Kong Xun () (884
['']New History of the Five Dynasties
The ''Historical Records of the Five Dynasties'' (''Wudai Shiji'') is a Chinese history book on the Five Dynasties period (907–960), written by the Song dynasty official Ouyang Xiu in private. It was drafted during Ouyang's exile from 1036 t ...
'', vol. 43.-April 4, 931
['']Zizhi Tongjian
The ''Zizhi Tongjian'' (1084) is a chronicle published during the Northern Song dynasty (960–1127) that provides a record of Chinese history from 403 BC to 959 AD, covering 16 dynasties and spanning almost 1400 years. The main text is ...
'', vol. 277.Academia Sinica
Academia Sinica (AS, ; zh, t=中央研究院) is the national academy of the Taiwan, Republic of China. It is headquartered in Nangang District, Taipei, Nangang, Taipei.
Founded in Nanjing, the academy supports research activities in mathemat ...
br>Chinese-Western Calendar Converter
), known early in his life as Zhao Yinheng (), also having used surnames of Li () and Zhu () early in life, was an official of the
Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period states
Later Liang and
Later Tang
Tang, known in historiography as the Later Tang, was a short-lived imperial dynasty of China and the second of the Five Dynasties during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period in Chinese history.
The first three of the Later Tang's four ...
. He became prominent during the reign of
Emperor Mingzong of Later Tang due to his alliance with Emperor Mingzong's trusted advisor
An Chonghui, but later had a fallout with An, was ejected from the central government, and would not return to it toward the end of his life.
Background
Kong Xun was born in 884, during the reign of
Emperor Xizong of Tang
Emperor Xizong of Tang (June 8, 862 – April 20, 888), né Li Yan, later name changed to Li Xuan (, changed 873), was an emperor of China's Tang dynasty. He reigned from 873 to 888. He was the fifth son of his predecessor Emperor Yizong and ...
, but his ancestry and home territory has been lost to history, as was his original personal name. He became an orphan early in his life, and gradually ended up in Bian Prefecture (汴州, in modern
Kaifeng
Kaifeng ( zh, s=开封, p=Kāifēng) is a prefecture-level city in east-Zhongyuan, central Henan province, China. It is one of the Historical capitals of China, Eight Ancient Capitals of China, having been the capital eight times in history, and ...
,
Henan
Henan; alternatively Honan is a province in Central China. Henan is home to many heritage sites, including Yinxu, the ruins of the final capital of the Shang dynasty () and the Shaolin Temple. Four of the historical capitals of China, Lu ...
). He was taken into the household of a rich man named Li Rang (), and Li raised him as an adoptive son. Later, when
Zhu Quanzhong
Emperor Taizu of Later Liang (), personal name Zhu Quanzhong () (December 5, 852 – July 18, 912), né Zhu Wen (), name later changed to Zhu Huang (), nickname Zhu San (朱三, literally, "the third Zhu"), was a Chinese military general, mona ...
became the military governor (''
Jiedushi
The ''jiedushi'' (, Old Turkic: Tarduş) or jiedu, was a regional military governor in China; the title was established in the Tang dynasty and abolished in the Yuan dynasty. The post of ''jiedushi'' has been translated as "military commissi ...
'') of Xuanwu Circuit (宣武, headquartered at Bian Prefecture), Li became an adoptive son of Zhu's, and so Kong also changed his family name to Zhu. As he grew older, he served in Zhu Quanzhong's army, and became favored by a
wet nurse
A wet nurse is a woman who breastfeeding, breastfeeds and cares for another's child. Wet nurses are employed if the mother dies, if she is unable to nurse the child herself sufficiently or chooses not to do so. Wet-nursed children may be known a ...
of one of Zhu Quanzhong's sons. She thus took him as an adoptive son, and as her husband's family name was Zhao, Kong took the family name of Zhao and a new personal name of Yinheng.
