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130-485: Traditionally, the seeds of the Niu–Li factional strife were seen to have been sown in 808, when Emperor Xianzong held a special imperial examination for the examinees to give honest criticism of government. The officials in charge of the examination, Wei Guanzhi and Yang Yuling (楊於陵), selected three examinees who gave blunt criticism— Niu Sengru , Huangfu Shi (皇甫湜), and Li Zongmin —for top marks. However, Chancellor Li Jifu

260-493: A Nanzhao incursion, as its military governor. It was said that Li Deyu distinguished himself there by building up the defenses, rebuilding the economy, and training the soldiers. In 831, Xidamou (悉怛謀), the Tufan officer in charge of Wei Prefecture (維州, in modern Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture , Sichuan), surrendered Wei Prefecture, which Tufan had captured from Tang decades earlier, to him. Li Deyu advocated accepting

390-550: A crown prince, Emperor Xianzong created his oldest son Li Ning , born of his concubine Consort Ji, crown prince. Also in 809, after the death of another warlord, Wang Shizhen the military governor of Chengde Circuit (成德, headquartered in modern Shijiazhuang , Hebei ), Emperor Xianzong was initially poised to let Wang Shizhen's son Wang Chengzong inherit Chengde, after Wang Chengzong offered to surrender two of his six prefectures to imperial control. However, after Wang Chengzong reneged on his promise, Emperor Xianzong commissioned

520-476: A feast and allowed the imperial general Meng Yuanyang ( 孟元陽 ) to take control of Zhaoyi, Wang agreed to formally submit to Emperor Xianzong, claiming that it was Lu who interfered in his relationship with the imperial government. Emperor Xianzong, seeing that the campaign was making no advances, ended it and made Wang the military governor of Chengde. After the end of the Chengde campaign, Zhang Maozhao ( 張茂昭 )

650-480: A group of assassins to carry out guerilla warfare tactics around the eastern capital Luoyang , to try to disrupt the campaign against Zhangyi and to create a sense of terror among the officials and the people. When the imperial pressure on Zhangyi still being unrelenting, with the imperial generals Wu Chongyin and Li Guangyan frequently dealing Zhangyi troops defeats (although imperial troops were unable to decisively defeat Zhangyi), Li Shidao decided to assassinate

780-630: A key leader of the "Li Party.") Also around that time, the Shatuo tribes, which had long been vassals of Tang's long-term adversary Tufan , fearing that Tufan was set to move them to the interior of the Tufan state, rebelled against Tufan and surrendered to Tang, under the leadership of Zhuxie Zhiyi ( 朱邪執宜 ). They were initially settled at Shuofang Circuit (朔方, headquartered in modern Yinchuan , Ningxia ) and later moved to Hedong Circuit (河東, headquartered in modern Taiyuan , Shanxi ); their chieftains of

910-453: A military governor position when he requested one because of his association with Li Deyu. By this point, the factional struggles between the Niu and Li Factions are considered to have largely come to their end. Emperor Xianzong of Tang Emperor Xianzong of Tang (4 March to 1 April 778 – 14 February 820; r. 805 – 820), personal name Li Chun , né Li Chun ( 李淳 ), was an emperor of

1040-545: A petition in Li Shen's defense, Emperor Jingzong reviewed the palace archives and found that both Du and Li Shen (as well as Pei Du) had also supported him as crown prince, Emperor Jingzong destroyed all the reports accusing Li Shen of crimes, although he did not recall Li Shen to Chang'an. Meanwhile, in 825, Niu Sengru was still serving as chancellor, but he was feeling powerless to stop what he saw as Emperor Jingzong's frivolousness and poor governance. He asked to be sent out of

1170-584: A petition to Li Chun as well requesting that he take power away from Wang Pi, Wang Shuwen, and Li Zhongyan. On August 26, an edict was issued in Emperor Shunzong's name for Li Chun to serve as regent. Thereafter, the imperial officials began to report to Li Chun. On August 31, Emperor Shunzong further issued an edict yielding the throne to Li Chun, taking for himself the title of "Retired Emperor" ( Taishang Huang ) and creating Li Chun's mother Consort Wang "Retired Empress." On September 5, Li Chun took

1300-408: A petition to defend Li Deyu, Ding was nevertheless considered an associate of Li Deyu's and demoted to be a county sheriff, while Cui Jia (崔嘏), whose draft of the imperial edict condemning Li Deyu was considered to be insufficiently harsh in its wording, was demoted to be a prefectural prefect. Further, the general Shi Xiong , whom Li Deyu had recommended during the campaign against Liu Zhen, was denied

1430-727: A physician that Wang Shoucheng recommended, Zheng Zhu . Subsequently, at Zheng Zhu's recommendation, Li Zhongyan , a former official who had been exiled due to crimes, also became a close associate of the emperor. Li Zongyan was thereafter made a professor at the imperial university over Li Deyu's strenuous objections; they caused a rift between Li Deyu and Emperor Wenzong. Meanwhile, Wang, Li Zongyan, and Zheng Zhu, wanting to divert power from Li Deyu, had Li Zongmin recalled from Shannan West Circuit to serve again as chancellor, while sending Li Deyu to Shannan West to serve as his military governor. Li Deyu met with Emperor Wenzong and asked to stay at Chang'an, and initially Emperor Wenzong agreed, making him

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1560-410: A previous movement toward Chang'an. Wei pointed out that this wording was intended by Li Fengji to prevent Li Shen's movement toward Chang'an. At Wei's suggestion, the edict was revised, allowing Li Shen to be moved to Jiang Prefecture (江州, in modern Jiujiang , Jiangxi) to serve as its secretary general. In 826, Emperor Jingzong summoned Pei (viewed by some later historians as a Li Party leader) back to

1690-512: A reinvestigation would lead to discovery of the truth, suggested to Wang Shoucheng that he recommend to Emperor Wenzong that neither Song nor Li Cou be executed. Li Cou was thus demoted to the title of Duke of Chao County (巢縣, in modern Chaohu , Anhui ) while Song was demoted to be the military advisor to the prefect of Kai Prefecture (開州, in modern Chongqing ). Emperor Wenzong was, by this point, finding Wang Shoucheng's and Zheng's relationship to be distasteful, but after Emperor Wenzong suffered

1820-446: A result of Li Jifu's accusations, Wang, Pei, Yang, and Wei were all demoted, and it was said that while no harm came to Niu, Li Zongmin, and Huangfu at that time, they were effectively stuck at the positions they previously served without promotion. As a result, they all sought positions as staff members of military governors. (Niu and Li Zongmin would later become key leaders of the "Niu Party," while Li Jifu's son Li Deyu would become

1950-400: A stroke and became unable to speak. When Emperor Dezong fell gravely ill in spring 805, Li Song was unable to visit him, and Emperor Dezong, distressed over this, died soon thereafter. After Emperor Dezong's death, the eunuchs in the palace initially considered supporting another person as emperor, but due to the objections of the imperial scholars Wei Cigong ( 衛次公 ) and Zheng Yin , Li Song

2080-428: A stroke in 833, Wang recommended Zheng for his medical abilities, and after Emperor Wenzong was helped by Zheng's medicines, he began to favor Zheng as well. Around the same time, Zheng also introduced Li Zhongyan to Wang and Emperor Wenzong. Both became close associates of Emperor Wenzong's, and Li Zhongyan was made an imperial scholar over the objection of the chancellor Li Deyu , who was subsequently demoted out of

