Jing Xiang
Encyclopedia
Jing Xiang (d. November 20, 923?), courtesy name Zizhen (子振), formally the Marquess of Pingyang (平陽侯), was the chief strategist of the late Chinese
dynasty Tang Dynasty
warlord Zhu Quanzhong, who assisted Zhu in his consolidation of central China, which Zhu eventually established as a new Later Liang Dynasty
(as its Emperor Taizu) to replace Tang. Jing served in prominent roles in Emperor Taizu's administration and later administrations of his sons Zhu Yougui and Zhu Zhen
, although neither listened much to Jing. After Li Cunxu the Prince of Jin — the chief rival state to Later Liang — launched a surprise attack on the Later Liang capital Daliang
in 923, Zhu Zhen, facing defeat and capture, committed suicide, ending Later Liang. Jing, hearing of the state's destruction, also committed suicide.
, Shaanxi
) and was descended from the middle-Tang Dynasty
chancellor Jing Hui
. His great-grandfather Jing Wan (敬琬) and father Jing Gun (敬袞) both served as prefectural prefects, while his grandfather Jing Xin (敬忻) served as a prefectural governmental administrator. It was said that Jing Xiang, in his youth, was studious, and was particularly skillful at using knife-pens (i.e., knives that were used to carve text on bamboo). During the middle of Qianfu era (874
-879
) of Emperor Xizong
, Jing submitted himself for imperial examination
s but was not able to pass in the Jinshi class.
After the major agrarian rebel Huang Chao
captured the Tang imperial capital Chang'an
around the new year 881
, Jing left the Guanzhong
region (i.e., the region around Chang'an), eventually going to Xuanwu Circuit (宣武, headquartered in modern Kaifeng
, Henan
), where, after Huang was expelled from the Chang'an region by Tang forces, his former subordinate Zhu Quanzhong, who had turned against him and became a Tang general, had been made the military governor (Jiedushi
). Zhu's assistant in his role as governor (觀察使, Guanchashi), Wang Fa (王發), was from the same locale as Jing, and Jing initially went to follow Wang. Wang treated him well, but had no opportunity to recommend him to Zhu. Jing, unable to distinguish himself, resorted to writing snippets of witty words and passing them around in Zhu's army. This impressed Zhu, who was not well-learned and did not like to read but who liked witty words. He thus summoned Jing to his presence and initially offered him an officer position. However, Jing did not want to be an army officer and requested a civilian position, and therefore was initially made the overseer of the communication station at Xuanwu, to be in charge of communiques with the imperial government and other circuits. During Zhu's subsequent campaigns against the rebel general Qin Zongquan, who declared himself emperor at Cai Prefecture (蔡州, in modern Zhumadian
, Henan
), Jing participated in the strategy sessions. Zhu was impressed by Jing's strategies, and after Qin's destruction became particularly trusting of Jing.
, when two of Zhu's generals, Zhu Zhen (朱珍, not the same person as the later emperor) and Li Tangbin (李唐賓) had a dispute while both were attacking Zhu Quanzhong's rival Shi Pu
the military governor of Ganhua Circuit (感化, headquartered in modern Xuzhou
, Jiangsu
) and Zhu Zhen killed Li in anger, Jing, after receiving the news, did not immediately inform Zhu Quanzhong (because he did not want Zhu Quanzhong to make a rash reaction). Rather, he waited to the night to inform Zhu Quanzhong and then suggested to Zhu Quanzhong that he should arrest Li's wife and children to first comfort Zhu Zhen, before carrying out any actions against Zhu Zhen. Zhu Quanzhong accepted this decision, and Zhu Zhen did not rebel at the time; it was only later, when Zhu Quanzhong visited the army personally that he ordered Zhu Zhen arrested and executed.
By 893
, Zhu Quanzhong's army was worn out after having put Shi under siege at Ganhua's capital Xu Prefecture (徐州) for years, and one of the staff members, Zhang Tao (張濤), had suggested to Zhu in a letter that the failure to capture Xu was the result of the army having been launched on a day of ill fortune. Zhu initially believed Zhang's words, but Jing pointed out that if these words spread, the army morale would collapse, so Zhu burned Zhang's letter. Subsequently, Zhu's general Pang Shigu (龐師古) was able to capture Xu, and Shi committed suicide.
At the time of Shi's death, Jing had just lost his wife. Meanwhile, one of Shi's beautiful concubines was a Lady Liu, who had previously been the wife of Shang Rang
, a chancellor in Huang Chao's administration. Zhu initially took Lady Liu as a concubine himself, but later decided to award her to Jing as his new wife. However, after Lady Liu became Jing's wife, she continued to carry on close relationship, perhaps sexual, with Zhu; as a result, Jing initially distanced himself from her. She, in anger, pointed out to Jing that she had been the wife of a chancellor (i.e., Shi) and the concubine to an honored military governor, and that her relationship with Zhu was to ensure that he would continue to trust Jing deeply, and she offered to let him divorce her if he wanted to. Jing saw the wisdom and also did not want to offend Zhu, and therefore remained married to her. (Thereafter, during the time that Zhu was still a Tang warlord, Lady Liu was said to be just as influential on his policies as Jing was.)
