Emperor Zhuangzong of Later Tang, personal name Li Cunxu, nickname Yazi (亞子), was the Prince of Jin (908–923) and later became Emperor of Later Tang (923–926), of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period of Chinese history. He was the son of Li Keyong.
Zhu Zhen (朱瑱), often referred to in traditional histories as Emperor Mo of Later Liang and sometimes by his princely title Prince of Jun (均王), né Zhu Youzhen (朱友貞), known as Zhu Huang (朱鍠) from 913 to 915, was the emperor of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period state Later Liang from 913 to 923. He was the third and last emperor of Later Liang, the first of the Five Dynasties. He ordered his general Huangfu Lin (皇甫麟) to kill him in 923 when Emperor Zhuangzong of Later Tang, the emperor of Later Liang's enemy Later Tang to the north, was on the cusp of capturing the Later Liang capital Daliang. His death marked the end of Later Liang, which was to be the longest among the Five Dynasties. Despite his ten-year reign being the longest of all the Five Dynasties emperors sources on his era are relatively scarce, as many Later Liang records were destroyed following the Later Tang conquest of Later Liang.
Wang Rong, was a warlord in the final years of the Tang dynasty who later became the only ruler of the state of Zhao during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. Late in Tang, he initially tried to chart an independent course between the more powerful warlords Zhu Quanzhong and Li Keyong, but later was forced to become Zhu's vassal, although he continued to govern his domain without much interference from Zhu. After Zhu declared himself the emperor of a new dynasty of Later Liang, Wang continued to serve as a vassal and was created the Prince of Zhao. Later, though, when the Later Liang emperor tried to seize the Zhao domain by force, Wang broke away from Later Liang and realigned with Li Keyong's son and successor Li Cunxu the Prince of Jin instead. In 921, Wang was overthrown and killed in a coup led by his adoptive son Wang Deming, who subsequently took over his domain and changed back to the birth name of Zhang Wenli, before dying later in the year; Li Cunxu then defeated and killed Zhang's son and successor Zhang Chujin, incorporating Zhao into his Jin state.
Zhang Wenli (張文禮), known as Wang Deming (王德明) during the time that he was an adoptive son of Wang Rong, was an army officer who initially served under the late Tang Dynasty warlord Liu Rengong and Liu Rengong's son Liu Shouwen, and later Wang Rong, the only prince of the early Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period state Zhao. Wang Rong favored him for his talent and adopted him as a son. However, in 921, he encouraged Wang Rong's guards to mutiny and slaughter the Wang clan. He then took over the Zhao lands. When Wang Rong's ally Li Cunxu the Prince of Jin attacked in response, he died in shock.
Zhang Chujin (張處瑾) was a ruler of Chengde Circuit early in the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. His father Zhang Wenli had taken over the circuit after a mutiny that Zhang Wenli encouraged resulted in the death of Zhang Wenli's adoptive father Wang Rong the Prince of Zhao in 921. Zhang Wenli subsequently died during the campaign waged by Wang Rong's ally Li Cunxu the Prince of Jin to avenge Wang Rong. Zhang Chujin took over the leadership of the circuit after Zhang Wenli's death and tried to hold out against Jin forces, but was captured and killed in 922.
Wang Chuzhi (862–922), courtesy name Yunming, formally the Prince of Beiping, was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty and early in the subsequent Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, who ruled Yiwu Circuit as its military governor (Jiedushi) from 900 and as its de jure sovereign from 910 to 921, when he was overthrown by his adoptive son Wang Du.
Li Cunshen (李存審), né Fu Cun (符存), often referred to in historical sources as Fu Cunshen (符存審), courtesy name Dexiang (德詳), was a major general of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period dynasty Later Tang and Later Tang's predecessor state Jin. He was an adoptive son of Jin's first prince Li Keyong and later served in a number of major campaigns under the reign of Li Keyong's son Li Cunxu, helping Li Cunxu to establish Later Tang as its Emperor Zhuangzong.
Zhang Chengye (張承業), né Kang (康), courtesy name Jiyuan (繼元), was an important eunuch official of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period state Jin. He served in the Tang Dynasty palace late during Tang, and eventually became an important advisor to Jin's princes Li Keyong and Li Cunxu.
Zhou Dewei (周德威), courtesy name Zhenyuan (鎮遠), nickname Yangwu (陽五), was a major general of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period state Jin.