2210-405: A title as an official of either the legislative or examination bureau, also attacked Li Zongmin. Emperor Wenzong exiled Li Zongmin to serve as the prefect of Ming Prefecture (明州, in modern Ningbo , Zhejiang ). Zheng further revealed that Li Zongmin had flattered the eunuch Yang Chenghe (楊承和) and the female official Song Ruoxian (宋若憲) in order to become chancellor, Li Zongmin was further exiled to be

2340-490: A tribunal of chancellors to judge Li Deyu. Lu Sui spoke in defense of Li Deyu, and he was relieved of his duties and exiled to Yuan Prefecture (袁州, in modern Yichun, Jiangxi ) to serve as its secretary general. Lu himself suffered the consequences of being sent out to Zhenhai to serve as its military governor and, contrary to the regular official movements at the time, he was not allowed to meet with Emperor Wenzong before his departure. Soon thereafter, Zheng Zhu's associate Jia Su

2470-534: The New Book of Tang indicated that Wang was also involved in the assassination. In the aftermaths of Emperor Xianzong's death, the powerful eunuch Tutu Chengcui tried to support Emperor Xianzong's oldest surviving son Li Yun (李惲) the Prince of Li as emperor, but other eunuchs, including Wang, Liang Shouqian (梁守謙), Ma Jintan (馬進潭), Liu Chengjie (劉承偕), and Wei Yuansu (韋元素) supported another son of Emperor Xianzong's,

2600-476: The Chang'an region)—over the matter of whether Han, as the mayor, was required by tradition to pay respect to the imperial censors. As Han also carried the honorary title of chief imperial censor (御史大夫, Yushi Daifu ), Li Fengji had ruled that he need not, but Li Shen nevertheless demanded it, causing him and Han to exchange harshly worded communiques to each other. With the dispute between Li Shen and Han flaring into

2730-472: The Crown Prince Li Heng , and they killed Tutu and Li Yun. Li Heng subsequently took the throne (as Emperor Muzong). During Emperor Muzong's reign, Wang Shoucheng became one of the two palace secretaries general ( Shumishi ). He was said to be very powerful and involved in affairs of state, such that in 823, the official Zheng Quan (鄭權) was able to beg Wang through Zheng Zhu and be made

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2860-399: The chancellor Wei Zhiyi —became the key decision-makers. It was said that this group of individuals feared Li Chun for his intelligence and decisiveness, and initially, Li Chun was not created crown prince. However, the eunuchs Ju Wenzhen ( 俱文珍 ), Liu Guangqi ( 劉光琦 ), and Xue Yingzhen ( 薛盈珍 ), all of whom were favored by Emperor Dezong and who lost their power in the new regime, summoned

2990-425: The eunuch Tutu Chengcui to command the imperial troops to attack Chengde. (As a result of this campaign's launch, when another warlord, Wu Shaocheng the military governor of Zhangyi Circuit (彰義, headquartered in modern Zhumadian , Henan ) subsequently died, he was unable to act against Wu Shaocheng's subordinate Wu Shaoyang , who seized control of the circuit, and was forced to commission Wu Shaoyang, much to

3120-479: The eunuch monitor of the Wuning army. While both Wang and Li were at Wuning, one of Li's subordinates introduced Li to the physician Zheng Zhu , as Li was frequently ill. Li was helped by Zheng's medicines, and subsequently, Zheng took substantial power at the Wuning headquarters. At the other officers' requests, Wang requested that Li remove Zheng. Li admitted that Zheng was frivolous, but indicated that Zheng

3250-404: The severe regulations against Buddhist monks and nuns that Emperor Wuzong had instituted with Li Deyu's support. In 847, when Wu Xiang's brother Wu Runa (吳汝納) submitted a petition proclaiming that Wu Xiang was executed even though he had committed no capital crimes and further accusing Li Shen and Li Deyu of conspiring to achieve the unjust result, Emperor Xuānzong ordered an investigation by

3380-557: The Chinese Tang dynasty . He was the eldest son of Emperor Shunzong , who reigned for less than a year in 805 and who yielded the throne to him late that year. Once emperor, Emperor Xianzong set out to curb the power of the military governors ( Jiedushi ), and, when they would not heed his orders, he waged wars against them. His initial campaigns were quite successful, and Xianzong's army defeated warlords such as Liu Pi , Yang Huilin ( 楊惠琳 ) in 806 and Li Qi in 807. In 813, after

3510-462: The Niu–Li factional strife. As of 821, Li Deyu was serving as an imperial scholar (翰林學士, Hanlin Xueshi ), and both he and fellow imperial scholar Yuan Zhen were resentful of Li Zongmin, who had become a Zhongshu Sheren (中書舍人)—a mid-level official at the legislative bureau of government (中書省, Zhongshu Sheng ). Meanwhile, Li Zongmin's junior colleague at the legislative bureau, Yang Rushi (楊汝士), and

3640-641: The Office of the Imperial Censors (御史臺, Yushi Tai ). After the investigation, Li Deyu was exiled to Chao Prefecture to serve as the military advisor to its prefect. Emperor Xuānzong also demoted other officials who were considered complicit or negligent in Wu Xiang's death, and posthumously stripped Li Shen's offices. Emperor Xuānzong's dislike for Li Deyu was so intense that when the imperial official Ding Rouli (丁柔立), whom Li Deyu had not favored, submitted

3770-419: The Prince of Guang should be made crown prince, and they issued an edict in his name to such effect. Emperor Wuzong soon died, and Li Yi (whose name was changed to Li Chen) took the throne (as Emperor Xuānzong). Emperor Xuānzong had, while an imperial prince, disliked Li Deyu's hold on power. After the ceremony in which he ascended to the throne and in which Li Deyu submitted the formal congratulatory report from

3900-540: The Prince of Jiāng emperor, another faction of eunuchs, led by Wang Shoucheng, defeated the faction supporting Li Wu and made Emperor Jingzong's younger brother Li Han the Prince of Jiàng (note different tone) emperor (as Emperor Wenzong). Early in Emperor Wenzong's reign, Pei Du and Wei Chuhou were the leading chancellors. In 828, after Wei's death, Lu Sui succeeded Wei. In 829, Emperor Wenzong, under Pei's recommendation, recalled Li Deyu to Chang'an to serve as

4030-412: The Prince of Shen instead of Emperor Jingzong. As a result, Li Shen was exiled. During Emperor Jingzong's reign, Wang remained highly influential in policy decisions. For example, in 825, it was said that it was at the decision of Li Fengji and Wang that, after the death of Liu Wu the military governor of Zhaoyi Circuit (昭義, headquartered in modern Changzhi , Shanxi ) that Liu Wu's son Liu Congjian

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4160-484: The Prince of Sui, born of his wife, Consort Guo (formerly the Princess of Guangling), crown prince and changed Li You's name to Li Heng, even though he had an older son, Li Kuan ( 李寬 ) the Prince of Li, as it was viewed by officials such as Cui Qun that Li Heng, born of a wife rather than a concubine, was the proper heir. Still, despite repeated petitions by the officials to create Consort Guo empress, Emperor Xianzong

4290-543: The Prince of Ying, crown prince instead. Emperor Wenzong soon died, and even before Li Chan took the throne formally, Consort Yang, Li Rong, and Li Chengmei were ordered to commit suicide, and many eunuchs and musicians who were personally close to Emperor Wenzong were either killed or exiled. Li Chan then took the throne (as Emperor Wuzong). As Emperor Wuzong knew that it was not the wishes of chancellors Yang Sifu and Li Jue that he become emperor, he had both Yang Sifu and Li Jue relieved of their chancellorships soon after he took

