Dou Huaizhen
Encyclopedia
Dou Huaizhen (died July 29, 713), known by his courtesy name Dou Congyi (竇從一) during the reign of Emperor Zhongzong
(r. 705–710), posthumously renamed Du Huaizhen (毒懷貞), was an official of the Chinese
dynasty Tang Dynasty
and Wu Zetian
's Zhou Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Ruizong
and Emperor Xuanzong
.
, who served as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Gaozong
. It was said that he had a treacherous mind in his youth, but was also known for being frugal and not competing in luxury spending with others. He later served as the magistrate of Qinghe County and was said to have governed it well. He was later promoted to be the commandant at Yue Prefecture (越州, roughly modern Shaoxing
, Zhejiang
) and then the secretary general at Yang Prefecture (揚州, roughly modern Yangzhou
, Jiangsu
).
, Dou Huaizhen, in order to observe naming taboo
for Wei Xuanzhen (韋玄貞), the father of Emperor Zhongzong's powerful wife Empress Wei
, started using his courtesy name of Congyi rather than Huaizhen as his name. As of 706, he was serving as the prefect of Pu Prefecture (蒲州, roughly modern Yuncheng, Shanxi
), when he was made the secretary general of the capital prefecture Yong Prefecture (雍州, roughly modern Xi'an
, Shaanxi
). It was said that at this time, he was seeking to ingratiate himself with powerful individuals. On one occasion, when Emperor Zhongzong's sister Princess Taiping
was litigating with a Buddhist temple as to the ownership of a mill, Dou's subordinate, the census officer Li Yuanhong, ruled for the temple. Dou was shocked and tried to get Li to change his ruling; Li responded by writing, in large characters, under his ruling, "The Southern Mountains [(i.e., the Qinling Mountains
)] may move before this ruling may be changed." Dou could not do anything about it. It was further said that he was apprehensive of the power that court eunuchs held, and whenever litigants did not have beards, he would believe that they were eunuchs and try to ingratiate them. Later, when he served as chief imperial censor reviewing central government affairs (左御史大夫, Zuo Yushi Daifu), one of his subordinate censors, Wei Chuangong (魏傳弓), wished to indict the eunuch Xue Sijian (薛思簡), seeking to have Xue executed, Dou, on account of the fact that Xue was well-trusted by Emperor Zhongzong's powerful daughter Li Guo'er the Princess Anle
, stopped Wei from doing so.
On Chinese New Year
's eve in 709 (February 13, 709) Emperor Zhongzong held a festival of observing New Year's Eve inside the palace. During the feast, Emperor Zhongzong offered to find Dou, whose wife had died some time ago, a wife. Dou agreed—and Emperor Zhongzong had Empress Wei's wet nurse
Lady Wang brought out. Dou married Lady Wang, and Emperor Zhongzong created her the Lady of Ju. As the husband of a wet nurse was often referred to as Azhe at the time, thereafter, whenever Dou submitted reports to Emperor Zhongzong, he referred to himself as, "the Azhe of Empress Yisheng [(the honorific title for Empress Wei)]." He also ingratiated himself with the chancellor Zong Chuke
and Princess Anle, and thereafter had a poor public reputation.
and Li Guo'er could be crown princess. Meanwhile, Emperor Zhongzong's son by a concubine, Li Chongmao
the Prince of Wen, was named emperor (as Emperor Shang), but Empress Wei retained power as empress dowager
and regent
. Less than a month later, Princess Taiping and Emperor Zhongzong's nephew Li Longji
the Prince of Linzi rose in rebellion, killing Empress Dowager Wei and Li Guo'er. When Dou Congyi heard this, he beheaded his wife Lady Wang and offered her head to Li Longji, trying to save himself. He was not killed, but was demoted to be the prefect of Bo Prefecture (濠州, roughly modern Bozhou
, Anhui
). He changed his name back to Huaizhen around this time. Sometime thereafter, after Li Longji's father Li Dan
the Prince of Xiang, a former emperor, was restored to the throne (as Emperor Ruizong), Dou was made the secretary general at Yi Prefecture (益州, roughly modern Chengdu
, Sichuan
).
