Song Hun
Encyclopedia
Song Hun (died 361) was a regent
of the Chinese
state Former Liang
.
During the reign of the violent and capricious Zhang Zuo
, Song Hun served as a general, even though he constantly feared Zhang Zuo, because his older brother Song Xiu (宋修) had previously had a conflict with Zhang Zuo. In 355, when Zhang Guan
rose against Zhang Zuo, Song started an uprising of his own against Zhang Zuo as well, and quickly arrived at the capital Guzang (姑臧, in modern Wuwei, Gansu
). Zhang Guan's brother Zhang Ju (張琚) and son Zhang Song (張嵩) then started an uprising inside the city and opened the gates to welcome Song's forces in. Zhang Zuo's own troops turned on him and killed him. Song and Zhang Ju jointlly declared Zhang Zuo's nephew, Zhang Xuanjing
(whose older brother Zhang Yaoling
was the legitimate ruler before Zhang Zuo seized the throne from him and killed him), the Duke of Xiping, a Jin
-created title that his ancestors had carried for generations. When Zhang Guan subsequently arrived, Zhang Guan became regent, and Song was a key assistant. Zhang Guan overruled Song's decision and had Zhang Xuanjing claim a title that Jin had never conferred—Prince of Liang.
Zhang Guan's regency was a dictatorial one, and he suspected people of conspiring against him. He was particularly suspicious of Song, since Song was loyal to the state institutions, and Zhang Guan wanted to eventually take over as ruler himself. In 359, he therefore planned to kill Song Hun and his brother Song Cheng (宋澄). Song Hun heard this and started an uprising, declaring that Zhang Guan had committed treason and that he had authorization from Zhang Xuanjing's grandmother Princess Dowager Ma
to kill him. Their forces battled inside the city, but Song Hun's forces prevailed, and Zhang Guan and Zhang Ju committed suicide. He slaughtered their clan.
Song Hun was considered an able and tolerant regent—even, for example, commissioning one of Zhang Guan's bodyguards, Xuan Lu (玄臚), who had, during the battle, tried to kill him with a spear but failed and was captured, as a trusted officer. Under his decision, Zhang Xuanjing relinquished the title Prince of Liang and again claimed the Jin-created title Duke of Xiping. Song himself was created the Marquess of Jiuquan.
In 361, Song Hun grew ill, and Zhang Xuanjing and Princess Dowager Ma visited him personally, asking whether his son Song Linzong (宋林宗) should succeed him if he died. Song Hun noted that Song Linzong was young and weak in personality, and that Song Cheng might be an appropriate choice—but also warned that Song Cheng's reaction was slow and needed to be watched closely. Song Hun warned Song Cheng and his own sons that they needed to be humble and faithful to the state, and he told many officials the same. He soon died, and it was described that the commoners on the street were all mournful and weeping. Song Cheng became regent, but just several months later, the general Zhang Yong (張邕), who was unhappy that Song Cheng became regent, overthrew Song Cheng and slaughtered the Song clan. Zhang Yong and Zhang Xuanjing's uncle Zhang Tianxi
served as coregents, and soon Zhang Tianxi killed Zhang Yong (claiming, inter alia, to be avenging the Songs), but eventually overthrew Zhang Xuanjing himself in 363 and took the throne.
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...
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...
state Former Liang
Former Liang
The Former Liang was a state of the Sixteen Kingdoms during the Jin dynasty in China. It was founded by the Zhang family of the Han Chinese...
.
During the reign of the violent and capricious Zhang Zuo
Zhang Zuo
Zhang Zuo , courtesy name Taibo , formally Prince Wei of Liang was a ruler of the Chinese state Former Liang...
