Wu Renbi

Last updated
Wu Renbi
Traditional Chinese
Simplified Chinese
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin Wú Rénbì

Wu Renbi (died 901, courtesy name Tingbao) was a late Tang dynasty Taoist and man of letters. An eccentric man, Wu was eventually killed by the warlord Qian Liu for refusing to write the eulogy for Qian's mother Lady Shuiqiu. Eleven of his poems survived in the collection Quan Tangshi .

Biography

Wu Renbi was originally from Sū Prefecture. He studied astrology and occult Taoism during his youth. At some point he allegedly studied after a Taoist master in Mount Lu for a few years. In 890, he passed the imperial examination with honors, but given the volatile political situation, with warlords overrunning the nation, he decided to enter the relatively stable territory of warlord Qian Liu in modern Zhejiang. With no money, he begged on the street, and soon Qian Liu heard of his fame and politely sought his service. Qian first asked Wu to interpret astrological signs; Wu said he did not know. Qian then asked Wu to serve in his retinue, and Wu refused again. In late 901, Qian Liu's mother Lady Shuiqiu died. After the funeral service, Qian asked Wu to write the eulogy to be inscribed on her tomb stele. Wu's denial this time incensed a grieving Qian Liu, who immediately ordered Wu Renbi to be thrown into the river and drowned.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">834</span> Calendar year

Year 834 (DCCCXXXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">901</span> Calendar year

Year 901 (CMI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sun Quan</span> King and founding Emperor of the Eastern Wu kingdom (r. 222–252)

Sun Quan, courtesy name Zhongmou (仲謀), posthumously known as Emperor Da of Wu, was the founder of Eastern Wu, one of the Three Kingdoms of China. He inherited control of the warlord regime established by his elder brother, Sun Ce, in 200. He declared formal independence and ruled from November 222 to May 229 as the King of Wu and from May 229 to May 252 as the Emperor of Wu. Unlike his rivals Cao Cao and Liu Bei, Sun Quan was much younger and governed his state mostly separate of politics and ideology. He is sometimes portrayed as neutral considering he adopted a flexible foreign policy between his two rivals with the goal of pursuing the greatest interests for the country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emperor Jing of Han</span> Emperor of the Han dynasty from 157 to 141 BC

Emperor Jing of Han, born Liu Qi, was the sixth emperor of the Han dynasty from 157 to 141 BC. His reign saw the limiting of the power of the feudal kings and princes which resulted in the Rebellion of the Seven States in 154 BC. Emperor Jing managed to crush the revolt and princes were thereafter denied rights to appoint ministers for their fiefs. This move helped to consolidate central power which paved the way for the long reign of his son Emperor Wu of Han.

Zhang Lu, courtesy name Gongqi, was a Chinese politician, religious leader, and warlord who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty. He was the third generation Celestial Master, a Taoist religious order. He controlled a state in the Hanzhong region, which he had named Hanning (漢寧) until 215, when he surrendered to Cao Cao, whom he would serve until his death one year later.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Qian Liu</span> Founder of the Wuyue kingdom (852–932)

Qian Liu, courtesy name Jumei, childhood name Poliu, also known by his temple name as the King Taizu of Wuyue (吳越太祖), was the founding king of Wuyue during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period of China. He was originally a warlord of the late Tang dynasty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emperor Wen of Chen</span> Emperor of the Chen dynasty from 559 to 566

Emperor Wen of Chen (陳文帝), personal name Chen Qian (陳蒨), also called Chen Tanqian (陳曇蒨), courtesy name Zihua (子華), was the second emperor of the Chinese Chen dynasty. He was a nephew of the founding monarch, Emperor Wu, and after Emperor Wu's death in 559, the officials supported him to be emperor since Emperor Wu's only surviving son, Chen Chang, was detained by the Northern Zhou dynasty. At the time he took the throne, Chen had been devastated by war during the preceding Liang dynasty, and many provinces nominally loyal to him were under control of relatively independent warlords. During his reign, he consolidated the state against warlords, and he also seized territory belonging to claimants to the Liang throne, Xiao Zhuang and the Emperor Xuan of Western Liang, greatly expanding Chen's territory and strength.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tao Qian (Han dynasty)</span> Han dynasty official and warlord (132-194)

Tao Qian (132–194), courtesy name Gongzu, was a government official and warlord who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. He is best known for serving as the governor of Xu Province.

