Xu Zhixún
Encyclopedia
Xu Zhixún (d. 934), formally Prince Kang of Donghai (東海康王), was the second biological son of Xu Wen
Xu Wen
Xu Wen , born April 13, 1986 in Shanghai), is a versatile Chinese footballer, who plays as either a defensive midfielder or defender for Nanchang Bayi.-Club career:...

, the regent 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...

 Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period
Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period
Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms was between 907–960/979 AD and an era of political upheaval in China, between the fall of the Tang Dynasty and the founding of the Song Dynasty. During this period, five dynasties quickly succeeded one another in the north, and more than 12 independent states were...

 state Wu
Wu (Ten Kingdoms)
Wu , also referred to as Huainan , Hongnong , Southern Wu , or Yang Wu , was one of the Ten Kingdoms in south-central China which was in existence between the years of 907 and 937. Its capital was Jiangdu Municipality...

. He had tried to, during Xu Wen's life time, displace his older adoptive brother Xu Zhigao
Emperor Liezu of Southern Tang
Emperor Liezu of Southern Tang , also known as Xianzhu of Southern Tang , personal name Li Bian , earlier also known as Xu Zhigao , courtesy name Zhenglun , nickname Pengnu , was the founder of the Southern Tang kingdom, one of the most successful of the Ten Kingdoms of the...

 as the junior regent, but was unable to do so. After Xu Wen's death, he tried to contend for control of the Wu state with Xu Zhigao, as he inherited the command of the large army under Xu Wen's command, but was later detained and stripped of the command by Xu Zhigao. He later continued to serve as a general of the Wu state but without sufficient power to again challenge Xu Zhigao.

Background

It is not known when Xu Zhixún was born, or who his mother was. He was the second oldest known biological son of Xu Wen
Xu Wen
Xu Wen , born April 13, 1986 in Shanghai), is a versatile Chinese footballer, who plays as either a defensive midfielder or defender for Nanchang Bayi.-Club career:...

's, but his older brother Xu Zhixùn
Xu Zhixùn
Xu Zhixùn was the oldest biological son of Xu Wen, the regent of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period state Wu. He served as the junior regent from 915 to his death in 918, with his father stationing himself at Jinling away from the capital Guangling...

 was at one point referred to as Sanlang (三郎, "third-born son") by Song Qiqiu, implying that he might have had two other older brothers who died in infancy and therefore were not counted in traditional counting of birth order. He had four younger biological brothers, Xu Zhihui (徐知誨), Xu Zhijian (徐知諫), Xu Zhizheng (徐知證), and Xu Zhi'e (徐知諤). Xu Wen's adoptive son Xu Zhigao
Emperor Liezu of Southern Tang
Emperor Liezu of Southern Tang , also known as Xianzhu of Southern Tang , personal name Li Bian , earlier also known as Xu Zhigao , courtesy name Zhenglun , nickname Pengnu , was the founder of the Southern Tang kingdom, one of the most successful of the Ten Kingdoms of the...

 was older than he was. It was said that neither he nor Xu Zhixùn had any real regard for Xu Zhigao as a brother.

During Xu Wen's regency

The first historical reference to Xu Zhixún was in 918
918
Year 918 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* Taebong has been overthrown, and Goryeo established in the Korean peninsula, when Wang Kon ascends the throne at Cheorwon.* The Khitan empire's government occupies a newly walled capital city called Shangjing,...

, when Xu Zhixùn, then serving as the junior regent at Wu's capital Guangling (廣陵, in modern Yangzhou
Yangzhou
Yangzhou is a prefecture-level city in central Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China. Sitting on the northern bank of the Yangtze River, it borders the provincial capital of Nanjing to the southwest, Huai'an to the north, Yancheng to the northeast, Taizhou to the east, and Zhenjiang across...

, Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...

) with Xu Wen stationed at Sheng Prefecture (昇州, in modern Nanjing
Nanjing
' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...

, 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...

), was assassinated by the general Zhu Jin
Zhu Jin
Zhu Jin was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty who would later be a major general of the Wu state during the subsequent Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period...

, who then committed suicide. All of Xu Wen's sons, except Xu Zhigao, who was then 30, were then said to be young, so Xu Wen made Xu Zhigao the junior regent, replacing Xu Zhixùn. Subsequently, Xu's entrusted official Yan Keqiu suggested replacing Xu Zhigao with Xu Zhixún, but Xu Wen did not do so.

Over the years, Yan and other officials, including Chen Yanqian (陳彥謙) and Xu Jie (徐玠), had also advocated for Xu Wen to replace Xu Zhigao with a biological son, although the historical records did not indicate that they recommended Xu Zhixún specifically. Xu Zhixùn himself had also lobbied Xu Wen, but Xu Wen responded, "None of you has much talent as your older brother." However, by 927
927
Year 927 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* The Chu State is founded by Ma Yin....

