Chen Jingxuan
Encyclopedia
Chen Jingxuan (d. April 26, 893) was a general of the Chinese
dynasty Tang Dynasty
, who came to control Xichuan Circuit (西川, headquartered in modern Chengdu
, Sichuan
by virtue of his being an older brother of the eunuch Tian Lingzi
, who controlled the court of Emperor Xizong
during most of Emperor Xizong's reign. Later, when Emperor Xizong's brother and successor Emperor Zhaozong
tried to recall Chen, Chen refused, leading to a general campaign against him. He was eventually defeated and killed by Wang Jian, who took over his territory and later founded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period
state Former Shu
.
, his family was from Xu Prefecture (許州, in modern Xuchang
, Henan
). He had at least two younger brothers, Chen Jingxun (陳敬珣) and one other who later became known as Tian Lingzi
— as that younger brother became a eunuch in his young age and was adopted by a eunuch named Tian. He probably had two older brothers, as, at one point, Tian Lingzi referred to him as the third brother.
As of the start of the reign of Emperor Xizong
(r. 873
-888
), Tian Lingzi became extremely powerful due to his close personal association with Emperor Xizong, such that Emperor Xizong even referred to him as "Father." Tian tried to intercede on Chen Jingxuan's behalf with Cui Anqian
the military governor of Zhongwu Circuit (忠武, headquartered at Xu Prefecture) to have Chen made an officer under Cui, but Cui refused. Tian, therefore, had Chen come to the imperial capital Chang'an
and made him an officer in the eunuch-commanded Left Shence Army
(左神策軍), promoting him all the way to being a major general within a span of a few years.
, Emperor Xizong's empire was being overrun by agrarian rebels, the strongest of whom was Huang Chao
. Tian Lingzi was beginning to fear the possibility that Huang or another agrarian rebel may attack Chang'an, and therefore made a contingency plan to flee to the Shu (蜀, i.e., modern Sichuan
and Chongqing
) region. He recommended Chen and three other Left Shence Army generals that he trusted, Yang Shili
, Niu Xu (牛勗), and Luo Yuangao (羅元杲) as potential military governors (Jiedushi
) for the three circuits covering the region — Xichuan, Dongchuan (東川, headquartered in modern Mianyang
, Sichuan
), and Shannan West (山南西道, headquartered in modern Hanzhong
, Shaanxi
). Emperor Xizong held a polo game for the four of them, with the stakes being that the best player would receive Xichuan. Chen did the best during the game, and was therefore made the military governor of Xichuan, replacing Cui (who was then at Xichuan). (Yang was given Dongchuan, and Niu was given Shannan West.) As Chen was of humble origins and had no good reputation, when the news arrived in Xichuan that he would be the new military governor, the people of Xichuan were surprised, as they did not know who Chen was. A sorcerer from Qingcheng (青城, in modern Chengdu) thus falsely claimed that he was Chen; he arrived at government offices and began making orders. The officer Ju Daifu (瞿大夫), however, figured out that the sorcerer was fake, and therefore arrested and killed him, before Chen's arrival. Once Chen arrived and took office, it was said that he had a careful and timid character but was good at comforting his subordinates.
Around the new year 881
, Huang captured Chang'an, forcing Emperor Xizong to flee to Shannan West's capital Xingyuan (興元), to be protected by Niu. When Chen received report of Emperor Xizong's flight, he summoned the eunuch monitor Liang Chuhou (梁處厚) and tearfully began the plans to welcome Emperor Xizong to Xichuan's capital Chengdu Municipality, including repairing an old palace for Emperor Xizong. He sent 3,000 soldiers to Xingyuan to protect Emperor Xizong. As Xingyuan had little food supplies, Tian persuaded Emperor Xizong to continue on to Chengdu, and Emperor Xizong agreed. He sent some imperial household servants to Chengdu first while he himself slowly progressed. When those servants viewed the palace that Chen was repairing and made insolent remarks about Chengdu being a barbaric place, Chen, in order to try to put the arrogance of the imperial servants in check, had those insolent servants arrested and executed. He then personally went to Lutou Pass (鹿頭關, in modern Deyang
, Sichuan
) to welcome Emperor Xizong and escort Emperor Xizong back to Chengdu. Emperor Xizong bestowed on him the honorary chancellor title of Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事).
Meanwhile, though, it was said that Chen's rule of Xichuan was becoming increasingly harsh, and he sent out secret police to monitor the local officials, which, on one occasion, led to false accusations against and the subsequent cruel execution of Xie Hongrang (謝弘讓) the defender of Ziyang Base (資陽鎮, in modern Ziyang
, Sichuan
). The officer Qian Neng (阡能), who had previously rebelled, refused to resubmit in light of Xie's cruel death, and he took over Qiong (邛州, in modern Chengdu) and Ya (雅州, in modern Ya'an
, Sichuan
) Prefectures and resisted Chen. Chen sent forces against Qian, but initially had no successes. Meanwhile, in summer 882
, Emperor Xizong bestowed the greater honorary chancellor title of Shizhong (侍中) on him, and also created him the Duke of Liang and made his brother Chen Jingxun a prefectural prefect.
The Qian rebellion quickly grew, and by fall 882, it had grown out of Chen's control, as the commander Chen sent to suppress Qian's rebellion, Yang Xingqian (楊行遷), not only was unable to defeat Qian but was killing civilians to pretend that he was having success against Qian. Meanwhile, another rebellion led by Han Xiusheng (韓秀升) and Qu Xingcong (屈行從) rose in the Three Gorges region and cut off the supply route for Xichuan from the east. Chen sent the officer Zhuang Mengdie (莊夢蝶) to try to suppress it, with no success.
