Xu Wen

Also known as Zi Dunmei · Donghai Junwang · Shi Zhongwu

Xu Wen, courtesy name Dunmei, came from Qushan in Haizhou, smuggled salt as a young man, and joined Yang Xingmi's rising to become one of his veteran officers. In 908, when Yang's heir Yang Wo turned on his father's old commanders, Xu and Zhang Hao murdered Yang Wo and enthroned his brother Yang Longyan; Xu then had Zhang killed and held the military and civil power of the Wu state himself. He ruled from Runzhou and later Jinling while his eldest son Xu Zhixun managed affairs at the court in Yangzhou, and when Yang Longyan took the title King of Wu in 919, Xu became grand chancellor and Prince of Donghai. After the general Zhu Jin killed Xu Zhixun, Xu sent his adopted son Xu Zhigao to take charge at Yangzhou. He died at Jinling in 927, was posthumously named Prince of Qi with the posthumous name Zhongwu, and after the Southern Tang was founded received the temple name Taizu, later changed to Yizu.