Cui Yin
Encyclopedia
Cui Yin (854-February 1, 904), courtesy name Chuixiu (垂休), nickname Zilang (緇郎), formally the Duke of Wei (魏公), was an official of the Chinese
dynasty Tang Dynasty
, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Zhaozong
. He was one of the controversial figures in the late Tang period, who ruthlessly tried to destroy the powerful eunuchs at court and whose actions in that regard had traditionally made him regarded as one of the persons causing the demise of the dynasty at the hands of the warlord Zhu Quanzhong the military governor of Xuanwu Circuit (宣武, headquartered in modern Kaifeng
, Henan
) (who would overthrow Tang and establish his own Later Liang Dynasty
).
, during the reign of Emperor Xuānzong
. He was from the prominent Cui clan of Qinghe (清河, in modern Xingtai
, Hebei
), which claimed ancestry from the ruling house of the Spring and Autumn Period state Qi, and which traced its ancestry to officials of Qin Dynasty
, Han Dynasty
, Cao Wei
, Jin Dynasty (265-420)
, Later Zhao
, Southern Yan
, Liu Song, Northern Wei
, Northern Qi
, and Tang Dynasty
. Cui Yin's father Cui Shenyou
was a chancellor during Emperor Xuānzong's reign. Cui Yin had at least one older brother, Cui Changxia (崔昌遐). (According to the biography of the powerful eunuch Qiu Shiliang
in the New Book of Tang
, Cui Yin developed a hatred for eunuchs early in his life due to Cui Shenyou's relating to him of an incident during the earlier reign of Emperor Xuānzong's nephew Emperor Wenzong
, when Qiu tried to have Emperor Wenzong deposed.)
s in the Jinshi (進士) class, he served on the staff of Wang Chongrong
the military governor of Hezhong Circuit (河中, headquartered in modern Yuncheng
, Shanxi
). (Wang was military governor of Hezhong from 881
to Wang's death in 887
, placing a timeframe on Cui's service under him.) Later, after Cui was recalled to the imperial government, he served successively as Kaogong Yuanwailang (考功員外郎) and then Libu Yuanwailang (吏部員外郎), both low-level positions at the ministry of civil service affairs (吏部, Libu). He was later promoted to a supervisory position at the ministry of civil service affairs (郎中, Langzhong). He was later made imperial attendant (給事中, Geishizhong) and then Zhongshu Sheren (中書舍人), a mid-level official at the legislative bureau of government (中書省, Zhongshu Sheng). During the Dashun era of Emperor Xuānzong's grandson Emperor Zhaozong
(890
-891
), Cui successively served as deputy minister of defense (兵部侍郎, Bingbu Shilang) then deputy minister of civil service affairs (吏部侍郎, Libu Shilang). (It was said that his repeated promotions were a result of his close association with the chancellor Cui Zhaowei
, who, while not a close relative, regarded him as a clansman.)
with the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事). As chancellor, he was described to be treacherous in his heart but appearing to be forgiving in his outward appearance. (It was also said that his uncle, the major general Cui Anqian
, commented, "My father and brother had carefully built this household, but Zilang [(i.e., Cui Yin)] will destroy it!" although it was unclear whether Cui Anqian was still alive at this point.)
In 895
, when Wang Chongrong's brother and successor Wang Chongying
died at Hezhong (which had been renamed Huguo at this point), the soldiers supported Wang Chongrong's adoptive son and biological nephew Wang Ke
to succeed him as the military governor, but Wang Chongying's son Wang Gong
, then the military governor of neighboring Baoyi Circuit (保義, headquartered in modern Sanmenxia
, Henan
), also had designs on Huguo. Wang Ke was supported by his father-in-law Li Keyong
the military governor of Hedong Circuit (河東, headquartered in modern Taiyuan
, Shanxi
), while Wang Gong was supported by his allies Li Maozhen
the military governor of Fengxiang Circuit (鳳翔, headquartered in modern Baoji
, Shaanxi
), Wang Xingyu
the military governor of Jingnan Circuit (靜難, headquartered in modern Xianyang
, Shaanxi
), and Han Jian
the military governor of Zhenguo Circuit (鎮國, headquartered in modern Weinan
, Shaanxi
), and all these military governors submitted competing petitions to Emperor Zhaozong in support of Wang Ke or Wang Gong. Emperor Zhaozong initially approved Li Keyong's request and made Wang Ke the military governor of Huguo but, subsequently, trying to settle the dispute, named Cui the military governor of Huguo, still carrying the Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi designation as an honorary title. Wang Tuan
was made a chancellor to replace him.
This failed to settle the dispute, however, and, at Cui Zhaowei's instigation (as Cui Zhaowei was allied with Li Maozhen and Wang Xingyu), the three military governors who supported Wang Gong marched on the imperial capital Chang'an
, killing the chancellors Li Xi
and Wei Zhaodu
and forcing Emperor Zhaozong to accede to their demands. That, in turn, caused Li Keyong to launch his troops to attack them. Emperor Zhaozong, fearing that Li Maozhen and/or Wang Xingyu would seize him, fled into the Qinling Mountains
. Cui Yin, along with chancellors Xu Yanruo
and Wang Tuan, followed the emperor in flight. After Li Keyong defeated Wang Xingyu, who was then killed by his own subordinates, Li Maozhen and Han outwardly submitted to the emperor, and Emperor Zhaozong, after returning to Chang'an, ordered Li Keyong to end his campaign. Meanwhile, Cui was again made a chancellor, and also took the position of Zhongshu Shilang (中書侍郎), the deputy head of the legislative bureau. However, his ally, Cui Zhaowei, was exiled and then executed.
