Shi Chonggui

Shi Chonggui () (914–974), known in traditional Chinese historical sources as Emperor Chu of Later Jin (後晉出帝, "the exiled emperor") or Emperor Shao of Later Jin (後晉少帝, "the young emperor"), posthumously known in the Liao dynasty as the Prince of Jin (), was the second and last emperor of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period state Later Jin.

The Later Jin dynasty had often been characterized as a puppet state of the emerging Khitan-led Liao dynasty. The help of their powerful northern neighbors was vital in the formation of the Later Jin, and the cession of the Sixteen Prefectures led to their derision as being the servants of the Liao dynasty. However, after the death of his biological uncle/adoptive father Shi Jingtang (Later Jin's founding emperor) in 942, Shi Chonggui defied Liao's Emperor Taizong, which led to the latter invading the territory of the Later Jin in 946 and 947, resulting in the destruction of the Later Jin.

Background

Shi Chonggui was born in 914, at the Fenyang Neighborhood () of Taiyuan, during the rule of Li Cunxu the Prince of Jin. His father was Shi Jingru (), and his mother was Lady An, likely Shi Jingru's wife. Shi Jingru served as a cavalry officer under Li Cunxu, but died early, so Shi Jingru's brother Shi Jingtang, a son-in-law of Li Cunxu's adoptive brother and major general Li Siyuan, adopted Shi Chonggui as a son. During later times when Shi Jingtang served as a military governor (''Jiedushi'') of a number of circuits during the time of Jin's successor state Later Tang, Shi Jingtang took him to the various circuits and gave him responsibilities. It was said that his appearance was similar to Shi Jingtang, but he was shorter in stature.''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 280. Other than Shi Chonggui, Shi Jingtang had six other sons, five of whom were biological.'' New History of the Five Dynasties'', vol. 17.

After Shi Jingtang received the command of Hedong Circuit (河東, headquartered at Taiyuan) in 932, late in the reign of Li Siyuan as Later Tang's emperor,''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 278. he had one Wang Zhen () teach Shi Chonggui about the '' Book of Rites'', but Shi Chonggui was unable to understand it, stating to Wang, "This is not relevant to my family's business." While Shi Jingtang held the Hedong command, he had Shi Chonggui marry the oldest daughter of the general Zhang Congxun ().''Old History of the Five Dynasties'', vol. 91. (Lady Zhang would pass away sometime before Shi Chonggui eventually became emperor, but it is not otherwise clear when.)

In 936, Shi Jingtang rose in rebellion against then-Later Tang emperor Li Congke (Li Siyuan's adoptive son and Shi Jingtang's brother-in-law). As a result, a number of Shi Jingtang's relatives, including two sons, were executed by Li Congke. (The two sons were recorded in the '' New History of the Five Dynasties'' as Shi Chongying () and Shi Chongyin (), and in the ''Zizhi Tongjian'' as Shi Chongyin () and Shi Chongyi ().) During the subsequent siege of Taiyuan by the Later Tang general Zhang Jingda, Shi Chonggui personally helped to guard Shi Jingtang. Subsequently, a relief army from Khitan Empire's Emperor Taizong came to Shi Jingtang's aid and crushed Zhang's army, allowing the siege on Taiyuan to be lifted. Emperor Taizong subsequently declared Shi Jingtang to be the emperor of central China (as the founder of a new state of Later Jin).

During Shi Jingtang's reign

Shortly after Shi Jingtang's being proclaimed emperor, the Later Tang army, trapped by the Khitan/Later Jin forces, surrendered after Zhang Jingda's deputy Yang Guangyuan assassinated Zhang. Emperor Taizong and Shi Jingtang prepared to advance south, toward the Later Tang capital Luoyang. Shi Jingtang was prepared to leave one son at Taiyuan to serve as the titular defender, and he called out all of his sons for Emperor Taizong to choose. Emperor Taizong chose Shi Chonggui, stating, "This large-eyed child can be it." Shi Jingtang thereafter left Shi Chonggui in charge at Taiyuan, giving him the titles of defender of the northern capital (i.e., Taiyuan), mayor of Taiyuan, and military governor of Hedong. Subsequently, as the joint Khitan/Later Jin forces approached Luoyang, Li Congke, finding the situation hopeless, committed suicide with his family, ending Later Tang. Shi Jingtang then entered Luoyang unopposed. Still, the realm was not calmed, and in one of the rebellions against Shi Jingtang in 937, the general Zhang Congbin () killed two more sons of Shi Jingtang's, Shi Chongxin () and Shi Chong'ai ().''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 281. As another son of Shi Jingtang's, Shi Chonggao (), had died in childhood, all that were left of Shi Jingtang's sons at this point, other than Shi Chonggui, was Shi Chongrui (). Later in 937, Shi Jingtang summoned Shi Chonggui to then-capital Kaifeng, and made him an imperial guard general. In 938, he made Shi Chonggui the mayor of Kaifeng and created him the Prince of Zheng.