In winter 882, as the Qian rebellion had by that point grown and entered Shu Prefecture (蜀州, in modern Chengdu), Chen replaced Yang with Gao Renhou
. Gao publicized his appeal that those who followed Qian would be pardoned entirely if they surrendered, and Qian's forces collapsed. Gao captured Qian and executed him and four other rebel leaders, as well as Qian's chief strategist Zhang Rong (張榮), but otherwise did not carry out any reprisals, a decision that Chen agreed with. Chen further made Gao the defender of Mei Prefecture (眉州, in modern Meishan
, Sichuan
).
In spring 883, with Zhuang repeatedly defeated by Han and Qu, cutting off all supplies from the east, Chen sent Gao to the Three Gorges region to attack them. Gao did so and was able to defeat them, reopening the Three Gorges supply route.
During the time that Emperor Xizong was at Chengdu, at Chen's suggestion, Emperor Xizong had agreed to enter a heqin
marriage treaty with Hetuo. When the Hetuo emperor Longshun (隆舜) insisted on the treaty's implementation in 883, Emperor Xizong created an imperial clansman's daughter to be the Princess Anhua and married her to Longshun.
Meanwhile, Chen got into a dispute with the chancellor Zheng Tian
over Zheng's refusal to allow Chen to have greater honors than the actual chancellors (as Zheng pointed to regulations that honorary chancellors were not to be regarded to be above actual chancellors). Chen and Tian Lingzi thus instigated an insistence by Li Changyan
the military governor of Fengxiang Circuit (鳳翔, headquartered in modern Baoji
, Shaanxi
), who had previously rebelled against Zheng but who had later resubmitted to the Tang imperial government, that Zheng not be allowed through Fengxiang. (Tang forces had recaptured Chang'an from Huang Chao's state of Qi earlier in 883, and Emperor Xizong was then beginning to plan a return to Chang'an.) Faced with this situation, Zheng resigned. After Zheng's resignation, Chen was given the honorary chancellor title of Zhongshu Ling (中書令) and created the Prince of Yingchuan.
Meanwhile, Yang Shili, who had previously been closely associated with Tian Lingzi, had become dissatisfied with the hold that Tian and Chen had on the emperor, particularly becoming displeased when hearing rumors that Chen had promised to have Gao made the military governor of Dongchuan. In spring 884
, Tian, knowing Yang's displeasure and worried that he would act militarily, ordered that he be recalled to the imperial government to serve as You Pushe (右僕射) — a highly-honored position that carried few actual responsibilities. Yang, receiving the order, rejected it and mobilized against Chen. Emperor Xizong stripped Yang of his titles and ordered Gao to attack. Gao defeated Yang's officer Zheng Junxiong (鄭君雄) and put Dongchuan's capital Zi Prefecture (梓州) under siege. In summer 884, Zheng rose against Yang, and Yang committed suicide, allowing Gao to take Dongchuan. With the Dongchuan campaign over, Emperor Xizong departed Chengdu in spring 885
and headed back to Chang'an. Chen escorted the emperor as far as Han Prefecture (漢州, in modern Deyang) before heading back to Chengdu himself.
Meanwhile, though, by late 885, Tian was embroiled in a major dispute with Wang Chongrong
the military governor of Hezhong Circuit (河中, headquartered in modern Yuncheng, Shanxi) over control of the salt ponds at Hezhong, and when he tried to transfer Wang, Wang refused. In a subsequent military confrontation between the forces of Wang and Wang's ally Li Keyong
the military governor of Hedong Circuit (河東, headquartered in modern Taiyuan
, Shanxi
) and the forces of Tian (i.e., the Shence Armies) and his allies Zhu Mei
the military governor of Jingnan Circuit (靜難, headquartered in modern Xianyang
, Shaanxi
) and Li Changyan's brother and successor Li Changfu
, Tian and his allies were decisively defeated, causing Tian to again take Emperor Xizong and abandon Chang'an, fleeing to Xingyuan. Subsequently, Zhu and Li Changfu turned against Emperor Xizong as well, with Zhu going as far as supporting Emperor Xizong's distant relative Li Yun
the Prince of Xiang as an alternative emperor. As Tian knew that he could not continue to hold on to power in the face of the public anger over his precipitating this confrontation with Wang, he resigned his post as the commander of the Shence Armies and had himself made the eunuch monitor of Xichuan, so that he could join Chen in Xichuan. (Tian's successor Yang Fugong
was eventually to reconcile with Wang and Li Keyong. Zhu and Li Yun were killed, and Emperor Xizong was able to return to Chang'an.)
Around the same time, Chen began to suspect Gao Renhou might turn against him. It happened that at that time Zheng Junxiong, who had been made the prefect of Sui Prefecture (遂州, in modern Suining
, Sichuan
), rose in rebellion, capturing Han Prefecture and attacking Chengdu. Chen had his officer Li Shunzhi (李順之) engage Zheng, killing him. Chen then mobilized his forces and made a surprise attack against Gao, killing him. (Chen was unable to retain control of Dongchuan, however, as Emperor Xizong subsequently named the Shence Army general Gu Yanlang
the new military governor of Dongchuan, and Chen appeared to make no attempt to prevent Gu from taking office.)
In spring 887
, Emperor Xizong, who had returned to Chang'an, issued an edict stripping Tian Lingzi of his titles and exiling him to Duan Prefecture (端州, in modern Zhaoqing
, Guangdong
), but as Tian was under Chen's protection, that edict was never carried out.
