Chen Ru
Encyclopedia
Chen Ru (d. 885) was a warlord late in the Chinese
dynasty Tang Dynasty
, who ruled Jingnan Circuit (荊南, headquartered in modern Jingzhou
, Hubei
) from 882 to 885, most of that time as its military governor (Jiedushi
). He was eventually imprisoned by Zhang Gui
and put to death.
As of 882, the military governor of Jingnan, Duan Yanmo
, had an adversarial relationship with the eunuch monitor of the Jingnan army, Zhu Jingmei
. Zhu selected 3,000 elite soldiers and called them the Zhongyong Army, putting it under his own command. Duan, in anger, decided that he wanted to kill Zhu. However, Zhu took preemptive action in summer 882 and attacked Duan, killing him. Zhu initially made the deputy mayor of Jiangling, Li Sui (李燧), acting military governor. Then-reigning Emperor Xizong
commissioned a former military governor of Jingnan, Zheng Shaoye (鄭紹業), as military governor, but Zheng, in fear of Zhu hesitated to report to Jingnan. Zhu then made Chen acting military governor. In 883
, Emperor Xizong confirmed Chen as acting military governor and removed Zheng officially, and later in the year made Chen full military governor.
, Hunan
). Shentu pursued and attacked him, killing more than 100 Zhongyong soldiers on the way and causing the rest to scatter. Shentu thereafter became briefly dominant in the Jingnan Circuit government, although Chen remained military governor.
Meanwhile, Jingnan also faced the continuous raids from Lei Man
, who had seized Lang Prefecture (朗州, in modern Changde
, Hunan
). Chen decided that he could invite Zhang Gui
and Han Shide (韓師德), two army officers who had rebelled against Gao Pian
the military governor of Huainan Circuit (淮南, headquartered in modern Yangzhou
, Jiangsu
) and who had seized Fu (復州, in modern Tianmen
, Hubei
) and Yue (岳州, in modern Yueyang
, Hunan
) Prefectures respectively, to help him fight Lei. He gave Zhang the title of acting army commander of Jingnan and Han the title of acting deputy military governor, asking them to attack Lei. Instead, Han initially advanced to the Three Gorges region and then returned to Yue Prefecture after pillaging the region, while Zhang instead attacked Jiangling and forced Chen to flee. Chen tried to head for Emperor Xizong's then-location at Chengdu
(as Emperor Xizong had to flee there after the major agrarian rebel Huang Chao
captured the imperial capital Chang'an
in 881
and had not yet returned to Chang'an). Zhang sent soldiers to pursue Chen and intercepted him, seizing him and taking him back to Jiangling, to be put under arrest.
, Henan
) but who had turned against the Tang court and declared himself emperor, sent an army commanded by his brother Qin Zongyan (秦宗言) to attack Jingnan. With Jiangling under siege by Qin's army, the Jingnan officer Zhao Kuang (趙匡) plotted to rescue Chen and restore him. The plot was discovered by Zhang Gui. Zhang executed Zhao and cut off food supplies to Chen, who died after seven days.
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 ruled Jingnan Circuit (荊南, headquartered in modern Jingzhou
Jingzhou
Jingzhou is a prefecture-level city in Hubei Province, People's Republic of China. The city is located on the banks of the Yangtze River.Its population is 5,691,707 at the 2010 census whom 1,154,086 in the built up area made of 3 urban districts.-Geography:Jingzhou occupies an area of...
, Hubei
Hubei
' Hupeh) is a province in Central China. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Lake Dongting...
) from 882 to 885, most of that time as its military governor (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...
). He was eventually imprisoned by Zhang Gui
Zhang Gui (Tang Dynasty)
Zhang Gui was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty who controlled Jingnan Circuit from 885 to 888.- Background :...
and put to death.
Background
It is not known when Chen Ru was born, but it is known that he was from Jingnan Circuit's capital Jiangling Municipality and that his ancestors had served for generations as army officers.As of 882, the military governor of Jingnan, Duan Yanmo
Duan Yanmo
Duan Yanmo was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty who, from 880 to 882, controlled Jingnan Circuit in conjunction with the eunuch Zhu Jingmei, but later had a fallout with Zhu and was killed by Zhu.- Background :Not much is known about Duan Yanmo's background, as he did not have...
, had an adversarial relationship with the eunuch monitor of the Jingnan army, Zhu Jingmei
Zhu Jingmei
Zhu Jingmei was an eunuch late in the Tang Dynasty who, after killing Duan Yanmo the military governor of Jingnan Circuit , became the effective ruling authority for the circuit due to his command of the elite Zhongyong Army...
. Zhu selected 3,000 elite soldiers and called them the Zhongyong Army, putting it under his own command. Duan, in anger, decided that he wanted to kill Zhu. However, Zhu took preemptive action in summer 882 and attacked Duan, killing him. Zhu initially made the deputy mayor of Jiangling, Li Sui (李燧), acting military governor. Then-reigning 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...
commissioned a former military governor of Jingnan, Zheng Shaoye (鄭紹業), as military governor, but Zheng, in fear of Zhu hesitated to report to Jingnan. Zhu then made Chen acting military governor. In 883
883
Year 883 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Oldest known mention of the city of Duisburg.* Monte Cassino is sacked and burned down by the Saracens....
