Emperor Daizong of Tang (11 November 726 – 10 June 779), personal name Li Yu (name changed in 758 after being created crown prince), né Li Chu (Chinese: 李俶), was an emperor of the Chinese Tang dynasty.
Emperor Daizong was the eldest son of Emperor Suzong – the first emperor of the Tang dynasty to succeed as the eldest child. During the Anshi Rebellion (which Emperor Suzong's entire reign was dedicated to fighting), he served as a general of Tang and Huige joint operations that recaptured the capital Chang'an and the eastern capital Luoyang from the rebel state of Yan, and the Anshi Rebellion was finally put down early in his own reign, in 763. However, thereafter, the Tang state was plagued by warlords such as Tian Chengsi, Li Baochen, and Liang Chongyi who essentially governed their realms as independent states while only pledging nominal loyalty to the emperor. This would prove disastrous for future generations as subsequent Tang emperors were unable to remove or control these warlords and the central government's power was thus slowly eroded and diminished. The power of the warlords would not prevent the Tang western territories from being overrun by Tibetan invasions and eventually lost to the Tibetan Empire, which even managed to capture Chang'an in 763 for a short period before being expelled.
Emperor Daizong was credited for removing the corrupt eunuch Li Fuguo, who had placed him on the throne using their own power and political influence, later the rest of Emperor Daizong's reign would also see dominance by such individuals as the eunuchs Cheng Yuanzhen and Yu Chao'en, as well as the chancellor Yuan Zai. It is also worth noting that Emperor Daizong became the first Tang emperor to succeed to the throne as a result of maneuvers by eunuchs. Emperor Daizong was himself also said to be overly devout in Buddhism.
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Early life and career
Daizong's father, Li Jun, was the Prince of Zhong under his father Emperor Xuanzong when Daizong was born. His mother was Li Jun's concubine Consort Wu. He was the oldest of Emperor Xuanzong's over 100 grandsons. In 740, by which time Li Jun (whose name had been changed to Li Heng by that point) was crown prince, Li Chu was created the Prince of Guangping. That year, his mother Consort Wu died. In his youth, he was said to be kind, meek, and filially pious, and was studious, particularly in the Classic of Rites and the I Ching. He was much favored by his grandfather. Emperor Xuanzong chose for him, as his wife and princess, Lady Cui the daughter of the Lady of Han, a sister of Emperor Xuanzong's favorite concubine Consort Yang Yuhuan; however, his oldest son Li Kuo was born of a concubine, Consort Shen.
In 755, the general An Lushan rebelled at Fanyang (范陽, in modern Beijing), and by summer 756, the forces of his new state of Yan were approaching the Tang capital Chang'an, forcing Emperor Xuanzong to flee to Chengdu. When Emperor Xuanzong's train reached Mawei Station (馬嵬驛, in modern Baoji, Shaanxi), angry soldiers, blaming the rebellion on the chancellor Yang Guozhong (Consort Yang's cousin), killed Yang Guozhong and his family members and forced Emperor Xuanzong to kill Consort Yang. Subsequently, the people in the Mawei region tried to persuade Emperor Xuanzong not to continue on to Chengdu—believing that Chang'an could be recaptured. Emperor Xuanzong asked Li Heng to try to comfort the people. Once Li Heng left Emperor Xuanzong's presence, however, Li Heng's trusted eunuch Li Fuguo, Li Chu's brother Li Tan the Prince of Jianning, and Li Chu, persuaded Li Heng not to follow Emperor Xuanzong to Chengdu—arguing that with the physical barriers between Chang'an and Jiannan Circuit (劍南, headquartered in modern Chengdu), that once they had left the region, Chang'an could no longer be captured. Li Heng agreed and had Li Chu report this to Emperor Xuanzong. Emperor Xuanzong agreed with Li Heng's decision, but he himself continued on to Jiannan. Li Heng, escorted by a small number of guard soldiers commanded by Li Tan, then headed to the border city of Lingwu. With the army at Lingwu pressuring him to take imperial title, Li Heng declared himself emperor (as Emperor Suzong).
