Zhou Yue
Encyclopedia
Zhou Yue (d. 893
), courtesy name Junzhao (峻昭), was a warlord late in the Chinese
dynasty Tang Dynasty
, who controlled Wu'an Circuit (武安, headquartered in modern Changsha, Hunan
) from 886
to 893.
and the New Book of Tang
). It is known that he was from Zouxi (陬溪, in modern Changde
, Hunan
), and likely of non-Han
extraction, for he was an associate of the non-Han Lei Man
and hunted with Lei. On one occasion when they hunted together, they fought over the distribution of the meat, and he tried to kill Lei but could not.
In 881
, Lei gathered a group of men and attacked and captured Lang Prefecture (朗州, in modern Changde), which Zouxi belonged to. Zhou, hearing this news, gathered a group of men as well and attacked Heng Prefecture (modern Hengyang
in Hunan
), expelling the prefect Xu Hao (徐顥). Then-reigning Emperor Xizong
, then facing the major rebellion of the agrarian rebel Huang Chao
, commissioned Zhou as the prefect of Heng.
, Zhou Yue attacked Tan Prefecture (潭州, in modern Changsha), which was then the capital of Qinhua Circuit
. The military governor (Jiedushi
) of Qinhua, Min Xu
, invited Huang Hao (黃皓), a general of the warlord Qin Zongquan, who had claimed imperial title at Cai Prefecture (蔡州, in modern Zhumadian
, Henan
), into Tan Prefecture to help him defend it. Instead, Huang killed Min and took over Tan Prefecture. Zhou then arrived, defeated Huang, and executed him, taking over Tan Prefecture. Emperor Xizong then commissioned Zhou as military governor and changed the name of the circuit from Qinhua to Wu'an. In 891
, Emperor Xizong's brother and successor Emperor Zhaozong
commissioned Zhou to be the military governor of Lingnan West Circuit (嶺南西道, headquartered in modern Nanning
, Guangxi
). (It is not clear whether the commission was intended to give Zhou an extra circuit, or for him to transfer to Lingnan West; in any case, it appeared that Zhou never actually went to Lingnan West.)
, Hunan
) had long claimed that Zhou was responsible for Min Xu's death and called for his soldiers to follow him in avenging Min's death. In 893
, Deng allied with Lei, and they attacked Tan Prefecture together. They captured it and killed Zhou. Deng then took over as acting military governor.
893
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....
), courtesy name Junzhao (峻昭), was a warlord late in 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...
, who controlled 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...
) from 886
886
Year 886 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :...
to 893.
Background and takeover of Heng Prefecture
It is not known when Zhou Yue was born, and not much is known about his background, as there was no biography for him in either of the official histories of Tang Dynasty (the Book of TangBook of Tang
The Book of Tang , Jiu Tangshu or the Old Book of Tang is the first classic work about the Tang Dynasty. The book began when Gaozu of Later Jin ordered its commencement in 941...
and 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...
). It is known that he was from Zouxi (陬溪, in modern Changde
Changde
Changde is a city in the north of Hunan Province, China, with a population of 5,717,218 inhabitants at the 2010 census whom 1,232,182 in the built up area made of 2 urban districts .-History:...
, 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...
), and likely of non-Han
Han Chinese
Han Chinese are an ethnic group native to China and are the largest single ethnic group in the world.Han Chinese constitute about 92% of the population of the People's Republic of China , 98% of the population of the Republic of China , 78% of the population of Singapore, and about 20% of the...
extraction, for he was an associate of the non-Han Lei Man
Lei Man
Lei Man , courtesy name Bingren , was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who seized control of Lang Prefecture in 881 and controlled it and the surrounding region to accommodate him, who was made military governor until his death in 901...
and hunted with Lei. On one occasion when they hunted together, they fought over the distribution of the meat, and he tried to kill Lei but could not.
In 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....
