is the capital of Sichuan province in Southwest China. It holds sub-provincial administrative status...
, and declared himself the emperor of a new state of Qi — and return to the Tang fold, Yang also persuaded Qin to send forces to contribute to the war efforts against Huang's Qi state. Yang organized his army into eight corps, commanded by Lu Yanhong
Lu Yanhong
Lu Yanhong was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who controlled Shannan West Circuit from 883 to 884 and Zhongwu Circuit from 884 to 886.- Background and service under Yang Fuguang :Little is known about Lu Yanhong's background, including when he was born, as...
, Jin Hui (晉暉), Wang Jian, Han Jian, Zhang Zao (張造), Li Shitai (李師泰), and Pang Cong (龐從) respectively. Han thereafter served under Yang.
Yang Fuguang died in 883
883
Year 883 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Oldest known mention of the city of Duisburg.* Monte Cassino is sacked and burned down by the Saracens....
while stationed at Hezhong Circuit (河中, in modern Yuncheng, Shanxi
Shanxi
' is a province in Northern China. Its one-character abbreviation is "晋" , after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period....
) and still fighting against Huang. Instead of continuing to fight against Huang, Lu decided to take his troops and rove around the region, pillaging as he went. Wang, Han, Zhang, Jin, and Li followed him as well. Later in 883, Lu captured Xingyuan (興元, in modern Hanzhong
Hanzhong
Hanzhong is a municipality in southwest Shaanxi Province, China, occupying a historically significant valley in the mountains between the Xi'an area, home to many Chinese capitals, and the fertile but isolated Sichuan Basin...
, Shaanxi
Shaanxi
' is a province in the central part of Mainland China, and it includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River in addition to the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of this province...
) the capital of Shannan West Circuit (山南西道), expelling the military governor Niu Xu (牛勗) and claiming the title of acting military governor. He commissioned Han and the other Zhongwu corps commanders as prefects within Shannan West, but did not allow them to actually report to their prefectures. He was particularly suspicious of Wang and Han because of their deep friendship, but wanting to comfort them, he often treated them well. Wang and Han realized Lu's intentions, however, and in fall 884
884
Year 884 was a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* March 1 – Diego Rodríguez Porcelos founds and repopulates Burgos....
, with Emperor Xizong's trusted eunuch Tian Lingzi
Tian Lingzi
Tian Lingzi , courtesy name Zhongze , formally the Duke of Jin , was a powerful eunuch during the reign of Emperor Xizong of Tang...
secretly tempting them with offers of good treatment, they, along with Zhang, Jin, and Li, abandoned Lu and fled to Chengdu to serve under Tian. After Emperor Xizong returned to Chang'an in 885
885
Year 885 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* The Vikings besiege Paris.* Godfrith, the Sea King is killed in Lobith...
after Huang's defeat, Han was made the defender of Tong Pass and the prefect of Hua Prefecture.
Prior to Emperor Zhaozong's stay at Hua Prefecture
At that time, the Tang empire was divided between warlords, most of whom were only interested in battling and seizing more territory. However, as the prefect of Hua Prefecture, Han Jian encouraged the refugees from the wars to settle in Hua and promoted agriculture. It was said that within a span of a few years, both the Hua prefectural government and the people of Hua were wealthy. The popular sentiment at the time greatly praised him, along with Cheng RuiCheng Rui
Cheng Rui , adoptive name Guo Yu , formally the Prince of Shanggu , was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty who ruled Jingnan Circuit from 888 to 903, when he was defeated in battle and committed suicide...
the military governor of Jingnan Circuit (荊南, headquartered in modern Jingzhou
Jingzhou
Jingzhou is a prefecture-level city in Hubei Province, People's Republic of China. The city is located on the banks of the Yangtze River.Its population is 5,691,707 at the 2010 census whom 1,154,086 in the built up area made of 3 urban districts.-Geography:Jingzhou occupies an area of...
, Hubei
Hubei
' Hupeh) is a province in Central China. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Lake Dongting...
).
By 890
890
Year 890 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* The sovereignty of Great Moravian king Svatopluk I in Bohemia is confirmed.* Lusatia becomes a part of Great Moravia....