By winter 887, Chen had become concerned that Gu and the former Shence Army officer Wang Jian — who had previously become an adopted son of Tian's but who had by this point seized Lang Prefecture (閬州, in modern Nanchong
, Sichuan
) without imperial approval — would ally with each other (as they had become friendly during their service together in the Shence Armies) and attack him. Tian suggested summoning Wang to Chengdu to serve under Chen, and Chen agreed. Tian thus wrote a letter to Wang summoning him. Wang, leaving his family members with Gu at Zi Prefecture, thus headed toward Chengdu. However, when Wang reached Lutou Pass, Chen's staff member Li Ai (李乂) warned Chen that Wang was dangerous, and Chen regretted and tried to stop Wang. Wang refused the order and proceeded all the way to Chengdu, defeating Chen's officers on the way. He captured Han Prefecture and gave control of it to Gu's brother Gu Yanhui
, and Gu Yanlang and Wang subsequently attacked Chengdu but could not capture it. When Emperor Xizong sent eunuchs to try to mediate, neither Chen nor Wang accepted the mediation. It was said that Wang's campaign against Chen caused great damage to all 12 prefectures of Xichuan Circuit and that, as a result, Xichuan's routine tributes to the emperor stopped.
Emperor Xizong died in spring 888
and was succeeded by his brother Emperor Zhaozong
, who had long hated Tian. Meanwhile, Wang was still unable to capture Chengdu, and therefore submitted a petition to Emperor Zhaozong that the imperial government send a new military governor of Xichuan, offering to serve under that new military governor. Gu Yanlang submitted a petition with a similar proposal as well. Emperor Zhaozong therefore made the chancellor Wei Zhaodu
the new military governor of Xichuan and issued an order recalling Chen to serve as a major general of the Shence Armies. Chen, however, refused the order and prepared for battle against Wei. Emperor Zhaozong thus stripped him of all titles. (It was said that, however, after this point, Tian became effectively in control of Xichuan, making all key decisions.) Emperor Zhaozong commissioned Wei as the overall commander against Chen, with Yang Shouliang
the military governor of Shannan West, Gu Yanlang, and Wang assisting, and carved out four prefectures of Xichuan to establish a new Yongping Circuit (永平, headquartered at Qiong Prefecture), making Wang the military governor of Yongping.
, Wang Jian started a siege of Qiong Prefecture, intending to take it as his base of operations. All attempts that Chen Jingxuan made to relieve the siege of Qiong were defeated by Wang. Qiong fell to Wang in fall 890. Wang left his assistant Zhang Lin (張琳) in control at Qiong and returned to Chengdu, resuming the siege there. It was said that, in light of the resistance war that he was waging against the imperial government, Chen increased the tax burden greatly and imposed cruel punishments for those who hid assets, causing the people much grief.
By spring 891
, however, given Wei's failure to capture Chengdu by this point and given the imperial government's recent defeat in a campaign against Li Keyong, Emperor Zhaozong decided to end the campaign. He restored Chen's titles and recalled Wei, while ordering Gu Yanlang and Wang to return to their circuits. By this point, though, Chengdu, under siege, was suffering from a serious famine that caused people of the city to resort to cannibalism, and Wang was unwilling to give up the campaign. He initially tried to persuade Wei to continue the campaign despite Emperor Zhaozong's order and, when Wei was unwilling to do so, intimidated Wei (by killing Wei's associate Luo Bao (駱保)) into giving him command of the imperial forces and returning to Chang'an by himself. Wang then resumed the siege against Chengdu.
By fall 891, Chengdu's situation was even more desperate, as Wang cut off the only remaining supply route that it had, from Weirong Circuit (威戎, headquartered in modern Chengdu), whose military governor Yang Sheng (楊晟) was a follower of Tian's. When Chen met with his army to try to encourage them to continue to resist, the soldiers stopped responding to him. Tian personally visited Wang at his camp and offered to surrender, and Wang accepted. Wang, who was then made the military governor of Xichuan, offered to continue to support Tian like a father, while making Chen's son Chen Tao (陳陶) the prefect of Ya Prefecture, having Chen Jingxuan go to Ya Prefecture as well to be with Chen Tao.
, Wang Jian removed Chen Tao of his post as prefect of Ya Prefecture. Wang instead settled Chen Jingxuan at Xinjin (新津, in modern Chengdu), and supported Chen's household with the tax revenues of Xinjin County. However, he was continuously submitting petitions to Emperor Zhaozong requesting the executions of Chen and Tian Lingzi. Emperor Zhaozong never approved his petitions, and he decided to take initiative on his own. In summer 893
, he falsely accused Chen and Tian of plotting treason, and he had Chen executed at Xinjin. Chen had long suspected that Wang would have him killed, and therefore carried poison in his belt so that he could commit suicide before an execution could occur, but as he was being arrested, he checked his belt, and the poison was no longer there. He was thereafter beheaded.
History of China
Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...
dynasty Tang Dynasty
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...
, who came to control Xichuan Circuit (西川, headquartered in modern Chengdu
Chengdu
Chengdu , formerly transliterated Chengtu, is the capital of Sichuan province in Southwest China. It holds sub-provincial administrative status...
, Sichuan
Sichuan
' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
by virtue of his being an older brother of the eunuch Tian Lingzi
Tian Lingzi
Tian Lingzi , courtesy name Zhongze , formally the Duke of Jin , was a powerful eunuch during the reign of Emperor Xizong of Tang...
