Zhou Zong ( 周宗 ), courtesy name Juntai ( 君太 ), was an official of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period state Southern Tang . Zhou was a close associate of its founding emperor Emperor Liezu and thus was honored by Emperor Liezu (Xu Zhigao/Li Bian) and his son and successor Emperor Yuanzong (Xu Jingtong/Li Jing). His two daughters became successive empresses (known as Empress Zhou the Elder and Empress Zhou the Younger) for Emperor Yuanzong's son and successor, Southern Tang's final emperor Li Yu (often known as Li Houzhu).
35-518: Zhou Zong's birth date is not clearly stated in history — although he was said to be in his 70s at the time of his death during the Later Zhou invasion against Southern Tang , which was launched in 956 and ended in 958 in Southern Tang's submission to Later Zhou as a vassal — placing somewhat of a timeframe around the time of his birth. His family was from Guangling . In his youth late in
70-422: A Wu official and when both Zhou and Ma Renyu were low-level officers. When the staff members welcomed Zhou to the post, Yu made the abrupt remark of, "How is Chief Ma doing?" (referring to Ma by his previously low rank). Zhou responded, "Chancellor Ma is currently defending Lu Prefecture [(廬州, in modern Hefei , Anhui )])." Yu just looked at his fellow staff members and smiled. On a subsequent day, when Zhou held
105-645: A display. His close associate Zhou Tingwang ( 周廷望 ) persuaded him to let Zhou Tingwang take large amounts of wealth to Guangling to try to use them to bribe other high level officials to turn from Xu Zhigao and toward him, but when Zhou arrived at Guangling, Zhou Tingwang, who was friendly with Zhou Zong, secretly pledged allegiance to Xu Zhigao through Zhou Zong, and informed Xu Zhixun's actions to Xu Zhigao — but then, when he returned to Jinling, also informed Xu Zhigao's actions to Xu Zhixun, trying to play both sides. Zhou Zong told Zhou Tingwang to inform Xu Zhixun that he had been accused of seven major crimes and should go to
140-492: A feast for his staff members, when Zhou was offering wine to the staff members, Yu took his hand and then stated, "Lord Chancellor, you know that your subordinate does not drink much." Yu's overly familiar actions took the other staff members by surprise, but Zhou was not dismayed, and it was said that this showed Zhou's tolerance. Zhou was subsequently made the military governor of Ningguo Circuit (寧國, headquartered in modern Xuancheng , Anhui ). In 950, Emperor Yuanzong made him
175-600: A form of Chinese charms and amulets . Among these assigned powers it is said that Zhouyuan Tongbao cash coins could cure malaria and help women going through a difficult labour. The Chinese numismatic charms based on the Zhouyuan Tongbao often depict a Chinese dragon and fenghuang as a pair on their reverse symbolising either a harmonious marriage or the Emperor and Empress, other images on Zhouyuan Tongbao charms and amulets include depictions of Gautama Buddha,
210-484: A letter, so Xu Zhixun did so. When Xu Wen's other biological sons were displeased that Xu Zhigao did not attend the funeral, Zhou showed the letter to them, and Xu Zhixun was unable to argue against what he himself had written. After Xu Wen's death, the power over the Wu realm effectively became divided between Xu Zhigao and Xu Zhixun, with Xu Zhigao in control of the imperial government at Guangling, but Xu Zhixun in control of
245-470: A regime ruled by Shatuo Turks . Liu Chengyou came to the throne of the Later Han in 948 after the death of the founding emperor, Gaozu . Guo Wei led a successful coup against the teenage emperor and then declared himself emperor of the new Later Zhou on New Year's Day in 951. Guo Wei, posthumously known as Emperor Taizu of Later Zhou , was the first Han Chinese ruler of northern China since 923. He
280-535: A weeping Zhou informed Emperor Yuanzong about this, Emperor Yuanzong lost some of his respect for Song. He sent Song to Zhenhai Circuit (鎮海, headquartered in modern Zhenjiang , Jiangsu ), and then approved Song's petition for retirement. In 944, Emperor Yuanzong made Zhou the military governor of Zhennan. One of Zhou's staff members was a long-time staffer named Yu Wenzhen ( 俞文貞 ), who had also served on Emperor Liezu's staff early in Emperor Liezu's career as