In 903
, when Zhu had seized Emperor Xizong's brother and successor Emperor Zhaozong
back from Li Maozhen
the military governor of Fengxiang Circuit (鳳翔, headquartered in modern Baoji
, Shaanxi
), where Emperor Zhaozong had been forcibly taken by the eunuch Han Quanhui
, Zhu returned Emperor Zhaozong to Chang'an, and Emperor Zhaozong bestowed on Jing and a number of Zhu's subordinates honors for their participation in Zhu's campaign; he also personally welcomed Jing and another key staff member of Zhu's, Li Zhen, to the palace.
However, later in 903, Zhu and Emperor Zhaozong's chancellor Cui Yin
, who had previously been allies, broke over Zhu's suspicion that Cui had his nephew Zhu Youlun (朱友倫) assassinated, whom Zhu had left in charge of the imperial guards at Chang'an. In 904
, Zhu Quanzhong killed Cui and forced Emperor Zhaozong to move the capital to Luoyang
. At a subsequent feast that Emperor Zhaozong held at the Luoyang palace, he initially invited Zhu to attend, but Zhu suspected Emperor Zhaozong of laying a trap for him; he therefore claimed to be already drunk and refused to attend. When Emperor Zhaozong said, "If Quanzhong does not wish to attend, let Jing Xiang come," Zhu hit Jing and stated, "Jing Xiang is also drunk!"
In 905
, Zhu conquered the domains of two brothers who were warlords opposing him — Zhao Kuangning
the military governor of Zhongyi Circuit (忠義, headquartered in modern Xiangyang
, Hubei
) and Zhao Kuangming the military governor of Jingnan Circuit (荊南, headquartered in modern Jingzhou
, Hubei
). He then, without initially planning it, decided to head east to attack Yang Xingmi
the military governor of Huainan Circuit (淮南, headquartered in modern Yangzhou
, Jiangsu
). Jing advised him against it, pointing out that he had terrorized the other warlords already through his quick victory over the Zhaos, and that a failed campaign against Huainan would damage his reputation. Zhu, however, did not listen to Jing on this occasion, and regretted it after his attacks were repelled by Yang. However, it appeared that this was the exception, not the norm, for it was stated that Zhu's gradual consolidation of power was largely done with the advice of Jing.
, Zhu Quanzhong had Emperor Zhaozong's son and successor Emperor Ai
yield the throne to him, ending Tang and establishing Later Liang Dynasty
as its Emperor Taizu. He changed the name of Tang's office of palace communications (樞密院, Shumi Yuan) to Xuanzheng Yuan (宣政院) and transformed it from a eunuch-led organization to one led by regular officials, and he made Jing its acting director. Meanwhile, at Jing's and Li Zhen's suggestion, Emperor Taizu ordered 15 senior Tang officials into retirement, believing Jing's assertion that they were betrayers of the Tang cause and could not be trusted. Historians generally credited Jing for the general efficiency of Emperor Taizu's administration, despite Emperor Taizu's impulsiveness and, as he aged, violent behavior. For example, the Song Dynasty
historian Sima Guang
, in his Zizhi Tongjian
, commented, adopting a similar view from the History of the Five Dynasties:
In 911
, Emperor Taizu bestowed the honorific title of Guanglu Daifu (光祿大夫) on Jing and made him the acting minister of defense (兵部尚書, Bingbu Shangshu) and a chief imperial scholar at Jinluan Hall (金鑾殿). (Jing was the first person to receive that latter title.) He also created Jing the Marquess of Pingyang.
In 912
, Emperor Taizu became seriously ill, and he summoned Jing to his presence to entrust a number of orders to him. One of those orders was to send Emperor Taizu's son Zhu Yougui the Prince of Ying out of the capital Luoyang to be the prefect of Lai Prefecture (萊州, in modern Yantai
, Shandong
). Zhu Yougui, receiving the news, believed that Emperor Taizu's intent was to kill him, while passing the throne to his adoptive brother Zhu Youwen the Prince of Bo. He therefore entered the palace and assassinated Emperor Taizu. He issued an edict in Emperor Taizu's name putting Zhu Youwen to death; he then took the throne himself.
In 913
, Zhu Yougui's brother Zhu Youzhen
the Prince of Jun carried out a counter-coup; when Zhu Yougui saw that he was nearing defeat, he committed suicide, and Zhu Youzhen became emperor. (Zhu Youzhen then changed his name to Zhu Zhen.)
While Jing and Li Zhen continued to be the most honored officials in Zhu Zhen's administration, Zhu Zhen largely entrusted actual policy decisions to his brother-in-law Zhao Yan, two brothers of his deceased wife Consort Zhang Zhang Handing (張漢鼎) and Zhang Hanjie (張漢傑), and Consort Zhang's cousins Zhang Hanlun (張漢倫) and Zhang Hanrong (張漢融). It was said that Jing's and Li Zhen's suggestions were often ignored, and Li Zhen, as a result, often claimed illness. Thereafter, the Later Liang administration began to deteriorate.