, who controlled the court of Emperor Xizong
Emperor Xizong of Tang
Emperor Xizong of Tang , né Li Yan , later name changed to Li Xuan , was an emperor of the Tang dynasty of China. He reigned from 873 to 888. He was the fifth son of his predecessor Emperor Yizong and was the elder brother of his successor Emperor Zhaozong...
during most of Emperor Xizong's reign. Later, when Emperor Xizong's brother and successor Emperor Zhaozong
Emperor Zhaozong of Tang
Emperor Zhaozong of Tang , né Li Jie , name later changed to Li Min , yet later name changed to Li Ye , was the penultimate emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China. He reigned from 888 to 904...
tried to recall Chen, Chen refused, leading to a general campaign against him. He was eventually defeated and killed by Wang Jian, who took over his territory and later founded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period
Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period
Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms was between 907–960/979 AD and an era of political upheaval in China, between the fall of the Tang Dynasty and the founding of the Song Dynasty. During this period, five dynasties quickly succeeded one another in the north, and more than 12 independent states were...
state Former Shu
Former Shu
Great Shu called in retrospect Former Shu was one of the Ten Kingdoms formed during the chaotic period between the rules of the Tang dynasty and the Song dynasty...
.
Background and early career
It is not known when Chen Jingxuan was born. According to the Zizhi TongjianZizhi Tongjian
The Zizhi Tongjian was a pioneering reference work in Chinese historiography, published in 1084, under the form of a chronicles. In 1065 CE, Emperor Yingzong of Song ordered the great historian Sima Guang to lead with other scholars such as his chief assistants Liu Shu, Liu Ban and Fan Zuyu, the...
, his family was from Xu Prefecture (許州, in modern Xuchang
Xuchang
Xuchang is a prefecture-level city in central Henan province in Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the northwest, Kaifeng to the northeast, Zhoukou to the east, Luohe to the southeast, and Pingdingshan to the southwest....
, Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
). He had at least two younger brothers, Chen Jingxun (陳敬珣) and one other who later became known as Tian Lingzi
Tian Lingzi
Tian Lingzi , courtesy name Zhongze , formally the Duke of Jin , was a powerful eunuch during the reign of Emperor Xizong of Tang...
— as that younger brother became a eunuch in his young age and was adopted by a eunuch named Tian. He probably had two older brothers, as, at one point, Tian Lingzi referred to him as the third brother.
As of the start of the reign of Emperor Xizong
Emperor Xizong of Tang
Emperor Xizong of Tang , né Li Yan , later name changed to Li Xuan , was an emperor of the Tang dynasty of China. He reigned from 873 to 888. He was the fifth son of his predecessor Emperor Yizong and was the elder brother of his successor Emperor Zhaozong...
(r. 873
873
Year 873 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* The Vikings raid Dorestad.* Al-Andalus: Second uprising of Toledo due to ethnic tensions in two years.- Asia :...
-888
888
Year 888 was a leap year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* January 13 – With the death of Charles the Fat, the Frankish kingdom is split again, and this time permanently...
), Tian Lingzi became extremely powerful due to his close personal association with Emperor Xizong, such that Emperor Xizong even referred to him as "Father." Tian tried to intercede on Chen Jingxuan's behalf with Cui Anqian
Cui Anqian
Cui Anqian , courtesy name Jinzhi , was an official and general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who was a participant in Tang's campaigns against the agrarian rebels Wang Xianzhi and Huang Chao.- Background and early career :...
the military governor of Zhongwu Circuit (忠武, headquartered at Xu Prefecture) to have Chen made an officer under Cui, but Cui refused. Tian, therefore, had Chen come to the imperial capital Chang'an
Chang'an
Chang'an is an ancient capital of more than ten dynasties in Chinese history, today known as Xi'an. Chang'an literally means "Perpetual Peace" in Classical Chinese. During the short-lived Xin Dynasty, the city was renamed "Constant Peace" ; yet after its fall in AD 23, the old name was restored...
and made him an officer in the eunuch-commanded Left Shence Army
Shence Army
The Shence Army was a Tang Dynasty Chinese army unit based in Chang’an City which formed the primary imperial guard responsible for protecting the emperor. It was set up in 754 CE by Emperor Xuanzong of Tang and placed under the command of Longyou Military Governor Geshu Han...
(左神策軍), promoting him all the way to being a major general within a span of a few years.
Before Emperor Xizong's arrival in Chengdu
As of 880880
Year 880 was a leap year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar.- Religion :* Pope John VIII issues the bull Industriae Tuae, creating an independent ecclesiastical province in Great Moravia with Archbishop Saint Methodius as its head...
, Emperor Xizong's empire was being overrun by agrarian rebels, the strongest of whom was Huang Chao
Huang Chao
Huang Chao was the leader of the Huang Chao Rebellion , known in mainland China as the Huang Chao Revolution in China that seriously weakened the once mighty Tang Dynasty of China...
. Tian Lingzi was beginning to fear the possibility that Huang or another agrarian rebel may attack Chang'an, and therefore made a contingency plan to flee to the Shu (蜀, i.e., modern Sichuan
Sichuan
' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
and Chongqing
Chongqing
Chongqing is a major city in Southwest China and one of the five national central cities of China. Administratively, it is one of the PRC's four direct-controlled municipalities , and the only such municipality in inland China.The municipality was created on 14 March 1997, succeeding the...
) region. He recommended Chen and three other Left Shence Army generals that he trusted, Yang Shili
Yang Shili
Yang Shili was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who came to control Dongchuan Circuit as its military governor due to his association with the powerful eunuch Tian Lingzi...
, Niu Xu (牛勗), and Luo Yuangao (羅元杲) as potential military governors (Jiedushi
Jiedushi
The Jiedushi were regional military governors in China during the Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. Originally set up to counter external threats, the jiedushi were given enormous power, including the ability to maintain their own armies, collect taxes, and pass their...