4420-524: The Zhuxie clan were given the area of Huanghuadui (黃花堆, in modern Shuozhou , Shanxi ) as their base of operations. (The Shatuo would eventually become a major part of the Tang army, and would yet later yield the ruling families of Later Tang , Later Jin , and Later Han , after Tang's end.) In 809, after much urging by the imperial scholars (翰林學士, Hanlin Xueshi ), led by Li Jiang , that he needed to have

4550-407: The acting military governor. However, Liu then made further demands to be given two neighboring circuits—Dongchuan (東川, headquartered in modern Mianyang , Sichuan ) and Shannan West (山南西道, headquartered in modern Hanzhong , Shaanxi )—as well. When Emperor Xianzong refused his demand, he launched an attack on Dongchuan's capital prefecture Zi Prefecture ( 梓州 ) in spring 806. At the suggestion of

4680-416: The aftermaths of the Chengde campaign, Tutu Chengcui was demoted and, later, after he was involved in a corruption scandal, sent out of the capital to serve as the eunuch monitor for Huainan Circuit (淮南, headquartered in modern Yangzhou , Jiangsu ). In 811, at Li Jifu's suggestion, Emperor Xianzong appointed several officials—Duan Pingzhong ( 段平仲 ), Wei Guanzhi, Xu Mengrong ( 許孟容 ), and Li Jiang—to review

4810-510: The assassination.) Consorts and Issue: Wang Shoucheng Wang Shoucheng (王守澄) (died November 3, 835 ) was a powerful eunuch of the Tang dynasty of China , wielding substantial powers during the reigns of Emperor Xianzong , Emperor Muzong , Emperor Jingzong , and Emperor Wenzong . By 835, however, two non-eunuchs that he had recommended to Emperor Wenzong — Li Xun and Zheng Zhu — were plotting with Emperor Wenzong to exterminate

4940-585: The attendant to Li Chun's studies. However, it appeared that Li Chun disliked Wang Shunwen and his associates, and whenever Lu tried to speak to him on political matters, Li Chun angrily responded, "His Imperial Majesty commissioned you, sir, to teach me about the classics . Why do you discuss other matters?" By summer 805, a group of military governors ( Jiedushi ) that Wang Shuwen had disputes with— Wei Gao , Pei Jun ( 裴均 ), and Yan Shou ( 嚴綬 )—were submitting petitions to Emperor Shunzong requesting that he let Li Chun serve as regent, and Wei Gao further submitted

5070-500: The campaign against Chengde (although he did not pardon Wang). Meanwhile, Pei Du volunteered to head to the Zhangyi front to oversee the operation, and Emperor Xianzong agreed. Later in the year, Li Su the military governor of Tangsuideng Circuit (唐隨鄧, headquartered in modern Zhumadian ) launched a surprise attack against Zhangyi's capital Cai Prefecture ( 蔡州 ), catching its defenders off guard and capturing it, seizing Wu Yuanji. Wu

5200-607: The campaign against Liu not over by that point, that he should not wage another campaign, and therefore allowed Li Shidao to inherit Pinglu. After Liu's and Yang's destruction, another warlord, Li Qi the military governor of Zhenhai Circuit (鎮海, headquartered in modern Zhenjiang , Jiangsu ) became apprehensive, and, as a means of showing loyalty, requested to go to Chang'an to pay homage to Emperor Xianzong. He did not actually intend to do so, however, and after Emperor Xianzong not only approved, but issued an edict summoning him when he did not depart Zhenhai immediately, rebelled against

5330-426: The capital and made him chancellor again. Trying to prevent Pei from gaining Emperor Jingzong's trust, Li Fengji's associates spread rumors that Pei was prophesied to be emperor, but Emperor Jingzong was not moved by these rumors. In 826, Emperor Jingzong was assassinated by his polo players, who had resented him for his impulsively harsh treatment of them. After a faction of eunuchs had tried to make his uncle Li Wu

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5460-480: The capital to serve as the military governor of Jingnan Circuit, and also exiled Li Deyu's associates Xue Yuanshang (薛元賞) and Xue Yuanxhang's brother Xue Yuangui (薛元龜). Soon after, Emperor Xuānzong issued an edict permitting the five former Niu Faction chancellors exiled by Emperor Wuzong—Niu Sengru, Li Zongmin, Cui Gong, Yang Sifu, and Li Jue—to be promoted to positions closer to Chang'an, although Li Zongmin died before he could be moved. Emperor Xuānzong also made Li Deyu

5590-487: The capital. In 835, Emperor Wenzong was again discussing the matter of killing powerful eunuchs, this time with Zheng and Li Zhongyan — as he believed that, since Zheng and Li Zhongyan were recommended by Wang, they would not draw the suspicions from the eunuchs. At their suggestion, Emperor Wenzong first diverted some of Wang's authority by giving the command of the Left Shence Army (左神策軍) to Wang's rival among

5720-468: The capital. Emperor Jingzong made him the military governor of Wuchang Circuit (武昌, headquartered in modern Ezhou , Hubei ). Also, that year after Emperor Jingzong declared a general pardon, Li Fengji submitted a proposed edict announcing the general pardon that would permit those exiled officials who had previously received a movement toward Chang'an be given another one, but not stating anything with regard to those exiled officials who had never received

5850-463: The census official of Chao Prefecture (潮州, in modern Chaozhou, Guangdong). Li Zhongyan (whose name had been changed to Li Xun by this point) and Zheng subsequently had Li Zongmin's associates ejected from the imperial government. Further, they also accused any official that they disliked of being an associate of the "two Lis" (Li Deyu and Li Zongmin), and had them ejected from the imperial government as well—effectively leaving both Niu and Li Parties out in

5980-471: The chancellor Du Huangchang , Emperor Xianzong commissioned the general Gao Chongwen to attack Liu, assisted by the generals Li Yuanyi ( 李元奕 ) and Yan Li ( 嚴礪 ). In fall 806, Gao captured Xichuan's capital Chengdu and delivered Liu to the capital Chang'an to be executed. Also in spring 806, Yang Huilin, the nephew of the general Han Quanyi ( 韓全義 ) the military governor of Xiasui Circuit (夏綏, headquartered in modern Yan'an , Shaanxi ), seized control of

6110-413: The chancellor Wu Yuanheng , whom Emperor Xianzong had put in charge of the campaign against Zhangyi, as well as the official Pei Du , a major proponent of the campaign. In summer 814, assassins that Li Shidao sent killed Wu Yuanheng and wounded Pei, terrifying the officials and the people at Chang'an. Emperor Xianzong's resolve against Zhangyi did not change, however, and when he came to believe that Wang

6240-581: The chancellors Wang Ya, Jia Su, Shu Yuanyu , and other participants in Li Xun's plot, including Wang Fan, Luo Liyan (羅立言), Guo Xingyu (郭行餘), and Li Xiaoben (李孝本). This incident became known as the Ganlu Incident , and after this, Emperor Wenzong became, in effect, submissive to the eunuchs. In the aftermaths of the Ganlu Incident, Li Shi and Zheng Tan were made chancellors, and while most of

6370-582: The circuit after Han had been ordered to retire and resisted imperial orders. With imperial forces approaching Xiasui's capital Xia Prefecture ( 夏州 ), Yang was quickly killed by his own subordinate Zhang Chengjin ( 張承金 ), ending his rebellion. Around the same time, the warlord Li Shigu , the military governor of the powerful Pinglu Circuit (平盧, headquartered in modern Tai'an , Shandong ), died, and his subordinates supported his brother Li Shidao to succeed him. Du advocated trying to divest Pinglu of some of its territory, but Emperor Xianzong, believing that with