315-434: Is regarded as an able leader who attempted reforms designed to alleviate burdens faced by the peasantry. His rule was vigorous and well-organized. However, it was also a short reign. His death from illness in 954 ended his three-year reign. His adoptive son Chai Rong (also named Guo Rong) would succeed his reign. Guo Rong, posthumously known as Emperor Shizong of Later Zhou , was the adoptive son of Guo Wei. Born Chai Rong, he
350-462: The Shumishi positions of the other states at the time, but not using the character mi ( 密 ) to observe naming taboo for Wu's founder Yang Xingmi ). Zhou Zong continued to serve as Neishushi after Yang formally yielded the throne to Xu Zhigao (who then changed his name to Li Bian, as his original family name was Li) later in 937, ending Wu and starting Southern Tang as its Emperor Liezu. It
385-459: The Tang dynasty , there were great disturbances in the region. As a result, he lost his parents, and he was poor. During Wu (one of the successor states of Tang after Tang fell, which ruled over, inter alia, Zhou's home city of Guangling and had Guangling as its capital), Zhou came to serve under the general Xu Zhigao , an adoptive son of Xu Wen , Wu's regent , as Xu Zhigao's supply officer. Zhou
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#1732776139424420-609: The Zhouyuan Tongbao ( simplified Chinese : 周元通宝 ; traditional Chinese : 周元通寶 ; pinyin : zhōuyuán tōng bǎo ) coins which were issued by Emperor Shizong from the year 955 (Xiande 2). Emperor Shizong is sometimes said to have cast cash coins with the inscription Guangshun Yuanbao (simplified Chinese: 广顺元宝 ; traditional Chinese: 廣順元寶 ; pinyin: guǎng shùn yuánbǎo ) during his Guangshun period title (951–953), however no authentic cash coins with this inscription are known to exist. The pattern of
455-542: The Chizhou area was relocated to Anhui province. On 26 June 2000, Guichi District, Dongzhi County, Qingyang County, Shitai County, Jiuhua Mountain Scenic Area, and Chizhou Economic and Technological Development Zone were withdrawn and built. The prefecture-level city of Chizhou administers four county-level divisions , including one district and three counties . Chizhou is served by Chizhou railway station on
490-547: The Emperor uttered a cryptic remark to the effect that the Buddha would not mind this sacrifice. It is said that the Emperor himself supervised the casting at the many large furnaces at the back of the palace. The coins are assigned amuletic properties and "magical powers" because they were made from Buddhist statues and are said to particularly effective in midwifery – hence the many later-made imitations which are considered to be
525-535: The Zhouyuan Tongbao is based on that of the Kaiyuan Tongbao cash coins. They were cast from melted-down bronze statues from 3,336 Buddhist temples and mandated that the citizens of Later Zhou should turn in to the government all of their bronze utensils with the notable exception of bronze mirrors , Shizong also ordered a fleet of junks to go to Korea to trade Chinese silk for copper which would be used to manufacture cash coins. When reproached for this,
560-409: The action but further requested that Zhou be put to death, as an apology to Yang. Xu Zhigao, not wanting to turn against Song's suggestions at this point, while not putting Zhou to death, demoted him out of the headquarters to serve as the deputy military prefect of Chi Prefecture (池州, in modern Chizhou , Anhui ). However, later, Xu Zhigao's other officers Li Jianxun and Xu Jie ( 徐玠 ) came to opine
595-482: The animals of the Chinese zodiac , and other auspicious objects. Chizhou Chizhou ( Chinese : 池州 ; pinyin : Chízhōu ) is a prefecture-level city in the south of Anhui province , China. It borders Anqing to the northwest, Tongling and Wuhu to the northeast, Xuancheng to the east, Huangshan to the southeast, and the province of Jiangxi to the southwest, respectively. Its population