, Han was carrying the title of military governor as well, of a newly created Zhenguo Circuit (鎮國), which included only Hua Prefecture and nearby Tong Prefecture (同州, also in modern Weinan). That year, when Emperor Xizong's brother and successor Emperor Zhaozong
Emperor Zhaozong of Tang
Emperor Zhaozong of Tang , né Li Jie , name later changed to Li Min , yet later name changed to Li Ye , was the penultimate emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China. He reigned from 888 to 904...
declared a general campaign against Li Keyong
Li Keyong
Li Keyong was a Shatuo military governor during the late Tang Dynasty and was key to developing a base of power for the Shatuo in what is today Shanxi Province in China...
the military governor of Hedong Circuit (河東, headquartered in modern Taiyuan
Taiyuan
Taiyuan is the capital and largest city of Shanxi province in North China. At the 2010 census, it had a total population of 4,201,591 inhabitants on 6959 km² whom 3,212,500 are urban on 1,460 km². The name of the city literally means "Great Plains", referring to the location where the Fen River...
, Shanxi
Shanxi
' is a province in Northern China. Its one-character abbreviation is "晋" , after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period....
) and put the chancellor Zhang Jun
Zhang Jun (Tang Dynasty)
Zhang Jun , courtesy name Yuchuan , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Xizong and Emperor Xizong's brother Emperor Zhaozong...
in command of the operations, Han personally led his army to join Zhang's and was also responsible for supplying the army. The imperial army, however, was dealt a blow when Zhang's deputy commander, Sun Kui (孫揆), was captured in an ambush by Li Keyong's adoptive son Li Cunxiao
Li Cunxiao
Li Cunxiao , né An Jingsi , was an adoptive son of the late-Tang Dynasty warlord Li Keyong who contributed much to Li Keyong's campaigns, but who later rebelled against his adoptive father...
. Subsequently, when the imperial army and Li Keyong's main army met, Han carried out a nighttime attack against Li Cunxiao but was repelled. After Han's defeat, the armies from Fengxiang (鳳翔, headquartered in modern Baoji
Baoji
Baoji is a prefecture-level city in Shaanxi province, China.-Geography:The prefecture-level city of Baoji has a population of 3,716,731 according to the 2010 Chinese census, inhabiting an area of . The city itself has a population of approximately 800,000. Surrounded on three sides by hills,...
, Shaanxi
Shaanxi
' is a province in the central part of Mainland China, and it includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River in addition to the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of this province...
) and Jingnan (靜難, headquartered in modern Xianyang
Xianyang
Xianyang is a former capital of China in Shaanxi province, on the Wei River, a few kilometers upstream from Xi'an. It has an area of...
, Shaanxi
Shaanxi
' is a province in the central part of Mainland China, and it includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River in addition to the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of this province...
, not the same circuit Cheng ruled) deserted the imperial army. After Li Keyong's army further defeated Zhang and forced the imperial army into a defensive posture at Jin Prefecture (晉州, in modern Linfen
Linfen
-Administrative divisions:The prefecture-level city of Linfen is divided in one district, two cities and fourteen counties. The information here presented uses the metric system and data from 2010 Census.-Pollution:...
, Shanxi
Shanxi
' is a province in Northern China. Its one-character abbreviation is "晋" , after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period....
), the armies from Baoda (保大, headquartered in modern Yan'an
Yan'an
Yan'an , is a prefecture-level city in the Shanbei region of Shaanxi province in China, administering several counties, including Zhidan County , which served as the Chinese communist capital before the city of Yan'an proper took that role....
, Shaanxi
Shaanxi
' is a province in the central part of Mainland China, and it includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River in addition to the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of this province...
) and Dingnan (定難, headquartered in modern Yulin
Yulin, Shaanxi
Yulin is a prefecture-level city in the Shaanxi province of the People's Republic of China. It has an area of 43,578 km² and a population of 3,380,000.-Geography and climate:...
, Shaanxi
Shaanxi
' is a province in the central part of Mainland China, and it includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River in addition to the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of this province...
) Circuits also abandoned the imperial army, leaving Zhang and Han defending Jin Prefecture with troops sent by Li Keyong's archrival Zhu Quanzhong the military governor of Xuanwu Circuit (宣武, headquartered in modern Kaifeng
Kaifeng
Kaifeng , known previously by several names , is a prefecture-level city in east-central Henan province, Central China. Nearly 5 million people live in the metropolitan area...