6500-443: The cold, with Zheng Zhu and Li Xun in control of the government. Meanwhile, Emperor Wenzong, weary of the powerful eunuchs holding command of the imperial Shence Armies (神策軍) and power within the palace, had been secretly plotting with Zheng Zhu, Li Xun, and their associates, to slaughter the eunuchs. To this end, in winter 835, Zheng was made the military governor of Fengxiang Circuit (鳳翔, headquartered in modern Baoji , Shaanxi) with

6630-513: The command of Zhaoyi Circuit to his adopted son Liu Zhen (his biological nephew), and the officials at court had different opinions about whether a campaign should be launched against Liu Zhen or whether he should be allowed to assume command. Under Li Deyu's advocacy, Emperor Wuzong ordered a general campaign against Liu Zhen, and in 844, under pressure from imperial troops, Liu Zhen's subordinate Guo Yi (郭誼) killed Liu Zhen and surrendered. Emperor Wuzong rewarded Li Deyu with great honors in light of

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6760-606: The commander of the Right Shence Army (右神策軍). As time went by, Emperor Wenzong came to be apprehensive that those he believed to be involved in Emperors Xianzong's and Jingzong's death were still in the palace, and, in particular, he became displeased at Wang's hold on politics and open receptions of bribery. He began to discuss a way to counteract Wang with the imperial scholar Song Shenxi , and in 830 made Song chancellor. After Song involved Wang Fan (王繙)

6890-564: The defender of Luoyang and removed the honorary chancellor title that he continued to carry as the military governor of Jingnan from him, further showing disapproval. Meanwhile, Bai Minzhong , who had become trusted by Emperor Xuānzong and been made chancellor, attacked Li Deyu for the offenses he had committed as chancellor, and he was further demoted to be an advisor to the crown prince. As well, people that Li Deyu had disfavored were often being promoted by this point, while people that Li Deyu had favored were demoted. Emperor Xuānzong also reversed

7020-428: The deputy minister of defense, and Pei further recommended Li Deyu for chancellorship. However, Li Zongmin, then serving as deputy minister of civil service affairs (吏部侍郎, Libu Shilang ), was said to prevail over Li Deyu because of support from the eunuchs , and Li Zongmin became chancellor, instead of Li Deyu. Subsequently, in 830, at Li Zongmin's recommendation, Niu was recalled from Wuchang and also made chancellor. It

7150-434: The deputy minister of rites (禮部侍郎, Libu Shilang ) Qian Hui (錢徽), were in charge of overseeing the imperial examinations. The military governor ( Jiedushi ) Duan Wenchang (a former chancellor) and the imperial scholar Li Shen both made secret pleas to Qian for certain examinees. However, when the results were announced, the examinees that Duan and Li Shen recommended were not given passing results, while among those passing

7280-607: The empire was under imperial authority again. Later historians referred to Emperor Xianzong's reign as the Yuanhe Restoration ( 元和中興 ). Emperor Xianzong's reign briefly stabilized Tang from the destructive forces of the military governors, but saw the rise of the power of eunuchs . Emperor Xianzong himself was allegedly murdered by the eunuch Chen Hongzhi ( 陳弘志 ) in 820. (There were nagging suspicions, never proven, that Xianzong's wife Consort Guo and her son Li Heng (the later Emperor Muzong) were involved.) Li Chun

7410-438: The eunuchs Liu Hongyi (劉弘逸) and Xue Jileng (薛季稜), whom Emperor Wenzong had trusted, he came to believe that Yang and Liu had intended to support Li Rong and Li Jue and Xue had intended to support Li Chengmei. The Emperor ordered Liu and Xue to commit suicide. He also sent eunuch messengers to Hunan and Gui to order the deaths of Yang and Li Jue. With Du Cong pointing out to Li Deyu that he should not encourage Emperor Wuzong to be in

7540-406: The eunuchs, Qiu Shiliang , displacing Wang's ally Wei Yuansu, in 835. Subsequently, Zheng and Li Zhongyan (whose name had been changed to Li Xun by this point) had Wei, Yang Chenghe, and another eunuch, Wang Jianyan (王踐言), sent out of Chang'an to serve as army monitors, and also had two other chancellors, Lu Sui and Li Zongmin , demoted. Later that year, Wang Shoucheng was given the high title of

7670-455: The eunuchs, and as part of the plan, Emperor Wenzong sent poison to Wang and ordered him to commit suicide. Both Wang Shoucheng's birthdate and geographic origins have been lost to history. The earliest historical records of his activities indicated that during the reign of Emperor Xianzong , when the general Li Su served as the military governor ( Jiedushi ) of Wuning Circuit (武寧, headquartered in modern Xuzhou , Jiangsu ), Wang served as

7800-432: The examinations were Zheng Lang , the brother of the examination bureau (門下省, Menxia Sheng ) official Zheng Tan ; Pei Zhuan (裴譔) the son of the military governor Pei Du (also a former chancellor); Li Zongmin's son-in-law Su Chao (蘇巢); and Yang Rushi's brother Yang Yinshi (楊殷士). This caused a popular uproar, and Duan submitted a report accusing Yang Rushi and Qian of being unfair. When Emperor Muzong requested opinions from

7930-514: The government. Li Zongmin responded by having Zheng Tan, who was then imperial scholar, removed from his post as imperial scholar—but Emperor Wenzong reacted by promoting Zheng to be the chief imperial censor without consulting Li Zongmin, which caused Li Zongmin to be angry and fearful. Soon thereafter, Li Zongmin himself was sent out to Shannan West Circuit (山南西道, headquartered in modern Hanzhong , Shaanxi ), to serve as its military governor. Meanwhile, though, Emperor Wenzong began to become close to

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8060-479: The governmental structure, to streamline it, reduce the number of officials who were not carrying out any crucial tasks, and revise the officials' wage scale. Later in the year, with Emperor Xianzong believing that Li Jifu had often used his own personal likes and dislikes to decide on his policies, he promoted Li Jiang to be a chancellor as well, to counterbalance Li Jifu. Around the new year 812, Li Ning died. In fall 812, Emperor Xianzong created another son Li You

8190-469: The honorary post as senior advisor to the Crown Prince. Meanwhile, Li Deyu continued to have the full confidence of Emperor Wuzong, and his repeated suggestions, during the crisis where Tang's erstwhile ally Huigu collapsed under Xiajiasi attacks and Huigu forces subsequently raided Tang borders, were accepted by Emperor Wuzong. Eventually, under Li Deyu's oversight, Tang forces were able to defeat

8320-413: The imperial examinations, whereas he was perceived as having risen due to his family background. Du suggested that Li Zongmin recommend Li Deyu to be in charge of the imperial examinations to satisfy him. Li Zongmin rejected this idea, but initially accepted Du's alternative idea of recommending Li Deyu to be chief imperial censor. When Li Zongmin sent Du to visit Li Deyu to communicate this proposal, Li Deyu

8450-438: The imperial forces were repeatedly dealing defeats to Pinglu troops. Meanwhile, it was said that after the victory over Zhangyi, Emperor Xianzong began to be arrogant and extravagant in his lifestyle, and he favored such officials as Huangfu Bo and Cheng Yi , whom he believed to be capable of increasing revenues for palace use. He eventually made both Huangfu and Cheng chancellors, despite earnest pleas by Pei and Cui Qun, who

