Wu Chongyin () (761 – November 30, 827),

courtesy name A courtesy name (), also known as a style name, is a name bestowed upon one at adulthood in addition to one's given name. This practice is a tradition in the East Asian cultural sphere, including China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam.Ulrich Theobald ...

Baojun (), formally Duke Yimu of Zhangyi (), was a Chinese military general and politician 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 ...

Background

Wu Chongyin was born in 761, during the reign of Emperor Suzong. His father Wu Chengbi () was an army officer at Hedong Circuit (河東, headquartered in modern

Taiyuan Taiyuan (; ; ; Mandarin pronunciation: ; also known as (), ()) is the capital and largest city of Shanxi Province, People's Republic of China. Taiyuan is the political, economic, cultural and international exchange center of Shanxi Province. ...

Shanxi Shanxi (; ; formerly romanised as Shansi) is a landlocked province of the People's Republic of China and is part of the North China region. The capital and largest city of the province is Taiyuan, while its next most populated prefecture-lev ...

). From Wu Chongyin's youth, he served as an officer at Zhaoyi Circuit (昭義, headquartered in modern

Changzhi Changzhi () is a prefecture-level city in the southeast of Shanxi Province, China, bordering the provinces of Hebei and Henan to the northeast and east, respectively. Historically, the city was one of the 36 administrative areas (see Administrat ...

).''

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. 171.

During Emperor Xianzong's reign

As of 810, Wu Chongyin was serving under then-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 Zhaoyi, Lu Congshi (), in a campaign declared by Emperor Suzong's great-great-grandson

Emperor Xianzong Emperor Xianzong of Tang (4 March to 1 April 778''Old Book of Tang'', vol. 14. – 14 February 820; r. 805 – 820), personal name Li Chun, né Li Chun (), was an emperor of the Chinese Tang Dynasty. He was the eldest son of Emperor Shunzon ...

against the warlord

Wang Chengzong Wang Chengzong () (died 820) was a general of the Chinese Tang Dynasty who served a military governor (''Jiedushi'') of Chengde Circuit (成德, headquartered in modern Shijiazhuang, Hebei). He, like his grandfather Wang Wujun and father Wang ...

the military governor of Chengde Circuit (成德, headquartered in modern

Shijiazhuang Shijiazhuang (; ; Mandarin: ), formerly known as Shimen and romanized as Shihkiachwang, is the capital and most populous city of China’s North China's Hebei Province. Administratively a prefecture-level city, it is about southwest of Beijin ...

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 ...

), which Lu had initially encouraged Emperor Xianzong to engage in. Once the campaign was underway, however, Lu was in secret communication with Wang and interfered with the progress of the imperial forces, commanded by 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 ...

general

Tutu Chengcui Tutu Chengcui (吐突承璀; died 820), courtesy name Renzhen (仁貞), was a powerful eunuch of the Chinese Tang dynasty, during the reign of Emperor Xianzong. Background It is not known when Tutu Chengcui was born—or whether he was originally ...

. After this was revealed by Lu's staff member Wang Yiyuan () to 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 ...

Pei Ji, Tutu persuaded Wu to join his plan to act against Lu. Tutu endeared himself to Lu by offering Lu a number of precious gifts; after Lu's guard was down, Tutu had Lu seized while the two were at a feast in the army camp. When Lu's soldiers were set to act against Tutu, Wu rebuked them, and they did not dare to do so, but followed Wu's orders.''

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. 238. Tutu put Wu temporarily in charge of the Zhaoyi forces, and Emperor Xianzong contemplated making Wu the military governor of Zhaoyi, before, at Li Jiang's advice, he shifted Wu to Heyang Circuit (河陽, headquartered in modern

Jiaozuo Jiaozuo ( ; postal: Tsiaotso) is a prefecture-level city in the northwest of Henan province, China. Sitting on the northern bank of the Yellow River, it borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the south, Xinxiang to the east, Jiyuan to the ...