In 917
, Zhu Zhen, who had moved the capital from Luoyang to Daliang
, prepared for a grand ceremony to offer sacrifices to heaven and earth south of Luoyang at Zhao's suggestion, against Jing's advice that given Later Liang was locked in a war with its major rival Jin, the resources should be better conserved. When Zhu was at Luoyang, Jin's prince Li Cunxu took the opportunity to capture the border outpost Yangliu (楊劉, in modern Liaocheng
, Shandong
), on the south bank of the Yellow River
, which largely formed the boundary between Later Liang and Jin at that time (Later Liang to the south, Jin to the north), after Later Liang had lost large amounts of territory north of the Yellow River in the preceding years. News of Yangliu's fall reached Luoyang, along with rumors that Jin forces had already captured Daliang. Zhu, terrified, cancelled the ceremony and returned to Daliang. After Zhu returned to Daliang, Jin forces withdrew from the region after pillaging Yun (鄆州, in modern Tai'an
, Shandong
) and Pu (濮州, in modern Heze
, Shandong
) Prefectures. In light of this surprise attack, Jing submitted a petition to Zhu:
However, Zhao and the Zhangs argued that Jing was simply full of frustration, and persuaded Zhu not to follow Jing's suggestion.
In 921
, Wang Rong
the Prince of Zhao
, a major ally of Jin, was assassinated by his adoptive son Zhang Wenli
, who, anticipating that Li Cunxu would attack him, sought to submit to and seek aid from Later Liang. Jing pointed out that this was a golden opportunity to counterattack against Jin and recapture the territory lost, but Zhao and the Zhangs argued that Zhang Wenli was merely using Later Liang to accomplish his own goals and that Later Liang had no spare troops to aid Zhang Wenli. Zhu, listening to them, rejected Jing's suggestions. Zhang Wenli (and, subsequently, after his death, his son Zhang Chujin
) therefore received no Later Liang aid and were subsequently defeated by Li Cunxu. Li Cunxu thus was able to absorb Zhao territory into Jin.
In spring 923
, Li Cunxu, who had declared himself the emperor of a new Later Tang Dynasty
(as its Emperor Zhuangzong), sent his adoptive brother Li Siyuan to capture Yun Prefecture in a surprise attack — thus leaving no natural defenses between Yun Prefecture and Daliang. Jing, seeing that the empire was in danger, went to see Zhu and showed him a rope, stating that if the emperor would not accept his suggestion — making the general Wang Yanzhang the commander of the operations resisting Later Tang — he would hang himself in the emperor's presence. Zhu agreed this time and made Wang the commander of the forces against Jin. Wang was subsequently able to recapture Desheng (德勝, in modern Puyang
, Henan
), another important outpost on the Yellow River, from Later Tang and briefly cut off the communications between Li Siyuan and the main Later Tang territory, hoping to force Li Siyuan to flee. However, Zhao and the Zhangs, who supported the general Duan Ning instead, continuously defamed Wang, and Zhu thereafter replaced Wang with Duan, despite repeated objections from Jing and Li Zhen. Subsequently, Later Tang was able to retain Yun Prefecture, despite its precarious communication line.
Once in command, Duan drew an ambitious plan to counterattack against Later Tang advances. Under Duan's plans, Duan and Du Yanqiu (杜晏球) would lead the main forces and confront Later Tang's Emperor Zhuangzong; Huo Yanwei would take an army and head toward Later Tang's Anguo (安國, headquartered in modern Xingtai
, Hebei
) and Chengde (成德, headquartered in modern Shijiazhuang
, Hebei
, i.e., formerly Zhao territory) Circuits; Dong Zhang would launch an attack from Kuangyi Circuit (匡義, headquartered in modern Changzhi
, Shanxi
) — formerly Jin territory, but which had become Later Liang territory after Emperor Zhuangzong's cousin Li Jitao, who ruled it, defected to Later Liang earlier in the year — toward Later Tang's main territory around Taiyuan
; and Wang Yanzhang and Zhang Hanjie would head toward Yun Prefecture. In winter 923, before Duan was able to actually implement his four-pronged attack, however, Emperor Zhuangzong took his army south of the Yellow River to rendezvous with Li Siyuan; together, they defeated and captured Wang and Zhang Hanjie (whose army was the weakest of the four prongs), and then directly headed for Daliang, with Duan's main force trapped north of the Yellow River (having crossed it earlier in the year in preparation of launching the four-prong attack) and unable to come to Daliang's aid.
Hearing of Wang's defeat, Zhu, desperate by this point, summoned Jing to the palace and apologized to him for not listening to him, asking him whether he had any strategies left for defending Daliang. Jing wept and responded:
Both he and Zhu cried bitterly, but could think of nothing else to say. Subsequently, Zhu had his imperial guard officer Huangfu Lin (皇甫麟) kill him, ending Later Liang. (Huangfu then killed himself.)
Upon Emperor Zhuangzong's arrival at Daliang, he issued an edict generally pardoning the Later Liang officials. Hearing of the edict, Li Zhen went to see Jing and suggested that they go see Emperor Zhuangzong together to beg for pardon. Jing responded, "Both of us were Liang chancellors. We could not correct the emperor's poor governance, and we could not save the dynasty from destruction. If the new emperor questions us on these grounds, how are we going to respond?" The next morning, Jing's servants informed him that Li Zhen had already gone to the palace. Jing sighed and stated, "Li Zhen is no man. The Zhus and the new emperor have been enemies for generations. Now, the empire has been destroyed, and the emperor is dead. Even if the new emperor would spare us, how can we still enter the Jianguo Gate [(建國門, the gate to the Later Liang imperial palace)]?" He therefore hanged himself. Within a few days, Emperor Zhuangzong issued another edict which, while generally confirming the pardon, ordered that Jing (whose death he apparently did not know), Li Zhen, Zhao, the Zhangs, the Later Liang general Zhu Gui (朱珪), and the Khitan
prince Yelü Sala'abo (耶律撒剌阿撥) (the brother of the Khitan emperor Emperor Taizu of Liao
, who had previously rebelled against the Khitan emperor and fled to Emperor Zhuangzong, and then re-defected to Later Liang) be put to death, along with their families. Jing's family was therefore slaughtered.