[
In 904, Zhu Quanzhong, who then had ]Emperor Zhaozong of Tang
Emperor Zhaozong of Tang (March 31, 867 – September 22, 904), né Li Jie, name later changed to Li Min and again to Li Ye, was the penultimate emperor of China's Tang dynasty. He reigned from 888 to 904 (although he was briefly deposed by the ...
under his control, forced the Tang emperor to move the capital from Chang'an
Chang'an (; zh, t=長安, s=长安, p=Cháng'ān, first=t) is the traditional name of the city now named Xi'an and was the capital of several Chinese dynasties, ranging from 202 BCE to 907 CE. The site has been inhabited since Neolithic time ...
to Luoyang
Luoyang ( zh, s=洛阳, t=洛陽, p=Luòyáng) is a city located in the confluence area of the Luo River and the Yellow River in the west of Henan province, China. Governed as a prefecture-level city, it borders the provincial capital of Zheng ...
, which was more firmly under his control. Once Emperor Zhaozong arrived in Luoyang, all of the palace personnel were commissioned by Zhu, so that Zhu could tightly control the palace affairs. Zhao Yinheng became one of the deputy directors of palace affairs (宣徽副使, ''Xuanhui Fushi''), under the director Wang Yin (). While serving in that office, he participated in plotting, at Zhu's order, the assassination of Emperor Zhaozong in late 904, along with Jiang Xuanhui () and Zhang Tingfan ().[ (Emperor Zhaozong was succeeded by his young son Emperor Ai.)][''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 265.]
During the reign of Emperor Ai of Tang
In 905, Zhu Quanzhong was in preparation of seizing the imperial throne. Jiang Xuanhui, Zhang Tingfan, and another of Zhu's associates, the chancellor
Chancellor () is a title of various official positions in the governments of many countries. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the (lattice work screens) of a basilica (court hall), which separa ...
Liu Can
Liu Can (died September 318( ��兴元年��月,粲治兵于上林,谋讨石勒。以丞相曜为相国、都督中外诸军事,仍镇长安;靳准为大将军、录尚书事。粲常游宴后宫。军国之事,一决于准。准矫诏� ...
, thus were preparing various traditional ceremonial steps for the dynastic transition, including the creation of Zhu to a princely title greater than the Prince of Liang title that he carried at that time and also the bestowment of the nine bestowments. Zhu, however, was impatient and wanted the transition to be speeded up. Wang Yin and Zhao Yinheng were jealous of Jiang and wanted to replace him, and so they submitted false accusations to Zhu stating that Jiang and Liu were using these ceremonies to try to extend Tang's dynastic life, hoping for a change in circumstances. Zhu believed in the accusations, and shortly after had Jiang, Liu, and Zhang arrested and executed. Wang and Zhao then further falsely accused Emperor Ai's mother Empress Dowager He of having an affair with Jiang; she thereafter was also killed by Wang and Zhao under secret order from Zhu.[ Zhu thereafter had Emperor Ai yield the throne to him in 907, ending Tang and starting a new Later Liang as its Emperor Taizu.][''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 266.]
During Later Liang
Sometime during Later Liang, Zhao Yinheng changed his family name back to Kong and took a new personal name of Xun. Among the offices he served in were defender of Ru Prefecture (汝州, in modern Zhumadian
Zhumadian ( zh, s= , t= , p=Zhùmǎdiàn; Postal romanization, postal: Chumatien) is a prefecture-level city in southern Henan province of China, province, China. It borders Xinyang to the south, Nanyang, Henan, Nanyang to the west, Pingdingshan to ...
, Henan
Henan; alternatively Honan is a province in Central China. Henan is home to many heritage sites, including Yinxu, the ruins of the final capital of the Shang dynasty () and the Shaolin Temple. Four of the historical capitals of China, Lu ...