In 711, Dou was recalled to the capital to serve as the director of imperial palace affairs (殿中監, Dianzhong Jian), and in a month was returned to the post of chief imperial censor. He was also given the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事), making him a chancellor de facto. Later in the year, he was made Shizhong (侍中), the head of the examination bureau of government (門下省, Menxia Sheng), a post considered one for a chancellor. It was said that he was deeply involved in the faction of Princess Taiping, and he often went to her mansion directly after imperial meetings and did what she ordered him to do. Further, at that time, Emperor Ruizong was carrying out an expensive project of building Taoist
temples for his daughters Princesses Jinxian and Yuzhen, who had become Taoist nuns. Many officials tried to dissuade Emperor Ruizong from doing so, but Dou not only pushed for the projects but personally supervised them. He was therefore derogatorily known in a popular couplet as having served as the empress' Azhe and now the princesses' head of household. Soon thereafter, as a part of a major governmental reorganization, he and fellow chancellors Wei Anshi
, Guo Yuanzhen
, Li Rizhi
, and Zhang Shuo were removed from their chancellor posts, and he was again chief imperial censor. In spring 712, however, he again became chancellor with the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Sanpin (同中書門下三品).
In summer 712, a fortuneteller told Dou that he was about to suffer disaster. In fear, Dou offered to resign and serve as a servant at Anguo Temple (安國寺). Emperor Ruizong agreed. Several days later, he again made Dou chief imperial censor and Zuo Pushe (左僕射), one of the heads of the executive bureau (尚書省, Shangshu Sheng), and again chancellor with the designation Pingzhang Junguo Zhongshi (平章軍國重事).
(retired emperor). Soon after Emperor Xuanzong's assumption of the throne, Cui Shi was made acting Zhongshu Ling (中書令), the head of the legislative bureau and a post considered one for a chancellor. Soon, there was a plan by Liu Yiuqiu, who was a close associate of Emperor Xuanzong's, and the general Zhang Wei (張暐), to kill several chancellors associated with Princess Taiping - Dou, Cui Shi
, and Cen Xi
. However, the plan was leaked by the censor Deng Guangbin (鄧光賓), who was part of the plot. Emperor Xuanzong disavowed knowledge of the plan, and Liu, Zhang, and Deng were exiled.
By 713, it was said that Princess Taiping, Dou, Cen, Xiao Zhizhong
, Cui Shi; along with other officials Xue Ji
, Li Jin (李晉) the Prince of Xinxing (a grandson of Li Deliang (李德良), a cousin of Tang's founder Emperor Gaozu
), Li You (李猷), Jia Yingfu (賈膺福), Tang Jun (唐晙); the generals Chang Yuankai (常元楷), Li Ci (李慈), and Li Qin (李欽); and the monk Huifan (惠範), were plotting to overthrow Emperor Xuanzong. It was further said that they discussed, with the lady in waiting
Lady Yuan to poison the gastrodia elata
that Emperor Xuanzong routinely took as an aphrodisiac. When this alleged plot was reported to Emperor Xuanzong by Wei Zhigu
, Emperor Xuanzong, who had already received advice from Wang Ju (王琚), Zhang Shuo, and Cui Riyong
to act first, did so. He convened a meeting with his brothers Li Fan (李範) the Prince of Qi, Li Ye (李業) the Prince of Xue, Guo Yuanzhen, along with a number of his associates — the general Wang Maozhong (王毛仲), the officials Jiang Jiao (姜皎) and Li Lingwen (李令問), his brother-in-law Wang Shouyi (王守一), the eunuch Gao Lishi
, and the military officer Li Shoude (李守德) — and decided to act first. On July 29, Emperor Xuanzong had Wang Maozhong take 300 soldiers to the imperial guard camp to behead Chang and Li Ci. Then, Jia, Li You, Xiao, and Cen were arrested and executed as well. Dou and Princess Taiping committed suicide, with Dou doing so by jumping into a canal. Emperor Xuanzong had Dou's body taken out of the canal and cut off his head. He also posthumously changed Dou's surname to Du (毒, meaning "poison").
It was said that Dou, despite his tendency to flatter powerful individuals, was generous with his clan members, and he often distributed his salary to them. When he died, there was very little asset to be seized.