In 896
, the fragile peace between the imperial government and Li Maozhen ended, and Li Maozhen again postured to attack Chang'an. Emperor Zhaozong and the imperial court initially decided to flee to Hedong, but due to the long distance involved and the urging of Han's, decided to head for Han's capital Hua Prefecture (華州) instead. Once the imperial court settled in at Hua Prefecture, however, Han inserted himself in all kinds of decision-making, and as one of his suggestions, Emperor Zhaozong, who was aware of the alliance between Cui Zhaowei and Cui Yin, decided to send Cui Yin away to serve as the military governor of Wu'an Circuit (武安, headquartered in modern Changsha, Hunan
), still carrying the Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi designation as an honorary title; Cui was replaced with Lu Yi. Cui, however, secretly sought aid from Zhu Quanzhong the military governor of Xuanwu Circuit (宣武, headquartered in modern Kaifeng
, Henan
) — and suggested to Zhu that he could posture by preparing the palace at the eastern capital Luoyang
and petitioning Emperor Zhaozong to move the capital to Luoyang. Zhu did so (along with his ally Zhang Quanyi
the mayor of Henan Municipality (河南, i.e., the Luoyang region) and also mobilized his troops; his petition also indicated his belief that Cui, as a faithful servant to the emperor, should not be sent away. Han, in fear of a potential Zhu attack, backed off, and Emperor Zhaozong subsequently kept Cui at court and made him a chancellor again, along with Cui Yuan
. Cui Yin, displeased that Lu had replaced him, then falsely accused Lu of being an ally of Li Maozhen's; Lu was then exiled to the post of prefect of Xia Prefecture (硤州, in modern Yichang
, Hubei
).
Cui continued to serve as chancellor until 899
, by which time Emperor Zhaozong had returned to Chang'an; Cui assumed just his regular posts of Zhongshu Shilang and minister of civil service affairs (吏部尚書, Libu Shangshu); Lu, who had been recalled by this point and was serving as the minister of defense (兵部尚書, Bingbu Shangshu), replaced him. (During this 896-899 term as chancellor, it was said that Cui secretly plotted with the emperor to slaughter the eunuchs. Wang Tuan, fearing the repercussions of such a plot, urged moderation, pointing out that a major confrontation between imperial officials and eunuchs would have uncertain results. When Cui was removed from the chancellor position in 899, he thus suspected Wang of being behind his removal and hated Wang from this point on; he also accused Wang of being in league with the powerful eunuch directors of palace communications Zhu Daobi (朱道弼) and Jing Wuxiu (景務脩).)
, Cui Yin was sent out of the capital to serve as military governor of Qinghai Circuit (清海, headquartered in modern Guangzhou
, Guangdong
), carrying the Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi as an honorary designation. Cui, believing that Wang Tuan was trying to eliminate him as a rival, wrote Zhu Quanzhong to ask for aid. Zhu Quanzhong, in response, submitted multiple petitions accusing Wang of collaboration with Zhu Daobi and Jing Wuxiu and urging Emperor Zhaozong to keep Cui as a chancellor. As a result, Cui was recalled from his journey to Qinghai. Upon arrival in Chang'an, he was made chancellor again, as well as Sikong (司空, one of the Three Excellencies
) and Menxia Shilang (門下侍郎), the deputy head of the examination bureau (門下省, Menxia Sheng). Wang was initially demoted to be the deputy minister of public works, while Zhu Daobi and Jing were sent out of the capital to serve as eunuch monitors; soon, all three were ordered to commit suicide. After this incident, Cui became, effectively, the most powerful official at court, and the eunuchs hated him. It was said that, because he was jealous of the more senior Xu Yanruo, that Xu decided to ask for the Qinghai assignment himself and was soon made the military governor of Qinghai.
The most powerful eunuchs — the commanders of the Shence Armies Liu Jishu
and Wang Zhongxian (王仲先) and the new directors of palace communications Wang Yanfan (王彥範) and Xue Qiwo (薛齊偓) — fearing the next steps that Cui and Emperor Zhaozong — whose behavior had become increasingly erratic after his return from Zhenguo, apparently fueled by alcoholism — might take, began to plan a coup to overthrow the emperor and replace him with his son and crown prince
Li Yi
. In winter 900, after an incident where Emperor Zhaozong killed a few eunuchs and ladies in waiting
in a drunken rage, the eunuchs acted. They mobilized the Shence Armies and forced the imperial officials, including Cui (who did not dare to oppose them given their military strength) to sign a petition urging Emperor Zhaozong to yield imperial power to Li Yu. Armed with the petition, the eunuchs then removed the emperor and put him under house arrest, declaring Li Yu emperor instead. Liu killed a number of officials, eunuchs, ladies in waiting, and other people that Emperor Zhaozong favored, but hesitated at killing Cui, fearing that Cui's ally Zhu Quanzhong, whose support for the coup he was trying to court, would react violently. Rather, they only removed Cui from one of his secondary offices, the directorate of salt and iron monopolies.
Cui, meanwhile, had been writing Zhu urging him to mobilize his forces to return Emperor Zhaozong to the throne; Zhu's staff member Li Zhen urged the same. Zhu thus put Liu's emissaries to him — Liu's adoptive son Liu Xidu (劉希度) and another eunuch, Li Fengben (李奉本) — under arrest, and sent Li Zhen to Chang'an to personally confer with Cui on what to do next. Cui also sent his secretary Shi Jian (石戩) to persuade the Shence Army officer Sun Dezhao (孫德昭) to plan a countercoup. Sun subsequently persuaded his fellow officers Dong Yanbi (董彥弼) and Zhou Chenghui (周承誨) to join the countercoup as well. In spring 901
, they killed Liu Jishu, Wang Zhongxian and Wang Yanfan; Xue committed suicide. They then restored Emperor Zhaozong. It was said that after this series of events Emperor Zhaozong trusted Cui even more.