), general of the imperial guards, and director of material pricing (租庸使, ''Zuyongshi''), but it is not clear what the exact progression of his offices were.[
]
During Later Tang
During Emperor Zhuangzong's reign and aftermaths
After Later Liang was destroyed by its archrival Later Tang
Tang, known in historiography as the Later Tang, was a short-lived imperial dynasty of China and the second of the Five Dynasties during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period in Chinese history.
The first three of the Later Tang's four ...
in 923,[''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 272.] Kong Xun became a subject of Later Tang's Emperor Zhuangzong, and as of 924 was serving as a general of the imperial guards. That year, the Later Tang director of material pricing Wang Zhengyan () suffered a stroke. Under the recommendation of Emperor Zhuangzong's favored performer Jing Jin (), Emperor Zhuangzong promoted Wang's deputy Kong Qian to be director, with Kong Xun serving as his deputy. For the rest of Emperor Zhuangzong's reign, Kong Qian became known for inflicting heavy taxation on the people so that he could increase the emperor's personal wealth, which caused the people's anger against Emperor Zhuangzong; how much involvement Kong Xun had in Kong Qian's oppressive tax scheme is unclear.[''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 273.]
As of 926, Kong Xun was serving as the acting prefect of Bian Prefecture, when Emperor Zhuangzong was facing multiple rebellions against him due to the resentment of the people and his own generals. One of the chief rebels was Emperor Zhuangzong's adoptive brother Li Siyuan
Li Siyuan (李嗣源, later changed to Li Dan (李亶)) (10 October 867 – 15 December 933), also known by his temple name as the Emperor Mingzong of Later Tang (後唐明宗), was the second emperor of the Later Tang dynasty of China, reign ...
, who had rebelled at Yedu (鄴都, in modern Handan
Handan is a prefecture-level city located in the southwest of Hebei province, China. The southernmost prefecture-level city of the province, it borders Xingtai on the north, and the provinces of Shanxi on the west, Henan on the south and Shando ...
, Hebei
Hebei is a Provinces of China, province in North China. It is China's List of Chinese administrative divisions by population, sixth-most populous province, with a population of over 75 million people. Shijiazhuang is the capital city. It bor ...
) (under duress by his own subordinates, according to traditional sources). Li Siyuan was advancing south from Yedu toward Bian Prefecture, while Emperor Zhuangzong was trying to head from the capital Luoyang to Bian Prefecture to cut off Li Siyuan's advance. Kong decided to play both sides, so he sent emissaries to both Emperor Zhuangzong and Li Siyuan welcoming them, while secretly informing his subordinates, "Whoever gets here first will get to enter." Li Siyuan arrived at Bian Prefecture first, so he welcomed Li Siyuan into the city.[ When Emperor Zhuangzong realized this, he returned to Luoyang,][''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 274.] where he was then killed in a mutiny headed by the officer Guo Congqian (). Li Siyuan subsequently entered Luoyang and was initially declared regent
In a monarchy, a regent () is a person appointed to govern a state because the actual monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge their powers and duties, or the throne is vacant and a new monarch has not yet been dete ...
(while Li Siyuan was still pondering whether to take the throne himself or to offer the throne to Emperor Zhuangzong's son Li Jiji, who was then returning from the campaign in which Later Tang forces conquered Former Shu
Great Shu ( zh, c=大蜀, p=Dàshǔ), known in historiography as the Former Shu ( zh, c=前蜀, p=Qiánshǔ, links=no) or occasionally Wang Shu (王蜀), was a dynastic state of China and one of the Ten Kingdoms during the Five Dynasties and ...
). Under the recommendation of Li Siyuan's ally Li Shaozhen, Li Siyuan made Kong Xun his chief of staff ('' Shumishi'') when the carryover chief of staff Zhang Juhan requested retirement. Shortly after, when Li Jiji's own officers turned against him, Li Jiji committed suicide, so Li Siyuan prepared to take the throne. Li Shaozhen and Kong advocated that he end the use of the Tang dynastic name, but under the advice of the official Li Qi, Li Siyuan decided to retain the Tang dynastic name, taking the throne in the role of Emperor Zhuangzong's heir (as Emperor Mingzong).[''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 275.]
