Do you know how Zhu Wen ascended to the throne? Next, the History Encyclopedia editor will explain to you
The Tang Dynasty rose up in Taiyuan from Li Yuan, and a series of prosperous times were created by several enlightened monarchs thereafter. But after the An Lushan Rebellion, the country’s fortunes took a sharp turn for the worse.
When the throne passed to the 18th emperor of the Tang Dynasty, Tang Xizong, a treacherous and loyal Tang tomb digger stepped onto the stage of history. He was the terminator of the Tang Dynasty and the founding emperor of Later Liang, Zhu Wen.
Zhu Wen was born into a family of teachers and originally came from a very affluent family background. Unfortunately, my father died early and our family became poor. In order to survive, my mother had to take a few children and become a hired worker for a wealthy local family named Liu Chong to make a living.
Although Zhu Wen’s family background is not good, he often boasts of himself as a hero in front of others and never helps his mother with farm work. He is often beaten and scolded by Liu Chong, which makes many people dislike him. (Not engaged in business, but proud of their bravery, which many people in the community dislike. Admired for their laziness, every time they are punished with a staff. See “New History of the Five Dynasties, Volume 1”.)·
The First Chronicles of Liang
During the reign of Emperor Xizong of Tang, the Huangchao Uprising broke out, and the rebel army soon captured the Tang capital Chang’an. Emperor Xizong fled to Chengdu, and the situation of the rebel army was very good. Zhu Wen believed that the opportunity to change his destiny had arrived, so he joined Huang Chao’s army with his brother.
After enlisting, Zhu Wen was like a fish in water and made numerous military achievements. But he soon discovered that Huang Chao’s army was demoralized and felt that there was no way out in such an army, so he surrendered to the Tang Dynasty.
In September of the second year of Zhonghe (882 AD), Zhu Wen conspired to kill Yan Shi, the military governor of Huang Chao, and led his troops to surrender to Tang Dynasty general Wang Chongrong. Wang Chongrong quickly reported this matter to Tang Xizong on the same day.
Emperor Xizong of Tang had long heard of the great name of Zhu Wen. Upon hearing that Zhu Wen was about to surrender to the Tang Dynasty, he was greatly pleased and issued an edict conferring upon him a high position and the name “Quanzhong” in order to completely win his heart and make him wholeheartedly serve the Tang Dynasty. From then on, Zhu Wen was invincible in battles and attacks, and was quickly defeated
Appointed as the Governor of Bianzhou and the Military Governor of Xuanwu, Zhu Wen quickly led his troops to drive Huang Chao away from Chang’an and recaptured the imperial city.
Later, Zhu Wen made great contributions to the Tang Dynasty and was highly regarded by Emperor Xizong of Tang.
After the death of Emperor Xizong of Tang, his younger brother Li Ye succeeded to the throne and became Emperor Zhaozong of Tang.
In November of the third year of Guanghua (900 AD), eunuchs such as Liu Jishu launched a mutiny and imprisoned Emperor Zhaozong of Tang, appointing Crown Prince Li Yu as emperor.
At the beginning of the following year, Zhu Wen, together with Prime Minister Cui Yin and others, executed Liu Jishu and welcomed the restoration of Emperor Zhaozong. Zhu Wen was awarded the title of Dongping King for his meritorious service in protecting his carriage.
From then on, Zhu Wen gained great power, making Emperor Zhaozong gradually his puppet.
Emperor Zhaozong had no choice but to obey Zhu Wen’s orders to save his life. Soon after, Zhu Wen executed more than 700 eunuchs who opposed him, dealing a heavy blow to the power of eunuchs who had monopolized power since the mid Tang Dynasty. As a result, Zhu Wen was appointed as the Grand Commandant, concurrently serving as the Commander in Chief of the Imperial Secretariat, the Military Governor of Xuanwu, and the Deputy Marshal of the Army and Horses of various provinces. He was also promoted to the rank of Prince Liang, and his power immediately soared.
In order to further isolate Emperor Zhaozong of Tang, Zhu Wen brought him to Luoyang and executed former Tang court officials such as Prime Minister Cui Yin and Jingzhao Yin Zheng Yuangui, as well as the six army guards, making Emperor Zhaozong completely under Zhu Wen’s control.
Zhu Wen’s rebellious behavior aroused opposition from local powerful factions such as Li Keyong in Hedong, Li Maozhen in Fengxiang, Wang Jian in Xichuan, and Zhao Kuangning in Xiangyang. They launched an attack against Zhu Wen, and Zhu Wen was afraid in his heart. He killed Emperor Zhaozong of Tang and proclaimed his ninth son Li Zhu as emperor, known as Emperor Aizong of Tang. The following year, he also executed Li Yu.
In order to further eradicate his ambitious plan to declare himself emperor, he then slaughtered more than thirty courtiers led by Pei Shu at the White Horse Inn in Huazhou, and threw their bodies into the rolling Yellow River. The history of this mutiny is known as the ‘White Horse Post Disaster’, and after this disaster, the Tang Dynasty had already ceased to exist in name only.
In April of the fourth year of Tianyou (907 AD), Zhu Wen forced Emperor Ai of Tang to abdicate and officially enthroned him as Emperor Taizu of Later Liang.
Not long after Zhu Wendeng ascended to the throne, he deposed the 17-year-old Emperor Ai of Tang and killed him the following year.
So this great traitor, who was originally known as a loyal minister by the Tang Dynasty emperor and given the name “Quanzhong”, ended the 300 year long Tang Dynasty and introduced history into the darkest and most chaotic period of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms.
In the unprecedented chaos of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, the emperors rotated rapidly like lanterns, and all the emperors were short-lived. In his later years, Zhu Wen was ordered by his son Zhu Yougui to be killed by a groom due to the issue of succession to the throne. This despicable and chaotic warlord received the fate he deserved.