Emperor Zhongzong of Tang
Emperor Zhongzong of Tang , personal name Lǐ Xiǎn , at times during his life Li Zhe and Wu Xian , was the fourth Emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China, ruling briefly in 684 and again from 705 to 710.Emperor Zhongzong was the son of Emperor Gaozong of Tang and Empress Wu...
(r. 705–710), posthumously renamed Du Huaizhen (毒懷貞), was an official of the Chinese
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...
and Wu Zetian
Wu Zetian
Wu Zetian , personal name Wu Zhao , often referred to as Tian Hou during the Tang Dynasty and Empress Consort Wu in later times, was the only woman in the history of China to assume the title of Empress Regnant...
's Zhou Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Ruizong
Emperor Ruizong of Tang
Emperor Ruizong of Tang , personal name Lǐ Dàn , known at times during his life as Li Xulun , Li Lun , Wu Lun , and Wu Dan , was the fifth and ninth emperor of Tang Dynasty...
and Emperor Xuanzong
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...
.
Background
It is not known when Dou Huaizhen was born, but it is known that he was a son of Dou DexuanDou Dexuan
Dou Dexuan , formally Baron Gong of Julu , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as chancellor during the reign of Emperor Gaozong of Tang.- Background :...
, who served as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Gaozong
Emperor Gaozong of Tang
Emperor Gaozong of Tang , personal name Li Zhi , was the third emperor of the Tang Dynasty in China, ruling from 649 to 683...
. It was said that he had a treacherous mind in his youth, but was also known for being frugal and not competing in luxury spending with others. He later served as the magistrate of Qinghe County and was said to have governed it well. He was later promoted to be the commandant at Yue Prefecture (越州, roughly modern Shaoxing
Shaoxing
Shaoxing is a prefecture-level city in northeastern Zhejiang province, People's Republic of China. Located on the south bank of the Qiantang River estuary, it borders Ningbo to the east, Taizhou to the southeast, Jinhua to the southwest, and Hangzhou to the west. It was once known as "越"...
, Zhejiang
Zhejiang
Zhejiang is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. The word Zhejiang was the old name of the Qiantang River, which passes through Hangzhou, the provincial capital...
) and then the secretary general at Yang Prefecture (揚州, roughly 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...
).
During Emperor Zhongzong's second reign
Probably in 705, at the start of the second reign of Emperor Gaozong's son Emperor ZhongzongEmperor Zhongzong of Tang
Emperor Zhongzong of Tang , personal name Lǐ Xiǎn , at times during his life Li Zhe and Wu Xian , was the fourth Emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China, ruling briefly in 684 and again from 705 to 710.Emperor Zhongzong was the son of Emperor Gaozong of Tang and Empress Wu...
, Dou Huaizhen, in order to observe naming taboo
Naming taboo
Naming taboo is a cultural taboo against speaking or writing the given names of exalted persons in China and neighboring nations in the ancient Chinese cultural sphere.-Kinds of naming taboo:...
for Wei Xuanzhen (韋玄貞), the father of Emperor Zhongzong's powerful wife Empress Wei
Empress Wei (Zhongzong)
Empress Wei was an empress of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty. She was the second wife of Emperor Zhongzong, who reigned twice, and during his second reign, she tried to emulate the example of her mother-in-law Wu Zetian and seize power...
, started using his courtesy name of Congyi rather than Huaizhen as his name. As of 706, he was serving as the prefect of Pu Prefecture (蒲州, roughly modern Yuncheng, 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....
), when he was made the secretary general of the capital prefecture Yong Prefecture (雍州, roughly modern Xi'an
Xi'an
Xi'an is the capital of the Shaanxi province, and a sub-provincial city in the People's Republic of China. One of the oldest cities in China, with more than 3,100 years of history, the city was known as Chang'an before the Ming Dynasty...
, 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...
). It was said that at this time, he was seeking to ingratiate himself with powerful individuals. On one occasion, when Emperor Zhongzong's sister Princess Taiping
Princess Taiping
Princess Taiping was a princess of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty and her mother Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty. She was the youngest daughter of Wu Zetian and Emperor Gaozong and was powerful during the reigns of her mother and her elder brothers Emperor Zhongzong and Emperor Ruizong , particularly...
was litigating with a Buddhist temple as to the ownership of a mill, Dou's subordinate, the census officer Li Yuanhong, ruled for the temple. Dou was shocked and tried to get Li to change his ruling; Li responded by writing, in large characters, under his ruling, "The Southern Mountains [(i.e., 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...