In the aftermaths of Emperor Zhaozong's restoration, Cui urged that he end the eunuch control on the Shence Armies by putting Cui and Lu Yi in command of the Shence Armies, which Cui and Lu reasoned would allow not only the end of eunuch power, but also serve as a counterweight against the warlords. However, this was opposed both by Li Maozhen (who was at Chang'an at that time to pay homage to Emperor Zhaozong) and the three Shence Army officers who restored Emperor Zhaozong to the throne (on whom Emperor Zhaozong had bestowed the imperial clan name of Li, with Sun and Zhou also receiving the new names of Jizhao (繼昭) and Jihui (繼誨), respectively). Emperor Zhaozong thus instead put the eunuchs Han Quanhui
and Zhang Yanhong (張彥弘) in command of the Shence Armies. Cui, fearing the return of the Shence Armies to the eunuchs' command, secretly asked Li Maozhen to leave a contingent of 3,000 Fengxiang soldiers at Chang'an, commanded by Li Maozhen's adoptive son Li Jiyun (李繼筠), to serve as a counterbalance — notwithstanding the argument by the imperial scholar Han Wo (韓偓) that the Fengxiang contingent would merely complicate the problem. Around the same time, at Cui's recommendation, his former staff member Wang Bo
was made a chancellor as well, along with Pei Shu
.
Cui thereafter also tried to reduce the money supply of the Shence Armies by ending the yeast monopolies that the armies, including the Shence Armies, held. Li Maozhen, whose Fengxiang army would also be impacted, opposed, and went to Chang'an personally to argue his case to the emperor. When he was at Chang'an, Han took the opportunity to enter into an alliance with him. Cui realized this, and thereafter strengthened his own relationship with Zhu, in opposition to LI Maozhen.
By summer 901, Cui and Emperor Zhaozong were again discussing slaughtering the eunuchs. They were communicating by secret sealed notes to each other, but the eunuchs placed several ladies in waiting who were capable of reading in the palace to spy on the emperor, and the ladies in waiting thereafter reported to the eunuchs what Cui and the emperor were planning. When Cui realized this, he feared that the eunuchs would act against him first, and therefore wrote to Zhu, asking him to mobilize his troops and come to the capital to act against the eunuchs. In winter 901, the eunuchs, headed by Han, forced Emperor Zhaozong to flee to Fengxiang. Cui and Li Jizhao (who did not agree with the eunuchs) remained at Chang'an and waited for Zhu's arrival, and thereafter joined forces with him. Zhu evacuated Cui and the other imperial officials, as well as the remaining residents of Chang'an, to Hua Prefecture (which Han Jian had surrendered to Zhu as Zhu headed west toward Chang'an).
Zhu subsequently put Fengxiang's capital Fengxiang Municipality under siege, while attacking and seizing Li Maozhen's other possessions in the Guanzhong
(i.e., Chang'an's surroundings) region. (During the siege, the eunuchs had Emperor Zhaozong issue an edict removing Cui and Pei from their chancellor positions, but the edict appeared to have no real practical effect.) By 903
, Fengxiang was in dire straits due to the lack of food, causing its residents to resort to cannibalism. In desperation, the eunuchs sent out edicts in Emperor Zhaozong's name, ordering the other military governors to attack Zhu, but only Wang Shifan
the military governor of Pinglu Circuit (平盧, headquartered in modern Weifang
, Shandong
) responded by planning a series of guerrilla attacks against a number of Zhu-held cities, including Hua Prefecture. Wang's officer Zhang Juhou (張居厚) was in charge of the attack on Hua Prefecture and was successful in killing the acting prefect Lou Jingsi (婁敬思), but Cui then took over the army and defeated Zhang; Zhang fled and was captured in flight.
Meanwhile, Li Maozhen, resolved to seek peace, killed Han and the other eunuchs, as well as Li Jiyun, Li Jihui, and Li Yanbi, sending their heads to Zhu. Zhu, however, while stopping the active siege efforts, did not initially end the siege. Li Maozhen then had Emperor Zhaozong summon Cui to Fengxiang and restore all of Cui's offices; Li Maozhen also personally wrote Cui in humble terms. Cui, initially fearing that it was a trap by Li Maozhen, refused, but Zhu, asking him to broker a peace agreement, persuaded him to do so. Subsequently, Li Maozhen delivered the emperor to Zhu, and Zhu and Cui escorted Emperor Zhaozong back to the capital. At Cui's and Zhu's urging, Emperor Zhaozong issued an edict ordering the general slaughter of the eunuchs, ending a lengthy period of power for the palace eunuchs. Cui was put in command of the imperial guards generally. Also at Cui's urging, the chancellors Su Jian
and Lu Guangqi
, who were commissioned by Emperor Zhaozong while Emperor Zhaozong was at Fengxiang and were Li Maozhen's allies, were ordered to commit suicide, while Wang Bo was removed from his chancellor position.
Zhu subsequently left Chang'an, but left a Xuanwu contingent at Chang'an, commanded by his nephew Zhu Youlun (朱友倫). While Cui and Zhu Quanzhong were longtime allies, Cui began to be apprehensive that Zhu intended to control the imperial government by himself and eventually take over the throne. Cui thus urged Emperor Zhaozong to allow him to reconscript soldiers for the imperial guards. In winter 903, Zhu Youlun died in an accident while playing polo — but Zhu Quanzhong became convinced that Cui was behind Zhu Youlun's death. He was also suspicious of Cui's intentions in rebuilding the imperial guards, and therefore had soldiers in his own army pretend to be new conscripts and join Cui's imperial guards, to watch what he was doing. In spring 904
, Zhu submitted a petition to Emperor Zhaozong, accusing Cui and his associates Zheng Yuangui (鄭元規) the mayor of Jingzhao Municipality (京兆, i.e., the Chang'an region) and the army officer Chen Ban (陳班) of treason. Emperor Zhaozong, apparently under duress from Zhu, thereafter issued an edict demoting Cui to be an advisor to the Crown Prince, with his office at Luoyang. Soon thereafter, Zhu's soldiers surrounded Cui's mansions and put Cui to death, along with Zheng and Chen.
