Shi Yuanzhong () (died October 14, 841

Academia Sinica Academia Sinica (AS, la, 1=Academia Sinica, 3=Chinese Academy; ), headquartered in Nangang, Taipei, is the national academy of Taiwan. Founded in Nanking, the academy supports research activities in a wide variety of disciplines, ranging from ...

br>Chinese-Western Calendar Converter
''

Zizhi Tongjian ''Zizhi Tongjian'' () is a pioneering reference work in Chinese historiography, published in 1084 AD during the Northern Song dynasty in the form of a chronicle recording Chinese history from 403 BC to 959 AD, covering 16 dynast ...

'', vol. 246.) was a Chinese military general of the

Tang Dynasty The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, t= ), or Tang Empire, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907 AD, with an Zhou dynasty (690–705), interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dyn ...

, serving for several years as the military governor (''

Jiedushi The ''jiedushi'' (), or jiedu, was a title for regional military governors in China which was established in the Tang dynasty and abolished in the Yuan dynasty. The post of ''jiedushi'' has been translated as "military commissioner", "legate", ...

'') of Lulong Circuit (盧龍, headquartered in modern

Beijing } Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...

) and ruling it in ''de facto'' independence from the imperial government until he was killed in 841. Virtually nothing is known about Shi Yuanzhong's background, including where he was born or where his family was from. As of 834, he was serving as a battlefield commander (兵馬使, ''Bingmashi'') at Lulong, when the soldiers mutinied and expelled the military governor Yang Zhicheng and the

eunuch A eunuch ( ) is a male who has been castrated. Throughout history, castration often served a specific social function. The earliest records for intentional castration to produce eunuchs are from the Sumerian city of Lagash in the 2nd millennium ...

monitor of the army Li Huaiwu (). The soldiers supported Shi to be their leader. Subsequently, after Shi submitted articles of clothing and other equipment that were of design only appropriate for an emperor, which Yang had made, to then-reigning Emperor Wenzong (to show that Yang had inappropriate ambitions), Yang was executed, and Emperor Wenzong made Shi the acting military governor (留後, ''Liuhou''). In 835, Emperor Wenzong made Shi military governor.''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 245. Little is known about Shi's governance of Lulong. In 841, there was another disturbance at Lulong, and Shi was killed in the disturbance. The soldiers initially supported the officer Chen Xingtai () to take over the circuit. Then-reigning Emperor Wuzong (Emperor Wenzong's younger brother), under the advice of the

chancellor Chancellor ( la, cancellarius) is a title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the or lattice work screens of a basilica or law cou ...

Li Deyu Li Deyu (; 787 – January 26, 850Academia Sinicabr>Chinese-Western Calendar Converter.''Old Book of Tang'', vol. 174.), courtesy name Wenrao (), formally the Duke of Wei (), was a Chinese poet, politician, and writer during the Tang Dynasty, serv ...

, declined to take immediate action on petitions submitted on Chen's behalf for Chen to become military governor. Soon thereafter, Chen himself was assassinated, and the soldiers supported another officer, Zhang Jiang () to be their leader. Emperor Wuzong similarly declined to act on petitions on Zhang's behalf. Thereafter, when Lulong officer

Zhang Zhongwu Zhang Zhongwu () (died 849''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 248.), formally Prince Zhuang of Lanling () (per the '' Old Book of Tang' Old Book of Tang'', vol. 180.) or Duke Zhuang of Lanling () (per the '' New Book of Tang' New Book of Tang'', vol. ...

, who was then the commander of Xiongwu Base (雄武軍, in modern

Chengde Chengde, formerly known as Jehol and Rehe, is a prefecture-level city in Hebei province, situated about 225 km northeast of Beijing. It is best known as the site of the Mountain Resort, a vast imperial garden and palace formerly used by t ...

Hebei Hebei or , (; alternately Hopeh) is a northern province of China. Hebei is China's sixth most populous province, with over 75 million people. Shijiazhuang is the capital city. The province is 96% Han Chinese, 3% Manchu, 0.8% Hui, an ...

), requested imperial commission and permission to attack Zhang Jiang, Emperor Wuzong, again under Li Deyu's advice, agreed, and Zhang Zhongwu soon captured Lulong's capital You Prefecture () and took over the circuit.

Notes and references

* ''

Old Book of Tang The ''Old Book of Tang'', or simply the ''Book of Tang'', is the first classic historical work about the Tang dynasty, comprising 200 chapters, and is one of the Twenty-Four Histories. Originally compiled during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdo ...

'', vol. 180. * ''

New Book of Tang The ''New Book of Tang'', generally translated as the "New History of the Tang" or "New Tang History", is a work of official history covering the Tang dynasty in ten volumes and 225 chapters. The work was compiled by a team of scholars of the So ...

'', vol. 212. * ''

'', vols.

245 __NOTOC__ Year 245 ( CCXLV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Philippus and Titianus (or, less frequently, year 998 ' ...

246 __NOTOC__ Year 246 ( CCXLVI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar, the 246th Year of the Common Era ( CE) and Anno Domini ( AD) designations, the 246th year of the 1st millennium, th ...

. 841 deaths Tang dynasty jiedushi of Lulong Circuit Year of birth unknown {{China-mil-bio-stub