Yi Ji, courtesy name Jibo, was a Chinese diplomat and politician serving in the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period of China. He previously served under the warlord Liu Biao in the late Eastern Han dynasty before coming to serve Liu Bei, the founding emperor of Shu Han. Yi Ji was known as an excellent debater and helped write the Shu Ke (蜀科), the legal code of Shu, along with Zhuge Liang, Fa Zheng, Li Yan and Liu Ba.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sun Qian</span> Chinese diplomat, general and official (died c. 214)

Sun Qian, sometimes known as Sun Gan, courtesy name Gongyou, was a Chinese diplomat and official serving under the warlord Liu Bei in the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. His talent was noted by the scholar Zheng Xuan. Therefore, Liu Bei gave Sun Qian a position on his staff after he took Xu Province. Along with Jian Yong and Mi Zhu, Sun Qian frequently served as an ambassador for Liu Bei, most notably to Yuan Shao and Liu Biao. After Liu Bei took Yi Province, Sun Qian was promoted and held a rank equal to Jian Yong.

Yang Xingmi, né Yang Xingmin, courtesy name Huayuan (化源), formally Prince Wuzhong of Wu, later posthumously honored King Xiaowu of Wu then Emperor Wu of Wu (吳武帝) with the temple name of Taizu (太祖), was a Chinese military general, monarch, and politician. He was the military governor (jiedushi) of Huainan Circuit late in the Chinese Tang dynasty, whose takeover of Huainan and several nearby circuits allowed him and his family to rule over territory that would eventually become the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms state Wu, including most of modern Jiangsu and Anhui and parts of modern Jiangxi and Hubei.

Liu Yin (劉隱), formally Prince Xiang of Nanhai (南海襄王), later further posthumously honored Emperor Xiang (襄皇帝) with the temple name of Liezong (烈宗) by his younger brother Liu Yan, was a warlord late in the Chinese Tang dynasty and Tang's succeeding dynasty Later Liang of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, who ruled Qinghai Circuit as its military governor (Jiedushi). It was on the basis of his rule that Liu Yan was later able to establish the state of Southern Han.

Xu Wen, courtesy name Dunmei (敦美), formally Prince Zhongwu of Qi (齊忠武王), later further posthumously honored Emperor Wu (武皇帝) with the temple name Yizu (義祖) by his adoptive son Xu Zhigao after Xu Zhigao founded the state of Southern Tang, was a major general and regent of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period state Wu. He took over the reins of the Wu state after assassinating, with his colleague Zhang Hao, Yang Wo, the first Prince of Hongnong, and then killing Zhang. Xu was in essence the decision-maker throughout the reign of Yang Wo's brother and successor Yang Longyan and the first part of the reign of Yang Longyan's brother and successor Yang Pu. After his death, Xu Zhigao inherited his position as regent, eventually seizing the Wu throne and establishing Southern Tang.

Yan Keqiu (嚴可求) was a key official of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period state Wu, as the chief strategist for the Wu regent Xu Wen and each of Wu's three rulers, Yang Wo, Yang Longyan, and Yang Pu.

Yang Longyan (楊隆演), né Yang Ying (楊瀛), also known as Yang Wei (楊渭), courtesy name Hongyuan (鴻源), also known by his temple name as the Emperor Gaozu of Yang Wu (楊吳高祖), was a monarch of the Yang Wu dynasty of China during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, reigning initially as the Commandery Prince of Hongnong and later as the Prince of Wu. Throughout his reign, the governance of the Yang Wu state was under the effective control of the regent Xu Wen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Qian Yuanguan</span> King of Wuyue

Qian Yuanguan, born Qian Chuanguan (錢傳瓘), also known by his temple name as the King Shizong of Wuyue (吳越世宗), courtesy name Mingbao (明寶), was the second king of Wuyue during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period of China. He ascended to the throne in 932, when his father Qian Liu left the state in his hands, to 941. He was the father to all three of Wuyue's subsequent kings.

Wang Yanjun, known as Wang Lin from 933 to 935, also known by his temple name as the Emperor Huizong of Min (閩惠宗), used the name of Xuanxi (玄錫) while briefly being a Taoist monk, was the third monarch of Min during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period of China, and the first ruler of Min to use the title of emperor.

Lady Shuiqiu was the wife of Qian Kuan and the mother of Qian Liu, a warlord who founded the Wuyue kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Qian Kuan</span> Father of warlord Qian Liu (c. 835-895)

Qian Kuan, courtesy name Hongdao, was the father of the warlord Qian Liu who founded the Wuyue kingdom.

Qian Hongzong, known as Qian Zong (錢倧) during Song, courtesy name Longdao (隆道), nickname Wanjin (萬金), also known by his posthumous name as the King Zhongxun of Wuyue (吳越忠遜王), was the fourth king of Wuyue during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period of China. He ruled for only seven months before being deposed by the general Hu Jinsi in a coup.

References