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...
, serving as a chancellor during the reign of 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...
. He was one of the controversial figures in the late Tang period, who ruthlessly tried to destroy the powerful eunuchs at court and whose actions in that regard had traditionally made him regarded as one of the persons causing the demise of the dynasty at the hands of the warlord Zhu Quanzhong the military governor of Xuanwu Circuit (宣武, headquartered in modern Kaifeng
Kaifeng
Kaifeng , known previously by several names , is a prefecture-level city in east-central Henan province, Central China. Nearly 5 million people live in the metropolitan area...
, 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...
) (who would overthrow Tang and establish his own Later Liang Dynasty
Later Liang Dynasty
The Later Liang was one of the Five Dynasties during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period in China. It was founded by Zhu Wen, posthumously known as Taizu of Later Liang, after he forced the last emperor of the Tang dynasty to abdicate in his favour...
).
Background
Cui Yin was born in 854854
Year 854 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Charles the Bald, Louis the German and Lothar meet at Attigny.* Horik II succeeds Horik I as king of Denmark....
, during the reign of Emperor Xuānzong
Emperor Xuanzong of Tang
Emperor Xuanzong of Tang , also commonly known as Emperor Ming of Tang , personal name Li Longji , known as Wu Longji from 690 to 705, was the seventh emperor of the Tang dynasty in China, reigning from 712 to 756. His reign of 43 years was the longest during the Tang Dynasty...
. He was from the prominent Cui clan of Qinghe (清河, in modern Xingtai
Xingtai
Xingtai is a city in southern Hebei province, North China. The prefecture-level city of Xingtai, with a total area of , administers 2 districts, 2 county-level cities and 15 counties. In 2004 it had an urban population of 561,400 and a total population of 6.73 million...
, Hebei
Hebei
' is a province of the People's Republic of China in the North China region. Its one-character abbreviation is "" , named after Ji Province, a Han Dynasty province that included what is now southern Hebei...
), which claimed ancestry from the ruling house of the Spring and Autumn Period state Qi, and which traced its ancestry to officials of Qin Dynasty
Qin Dynasty
The Qin Dynasty was the first imperial dynasty of China, lasting from 221 to 207 BC. The Qin state derived its name from its heartland of Qin, in modern-day Shaanxi. The strength of the Qin state was greatly increased by the legalist reforms of Shang Yang in the 4th century BC, during the Warring...
, Han Dynasty
Han Dynasty
The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...
, Cao Wei
Cao Wei
Cao Wei was one of the states that competed for control of China during the Three Kingdoms period. With the capital at Luoyang, the state was established by Cao Pi in 220, based upon the foundations that his father Cao Cao laid...
, Jin Dynasty (265-420)
Jìn Dynasty (265-420)
The Jìn Dynasty , was a dynasty in Chinese history, lasting between the years 265 and 420 AD. There are two main divisions in the history of the Dynasty, the first being Western Jin and the second Eastern Jin...
, Later Zhao
Later Zhao
The Later Zhao was a state of the Sixteen Kingdoms during the Jin Dynasty in China. It was founded by the Shi family of the Jie ethnicity...
, Southern Yan
Southern Yan
The Southern Yan was a state of Xianbei ethnicity during the era of Sixteen Kingdoms in China. Its territory roughly coincided with modern Shandong...
, Liu Song, Northern Wei
Northern Wei
The Northern Wei Dynasty , also known as the Tuoba Wei , Later Wei , or Yuan Wei , was a dynasty which ruled northern China from 386 to 534 . It has been described as "part of an era of political turbulence and intense social and cultural change"...
, Northern Qi
Northern Qi
The Northern Qi Dynasty was one of the Northern dynasties of Chinese history and ruled northern China from 550 to 577.-History:The Chinese state of Northern Qi was the successor state of the Chinese/Xianbei state of Eastern Wei and was founded by Emperor Wenxuan...
, and 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...
. Cui Yin's father Cui Shenyou
Cui Shenyou
Cui Shenyou , courtesy name Jingzhi , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Xuānzong.- Background and early career :It is not known when Cui Shenyou was born...
was a chancellor during Emperor Xuānzong's reign. Cui Yin had at least one older brother, Cui Changxia (崔昌遐). (According to the biography of the powerful eunuch Qiu Shiliang
Qiu Shiliang
Qiu Shiliang , courtesy name Kuangmei , formally the Duke of Chu , was an eunuch official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, becoming particularly powerful after the Ganlu Incident — an event in which Emperor Wenzong tried, but failed, to seize power back from powerful eunuchs by slaughtering...
in the New Book of Tang
New Book of Tang
The New Book of Tang , is a classic work of history about the Tang Dynasty edited by Ouyang Xiu and Song Qi and other official scholars of the Song Dynasty. The emperor called for a revision of the former Book of Tang in 1044. The New Book was presented to the throne in 1060. It was given its...
, Cui Yin developed a hatred for eunuchs early in his life due to Cui Shenyou's relating to him of an incident during the earlier reign of Emperor Xuānzong's nephew Emperor Wenzong
Emperor Wenzong of Tang
Emperor Wenzong of Tang , personal name Li Ang , né Li Han , was an emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China. He reigned from 827 to 840. Emperor Wenzong was the second son of Emperor Muzong and younger brother of Emperor Jingzong...
, when Qiu tried to have Emperor Wenzong deposed.)