8580-605: The imperial government. Before imperial troops could attack him, however, he was captured by his own subordinates and delivered to Chang'an to be executed. Around that time, another warlord, Yu Di the military governor of Shannan East Circuit (山南東道, headquartered in modern Xiangfan , Hubei ), fearing Emperor Xianzong, went to Chang'an and yielded control of the circuit to the imperial government, after Emperor Xianzong had ensured Yu's loyalty by marrying his daughter Princess Puning to Yu's son Yu Jiyou ( 于季友 ). In 808, an incident occurred that, as later historians opined, precipitated

8710-547: The imperial officials on behalf of all of them, Emperor Xuānzong commented to his servants, "Was not the person who was closest to me during the ceremony the Taiwei [(i.e., one of the Three Excellencies and one of Li Deyu's titles)]? When he was looking at me, all my hairs were raised!" Just seven days after taking the throne, Emperor Xuānzong, to the surprise of the entire imperial administration, sent Li Deyu out of

8840-502: The imperial scholars Zheng, Wei Cigong, Li Cheng , and Wang Ya to the palace to draft an edict for Emperor Shunzong creating Li Chun as crown prince, anyway. Zheng showed a piece of paper to Emperor Shunzong reading, "The Crown Prince should be the oldest son." Emperor Shunzong, who was unable to speak, nodded, and an edict was thereafter issued in late spring 805 creating Li Chun crown prince. The edict also changed Li Chun's name (from 淳 to 純—both rendered "Chun" in modern Mandarin ). It

8970-420: The imperial scholars, Li Deyu, Yuan, and Li Shen all agreed with Duan's opinion. Emperor Muzong thus ordered Li Zongmin's colleague Wang Qi (王起) to conduct a re-examination, while demoting Qian, Li Zongmin, and Yang Rushi to be prefectural prefects and deposing 10 of the examinees selected by Qian and Yang Rushi. Meanwhile, by 823, Niu Sengru was serving as the deputy minister of census (戶部侍郎, Hubu Shilang ), and

9100-457: The insult on his father to be too great to bear, and thereafter an enmity developed between Li Deyu and those he viewed as having criticized his father unfairly. After Emperor Xianzong's death in 820, Emperor Xianzong's son Emperor Muzong became emperor. Subsequently, the imperial examinations of 821 became, according to the Song dynasty historian Sima Guang , the triggering event for what became

9230-482: The intent that he get his soldiers ready for such an event. When Li Xun, intending on taking the entire credit for himself, prematurely launched the attack on December 14, 835, the eunuchs, led by Qiu Shiliang and Yu Hongzhi (魚弘志), defeated Li Xun and his associates instead, leading to a general slaughter of many of the imperial administration officials by the Shence Armies, including the deaths of LI Xun, Zheng,

9360-415: The issues they saw with the governance at the time. The officials that Emperor Xianzong put in charge of the examinations, Yang Yuling ( 楊於陵 ) and Wei Guanzhi ranked them high. However, the chancellor Li Jifu saw these as severe criticisms of himself, and, weeping, accused the reviewing officials, the imperial scholars Pei Ji and Wang Ya , of conflict of interest—as Huangfu was a nephew of Wang's. As

9490-528: The lack of any evidence. Li Deyu went as far as inducing Liu Zhen's secretary Zheng Qing (鄭慶) into making the statement that whenever Liu Congjian received letters from Niu and Li Zongmin, he would read them and then burn them. Further, he had Lü Shu (呂述) the vice mayor of Luoyang, where Niu was at the time, make the accusation that when Niu heard of Liu Zhen's defeat, he sighed. Li Deyu relayed these accusations to Emperor Wuzong, and, in anger, he exiled both Niu and Li Zongmin. Further, in 845, Li Deyu had Li Shen, who

9620-417: The lament of his imperial scholar advisors, who viewed Zhangyi as a far easier target than Chengde.) The campaign against Chengde stalled, however, with one of its original major proponents, Lu Congshi ( 盧從史 ) the military governor of Zhaoyi Circuit (昭義, headquartered in modern Changzhi , Shanxi ), secretly communicating with Chengde and interfering with the campaign. In summer 810, after Tutu arrested Lu at

9750-429: The later partisan struggles between the "Niu Party" and the "Li Party" that would eventually occur throughout the reigns of the five emperors after Emperor Xianzong. At a special imperial examinations where Emperor Xianzong ordered that low-level officials submit honest opinions about the government, several of the examinees— Niu Sengru , Li Zongmin , and Huangfu Shi ( 皇甫湜 ) stated, without using any veiled language,

9880-475: The marauding Huigu forces. In 843, Li Deyu, apparently intending to use the incident to further launch attacks against the Niu Faction officials, requested a review of the incident where Xidamou surrendered Wei Prefecture but then was returned to Tufan to be killed. In response, Emperor Wuzong honored Xidamou with a general title posthumously. Later in 843, Liu Congjian died. At his death, he tried to pass

10010-576: The mayor of Jingzhao Municipality (京兆, i.e., the Chang'an region) in 831, however, Wang Fan leaked the plan, and Wang Shoucheng and Zheng Zhu came to know about the plan. Zheng reacted by ordering the Shence Army officer Doulu Zhu (豆盧著) to falsely accuse Song of plotting treason to put Emperor Wenzong's younger brother Li Cou the Prince of Zhang on the throne. When Wang Shoucheng relayed the accusation to Emperor Wenzong, Emperor Wenzong believed it and

10140-417: The military advisor to the prefect of Chao Prefecture (潮州, in modern Chaozhou , Guangdong ), and demoted two imperial scholars that Li Shen had recommended, Pang Yan (龐嚴) and Jiang Fang (蔣防), to be prefects of two other distant prefectures. Li Fengji's associates subsequently often asked that Li Shen be put to death, and Emperor Jingzong initially agreed. After the junior imperial scholar Wei Chuhou submitted

10270-651: The military governor of Chengde's neighboring Yiwu Circuit (義武, headquartered in modern Baoding , Hebei ), who had inherited his position from his father Zhang Xiaozhong , offered to yield the circuit to imperial control, and Emperor Xianzong agreed, sending the official Ren Dijian ( 任迪簡 ) to replace Zhang Maozhao. (After Zhang's departure from Yiwu, however, the Yiwu soldiers mutinied against Ren and put him under house arrest, although eventually another group of soldiers then countered their mutiny and restored Ren, allowing Yiwu to be in imperial hands from this point on.) Also in

10400-420: The military governor of Huainan Circuit (淮南, headquartered in modern Yangzhou , Jiangsu). (The Xidamou incident has been one of the most controversial incidents in the study of Tang history, with various historians taking different views on the issue of whether Niu had a partisan motive in opposing Li Deyu's proposal to accept Xidamou's surrender and to further attack Tufan, and whether, ultimately, Niu or Li Deyu

10530-442: The military governor of Lingnan Circuit (嶺南, headquartered in modern Guangzhou , Guangdong ). Wang was also in an alliance with the chancellor Li Fengji . In 824, Emperor Muzong died and was succeeded by his son Emperor Jingzong . Li Fengji subsequently had Wang Shoucheng report to Emperor Jingzong that their political enemy, the imperial scholar Li Shen (李紳), had wanted to support Emperor Muzong's younger brother Li Cong (李悰)