Henan Henan (; or ; ; alternatively Honan) is a landlocked province of China, in the central part of the country. Henan is often referred to as Zhongyuan or Zhongzhou (), which literally means "central plain" or "midland", although the name is al ...

) while making Heyang's military governor Meng Yuanyang () the military governor of Zhaoyi. In 814, Wu's headquarters was moved to Ru Prefecture (汝州, in modern

Pingdingshan Pingdingshan (), also known as Eagle City ( zh, s=鹰城, p=Yīngchéng, t=鷹城), is a prefecture-level city in central Henan province, China. It had 4,904,701 inhabitants at the 2010 census whom 1,756,333 lived in the built-up (or metro) are ...

), which was added to Heyang Circuit, in anticipation of a campaign against another warlord,

Wu Yuanji Wu Yuanji (吳元濟) (783''Old Book of Tang'', vol. 145. or 793''New Book of Tang'', vol. 214. – December 12, 817 Zhumadian Zhumadian (; postal: Chumatien) is a prefecture-level city in southern Henan province, 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 An ...

) without imperial approval after the death of Wu Yuanji's father

Wu Shaoyang Wu Shaoyang () (died September 29, 814) was a Chinese military general and politician of the Chinese Tang Dynasty, who, after seizing control of Zhangyi Circuit (彰義/彰义, headquartered in modern Zhumadian, Henan) in 809, governed it in a ''de ...

.''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 239.''

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. 161. Later that year, the imperial campaign against Zhangyi began in earnest, and Wu Chongyin was one of the key imperial generals against Zhangyi, frequently prevailing over Zhangyi forces in association with another imperial general,

Li Guangyan Li Guangyan () (761–826), courtesy name Guangyuan (), né Ädiz Guangyan (), was a Chinese military general and politician of the Tang Dynasty. He was known for his participation in various campaigns against regional warlords during the reigns of ...

the military governor of Zhongwu Circuit (忠武, headquartered in modern

Xuchang Xuchang (; postal: Hsuchang) is a prefecture-level city in central Henan province of China, province in Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the northwest, Kaifeng to the northeast, Zhoukou to the east, Luohe to the s ...

), although neither was without their defeats.''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 240. After Wu Yuanji was captured by another imperial general, Li Su, in 817, Wu Chongyin was given the honorary title of acting ''Puye'' (), and then ''Sikong'' (司空, one of the

Three Excellencies The Three Ducal Ministers (), also translated as the Three Dukes, Three Excellencies, or the Three Lords, was the collective name for the three highest officials in Ancient China and Imperial China. These posts were abolished by Cao Cao in 208 AD a ...

). It was said that because he rose from low ranks, he was willing to share all of the difficulties of his soldiers, and he was humble despite his accomplishments. Therefore, talented staff members were willing to serve under him. In 818, his headquarters were moved back to Huai Prefecture (懷州, in modern

Luoyang Luoyang is a city located in the confluence area of Luo River (Henan), Luo River and Yellow River in the west of Henan province. Governed as a prefecture-level city, it borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the east, Pingdingshan to the ...

). Later in 818, with Zheng Quan () the military governor of Henghai Circuit (橫海, headquartered in modern

Cangzhou Cangzhou () is a prefecture-level city in eastern Hebei province, People's Republic of China. At the 2020 census, Cangzhou's built-up (''or metro'') area made of Yunhe, Xinhua districts and Cang County largely being conurbated had a populatio ...

) unable to get one of his subordinates, Li Zongshi () the prefect of Henghai's capital Cang Prefecture (), to follow his orders, Emperor Xianzong made Wu Chongyin was made the military governor of Henghai Circuit. He was taking 3,000 Heyang soldiers with him to Henghai, but these soldiers did not wish to follow him for such distance. Soon after they left Heyang's headquarters, these soldiers deserted and considered pillaging the region; they were persuaded by the new Heyang military governor,

Linghu Chu Linghu Chu () (766 – December 18, 837), courtesy name Keshi (), formally Duke Wen of Pengyang (), was an official of the Chinese Tang dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Xianzong and (briefly) Emperor Xianzong's son Emp ...