, Shanxi
Shanxi
' is a province in Northern China. Its one-character abbreviation is "晋" , after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period....
). Li Cunxiao put Jin under siege, but after deciding that capturing a chancellor would be a bad idea, he lifted the siege and allowed Zhang and Han to flee, and they did. To flee back west across the Yellow River
Yellow River
The Yellow River or Huang He, formerly known as the Hwang Ho, is the second-longest river in China and the sixth-longest in the world at the estimated length of . Originating in the Bayan Har Mountains in Qinghai Province in western China, it flows through nine provinces of China and empties into...
, they were forced to tear down local residents' homes and use the building material to construct rafts. The defeat left the imperial army in shambles, although the extent of damage to Han's own army is unclear. Subsequently, Li Keyong, as a condition for resubmitting to the imperial government, demanded the exiles of Zhang and fellow chancellor Kong Wei
Kong Wei
Kong Wei , courtesy name Huawen , formally the Duke of Lu , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Xizong and Emperor Xizong's brother Emperor Zhaozong.- Background and early career :Kong Wei's family was descended from the Spring...
; however, instead of going into exile, both Zhang and Kong fled to Hua, where Han put them under his protection.
In 891
891
Year 891 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Arnulf of Carinthia defeats the Normans at the Battle of Leuven....
, after accusations of treason were made against the powerful eunuch Yang Fugong
Yang Fugong
Yang Fugong , courtesy name Zike , formally the Duke of Wei , was an eunuch official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, playing key roles in the imperial administrations of Emperor Xizong and Emperor Xizong's brother Emperor Zhaozong...
(Yang Fuguang's brother), Emperor Zhaozong sent imperial guards to attack Yang's mansion. Yang fled to Yang Fuguang's adoptive son Yang Shouliang
Yang Shouliang
Yang Shouliang , né Zi Liang , was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who controlled Shannan West Circuit from 887 to 892. He was initially an agrarian rebel under Wang Xianzhi, but later came to serve under the imperial eunuch general Yang Fuguang, becoming Yang Fuguang's...
the military governor of Shannan West, and they, along with Yang Fugong's other adoptive sons or nephews Yang Shouzhong (楊守忠), Yang Shouzhen (楊守貞), and Yang Shouhou (楊守厚), all of whom were nearby governors, rose against the imperial government. In spring 892
892
Year 892 was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Poppo of Thuringia, count of the march in Thuringia, is deposed by the German Carolingian king Arnulf of Carinthia....
, Han, along with Li Maozhen
Li Maozhen
Li Maozhen , né Song Wentong , courtesy name Zhengchen , formally Prince Zhongjing of Qin , was the only ruler of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period state Qi...
the military governor of Fengxiang, Wang Xingyu
Wang Xingyu
Wang Xingyu was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty who controlled Jingnan Circuit from 887 to his death in 895...
the military governor of Jingnan, Li Maozhen's brother Li Maozhuang (李茂莊) the military governor of Tianxiong Circuit (天雄, headquartered in modern Tianshui
Tianshui
Tianshui is the second largest city in Gansu province in northwest China. Its population is approximately 3,500,000.Tianshui lies along the route of the ancient Northern Silk Road at the Wei River, through which much of trade occurred between China and the west...
, Gansu
Gansu
' is a province located in the northwest of the People's Republic of China.It lies between the Tibetan and Huangtu plateaus, and borders Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Ningxia to the north, Xinjiang and Qinghai to the west, Sichuan to the south, and Shaanxi to the east...
), and Wang Xingyu's brother Wang Xingyue (王行約) the military governor of Kuangguo Circuit (匡國, headquartered at Tong Prefecture) (thus showing that Han had lost control of Tong by this point), submitted a petition for Emperor Zhaozong to declare a general campaign against Yang Fugong and his adoptive sons/nephews and make Li Maozhen the overall commander of the operations. Emperor Zhaozong hesitated, believing that if Li Maozhen conquered the Yangs' territory, he would be even harder to control, but Li Maozhen launched the campaign anyway without imperial sanction, forcing Emperor Zhaozong to eventually agree to the campaign. Li Maozhen eventually defeated the Yangs, forcing them to try to flee to Li Keyong; on the way, they were intercepted and arrested by Han's soldiers. Han delivered them to Chang'an, where they were executed. Li Maozhen took over their territory.
