Qian Chu

Not to be confused withQian Shu.

King Zhongyi of Wuyue Ngô việt trung ý vương
King ofWuyue(more...)
King ofWuyue
Reign	February 17, 948 – June 9, 978
Predecessor	Qian Hongzong
Born	September 29, 929 Hang Prefecture,Wuyue
Died	October 7, 988(988-10-07)(aged 59) Deng Prefecture,Northern Song
Burial	in modernLuoyang
Spouse	Queen Sun Taizhen Queen Yu Consort Huang
Issue	Qian Weijun Qian Weiyan others
Names Qián Hóngchù ( tiền hoằng thục ), later changed to Qián Chù ( tiền thục ) in 960 Era dates Adopted the era name ofLater Han: Qianyou ( càn hữu ): 948–950 Adopted the era names ofLater Zhou: Guangshun ( quảng thuận ): 951–953 Xiande ( hiển đức ): 954–960 Adopted the era names ofSong dynasty: Jianlong ( kiến long ): 960–963 Qiande ( càn đức ): 963–968 Kaibao ( khai bảo ): 968–976 Taipingxingguo ( thái bình hưng quốc ): 976–978 Posthumous name King Zhongyi of Qin (TầnQuốcTrungÝVương)
House	Qian
Dynasty	Wuyue
Father	Qian Yuanguan
Mother	Lady Wu Hanyue

Qian Chu
Traditional Chinese	TiềnThục
Simplified Chinese	TiềnThục
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Qián Chù Wade–Giles Ch'ien2Ch'u4
Qian Hongchu
Traditional Chinese	TiềnHoằngThục
Simplified Chinese	TiềnHoằngThục
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Qián Hóngchù
Qian Wende
Traditional Chinese	TiềnVănĐức
Simplified Chinese	TiềnVănĐức
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Qián Wéndé

In thisChinese name,thefamily nameisQian.

Qian Chu(September 29, 929 – October 7, 988),courtesy nameWende,known asQian Hongchubefore 960, also known by hisposthumous nameas theKing Zhongyi of Wuyue,was the lastkingofWuyueduring theFive Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms periodof China. He reigned from 947 until 978, when he surrendered his kingdom to theNorthern Song dynasty.

Life

Qian Chu came to power after his brother, Qian Zong, was deposed in a coup d'état. At the time,Wuyuewas at its largest territorial extent, ruling 13zhouin modern-dayZhejiang,Jiangsu,Shanghai,andFujian.Throughout its history, Wuyue maintained a policy of nominally submitting to the successive dominant northern regimes. Unlike the other small states in the south, the Wuyue kings never declared themselves Emperor. In return, the northern regimes respected Wuyue's autonomy and conferred upon its kings high honours, one of which was the title of "Commander of All Horses and Soldiers Under Heaven". Indeed, Qian Chu changed his name from the originalQian Hongchu,because the characterhongwas barred bytaboo(as the name ofEmperor Taizu of Song's father was Zhao Hongyin (Triệu hoằng ân)).

When theSong Dynastyunified northern China in the 960s, Qian Chu reportedly followed his ancestorQian Liu's instruction to submit as soon as possible when the "true lord" appeared. In 960, Qian Chu submitted to Song, and changed his name in the same year. Subsequently, Qian Chu obeyed orders from the Song court to participate in the annexation of the other small southern kingdoms on behalf of the Song emperor. In 968, he was again made the King of Wuyue by the Song emperor, and was subsequently invested with further imperial honours. In 977, the new emperor,Emperor Taizong of Song,invested Qian with the nominal titles Chancellor, Chief Secretary, and Commander of All Horses and Soldiers Under Heaven.

However, in 978, Qian Chu surrendered his territories to the Song regime, possibly under veiled threat from the Song court. Nevertheless, the "voluntary" surrender protected the Wuyue region from the ravages of war that visited other contemporary regimes. The region was able to maintain its infrastructure and economic advantage, built up over the Wuyue period, which in no small part contributed to theYangtze Deltabeing the economic centre of China up to the present day.

To allay northern suspicions and prevent conflict, Qian Chu stayed in the Song capital, Bianjing (nowKaifeng), and moved 3000 members of his household there. Qian nominally remained a king. His sons and a large number of the Wuyue elite were given various imperial posts and titles. Initially, Emperor Taizong of Song raised the prefecture ofYangzhouto the nominal state of Huaihai (Hoài hải), and installed Qian Chu as King of Huaihai (Hoài hải quốc vương). In 984, Qian Chu was made King of Hannan (Hán nam quốc vương) (a smaller nominal feoff) instead, and in 987, was reduced again to King of Nanyang (Nam dương quốc vương), with the right to take up residence inNanyang,but then immediately, was additionally made Prince of Xu (Hứa vương), with an enlarged feoff. In 988, Qian Chu lost his title as king and was made Prince of Deng (Đặng vương) instead, with a larger nominal feoff and actual income.

Qian Chu reportedly enjoyed a good personal relationship with the emperor, being regularly summoned to the palace for banquets and ball games. On his 60th birthday (by the Chinese calendar) in 988,Emperor Taizong of Songsent him wine as a gift. After drinking the wine,he became violently ill and died that night. He was given a state funeral, was posthumously raised to King of Qin, and was buried nearLuoyang.

Qian Chu had seven sons, one of whom went on to become aChancellorin theSongcourt.

Other legacy

Shrine to the Qian Kings atWest Lake,Hangzhou.

Qian Chu enjoyed writing poetry. One of his published poems survives to this day.

Like the other kings ofWuyue,Qian Chu was a devout Buddhist.Leifeng PagodainHangzhouwas constructed on his orders to celebrate the conception of his son and in some versions, for Consort Huang.

Family

Consorts and their respective issue(s):

• Queen of Wuyue,of the Sun clan ( ngô việt quốc vương phi tôn thị, d. 976), personal name Taizhen ( thái chân )
  • Qian Weijun( tiền duy tuấn, 22 October 955 – 991), honored Prince Anxi of Bin ( bân an hi vương ) posthumously, first son
• Consort Huang, of the Huang clan ( hoàng phi )
• Lady of Chu State,of the Yu clan ( sở quốc phu nhân du thị )
  • Qian Weiyan( tiền duy diễn, 977 – 3 September 1034), Duke of Ying ( anh quốc công ), fourteenth son
• Unknown:
  • Qian Weixuan ( tiền duy tuyển ), third son
  • Qian Weihao ( tiền duy hạo ), fourth son
  • Qian Weijin ( tiền duy tấn ), fifth son
  • Qian Weicui ( tiền duy thôi ), sixth son
  • Eight Unnamed son
  • Qian Weiji ( tiền duy tế ) (978-1032), fifteenth son
  • Seven daughters
• Adopted children:
  • Qian Weizhi ( tiền duy trị ) (949-1019), honored Commandery Prince of Pengcheng ( bành thành quận vương ) posthumously, biological son ofQian Hongzong

References

General

• Mote, F.W. (1999).Imperial China (900-1800).Harvard University Press. p. 15.ISBN0-674-01212-7.
• New Lin'an editorial team (2004-03-30)."Wuyue's creator - King Qian"(in Chinese). New Lin'an.Retrieved2007-02-24.