Early career
After Cui Yin passed the imperial examinationImperial examination
The Imperial examination was an examination system in Imperial China designed to select the best administrative officials for the state's bureaucracy. This system had a huge influence on both society and culture in Imperial China and was directly responsible for the creation of a class of...
s in the Jinshi (進士) class, he served on the staff of 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
Yuncheng
Yuncheng is the southernmost municipality in Shanxi province, China. It borders Linfen and Jincheng municipalities to the north and east, and Henan and Shaanxi provinces to the south and west....
, 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....
). (Wang was military governor of Hezhong from 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....
to Wang's death in 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....
, placing a timeframe on Cui's service under him.) Later, after Cui was recalled to the imperial government, he served successively as Kaogong Yuanwailang (考功員外郎) and then Libu Yuanwailang (吏部員外郎), both low-level positions at the ministry of civil service affairs (吏部, Libu). He was later promoted to a supervisory position at the ministry of civil service affairs (郎中, Langzhong). He was later made imperial attendant (給事中, Geishizhong) and then Zhongshu Sheren (中書舍人), a mid-level official at the legislative bureau of government (中書省, Zhongshu Sheng). During the Dashun era of Emperor Xuānzong's grandson 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...
(890
890
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....
-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....
), Cui successively served as deputy minister of defense (兵部侍郎, Bingbu Shilang) then deputy minister of civil service affairs (吏部侍郎, Libu Shilang). (It was said that his repeated promotions were a result of his close association with the chancellor Cui Zhaowei
Cui Zhaowei
Cui Zhaowei , courtesy name Yunyao , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Zhaozong...
, who, while not a close relative, regarded him as a clansman.)
First three terms as chancellor
Thanks to his association with Cui Zhaowei, Cui Yin was promoted to be chancellor in 893893
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....
with the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事). As chancellor, he was described to be treacherous in his heart but appearing to be forgiving in his outward appearance. (It was also said that his uncle, the major general 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 :...
, commented, "My father and brother had carefully built this household, but Zilang [(i.e., Cui Yin)] will destroy it!" although it was unclear whether Cui Anqian was still alive at this point.)
In 895
895
Year 895 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* The seven tribes of the Magyars settle in the Carpathian Basin under the leadership of Árpád...
, when Wang Chongrong's brother and successor Wang Chongying
Wang Chongying
Wang Chongying was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty who was known for his successive rules of Shanguo Circuit and Huguo Circuit as military governor .- Background :It is not known when Wang Chongying was born, and the official...
died at Hezhong (which had been renamed Huguo at this point), the soldiers supported Wang Chongrong's adoptive son and biological nephew Wang Ke
Wang Ke (Tang Dynasty)
Wang Ke was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who ruled Huguo Circuit as its military governor from 895 Wang Ke (王珂) was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who ruled Huguo Circuit (護國, headquartered in modern Yuncheng, Shanxi) as its military governor...
to succeed him as the military governor, but Wang Chongying's son Wang Gong
Wang Gong
Wang Gong was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who controlled Baoyi Circuit from 887, when he succeeded his father Wang Chongying, to his death in 899.- Background :...
, then the military governor of neighboring Baoyi Circuit (保義, headquartered in modern Sanmenxia
Sanmenxia
-Administration:The prefecture-level city of Sanmenxia administers one district, two county-level cities and three counties.*Hubin District*Lingbao City*Yima City*Lushi County*Shan County*Mianchi County*Sanmenxia Development Zone...
, 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...
), also had designs on Huguo. Wang Ke was supported by his father-in-law 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....
), while Wang Gong was supported by his allies Li Maozhen
Li Maozhen
Li Maozhen , né Song Wentong , courtesy name Zhengchen , formally Prince Zhongjing of Qin , was the only ruler of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period state Qi...
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...
), Wang Xingyu
Wang Xingyu
Wang Xingyu was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty who controlled Jingnan Circuit from 887 to his death in 895...
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 Han Jian
Han Jian (Tang Dynasty)
Han Jian , courtesy name Zuoshi , was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who eventually became a subject of the succeeding Later Liang Dynasty...
the military governor of Zhenguo Circuit (鎮國, headquartered in modern Weinan
Weinan
Weinan is a Municipality in the province of Shaanxi, PRC. The Grand Historian Sima Qian was born in Weinan.-Administration:...
, 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 all these military governors submitted competing petitions to Emperor Zhaozong in support of Wang Ke or Wang Gong. Emperor Zhaozong initially approved Li Keyong's request and made Wang Ke the military governor of Huguo but, subsequently, trying to settle the dispute, named Cui the military governor of Huguo, still carrying the Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi designation as an honorary title. Wang Tuan
Wang Tuan
Wang Tuan , courtesy name Zhaoyi , formally the Duke of Lu , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor from 895 to 900, during the reign of Emperor Zhaozong...
was made a chancellor to replace him.
This failed to settle the dispute, however, and, at Cui Zhaowei's instigation (as Cui Zhaowei was allied with Li Maozhen and Wang Xingyu), the three military governors who supported Wang Gong marched on 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...
, killing the chancellors Li Xi
Li Xi
Li Xi or Li Qi , courtesy name Jingwang , nicknamed Li Shulou , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving briefly as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Zhaozong...
and 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...
and forcing Emperor Zhaozong to accede to their demands. That, in turn, caused Li Keyong to launch his troops to attack them. Emperor Zhaozong, fearing that Li Maozhen and/or Wang Xingyu would seize him, fled into the Qinling Mountains
Qinling Mountains
The Qin Mountains are a major east-west mountain range in southern Shaanxi province, China. The mountains provide a natural boundary between the North and South of the country, and support a huge variety of plant and wildlife, some of which is found nowhere else on Earth.To the north is the...
