Later Shu
Encyclopedia
Later Shu was one of the Ten Kingdoms during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period
in China from 907
to 960
. It was located in present-day Sichuan
with its capital in Chengdu
.
Kingdom that was founded in 907
from the ashes of the Tang Dynasty
was conquered by the Later Tang Dynasty
, the second of the five dynasties that ruled the north during this period of time.
Meng Zhixiang
commanded elements of the Later Tang Dynasty
in the conquered territories of the Shu
Kingdom. He was named military governor in 925
, but had plotted to make himself emperor, an action he took in 934
as, Li Siyuan, emperor of the Later Tang Dynasty
, had seen relations with their powerful neighbors to the north, the Khitan
, sour by his rule.
kingdom. The kingdom held most of present-day Sichuan
, along with southern Gansu
and Shaanxi
, western Hubei
and all of present-day Chongqing
. As with the Former Shu
, the capital of the kingdom was at Chengdu
.
died the year following his self-declaration of ascending to the position of emperor of the Shu. His son, Meng Chang
ruled very ably for thirty years until the kingdom was incorporated into the expanding Song Dynasty
from the north in 965
.
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...
in China from 907
907
Year 907 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* Oleg leads the Kievan Rus' in a campaign against Constantinople ....
to 960
960
Year 960 was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Edgar the Peaceable is crowned King of England. Dunstan becomes Archbishop of Canterbury and Edgar's chief adviser. He reforms monasteries and enforces the rule of Saint Benedict: Poverty, Chastity and Obedience for...
. It was located in present-day 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...
with its capital in Chengdu
Chengdu
Chengdu , formerly transliterated Chengtu, is the capital of Sichuan province in Southwest China. It holds sub-provincial administrative status...
.
Founding
The original ShuFormer Shu
Great Shu called in retrospect Former Shu was one of the Ten Kingdoms formed during the chaotic period between the rules of the Tang dynasty and the Song dynasty...
Kingdom that was founded in 907
907
Year 907 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* Oleg leads the Kievan Rus' in a campaign against Constantinople ....
from the ashes of the 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...
was conquered by the Later Tang Dynasty
Later Tang Dynasty
The Later Tang Dynasty was a short-lived dynasty that lasted from 923 to 937 one of the five dynasties during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was also the first in a series of three dynasties ruled by the Shatuo Turks...
, the second of the five dynasties that ruled the north during this period of time.
Meng Zhixiang
Meng Zhixiang
Meng Zhixiang was a Chinese general and later founder of the Later Shu kingdom, one of the Ten Kingdoms of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, in 934.-Service under the Later Tang:...
commanded elements of the Later Tang Dynasty
Later Tang Dynasty
The Later Tang Dynasty was a short-lived dynasty that lasted from 923 to 937 one of the five dynasties during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was also the first in a series of three dynasties ruled by the Shatuo Turks...
in the conquered territories of the Shu
Former Shu
Great Shu called in retrospect Former Shu was one of the Ten Kingdoms formed during the chaotic period between the rules of the Tang dynasty and the Song dynasty...
Kingdom. He was named military governor in 925
925
Year 925 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Alfonso IV the Monk becomes king of Leon....
, but had plotted to make himself emperor, an action he took 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 :...
as, Li Siyuan, emperor of the Later Tang Dynasty
Later Tang Dynasty
The Later Tang Dynasty was a short-lived dynasty that lasted from 923 to 937 one of the five dynasties during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was also the first in a series of three dynasties ruled by the Shatuo Turks...
, had seen relations with their powerful neighbors to the north, the Khitan
Liao Dynasty
The Liao Dynasty , also known as the Khitan Empire was an empire in East Asia that ruled over the regions of Manchuria, Mongolia, and parts of northern China proper between 9071125...
, sour by his rule.
Territorial Extent
The Later Shu Kingdom held essentially the same territory as the Former ShuFormer Shu
Great Shu called in retrospect Former Shu was one of the Ten Kingdoms formed during the chaotic period between the rules of the Tang dynasty and the Song dynasty...
kingdom. The kingdom held most of present-day 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...
, along with southern 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...
and 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...
, western Hubei
Hubei
' Hupeh) is a province in Central China. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Lake Dongting...
and all of present-day Chongqing
Chongqing
Chongqing is a major city in Southwest China and one of the five national central cities of China. Administratively, it is one of the PRC's four direct-controlled municipalities , and the only such municipality in inland China.The municipality was created on 14 March 1997, succeeding the...
. As with the Former Shu
Former Shu
Great Shu called in retrospect Former Shu was one of the Ten Kingdoms formed during the chaotic period between the rules of the Tang dynasty and the Song dynasty...
, the capital of the kingdom was at Chengdu
Chengdu
Chengdu , formerly transliterated Chengtu, is the capital of Sichuan province in Southwest China. It holds sub-provincial administrative status...
.
Succession
Meng ZhixiangMeng Zhixiang
Meng Zhixiang was a Chinese general and later founder of the Later Shu kingdom, one of the Ten Kingdoms of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, in 934.-Service under the Later Tang:...
died the year following his self-declaration of ascending to the position of emperor of the Shu. His son, Meng Chang
Meng Chang
Meng Chang was Emperor of Later Shu , one of the Ten Kingdoms located in the Sichuan basin.-Accession to the Throne:Meng Chang, posthumously known as Houzhu was the son of Meng Zhixiang, the founder of the Later Shu kingdom. When his father died in 934, he named himself emperor of the...
ruled very ably for thirty years until the kingdom was incorporated into the expanding Song Dynasty
Song Dynasty
The Song Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279; it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yuan Dynasty. It was the first government in world history to issue banknotes or paper money, and the first Chinese government to establish a...
from the north in 965
965
Year 965 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* The Khazar fortress of Sarkel falls to the Kievan Rus....
.
Rulers
| Temple Names ( Miao Hao 廟號 miao4 hao4) | Posthumous Names ( Shi Hao 諡號 ) | Personal Names | Period of Reigns | Era Names (Nian Hao 年號) and their according range of years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 高祖 gao1 zu3 | Too tedious thus not used when referring to this sovereign | 孟知祥 meng4 zhi1 xiang2 | 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 :... |
Mingde (明德 ming2 de2) 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 :... |
| 後主 hou4 zhu3 | Did not exist | 孟昶 meng4 chang3 | 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 :... -965 965 Year 965 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* The Khazar fortress of Sarkel falls to the Kievan Rus.... |
Mingde (明德 ming2 de2) 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 :... -938 938 Year 938 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* The Liao Dynasty takes over Peking; they name Nanjing as their South Palace.... Guangzheng (廣政 guang3 zheng4) 938 938 Year 938 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* The Liao Dynasty takes over Peking; they name Nanjing as their South Palace.... -965 965 Year 965 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* The Khazar fortress of Sarkel falls to the Kievan Rus.... |
External links
- http://www.chinaknowledge.de/History/Tang/rulers-houshu.html