, Lei gathered a group of men and attacked and captured Lang Prefecture (朗州, in modern Changde), which Zouxi belonged to. Zhou, hearing this news, gathered a group of men as well and attacked Heng Prefecture (modern Hengyang
Hengyang
Hengyang is the second largest city of China's Hunan Province. It straddles the Xiang River about 160 km south of Changsha.-History:Its former name was Hengzhou . This was the capital of a prefecture in the Tang Dynasty's Jiangnan and West Jiangnan circuits...
in 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...
), expelling the prefect Xu Hao (徐顥). Then-reigning Emperor Xizong
Emperor Xizong of Tang
Emperor Xizong of Tang , né Li Yan , later name changed to Li Xuan , was an emperor of the Tang dynasty of China. He reigned from 873 to 888. He was the fifth son of his predecessor Emperor Yizong and was the elder brother of his successor Emperor Zhaozong...
, then facing the major rebellion of the agrarian rebel Huang Chao
Huang Chao
Huang Chao was the leader of the Huang Chao Rebellion , known in mainland China as the Huang Chao Revolution in China that seriously weakened the once mighty Tang Dynasty of China...
, commissioned Zhou as the prefect of Heng.
Takeover of Wu'an Circuit
In 886886
Year 886 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :...
, Zhou Yue attacked Tan Prefecture (潭州, in modern Changsha), which was then the capital of Qinhua Circuit
Qinhua Circuit
Qinhua Circuit was a military governor–level circuit of China during the Tang Dynasty. Its capital was Tanzhou .-History:Qinhua Circuit was a promotion of the earlier Hunan Circuit for Min Xu...
. The 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 Qinhua, Min Xu
Min Xu
Min Xu , courtesy name Gongjin , was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who controlled a substantial part, as well as Tan Prefecture , the capital of Hunan Circuit , first as its governor and then as the military governor , from 882 to 886...
, invited Huang Hao (黃皓), a general of the warlord Qin Zongquan, who had claimed imperial title at Cai Prefecture (蔡州, in modern Zhumadian
Zhumadian
Zhumadian is a prefecture-level city in southern Henan province, People's Republic of China. It borders Xinyang to the south, Nanyang to the west, Pingdingshan to the northwest, Luohe to the north, Zhoukou to the northeast, and the province of Anhui to the east.Its population is 7,230,744 at the...
, 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...
), into Tan Prefecture to help him defend it. Instead, Huang killed Min and took over Tan Prefecture. Zhou then arrived, defeated Huang, and executed him, taking over Tan Prefecture. Emperor Xizong then commissioned Zhou as military governor and changed the name of the circuit from Qinhua to Wu'an. In 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....
, Emperor Xizong's brother and successor 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...
commissioned Zhou to be the military governor of Lingnan West Circuit (嶺南西道, headquartered in modern Nanning
Nanning
Nanning is the capital of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in southern China. It is known as the "Green City" because of its abundance of lush tropical foliage.-History:...
, Guangxi
Guangxi
Guangxi, formerly romanized Kwangsi, is a province of southern China along its border with Vietnam. In 1958, it became the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China, a region with special privileges created specifically for the Zhuang people.Guangxi's location, in...
). (It is not clear whether the commission was intended to give Zhou an extra circuit, or for him to transfer to Lingnan West; in any case, it appeared that Zhou never actually went to Lingnan West.)
Death
Zhou Yue's rule of Wu'an Circuit was not uncontested, however. Deng Chune the prefect of Shao Prefecture (邵州, in modern ShaoyangShaoyang
-Administrative divisions:*Shuangqing District *Daxiang District *Beita District *Wugang City *Shaodong County *Shaoyang County *Xinshao County *Longhui County *Dongkou County *Suining County...
, 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...
) had long claimed that Zhou was responsible for Min Xu's death and called for his soldiers to follow him in avenging Min's death. In 893
893
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....
, Deng allied with Lei, and they attacked Tan Prefecture together. They captured it and killed Zhou. Deng then took over as acting military governor.