. Cui Yin, along with chancellors Xu Yanruo
Xu Yanruo
Xu Yanruo , courtesy name Yuzhi , formally the Duke of Qi , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Zhaozong.- Background and early career :...
and Wang Tuan, followed the emperor in flight. After Li Keyong defeated Wang Xingyu, who was then killed by his own subordinates, Li Maozhen and Han outwardly submitted to the emperor, and Emperor Zhaozong, after returning to Chang'an, ordered Li Keyong to end his campaign. Meanwhile, Cui was again made a chancellor, and also took the position of Zhongshu Shilang (中書侍郎), the deputy head of the legislative bureau. However, his ally, Cui Zhaowei, was exiled and then executed.
In 896
896
Year 896 was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Decisive Bulgarian victory over Magyars in the Battle of Southern Buh....
, the fragile peace between the imperial government and Li Maozhen ended, and Li Maozhen again postured to attack Chang'an. Emperor Zhaozong and the imperial court initially decided to flee to Hedong, but due to the long distance involved and the urging of Han's, decided to head for Han's capital Hua Prefecture (華州) instead. Once the imperial court settled in at Hua Prefecture, however, Han inserted himself in all kinds of decision-making, and as one of his suggestions, Emperor Zhaozong, who was aware of the alliance between Cui Zhaowei and Cui Yin, decided to send Cui Yin away to serve as the military governor of Wu'an Circuit (武安, headquartered in modern Changsha, 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...
), still carrying the Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi designation as an honorary title; Cui was replaced with Lu Yi. Cui, however, secretly sought aid from Zhu Quanzhong the military governor of Xuanwu Circuit (宣武, headquartered in modern Kaifeng
Kaifeng
Kaifeng , known previously by several names , is a prefecture-level city in east-central Henan province, Central China. Nearly 5 million people live in the metropolitan area...
, 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...
) — and suggested to Zhu that he could posture by preparing the palace at the eastern capital 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...
and petitioning Emperor Zhaozong to move the capital to Luoyang. Zhu did so (along with his ally Zhang Quanyi
Zhang Quanyi
Zhang Quanyi , né Zhang Juyan or Zhang Yan , known as Zhang Zongshi during Later Liang Dynasty, courtesy name Guowei , formally Prince Zhongsu of Qi , was a late Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty warlord who later was a senior official during the succeeding Later Liang Dynasty and Later Tang Dynasty...
the mayor of Henan Municipality (河南, i.e., the Luoyang region) and also mobilized his troops; his petition also indicated his belief that Cui, as a faithful servant to the emperor, should not be sent away. Han, in fear of a potential Zhu attack, backed off, and Emperor Zhaozong subsequently kept Cui at court and made him a chancellor again, along with Cui Yuan
Cui Yuan (Late Tang)
Cui Yuan , courtesy name Changzhi , formally the Baron of Boling , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving two terms as chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Zhaozong and Emperor Zhaozong's son Emperor Ai...
. Cui Yin, displeased that Lu had replaced him, then falsely accused Lu of being an ally of Li Maozhen's; Lu was then exiled to the post of prefect of Xia Prefecture (硤州, in modern Yichang
Yichang
Yichang is a prefecture-level city located in Hubei province of the People's Republic of China. It is the second largest city in Hubei province after the province capital, Wuhan. The Three Gorges Dam is located within its administrative area, in Yiling District.-History:In ancient times Yichang...
, 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...
).
Cui continued to serve as chancellor until 899
899
Year 899 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Edward the Elder becomes King of Wessex.* Regino of Prüm is expelled from Prüm and becomes abbot of St...
, by which time Emperor Zhaozong had returned to Chang'an; Cui assumed just his regular posts of Zhongshu Shilang and minister of civil service affairs (吏部尚書, Libu Shangshu); Lu, who had been recalled by this point and was serving as the minister of defense (兵部尚書, Bingbu Shangshu), replaced him. (During this 896-899 term as chancellor, it was said that Cui secretly plotted with the emperor to slaughter the eunuchs. Wang Tuan, fearing the repercussions of such a plot, urged moderation, pointing out that a major confrontation between imperial officials and eunuchs would have uncertain results. When Cui was removed from the chancellor position in 899, he thus suspected Wang of being behind his removal and hated Wang from this point on; he also accused Wang of being in league with the powerful eunuch directors of palace communications Zhu Daobi (朱道弼) and Jing Wuxiu (景務脩).)
Latter two terms as chancellor
In 900900
Year 900 was a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* April 21 – Namwaran and his children, Lady Angkatan and Bukah, are granted pardon by the Datu of Tondo, as represented Jayadewa, Lord Minister of Pila, which released them of all their debts as inscribed in the...
, Cui Yin was sent out of the capital to serve as military governor of Qinghai Circuit (清海, headquartered in modern Guangzhou
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
, 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...
), carrying the Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi as an honorary designation. Cui, believing that Wang Tuan was trying to eliminate him as a rival, wrote Zhu Quanzhong to ask for aid. Zhu Quanzhong, in response, submitted multiple petitions accusing Wang of collaboration with Zhu Daobi and Jing Wuxiu and urging Emperor Zhaozong to keep Cui as a chancellor. As a result, Cui was recalled from his journey to Qinghai. Upon arrival in Chang'an, he was made chancellor again, as well as Sikong (司空, one of the Three Excellencies
Three Excellencies
The Three Ducal Ministers , also translated as the Three Dukes, Three Excellencies, or the Three Lords, was the collective name for the three highest officials in ancient China...
) and Menxia Shilang (門下侍郎), the deputy head of the examination bureau (門下省, Menxia Sheng). Wang was initially demoted to be the deputy minister of public works, while Zhu Daobi and Jing were sent out of the capital to serve as eunuch monitors; soon, all three were ordered to commit suicide. After this incident, Cui became, effectively, the most powerful official at court, and the eunuchs hated him. It was said that, because he was jealous of the more senior Xu Yanruo, that Xu decided to ask for the Qinghai assignment himself and was soon made the military governor of Qinghai.