During Emperor Suzong's reign
After Emperor Suzong assumed imperial title, he considered making Li Tan the supreme commander of the armed forces, but his advisor Li Mi pointed out that Li Chu was older and that naming Li Tan the supreme commander would cause confusion as to who would be his heir. Emperor Suzong agreed and made Li Chu the supreme commander instead. Subsequently, Li Chu and Li Mi were entrusted with the keys of the makeshift palace, and one would always be on duty to be ready to receive important military reports. In 757, Emperor Suzong considered creating Li Chu crown prince, but Li Mi and Li Chu, pointing out that it would be inappropriate to do so before Chang'an were recaptured, advised him otherwise. Subsequently, Emperor Suzong's court was also itself filled with internal struggles, with Li Fuguo aligned with Emperor Suzong's favorite concubine Consort Zhang, in opposition to Li Chu, Li Tan, and Li Mi. In early 757, after Li Tan repeatedly accused Li Fuguo and Consort Zhang of corruption, Li Fuguo and Empress Zhang in turn falsely accused him of trying to assassinate Li Chu in order to become the heir. Emperor Suzong, in anger, ordered Li Tan to commit suicide, which drew fear from Li Chu and Li Mi. Li Chu considered assassinating Li Fuguo and Consort Zhang, but at Li Mi's urging, stopped his plans to do so.
In fall 757, troops from Huige, whose Bayanchur Khan Yaoluoge Moyanchuo had answered Emperor Suzong's request for help, arrived under the command of Yaoluoge Moyanchuo's son. When Li Chu met the Huige prince, he offered for them to be sworn brothers. The prince was very pleased and honored Li Chu as an older brother. Thereafter, the joint Tang and Huige troops proceeded toward Chang'an and, after defeating Yan forces at Xiangji Temple (香積寺), near Chang'an, recaptured Chang'an. Emperor Suzong had promised that Huige forces would be allowed to pillage Chang'an, but at the earnest pleas of Li Chu, the Huige prince agreed to wait until capturing Luoyang, which had become the Yan capital, to carry out the pillage. The people of Chang'an, believing that Li Chu had saved them from a deadly Huige rampage, welcomed him in a grand procession and proclaimed, "The Prince of Guangping is truly a leader to be loved by both the Han and the barbarians." Meanwhile, when Pugu Huai'en advocated quick advances to try to capture the Yan generals An Shouzhong (安守忠) and Li Guiren (李歸仁), Li Chu, pointing out that his own troops were tired, stopped him. (Upon the recapturing of Chang'an, Li Mi resigned and became a hermit, depriving Li Chu of an ally.)
Subsequently, Li Chu, Guo Ziyi, and Pugu, along with Huige forces, continued to proceed toward Luoyang. They first attacked Shancheng (陝城, in modern Sanmenxia, Henan) and initially could not succeed, but when Huige forces engaged, Yan forces were thrown into a panic and fled. Hearing the news, An Lushan's son and successor An Qingxu, who had become the emperor of Yan, abandoned Luoyang and fled. Once Huige forces entered Luoyang, they went on a rampage. Li Chu had the people gather up a large cache of silk to bribe the Huige prince, and only thereafter did the rampage end.
Reign
Remainder of Baoying era (762-763), and Guangde, Yongtai eras (763–766)
Li Fuguo effectively took over the control of the imperial government, going as far as telling Emperor Daizong:
You, Emperor, just remain in the palace. Let this old servant of yours handle what is outside.
Emperor Daizong was secretly displeased, but in order to placate Li Fuguo, gave him the title of Shangfu (尚父, meaning, "like father") and ordered that he not be referred to by name. He also made Li Fuguo Sikong (司空, one of the Three Excellencies) and Zhongshu Ling (中書令) – the head of the legislative bureau of government (中書省, Zhongshu Sheng) and a post considered one for a chancellor. Li Fuguo gave a major part of the command responsibilities to Cheng Yuanzhen. Carrying out further retaliation against Xiao Hua, Li Fuguo had Xiao further demoted.