) for the three circuits covering the region — Xichuan, Dongchuan (東川, headquartered in modern Mianyang
Mianyang
Mianyang is the second largest prefecture-level city of Sichuan province in Southwest China. Its administrative area includes the city proper of Mianyang, with 985,586 inhabitants in the built up area , the county-level city of Jiangyou, and six counties, covering an area of over and a population...
, Sichuan
Sichuan
' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
), and Shannan West (山南西道, headquartered in modern Hanzhong
Hanzhong
Hanzhong is a municipality in southwest Shaanxi Province, China, occupying a historically significant valley in the mountains between the Xi'an area, home to many Chinese capitals, and the fertile but isolated Sichuan Basin...
, Shaanxi
Shaanxi
' is a province in the central part of Mainland China, and it includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River in addition to the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of this province...
). Emperor Xizong held a polo game for the four of them, with the stakes being that the best player would receive Xichuan. Chen did the best during the game, and was therefore made the military governor of Xichuan, replacing Cui (who was then at Xichuan). (Yang was given Dongchuan, and Niu was given Shannan West.) As Chen was of humble origins and had no good reputation, when the news arrived in Xichuan that he would be the new military governor, the people of Xichuan were surprised, as they did not know who Chen was. A sorcerer from Qingcheng (青城, in modern Chengdu) thus falsely claimed that he was Chen; he arrived at government offices and began making orders. The officer Ju Daifu (瞿大夫), however, figured out that the sorcerer was fake, and therefore arrested and killed him, before Chen's arrival. Once Chen arrived and took office, it was said that he had a careful and timid character but was good at comforting his subordinates.
Around the new year 881
881
Year 881 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Charles the Fat is crowned Western Emperor.* Battle of Saucourt-en-Vimeu: Louis III of France routs Norman pirates....
, Huang captured Chang'an, forcing Emperor Xizong to flee to Shannan West's capital Xingyuan (興元), to be protected by Niu. When Chen received report of Emperor Xizong's flight, he summoned the eunuch monitor Liang Chuhou (梁處厚) and tearfully began the plans to welcome Emperor Xizong to Xichuan's capital Chengdu Municipality, including repairing an old palace for Emperor Xizong. He sent 3,000 soldiers to Xingyuan to protect Emperor Xizong. As Xingyuan had little food supplies, Tian persuaded Emperor Xizong to continue on to Chengdu, and Emperor Xizong agreed. He sent some imperial household servants to Chengdu first while he himself slowly progressed. When those servants viewed the palace that Chen was repairing and made insolent remarks about Chengdu being a barbaric place, Chen, in order to try to put the arrogance of the imperial servants in check, had those insolent servants arrested and executed. He then personally went to Lutou Pass (鹿頭關, in modern Deyang
Deyang
Deyang is a prefecture-level city in Sichuan province, China. Deyang is a wealthy, mostly industrial city, with the Erzhong Heavy Machinery Company Deyang is a prefecture-level city in Sichuan province, China. Deyang is a wealthy, mostly industrial city, with the Erzhong Heavy Machinery Company...
, Sichuan
Sichuan
' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
) to welcome Emperor Xizong and escort Emperor Xizong back to Chengdu. Emperor Xizong bestowed on him the honorary chancellor title of Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事).
During Emperor Xizong's stay in Chengdu
After Emperor Xizong arrived at Chengdu, he gave initial rewards to the Xichuan army, but after he settled down, rewards were repeatedly given to the imperial guards who accompanied Emperor Xizong to Chengdu and stopped for the Xichuan army, drawing much resentment from the Xichuan forces. At a feast held by Tian Lingzi, the officer Guo Qi (郭琪) publicly objected and requested that rewards be balanced; Tian reacted by trying to poison Guo to death, but Guo survived. Guo then led a failed mutiny and then fled, but Chen Jingxuan spared his family.Meanwhile, though, it was said that Chen's rule of Xichuan was becoming increasingly harsh, and he sent out secret police to monitor the local officials, which, on one occasion, led to false accusations against and the subsequent cruel execution of Xie Hongrang (謝弘讓) the defender of Ziyang Base (資陽鎮, in modern Ziyang
Ziyang
Ziyang prefecture-level city in the Sichuan Province, in south central China, with more than 300,000 inhabitants.- Subdivisions :-External links:*...
, Sichuan
Sichuan
' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
). The officer Qian Neng (阡能), who had previously rebelled, refused to resubmit in light of Xie's cruel death, and he took over Qiong (邛州, in modern Chengdu) and Ya (雅州, in modern Ya'an
Ya'an
Ya'an is a prefecture-level city in the western part of Sichuan province of Southwest China, located just below the Tibetan Plateau.-History:...
, Sichuan
Sichuan
' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
) Prefectures and resisted Chen. Chen sent forces against Qian, but initially had no successes. Meanwhile, in summer 882
882
Year 882 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Carloman, King of the West Franks, becomes sole king upon the death of his brother....
, Emperor Xizong bestowed the greater honorary chancellor title of Shizhong (侍中) on him, and also created him the Duke of Liang and made his brother Chen Jingxun a prefectural prefect.
The Qian rebellion quickly grew, and by fall 882, it had grown out of Chen's control, as the commander Chen sent to suppress Qian's rebellion, Yang Xingqian (楊行遷), not only was unable to defeat Qian but was killing civilians to pretend that he was having success against Qian. Meanwhile, another rebellion led by Han Xiusheng (韓秀升) and Qu Xingcong (屈行從) rose in the Three Gorges region and cut off the supply route for Xichuan from the east. Chen sent the officer Zhuang Mengdie (莊夢蝶) to try to suppress it, with no success.
