Tian Xu (Tang Dynasty)
Encyclopedia
Tian Xu (764
– May 20, 796), formally the Prince of Yanmen (雁門王), was a general of the Chinese
dynasty Tang Dynasty
who ruled Weibo Circuit (魏博, headquartered in modern Handan
, Hebei
) semi-independently from the imperial government.
, during the reign of Emperor Daizong
. At that time, his father Tian Xu was serving as the military governor (Jiedushi
) of Weibo Circuit and ruling it semi-independently from the imperial government. He was Tian Xu's sixth son, out of 11. As Tian Chengsi found his nephew (Tian Xu's cousin) Tian Yue
to be more capable than his own sons, he had Tian Yue serve as his deputy and intended heir, having his sons assist Tian Yue. After Tian Chengsi died in 779
, Tian Yue succeeded him as the military governor of Weibo Circuit with permission from Emperor Daizong, and Tian Xu thereafter served under Tian Yue.
In 781
, Tian Yue, along with several other military governors, rose in rebellion against Emperor Daizong's son and successor Emperor Dezong
, but by 784
, Emperor Dezong, who was then in desperate straits due to the rebellion at the capital Chang'an
by Zhu Ci
, issued a general pardon. Tian Yue accepted the general pardon, along with his allies Wang Wujun
and Li Na
, and they turned against another ally, Zhu Tao
(Zhu Ci's brother), who had not accepted the pardon. After Tian Yue's submission, Emperor Dezong sent the imperial official Kong Chaofu (孔巢父) to Weibo to meet with Tian Yue, to thank him for his allegiance and to encourage the troops. Meanwhile, though, on one night in spring 784, while Kong was still at Weibo, Tian Xu was complaining to his brothers and nephews about Tian Yue, while he was drunk. When the nephew tried to stop his complaints, he killed his nephew. After he became sober, he realized what he had done, and worried that Tian Yue would kill him when he found out. He therefore took his followers, went to Tian Yue's headquarters, and killed Tian Yue, Tian Yue's mother, wife, and children. He then, issuing orders in Tian Yue's name, summoned Tian Yue's staff members Hu E (扈崿), Xu Shize (許士則), and Jiang Ji (蔣濟). When they arrived, Tian Xu killed them as well. However, Tian Xu then panicked and fled out of Weibo's capital prefecture Wei Prefecture (魏州). The senior officers Xing Caojun (邢曹俊) and Meng Xiyou (孟希祐), however, chased him down and offered the military governorship to him, as Tian Xu's only remaining older brother, Tian Guan (田綸), was also killed in the disturbance. Tian Xu then declared that it was another officer, Liu Zhongxin (劉忠信), who had assassinated Tian Yue, and took over control of the circuit. Kong then commissioned him as the acting military governor. (The soldiers found out a few days later that it was actually Tian Xu who carried out the assassination, but by that point Tian Xu was firmly in control.)
) had already laid waste to Weibo to the people's detriment. Tian Xu agreed with them and sent messengers to Emperor Dezong, pledging his loyalty. Emperor Dezong commissioned him as the military governor of Weibo. Soon thereafter, Li Baozhen and Wang defeated Zhu, forcing him to retreat back to Lulong.
In 785
, Emperor Dezong gave his sister Princess Jiacheng in marriage to Tian Xu. She did not bear him any sons, but his concubines bore him three sons — Tian Jihe (田季和), Tian Jizhi (田季智), and Tian Ji'an
. Although Tian Ji'an was the youngest, Princess Jiacheng adopted him as her child, and therefore, eventually, he became designated as Tian Xu's heir.