630-568: The capital to defend himself. Xu Zhixun believed Zhou Tingwang, and therefore went to Guangling. Once he arrived there, Xu Zhigao detained him and did not allow him to return to Jinling, sending the officer Ke Hou ( 柯厚 ) to lead the Jinling forces back to Guangling, thus consolidating the command under Xu Zhigao himself. In 933, by which time Xu Zhigao himself had his headquarters at Jinling with his son Xu Jingtong serving as junior regent at Guangling, Xu Zhigao's chief strategist Song Qiqiu , who
665-738: The defender of the eastern capital Jiangdu (i.e., Guangling, with the imperial capital then at Jinling). He later requested retirement due to old age, and was allowed to retire with the title of Situ (司徒, one of the Three Excellencies ). When Feng Yanlu , who succeeded Zhou as Jiangdu's defender, subsequently was captured by Later Zhou forces in the Later Zhou invasion in 956, the people came to regard Zhou as being fortunate. He died shortly after, in his 70s. Despite their prior animosity, Song mourned him bitterly, touching his coffin and stating, "Sir, you are of great wisdom. You came at
700-475: The expense of the movement. The project was therefore cancelled. Meanwhile, Xu Zhigao had long considered seizing the Wu throne for himself, but because Yang was known for carefulness, he did not want to take the potentially unpopular action of seizing the throne from him, and therefore wanted to wait until after Yang's reign — a course of action that Song agreed with. However, one day, in Zhou's presence, Xu Zhigao
735-477: The large army that Xu Wen had commanded at Jinling. Given Xu Zhixun's military strength, Xu Zhigao feared him, but Xu Zhixun's arrogance alienated his younger brothers. Meanwhile, Xu Zhixun was not curbing his actions properly; for example, when Qian Liu , the king of Wu's neighbor Wuyue , sent Xu Zhixun gifts of vessels and saddles adorn with dragons and phoenixes — which only the sovereign could use — Xu Zhixun used them, making no attempts to avoid making them into
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#1732776139424770-425: The right time, and left at the right time." His two daughters ( Zhou Ehuang and another whose name is lost to history, both by his second wife) later successively became empresses during the reign of Emperor Yuanzong's son Li Yu . Later Zhou Zhou , known as the Later Zhou ( / dʒ oʊ / ; simplified Chinese : 后周 ; traditional Chinese : 後周 ; pinyin : Hòu Zhōu ) in historiography,
805-523: The same way as Zhou did, and therefore Xu Zhigao recalled Zhou back to headquarters to again serve as operations officer, while beginning to distance himself from Song. In 937, when, as part of the preparation for the transition, Yang created Xu Zhigao the Prince of Qi and Xu Zhigao began to build a government on the scale of the imperial government, he commissioned Zhou Zong and Zhou Tingyu ( 周廷玉 ) to serve as his chiefs of staff (內樞使, Neishushi ) (analogous to
840-497: The throne) and his partisans to have any chance to accuse him of improprieties. At some point, he was apparently made the military governor ( Jiedushi ) of Fenghua Circuit (奉化, headquartered in modern Jiujiang , Jiangxi ). In 943, Emperor Liezu died, and was succeeded by his son Li Jing (i.e., Xu Jingtong) the Prince of Qi (as Emperor Yuanzong). Wanting to use the reputations of Song Qiqiu and Zhou Zong, as his father's senior advisors, to enhance his own reign, he recalled Song (who
875-805: Was 1,342,764 as of the 2020 census , of whom 615,274 lived in the built-up (or metro) area made of Guichi District. Mount Jiuhua (Jǐuhuáshān), located in Qingyang county, is one of the four sacred mountains of Chinese Buddhism . In May 1949, the Chizhou Special Administrative Region was established under the jurisdiction of the people's Administrative Office of Southern Anhui and the Chizhou Special Administrative Office in Guichi county. From February 1952 to May 1965, Chizhou Special Area
910-675: Was a short-lived Chinese imperial dynasty and the last of the Five Dynasties that controlled most of northern China during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period . Founded by Guo Wei (Emperor Taizu), it was preceded by the Later Han dynasty and succeeded by the Northern Song dynasty . Guo Wei, a Han Chinese , served as the Assistant Military Commissioner at the court of the Later Han ,