In winter 882, as the Qian rebellion had by that point grown and entered Shu Prefecture (蜀州, in modern Chengdu), Chen replaced Yang with Gao Renhou
Gao Renhou
Gao Renhou was an army general late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty who served under the warlord Chen Jingxuan the military governor of Xichuan Circuit...
. Gao publicized his appeal that those who followed Qian would be pardoned entirely if they surrendered, and Qian's forces collapsed. Gao captured Qian and executed him and four other rebel leaders, as well as Qian's chief strategist Zhang Rong (張榮), but otherwise did not carry out any reprisals, a decision that Chen agreed with. Chen further made Gao the defender of Mei Prefecture (眉州, in modern Meishan
Meishan
Meishan , formerly known as Meizhou or Qingzhou , is a prefecture-level city with more than 100,000 inhabitants in Sichuan province of the People's Republic of China. Meishan is in the southwest of Sichuan Basin....
, Sichuan
Sichuan
' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
).
In spring 883, with Zhuang repeatedly defeated by Han and Qu, cutting off all supplies from the east, Chen sent Gao to the Three Gorges region to attack them. Gao did so and was able to defeat them, reopening the Three Gorges supply route.
During the time that Emperor Xizong was at Chengdu, at Chen's suggestion, Emperor Xizong had agreed to enter a heqin
Heqin
Heqin was a term used in ancient China for an alliance by marriage. It usually referred to the Chinese Emperor marrying off a "princess" to an aggressive "barbarian" chieftain or ruler. The theory was that in exchange for the marriage, the chieftain would cease all aggressive actions toward China...
marriage treaty with Hetuo. When the Hetuo emperor Longshun (隆舜) insisted on the treaty's implementation in 883, Emperor Xizong created an imperial clansman's daughter to be the Princess Anhua and married her to Longshun.
Meanwhile, Chen got into a dispute with the chancellor Zheng Tian
Zheng Tian
Zheng Tian , courtesy name Taiwen , formally Duke Wenzhao of Xingyang , was a chancellor of late Tang Dynasty, serving two terms as chancellor during the reign of Emperor Xizong...
over Zheng's refusal to allow Chen to have greater honors than the actual chancellors (as Zheng pointed to regulations that honorary chancellors were not to be regarded to be above actual chancellors). Chen and Tian Lingzi thus instigated an insistence by Li Changyan
Li Changyan
Li Changyan was a warlord of the late Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who controlled Fengxiang Circuit from 881 to 884 as its military governor after overthrowing his predecessor, the former chancellor Zheng Tian.- Takeover of Fengxiang Circuit :Little is known about Li Changyan's background, as...
the military governor of Fengxiang Circuit (鳳翔, headquartered in modern Baoji
Baoji
Baoji is a prefecture-level city in Shaanxi province, China.-Geography:The prefecture-level city of Baoji has a population of 3,716,731 according to the 2010 Chinese census, inhabiting an area of . The city itself has a population of approximately 800,000. Surrounded on three sides by hills,...
, Shaanxi
Shaanxi
' is a province in the central part of Mainland China, and it includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River in addition to the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of this province...
), who had previously rebelled against Zheng but who had later resubmitted to the Tang imperial government, that Zheng not be allowed through Fengxiang. (Tang forces had recaptured Chang'an from Huang Chao's state of Qi earlier in 883, and Emperor Xizong was then beginning to plan a return to Chang'an.) Faced with this situation, Zheng resigned. After Zheng's resignation, Chen was given the honorary chancellor title of Zhongshu Ling (中書令) and created the Prince of Yingchuan.
Meanwhile, Yang Shili, who had previously been closely associated with Tian Lingzi, had become dissatisfied with the hold that Tian and Chen had on the emperor, particularly becoming displeased when hearing rumors that Chen had promised to have Gao made the military governor of Dongchuan. In spring 884
884
Year 884 was a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* March 1 – Diego Rodríguez Porcelos founds and repopulates Burgos....
, Tian, knowing Yang's displeasure and worried that he would act militarily, ordered that he be recalled to the imperial government to serve as You Pushe (右僕射) — a highly-honored position that carried few actual responsibilities. Yang, receiving the order, rejected it and mobilized against Chen. Emperor Xizong stripped Yang of his titles and ordered Gao to attack. Gao defeated Yang's officer Zheng Junxiong (鄭君雄) and put Dongchuan's capital Zi Prefecture (梓州) under siege. In summer 884, Zheng rose against Yang, and Yang committed suicide, allowing Gao to take Dongchuan. With the Dongchuan campaign over, Emperor Xizong departed Chengdu in spring 885
885
Year 885 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* The Vikings besiege Paris.* Godfrith, the Sea King is killed in Lobith...
and headed back to Chang'an. Chen escorted the emperor as far as Han Prefecture (漢州, in modern Deyang) before heading back to Chengdu himself.
After Emperor Xizong's departure from Chengdu
After Emperor Xizong returned to Chang'an, Tian Lingzi continued to be in control of the imperial government, and he had Chen Jingxuan be officially made the overall overseer of not only Xichuan, but of also Dongchuan, Shannan West, and the Three Gorges region.Meanwhile, though, by late 885, Tian was embroiled in a major dispute with Wang Chongrong
Wang Chongrong
Wang Chongrong , formally the Prince of Langye , was a warlord of the late Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty who controlled Hezhong Circuit...
the military governor of Hezhong Circuit (河中, headquartered in modern Yuncheng, Shanxi) over control of the salt ponds at Hezhong, and when he tried to transfer Wang, Wang refused. In a subsequent military confrontation between the forces of Wang and Wang's ally Li Keyong
Li Keyong
Li Keyong was a Shatuo military governor during the late Tang Dynasty and was key to developing a base of power for the Shatuo in what is today Shanxi Province in China...
the military governor of Hedong Circuit (河東, headquartered in modern Taiyuan
Taiyuan
Taiyuan is the capital and largest city of Shanxi province in North China. At the 2010 census, it had a total population of 4,201,591 inhabitants on 6959 km² whom 3,212,500 are urban on 1,460 km². The name of the city literally means "Great Plains", referring to the location where the Fen River...
