Emperor Daizong of Tang (727–779), personal name Li Yu, was a Tang emperor. Day-level dates vary: one account gives 13 January 727 and 14 June 779, while another gives 9 January 727 and 23 May 779. He was initially known as Li Chu and later used the name Li Yu; a childhood name is also given as Li Dashou (李大收). His ancestral registration is given as Chang’an, whereas his birthplace is given as Luoyang.
Life
He was the eldest son of Emperor Suzong (Li Heng); his mother was Wu, the Zhangjing Empress. He studied the Book of Changes and the Rites, and at fifteen was made Prince of Guangping.
During the second year of Zhide he was advanced to Prince of Chu; in the first year of Qianyuan he became Prince of Cheng and, in April, was invested as crown prince. The timing of his name change is variously given: one account places it at his investiture as crown prince, another at his accession in the first year of Baoying. In the first year of Baoying (762), he ascended the throne in April with eunuch support; in the second year of Baoying, the honorific title was given in two forms, “寶應元聖文武孝皇帝” and “寶應元聖文武皇帝.”
His temple name was Daizong; his posthumous title is given as “睿文孝武皇帝,” also appearing in the shorter form “睿文孝武帝.” His reign is counted as either seventeen or eighteen years; its era names were Guangde, Yongtai, and Dali.
Reign and politics
During his reign, eunuchs dominated court affairs and powerful regional military governors acted autonomously, while the court was unable to restrain them. He also faced the separatism of the regional commands, Uighur demands, and Tibetan incursions, leaving the realm beset by internal and external troubles.
Military and literary associations
In the second year of Zhide, he served as commander-in-chief of the empire’s forces and, with Guo Ziyi and others, defeated An Qingxu and recovered the two capitals. Fond of literature, he praised Wang Wei’s literary style; he gave poetry and prose to Guo Ziyi and received such works from Sikong Shu, Yan Wei, Li Duan, and Dou Shuxiang.
Religion and family
He was a devoted Buddhist; the chancellors Yuan Zai, Wang Jin, and Du Hongjian were Buddhists as well. His family relationships include Shen (沈氏, the Ruizhen Empress), Cui (崔氏, the Daizong Consort), and Dugu (獨孤氏, the Zhenyi Empress), as well as sons including Li Cai (李偲), Li Miao (李邈), and Li Shu (李述) and princesses including Yiqing (義清), Yongqing (永清), and Huayang (華陽). He was buried at Fuping.
References
- CBDB Li Yu (Emperor Daizong of Tang) (19246)
- 搜韵 唐代宗 (13905)
- 法鼓佛教人名规范数据库 李豫 (A004379)
- Wikidata Emperor Daizong of Tang (Q9753)