10660-509: The minister of defense again. However, after Li Zongmin objected that Li Deyu should not be allowed to stay or go based on his own desire, Li Deyu was instead sent back to Zhexi Circuit, which was renamed Zhenhai Circuit, to serve as its military governor. In 835, the officials Wang Fan (王璠) and Li Han (李漢) accused Li Deyu of having associated with Emperor Wenzong's brother Li Cou the Prince of Zhang, hoping to support Li Cou as emperor to replace Emperor Wenzong. Emperor Wenzong, in anger, summoned

10790-516: The mode of killing officials, Li Deyu, along with fellow chancellors Cui Gong , Cui Dan , and Chen Yixing, interceded on Yang's and Li Jue's behalf, and after much pleading from them, Yang, Li Jue, as well as Pei, were demoted further, but their lives were spared. However, later in the year, Li Deyu used the excuse of a major flood in Shannan East, where Niu Sengru was then serving as military governor, to have Niu relieved of his command and given

10920-425: The open, Li Fengji recommended demotions for both, and Han was made the deputy minister of defense (兵部侍郎, Bingbu Shilang ) while Li Shen was made the governor of Jiangxi Circuit (江西, headquartered in modern Nanchang , Jiangxi ). Subsequently, Emperor Muzong realized that this conflict had been manufactured by Li Fengji, and kept Li Shen in the capital as the deputy minister of census. In 824, Emperor Muzong died and

11050-442: The palace for three days, and encouraged the people to worship it and make donations to the temples. When the official Han Yu spoke against it, Han was exiled to be the prefect of Chao Prefecture (潮州, in modern Chaozhou , Guangdong ). Also in spring 819, after Li Shidao became suspicious of his officer Liu Wu , who was then resisting Tian's attack, and secretly ordered Liu's deputy Zhang Xian ( 張暹 ) to execute Liu and take over

11180-459: The power he wielded that he could no longer govern impartially. In 845, when the junior official Wei Hongzhi (韋弘質) pointed out that chancellors have so much power already that they should not further control the imperial treasury, Li Deyu had Wei demoted, further drawing resentment toward him. In 846, Emperor Wuzong, afflicted by illnesses caused by alchemists' pills, became seriously ill. The eunuchs secretly decided that Emperor Wuzong's uncle Li Yi

11310-402: The power remained in the leading eunuchs' hands, it was said because of a severely worded petition filed by the military governor Liu Congjian objecting to the deaths of Wang Ya and Jia, the powerful eunuchs began to show some restraint, allowing Emperor Wenzong and the chancellors to have some ability to govern. Meanwhile, Li Zongmin was moved closer to the capital, to be the military advisor to

11440-474: The prefect of Heng Prefecture (modern Hengyang in Hunan ). Henceforth, the officials accused of being partisans of Li Zongmin and Li Deyu were beginning to be allowed to move toward the capital. Qiu, however, resented Li Shi for his attempts to reassert imperial authority, and in 838 made an unsuccessful attempt to have him assassinated. Li Shi, in the aftermath, became apprehensive and offered to resign, and he

11570-480: The prefect of Guo Prefecture (果州, in modern Nanchong , Sichuan ), and then further moved to be the prefect of Ba Prefecture (巴州, in modern Bazhong , Sichuan). Niu, Huangfu, and Li Zongmin were not exiled, but were said in the Zizhi Tongjian to be effectively stalled in their careers, forcing them to find governmental positions themselves under regional governors. Despite this, Li Jifu's son Li Deyu viewed

11700-528: The rest of Emperor Xianzong's reign, Weibo became obedient to the imperial government. In 814, Wu Shaoyang died. Emperor Xianzong did not confirm Wu Shaoyang's son Wu Yuanji as his successor. In response, Wu Yuanji began attacking the nearby circuits to create pressure on the imperial government. Emperor Xianzong declared a general campaign against Wu Yuanji. Wu sought aid from Li Shidao and Wang Chengzong, who repeatedly petitioned Emperor Xianzong to pardon Wu Yuanji, to no avail. Li Shidao thereafter retained

11830-439: The submission of one of the key holdouts, Weibo Circuit (魏博, headquartered in modern Handan , Hebei ) under Tian Xing , Emperor Xianzong appeared poised to reunite the empire, many parts of which had effectively been ruled independently by regional warlords. Xianzong's first setback was in 813 when he failed to defeat military governor Wang Chengzong . However, by 817, after the defeat of Li Shidao and Wang's submission, all of

11960-529: The supreme monitor of the Left and Right Shence Armies and supreme commander of the 12 imperial guard corps — in order for Emperor Wenzong to strip him of the command of the Right Shence Army. Soon thereafter, at Zheng's and Li Xun's suggestion, Emperor Wenzong sent the eunuch Li Haogu (李好古) to Wang's mansion with poison, ordering Wang to commit suicide. However, publicly, Emperor Wenzong did not allow

12090-493: The surrender and using Wei Prefecture as a launch pad for a major campaign against Tufan. Niu opposed, arguing that this was a violation of the peace treaty between Tang and Tufan and that, should a war start, Tufan forces could reach Chang'an easily. Emperor Wenzong accepted his argument and ordered that Li Deyu return Wei Prefecture, as well as Xidamou and his soldiers, to Tufan. Tufan had Xidamou and his soldiers massacred. The massacre brought much popular sentiment against Niu, and

12220-402: The throne (as Emperor Xianzong). Immediately after Emperor Xianzong's ascension to the throne, he purged the government of Wang Shuwen and Wang Pi's associates, exiling them. (He would later order Wang Shuwen to commit suicide.) Emperor Xianzong's father Emperor Shunzong died in spring 806. Some later historians would come to believe that Emperor Shunzong did not die of natural causes, but

12350-772: The throne. At the recommendation of the eunuch Yang Qinyi (楊欽義), whom Li Deyu had befriended while he was serving as the military governor of Huainan and Yang Qinyi served as the eunuch monitor of the Huainan army, Emperor Wuzong recalled Li Deyu to serve as chancellor and entrusted him with the affairs of the state. Yang Sifu and Li Jue were sent out of the capital, to serve as the governors of Hunan Circuit (湖南, headquartered in modern Changsha , Hunan) and Gui District (桂管, headquartered in modern Guilin , Guangxi ), respectfully, while such associates as Pei Yizhi (裴夷直) and Li Zhongmin (李中敏) were also demoted. In 841, with further accusations by Qiu Shiliang against Yang Sifu and Li Jue, as well as

12480-552: The troops. Zhang, who was friendly with Liu, revealed Li Shidao's orders to Liu. Liu responded by launching a surprise attack on Pinglu's capital Yun Prefecture ( 鄆州 ), capturing Li Shidao and his sons and executing them, delivering their heads to Chang'an. Emperor Xianzong made Liu, who had expected to succeed Li Shidao, the military governor of Yicheng Circuit (義成, headquartered in modern Anyang , Henan ), and divided Pinglu into three circuits to weaken it and keep its territory under imperial control. By this point, Emperor Xianzong

12610-412: The two prefectures that Wang surrendered into neighboring Henghai Circuit (橫海, headquartered in modern Cangzhou , Hebei ), which had been obedient to the imperial government. Li Shidao also offered to surrender three of his 12 prefectures to imperial control and send his son as a hostage—but soon reneged on the offer. Emperor Xianzong thus declared a general campaign against his Pinglu Circuit, and soon,

12740-594: The victory over Liu Zhen, including the title of the Duke of Zhao. However, at the same time, Li Deyu was drawing resentment over his domination of the court scene—and was particularly despised in his having Emperor Wuzong issue a posthumous edict condemning the relatives of Wang Yai, Jia Su, and Li Xun, who had fled to Zhaoyi and been protected by Liu Congjian but whom Guo slaughtered after killing Liu Zhen. Further, still resenting Niu and Li Zongmin, Li Deyu accused them of having corroborated with Liu Congjian and Liu Zhen, despite