, by which time Xu Zhixún carried the titles of commander of armed forces (行軍司馬, Xingjun Sima), military governor (Jiedushi
Jiedushi
The Jiedushi were regional military governors in China during the Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. Originally set up to counter external threats, the jiedushi were given enormous power, including the ability to maintain their own armies, collect taxes, and pass their...

) of Zhongyi Circuit (忠義, headquartered in modern Xiangyang
Xiangyang
Xiangzhou District is a district of Xiangyang, Hubei, China. The district itself was formerly known as Xiangyang. It was a city famous for the Siege of Xiangyang by invading forces of the Mongol-founded Yuan Dynasty...

, Hubei
Hubei
' Hupeh) is a province in Central China. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Lake Dongting...

, but which was then under control of Later Tang), and honorary chancellor (同中書門下平章事, Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi), Xu Wen changed his mind. He was planning to head to Guangling to recommend to then-King of Wu, Yang Pu, that Yang Pu claim imperial title, and then assign his two sons to new posts, with Xu Zhixún replacing Xu Zhigao as junior regent. However, as he was set to depart Sheng Prefecture, he became ill, and he instead wrote his petition and sent Xu Zhixún toward Guangling, intending to have Xu Zhixún replace Xu Zhigao after the petition were delivered. Xu Zhigao, hearing this, decided to resign and request to be the military governor of Zhennan Circuit (鎮南, headquartered in modern Nanchang
Nanchang
Nanchang is the capital of Jiangxi Province in southeastern China. It is located in the north-central portion of the province. As it is bounded on the west by the Jiuling Mountains, and on the east by Poyang Lake, it is famous for its scenery, rich history and cultural sites...

, Jiangxi
Jiangxi
' is a southern province in the People's Republic of China. Spanning from the banks of the Yangtze River in the north into hillier areas in the south, it shares a border with Anhui to the north, Zhejiang to the northeast, Fujian to the east, Guangdong to the south, Hunan to the west, and Hubei to...

). However, when Xu Zhixún was still on the way, Xu Wen died, and Xu Zhixún, hearing of Xu Wen's death, immediately returned to Sheng Prefecture to attend to the aftermaths, allowing Xu Zhigao to, for the time being, remain as regent.

After Xu Wen's death

Shortly after Xu Wen's death, Yang Pu, per Xu Wen's final recommendations, took imperial title. Meanwhile, Xu Wen's titles were split between Xu Zhigao and Xu Zhixún, with Xu Zhigao assuming Xu Wen's title as overseer of all military matters (都督中外總軍事, Dudu Zhongwai Zongjunshi), while Xu Zhixún took on the title of deputy supreme commander of all circuits (諸道副都統, Zhudao Fu Dutong, with Xu Wen having been supreme commander before, and that post now left open) and military governor of Ningguo (寧國, headquartered in modern Xuancheng
Xuancheng
Xuancheng is a prefecture-level city in southeastern Anhui province of Eastern China. It borders Wuhu to the northwest, Chizhou to the west, Huangshan to the southwest, and the provinces of Zhejiang and Jiangsu to the southeast and northeast respectively....

, 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...

) and Zhenhai (鎮海, headquartered in modern Zhenjiang
Zhenjiang
Zhenjiang is a prefecture-level city in the southwest of Jiangsu province in the eastern People's Republic of China . Sitting on the southern bank of the Yangtze River, it borders the provincial capital of Nanjing to the west, Changzhou to the east, and Yangzhou across the river to the north.Once...

, 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...

) Circuits, which Xu Wen had been; he also took the greater honorary chancellor title of Shizhong (侍中).

Even though Xu Zhigao remained in control of Wu's imperial government, Xu Zhixún, at Jinling (i.e., Sheng Prefecture), controlled the largest army of the state, and he, wielding that authority, contended for decision-making with Xu Zhigao, who tried to curb Xu Zhixún's military power. For example, in 929
929
Year 929 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* Mpu Sindok, ruler of the Mataram Kingdom, moves his court from Central Java to East Java in Indonesia.- Europe :...

, when Xu Zhixún's father-in-law, the general Li Jian (李簡) the military governor of Wuchang Circuit (武昌, headquartered in modern Wuhan
Wuhan
Wuhan is the capital of Hubei province, People's Republic of China, and is the most populous city in Central China. It lies at the east of the Jianghan Plain, and the intersection of the middle reaches of the Yangtze and Han rivers...

, 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...

) died, Xu Zhixún took 2,000 of Li Jian's soldiers and kept them under his command, while recommending Li Jian's son Li Yanzhong (李彥忠) to succeed Li Jian. Xu Zhigao, however, ignoring Xu Zhixún's recommendations, made the general Chai Zaiyong (柴再用) the military governor of Wuchang, drawing Xu Zhixún's ire.