Meanwhile, Tian Xu was said to be cruel and extravagant as military governor, as he was wasteful and spent much time in drinking and sexual relations — activities that, while Tian Yue was alive, Tian Yue had curbed him from. In 790
, there were rumors that Li Na, who governed Pinglu Circuit (平盧, headquartered in modern Tai'an
, Shandong
), whom Tian Xu's older brother Tian Chao (田朝) served under as prefect of Qi Prefecture (齊州, in modern Ji'nan, Shandong
), was planning to escort Tian Chao back to Weibo to vie for control of Weibo Circuit. Tian Xu feared this, and, under suggestion by his staff member Sun Guangzuo (孫光佐), he sent gifts to Li Na to please him and persuade him to send Tian Chao to Chang'an — and further suggested Li Na to accept the surrender of the prefect of Di Prefecture (棣州, in modern Binzhou
, Shandong
), Zhao Gao (趙鎬), who had previously submitted to Wang's Chengde Circuit (成德, headquartered in modern Shijiazhuang
, Hebei
) but who later refused to follow Wang's orders. Li Na therefore accepted Zhao's surrender and took Di Prefecture, despite Wang's attacks. Tian further cemented the relationship with Li Na by sending Sun to Pinglu's headquarters at Yun Prefecture (鄆州), announcing an imperial edict (which Tian Xu had forged) declaring Di Prefecture to be part of Pinglu Circuit. In anger, Wang sent his son Wang Shiqing (王士清) to attack Weibo's Bei Prefecture (貝州, in modern Xingtai
, Hebei
), occupying four counties of Bei Prefecture. In winter 790, Emperor Dezong, wanting to put an end to the campaigns between these circuits, ordered Li Na to return Di Prefecture to Chengde; Li Na demanded that Wang return the four counties of Bei Prefecture to Weibo first. Wang did so, and subsequently, Li Na returned Di Prefecture to Chengde.
In 794
, after Li Baozhen's death, his Zhaoyi Circuit (昭義, headquartered in modern Changzhi
, Shanxi
) fell into internal warfare between Emperor Dezong's appointed successor for Li Baozhen, Wang Qianxiu (王虔休), and Yuan Yi (元誼), the prefect of Ming Prefecture (洺州, in modern Handan). The battles waged on for more than a year, but by spring 796
, Yuan had run out of strength, and he took 5,000 soldiers, as well as their families, and fled to Wei Prefecture. Emperor Dezong did not request Tian to give Yuan up, and instead ordered Tian to accept them, thus allowing Tian to take over those troops. Soon thereafter, as part of Emperor Dezong's bestowing of various honors on many military governors, he bestowed the honorary chancellor designation of Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事) on Tian.
In summer 796, Tian Xu died suddenly. Initially, his staff members kept the death secret, and they supported Tian Ji'an, then age 14, to succeed him. Five days later, they publicly announced Tian Xu's death, and Tian Ji'an claimed the title of acting military governor, an act that Emperor Dezong later approved.
764
Year 764 was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 764 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Asia :* Empress Shōtoku succeeds Emperor Junnin on the...
– May 20, 796), formally the Prince of Yanmen (雁門王), was a general of the Chinese
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 ruled Weibo Circuit (魏博, headquartered in modern Handan
Handan
Handan is a prefecture-level city located in the southwestern part of Hebei Province of China.- History :Handan was the capital of the State of Zhao during the Warring States period , after the capital moved from Zhongmu. The city was conquered by the State of Qin after the virtual annexation of...
, 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...
) semi-independently from the imperial government.
Background
Tian Xu was born in 764764
Year 764 was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 764 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Asia :* Empress Shōtoku succeeds Emperor Junnin on the...
, during the reign of Emperor Daizong
Emperor Daizong of Tang
Emperor Daizong of Tang , personal name Li Yu , né Li Chu , was an emperor of the Chinese Tang Dynasty....
. At that time, his father Tian Xu was serving as 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 Weibo Circuit and ruling it semi-independently from the imperial government. He was Tian Xu's sixth son, out of 11. As Tian Chengsi found his nephew (Tian Xu's cousin) Tian Yue
Tian Yue
Tian Yue , formally the Prince of Jiyang , was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty who, from 782 to 784, claimed the title of Prince of Wei independent from the Tang regime...
to be more capable than his own sons, he had Tian Yue serve as his deputy and intended heir, having his sons assist Tian Yue. After Tian Chengsi died in 779
779
Year 779 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 779 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Europe :* Offa of Mercia defeats Cynewulf of Wessex...
, Tian Yue succeeded him as the military governor of Weibo Circuit with permission from Emperor Daizong, and Tian Xu thereafter served under Tian Yue.