In 895
895
Year 895 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* The seven tribes of the Magyars settle in the Carpathian Basin under the leadership of Árpád...
, a succession dispute that rose after the death of Wang Chongying
Wang Chongying
Wang Chongying was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty who was known for his successive rules of Shanguo Circuit and Huguo Circuit as military governor .- Background :It is not known when Wang Chongying was born, and the official...
the military governor of Huguo Circuit (護國, new name for Hezhong) brought Han and his allies Li Maozhen and Wang Xingyu into direct dispute with the imperial government and Li Keyong. Wang Chongying's brother and predecessor Wang Chongrong
Wang Chongrong
Wang Chongrong , formally the Prince of Langye , was a warlord of the late Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty who controlled Hezhong Circuit...
had adopted Wang Ke
Wang Ke (Tang Dynasty)
Wang Ke was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who ruled Huguo Circuit as its military governor from 895 Wang Ke (王珂) was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who ruled Huguo Circuit (護國, headquartered in modern Yuncheng, Shanxi) as its military governor...
, the biological son of his brother Wang Chongjian (王重簡), as his own son, and after Wang Chongying's death, the soldiers at Hezhong, with Li Keyong's backing, wanted Wang Ke to succeed Wang Chongying. However, Wang Chongying's own biological sons Wang Gong
Wang Gong
Wang Gong was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who controlled Baoyi Circuit from 887, when he succeeded his father Wang Chongying, to his death in 899.- Background :...
the military governor of Baoyi Circuit (保義, headquartered in modern Sanmenxia
Sanmenxia
-Administration:The prefecture-level city of Sanmenxia administers one district, two county-level cities and three counties.*Hubin District*Lingbao City*Yima City*Lushi County*Shan County*Mianchi County*Sanmenxia Development Zone...
, Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
) and Wang Yao (王瑤) the prefect of Jin had wanted Wang Gong to take over instead, and thus induced Han, Li Maozhen, and Wang Xingyu to lobby Emperor Zhaozong on Wang Gong's behalf. Emperor Zhaozong approved Li Keyong's request and rejected that of Han and his allies, leaving the three feeling humiliated. Wang Xingyu and Han were further displeased that their requests to take over two Shence Army
Shence Army
The Shence Army was a Tang Dynasty Chinese army unit based in Chang’an City which formed the primary imperial guard responsible for protecting the emperor. It was set up in 754 CE by Emperor Xuanzong of Tang and placed under the command of Longyou Military Governor Geshu Han...
bases were rejected as well. In summer 895, Han, Li Maozhen, and Wang Xingyu decided to march on Chang'an. They accused the former chancellors Wei Zhaodu
Wei Zhaodu
Wei Zhaodu , courtesy name Zhengji , formally the Duke of Qi , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Xizong and Emperor Xizong's brother Emperor Zhaozong...
and Li Xi
Li Xi
Li Xi or Li Qi , courtesy name Jingwang , nicknamed Li Shulou , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving briefly as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Zhaozong...
, whom they viewed to be against them, of corruption, and when Emperor Zhaozong refused to execute Wei and Li Xi, they executed Wei and Li Xi anyway. They also forced Emperor Zhaozong to issue an edict transferring Wang Ke to Kuangguo, Wang Gong to Hezhong, and Wang Xingyue to Baoyi, before returning to their own circuits (but leaving troops at Chang'an to watch over Emperor Zhaozong).
Han's and his allies' actions spurred Li Keyong into action. He quickly defeated and killed Wang Yao, and then advanced across the Yellow River, putting Hua Prefecture under siege. Han's pleas to Li Keyong to lift the siege were initially spurned by Li Keyong, but Li Keyong, after hearing that Li Maozhen and Wang Xingyu were both intending to capture Emperor Zhaozong, advanced quickly toward Jingnan. (Li Maozhen's and Wang Xingyu's forces at Chang'an did, in fact, dispute among themselves and each attempted to capture Emperor Zhaozong, but Emperor Zhaozong, under protection by the imperial guards, fled into the Qinling Mountains
Qinling Mountains
The Qin Mountains are a major east-west mountain range in southern Shaanxi province, China. The mountains provide a natural boundary between the North and South of the country, and support a huge variety of plant and wildlife, some of which is found nowhere else on Earth.To the north is the...
instead and eluded capture.) Li Keyong put Jingnan's capital Bin Prefecture (邠州) under siege; Wang Xingyu tried to flee, but was killed in flight by his own subordinates. Li Maozhen and Han, in fear, became very submissive in their attitude toward the imperial government. Li Keyong subsequently requested permission from Emperor Zhaozong to destroy Li Maozhen as well, but Emperor Zhaozong, wanting to maintain a balance of power, forbid him, and he subsequently withdrew — and it was said that after Li Keyong's withdrawal, Li Maozhen and Han again became arrogant.