, Emperor Xizong confirmed Chen as acting military governor and removed Zheng officially, and later in the year made Chen full military governor.
As military governor
In 885, Chen Ru, while having been commissioned by Zhu, became weary of the lack of discipline the Zhongyong Army showed, and decided to take action. Previously, when Zheng Shaoye was military governor, he had put the officer Shentu Cong (申屠琮) in command of a group of soldiers to serve in the campaign against Huang Chao. When Shentu and his soldiers returned to Jingnan in 885, Chen informed Shentu of the situation and ordered him to destroy the Zhongyong Army. When the Zhongyong officer Cheng Junzhi (程君之) found out, he tried to take his soldiers and flee to Lang Prefecture (朗州, in modern ChangdeChangde
Changde is a city in the north of Hunan Province, China, with a population of 5,717,218 inhabitants at the 2010 census whom 1,232,182 in the built up area made of 2 urban districts .-History:...
, Hunan
Hunan
' is a province of South-Central China, located to the south of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and south of Lake Dongting...
). Shentu pursued and attacked him, killing more than 100 Zhongyong soldiers on the way and causing the rest to scatter. Shentu thereafter became briefly dominant in the Jingnan Circuit government, although Chen remained military governor.
Meanwhile, Jingnan also faced the continuous raids from Lei Man
Lei Man
Lei Man , courtesy name Bingren , was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who seized control of Lang Prefecture in 881 and controlled it and the surrounding region to accommodate him, who was made military governor until his death in 901...
, who had seized Lang Prefecture (朗州, in modern Changde
Changde
Changde is a city in the north of Hunan Province, China, with a population of 5,717,218 inhabitants at the 2010 census whom 1,232,182 in the built up area made of 2 urban districts .-History:...
, Hunan
Hunan
' is a province of South-Central China, located to the south of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and south of Lake Dongting...
). Chen decided that he could invite Zhang Gui
Zhang Gui (Tang Dynasty)
Zhang Gui was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty who controlled Jingnan Circuit from 885 to 888.- Background :...
and Han Shide (韓師德), two army officers who had rebelled against Gao Pian
Gao Pian
Gao Pian , courtesy name Qianli , formally the Prince of Bohai , was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty...
the military governor of Huainan Circuit (淮南, headquartered in modern Yangzhou
Yangzhou
Yangzhou is a prefecture-level city in central Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China. Sitting on the northern bank of the Yangtze River, it borders the provincial capital of Nanjing to the southwest, Huai'an to the north, Yancheng to the northeast, Taizhou to the east, and Zhenjiang across...
, Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
) and who had seized Fu (復州, in modern Tianmen
Tianmen
Tianmen is a sub-prefecture-level city in central Hubei Province, Central China.It is on the west of Wuhan and east of Jingzhou. Formerly known as Jingling , it was renamed to Tianmen in 1726 during Qing Dynasty....
, Hubei
Hubei
' Hupeh) is a province in Central China. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Lake Dongting...
) and Yue (岳州, in modern Yueyang
Yueyang
Yueyang is a prefecture-level city at the northeastern corner of Hunan province, South Central China, on the southern shores of Dongting Lake.The Yueyang metropolitan area occupies 14,896 km². and the city proper occupies 304 km²...
, Hunan
Hunan
' is a province of South-Central China, located to the south of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and south of Lake Dongting...
) Prefectures respectively, to help him fight Lei. He gave Zhang the title of acting army commander of Jingnan and Han the title of acting deputy military governor, asking them to attack Lei. Instead, Han initially advanced to the Three Gorges region and then returned to Yue Prefecture after pillaging the region, while Zhang instead attacked Jiangling and forced Chen to flee. Chen tried to head for Emperor Xizong's then-location at Chengdu
Chengdu
Chengdu , formerly transliterated Chengtu, is the capital of Sichuan province in Southwest China. It holds sub-provincial administrative status...
(as Emperor Xizong had to flee there after the major agrarian rebel 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...
captured 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...
in 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....
and had not yet returned to Chang'an). Zhang sent soldiers to pursue Chen and intercepted him, seizing him and taking him back to Jiangling, to be put under arrest.
Imprisonment and death
Later in 885, when Chen Ru was still under arrest, Qin Zongquan, who was formerly a Tang-commissioned military governor of Fengguo Circuit (奉國, headquartered in modern ZhumadianZhumadian
Zhumadian is a prefecture-level city in southern Henan province, People's Republic of China. It borders Xinyang to the south, Nanyang to the west, Pingdingshan to the northwest, Luohe to the north, Zhoukou to the northeast, and the province of Anhui to the east.Its population is 7,230,744 at the...
, 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...
) but who had turned against the Tang court and declared himself emperor, sent an army commanded by his brother Qin Zongyan (秦宗言) to attack Jingnan. With Jiangling under siege by Qin's army, the Jingnan officer Zhao Kuang (趙匡) plotted to rescue Chen and restore him. The plot was discovered by Zhang Gui. Zhang executed Zhao and cut off food supplies to Chen, who died after seven days.