Given Xu Zhixún's military strength, Xu Zhigao feared him, but Xu Zhixún's arrogance alienated his younger brothers, particularly both Xu Zhihui and Xu Zhijian; Xu Zhihui secretly reported Xu Zhixún's actions to Xu Zhigao, while Xu Zhijian, at Guangling, participated in Xu Zhigao's machinations against Xu Zhixún. Xu Jie, who had previously supported Xu Zhixún, also realized that Xu Zhixún lacked the proper abilities to lead, and instead turned his allegiance to Xu Zhigao. Meanwhile, Xu Zhixún was not curbing his actions properly; for example, when Qian Liu
Qian Liu
Qian Liu , courtesy name Jumei , nickname Poliu , formally King Wusu of Wuyue with the temple name of Taizu , was founder and first king of the Kingdom of Wuyue during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, ruling over roughly modern Zhejiang on the east coast of China.- Background :Qian...

, the king of Wu's neighbor Wuyue
Wuyue
Kingdom of Wuyue , 907-978, was a small independent coastal kingdom founded during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms of Chinese history. It was ruled by the Qian family, which remains widespread in the kingdom's former territory.-Founding:...

, sent Xu Zhixún gifts of vessels and saddles adorn with dragons and phoenixes — which only the sovereign could use — Xu Zhixún used them, making no attempts to avoid making them into a display. His close associate Zhou Tingwang (周廷望) persuaded him to let Zhou take large amounts of wealth to Guangling to try to use them to bribe other high level officials to turn from Xu Zhigao and toward him, but when Zhou arrived at Guangling, Zhou secretly pledged allegiance to Xu Zhigao through Xu Zhigao's associate Zhou Zong (周宗), and informed Xu Zhixún's actions to Xu Zhigao — but then, when he returned to Jinling, also informed Xu Zhigao's actions to Xu Zhixún, trying to play both sides.

Later in 929, Xu Zhixún tried to summon Xu Zhigao to Jinling to attend a ceremony where they would remove mourning clothes that they had put on for Xu Wen's death; Xu Zhigao refused, claiming that Yang Pu would not let him leave the capital. Meanwhile, Zhou Zong told Zhou Tingwang to inform Xu Zhixún that he had been accused of seven major crimes and should go to the capital to defend himself. Xu Zhixún believed Zhou Tingwang, and therefore went to Guangling. Once he arrived there, Xu Zhigao detained him and did not allow him to return to Jinling, sending the officer Ke Hou (柯厚) to lead the Jinling forces back to Guangling, thus consolidating the command under Xu Zhigao himself. Xu Zhixún was kept at Guangling to take the office of army commander (統軍, Tongjun), still carrying the title of military governor of Zhenhai Circuit. (The command of Ningguo Circuit went to Xu Zhigao.) The brothers then had a verbal confrontation in which Xu Zhixún stated, "When the deceased Prince [(i.e., Xu Wen, who carried the title of Prince of Donghai)] left this world, you, older brother, was his son. How could it be that you did not attend to his funereal matters?" Xu Zhigao responded, "You had a sword drawn, intended for me. How could I dare to go? You are a subject, so how could you have ridden on imperial wagons and worn imperial clothes?" When Xu Zhixún then questioned him about his actions, Xu Zhigao realized that Zhou Tingwang was playing both sides, so had Zhou Tingwang executed.

Later in 929, there was an incident in which, traditionally, it was believed that Xu Zhigao tried to poison Xu Zhixún. Xu Zhigao had held a feast for Xu Zhixún and offered him wine in a gold goblet, stating, "May my younger brother live a thousand years." Xu Zhixún, suspecting that the wine was poisoned, poured half of the wine into another gold goblet and offered it to Xu Zhigao, stating, "I wish to live five hundred years a piece with you, older brother." Xu Zhigao's expression changed and initially would not drink, while Xu Zhixún would not withdraw his offer, and their attendants did not know what to do. However, an actor named Shen Jiangao (申漸高) walked by them and, after stating some humorous words, grabbed the two goblets and drank the wine inside himself, and then left with the goblets. When Xu Zhigao secretly sent an antidote to Shen's house, it was too late; Shen had already died. After this, however, Xu Zhigao appeared to have made no further attempts on Xu Zhixún's life. At some point, it appeared that Xu Zhigao allowed him to report Zhenhai's capital Run Prefecture (潤州), but he did not spend much effort in governing the circuit.

In 931
931
Year 931 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* Mardavij captured and killed Asfar and in rapid succession conquered Hamadan, Dinavar and Isfahan from the governors of the caliph...

, Xu Zhijian, who was then serving as the military governor of Zhennan, died. Yang Pu commissioned Xu Zhixún to replace him, and also created him the Prince of Donghai. On the way to Zhenhai, he met Xu Zhijian's funereal train, and he was said to have touched Xu Zhijian's casket and wept, stating, "You, younger brother, intended this, and I have no regrets. But how can you face the deceased Prince in the underworld?" He died in 934
934
Year 934 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* The Ziyarid army occupies Ahvaz.* The Goryeo army defeats Hubaekje forces in present-day Hongseong County.- Europe :...

, while still serving at Zhennan.
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