During Emperor Mingzong's reign
Shortly after Emperor Mingzong took the throne, the Bian Prefecture officer Zhang Jian () started a mutiny there, but the mutiny was quickly suppressed by the general Li Yanrao (). Emperor Mingzong briefly put Kong Xun in charge of Bian Prefecture, and he arrested the mutineers' family members — some 3,000 households — and slaughtered them.[
Meanwhile, Kong developed an alliance with fellow chief of staff An Chonghui, who was a close associate of Emperor Mingzong's and who was very powerful in his administration. As An believed that Kong was experienced in dealing with administrative matters, he often listened to Kong's suggestions. After Emperor Mingzong removed the carryover chancellors Doulu Ge and Wei Yue, he was considering whom to commission as chancellors. Kong did not like the idea of having more chancellors from north of the ]Yellow River
The Yellow River, also known as Huanghe, is the second-longest river in China and the List of rivers by length, sixth-longest river system on Earth, with an estimated length of and a Drainage basin, watershed of . Beginning in the Bayan H ...
(i.e., from the region of Later Tang's predecessor state Jin, as opposed to the former Later Liang realm south of the Yellow River), and so was recommending Zheng Jue and Cui Xie, while the chancellor Ren Huan recommended Li Qi. Zheng was made chancellor, but Kong wanted Cui to be made chancellor as well, and so accused Li Qi of corruption. As a result, Emperor Mingzong commissioned Cui and Feng Dao as chancellors in spring 927. Shortly after, Emperor Mingzong also gave chancellor designations to An and Kong.[
After Emperor Zhuangzong's death, Gao Jixing the military governor of Jingnan Circuit (荊南, headquartered in modern ]Jingzhou
Jingzhou ( zh, s=, c=荆州, t=, p=Jīngzhōu) is a prefecture-level city in southern Hubei province, China, located on the banks of the Yangtze River. Its total residential population was 5,231,180 based on the Seventh National Population Censu ...
, Hubei
Hubei is a province of China, province in Central China. It has the List of Chinese provincial-level divisions by GDP, seventh-largest economy among Chinese provinces, the second-largest within Central China, and the third-largest among inland ...
) the Prince of Nanping
Nanping; historically known as Yanping ( zh, s=延平, poj=Iân-pêng is a third-tier prefecture-level city in northwestern Fujian province of China, Province, China, People's Republic of China. It borders Ningde to the east, Sanming to the sou ...
, who was already acting somewhat independently of the imperial government, became even more independent-acting, including attacking nearby prefectures and taking them under his control. Emperor Mingzong, in anger, declared a general campaign against Gao, with the general Liu Xun () in command. Liu put Jingnan's capital Jiangling under siege, but was unable to capture it quickly due to its strong defenses, and many soldiers and officers, including Liu himself, began to suffer from illnesses. In summer 927, Emperor Mingzong sent Kong to the Jiangling front to review the matter. Kong sent emissaries to Gao, trying to persuade him to surrender, but Gao refused. With Jiangling's defense holding, Emperor Mingzong was forced to recall Liu's army.[
In 927, when Emperor Mingzong was visiting Bian Prefecture, he left Kong in charge of Luoyang.][''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 276.] During this time, there was a commoner at Luoyang who violated the ban against private brewing of liquors (which was a state monopoly), and Kong reacted by slaughtering his entire family. Emperor Mingzong viewed this as a gross injustice (although he apparently did not punish Kong for it) and therefore in 928 ended the liquor monopoly.[
During these years, Kong and An's alliance continued, but it would soon end. Emperor Mingzong was wanting to take a daughter of An's to be the wife for one of his sons, and Kong stated to An, "You, Lord, has responsibilities that are close to the emperor, and it is inappropriate to enter a marital relationship with an imperial prince." An, believing Kong's good faith in advising so, declined Emperor Mingzong's proposal. Meanwhile, though, Kong was ingratiating himself with Emperor Mingzong's favorite concubine Consort Wang, and as a result, Consort Wang proposed to have Emperor Mingzong's son ]Li Conghou
Li Conghou () (914–934), posthumous name Emperor Min of Later Tang (), childhood name Pusanu (菩薩奴, "slave of a Bodhisattva"), was an emperor of the Later Tang dynasty of China, ruling between 933 and 934. He was overthrown by his adopte ...