12870-473: The warlord Tian Ji'an the military governor of Weibo Circuit died. With Tian Ji'an's son and designated successor Tian Huaijian being young, soon thereafter, the soldiers mutinied and supported Tian Ji'an's relative Tian Xing . Tian Xing offered to subject Weibo to imperial commands, and soon thereafter, Emperor Xianzong made Tian Xing the military governor of Weibo and changed his name to Tian Hongzheng. With Tian Hongzheng as Weibo's military governor, for

13000-466: Was a chancellor by this point as well, against the move. It was said that Huangfu soon was speaking against Cui and Pei, causing both to be sent out of the capital. In spring 819, there was an occasion when Emperor Xianzong had what was alleged to be Gautama Buddha 's finger bone escorted from a temple in Fengxiang (鳳翔, in modern Baoji , Shaanxi ) to the palace in a grand ceremony, kept the bone in

13130-412: Was able to assume the throne (as Emperor Shunzong), although during Wei and Zheng's discussion with the eunuchs, the possibility of having Li Chun take the throne directly was mentioned. As Emperor Shunzong continued to be seriously ill and unable to speak, a group of his close associates—the eunuch Li Zhongyan ( 李忠言 ), his concubine Consort Niu , the imperial scholars Wang Shuwen and Wang Pi , and

13260-526: Was allowed to inherit Zhaoyi Circuit. In 826, Emperor Jingzong was assassinated by his polo player Su Zuoming (蘇佐明). The eunuch Liu Keming (劉克明) supported Emperor Muzong's younger brother Li Wu the Prince of Jiàng, and at one point, Li Wu was meeting with the officials and acting as if he would be the next emperor. However, Wang and other powerful eunuchs, including Yang Chenghe (楊承和), Wei Congjian (魏從簡), and Liang Shouqian, soon mobilized their troops and attacked Liu's party. Liu committed suicide, while Li Wu

13390-415: Was already waging campaigns against Wu Yuanji and Wang, he could not, and did not, declare yet another campaign against Li Shidao as well at that point.) The imperial forces sent against Zhangyi and Chengde were unsuccessful in quickly achieving final victory against them, however. In 817, with suggestion from the chancellor Li Fengji that he should concentrate on one campaign, Emperor Xianzong called off

13520-448: Was also respected by Emperor Muzong, and he often criticized both Li Fengji and the powerful eunuch Wang Shoucheng , with whom Li Fengji had a good relationship. Li Fengji, in order to alienate Emperor Muzong from Li Shen, intentionally recommended Li Shen as deputy chief imperial censor (御史中丞, Yushi Zhongcheng ) in order to create a conflict between Li Shen and Han Yu , the mayor of the capital municipality Jingzhao Municipality (京兆, i.e.,

13650-537: Was an occasion when Emperor Dezong held Li Chun on his lap and asked, "Who are you, such that you are in my lap?" His response of, "I am the third Son of Heaven " surprised Emperor Dezong, who thereafter showed him much favor. In 788, by which time Li Song (Shunzong) was crown prince, Li Chun was created the Prince of Guangling. In 793, he married Lady Guo , a daughter of the deceased general Guo Ai ( 郭曖 ) and Emperor Daizong's daughter Princess Shengping, as his wife and princess. In 804, Li Song (Shunzong) suffered

13780-437: Was angry. Wang Shoucheng initially wanted to take this opportunity to massacre Song's household, but was stopped by another powerful eunuch, Ma Cunliang (馬存亮). However, during the subsequent investigations by Shence Army officers, after an attendant official to the imperial princes, Yan Jingze (晏敬則), and Song's associate Wang Shiwen (王師文) were tortured and confessed to serving as conduits for messages between Song and Li Cou, Song

13910-461: Was apprehensive that, because of the prominent bloodlines that Consort Guo represented (being the granddaughter of the great general Guo Ziyi and the daughter of a princess), if she were created empress, other consorts would not dare to have sexual relations with him, and therefore repeatedly formed excuses with regard to not being able to find the right date to do so. He would eventually never create her (or any other consort) empress. Later in 812,

14040-465: Was born in 778, during the reign of his great-grandfather Emperor Daizong , at the Eastern Palace (i.e., the palace of his grandfather, then- Crown Prince Li Kuo ). His father Li Song was Li Kuo's oldest son, and he himself was Li Song's oldest son. His mother was Li Song's concubine Consort Wang . When Li Chun was five or six, by which time Li Kuo was emperor (as Emperor Dezong), there

14170-883: Was commonly believed that he was assassinated by the eunuch Chen Hongzhi. It was said, however, that Chen's eunuch colleagues declared that Emperor Xianzong had died from Chinese alchemical elixir poisoning due to the medicines that he was taking. Tutu Chengcui tried to support Li Kuan, who had been renamed Li Yun ( 李惲 ), to succeed Emperor Xianzong, but the other eunuchs Liang Shouqian ( 梁守謙 ), Ma Jintan ( 馬進潭 ), Liu Chengjie ( 劉承偕 ), Wei Yuansu ( 韋元素 ), and Wang Shoucheng , supported Li Heng, and they killed Tutu and Li Yun. Li Heng thereafter became emperor (as Emperor Muzong). (Another son of Emperor Xianzong's, Li Yi , after he became emperor in 846, would come to suspect that Consort Guo and Li Heng were involved in Emperor Xianzong's assassination, but no direct evidence tied them to

14300-435: Was commonly viewed at the time to be the result of the conflict between Niu/Li Zongmin and Li Deyu. With Emperor Wenzong regretting the decision, Niu repeatedly offered to resign. Emperor Wenzong was constantly asking the chancellors when true peace would come to the realm. Niu saw true peace as impossible to achieve within a short time and viewed Emperor Wenzong as overly eager. Around the new year 833, Emperor Wenzong made Niu

14430-451: Was considered a potential chancellor candidate as well, and as he was passed over in this selection and would eventually not be promoted for a stretch of eight years. He came to believe that it was the chancellor Li Fengji (who was later considered a Niu-party leader as well) who recommended Niu for chancellorship in order to reject him. He thus resented Niu and Li Fengji even more. Meanwhile, Li Shen, still an imperial scholar at this point,

14560-421: Was correct.) Li Deyu was recalled to Chang'an to serve as the minister of defense (兵部尚書, Bingbu Shangshu ), and it was commonly expected that he would next become chancellor, despite Li Zongmin's opposition. Li Zongmin's associate Du Cong suggested an attempt to make peace with Li Deyu—as Du felt that Li Deyu's resentment toward the Niu Faction officials partially stemmed from his jealousy of their having passed

14690-419: Was found to be guilty and was set to be executed. The advisorial officials Cui Xuanliang (崔玄亮), Li Guyan , Wang Zhi (王質), Lu Jun (盧均), Shu Yuanbao (舒元褒), Jiang Xi (蔣係), Pei Xiu (裴休), and Wei Wen (韋溫) urged caution, however, believed there were substantial questions in the matter and urged a reinvestigation by imperial government officials. The chancellor Niu Sengru also took the same view. Zheng, fearing that

14820-447: Was killed. They supported Emperor Jingzong's younger brother Li Han the Prince of Jiāng (note different tone), who changed his name to Li Ang, as emperor (as Emperor Wenzong). It was Wang who consulted with the imperial scholar Wei Chuhou to deal with the ceremony of Emperor Wenzong's enthronement after the coup. After Emperor Wenzong's enthronement, Wang Shoucheng was given the honorific title of Piaoqi Dajiangjun (驃騎大將軍) and made