The most powerful eunuchs — the commanders of the Shence Armies Liu Jishu
Liu Jishu
Liu Jishu was an eunuch late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty who, as a powerful commander of the Shence Armies, briefly deposed Emperor Zhaozong in 900 and replaced Emperor Zhaozong with Emperor Zhaozong's son Li Yu, but was soon killed in a countercoup, allowing Emperor Zhaozong to return to...
and Wang Zhongxian (王仲先) and the new directors of palace communications Wang Yanfan (王彥範) and Xue Qiwo (薛齊偓) — fearing the next steps that Cui and Emperor Zhaozong — whose behavior had become increasingly erratic after his return from Zhenguo, apparently fueled by alcoholism — might take, began to plan a coup to overthrow the emperor and replace him with his son and crown prince
Crown Prince
A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
Li Yi
Li Yu (prince)
Li Yu , né Li You , briefly Li Zhen , formally the Prince of De , was an imperial prince of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty. He was the oldest son of the penultimate emperor Emperor Zhaozong and Empress He and was Crown Prince from 897 to 900...
. In winter 900, after an incident where Emperor Zhaozong killed a few eunuchs and ladies in waiting
Lady in Waiting
Lady in Waiting is the 2nd album by American southern rock band Outlaws, released in 1976. -Track listing:#"Breaker-Breaker" – 2:59#"South Carolina" – 3:05#"Ain't So Bad" – 3:48...
in a drunken rage, the eunuchs acted. They mobilized the Shence Armies and forced the imperial officials, including Cui (who did not dare to oppose them given their military strength) to sign a petition urging Emperor Zhaozong to yield imperial power to Li Yu. Armed with the petition, the eunuchs then removed the emperor and put him under house arrest, declaring Li Yu emperor instead. Liu killed a number of officials, eunuchs, ladies in waiting, and other people that Emperor Zhaozong favored, but hesitated at killing Cui, fearing that Cui's ally Zhu Quanzhong, whose support for the coup he was trying to court, would react violently. Rather, they only removed Cui from one of his secondary offices, the directorate of salt and iron monopolies.
Cui, meanwhile, had been writing Zhu urging him to mobilize his forces to return Emperor Zhaozong to the throne; Zhu's staff member Li Zhen urged the same. Zhu thus put Liu's emissaries to him — Liu's adoptive son Liu Xidu (劉希度) and another eunuch, Li Fengben (李奉本) — under arrest, and sent Li Zhen to Chang'an to personally confer with Cui on what to do next. Cui also sent his secretary Shi Jian (石戩) to persuade the Shence Army officer Sun Dezhao (孫德昭) to plan a countercoup. Sun subsequently persuaded his fellow officers Dong Yanbi (董彥弼) and Zhou Chenghui (周承誨) to join the countercoup as well. In spring 901
901
Year 901 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.- Africa :* Abu 'Abdullah al-Shi'i leads the rebellion of the Kutama Berbers against the Aghlabid emirate in Ifriqiya ....
, they killed Liu Jishu, Wang Zhongxian and Wang Yanfan; Xue committed suicide. They then restored Emperor Zhaozong. It was said that after this series of events Emperor Zhaozong trusted Cui even more.
In the aftermaths of Emperor Zhaozong's restoration, Cui urged that he end the eunuch control on the Shence Armies by putting Cui and Lu Yi in command of the Shence Armies, which Cui and Lu reasoned would allow not only the end of eunuch power, but also serve as a counterweight against the warlords. However, this was opposed both by Li Maozhen (who was at Chang'an at that time to pay homage to Emperor Zhaozong) and the three Shence Army officers who restored Emperor Zhaozong to the throne (on whom Emperor Zhaozong had bestowed the imperial clan name of Li, with Sun and Zhou also receiving the new names of Jizhao (繼昭) and Jihui (繼誨), respectively). Emperor Zhaozong thus instead put the eunuchs Han Quanhui
Han Quanhui
Han Quanhui was an eunuch late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty. The struggles by the eunuchs, led by him, against the chancellor Cui Yin, who wanted to eliminate the powerful eunuchs, led to the eunuchs' kidnapping of Emperor Zhaozong and then a major military confrontation between two...
and Zhang Yanhong (張彥弘) in command of the Shence Armies. Cui, fearing the return of the Shence Armies to the eunuchs' command, secretly asked Li Maozhen to leave a contingent of 3,000 Fengxiang soldiers at Chang'an, commanded by Li Maozhen's adoptive son Li Jiyun (李繼筠), to serve as a counterbalance — notwithstanding the argument by the imperial scholar Han Wo (韓偓) that the Fengxiang contingent would merely complicate the problem. Around the same time, at Cui's recommendation, his former staff member Wang Bo
Wang Bo (Late Tang)
Wang Bo , courtesy name Mingyang , formally Duke Jing of Taiyuan , was an official of the Chinese Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Muzong and Emperor Wenzong...
was made a chancellor as well, along with Pei Shu
Pei Shu
Pei Shu , courtesy name Jisheng or Huasheng , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving two terms as chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Zhaozong and Emperor Zhaozong's son Emperor Ai, near the end of the dynasty...
.
Cui thereafter also tried to reduce the money supply of the Shence Armies by ending the yeast monopolies that the armies, including the Shence Armies, held. Li Maozhen, whose Fengxiang army would also be impacted, opposed, and went to Chang'an personally to argue his case to the emperor. When he was at Chang'an, Han took the opportunity to enter into an alliance with him. Cui realized this, and thereafter strengthened his own relationship with Zhu, in opposition to LI Maozhen.
