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Chapter Eight Highlights during the Dazhong Era

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Rediscovering Wen Tingyun
This chapter is in the book Rediscovering Wen Tingyun
ChapterEightHighlights during theDazhongEra175COMPLICATIONS IN WEN’S FRUSTRATED EFFORTSWen did not return to the capital until the last years of the Huichang era,1when Emperor Xuanzong (r. 847–860) ascended the throne, with the“support” of the eunuchs.A son of Emperor Xianzong (r. 806–820) and an uncle of both Wenzongand Wuzong, Xuanzong cherished a bitter hatred for his nephew Wuzong,rooted in the oppression and humiliation he had suffered at the latter’s hands.In addition, he harbored the utmost loathing for Li Deyu, the powerful PrimeMinister throughout Wuzong’s reign and head of the Li Faction. TheHuichang era was remarkable for its military feats and civil successes, whichpaved the way for the last period of relative stability of the Tang Empire.However, while benefiting from what had been achieved by his predecessors,Xuanzong purposely abandoned most of the important policies pursued inthe Huichang era and implemented a set of measures of his own. One of theresults was that those who formerly could not take the civil service exami-nation at all, such as Wen, now faced more favorable circumstances. Most conspicuously, Xuanzong offered particular patronage for the recruitment ofPresented Scholars. According to Wang Dang’s Tangyulin(4: 134), he evencalled himself a “Local Contributed Presented Scholar” and inscribed the titleon a pillar in his palace. Sun Qi’s Beilizhui(1: 2) described the situation withthe following remarks:The Dazhong Emperor was fond of Confucian statecraft, and he set the greatest store by the civil service recruitment. Thus the Pre-sented Scholar degree became popular on an unprecedented scale().Hence, there appeared a glimmer of hope that Wen might be able to remountthe “dragon’s gate.” However, the policies Xuanzong adopted did not mean arehabilitation of Wen’s case. Despite a drastic shift in the political balance
© 2004 State University of New York

ChapterEightHighlights during theDazhongEra175COMPLICATIONS IN WEN’S FRUSTRATED EFFORTSWen did not return to the capital until the last years of the Huichang era,1when Emperor Xuanzong (r. 847–860) ascended the throne, with the“support” of the eunuchs.A son of Emperor Xianzong (r. 806–820) and an uncle of both Wenzongand Wuzong, Xuanzong cherished a bitter hatred for his nephew Wuzong,rooted in the oppression and humiliation he had suffered at the latter’s hands.In addition, he harbored the utmost loathing for Li Deyu, the powerful PrimeMinister throughout Wuzong’s reign and head of the Li Faction. TheHuichang era was remarkable for its military feats and civil successes, whichpaved the way for the last period of relative stability of the Tang Empire.However, while benefiting from what had been achieved by his predecessors,Xuanzong purposely abandoned most of the important policies pursued inthe Huichang era and implemented a set of measures of his own. One of theresults was that those who formerly could not take the civil service exami-nation at all, such as Wen, now faced more favorable circumstances. Most conspicuously, Xuanzong offered particular patronage for the recruitment ofPresented Scholars. According to Wang Dang’s Tangyulin(4: 134), he evencalled himself a “Local Contributed Presented Scholar” and inscribed the titleon a pillar in his palace. Sun Qi’s Beilizhui(1: 2) described the situation withthe following remarks:The Dazhong Emperor was fond of Confucian statecraft, and he set the greatest store by the civil service recruitment. Thus the Pre-sented Scholar degree became popular on an unprecedented scale().Hence, there appeared a glimmer of hope that Wen might be able to remountthe “dragon’s gate.” However, the policies Xuanzong adopted did not mean arehabilitation of Wen’s case. Despite a drastic shift in the political balance
© 2004 State University of New York

Chapters in this book

  1. Front Matter i
  2. Contents v
  3. Acknowledgments vii
  4. Abbreviations ix
  5. Introduction 1
  6. Family Background 11
  7. Wen’s Birth Year 31
  8. Before the Year of “Having No Doubts” 49
  9. Wen’s Marriage—A Case of Scandal 69
  10. Secret Attendance upon the Heir Apparent 91
  11. Mystifying Poetry 123
  12. Changing Name and Taking the Examination 149
  13. Highlights during the Dazhong Era 175
  14. Conclusion 215
  15. Appendix 225
  16. Notes 239
  17. Bibliography 269
  18. Index 279
Readers are also interested in:
https://doi.org/10.1515/9780791485835-011

Chapters in this book

  1. Front Matter i
  2. Contents v
  3. Acknowledgments vii
  4. Abbreviations ix
  5. Introduction 1
  6. Family Background 11
  7. Wen’s Birth Year 31
  8. Before the Year of “Having No Doubts” 49
  9. Wen’s Marriage—A Case of Scandal 69
  10. Secret Attendance upon the Heir Apparent 91
  11. Mystifying Poetry 123
  12. Changing Name and Taking the Examination 149
  13. Highlights during the Dazhong Era 175
  14. Conclusion 215
  15. Appendix 225
  16. Notes 239
  17. Bibliography 269
  18. Index 279
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