*** Welcome to piglix ***

Emperor Yizong of Tang

Tang Yizong
Emperor of Tang Dynasty
Reign September 13, 859 – August 15, 873
Predecessor Emperor Xuānzong
Successor Emperor Xizong
Born December 28, 833
Died August 15, 873
Full name
Era name and dates
Xíantōng (咸通): December 17, 860 – December 17, 874
Posthumous name
Emperor Gonghui (恭惠皇帝) (short)
Emperor Zhaosheng Gonghui Xiao (昭聖恭惠孝皇帝) (full)
Temple name
Yìzōng (懿宗)
Dynasty Tang Dynasty
Full name
Era name and dates
Xíantōng (咸通): December 17, 860 – December 17, 874
Posthumous name
Emperor Gonghui (恭惠皇帝) (short)
Emperor Zhaosheng Gonghui Xiao (昭聖恭惠孝皇帝) (full)
Temple name
Yìzōng (懿宗)
Tang Yizong
Chinese
Literal meaning "Restrained Ancestor of the Tang"
Li Wen
Chinese
Literal meaning (personal name)

Emperor Yizong of Tang (December 28, 833 – August 15, 873), né Li Wen, later changed to Li Cui (Chinese: ), was an emperor of the Tang dynasty of China. He reigned from 859 to 873. Yizong was the eldest son of Emperor Xuānzong. After Emperor Xuānzong's death in 859, Emperor Yizong was placed on the throne by the eunuch Wang Zongshi (王宗實), who killed other eunuchs supporting another son of Emperor Xuānzong's, Li Zi the Prince of Kui.

According to traditional historians, Emperor Yizong did not pay much attention to governmental affairs but instead chose to live in opulence, became an alcoholic and surrounded himself with women while his government levied heavy taxes on its citizens. A deeply devout Buddhist, even more so than his father, he would hold grand Buddhist ceremonies throughout the year as well as ordering frequent musical performances in the palace. If the entertainment was to his liking, Yizong would not only reward the entertainers greatly but also bestow governmental ranks. Emperor Yizong eventually exhausted the empire's treasury that had accumulated during his father's administration. Faced with insurmountable hardship, including starvation and famines that caused people to resort to cannibalism, agrarian rebellions became rampant late in his reign. Those rebellions would plague the reign of his son Emperor Xizong and doom Tang.

Li Wen was born around the new year 834, during the reign of his cousin Emperor Wenzong. His father Li Yi was then the Prince of Guang, and Li Wen was born at Li Yi's mansion. He was Li Yi's first son. His mother was Li Yi's concubine Lady Chao.

In 846, after the death of Emperor Wenzong's brother and successor Emperor Wuzong, Li Yi, whose name was changed to Li Chen, became emperor (as Emperor Xuānzong). He created five of his sons, including Li Wen, imperial princes, with Li Wen carrying the title of Prince of Yun. Li Wen's mother Lady Chao was created the imperial consort rank of Meiren (美人), which was only the 15th highest rank for imperial consorts (and there could be as many as nine Meiren at any single point). She died sometime in the middle of Emperor Xuānzong's Dazhong era (847–860), and was posthumously created the higher rank of Zhaorong (昭容), the sixth highest rank for imperial consorts.


...
Wikipedia

...