In 896
896
Year 896 was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Decisive Bulgarian victory over Magyars in the Battle of Southern Buh....
, Emperor Zhaozong tried to alleviate the pressures that Li Maozhen and Han were putting on the imperial government by recruiting new soldiers for the imperial guards, putting them under the commands of several imperial princes. Li Maozhen declared that the imperial princes were planning to attack him and that he would defend himself, mobilizing his own forces to again march on Chang'an. Emperor Zhaozong sought emergency aid from Li Keyong, but Li Keyong was unable to respond. When Li Maozhen then defeated Li Sizhou (李嗣周) the Prince of Qin and approached Chang'an, Emperor Zhaozong decided to take the imperial officials and princes and flee Chang'an — which Fengxiang forces then entered and burned. After leaving Chang'an, he initially intended, at the recommendation of Li Jiepi (李戒丕) the Prince of Yan, to flee to Hedong. However, Han made several petitions to Emperor Zhaozong, urging him to head to Zhenguo instead, arguing that if Emperor Zhaozong went as far as Hedong, he would never be able to return to the Chang'an region. Emperor Zhaozong and his attendants also were hesitant to make the long trek to Hedong, and so went to Zhenguo instead.
During and after Emperor Zhaozong's stay at Hua Prefecture
Emperor Zhaozong's chancellors (at that time, Wang TuanWang Tuan
Wang Tuan , courtesy name Zhaoyi , formally the Duke of Lu , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor from 895 to 900, during the reign of Emperor Zhaozong...
, Sun Wo
Sun Wo
Sun Wo , courtesy name Longguang , formally the Marquess of Le'an , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor from 895 to 897 during the reign of Emperor Zhaozong.- Background :...
, and Lu Yi
Lu Yi (Tang Dynasty)
Lu Yi , né Lu Yundi , courtesy name Xiangwen , formally the Duke of Wu Commandery , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as chancellor for two terms during the reign of Emperor Zhaozong.- Background :Lu Yi was born in 847, during the reign of Emperor Xuānzong; he was...
), who fled with him to Zhenguo, were apprehensive of Han Jian and were not daring to decide on policy matters. Emperor Zhaozong, in response, issued an edict asking Han to participate in the policy decisions, but after Han declined, cancelled the request. Meanwhile, another chancellor who had been removed at Han's behest, Cui Yin
Cui Yin
Cui Yin , courtesy name Chuixiu , nickname Zilang , formally the Duke of Wei , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Zhaozong...
, sought aid from Zhu Quanzhong, who had submitted a petition asking Emperor Zhaozong to move the capital to Luoyang
Luoyang
Luoyang is a prefecture-level city in western Henan province of Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the east, Pingdingshan to the southeast, Nanyang to the south, Sanmenxia to the west, Jiyuan to the north, and Jiaozuo to the northeast.Situated on the central plain of...
; Zhu made a posture to attack Han and wrote Han to suggest that Cui should be restored. Han, in fear, recommended Cui's restoration, and Cui was subsequently restored.