marry Kong's daughter
A daughter is a female offspring; a girl or a woman in relation to her parents. Daughterhood is the state, condition or quality of being someone's daughter. The male counterpart is a son. Analogously the name is used in several areas to show r ...
. Emperor Mingzong agreed, and when An realized that Kong had, in effect, betrayed him, he became very angry. In spring 928, he had Kong made the military governor of Zhongwu Circuit (忠武, headquartered in modern Xuchang
Xuchang ( zh, s=, t= ; postal: Hsuchang) is a prefecture-level city in central Henan province in Central China. It is bordered by the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the northwest, Kaifeng to the northeast, Zhoukou to the east, Luohe ...
, Henan
Henan; alternatively Honan is a province in Central China. Henan is home to many heritage sites, including Yinxu, the ruins of the final capital of the Shang dynasty () and the Shaolin Temple. Four of the historical capitals of China, Lu ...
), ejecting him from the imperial government, although Kong continued to carry the honorary chancellor title of ''Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi'' () and defender of Luoyang as honorary titles. When Li Chonghou and Kong's daughter married in winter 928, Kong went to Bian Prefecture to attend the ceremony, and Kong tried to get Consort Wang to intercede for him to allow him to stay at the imperial government; An, however, argued vehemently against it, and once the wedding was over, Emperor Mingzong ordered Kong back to Zhongwu.[
Kong was subsequently made the military governor of Henghai Circuit (橫海, headquartered in modern ]Cangzhou
Cangzhou; Jilu Mandarin, locally pronounced as is a prefecture-level city in eastern Hebei province of China, province, People's Republic of China. At the 2020 Chinese census, 2020 census, Cangzhou's built-up (''or metro'') area made of Yunh ...
, Hebei
Hebei is a Provinces of China, province in North China. It is China's List of Chinese administrative divisions by population, sixth-most populous province, with a population of over 75 million people. Shijiazhuang is the capital city. It bor ...
).[ He died in 931, while still serving at Henghai.][ His daughter would later become empress during Li Conghou's brief reign after Emperor Mingzong's death.][''New History of the Five Dynasties'', vol. 15.]
Notes and references
* ''New History of the Five Dynasties
The ''Historical Records of the Five Dynasties'' (''Wudai Shiji'') is a Chinese history book on the Five Dynasties period (907–960), written by the Song dynasty official Ouyang Xiu in private. It was drafted during Ouyang's exile from 1036 t ...
'', vol. 43.
* ''Zizhi Tongjian
The ''Zizhi Tongjian'' (1084) is a chronicle published during the Northern Song dynasty (960–1127) that provides a record of Chinese history from 403 BC to 959 AD, covering 16 dynasties and spanning almost 1400 years. The main text is ...
'', vols. 265
__NOTOC__
Year 265 (Roman numerals, CCLXV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Valerianus and Lucillus (or, less frequently, year 1018 ''Ab urbe condita''). Th ...
, 273, 274
Year 274 (Roman numerals, CCLXXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Aurelianus and Capitolinus (or, less frequently, year 1027 ''Ab urbe condita''). The d ...
, 275, 276, 277.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kong, Xun
884 births
931 deaths
Tang dynasty government officials
Later Liang (Five Dynasties) government officials
Later Tang shumishi
Later Tang chancellors
Zhongwu jiedushi
Henghai jiedushi
Later Tang jiedushi