[2] As a child he came to live with his aunt — a younger sister of his father Chai Shouli (柴守禮) — and her husband Guo Wei, an official in the Later Tang military.

The youngster grew up into a muscular young man skilled at mounted archery, while also possessing a basic understanding of Chinese classics, history, and the Huang-Lao philosophy.

[1] On 4 May 950, Guo was promoted to military governor of Tianxiong Command (天雄軍) and delegated to garrison at Weizhou (魏州; modern Linzhang County, Hebei) at the Later Han-Liao dynasty border to prevent a possible Liao incursion.

[note 2][5] In 950, the Later Han emperor Liu Chengyou unexpectedly killed the entire family of Guo Wei as a plot to liquidate the most powerful ministers in his nation.

As Guo Rong's wife Lady Liu (劉氏) and children including 3 young sons also remained in the capital Bianzhou (汴州; today's Kaifeng, Henan), they were all slaughtered as well.

[1] At Chanzhou, he quickly eradicated militarized outlaws in the region and promoted literati to enforce laws more effectively,[7] winning the support of the people.

It was not until Wang's banishment in early 953 that Guo Rong finally got a chance to come back to the capital, when in April 953 he was named Prince of Jin (晉王).

One month after Chai Rong took the throne, Liu Chong, Emperor of Northern Han, colluded with Liao dynasty to launch an assault on Later Zhou.