Wang Zhaozuo (王昭祚) was the oldest son and heir apparent of Wang Rong, the only ruler of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period state Zhao.
Liu Xun (劉鄩) was a major general of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period state Later Liang. He was a key commander of Later Liang forces in its struggle with its archenemy Jin, but, after repeated defeats by the Jin prince Li Cunxu, Liu sought retirement, and was subsequently poisoned to death by the Later Liang emperor Zhu Zhen, who doubted his loyalty.
Wang Jingren (王景仁), né Wang Maozhang, was a major general during the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period state Later Liang. He was originally a general under Yang Xingmi the Prince of Wu in the late Tang Dynasty, but later got into a dispute with Yang's son and successor Yang Wo and forced to flee to the domain of Qian Liu, who, as a Later Liang vassal, later sent Wang to Later Liang, whose Emperor Taizu was impressed with Wang's abilities and therefore made Wang a major general. Wang, however, was not successful in subsequent campaigns against either Wu or Later Liang's northern enemy Jin.
Yang Shihou (楊師厚), formally the Prince of Ye (鄴王), was a major general of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period state Later Liang, serving as the main obstacle to the expansion of Later Liang's archenemy Jin during latter parts of the reign of Emperor Taizu and the early parts of the reign of Emperor Taizu's son Zhu Zhen.
Liu Shouguang (劉守光) was a warlord early in the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period who controlled Lulong and Yichang Circuits, after seizing control from his father Liu Rengong and defeating his brother Liu Shouwen. He claimed the title of Emperor of Yan in 911, but was subsequently defeated and executed by Li Cunxu the Prince of Jin, who absorbed Yan into his Jin state.
Dai Siyuan (戴思遠) was a general of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period state Later Liang, serving for several years as the supreme commander of the Later Liang forces against its archrival Jin. After Later Tang conquered Later Liang, Dai continued to serve Later Tang until his death.
Wang Du (王都), né Liu Yunlang (劉雲郎), was a warlord during the early Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period of China as the military governor (Jiedushi) of Yiwu Circuit. He seized control of Yiwu from his adoptive father Wang Chuzhi in a coup, and subsequently ruled it semi-independently as a vassal of Jin and Jin's successor state Later Tang. In 928, then-reigning Emperor Mingzong of Later Tang, believing that Wang was about to openly rebel, ordered a general campaign against him, and, after a lengthy siege, Wang killed himself and his family by self-immolation as his capital was falling.
Ren Huan was a general and official of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period state Later Tang. He served as a chancellor during the reign of Later Tang's second emperor Li Siyuan, but became embroiled in a power struggle with Li Siyuan's powerful chief of staff An Chonghui. He eventually was forced into retirement, but An eventually had Li Siyuan order him to commit suicide.
Zhao Dejun (趙德鈞), né Zhao Xingshi (趙行實), known as Li Shaobin (李紹斌) during the reign of Li Cunxu, formally the Prince of Beiping (北平王), was a general of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period state Later Tang. Toward the end of Later Tang, he was ordered by Later Tang's final emperor Li Congke to combat Li Congke's brother-in-law, Shi Jingtang, who had rebelled against Li Congke's reign and established his own Later Jin, as well as Shi's Khitan allies, led by Khitan's Emperor Taizong. However, after failed negotiations in which Zhao himself tried to get Emperor Taizong's support to overthrow Later Tang, the joint Khitan/Later Jin forces defeated him, forcing him to surrender to Khitan. He died in captivity.
Lu Wenjin (盧文進), courtesy name Guoyong (國用) or Dayong (大用), formally the Prince of Fanyang (范陽王), was a general of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period states Yan, Jin, Jin's successor state Later Tang, Wu, and Wu's successor state Southern Tang, as well as the Khitan Empire. He had, early in his career, defected to Khitan and was instrumental in building Khitan's strategies of periodic incursions into Chinese territory, but later redefected to Later Tang. When Later Tang was overthrown by the Khitan-supported Later Jin, Lu, in fear, fled to Wu, and remained at Wu and then Southern Tang for the rest of his life.
Zhang Yanlang (張延朗) was an official of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period states Later Liang and Later Tang. He had his most powerful positions during the reign of Later Tang's last emperor Li Congke, as both chancellor and the director of the three financial agencies. After Li Congke was overthrown by his brother-in-law Shi Jingtang, who established his own Later Jin, Shi ordered Zhang be put to death.