)] may move before this ruling may be changed." Dou could not do anything about it. It was further said that he was apprehensive of the power that court eunuchs held, and whenever litigants did not have beards, he would believe that they were eunuchs and try to ingratiate them. Later, when he served as chief imperial censor reviewing central government affairs (左御史大夫, Zuo Yushi Daifu), one of his subordinate censors, Wei Chuangong (魏傳弓), wished to indict the eunuch Xue Sijian (薛思簡), seeking to have Xue executed, Dou, on account of the fact that Xue was well-trusted by Emperor Zhongzong's powerful daughter Li Guo'er the Princess Anle
Princess Anle
Princess Anle , personal name Li Guo'er , was a princess of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty. She was the youngest daughter of Emperor Zhongzong and his wife Empress Wei who was greatly favored by her parents and therefore grew very powerful and corrupt during her father's second...
, stopped Wei from doing so.
On Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year – often called Chinese Lunar New Year although it actually is lunisolar – is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. It is an all East and South-East-Asia celebration...
's eve in 709 (February 13, 709) Emperor Zhongzong held a festival of observing New Year's Eve inside the palace. During the feast, Emperor Zhongzong offered to find Dou, whose wife had died some time ago, a wife. Dou agreed—and Emperor Zhongzong had Empress Wei's wet nurse
Wet nurse
A wet nurse is a woman who is used to breast feed and care for another's child. Wet nurses are used when the mother is unable or chooses not to nurse the child herself. Wet-nursed children may be known as "milk-siblings", and in some cultures the families are linked by a special relationship of...
Lady Wang brought out. Dou married Lady Wang, and Emperor Zhongzong created her the Lady of Ju. As the husband of a wet nurse was often referred to as Azhe at the time, thereafter, whenever Dou submitted reports to Emperor Zhongzong, he referred to himself as, "the Azhe of Empress Yisheng [(the honorific title for Empress Wei)]." He also ingratiated himself with the chancellor Zong Chuke
Zong Chuke
Zong Chuke , courtesy name Shu'ao , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty and Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty, serving as chancellor during the reigns of Wu Zetian, her son Emperor Zhongzong, and her grandson Emperor Shang.- Background :It is not known when Zong Chuke was born, but it is...
and Princess Anle, and thereafter had a poor public reputation.
During Emperor Shang's reign and Emperor Ruizong's second reign
In 710, Emperor Zhongzong died suddenly—a death that traditional historians believed to be a poisoning by Empress Wei and Li Guo'er, so that Empress Wei could become "emperor" like Emperor Zhongzong's mother Wu ZetianWu Zetian
Wu Zetian , personal name Wu Zhao , often referred to as Tian Hou during the Tang Dynasty and Empress Consort Wu in later times, was the only woman in the history of China to assume the title of Empress Regnant...
and Li Guo'er could be crown princess. Meanwhile, Emperor Zhongzong's son by a concubine, Li Chongmao
Emperor Shang of Tang
Emperor Shang , also known as Emperor Shao , personal name Li Chongmao , was an emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China, ruling briefly in 710....
the Prince of Wen, was named emperor (as Emperor Shang), but Empress Wei retained power as empress dowager
Empress Dowager
Empress Dowager was the title given to the mother of a Chinese, Korean, Japanese or Vietnamese emperor.The title was also given occasionally to another woman of the same generation, while a woman from the previous generation was sometimes given the title of Grand empress dowager. Numerous empress...
and regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
. Less than a month later, Princess Taiping and Emperor Zhongzong's nephew Li Longji
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...
the Prince of Linzi rose in rebellion, killing Empress Dowager Wei and Li Guo'er. When Dou Congyi heard this, he beheaded his wife Lady Wang and offered her head to Li Longji, trying to save himself. He was not killed, but was demoted to be the prefect of Bo Prefecture (濠州, roughly modern Bozhou
Bozhou
Bozhou is a prefecture-level city in northwestern Anhui province, People's Republic of China. It borders Huaibei to the northeast, Bengbu to the southeast, Huainan to the south, Fuyang to the southwest, and the province of Henan to the north.-Administration:...