, Shanxi
Shanxi
' is a province in Northern China. Its one-character abbreviation is "晋" , after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period....
) and the forces of Tian (i.e., the Shence Armies) and his allies Zhu Mei
Zhu Mei
Zhu Mei was a warlord of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty. Disillusioned with Emperor Xizong and the powerful eunuch Tian Lingzi, he tried to support Emperor Xizong's distant relative Li Yun the Prince of Xiang as the new emperor, but was soon thereafter killed by his own officer Wang Xingyu.-...
the military governor of Jingnan Circuit (靜難, headquartered in modern Xianyang
Xianyang
Xianyang is a former capital of China in Shaanxi province, on the Wei River, a few kilometers upstream from Xi'an. It has an area of...
, Shaanxi
Shaanxi
' is a province in the central part of Mainland China, and it includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River in addition to the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of this province...
) and Li Changyan's brother and successor Li Changfu
Li Changfu
Li Changfu was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who ruled Fengxiang Circuit from 884 to 887...
, Tian and his allies were decisively defeated, causing Tian to again take Emperor Xizong and abandon Chang'an, fleeing to Xingyuan. Subsequently, Zhu and Li Changfu turned against Emperor Xizong as well, with Zhu going as far as supporting Emperor Xizong's distant relative Li Yun
Li Yun
Li Yun is a fictional character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He ranks 97th of the 108 Liangshan heroes and 61st of the 72 Earthly Fiends. He is nicknamed "Green Eyed Tiger".-Background:...
the Prince of Xiang as an alternative emperor. As Tian knew that he could not continue to hold on to power in the face of the public anger over his precipitating this confrontation with Wang, he resigned his post as the commander of the Shence Armies and had himself made the eunuch monitor of Xichuan, so that he could join Chen in Xichuan. (Tian's successor Yang Fugong
Yang Fugong
Yang Fugong , courtesy name Zike , formally the Duke of Wei , was an eunuch official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, playing key roles in the imperial administrations of Emperor Xizong and Emperor Xizong's brother Emperor Zhaozong...
was eventually to reconcile with Wang and Li Keyong. Zhu and Li Yun were killed, and Emperor Xizong was able to return to Chang'an.)
Around the same time, Chen began to suspect Gao Renhou might turn against him. It happened that at that time Zheng Junxiong, who had been made the prefect of Sui Prefecture (遂州, in modern Suining
Suining
-Places of Interest:Suining is a booming city with a wide range of roles, not just limit to the Excellent Tourism City of China, but also include the Finance and Ecological City of China,the National Landscape City,and the National Hygiene City,etc.According to the local legend, Suining is the...
, Sichuan
Sichuan
' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
), rose in rebellion, capturing Han Prefecture and attacking Chengdu. Chen had his officer Li Shunzhi (李順之) engage Zheng, killing him. Chen then mobilized his forces and made a surprise attack against Gao, killing him. (Chen was unable to retain control of Dongchuan, however, as Emperor Xizong subsequently named the Shence Army general Gu Yanlang
Gu Yanlang
Gu Yanlang was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty who controlled Dongchuan Circuit from 887 to his death in 891 as its military governor .- Background :...
the new military governor of Dongchuan, and Chen appeared to make no attempt to prevent Gu from taking office.)
In spring 887
887
Year 887 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* The city of Toledo rises against the Umayyad leader....
, Emperor Xizong, who had returned to Chang'an, issued an edict stripping Tian Lingzi of his titles and exiling him to Duan Prefecture (端州, in modern Zhaoqing
Zhaoqing
Zhaoqing is a prefecture-level city of Guangdong province in southern China.-Geography:Zhaoqing is located 110 km northwest of Guangzhou, in the west Pearl River Delta. It lies on the north shores of the Xijiang River, which is flows from west to east, and opposite of Gaoyao...
, Guangdong
Guangdong
Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
), but as Tian was under Chen's protection, that edict was never carried out.
By winter 887, Chen had become concerned that Gu and the former Shence Army officer Wang Jian — who had previously become an adopted son of Tian's but who had by this point seized Lang Prefecture (閬州, in modern Nanchong
Nanchong
Nanchong is a prefecture-level city in the northeast of Sichuan Province of the People's Republic of China, with an area of 12,479 kilometers. and the home to 7,300,000 people. It has the second most populated area and suggested to be one of the eight largest cities of Sichuan Province...
, Sichuan
Sichuan
' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
) without imperial approval — would ally with each other (as they had become friendly during their service together in the Shence Armies) and attack him. Tian suggested summoning Wang to Chengdu to serve under Chen, and Chen agreed. Tian thus wrote a letter to Wang summoning him. Wang, leaving his family members with Gu at Zi Prefecture, thus headed toward Chengdu. However, when Wang reached Lutou Pass, Chen's staff member Li Ai (李乂) warned Chen that Wang was dangerous, and Chen regretted and tried to stop Wang. Wang refused the order and proceeded all the way to Chengdu, defeating Chen's officers on the way. He captured Han Prefecture and gave control of it to Gu's brother Gu Yanhui
Gu Yanhui
Gu Yanhui was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who controlled Dongchuan Circuit from 891, when he succeeded his brother Gu Yanlang, to 897, when he, facing defeat against one-time ally Wang Jian, committed suicide with his family members.- Background :It is not known when Gu...
