Emperor Zhuangzong of Later Tang

Who was Emperor Zhuangzong of Later Tang?

Emperor Zhuangzong of Later Tang, personal name Li Cunxu, nickname Yazi, was the Prince of Jin and later became Emperor of Later Tang, of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period of Chinese history. He was the son of Li Keyong.

Li Cunxu was considered one of the most militarily capable rulers of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. When he succeeded his father Li Keyong as the Prince of Jin, Jin had been weakened in the late years of Li Keyong's rule and not considered capable of posing a military threat to its archrival to the south, Later Liang Dynasty, whose founding emperor Zhu Quanzhong had seized the Tang throne. Li Cunxu carefully rebuilt the Jin state, using a series of conquests and alliances to take over most of the territory north of the Yellow River, before starting a lengthy campaign against Later Liang.

Li Cunxu conquered the Later Liang Dynasty in 923 and proclaimed himself emperor of the Later Tang Dynasty, which he referred to as the “Restored Tang.” As a part of “restoring Tang,” the capital was moved back to the old Tang eastern capital of Luoyang. As with all of the other dynasties of the Five Dynasties, Later Tang was a short-lived regime lasting only thirteen years. Li Cunxu himself lived only three years after the founding of the dynasty, having been killed during an officer’s rebellion led by Guo Congqian in 926. He was succeeded by his adoptive brother Li Siyuan.