In late 941, Shi Jingtang, in anticipation of a possible rebellion by An Chongrong the military governor of Chengde Circuit (成德, headquartered in modern Shijiazhuang, Hebei), decided to head to Yedu (鄴都, in modern Handan, Hebei), so that he could better coordinate the operations against An Chongrong if the rebellion occurred. He left Shi Chonggui in charge of Kaifeng as its defender. However, he was also apprehensive that An Congjin the military governor of Shannan East Circuit (山南東道, headquartered in modern Xiangyang, Hubei), would rebel as well. At the advice of the chancellor He Ning, Shi Jingtang left a number of signed, blank edicts, so that Shi Chonggui could react quickly if An Congjin did rebel. When An Congjin did rebel after Shi Jingtang left Kaifeng, Shi Chonggui was thus able to commission the necessary generals, with Gao Xingzhou in overall command, to attack An Congjin. Shortly after, Shi Jingtang summoned Shi Chonggui to Yedu and made the defender of Yedu, Li Dechong (), the defender of Kaifeng. After Shi Chonggui arrived at Yedu, Shi Jingtang made him the defender of Yedu and changed his princely title to Prince of Qi.''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 282. Both An Chongrong and An Congjin were subsequently defeated; An Chongrong was killed by his subordinates, while An Congjin committed suicide.

In summer 942, Shi Jingtang fell seriously ill. He summoned the senior chancellor Feng Dao, and then had Shi Chongrui come out to bow to Feng, and then put Shi Chongrui into Feng's lap, intending to show that he wanted Shi Chongrui to inherit the throne with Feng guiding the young emperor. However, after Shi Jingtang subsequently died, Feng, in consultation with the imperial guard general Jing Yanguang, concluded that as the realm was not calm yet, an older emperor was needed, so they supported Shi Chonggui, who then took the throne.

Reign

Shi Chonggui honored his adoptive mother Empress Li as empress dowager, and his biological mother Lady An as consort dowager. It was said that he served both of them with filial piety. However, he displeased Empress Dowager Li when he, even while observing a mourning period for Shi Jingtang, married his deceased biological uncle/adoptive brother Shi Chongyin ()'s widow, Lady Feng, as his wife. He subsequently created Lady Feng empress.

As Jing Yanguang was considered instrumental in Shi Chonggui's ascending to the throne, Jing, who was made a chancellor, became highly influential early in his administration. Under Jing's advocacy, Shi Chonggui abandoned Shi Jingtang's respectful subservience to the Khitan (whose state had since been renamed Liao) and took a more defiant stance. As an initial sign of that defiance, Shi Chonggui's did not submit a ''report'' to Emperor Taizong of his succession, but instead wrote a ''letter'' (indicating equal status and not subservience) in which he referred to himself as "grandson" (as Shi Jingtang had earlier honored Emperor Taizong as "father") but not as "your subject." This angered Emperor Taizong, who sent emissaries to rebuke Shi Chonggui, but to whom Jing responded insolently. The major Khitan general Zhao Yanshou, who had previously been a major Later Tang general and who wanted to replace the Later Jin emperor as the emperor of the Central Plains, thus advocated to Emperor Taizong that he consider a campaign against Later Jin. The situation was further aggravated when Jing persuaded Shi Chonggui to arrest the Liao trade liaison Qiao Rong (), execute Khitan merchants, and confiscate their properties, causing Emperor Taizong to be resolved to act against Later Jin.

In early 944, Emperor Taizong led a major invasion into Later Jin territory, and quickly reached Yedu. When Shi sent emissaries to the Liao camp to try to sue for peace, Emperor Taizong rejected the overture. Yang Guangyuan, then the military governor of Pinglu Circuit (平盧, headquartered in modern Weifang, Shandong), subsequently rebelled in coordination with Liao. Shi commissioned a number of generals to resist the Liao attack, and himself also commanded troops, and, when the generals Gao Xingzhou, Fu Yanqing, and Shi Gongba () were put under siege by Liao troops at Qicheng (戚城, in modern Puyang, Henan