, Anhui
Anhui
Anhui is a province in the People's Republic of China. Located in eastern China across the basins of the Yangtze River and the Huai River, it borders Jiangsu to the east, Zhejiang to the southeast, Jiangxi to the south, Hubei to the southwest, Henan to the northwest, and Shandong for a tiny...
). He changed his name back to Huaizhen around this time. Sometime thereafter, after Li Longji's father Li Dan
Emperor Ruizong of Tang
Emperor Ruizong of Tang , personal name Lǐ Dàn , known at times during his life as Li Xulun , Li Lun , Wu Lun , and Wu Dan , was the fifth and ninth emperor of Tang Dynasty...
the Prince of Xiang, a former emperor, was restored to the throne (as Emperor Ruizong), Dou was made the secretary general at Yi Prefecture (益州, roughly 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...
).
In 711, Dou was recalled to the capital to serve as the director of imperial palace affairs (殿中監, Dianzhong Jian), and in a month was returned to the post of chief imperial censor. He was also given the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事), making him a chancellor de facto. Later in the year, he was made Shizhong (侍中), the head of the examination bureau of government (門下省, Menxia Sheng), a post considered one for a chancellor. It was said that he was deeply involved in the faction of Princess Taiping, and he often went to her mansion directly after imperial meetings and did what she ordered him to do. Further, at that time, Emperor Ruizong was carrying out an expensive project of building Taoist
Taoism
Taoism refers to a philosophical or religious tradition in which the basic concept is to establish harmony with the Tao , which is the mechanism of everything that exists...
temples for his daughters Princesses Jinxian and Yuzhen, who had become Taoist nuns. Many officials tried to dissuade Emperor Ruizong from doing so, but Dou not only pushed for the projects but personally supervised them. He was therefore derogatorily known in a popular couplet as having served as the empress' Azhe and now the princesses' head of household. Soon thereafter, as a part of a major governmental reorganization, he and fellow chancellors Wei Anshi
Wei Anshi
Wei Anshi , formally Duke Wenzhen of Xun , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty and Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty, serving as a chancellor several times, during the reigns of Wu Zetian, her sons Emperor Zhongzong and Emperor Ruizong, and her grandson Emperor Shang.- Background :Wei Anshi...
, Guo Yuanzhen
Guo Yuanzhen
Guo Yuanzhen , formal name Guo Zhen but went by the courtesy name of Yuanzhen, was an official, general, and diplomat of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty and Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Ruizong and Emperor Xuanzong.- Background :Guo Yuanzhen was...
, Li Rizhi
Li Rizhi
Li Rizhi was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty and Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Ruizong.- Background :...
, and Zhang Shuo were removed from their chancellor posts, and he was again chief imperial censor. In spring 712, however, he again became chancellor with the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Sanpin (同中書門下三品).
In summer 712, a fortuneteller told Dou that he was about to suffer disaster. In fear, Dou offered to resign and serve as a servant at Anguo Temple (安國寺). Emperor Ruizong agreed. Several days later, he again made Dou chief imperial censor and Zuo Pushe (左僕射), one of the heads of the executive bureau (尚書省, Shangshu Sheng), and again chancellor with the designation Pingzhang Junguo Zhongshi (平章軍國重事).
During Emperor Xuanzong's reign
In 712, Emperor Ruizong passed the throne to Li Longji, who took the throne (as Emperor Xuanzong). Emperor Ruizong, however, retained actual power as Taishang HuangTaishang Huang
Retired Emperor, Grand Emperor, or Emperor Emeritus is a title occasionally used throughout East Asian feudal regimes for former emperors who had abdicated voluntarily to their sons. This title appeared in the history of China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam...
(retired emperor). Soon after Emperor Xuanzong's assumption of the throne, Cui Shi was made acting Zhongshu Ling (中書令), the head of the legislative bureau and a post considered one for a chancellor. Soon, there was a plan by Liu Yiuqiu, who was a close associate of Emperor Xuanzong's, and the general Zhang Wei (張暐), to kill several chancellors associated with Princess Taiping - Dou, Cui Shi
Cui Shi
Cui Shi , courtesy name Chenglan , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty and Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reigns of Wu Zetian's sons Emperor Zhongzong and Emperor Ruizong and grandsons Emperor Shang and Emperor Xuanzong...