Emperor Zhaozong subsequently bestowed the honorary chancellor title of Zhongshu Ling (中書令) on Han. He also put Sun in command of the operations against Li Maozhen and had Han be Sun's assistant as well as the mayor of Jingzhao Municipality (京兆, i.e., Chang'an region), preparing to attack Li Maozhen. However, Han did not want the emperor to attack his long-time ally, and Li Maozhen also submitted petitions begging forgiveness, and the imperial army was never put into actual attack mode. Meanwhile, Han, apprehensive of the imperial army soldiers that the imperial princes who fled to Zhenguo with Emperor Zhaozong commanded, falsely accused them of plotting treason, going as far as having soldiers surround Emperor Zhaozong's provisional palace clamoring for the princes to be stripped of their commands. Due to this threat, Emperor Zhaozong was forced to strip the princes of their commands, and to execute the imperial guard command Li Yun (李筠), who had up to that point protected Emperor Zhaozong well. Han then put the imperial princes under effective house arrest, leaving Emperor Zhaozong with no forces that he could command. Knowing that Emperor Zhaozong was displeased with him, he tried to alleviate the displeasure by urging Emperor Zhaozong to create his oldest son Li You
Li Yu (prince)
Li Yu , né Li You , briefly Li Zhen , formally the Prince of De , was an imperial prince of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty. He was the oldest son of the penultimate emperor Emperor Zhaozong and Empress He and was Crown Prince from 897 to 900...
the Prince of De crown prince
Crown Prince
A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
. Emperor Zhaozong agreed and created Li You crown prince (changing his name to Li Yu) and Li Yu's mother Consort He empress. Also around the same time, Han falsely accused two of Emperor Zhaozong's close associates, the astronomer Ma Daoyin (馬道殷) and the physician Xu Yanshi (許巖士) and had them executed, and then used the excuse that Sun and a new chancellor, Zhu Pu
Zhu Pu
Zhu Pu was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving briefly from 896 to 897 as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Zhaozong...
, were associated with Ma and Xu, to have Sun and Zhu removed from their chancellor positions.
In summer 897
897
Year 897 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* Emperor Uda of Japan is succeeded by Emperor Daigo....
, Li Maozhen, whose ally Gu Yanhui
Gu Yanhui
Gu Yanhui was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who controlled Dongchuan Circuit from 891, when he succeeded his brother Gu Yanlang, to 897, when he, facing defeat against one-time ally Wang Jian, committed suicide with his family members.- Background :It is not known when Gu...
the military governor of Dongchuan Circuit (東川, headquartered in modern Mianyang
Mianyang
Mianyang is the second largest prefecture-level city of Sichuan province in Southwest China. Its administrative area includes the city proper of Mianyang, with 985,586 inhabitants in the built up area , the county-level city of Jiangyou, and six counties, covering an area of over and a population...
, Sichuan
Sichuan
' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
) had suffered repeated defeats by Wang Jian (who by that point had taken over neighboring Xichuan Circuit (西川, headquartered in modern Chengdu) and was expanding his territory), submitted a petition urging Emperor Zhaozong to punish Wang for attacking Dongchuan. In response, Emperor Zhaozong, trying to use this as an excuse to recover Fengxiang, issued demoting Wang to be a prefectural prefect, transferring Li Maozhen to Xichuan, and making Li Sizhou the military governor of Fengxiang. When Li Sizhou headed for Fengxiang, Li Maozhen refused to let him take over the circuit, and put him and his soldiers under siege. It was only after Han wrote a letter to Li Maozhen that Li Maozhen lifted the siege against Li Sizhou to allow Li Sizhou to return to Zhenguo. Subsequently, as Wang also refused to yield Xichuan to Li Maozhen, the orders were cancelled.
Soon after Li Sizhou's return, Li Jiepi also returned from Hezhong, where he had gone to seek aid from Li Keyong — thus exposing the fact that Li Keyong, who had suffered defeats lately, would be unable to come to the emperor's aid. With the possibility that Li Keyong might intervene removed, Han submitted a petition demanding the deaths of Li Sizhou, Li Jiepi, and the other imperial princes, on accusations of treason. Emperor Zhaozong tried to alleviate the situation by not acting on Han's petition, but Han and the eunuch Li Jishu the acting director of palace communications then acted on their own and executed Li Sizhou, Li Jiepi, Li Yun (李允) the Prince of Dan, Emperor Zhaozong's uncle Li Zi
Li Zi
Li Zi , formally the Prince of Tong , was an imperial prince of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty. He was the favorite son of Emperor Xuānzong, but was unable to take the throne after Emperor Xuānzong's death, as his older brother Li Wen was chosen by the eunuch Wang Zongshi , who overpowered...
the Prince of Tong, and seven other princes. Meanwhile, Han sent threats to Li Maozhen's adoptive son Li Jitang (李繼瑭), who was then the military governor of Kuangguo, and Li Jitang fled back to Fengxiang, allowing Han to take over Kuangguo. Emperor Zhaozong thereafter made him the military governor of Kuangguo, in addition to Zhenguo.