, Song Hun served as a general, even though he constantly feared Zhang Zuo, because his older brother Song Xiu (宋修) had previously had a conflict with Zhang Zuo. In 355, when Zhang Guan
Zhang Guan
Zhang Guan was a general and regent of the Chinese state Former Liang, during the early reign of the young prince Zhang Xuanjing.Zhang Guan was a distant relative of the ruling family of Former Liang...
rose against Zhang Zuo, Song started an uprising of his own against Zhang Zuo as well, and quickly arrived at the capital Guzang (姑臧, in modern Wuwei, Gansu
Gansu
' is a province located in the northwest of the People's Republic of China.It lies between the Tibetan and Huangtu plateaus, and borders Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Ningxia to the north, Xinjiang and Qinghai to the west, Sichuan to the south, and Shaanxi to the east...
). Zhang Guan's brother Zhang Ju (張琚) and son Zhang Song (張嵩) then started an uprising inside the city and opened the gates to welcome Song's forces in. Zhang Zuo's own troops turned on him and killed him. Song and Zhang Ju jointlly declared Zhang Zuo's nephew, Zhang Xuanjing
Zhang Xuanjing
Zhang Xuanjing , courtesy name Yuan'an , formally Duke Jingdao of Xiping or Duke Chong of Xiping was a ruler of the Chinese state Former Liang...
(whose older brother Zhang Yaoling
Zhang Yaoling
Zhang Yaoling , courtesy name Yuanshu , formally Duke Ai of Xiping, was briefly the ruler of the Chinese state Former Liang in 353 and early 354....
was the legitimate ruler before Zhang Zuo seized the throne from him and killed him), the Duke of Xiping, a Jin
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...
-created title that his ancestors had carried for generations. When Zhang Guan subsequently arrived, Zhang Guan became regent, and Song was a key assistant. Zhang Guan overruled Song's decision and had Zhang Xuanjing claim a title that Jin had never conferred—Prince of Liang.
Zhang Guan's regency was a dictatorial one, and he suspected people of conspiring against him. He was particularly suspicious of Song, since Song was loyal to the state institutions, and Zhang Guan wanted to eventually take over as ruler himself. In 359, he therefore planned to kill Song Hun and his brother Song Cheng (宋澄). Song Hun heard this and started an uprising, declaring that Zhang Guan had committed treason and that he had authorization from Zhang Xuanjing's grandmother Princess Dowager Ma
Princess Dowager Ma
Princess Dowager Ma was the mother of the Chinese state Former Liang's ruler Zhang Chonghua. She was a concubine of Zhang Chonghua's father Zhang Jun....
to kill him. Their forces battled inside the city, but Song Hun's forces prevailed, and Zhang Guan and Zhang Ju committed suicide. He slaughtered their clan.
Song Hun was considered an able and tolerant regent—even, for example, commissioning one of Zhang Guan's bodyguards, Xuan Lu (玄臚), who had, during the battle, tried to kill him with a spear but failed and was captured, as a trusted officer. Under his decision, Zhang Xuanjing relinquished the title Prince of Liang and again claimed the Jin-created title Duke of Xiping. Song himself was created the Marquess of Jiuquan.
In 361, Song Hun grew ill, and Zhang Xuanjing and Princess Dowager Ma visited him personally, asking whether his son Song Linzong (宋林宗) should succeed him if he died. Song Hun noted that Song Linzong was young and weak in personality, and that Song Cheng might be an appropriate choice—but also warned that Song Cheng's reaction was slow and needed to be watched closely. Song Hun warned Song Cheng and his own sons that they needed to be humble and faithful to the state, and he told many officials the same. He soon died, and it was described that the commoners on the street were all mournful and weeping. Song Cheng became regent, but just several months later, the general Zhang Yong (張邕), who was unhappy that Song Cheng became regent, overthrew Song Cheng and slaughtered the Song clan. Zhang Yong and Zhang Xuanjing's uncle Zhang Tianxi
Zhang Tianxi
Zhang Tianxi , original courtesy name Gongchungu , later Chungu , nickname Duhuo , formally Duke Dao of Xiping , was the last ruler of the Chinese state Former Liang. He was the youngest son of Zhang Jun , and he seized the throne from his nephew Zhang Xuanjing in 363...
served as coregents, and soon Zhang Tianxi killed Zhang Yong (claiming, inter alia, to be avenging the Songs), but eventually overthrew Zhang Xuanjing himself in 363 and took the throne.