Service under Tian Yue
Because Tian Yue was thankful to Tian Chengsi for raising him and passing the circuit to him, he treated Tian Xu and his brothers with kindness. He put Tian Xu in charge of the headquarter guards. It was said that Tian Xu was violent and often committed crimes, but Tian Yue did not have the heart to give him heavy punishment, although on one occasion he whipped Tian Xu and briefly detained him, drawing resentment from Tian Xu. Tian Xu also resented Tian Yue because Tian Yue, frugal by nature, restricted his family members' monetary expenditures, such that Tian Xu felt that the expenditures were insufficient for him.In 781
781
Year 781 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 781 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Asia :* July 31 – The oldest recorded eruption...
, Tian Yue, along with several other military governors, rose in rebellion against Emperor Daizong's son and successor Emperor Dezong
Emperor Dezong of Tang
Emperor Dezong of Tang , personally name Li Kuo , was an emperor of the Chinese Tang Dynasty and the oldest son of his father Emperor Daizong. His reign of 26 years was the third longest in the Tang dynasty...
, but by 784
784
Year 784 was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 784 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Asia :* The Japanese capital moves away from Nara,...
, Emperor Dezong, who was then in desperate straits due to the rebellion at the 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...
by Zhu Ci
Zhu Ci
Zhu Ci was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty. He initially served as military governor of Lulong Circuit , but later became a general for the imperial government...
, issued a general pardon. Tian Yue accepted the general pardon, along with his allies Wang Wujun
Wang Wujun
Wang Wujun , courtesy name Yuanying , né Monuogan , formally Prince Zhonglie of Langye , was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a long-time Jiedushi of Chengde Circuit during the reign of Emperor Dezong and ruling Chengde in a de facto independent manner...
and Li Na
Li Na (Tang Dynasty)
Li Na , formally the Prince of Longxi , was a general of the Chinese Tang Dynasty. Inheriting the post from his father Li Zhengji, he served as the military governor of Pinglu Circuit semi-independently from the imperial government.- Background :Li Na was born in 758, during the reign of...
, and they turned against another ally, Zhu Tao
Zhu Tao
Zhu Tao , formally the Prince of Tongyi , was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty who initially served imperial causes during the reigns of Emperor Daizong and Emperor Dezong, but later turned against imperial rule in alliance with Wang Wujun, Tian Yue, and Li Na...
(Zhu Ci's brother), who had not accepted the pardon. After Tian Yue's submission, Emperor Dezong sent the imperial official Kong Chaofu (孔巢父) to Weibo to meet with Tian Yue, to thank him for his allegiance and to encourage the troops. Meanwhile, though, on one night in spring 784, while Kong was still at Weibo, Tian Xu was complaining to his brothers and nephews about Tian Yue, while he was drunk. When the nephew tried to stop his complaints, he killed his nephew. After he became sober, he realized what he had done, and worried that Tian Yue would kill him when he found out. He therefore took his followers, went to Tian Yue's headquarters, and killed Tian Yue, Tian Yue's mother, wife, and children. He then, issuing orders in Tian Yue's name, summoned Tian Yue's staff members Hu E (扈崿), Xu Shize (許士則), and Jiang Ji (蔣濟). When they arrived, Tian Xu killed them as well. However, Tian Xu then panicked and fled out of Weibo's capital prefecture Wei Prefecture (魏州). The senior officers Xing Caojun (邢曹俊) and Meng Xiyou (孟希祐), however, chased him down and offered the military governorship to him, as Tian Xu's only remaining older brother, Tian Guan (田綸), was also killed in the disturbance. Tian Xu then declared that it was another officer, Liu Zhongxin (劉忠信), who had assassinated Tian Yue, and took over control of the circuit. Kong then commissioned him as the acting military governor. (The soldiers found out a few days later that it was actually Tian Xu who carried out the assassination, but by that point Tian Xu was firmly in control.)
As acting Jiedushi and then Jiedushi
Zhu Tao, who was then attacking Weibo, was pleased to hear of Tian Yue's death and remarked that heaven was punishing Tian Yue through Tian Xu for his betrayal. He sent messengers to Tian Xu, offering an alliance; initially, Tian Xu agreed. However, after Tian Xu had more control of the situation in Weibo, both Li Baozhen and Wang Wujun sent messengers reaffirming that they were going to continue to uphold the alliance Tian Yue entered with them. His staff members Zeng Mu (曾穆) and Lu Nanshi (盧南史) persuaded him to remain faithful to the imperial camp, pointing out that the army of Zhu's Lulong Circuit (盧龍, headquartered in modern BeijingBeijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
) had already laid waste to Weibo to the people's detriment. Tian Xu agreed with them and sent messengers to Emperor Dezong, pledging his loyalty. Emperor Dezong commissioned him as the military governor of Weibo. Soon thereafter, Li Baozhen and Wang defeated Zhu, forcing him to retreat back to Lulong.