, to submit to him. As Wu was arriving at Henghai, Li's subordinates, in fear, expelled him, and Li was arrested and executed. Once Wu took over at Henghai, he became convinced the reason why so many warlords rose north of the

Yellow River The Yellow River or Huang He (Chinese: , Standard Beijing Mandarin, Mandarin: ''Huáng hé'' ) is the second-longest river in China, after the Yangtze River, and the List of rivers by length, sixth-longest river system in the world at th ...

and resisted imperial authorities was because of the great powers the military governors wielded. He recommended to Emperor Xianzong that the prefectural prefects be given full authority over their prefectural militias, and he started by granting the prefects in Henghai such authority. It was said that with Wu's actions, Henghai became the circuit most obedient to imperial authority north of the Yellow River thereafter.''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 241.

During Emperor Muzong's reign

In 820, Emperor Xianzong died and was succeeded by his son Emperor Muzong. Later that year, Wang Chengzong also died, and his brother

Wang Chengyuan Wang Chengyuan () (801 – February 3, 834http://dbo.sinica.edu.tw/ftms-bin/kiwi1/luso.sh?lstype=2&dyna=%AD%F0&king=%A4%E5%A9v&reign=%A4%D3%A9M&yy=7&ycanzi=&mm=12&dd=&dcanzi=%AC%D1%A5f''Old Book of Tang'', vol. 17, part 2.), formally the Duke of ...

offered control of the circuit to the imperial government, and Emperor Muzong commissioned

Tian Hongzheng Tian Hongzheng () (764 – August 29, 821), né Tian Xing (), courtesy name Andao (), formally Duke Zhongmin of Yi (), was a Chinese military general and politician of the Tang Dynasty. Under his governance, Weibo Circuit (魏博, headquartered i ...

to succeed Wang Chengzong. In 821, however, the Chengde officer

Wang Tingcou Wang Tingcou (王廷湊 or 王庭湊; died 834), formally the Duke of Taiyuan (), was a general of the Chinese Tang Dynasty who, in 821, during the reign of Emperor Muzong, took over control of Chengde Circuit (成德, headquartered in modern Shi ...

mutinied and killed Tian, and then took over the circuit. Emperor Muzong declared a general campaign against Chengde, and Wu Chongyin was considered the leader of the imperial generals against Chengde. With Wang Tingcou's troop strength at its peak at the moment, Wu believed that he needed to wait out the situation, and therefore slowed his attack to try to wear out the Chengde troops. Emperor Muzong, displeased with Wu's slow progress, replaced Wu with Du Shuliang () and moved Wu to be the military governor of Shannan West Circuit (山南西道, headquartered in modern

Hanzhong Hanzhong (; abbreviation: Han) is a prefecture-level city in the southwest of Shaanxi province, China, bordering the provinces of Sichuan to the south and Gansu to the west. The founder of the Han dynasty, Liu Bang, was once enfeoffed as the ...

Shaanxi Shaanxi (alternatively Shensi, see #Name, § Name) is a landlocked Provinces of China, province of China. Officially part of Northwest China, it borders the province-level divisions of Shanxi (NE, E), Henan (E), Hubei (SE), Chongqing (S), Sichu ...

) and the mayor of its capital Xingyuan Municipality (). When Wu arrived at the capital

Chang'an Chang'an (; ) is the traditional name of Xi'an. The site had been settled since Neolithic times, during which the Yangshao culture was established in Banpo, in the city's suburbs. Furthermore, in the northern vicinity of modern Xi'an, Qin Shi ...

