An Jinzang
Encyclopedia
An Jincang (died 711) was a Tang Dynasty
court official responsible for saving the life of Li Dan, the future emperor.
A native of Luoyang
, he was employed in the Court of Sacrificial Worship under the Empress Wu Zetian
. When charges of treason were brought against the heir apparent Li Dan, he loudly protested that the latter was innocent; and in token of good faith seized a knife and ripped up his own belly so that his bowels hung down to the ground. It was with difficulty that his life was saved; the Empress, however, was convinced of his loyalty, and Li Dan was left in peace. His name was subsequently carved upon Mount Tai
and Mount Hua
, and he was canonized as Zhong 忠.
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
court official responsible for saving the life of Li Dan, the future emperor.
A native of Luoyang
Luoyang
Luoyang is a prefecture-level city in western Henan province of Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the east, Pingdingshan to the southeast, Nanyang to the south, Sanmenxia to the west, Jiyuan to the north, and Jiaozuo to the northeast.Situated on the central plain of...
, he was employed in the Court of Sacrificial Worship under the Empress Wu Zetian
Wu Zetian
Wu Zetian , personal name Wu Zhao , often referred to as Tian Hou during the Tang Dynasty and Empress Consort Wu in later times, was the only woman in the history of China to assume the title of Empress Regnant...
. When charges of treason were brought against the heir apparent Li Dan, he loudly protested that the latter was innocent; and in token of good faith seized a knife and ripped up his own belly so that his bowels hung down to the ground. It was with difficulty that his life was saved; the Empress, however, was convinced of his loyalty, and Li Dan was left in peace. His name was subsequently carved upon Mount Tai
Mount Tai
Mount Tai is a mountain of historical and cultural significance located north of the city of Tai'an, in Shandong province, People's Republic of China. The tallest peak is the Jade Emperor Peak , which is commonly reported as tall, but is described by the PRC government as .Mount Tai is one of the...
and Mount Hua
Mount Hua
Mount Hua or Hua Shan in Chinese is located in Shaanxi Province, about 120 kilometres east of the city of Xi'an, near the city Huayin in China. Also known as Xiyuè, Western Great Mountain, it is one of China's Five Sacred Taoist Mountains, and has a long history of religious significance...
, and he was canonized as Zhong 忠.