Meanwhile, though, Li Fuguo did not expect that both Emperor Daizong and Cheng, who wanted more power, would turn against him. In summer 762, at Cheng's secret suggestion, Emperor Daizong issued an edict that stripped Li Fuguo of the titles of minister of defense and assistant of military affairs to the supreme commander—thus stripping him of military command—giving the latter post to Cheng. He also ordered Li Fuguo to leave the palace and take residence up outside, although he created Li Fuguo the Prince of Bolu. Li Fuguo became apprehensive and offered to retire, and Emperor Daizong declined and sent him away with formal respect. Because Li Fuguo had killed Empress Zhang and had supported him for the throne, Emperor Daizong did not want to kill him openly. Instead, on November 12, 762, an assassin got into Li Fuguo's mansion and killed him, taking his head and an arm away as well. Emperor Daizong formally issued an order seeking the arrest of the assassin, and buried Li Fuguo in a grand ceremony, after having a wooden head and wooden arm carved to be buried with the rest of the body.
At this point, Emperor Daizong still had to face Yan, now ruled by Shi Chaoyi—the son and successor to Shi Siming, who had killed and succeeded An Qingxu and recaptured Luoyang from Tang in 759. Late in 762, he sent the eunuch Liu Qingtan (劉清潭) to Huige to request aid from its Dengli Khan Yaoluoge Yidijian (a younger brother of the Huige prince that he had previously become sworn brother to), who had also received an alliance proposal from Shi Chaoyi. Yaoluoge Yidijian thus initially rejected Emperor Daizong's proposal and advanced south to aid Shi Chaoyi, but after further persuasion by Pugu Huai'en, whose daughter he had married, he agreed with the Tang proposal. In winter 762, the joint Tang and Huige forces recaptured Luoyang, forcing Shi Chaoyi to flee. (Shi Chaoyi would eventually commit suicide in spring 763, ending Yan.)
Early Dali era
Meanwhile, by this point, Emperor Daizong, who had previously favored Taoism, had begun to become a devout Buddhist due to the influences of his chancellors Yuan Zai, Wang Jin, and Du Hongjian. Yuan, in particular, advocated the belief that it was by the blessings of the Buddha that Tang was able to survive the Anshi Rebellion and Pugu's rebellion. As a result, Emperor Daizong's policies began to be heavily influenced by Buddhist principles, and he honored the Buddhist monk Bukong with great honors, including creating him a duke. The temples at Chang'an became very wealthy, and Emperor Daizong further ordered that monks and nuns not be subject to physical punishments. With the emperor and the chancellors all devout Buddhists, Buddhism became the leading influence in the empire. (Traditional historians, such as the Song dynasty historian Sima Guang, ascribed the poor governance and justice system during Emperor Daizong's time to this.)
In 768, after Li Huaixian was assassinated by his officers Zhu Xicai, Zhu Ci, and Zhu Ci's brother Zhu Tao, Emperor Daizong made an attempt to take back control of Lulong Circuit (盧龍, headquartered in modern Beijing), which Li Huaixian had governed. He made Wang Jin the military governor and Zhu Xicai the acting military governor. When Wang arrived at the circuit, Zhu Xicai paid him great respect but did not allow him to take actual rein of the circuit, and Wang returned to Chang'an soon thereafter. Emperor Daizong was forced to make Zhu Xicai the military governor later in the year.
In 770, Emperor Daizong, tired of Yu Chao'en's hold on power and arrogance, plotted with Yuan and laid a trap for Yu, killing him. Thereafter, however, Yuan's power became unchallenged at court.
In 772, Zhu Xicai was in turn assassinated by his subordinate Li Huaiyuan (李懷瑗), and Zhu Ci replaced him. Zhu Ci took a more respectful stand toward the imperial government, and thereafter, while the central government did not take back actual control of Lulong, Lulong soldiers often participated in campaigns commissioned by the imperial government. (Eventually, indeed, Zhu Ci himself would arrive at Chang'an and thereafter remain an imperial general near Chang'an and not return to Lulong, leaving Lulong in Zhu Tao's hands.)