By summer 901, Cui and Emperor Zhaozong were again discussing slaughtering the eunuchs. They were communicating by secret sealed notes to each other, but the eunuchs placed several ladies in waiting who were capable of reading in the palace to spy on the emperor, and the ladies in waiting thereafter reported to the eunuchs what Cui and the emperor were planning. When Cui realized this, he feared that the eunuchs would act against him first, and therefore wrote to Zhu, asking him to mobilize his troops and come to the capital to act against the eunuchs. In winter 901, the eunuchs, headed by Han, forced Emperor Zhaozong to flee to Fengxiang. Cui and Li Jizhao (who did not agree with the eunuchs) remained at Chang'an and waited for Zhu's arrival, and thereafter joined forces with him. Zhu evacuated Cui and the other imperial officials, as well as the remaining residents of Chang'an, to Hua Prefecture (which Han Jian had surrendered to Zhu as Zhu headed west toward Chang'an).
Zhu subsequently put Fengxiang's capital Fengxiang Municipality under siege, while attacking and seizing Li Maozhen's other possessions in the Guanzhong
Guanzhong
Guanzhong , or Guanzhong Plain, is a historical region of China corresponding to the lower valley of the Wei River. It is called Guanzhong or 'within the passes' to distinguish it from 'Guandong' or 'east of the pass', that is, the North China Plain. The North China Plain is bordered on the west by...
(i.e., Chang'an's surroundings) region. (During the siege, the eunuchs had Emperor Zhaozong issue an edict removing Cui and Pei from their chancellor positions, but the edict appeared to have no real practical effect.) By 903
903
Year 903 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* Abaoji is named commander of all Khitan military forces.- Religion :...
, Fengxiang was in dire straits due to the lack of food, causing its residents to resort to cannibalism. In desperation, the eunuchs sent out edicts in Emperor Zhaozong's name, ordering the other military governors to attack Zhu, but only Wang Shifan
Wang Shifan
Wang Shifan was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who ruled Pinglu Circuit from 889 to 905...
the military governor of Pinglu Circuit (平盧, headquartered in modern Weifang
Weifang
Weifang is a prefecture-level city in central Shandong province, People's Republic of China. It borders Dongying to the northwest, Zibo to the west, Linyi to the southwest, Rizhao to the south, Qingdao to the east, and looks out to the Laizhou Bay to the north.-History:Weifang is a historical city...
, Shandong
Shandong
' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...
) responded by planning a series of guerrilla attacks against a number of Zhu-held cities, including Hua Prefecture. Wang's officer Zhang Juhou (張居厚) was in charge of the attack on Hua Prefecture and was successful in killing the acting prefect Lou Jingsi (婁敬思), but Cui then took over the army and defeated Zhang; Zhang fled and was captured in flight.
Meanwhile, Li Maozhen, resolved to seek peace, killed Han and the other eunuchs, as well as Li Jiyun, Li Jihui, and Li Yanbi, sending their heads to Zhu. Zhu, however, while stopping the active siege efforts, did not initially end the siege. Li Maozhen then had Emperor Zhaozong summon Cui to Fengxiang and restore all of Cui's offices; Li Maozhen also personally wrote Cui in humble terms. Cui, initially fearing that it was a trap by Li Maozhen, refused, but Zhu, asking him to broker a peace agreement, persuaded him to do so. Subsequently, Li Maozhen delivered the emperor to Zhu, and Zhu and Cui escorted Emperor Zhaozong back to the capital. At Cui's and Zhu's urging, Emperor Zhaozong issued an edict ordering the general slaughter of the eunuchs, ending a lengthy period of power for the palace eunuchs. Cui was put in command of the imperial guards generally. Also at Cui's urging, the chancellors Su Jian
Su Jian
Su Jian , courtesy name Shengyong , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving briefly as chancellor from 902 to 903, while Emperor Zhaozong was under the physical control of the warlord Li Maozhen the military governor of Fengxiang Circuit and Li's eunuch allies, led by Han...
and Lu Guangqi
Lu Guangqi
Lu Guangqi , courtesy name Zizhong , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving briefly as chancellor from 901 to 902, while Emperor Zhaozong was under the physical control of the warlord Li Maozhen the military governor of Fengxiang Circuit and Li's eunuch allies, led by Han...
, who were commissioned by Emperor Zhaozong while Emperor Zhaozong was at Fengxiang and were Li Maozhen's allies, were ordered to commit suicide, while Wang Bo was removed from his chancellor position.
Zhu subsequently left Chang'an, but left a Xuanwu contingent at Chang'an, commanded by his nephew Zhu Youlun (朱友倫). While Cui and Zhu Quanzhong were longtime allies, Cui began to be apprehensive that Zhu intended to control the imperial government by himself and eventually take over the throne. Cui thus urged Emperor Zhaozong to allow him to reconscript soldiers for the imperial guards. In winter 903, Zhu Youlun died in an accident while playing polo — but Zhu Quanzhong became convinced that Cui was behind Zhu Youlun's death. He was also suspicious of Cui's intentions in rebuilding the imperial guards, and therefore had soldiers in his own army pretend to be new conscripts and join Cui's imperial guards, to watch what he was doing. In spring 904
904
Year 904 was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* The Byzantines under Andronikos Doukas defeat the Arabs near Germanikeia...
, Zhu submitted a petition to Emperor Zhaozong, accusing Cui and his associates Zheng Yuangui (鄭元規) the mayor of Jingzhao Municipality (京兆, i.e., the Chang'an region) and the army officer Chen Ban (陳班) of treason. Emperor Zhaozong, apparently under duress from Zhu, thereafter issued an edict demoting Cui to be an advisor to the Crown Prince, with his office at Luoyang. Soon thereafter, Zhu's soldiers surrounded Cui's mansions and put Cui to death, along with Zheng and Chen.