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...
warlord Zhu Quanzhong, who assisted Zhu in his consolidation of central China, which Zhu eventually established as 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) to replace Tang. Jing served in prominent roles in Emperor Taizu's administration and later administrations of his sons Zhu Yougui and Zhu Zhen
Zhu Zhen
Emperor Modi of Later Liang Zhu Youzhen was Emperor of China between 913 and 923. He was the third and last emperor of the first of the Five Dynasties - the Later Liang Dynasty and the youngest son of its founder, Zhu Quanzhong. He changed his name to Zhu Zhen during his time in office...
, although neither listened much to Jing. After Li Cunxu the Prince of Jin — the chief rival state to Later Liang — launched a surprise attack on the Later Liang capital Daliang
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...
in 923, Zhu Zhen, facing defeat and capture, committed suicide, ending Later Liang. Jing, hearing of the state's destruction, also committed suicide.
Background
It is not known when Jing Xiang was born. His family was from Fengyi (馮翊, in modern WeinanWeinan
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...
) and was descended from the middle-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...
chancellor Jing Hui
Jing Hui
JIng Hui , courtesy name Zhongye , formally Prince Sumin of Pingyang , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty and Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty, serving as chancellor during the reign of Emperor Zhongzong...
. His great-grandfather Jing Wan (敬琬) and father Jing Gun (敬袞) both served as prefectural prefects, while his grandfather Jing Xin (敬忻) served as a prefectural governmental administrator. It was said that Jing Xiang, in his youth, was studious, and was particularly skillful at using knife-pens (i.e., knives that were used to carve text on bamboo). During the middle of Qianfu era (874
874
Year 874 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Ingólfur Arnarson arrives as the first permanent Viking settler in Iceland, settling in Reykjavík ....
-879
879
Year 879 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Pope John VIII recognizes the Duchy of Croatia as an independent state....
) of 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...
, Jing submitted himself for imperial examination
Imperial examination
The Imperial examination was an examination system in Imperial China designed to select the best administrative officials for the state's bureaucracy. This system had a huge influence on both society and culture in Imperial China and was directly responsible for the creation of a class of...
s but was not able to pass in the Jinshi class.
After the major agrarian rebel 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...
captured the Tang imperial 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...
around the new year 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....
, Jing left the Guanzhong
Guanzhong
Guanzhong , or Guanzhong Plain, is a historical region of China corresponding to the lower valley of the Wei River. It is called Guanzhong or 'within the passes' to distinguish it from 'Guandong' or 'east of the pass', that is, the North China Plain. The North China Plain is bordered on the west by...
region (i.e., the region around Chang'an), eventually going to 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...
, 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...
), where, after Huang was expelled from the Chang'an region by Tang forces, his former subordinate Zhu Quanzhong, who had turned against him and became a Tang general, had been made 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...
). Zhu's assistant in his role as governor (觀察使, Guanchashi), Wang Fa (王發), was from the same locale as Jing, and Jing initially went to follow Wang. Wang treated him well, but had no opportunity to recommend him to Zhu. Jing, unable to distinguish himself, resorted to writing snippets of witty words and passing them around in Zhu's army. This impressed Zhu, who was not well-learned and did not like to read but who liked witty words. He thus summoned Jing to his presence and initially offered him an officer position. However, Jing did not want to be an army officer and requested a civilian position, and therefore was initially made the overseer of the communication station at Xuanwu, to be in charge of communiques with the imperial government and other circuits. During Zhu's subsequent campaigns against the rebel general Qin Zongquan, who declared himself emperor at 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...
), Jing participated in the strategy sessions. Zhu was impressed by Jing's strategies, and after Qin's destruction became particularly trusting of Jing.
As Zhu Quanzhong's chief strategist during Tang Dynasty
It was said that, because Zhu Quanzhong's thoughts and actions were unpredictable, other staff members often found it difficult to give him advice. Jing Xiang, however, was often able to anticipate what he was thinking and complement the parts that his own plans were lacking, further causing him to entrust Jing with greater responsibility. For example, in 889889
Year 889 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* Yasovarman I succeeds Indravarman II as ruler of the Khmer empire....
, when two of Zhu's generals, Zhu Zhen (朱珍, not the same person as the later emperor) and Li Tangbin (李唐賓) had a dispute while both were attacking Zhu Quanzhong's rival Shi Pu
Shi Pu
Shi Pu , formally the Prince of Julu , was a warlord of the late Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who controlled Ganhua Circuit as its military governor...
the military governor of Ganhua Circuit (感化, headquartered in modern Xuzhou
Xuzhou
Xuzhou , otherwise known as Pengcheng in ancient times, is a major city in and the fourth largest prefecture-level city of Jiangsu province, People's Republic of China...
, Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
) and Zhu Zhen killed Li in anger, Jing, after receiving the news, did not immediately inform Zhu Quanzhong (because he did not want Zhu Quanzhong to make a rash reaction). Rather, he waited to the night to inform Zhu Quanzhong and then suggested to Zhu Quanzhong that he should arrest Li's wife and children to first comfort Zhu Zhen, before carrying out any actions against Zhu Zhen. Zhu Quanzhong accepted this decision, and Zhu Zhen did not rebel at the time; it was only later, when Zhu Quanzhong visited the army personally that he ordered Zhu Zhen arrested and executed.
By 893
893
Year 893 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Council of Preslav: Simeon I succeeds Vladimir as prince of Bulgaria; the capital is moved from Pliska to Preslav....
, Zhu Quanzhong's army was worn out after having put Shi under siege at Ganhua's capital Xu Prefecture (徐州) for years, and one of the staff members, Zhang Tao (張濤), had suggested to Zhu in a letter that the failure to capture Xu was the result of the army having been launched on a day of ill fortune. Zhu initially believed Zhang's words, but Jing pointed out that if these words spread, the army morale would collapse, so Zhu burned Zhang's letter. Subsequently, Zhu's general Pang Shigu (龐師古) was able to capture Xu, and Shi committed suicide.
At the time of Shi's death, Jing had just lost his wife. Meanwhile, one of Shi's beautiful concubines was a Lady Liu, who had previously been the wife of Shang Rang
Shang Rang
Shang Rang was a major follower of Huang Chao, an agrarian rebel leader against the rule of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, and carried prominent titles after Huang declared himself the emperor of a new state of Qi. As Huang neared defeat in 884, Shang turned against him and submitted to the...
, a chancellor in Huang Chao's administration. Zhu initially took Lady Liu as a concubine himself, but later decided to award her to Jing as his new wife. However, after Lady Liu became Jing's wife, she continued to carry on close relationship, perhaps sexual, with Zhu; as a result, Jing initially distanced himself from her. She, in anger, pointed out to Jing that she had been the wife of a chancellor (i.e., Shi) and the concubine to an honored military governor, and that her relationship with Zhu was to ensure that he would continue to trust Jing deeply, and she offered to let him divorce her if he wanted to. Jing saw the wisdom and also did not want to offend Zhu, and therefore remained married to her. (Thereafter, during the time that Zhu was still a Tang warlord, Lady Liu was said to be just as influential on his policies as Jing was.)
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 :...
, when Zhu had seized 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...
back from 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 Circuit (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...
), where Emperor Zhaozong had been forcibly taken by the eunuch 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...
, Zhu returned Emperor Zhaozong to Chang'an, and Emperor Zhaozong bestowed on Jing and a number of Zhu's subordinates honors for their participation in Zhu's campaign; he also personally welcomed Jing and another key staff member of Zhu's, Li Zhen, to the palace.
However, later in 903, Zhu and Emperor Zhaozong's chancellor 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...
, who had previously been allies, broke over Zhu's suspicion that Cui had his nephew Zhu Youlun (朱友倫) assassinated, whom Zhu had left in charge of the imperial guards at Chang'an. In 904
904
Year 904 was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* The Byzantines under Andronikos Doukas defeat the Arabs near Germanikeia...
, Zhu Quanzhong killed Cui and forced 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...
. At a subsequent feast that Emperor Zhaozong held at the Luoyang palace, he initially invited Zhu to attend, but Zhu suspected Emperor Zhaozong of laying a trap for him; he therefore claimed to be already drunk and refused to attend. When Emperor Zhaozong said, "If Quanzhong does not wish to attend, let Jing Xiang come," Zhu hit Jing and stated, "Jing Xiang is also drunk!"
In 905
905
Year 905 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar.- Africa :* The Abbasid Caliphate re-establishes control of Egypt from the Tulunids.- Asia :...
, Zhu conquered the domains of two brothers who were warlords opposing him — Zhao Kuangning
Zhao Kuangning
Zhao Kuangning , courtesy name Guangyi , formally the Prince of Chu , was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who ruled Zhongyi Circuit as its military governor from 892 until his defeat in 905 by Zhu Quanzhong the military governor of Xuanwu Circuit Zhao Kuangning (趙匡凝), courtesy...
the military governor of Zhongyi Circuit (忠義, headquartered in modern Xiangyang
Xiangyang
Xiangzhou District is a district of Xiangyang, Hubei, China. The district itself was formerly known as Xiangyang. It was a city famous for the Siege of Xiangyang by invading forces of the Mongol-founded Yuan Dynasty...
, 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...
) and Zhao Kuangming 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...
). He then, without initially planning it, decided to head east to attack Yang Xingmi
Yang Xingmi
Yang Xingmi , né Yang Xingmin , courtesy name Huayuan , formally Prince Wuzhong of Wu , later posthumously honored King Xiaowu of Wu then Emperor Wu of Wu with the temple name of Taizu , was a military governor of...
the military governor of Huainan Circuit (淮南, headquartered in modern Yangzhou
Yangzhou
Yangzhou is a prefecture-level city in central Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China. Sitting on the northern bank of the Yangtze River, it borders the provincial capital of Nanjing to the southwest, Huai'an to the north, Yancheng to the northeast, Taizhou to the east, and Zhenjiang across...
, Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
). Jing advised him against it, pointing out that he had terrorized the other warlords already through his quick victory over the Zhaos, and that a failed campaign against Huainan would damage his reputation. Zhu, however, did not listen to Jing on this occasion, and regretted it after his attacks were repelled by Yang. However, it appeared that this was the exception, not the norm, for it was stated that Zhu's gradual consolidation of power was largely done with the advice of Jing.
During Emperor Taizu's reign
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 had Emperor Zhaozong's son and successor 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....
yield the throne to him, ending Tang and establishing 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 changed the name of Tang's office of palace communications (樞密院, Shumi Yuan) to Xuanzheng Yuan (宣政院) and transformed it from a eunuch-led organization to one led by regular officials, and he made Jing its acting director. Meanwhile, at Jing's and Li Zhen's suggestion, Emperor Taizu ordered 15 senior Tang officials into retirement, believing Jing's assertion that they were betrayers of the Tang cause and could not be trusted. Historians generally credited Jing for the general efficiency of Emperor Taizu's administration, despite Emperor Taizu's impulsiveness and, as he aged, violent behavior. For example, the Song Dynasty
Song Dynasty
The Song Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279; it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yuan Dynasty. It was the first government in world history to issue banknotes or paper money, and the first Chinese government to establish a...
historian Sima Guang
Sima Guang
Sīmǎ Guāng was a Chinese historian, scholar, and high chancellor of the Song Dynasty, jinshi 1038.-Life, profession, and works:...
, in his Zizhi Tongjian
Zizhi Tongjian
The Zizhi Tongjian was a pioneering reference work in Chinese historiography, published in 1084, under the form of a chronicles. In 1065 CE, Emperor Yingzong of Song ordered the great historian Sima Guang to lead with other scholars such as his chief assistants Liu Shu, Liu Ban and Fan Zuyu, the...
, commented, adopting a similar view from the History of the Five Dynasties:
In 911
911
Year 911 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar.-Africa:* Rebellion of the Kutama Berbers against the Fatimid Caliphate...
, Emperor Taizu bestowed the honorific title of Guanglu Daifu (光祿大夫) on Jing and made him the acting minister of defense (兵部尚書, Bingbu Shangshu) and a chief imperial scholar at Jinluan Hall (金鑾殿). (Jing was the first person to receive that latter title.) He also created Jing the Marquess of Pingyang.
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 became seriously ill, and he summoned Jing to his presence to entrust a number of orders to him. One of those orders was to send Emperor Taizu's son Zhu Yougui the Prince of Ying out of the capital Luoyang to be the prefect of Lai Prefecture (萊州, in modern Yantai
Yantai
Yantai is a prefecture-level city in northeastern Shandong province, People's Republic of China. Located on the southern coast of the Bohai Sea and the eastern coast of the Laizhou Bay, Yantai borders the cities of Qingdao and Weihai to the southwest and east respectively.The largest fishing...
, 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...
). Zhu Yougui, receiving the news, believed that Emperor Taizu's intent was to kill him, while passing the throne to his adoptive brother Zhu Youwen the Prince of Bo. He therefore entered the palace and assassinated Emperor Taizu. He issued an edict in Emperor Taizu's name putting Zhu Youwen to death; he then took the throne himself.
After Emperor Taizu's reign
Zhu Yougui, after taking the throne, believed that, since Jing Xiang was a close associate of his father's, leaving Jing in charge of the office of palace communications would be dangerous, but as Jing had a good reputation, he did not want to cause the people to be disappointed in seeing Jing demoted. Therefore, he gave Jing a technical promotion — to be a chancellor with the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事) — and also Zhongshu Shilang (中書侍郎), but removed him from the office of palace communications, replacing him with Li Zhen. Jing, realizing that Zhu Yougui did not trust him, often claimed to be ill and did not involve himself in policy decisions.In 913
913
Year 913 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar.- Africa :* The Shiite Fatimid state in modern day Tunisia launches a failed military campaign against Egypt.- Religion :...
, Zhu Yougui's brother Zhu Youzhen
Zhu Zhen
Emperor Modi of Later Liang Zhu Youzhen was Emperor of China between 913 and 923. He was the third and last emperor of the first of the Five Dynasties - the Later Liang Dynasty and the youngest son of its founder, Zhu Quanzhong. He changed his name to Zhu Zhen during his time in office...
the Prince of Jun carried out a counter-coup; when Zhu Yougui saw that he was nearing defeat, he committed suicide, and Zhu Youzhen became emperor. (Zhu Youzhen then changed his name to Zhu Zhen.)
While Jing and Li Zhen continued to be the most honored officials in Zhu Zhen's administration, Zhu Zhen largely entrusted actual policy decisions to his brother-in-law Zhao Yan, two brothers of his deceased wife Consort Zhang Zhang Handing (張漢鼎) and Zhang Hanjie (張漢傑), and Consort Zhang's cousins Zhang Hanlun (張漢倫) and Zhang Hanrong (張漢融). It was said that Jing's and Li Zhen's suggestions were often ignored, and Li Zhen, as a result, often claimed illness. Thereafter, the Later Liang administration began to deteriorate.
In 917
917
Year 917 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* The Great Yue Kingdom, later renamed Southern Han, is founded by Liu Yan in Guangdong and Guangxi.- Europe :...
