The Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period (907-979) was an era of political upheaval in 10th-century Imperial China. Five states quickly succeeded one another in the Central Plain, and more than a dozen concurrent states were established elsewhere, mainly in South China. It was the last prolonged period of multiple political division in Chinese imperial history.
The jiedushi were regional military governors in China during the Tang dynasty and the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. The post of jiedushi has been translated as "military commissioner", "legate", or "regional commander". Originally introduced in 711 to counter external threats, the jiedushi were posts authorized with the supervision of a defense command often encompassing several prefectures, the ability to maintain their own armies, collect taxes and promote and appoint subordinates.
Emperor Zhaozong of Tang, né Li Jie, name later changed to Li Min and again to Li Ye, was the penultimate emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China. He reigned from 888 to 904. Zhaozong was the seventh son of Emperor Yizong of Tang and younger brother of Emperor Xizong of Tang.
Wang Tingcou, formally the Duke of Taiyuan (太原公), was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty who, in 821, during the reign of Emperor Muzong, took over control of Chengde Circuit and thereafter ruled it in a de facto independent manner from the imperial government. He was said to be particularly cruel even for a warlord. After his death, his family held onto control of the circuit, even after the end of Tang Dynasty, until his great-great-grandson Wang Rong was overthrown in 921 – 100 years after Wang Tingcou had initially taken over the circuit.
Han Yunzhong (韓允中) (814–874), né Han Junxiong (韓君雄), was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty who seized control of Weibo Circuit in a mutiny and subsequently ruled it as its military governor (Jiedushi) in de facto independence from the imperial government.
Li Zi (李滋), formally the Prince of Tong (通王), was an imperial prince of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty. He was the favorite son of Emperor Xuānzong, but was unable to take the throne after Emperor Xuānzong's death, as his older brother Li Wen was chosen by the eunuch Wang Zongshi (王宗實), who overpowered other eunuchs who supported Li Zi. Later, during the reign of Emperor Yizong's son Emperor Zhaozong, Emperor Zhaozong tried to commission imperial princes to command armies to counteract the powerful warlords (Jiedushi) and eunuchs. In response, in 897, when Emperor Zhaozong had to flee to the domain of one of the warlords, Han Jian, Han falsely accused 11 imperial princes, including Li Zi, of treason, and massacred them without approval from Emperor Zhaozong.
Zhang Jun (張濬), courtesy name Yuchuan (禹川), was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Xizong and Emperor Xizong's brother Emperor Zhaozong. Early in Emperor Zhaozong's reign, Zhang was a major advocate for the imperial campaign to regain power from the regional warlords, but was removed after commanding a disastrous campaign against Li Keyong and forced into retirement. Late in Emperor Zhaozong's reign, with Emperor Zhaozong physically controlled by another warlord, Zhu Quanzhong, who had designs on taking over the throne as emperor, Zhu, while formerly an ally of Zhang's, was concerned that Zhang would encourage other warlords into a coordinated campaign against Zhu to stop his takeover, and so had his ally Zhang Quanyi slaughter Zhang Jun and his household.
Lu Yanhong was a warlord of late Tang dynasty China, who controlled Shannan West Circuit from 883 to 884 and Zhongwu Circuit from 884 to 886.
Le Yanzhen (樂彥禎), né Le Xingda (樂行達), was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who ruled Weibo Circuit as its military governor (Jiedushi) from 883 to 888.
Wang Gong (王珙) was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who controlled Baoyi Circuit from 887, when he succeeded his father Wang Chongying, to his death in 899.
Cui Zhaowei (崔昭緯), courtesy name Yunyao (蘊曜), was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Zhaozong. According to traditional histories, he was disloyal to Emperor Zhaozong and manipulated the court scene by conspiring with the eunuchs and the warlords Li Maozhen the military governor of Fengxiang Circuit and Wang Xingyu the military governor of Jingnan Circuit. After Li Keyong the military governor of Hedong Circuit defeated Wang and forced LI Maozhen into submission, Emperor Zhaozong exiled Cui and later had him executed.
Li Xi or Li Qi, courtesy name Jingwang (景望), nicknamed Li Shulou (李書樓), was an official of the Chinese Tang Dynasty, serving briefly as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Zhaozong. With imperial power dwindling, Li Xi's fellow chancellor Cui Zhaowei, who associated with the warlords Li Maozhen, Wang Xingyu, and Han Jian, encouraged Li Maozhen, Wang, and Han to march on the capital Chang'an. Once the three warlords arrived in Chang'an, they put Li Xi and his fellow chancellor Wei Zhaodu to death.
Zhu Pu (朱朴) was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving briefly from 896 to 897 as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Zhaozong. Emperor Zhaozong made him chancellor after he made assurances that he would be able to make the imperial administration, then suppressed by the power of the warlords, revived and powerful again, but after he was unable to deliver on the promise, he was removed and exiled at the instigation of the warlord Han Jian; he died in exile.
Wang Ke (王珂) was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who ruled Huguo Circuit as its military governor (Jiedushi) from 895 to 900.
Zhang Ce (張策), courtesy name Shaoyi (少逸), was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty and the succeeding Later Liang of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Later Liang's founding emperor Zhu Wen.
Li Sijian (李思諫), probably né Tuoba Sijian (拓拔思諫), was an ethnically-Dangxiang warlord in the latter years of Chinese Tang Dynasty and Tang's successor state Later Liang of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, who controlled Dingnan Circuit as its military governor (Jiedushi) in de facto independence.
Zhēngyuè is the first month of the year in the Chinese calendar. In general, the Vernal Showers are in Zhēngyuè. The name comes from the annual morale-building rite in ancient China.