In 785
785
Year 785 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. The article denomination 785 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years...
, Emperor Dezong gave his sister Princess Jiacheng in marriage to Tian Xu. She did not bear him any sons, but his concubines bore him three sons — Tian Jihe (田季和), Tian Jizhi (田季智), and Tian Ji'an
Tian Ji'an
Tian Ji'an , courtesy name Kui , formally the Prince of Yanmen , was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who, as military governor , ruled Weibo Circuit in a de facto independent manner from the imperial regime.- Background :Tian Ji'an was born in 781 or...
. Although Tian Ji'an was the youngest, Princess Jiacheng adopted him as her child, and therefore, eventually, he became designated as Tian Xu's heir.
Meanwhile, Tian Xu was said to be cruel and extravagant as military governor, as he was wasteful and spent much time in drinking and sexual relations — activities that, while Tian Yue was alive, Tian Yue had curbed him from. In 790
790
Year 790 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 790 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Byzantine Empire :* A revolt against Empress Irene...
, there were rumors that Li Na, who governed Pinglu Circuit (平盧, headquartered 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...
), whom Tian Xu's older brother Tian Chao (田朝) served under as prefect of Qi Prefecture (齊州, in modern Ji'nan, 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...
), was planning to escort Tian Chao back to Weibo to vie for control of Weibo Circuit. Tian Xu feared this, and, under suggestion by his staff member Sun Guangzuo (孫光佐), he sent gifts to Li Na to please him and persuade him to send Tian Chao to Chang'an — and further suggested Li Na to accept the surrender of the prefect of Di Prefecture (棣州, in modern Binzhou
Binzhou
Binzhou is a prefecture-level city in northern Shandong province, People's Republic of China. Sitting on the northern bank of the Yellow River with two arms extended to the southern bank, Binzhou borders the provincial capital of Jinan to the southwest, Dezhou to the west, Zibo 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...
), Zhao Gao (趙鎬), who had previously submitted to Wang's Chengde Circuit (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...
) but who later refused to follow Wang's orders. Li Na therefore accepted Zhao's surrender and took Di Prefecture, despite Wang's attacks. Tian further cemented the relationship with Li Na by sending Sun to Pinglu's headquarters at Yun Prefecture (鄆州), announcing an imperial edict (which Tian Xu had forged) declaring Di Prefecture to be part of Pinglu Circuit. In anger, Wang sent his son Wang Shiqing (王士清) to attack Weibo's Bei Prefecture (貝州, 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...
), occupying four counties of Bei Prefecture. In winter 790, Emperor Dezong, wanting to put an end to the campaigns between these circuits, ordered Li Na to return Di Prefecture to Chengde; Li Na demanded that Wang return the four counties of Bei Prefecture to Weibo first. Wang did so, and subsequently, Li Na returned Di Prefecture to Chengde.
In 794
794
Year 794 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 794 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Asia :* Kyoto becomes the Japanese capital, ending...
, after Li Baozhen's death, his Zhaoyi Circuit (昭義, 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....
) fell into internal warfare between Emperor Dezong's appointed successor for Li Baozhen, Wang Qianxiu (王虔休), and Yuan Yi (元誼), the prefect of Ming Prefecture (洺州, in modern Handan). The battles waged on for more than a year, but by spring 796
796
Year 796 was a leap year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 796 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Europe :* December – Coenwulf becomes king of...
, Yuan had run out of strength, and he took 5,000 soldiers, as well as their families, and fled to Wei Prefecture. Emperor Dezong did not request Tian to give Yuan up, and instead ordered Tian to accept them, thus allowing Tian to take over those troops. Soon thereafter, as part of Emperor Dezong's bestowing of various honors on many military governors, he bestowed the honorary chancellor designation of Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事) on Tian.
In summer 796, Tian Xu died suddenly. Initially, his staff members kept the death secret, and they supported Tian Ji'an, then age 14, to succeed him. Five days later, they publicly announced Tian Xu's death, and Tian Ji'an claimed the title of acting military governor, an act that Emperor Dezong later approved.