, Zhu Zhen, who had moved the capital from Luoyang to Daliang
Daliang
Daliang may refer to the following locations in China:*Kaifeng, formerly known as Daliang , prefecture-level city of Henan*Daliang Subdistrict, Foshan , in Shunde District, Foshan, Guangdong...
, prepared for a grand ceremony to offer sacrifices to heaven and earth south of Luoyang at Zhao's suggestion, against Jing's advice that given Later Liang was locked in a war with its major rival Jin, the resources should be better conserved. When Zhu was at Luoyang, Jin's prince Li Cunxu took the opportunity to capture the border outpost Yangliu (楊劉, in modern Liaocheng
Liaocheng
Liaocheng , also known as the Water City, is a prefecture-level city in western Shandong province, People's Republic of China. It borders the provincial capital of Jinan to the southeast, Dezhou to the northeast, Tai'an to the south, and the province of Hebei and Henan to the west...
, 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...
), on the south bank of 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...
, which largely formed the boundary between Later Liang and Jin at that time (Later Liang to the south, Jin to the north), after Later Liang had lost large amounts of territory north of the Yellow River in the preceding years. News of Yangliu's fall reached Luoyang, along with rumors that Jin forces had already captured Daliang. Zhu, terrified, cancelled the ceremony and returned to Daliang. After Zhu returned to Daliang, Jin forces withdrew from the region after pillaging Yun (鄆州, in modern Tai'an
Tai'an
Tai'an is a prefecture-level city in western Shandong province, People's Republic of China.Centered around Mount Tai, the city borders the provincial capital of Jinan to the north, Laiwu to the northeast, Zibo to the east, Linyi to the southeast, Liaocheng to the extreme west and Jining to the south...
, 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 Pu (濮州, in modern Heze
Heze
Heze is a prefecture-level city in southwestern Shandong province, People's Republic of China. The westernmost prefecture-level city in Shandong, it borders Jining to the east and the provinces of Henan and Anhui to the west and south respectively. The old name of Heze was Caozhou and now a part...
, 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...
) Prefectures. In light of this surprise attack, Jing submitted a petition to Zhu:
However, Zhao and the Zhangs argued that Jing was simply full of frustration, and persuaded Zhu not to follow Jing's suggestion.
In 921
921
Year 921 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar.-Africa:* Crushing defeat of the Idrisid dynasty against their Fatimid rivals...
, Wang Rong
Wang Rong
Wang Rong , style name Junchong , was a politician of the Jin Dynasty period of Chinese history.Wang Rong served under Jin as the 3rd East General. Wang Rong participated during the final conquest of Eastern Wu, where he led his army as far as to that of Wuchang...
the Prince of Zhao
Zhao (Five Dynasties)
Zhao was a state early in the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, located in modern central Hebei. The ancestors of its only prince, Wang Rong, had long, during the Tang Dynasty, governed the region as military governors of Tang's Chengde Circuit , and after Tang's end in 907, the...
, a major ally of Jin, was assassinated by his adoptive son Zhang Wenli
Zhang Wenli
Zhang Wenli , known as Wang Deming during the time that he was an adoptive son of Wang Rong, was an army officer who initially served under the late Tang Dynasty warlord Liu Rengong and Liu Rengong's son Liu Shouwen, and later Wang Rong, the only prince of the early Five Dynasties and Ten...
, who, anticipating that Li Cunxu would attack him, sought to submit to and seek aid from Later Liang. Jing pointed out that this was a golden opportunity to counterattack against Jin and recapture the territory lost, but Zhao and the Zhangs argued that Zhang Wenli was merely using Later Liang to accomplish his own goals and that Later Liang had no spare troops to aid Zhang Wenli. Zhu, listening to them, rejected Jing's suggestions. Zhang Wenli (and, subsequently, after his death, his son Zhang Chujin
Zhang Chujin
Zhang Chujin was a ruler of Chengde Circuit early in the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. His father Zhang Wenli had taken over the circuit after a mutiny that Zhang Wenli encouraged resulted in the death of Zhang Wenli's adoptive father Wang Rong the Prince of Zhao in 921...
) therefore received no Later Liang aid and were subsequently defeated by Li Cunxu. Li Cunxu thus was able to absorb Zhao territory into Jin.
In spring 923
923
Year 923 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* June 15 – Battle of Soissons: King Robert I of France is killed, and King Charles the Simple is arrested by the supporters of Duke Rudolph of Burgundy.- Americas :* Topiltzin Ce Acatl Quetzalcoatl becomes...
, Li Cunxu, who had declared himself the emperor of a new Later Tang Dynasty
Later Tang Dynasty
The Later Tang Dynasty was a short-lived dynasty that lasted from 923 to 937 one of the five dynasties during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was also the first in a series of three dynasties ruled by the Shatuo Turks...
(as its Emperor Zhuangzong), sent his adoptive brother Li Siyuan to capture Yun Prefecture in a surprise attack — thus leaving no natural defenses between Yun Prefecture and Daliang. Jing, seeing that the empire was in danger, went to see Zhu and showed him a rope, stating that if the emperor would not accept his suggestion — making the general Wang Yanzhang the commander of the operations resisting Later Tang — he would hang himself in the emperor's presence. Zhu agreed this time and made Wang the commander of the forces against Jin. Wang was subsequently able to recapture Desheng (德勝, in modern Puyang
Puyang
Puyang is a prefecture-level city in northeastern Henan province, China. Located on the northern shore of the Yellow River, it borders Anyang in the west, Xinxiang in the southwest, and the provinces of Shandong and Hebei in the east and north respectively....