14950-450: Was later suspected to be supported by Yang Sifu, who appeared to be her nephew. Li Jue, however, was opposed. Instead, Emperor Wenzong created Emperor Jingzong's youngest son Li Chengmei the Prince of Chen crown prince. However, when Emperor Wenzong became even more ill in 840, Chou and Yu, wanting to use this opportunity to control the imperial succession, had an edict issued in Emperor Wenzong's name creating another brother of his, Li Chan

15080-635: Was made chancellor. Meanwhile, there were rumors at Chang'an that Zheng Zhu was using alchemy to make pills intended to give Emperor Wenzong immortality—and that such pills required the use of infants' hearts and livers. This caused much panic in the public, and Zheng, who had long disliked Yang Yuqing, accused his family members of spreading the rumors. Yang was arrested, and LI Zongmin tried unsuccessfully to intercede for Yang, causing Emperor Wenzong to be so angry that he loudly ordered Li Zongmin to leave his presence. Zheng, who had also by this point resented Li Zongmin for Li Zongmin's refusal to allow him to take

15210-500: Was much respected by Emperor Muzong. After the death of the military governor-turned-chancellor Han Hong , Emperor Muzong discovered that virtually all the officials in the imperial administration had received bribes from Han, who wanted to ingratiate them, but that Niu had refused the bribe. Emperor Muzong, impressed by Niu, named him chancellor in 823. At that time, Li Deyu, who had become the governor (觀察使, Guanchashi ) of Zhexi Circuit (浙西, headquartered in modern Zhenjiang , Jiangsu ),

15340-421: Was murdered by the same eunuchs who had supported Emperor Xianzong's ascension. Meanwhile, Wei Gao died late in 805, and his deputy Liu Pi seized power of Xichuan Circuit (西川, headquartered in modern Chengdu , Sichuan ), which Wei had governed, rejecting the replacement that Emperor Xianzong sent, Yuan Zi . Emperor Xianzong, believing himself to lack the power to attack Liu at this point, initially made Liu

15470-603: Was receptive and thankful. However, after Li Zongmin consulted another associate, Yang Yuqing (楊虞卿) (Yang Rushi's cousin), Yang Yuqing opposed the idea, and Li Zongmin never actually recommended Li Deyu to be chief imperial censor. Meanwhile, Yang Yuqing, Yang Rushi, Yang Yuqing's brother Yang Han'gong (楊漢工), Zhang Yuanfu (張元夫), and Xiao Huan (蕭澣) were perceived by Emperor Wenzong to be overly eager in their partisanship, and he began to dislike them. After he made Li Deyu chancellor in 833, Li Deyu used Emperor Wenzong's dislike for these officials to begin ejecting Niu Faction officials from

15600-399: Was responsible for the assassination, he declared a general campaign against Wang as well. He also promoted Pei to be a chancellor. (Later, after investigations by Lü Yuanying ( 呂元膺 ) the defender of Luoyang after a plot by Li Shidao's subordinates to riot at Luoyang was foiled, Emperor Xianzong found out that Li Shidao was responsible for Wu Yuanheng's assassination, but by that point, as he

15730-492: Was said that Niu and Li Zongmin, working together, began to eject Li Deyu's partisans out of the imperial government. This included Pei, whom Li Zongmin had made the military governor of Shannan East Circuit (山南東道, headquartered in modern Xiangfan , Hubei), even though Li Zongmin had previously served on Pei's staff during Pei's first term as chancellor. Li Deyu himself was sent to Xichuan Circuit (西川, headquartered in modern Chengdu , Sichuan), which had recently been devastated by

15860-466: Was said that Wang Shunwen was so concerned about Li Chun that he was heard reading from Du Fu 's poem about the Shu Han regent Zhuge Liang —"He had not even succeeded in his campaigns when he died. This often caused heroes to weep onto their collars." Wang Shuwen and Wei Zhiyi tried to see if their group could persuade Li Chun to favor their positions by having their associate Lu Zhi ( 陸質 ) serve as

15990-422: Was said that every policy discussion in the imperial administration would have partisan undertones. After a major verbal argument between the chancellors in 839, Yang offered to resign; instead, Chen and Zheng were relieved of their chancellor posts. In 839, with Emperor Wenzong being seriously ill, his favorite concubine Consort Yang recommended his brother Li Rong the Prince of An as crown prince—a move that

16120-430: Was sent to Jingnan Circuit (荊南, headquartered in modern Jingzhou , Hubei) to serve as its military governor. At the same time, Yang Yuling's son Yang Sifu and Li Jue , both viewed as Niu Faction leaders, became chancellors. When Yang Sifu subsequently tried to have Li Zongmin re-promoted, fellow chancellors Zheng Tan and Chen Yixing , both of whom were viewed as Li Party leaders, opposed, and starting from this point, it

16250-408: Was stung by the criticism they provided and viewed it as a personal attack against him. Li Jifu tearfully complained to Emperor Xianzong that the reviewers of the scores that Wei and Yang gave the imperial scholars - Pei Ji and Wang Ya — had conflicts of interest, as Huangfu was Wang's nephew. As a result of his accusations, Pei, Wang, Yang, and Wei were each demoted, with Wei initially demoted to be

16380-468: Was subsequently delivered to Chang'an to be executed, and the imperial troops under Pei took over Zhangyi. After Wu Yuanji's execution, Li Shidao and Wang Chengzong both became fearful. In 818, Wang offered to surrender two prefectures to imperial control and send his two sons to Chang'an to serve as hostages . He also sought intercession from Tian Hongzheng. With Tian also requesting that Emperor Xianzong accept his offer, Emperor Xianzong did so, merging

16510-445: Was succeeded by his son Emperor Jingzong . In the aftermath of Emperor Jingzong's ascension, Li Fengji had Wang Shoucheng informed Emperor Jingzong that it was because of Li Fengji's support that Emperor Muzong made him crown prince —and that Li Shen and the former chancellor Du Yuanying had both supported Emperor Muzong's younger brother Li Cong (李悰) the Prince of Shen. Believing Wang's assertions, Emperor Jingzong exiled Li Shen to be

16640-438: Was taking medicines made by the alchemist Liu Mi ( 柳泌 ), who claimed that he could bring the emperor immortality . It was said that as a result of these medicines, Emperor Xianzong was becoming increasingly thirsty and irritable. It was said that he was so easily angered that the eunuchs serving him were often punished or even executed for minor faults, causing them to be fearful of him. In spring 820, he died suddenly, and it

16770-412: Was then the military governor of Huainan, falsely accused the county magistrate Wu Xiang (吳湘)—the nephew of an official that Li Deyu had deeply resented, Wu Wuling (吳武陵)—of forcibly marrying a commoner's daughter. Despite objections by many officials, under Li Deyu's advocacy, Emperor Wuzong ordered Wu Xiang's execution without further review. It was said that by this point, Li Deyu had been so affected by

16900-454: Was witty and engaging in talk. At Li's insistence, Wang met Zheng, and soon was also impressed by Zheng's wit; he was also helped by Zheng's medicines as well. Zheng thereafter became a close associate of Wang's. By 820, Wang was back in the capital Chang'an and serving in the palace. That spring, Emperor Xianzong died suddenly — traditionally believed to be in an assassination by the eunuch Chen Hongzhi (陳弘志), although Wang's biography in

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