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Chai Rong

Later Zhou emperor Shizong, adopted son of Guo Wei, who beat Northern Han at Gaoping, took Later Shu and Southern Tang lands in the west and south, and won back three passes from the Khitan

Also known as Guo Rong · Houzhou Shizong · Rui Wu Xiao Wen Huang Di

Chai Rong, born in 921 at Yaoshan in Xingzhou, was the son of Chai Shouli; his aunt married Guo Wei, who raised him as his own son under the name Guo Rong. Made Prince of Jin in 953, he succeeded Guo Wei early the next year and kept the Xiande reign title. In 954, when the Northern Han ruler Liu Chong invaded with Khitan support, he led the army himself at Gaoping and turned the battle by executing Fan Aineng and other officers who had fled. In 955 he closed more than thirty thousand Buddhist temples lacking imperial charters, and the same year seized four prefectures from Later Shu; three campaigns against Southern Tang won him all fourteen prefectures north of the Yangzi by 958. In 959 he attacked the Khitan Liao, retook three prefectures and the Waqiao, Yijin and Yukou passes, fell ill and died in Kaifeng at thirty-nine. His temple name is Shizong. The next year Zhao Kuangyin's mutiny at Chenqiao displaced his young son Chai Zongxun.

Life and times

  1. 921 CEBornFive Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms
  2. 954Shizong's Later Zhou ReformsTook partage 33Later Zhou's Shizong reformed the army and finances and expanded through campaigns, leaving the institutional and military base inherited by Song.
    1. Shizong's Gaoping VictoryEmperor Shizong of Later Zhou unified his army at Gaoping, campaigning south against Tang and north to reclaim Three Northern Passes in 959 CE.
    2. Shizong's Later Zhou Reforms Historical MilestoneLater Zhou's Shizong reformed the army and finances and expanded through campaigns, leaving the institutional and military base inherited by Song.
  3. 959 CEDied
  4. 960Chenqiao MutinyPrecursorAt Chenqiao, troops acclaimed Zhao Kuangyin in the yellow robe; he returned to Kaifeng and founded Song through a nearly bloodless coup.

Family tree

  1. Direct kin
    Adoptive father
    Chai Rong