, and Gu Yanlang and Wang subsequently attacked Chengdu but could not capture it. When Emperor Xizong sent eunuchs to try to mediate, neither Chen nor Wang accepted the mediation. It was said that Wang's campaign against Chen caused great damage to all 12 prefectures of Xichuan Circuit and that, as a result, Xichuan's routine tributes to the emperor stopped.
Emperor Xizong died in spring 888
888
Year 888 was a leap year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* January 13 – With the death of Charles the Fat, the Frankish kingdom is split again, and this time permanently...
and was succeeded by his brother Emperor Zhaozong
Emperor Zhaozong of Tang
Emperor Zhaozong of Tang , né Li Jie , name later changed to Li Min , yet later name changed to Li Ye , was the penultimate emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China. He reigned from 888 to 904...
, who had long hated Tian. Meanwhile, Wang was still unable to capture Chengdu, and therefore submitted a petition to Emperor Zhaozong that the imperial government send a new military governor of Xichuan, offering to serve under that new military governor. Gu Yanlang submitted a petition with a similar proposal as well. Emperor Zhaozong therefore made the chancellor Wei Zhaodu
Wei Zhaodu
Wei Zhaodu , courtesy name Zhengji , formally the Duke of Qi , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Xizong and Emperor Xizong's brother Emperor Zhaozong...
the new military governor of Xichuan and issued an order recalling Chen to serve as a major general of the Shence Armies. Chen, however, refused the order and prepared for battle against Wei. Emperor Zhaozong thus stripped him of all titles. (It was said that, however, after this point, Tian became effectively in control of Xichuan, making all key decisions.) Emperor Zhaozong commissioned Wei as the overall commander against Chen, with Yang Shouliang
Yang Shouliang
Yang Shouliang , né Zi Liang , was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who controlled Shannan West Circuit from 887 to 892. He was initially an agrarian rebel under Wang Xianzhi, but later came to serve under the imperial eunuch general Yang Fuguang, becoming Yang Fuguang's...
the military governor of Shannan West, Gu Yanlang, and Wang assisting, and carved out four prefectures of Xichuan to establish a new Yongping Circuit (永平, headquartered at Qiong Prefecture), making Wang the military governor of Yongping.
Resistance against the imperial government
In spring 890890
Year 890 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* The sovereignty of Great Moravian king Svatopluk I in Bohemia is confirmed.* Lusatia becomes a part of Great Moravia....
, Wang Jian started a siege of Qiong Prefecture, intending to take it as his base of operations. All attempts that Chen Jingxuan made to relieve the siege of Qiong were defeated by Wang. Qiong fell to Wang in fall 890. Wang left his assistant Zhang Lin (張琳) in control at Qiong and returned to Chengdu, resuming the siege there. It was said that, in light of the resistance war that he was waging against the imperial government, Chen increased the tax burden greatly and imposed cruel punishments for those who hid assets, causing the people much grief.
By spring 891
891
Year 891 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Arnulf of Carinthia defeats the Normans at the Battle of Leuven....
, however, given Wei's failure to capture Chengdu by this point and given the imperial government's recent defeat in a campaign against Li Keyong, Emperor Zhaozong decided to end the campaign. He restored Chen's titles and recalled Wei, while ordering Gu Yanlang and Wang to return to their circuits. By this point, though, Chengdu, under siege, was suffering from a serious famine that caused people of the city to resort to cannibalism, and Wang was unwilling to give up the campaign. He initially tried to persuade Wei to continue the campaign despite Emperor Zhaozong's order and, when Wei was unwilling to do so, intimidated Wei (by killing Wei's associate Luo Bao (駱保)) into giving him command of the imperial forces and returning to Chang'an by himself. Wang then resumed the siege against Chengdu.
By fall 891, Chengdu's situation was even more desperate, as Wang cut off the only remaining supply route that it had, from Weirong Circuit (威戎, headquartered in modern Chengdu), whose military governor Yang Sheng (楊晟) was a follower of Tian's. When Chen met with his army to try to encourage them to continue to resist, the soldiers stopped responding to him. Tian personally visited Wang at his camp and offered to surrender, and Wang accepted. Wang, who was then made the military governor of Xichuan, offered to continue to support Tian like a father, while making Chen's son Chen Tao (陳陶) the prefect of Ya Prefecture, having Chen Jingxuan go to Ya Prefecture as well to be with Chen Tao.
Death
In 892892
Year 892 was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Poppo of Thuringia, count of the march in Thuringia, is deposed by the German Carolingian king Arnulf of Carinthia....
, Wang Jian removed Chen Tao of his post as prefect of Ya Prefecture. Wang instead settled Chen Jingxuan at Xinjin (新津, in modern Chengdu), and supported Chen's household with the tax revenues of Xinjin County. However, he was continuously submitting petitions to Emperor Zhaozong requesting the executions of Chen and Tian Lingzi. Emperor Zhaozong never approved his petitions, and he decided to take initiative on his own. In summer 893
893
Year 893 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Council of Preslav: Simeon I succeeds Vladimir as prince of Bulgaria; the capital is moved from Pliska to Preslav....
, he falsely accused Chen and Tian of plotting treason, and he had Chen executed at Xinjin. Chen had long suspected that Wang would have him killed, and therefore carried poison in his belt so that he could commit suicide before an execution could occur, but as he was being arrested, he checked his belt, and the poison was no longer there. He was thereafter beheaded.