945-492: Was abolished, and the counties under its jurisdiction were divided into Anqing Special Area, Huizhou Special Area, and Wuhu Special Area, respectively. From May 1965 to January 1980, the Chizhou special zone was set up, directly under jurisdiction of Anhui province. From January 1980 to August 1988, Chizhou Special Area was abolished and the counties under its jurisdiction were incorporated into Anqing Special Area, Xuancheng Special Area, and Huizhou Special Area. In August 1988,
980-520: Was plucking white facial hair from his face and stating, "The state is secure, but I am getting old." Zhou, who was then serving as the operations officer for Xu Zhigao's headquarters, realized that Xu Zhigao had the intent of taking the throne, and therefore volunteered to head to Guangling to hint to Yang to yield the throne and to inform Song. Xu Zhigao agreed — without first consulting with Song. When Zhou informed this to Yang and Song, Song became jealous of Zhou's doing so, and therefore not only opposed
1015-436: Was said that Emperor Liezu often held feasts for Zhou, treatment that other officials and generals did not receive except for Song Qiqiu and Ma Renyu ( 馬仁裕 ). Despite this display of imperial favor, Zhou was said to be careful in his actions, living frugally and not using much of what Emperor Liezu awarded him, thus not allowing Song (who continued to bear grudges against him due to his first suggesting to Emperor Liezu of taking
1050-441: Was said to be particularly appropriate in protocols and wording, and served Xu Zhigao well, thus causing Xu Zhigao to greatly favor him. When Xu Wen died in 927 at Jinling , Zhou was at Jinling. Xu Zhigao's younger brother (Xu Wen's then-oldest-surviving biological son) Xu Zhixun — who was then in a power struggle with Xu Zhigao over who would effectively succeed Xu Wen as Wu's paramount regent — told Zhou to inform Xu Zhigao, who
1085-523: Was succeeded by his seven-year-old son upon his death. Soon thereafter, Zhao Kuangyin usurped the throne and declared himself emperor of the Great Song dynasty , a dynasty that would eventually reunite China , bringing all of the southern states into its control as well as the Northern Han by 979. Xiǎndé (顯德) 954 The only series of cash coins attributed to the Later Zhou period are
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1120-420: Was the son of his wife's elder brother. He ascended the throne on the death of his adoptive father in 954. His reign was also effective and was able to make some inroads in the south with victories against the Southern Tang in 956. However, efforts in the north to dislodge the Northern Han , while initially promising, were ineffective. He died an untimely death in 959 from an illness while on campaign. Guo Rong
1155-467: Was then a chancellor , suggested that the Wu capital be moved from Guangling to Jinling. Xu Zhigao thus began palace construction projects at Jinling. However, the project to move the capital was not popular with the people, and Zhou Zong pointed out to Xu Zhigao that if he moved the imperial government from Guangling to Jinling, then, because of Guangling's importance, he would have to move his own headquarters from Jinling to Guangling, effectively doubling
1190-462: Was then in Guangling serving as junior regent over the regime of Wu's king (but who would soon thereafter declare himself emperor, following Xu Wen's final petition before death that he does so) Yang Pu , that there was no need for him to attend the funeral proceedings and that it was more important for him to pay attention to the affairs of the state. Zhou insisted that Xu Zhixun write this down in
1225-521: Was then the military governor of Zhennan Circuit (鎮南, headquartered in modern Nanchang , Jiangxi ) and Zhou from their military governor posts, to both serve as chancellors — in Zhou's case, Zhou was given the title of Shizhong ( 侍中 ), the head of the examination bureau of government (門下省, Menxia Sheng ). It was said that, by this point, in his old age, Zhou was careful, and Emperor Yuanzong respected him greatly. However, Song and his partisans were still resentful of Zhou and wanted to destroy Zhou. When
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