Emperor Daizong of Tang (11 November 726[3] – 10 June 779[4]), personal name Li Yu (name changed in 758 after being created crown prince), né Li Chu (Chinese: 李俶), was an emperor of the Chinese Tang dynasty.
During the Anshi Rebellion (which Emperor Suzong's entire reign was dedicated to fighting), he served as a general of Tang and Huige joint operations that recaptured the capital Chang'an and the eastern capital Luoyang from the rebel state of Yan, and the Anshi Rebellion was finally put down early in his own reign, in 763.
This would prove disastrous for future generations as subsequent Tang emperors were unable to remove or control these warlords and the central government's power was thus slowly eroded and diminished.
Emperor Daizong was credited for removing the corrupt eunuch Li Fuguo, who had placed him on the throne using their own power and political influence, later the rest of Emperor Daizong's reign would also see dominance by such individuals as the eunuchs Cheng Yuanzhen and Yu Chao'en, as well as the chancellor Yuan Zai.
[1] Emperor Xuanzong chose for him, as his wife and princess, Lady Cui the daughter of the Lady of Han, a sister of Emperor Xuanzong's favorite concubine Consort Yang Yuhuan; however, his oldest son Li Kuo was born of a concubine, Consort Shen.
Subsequently, the people in the Mawei region tried to persuade Emperor Xuanzong not to continue on to Chengdu—believing that Chang'an could be recaptured.
The people of Chang'an, believing that Li Chu had saved them from a deadly Huige rampage, welcomed him in a grand procession and proclaimed, "The Prince of Guangping is truly a leader to be loved by both the Han and the barbarians."
)[8] Subsequently, Li Chu, Guo Ziyi, and Pugu, along with Huige forces, continued to proceed toward Luoyang.
Hearing the news, An Lushan's son and successor An Qingxu, who had become the emperor of Yan, abandoned Luoyang and fled.
[9] Li Chu had the people gather up a large cache of silk to bribe the Huige prince, and only thereafter did the rampage end.
[8] Upon Li Chu's entry into Luoyang, he initially announced that the Tang officials who had surrendered to Yan would be forgiven.
It was said that with Emperor Suzong resting at Changsheng Hall (長生殿), the soldiers dragged Empress Zhang and the attending ladies in waiting and eunuchs away from his presence.
Li Fuguo became apprehensive and offered to retire, and Emperor Daizong declined and sent him away with formal respect.
)[13] In the aftermaths of Yan's destruction, Emperor Daizong contemplated what to do with several Yan generals who had surrendered to Tang but who still retained substantial holdings—Xue Song, Li Huaixian, Zhang Zhongzhi (on whom Emperor Daizong soon bestowed the imperial surname of Li and a new personal name, Baochen), and Tian Chengsi.
Pugu suggested that he allow them to remain at their posts as military governors (Jiedushi) to avoid further resistance, and Emperor Daizong, fearful of further wars, agreed.
Pugu, whom two other generals Xin Yunjing (辛雲京) and Li Baoyu and the eunuch Luo Fengxian (駱奉仙) had suspected of plotting rebellion, was angry at the suspicion on him and, after submitting a number of accusatory petitions, began to act independently of the imperial government.
Meanwhile, though, Tibet, which had begun to seize Tang western prefectures one by one during the Anshi Rebellion, launched a sudden attack on Chang'an.
Soon thereafter, the most powerful figures at court became the chancellor Yuan Zai, who flattered Emperor Daizong, and the eunuch Yu Chao'en, who commanded the imperial guards.
[17] In 764, Emperor Daizong created Li Kuo, whom he had earlier signaled to be the likely heir by designating him the supreme commander of the armed forces, crown prince.
[17] Meanwhile, also in 764, Pugu Huai'en, then at Hezong (河中, in modern Yuncheng, Shanxi), formally rose against Tang imperial troops, against his mother's advice.
Pugu, believing he was facing defeat, took his troops, largely from Shuofang Circuit (朔方, headquartered in modern Yinchuan, Ningxia), back to its headquarters at Lingwu and dug in there; he thereafter remained a threat to the Tang imperial government, although Emperor Daizong, still hoping that he would resubmit, never formally declared him a renegade, and when Pugu's mother, who did not follow him to Lingwu, died, he buried her with honors.
After the project was completed, Chang'an again had adequate food supplies, allowing the region to begin to recover.
However, by this point, Emperor was facing, in addition to the four major Yan generals, two more military governors who were de facto independent, Li Zhengji and Liang Chongyi.
[17] Also in 765, after Yan Wu (嚴武) the military governor of Jiannan Circuit died, the succeeding military governor Guo Ying'ai (郭英乂), resentful that the officer Cui Ning had not recommended him to succeed Yan, attacked Cui.
[19] Meanwhile, by this point, Emperor Daizong, who had previously favored Taoism, had begun to become a devout Buddhist due to the influences of his chancellors Yuan Zai, Wang Jin, and Du Hongjian.
The temples at Chang'an became very wealthy, and Emperor Daizong further ordered that monks and nuns not be subject to physical punishments.
However, Tian Chengsi, who ruled nearby Weibo Circuit (魏博, headquartered in modern Handan, Hebei), had other designs.
Initially, the imperial forces were scoring victories over Weibo forces, but after Tian flattered Li Zhengji in a humble letter, Li Zhengji withdrew from the campaign, causing other imperial generals south of the Yellow River to hesitate to advance as well.
He posthumously honored her empress and, saddened greatly by her death, kept her casket in the palace for almost three years, only finally burying her in 778.
[20] In 777, Emperor Daizong, tired of Yuan Zai's and Wang Jin's corruption and hold on power, had them arrested.