Late Dali era
In 773, Xue Song died, and Emperor Daizong agreed to let his brother Xue E succeed him in ruling Zhaoyi Circuit (昭義, headquartered in modern Anyang, Henan). However, Tian Chengsi, who ruled nearby Weibo Circuit (魏博, headquartered in modern Handan, Hebei), had other designs. In spring 775, under his encouragement, the Zhaoyi officer Pei Zhiqing (裴志清) rose against Xue E, and Tian subsequently captured Zhaoyi's capital Xiang Prefecture (相州). Xue E fled to imperial territory, while Tian continued his campaign to capture the rest of Zhaoyi territory despite Emperor Daizong's orders to stop his campaign. With Xue Song's other relatives Xue Xiong (薛雄) and Xue Jian (薛堅) still holding Wei (衛州, in modern Xinxiang, Henan) and Ming (洺州, in modern Handan) Prefectures, Tian attacked them and captured those prefectures, as well as Ci Prefecture (磁州, in modern Handan as well). (The remaining prefectures of Zhaoyi came under imperial control and were eventually merged with Zelu Circuit (澤潞, headquartered in modern Changzhi, Shanxi), governed by Li Baoyu's cousin Li Baozhen.)
These defiant actions by Tian, who had already angered Li Zhengji, then ruling Pinglu Circuit (平盧, then headquartered in modern Weifang, Shandong), by disrespecting him and Li Baochen, then ruling Chengde Circuit (成德, headquartered in modern Shijiazhuang, Hebei), by killing Li Baochen's brother Li Baozheng (李寶正), brought a serious imperial response, along with the offended warlords. In summer 775, Emperor Daizong announced a campaign against Tian, with Li Zhengji and Li Zhongchen attacking Weibo from the south, and Zhu Tao, Li Baochen, and Xue Jianxun (薛兼訓) attacking Weibo from the north. Initially, the imperial forces were scoring victories over Weibo forces, but after Tian flattered Li Zhengji in a humble letter, Li Zhengji withdrew from the campaign, causing other imperial generals south of the Yellow River to hesitate to advance as well. Meanwhile, Li Baochen was offended when an imperial eunuch, Ma Chengqian (馬承倩), who had visited Li Baochen's army, was so dissatisfied with Li Baochen's gift to him that he threw it on the ground, and Tian was also able to use hoaxes to persuade Li Baochen that if he joined forces with Tian to attack Lulong, he would be successful. Li Baochen thus turned against Zhu, launching a surprise attack on him, but was unable to kill Zhu, effectively ending any hopes of the campaign against Tian. By 776, Emperor Daizong was forced to pardon Tian and abandon the campaign.
Also in 775, Emperor Daizong's favorite concubine Consort Dugu died. He posthumously honored her empress and, saddened greatly by her death, kept her casket in the palace for almost three years, only finally burying her in 778.
Chancellors during reign
Miao Jinqing (762–763)
Pei Zunqing (762–763)
Yuan Zai (762–777)
Li Fuguo (762)
Liu Yan (763–764)
Li Kuo (763–764)
Li Xian (763–764)
Wang Jin (764–777)
Du Hongjian (764–769)
Pei Mian (769)
Yang Wan (777)
Chang Gun (777–779)
Li Zhongchen (779)
Family
Noble Consort, of the Cui clan of Boling (貴妃 博陵崔氏; d. 757)
Li Miao, Crown Prince Zhaojing (昭靖皇太子 李邈; 746–773), second son
Li Su, Prince Shu (蜀王 李溯; d. 783), 12th son
Princess Qizhaoyi (齊昭懿公主; d. 810), 4th daughter
Married Guo Ai of Huayin, Duke Dai (華陰 郭曖; 752–800), the sixth son of Guo Ziyi, in 765, and had issue (three sons, two daughters including Empress Yi'an)
Empress Zhenyi, of the Dugu clan of Jingzhao (貞懿皇后 京兆獨孤氏; d. 775)
Li Jiong, Prince Han (韓王 李迥; 750–796), 7th son
Princess Huayang (華陽公主; d. 774), 5th daughter
Empress Ruizhen, of the Shen clan of Wuxing (睿真皇后 吳興沈氏)
Li Kuo, Dezong (德宗 李適; 742–805), first son
Consort Dowager, of the Unknown clan (太妃)
Li Tong, Prince Gong (恭王 李通), 18th son
Consort Dowager, of the Unknown clan (太妃; d.795)
Li Yu, Prince Duan (端王 李遇; d. 791), 16th son
Consort, of the Yuwen clan (妃宇文氏)
Consort, of the Yuwen clan (妃宇文氏)
Imperial Concubine of the First Rank of the Zhang clan (昭儀 张氏), personal name Honghong (红红)