Meanwhile, Zhu Quanzhong made repeated requests to have Emperor Zhaozong move to Luoyang. Both Li Maozhen and Han were apprehensive that Zhu would attack west, and therefore decided to repair the palaces at Chang'an to have Emperor Zhaozong return to Chang'an. They also made peace with Li Keyong. The palace reconstruction was completed in spring 898
898
Year 898 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* A Magyar army headed by Álmos besieges Kiev.* Magyar tribes found the state of Szekesfehervar in Hungary....
, and Han personally went to Chang'an to inspect them. In autumn 898, Emperor Zhaozong and his court returned to Chang'an, while Han remained at Zhenguo. Emperor Zhaozong bestowed the honorific title of acting Taifu (太傅) on him, and converted Hua Prefecture into a special municipality, Xingde (興德), making Han its mayor. He also created Han the Duke of Xu.
Submission to Zhu Quanzhong
In 901901
Year 901 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.- Africa :* Abu 'Abdullah al-Shi'i leads the rebellion of the Kutama Berbers against the Aghlabid emirate in Ifriqiya ....
, after Emperor Zhaozong had been deposed by Liu Jishu and Wang Zhongxian (王仲先) in 900
900
Year 900 was a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* April 21 – Namwaran and his children, Lady Angkatan and Bukah, are granted pardon by the Datu of Tondo, as represented Jayadewa, Lord Minister of Pila, which released them of all their debts as inscribed in the...
but then restored by Shence Army officers who were loyal to him, Cui Yin proposed to Emperor Zhaozong that all of the eunuchs be massacred. The plan became known to Liu's and Wang's successors Han Quanhui
Han Quanhui
Han Quanhui was an eunuch late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty. The struggles by the eunuchs, led by him, against the chancellor Cui Yin, who wanted to eliminate the powerful eunuchs, led to the eunuchs' kidnapping of Emperor Zhaozong and then a major military confrontation between two...
and Zhang Yanhong (張彥弘), who, fearful of being killed, entered into an alliance with Li Maozhen and tried to have Cui removed. Cui, in turn fearful that the eunuchs would have him killed, requested that Zhu Quanzhong bring an army to Chang'an to act against the eunuchs. Hearing that Zhu had launched his troops, Han and Zhang forcibly took Emperor Zhaozong to Fengxiang.
Meanwhile, as Zhu's forces approached the region, Han Jian's subordinate Sima Ye (司馬鄴), whom Han had made the acting military governor of Kuangguo, surrendered Kuangguo to Zhu. Zhu sent Sima back to Zhenguo to have him relay Zhu's message — that if Han did not surrender, Zhu would attack. In fear, Han sent his deputy military governor Li Juchuan (李巨川) to surrender. The retired chancellor Zhang Jun
Zhang Jun (Tang Dynasty)
Zhang Jun , courtesy name Yuchuan , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Xizong and Emperor Xizong's brother Emperor Zhaozong...
met with Zhu and persuaded him that Han, who had long been allied with Li Maozhen, must be removed. When Zhu met him to rebuke him for his past deeds, Han blamed them on Li Juchuan. Zhu executed Li Juchuan but spared Han. Wanting to remove Han from the scene, however, he made Han the military governor of Zhongwu and transferred Zhongwu's military governor Zhao Xu (趙珝) to Kuangguo. It was said that the large amount of tax revenue that Han had obtained and saved during Emperor Zhaozong's stay at Hua Prefecture (Xingde Municipality having been abolished by this point) now fell into Zhu's hands.
Zhu subsequently put Fengxiang under siege. In 903
903
Year 903 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* Abaoji is named commander of all Khitan military forces.- Religion :...