, and Cen Xi
Cen Xi
Cen Xi , courtesy name Bohua , was an official of the Chinese Tang Dynasty and Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Shang, Emperor Ruizong, and Emperor Xuanzong...
. However, the plan was leaked by the censor Deng Guangbin (鄧光賓), who was part of the plot. Emperor Xuanzong disavowed knowledge of the plan, and Liu, Zhang, and Deng were exiled.
By 713, it was said that Princess Taiping, Dou, Cen, Xiao Zhizhong
Xiao Zhizhong
Xiao Zhizhong was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty and Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reigns of Wu Zetian's sons Emperor Zhongzong and Emperor Ruizong and grandsons Emperor Shang and Emperor Xuanzong...
, Cui Shi; along with other officials Xue Ji
Xue Ji
Xue Ji , courtesy name Sitong , was an official of the Chinese Tang Dynasty, briefly serving as chancellor during the reign of Emperor Ruizong. He was considered one of the four greatest calligraphers of early Tang, along with Yu Shinan, Ouyang Xun, and Chu Suiliang.-Background:Xue Ji was born in...
, Li Jin (李晉) the Prince of Xinxing (a grandson of Li Deliang (李德良), a cousin of Tang's founder Emperor Gaozu
Emperor Gaozu of Tang
Emperor Gāozǔ of Táng , born Lǐ Yuān , courtesy name Shūdé , was the founder of the Tang Dynasty of China, and the first emperor of this dynasty from 618 to 626. Under the Sui dynasty, Li Yuan was the governor in the area of modern-day Shanxi, and was based in Taiyuan.In 615, Li Yuan was assigned...
), Li You (李猷), Jia Yingfu (賈膺福), Tang Jun (唐晙); the generals Chang Yuankai (常元楷), Li Ci (李慈), and Li Qin (李欽); and the monk Huifan (惠範), were plotting to overthrow Emperor Xuanzong. It was further said that they discussed, with the lady 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...
Lady Yuan to poison the gastrodia elata
Gastrodia elata
Gastrodia elata is a saprophytic perrenial herb of the Orchidaceae family. It is found in Nepal, Bhutan, India, Japan , North Korean, Siberia, Taiwan as well as mainland China...
that Emperor Xuanzong routinely took as an aphrodisiac. When this alleged plot was reported to Emperor Xuanzong by Wei Zhigu
Wei Zhigu
Wei Zhigu , formally Duke Zhong of Liang , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty and Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Ruizong and Emperor Xuanzong.- Background :...
, Emperor Xuanzong, who had already received advice from Wang Ju (王琚), Zhang Shuo, and Cui Riyong
Cui Riyong
Cui Riyong 崔日用 , formally Duke Zhao of Qi 齊昭公, was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty and Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty, briefly serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Ruizong.- Background :...
to act first, did so. He convened a meeting with his brothers Li Fan (李範) the Prince of Qi, Li Ye (李業) the Prince of Xue, Guo Yuanzhen, along with a number of his associates — the general Wang Maozhong (王毛仲), the officials Jiang Jiao (姜皎) and Li Lingwen (李令問), his brother-in-law Wang Shouyi (王守一), the eunuch Gao Lishi
Gao Lishi
Gao Lishi , formally the Duke of Qi , was a eunuch official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty and Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty, becoming particularly powerful during Emperor Xuanzong of Tang's reign...
, and the military officer Li Shoude (李守德) — and decided to act first. On July 29, Emperor Xuanzong had Wang Maozhong take 300 soldiers to the imperial guard camp to behead Chang and Li Ci. Then, Jia, Li You, Xiao, and Cen were arrested and executed as well. Dou and Princess Taiping committed suicide, with Dou doing so by jumping into a canal. Emperor Xuanzong had Dou's body taken out of the canal and cut off his head. He also posthumously changed Dou's surname to Du (毒, meaning "poison").
It was said that Dou, despite his tendency to flatter powerful individuals, was generous with his clan members, and he often distributed his salary to them. When he died, there was very little asset to be seized.