, he further stripped Wu's military command and had him made a senior advisor to the

Crown Prince A crown prince or hereditary prince is the heir apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The female form of the title is crown princess, which may refer either to an heiress apparent or, especially in earlier times, to the wif ...

.However, as there was no crown prince at the time, the title was entirely honorary. Subsequently, Wu was made the military governor of Tianping Circuit (天平, headquartered in modern

Tai'an Tai'an () is a prefecture-level city in Western Shandong Province of the People's Republic of China. Centered on Mount Tai, the city borders the provincial capital of Jinan to the north, Zibo to the east, Linyi to the southeast, Liaocheng to ...

Shandong Shandong ( , ; ; alternately romanized as Shantung) is a coastal province of the People's Republic of China and is part of the East China region. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history since the beginning of Chinese civilizati ...

During Emperors Jingzong's and Wenzong's reigns

Around the new year 825, by which time Emperor Muzong's son Emperor Jingzong was emperor, Wu Chongyin, then still at Tianping, was given the honorary chancellor title of ''Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi'' ().''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 243. In 826, Li Quanlüe () the military governor of Henghai died. His son and deputy military governor

Li Tongjie Li Tongjie (李同捷) (died June 1, 829Academia Sinica
Chinese-Western Calendar Converter. ''

seized control of the circuit without imperial approval, and initially the imperial government did not act on his seizure of the circuit. In spring 827, by which time Emperor Jingzong's brother Emperor Wenzong was emperor, Wu was made the military governor of Henghai, and Li Tongjie was given the title of military governor of Yanhai Circuit (兗海, headquartered in modern

Jining Jining () is a prefecture-level city in southwestern Shandong province. It borders Heze to the southwest, Zaozhuang to the southeast, Tai'an to the northeast, and the provinces of Henan and Jiangsu to the northwest and south respectively. Jining ...

). When Li Tongjie subsequently refused to report to Yanhai and refused to turn control of Henghai to Wu, Wu was given the additional command of Yanhai forces to attack Henghai along with other military governors around Henghai. Wu, after some initial successes, died in winter 827, while still on campaign against Li Tongjie. He was given posthumous honors, and it was said that more than 20 officers, missing him bitterly, cut off flesh from their thighs and burned them as offering to him.

Family

Younger Brother

*Wu Chongyuan ()

Sons

*Wu Hanhong (), ''Zuoyulin Jiangjun''(), an imperial general *Wu Xingzhuan (), prefect of

Mi Prefecture Mizhou or Mi Prefecture was a ''Zhou (country subdivision), zhou'' (prefecture) in history of China, imperial China in modern southeastern Shandong, China. It existed (intermittently) from 585 until 1368 upon the foundation of the Ming dynasty. C ...

*Wu Hanzhen (), general of the imperial guards *Wu Xingfang (), advisor in Henan *Wu Hanfeng (), advisor in Weiweisi () *Wu Hanzhang (), ''Youxiaowei Cancao Canjun'' (), a military advisor *Wu Xingsi (), ''Zuowei Cangcao Canjun''(), a military advisor

Notes and references

* ''

'', vol. 161. * ''

'', vol. 171. * ''

'', vols.

238 __NOTOC__ Year 238 ( CCXXXVIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Pius and Pontianus (or, less frequently, year 991 ''Ab ...

239 __NOTOC__ Year 239 ( CCXXXIX) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Gordianus and Aviola (or, less frequently, year 992 ''A ...

, 240, 241, 242,

243 __NOTOC__ Year 243 ( CCXLIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Arrianus and Papus (or, less frequently, year 996 '' Ab ...

. {{DEFAULTSORT:Wu, Chongyin 761 births 827 deaths Mayors of Hanzhong Tang dynasty generals Tang dynasty jiedushi of Henghai Circuit Tang dynasty jiedushi of Heyang Circuit Tang dynasty jiedushi of Shannan West Circuit Tang dynasty jiedushi of Taining Circuit Tang dynasty jiedushi of Tianping Circuit