, 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...
), another important outpost on the Yellow River, from Later Tang and briefly cut off the communications between Li Siyuan and the main Later Tang territory, hoping to force Li Siyuan to flee. However, Zhao and the Zhangs, who supported the general Duan Ning instead, continuously defamed Wang, and Zhu thereafter replaced Wang with Duan, despite repeated objections from Jing and Li Zhen. Subsequently, Later Tang was able to retain Yun Prefecture, despite its precarious communication line.
Once in command, Duan drew an ambitious plan to counterattack against Later Tang advances. Under Duan's plans, Duan and Du Yanqiu (杜晏球) would lead the main forces and confront Later Tang's Emperor Zhuangzong; Huo Yanwei would take an army and head toward Later Tang's Anguo (安國, headquartered in modern Xingtai
Xingtai
Xingtai is a city in southern Hebei province, North China. The prefecture-level city of Xingtai, with a total area of , administers 2 districts, 2 county-level cities and 15 counties. In 2004 it had an urban population of 561,400 and a total population of 6.73 million...
, Hebei
Hebei
' is a province of the People's Republic of China in the North China region. Its one-character abbreviation is "" , named after Ji Province, a Han Dynasty province that included what is now southern Hebei...
) and Chengde (成德, headquartered in modern Shijiazhuang
Shijiazhuang
Shijiazhuang is the capital and largest city of North China's Hebei province. Administratively a prefecture-level city, it is about south of Beijing...
, Hebei
Hebei
' is a province of the People's Republic of China in the North China region. Its one-character abbreviation is "" , named after Ji Province, a Han Dynasty province that included what is now southern Hebei...
, i.e., formerly Zhao territory) Circuits; Dong Zhang would launch an attack from Kuangyi Circuit (匡義, headquartered in modern Changzhi
Changzhi
Changzhi is a prefecture-level city in Shanxi Province, People's Republic of China. It lies between the city of Huozhou in Shanxi and the city of Hebi in Henan....
, 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....
) — formerly Jin territory, but which had become Later Liang territory after Emperor Zhuangzong's cousin Li Jitao, who ruled it, defected to Later Liang earlier in the year — toward Later Tang's main territory around 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...
; and Wang Yanzhang and Zhang Hanjie would head toward Yun Prefecture. In winter 923, before Duan was able to actually implement his four-pronged attack, however, Emperor Zhuangzong took his army south of the Yellow River to rendezvous with Li Siyuan; together, they defeated and captured Wang and Zhang Hanjie (whose army was the weakest of the four prongs), and then directly headed for Daliang, with Duan's main force trapped north of the Yellow River (having crossed it earlier in the year in preparation of launching the four-prong attack) and unable to come to Daliang's aid.
Hearing of Wang's defeat, Zhu, desperate by this point, summoned Jing to the palace and apologized to him for not listening to him, asking him whether he had any strategies left for defending Daliang. Jing wept and responded:
Both he and Zhu cried bitterly, but could think of nothing else to say. Subsequently, Zhu had his imperial guard officer Huangfu Lin (皇甫麟) kill him, ending Later Liang. (Huangfu then killed himself.)
Upon Emperor Zhuangzong's arrival at Daliang, he issued an edict generally pardoning the Later Liang officials. Hearing of the edict, Li Zhen went to see Jing and suggested that they go see Emperor Zhuangzong together to beg for pardon. Jing responded, "Both of us were Liang chancellors. We could not correct the emperor's poor governance, and we could not save the dynasty from destruction. If the new emperor questions us on these grounds, how are we going to respond?" The next morning, Jing's servants informed him that Li Zhen had already gone to the palace. Jing sighed and stated, "Li Zhen is no man. The Zhus and the new emperor have been enemies for generations. Now, the empire has been destroyed, and the emperor is dead. Even if the new emperor would spare us, how can we still enter the Jianguo Gate [(建國門, the gate to the Later Liang imperial palace)]?" He therefore hanged himself. Within a few days, Emperor Zhuangzong issued another edict which, while generally confirming the pardon, ordered that Jing (whose death he apparently did not know), Li Zhen, Zhao, the Zhangs, the Later Liang general Zhu Gui (朱珪), and the Khitan
Khitan
The history of the Khitans dates back to the 4th century AD. The Khitan people dominated much of Mongolia and modern Manchuria by the 10th century, under the Liao Dynasty, and eventually collapsed by 1125 ....
prince Yelü Sala'abo (耶律撒剌阿撥) (the brother of the Khitan emperor Emperor Taizu of Liao
Emperor Taizu of Liao
The Emperor Taizu of Liao was the first emperor of the Liao Dynasty . His given name was Abaoji . Some sources also suggest that the surname Yelü was adopted during his lifetime, though there is no unanimity on this point....
, who had previously rebelled against the Khitan emperor and fled to Emperor Zhuangzong, and then re-defected to Later Liang) be put to death, along with their families. Jing's family was therefore slaughtered.