, with Fengxiang suffering from a terrible famine due to the siege, Li Maozhen surrendered Emperor Zhaozong to Zhu and sued for peace. Zhu, with the emperor in his hands, began to consider usurping the throne. He first forced Emperor Zhaozong to kill Cui (who by now was aware of his intentions and were trying to raise an imperial army to counter it) and then forced Emperor Zhaozong to abandon Chang'an and move the capital to Luoyang. As Emperor Zhaozong went on the journey to Luoyang, he stopped at Hua Prefecture and stayed for some time there. At one point, Zhu went to meet him, along with Han, and he held a feast in their honor. Han, however, warned Zhu that Emperor Zhaozong might be planning to assassinate him at the feast (Han did so by stomping on Zhu's feet during the feast), and therefore Zhu cut the feast short and left it. Zhu thus became grateful to Han. Subsequently, Zhu made the Chang'an region into a new Youguo Circuit (佑國, headquartered at Chang'an) and made Han the military governor of Youguo. However, in 906
906
Year 906 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Battle of Fritzlar: The Conradines defeat the Babenberg counts to establish themselves as dukes of Franconia. Conrad the Elder is killed in the battle...
(by which time Emperor Zhaozong had been assassinated under Zhu's orders and succeeded by his son Emperor Ai
Emperor Ai of Tang
Emperor Ai of Tang , also known as Emperor Zhaoxuan , born Li Zuo, later Li Zhu , was the last emperor of the Tang dynasty of China. He reigned from 904 to 907. The Ai Emperor was the son of Emperor Zhaozong....
), apparently concerned that given Youguo's vicinity to Fengxiang that Han might collaborate with Li Maozhen again, Zhu transferred Han to Pinglu Circuit (平盧, headquartered in modern Weifang
Weifang
Weifang is a prefecture-level city in central Shandong province, People's Republic of China. It borders Dongying to the northwest, Zibo to the west, Linyi to the southwest, Rizhao to the south, Qingdao to the east, and looks out to the Laizhou Bay to the north.-History:Weifang is a historical city...
, Shandong
Shandong
' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...
) and transferred the military governor of Pinglu, Wang Zhongshi (王重師), to Youguo.
During Later Liang Dynasty
In 907907
Year 907 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* Oleg leads the Kievan Rus' in a campaign against Constantinople ....
, Zhu Quanzhong forced Emperor Aizong to yield the throne to him, ending Tang and starting a new Later Liang Dynasty
Later Liang Dynasty
The Later Liang was one of the Five Dynasties during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period in China. It was founded by Zhu Wen, posthumously known as Taizu of Later Liang, after he forced the last emperor of the Tang dynasty to abdicate in his favour...
as its Emperor Taizu. He made Han Jian acting Situ (司徒, one of the Three Excellencies
Three Excellencies
The Three Ducal Ministers , also translated as the Three Dukes, Three Excellencies, or the Three Lords, was the collective name for the three highest officials in ancient China...
) and gave him the designation of Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事), making Han a chancellor, and in 908
908
Year 908 was a leap year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* The Battle of Belach Mugna is fought.* Zhu Wen kills the last Tang Dynasty emperor.- Deaths :* Al-Muktafi, Abbasid caliph...
gave Han the greater chancellor title of Shizhong (侍中). It was said that by this point, Emperor Taizu was often violent and unreasonable, and very few officials dared to make suggestions to him. Han, however, would do so, and he appreciated Han's advice. In 909
909
Year 909 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar.- Africa :* The Aghlabid dynasty in North Africa is overthrown by the Fatimids....
, however, Han was removed from his chancellor post and given the honorary title of Taibao (太保). In 910
910
Year 910 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* August 5 – The allied forces of Mercia and Wessex defeat an army of Northumbrian Vikings in the Battle of Tettenhall...
, with Zhongwu and Kuangguo's names having been swapped in 908, Han was made the military governor of Kuangguo (i.e., the old Zhongwu Circuit).
In 912
912
Year 912 was a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar.-Africa:* Second rebellion of the Kutama tribesmen against the Fatimid Caliphate in two years.- Europe :...
, Emperor Taizu was assassinated by his son Zhu Yougui the Prince of Ying, who falsely claimed that the assassination was by Emperor Taizu's adoptive son Zhu Youwen the Prince of Kang and had Zhu Youwen killed. Zhu Yougui then took the throne. In the aftermaths of Emperor Taizu's death, the armies throughout the Later Liang realm became disturbed, but Han took no precautions against any disturbances at Kuangguo. Soon thereafter, his officer Zhang Hou (張厚) started a mutiny and killed Han. Han's son Han Congxun (韓從訓), whom Zhu Yougui had sent to Kuangguo to announce the news of Emperor Taizu's death, was also killed in the mutiny.