Liu Chengyou
Liu Chengyou , also known by his posthumous name as the Emperor Yin of Later Han, was the second and last emperor of the Later Han dynasty of China, during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. He reigned from 948 until his death in 951.
Liu Chengyou was only 16 years old when he succeeded his father Liu Zhiyuan, who died abruptly. His reign was marked by the arbitrary killing of his important ministers, which eventually led to his downfall. When he killed the entire family of general Guo Wei without Guo in 951, Guo's army attacked the capital, and Liu Chengyou was killed in the chaos.
There is a reference to Liu Chengyou as "Liu Chenghan" in the epitaph of Liu Zhiyuan, son of his cousin Liu Yun. Liu Chengyou may thus have changed his name on his accession as emperor.
Background
Liu Chengyou was born in 931 at Yedu, at the house of his father Liu Zhiyuan. His father was a trusted officer under the general Shi Jingtang, son-in-law of then-reigning emperor Li Siyuan of Later Tang. His mother was Liu Zhiyuan's wife, Lady Li. He had two brothers, Liu Chengxùn, who was nine years older than him, and Liu Chengxūn, who was younger. It is not known whether his brothers were Lady Li's sons. He also had an adoptive brother, Liu Yun, the biological son of his uncle Liu Chong, whom Liu Zhiyuan favored and adopted as a son.In 941, after Shi Jingtang overthrew Later Tang and established his state of Later Jin, Liu Zhiyuan acted as the military governor of Hedong Circuit. The 10-year-old Liu Chengyou was given the title of an overseer of the circuit headquarters. In 947, after Later Jin was destroyed by the Khitan Liao dynasty, Liu Zhiyuan declared himself emperor of the new state, Later Han and Liu Chengyou was given the title of General. His older brother Liu Chengxùn was given more substantive responsibilities, including overseeing Taiyuan while Liu Zhiyuan advanced south to take over the central parts of former Later Jin territory. He became mayor of Kaifeng after Liu Zhiyuan successfully took the Later Jin capital as his own.
In late 947, Li Chengxùn died. This greatly affected Liu Zhiyuan's health, and by spring of 948 he was on the edge of death. He summoned the chancellor Su Fengji, the chief of staff Yang Bin, the Imperial Guard commander Shi Hongzhao, and the deputy chief of staff Guo Wei, and told them "My remaining time is short, and I cannot speak much. Chengyou is still young and weak, so I entrust to you what happens after my death." He also told them to guard against the retired general Du Chongwei. After he died, the four did not immediately announce his death but instead issued an edict in his name putting Du to death. They also issued an edict in his name making Liu Chengyou the Prince of Zhou and giving him the title of Chancellor. Shortly thereafter, they announced that the emperor had died, and Liu Chengyou took the throne at the age of 17. He honored his mother Empress Li as empress dowager.
Reign
Initial months
Liu Chengyou's young administration immediately had to deal with a potential rebellion on the border with Later Shu, to the west. Before Liu Zhiyuan died, he had sent the Imperial Guard general Wang Jingchong with an army to visit Jinchang and Fengxiang Circuits, then governed by Zhao Kuangzan and Hou Yi respectively. Both Zhao and Hou had previously submitted to Later Han, then changed their minds and submitted to Later Shu, and finally resubmitted to Later Han. Liu Zhiyuan had given Wang secret instructions that if Zhao and Hou had already left for Kaifeng to pay homage to the emperor by the time that he arrived, then he was not to act against them. If instead they had not left for Kaifeng and were watching for developments, he should kill them.When Wang reached Jinchang, Zhao had already set out for Kaifeng. Wang merged his army with Zhao's and continued to Fengxiang. While he was on the road to Fengxiang, Liu Zhiyuan died and Liu Chengyou took the throne. When Wang reached Fengxiang, Hou had not left for Kaifeng, and Wang's associates suggested that he follow Liu Zhiyuan's instructions and execute Hou. However, Wang hesitated because Liu Chengyou was not aware of the secret instructions Liu Zhiyuan had given him. Hou heard of this and immediately left for Kaifeng without informing Wang. Hou was exceedingly rich, and on arriving in Kaifeng managed to repair his political situation by giving many gifts to the chancellors and to Shi Hongzhao. He was made acting mayor of Kaifeng and given an honorary chancellor title.
Hou made many accusations of overstepping against Wang Jingchong, as revenge for Wang's considering killing him. When Wang heard that Hou had been made the acting mayor of Kaifeng, he became concerned. Meanwhile, the imperial attendant Wang Yi was sent to Fengxiang to recall Zhao's soldiers to Kaifeng. This caused anxiety among the soldiers, including the officers Zhao Siwan and Chang Yanqing. Wang Jingchong encouraged their anxiety, with the result that Zhao and Chang considered a mutiny. When Wang Yi and the army reached Chang'an, Zhao led the soldiers in mutiny and occupied the city. He conscripted the young men of the city, resulting in a total force of 4,000 men, and prepared for battle.
At the same time, Wang Jingchong was encouraging the people of Fengxiang to submit petitions for him to be retained at Fengxiang as military governor. This led to concern at court that he too would rebel. The governing officials issued an edict moving Wang Shou'en, the military governor of Jingnan Circuit to Yongxing, and Zhao Hui the military governor of Baoyi Circuit to Fengxiang. Wang Jingchong was made the acting military governor of Jingnan. However, this did not satisfy Wang.
During this period there was also infighting within the court. Yang Bin, then one of the chiefs of staff, criticized Su Fengji, who was then the leading chancellor, over the fact that Su was filling many official positions that had long been left open. Yang believed that these were unnecessary positions and a waste of government resources. Another chancellor, Li Tao, submitted a petition to Liu Chengyou arguing that Yang and Guo, who was serving as Yang's deputy, should be relieved of their positions and made military governors of key circuits. He proposed that the chief of staff positions should be entrusted to Su Fengji and Su Yugui. Yang and Guo heard about Li Tao's petition and went to Empress Dowager Li, weeping. They said "Your subjects have followed the deceased emperor through difficult times. Now, the Son of Heaven is accepting the word of others and wants to send us away. Given that there are troubles west of the pass, how can we, your subjects and ignore the affairs of the state? If we are not to remain, we hope to at least remain until the deceased emperor's burial." Empress Dowager Li went to Liu Chengyou and said "These are the old and accomplished subjects of the state. Why are you listening to others and expelling them?" Liu Chengyou blamed the matter on the chancellors as a group, but Li Tao took the blame to himself and was relieved of his chancellor position. Later, Yang was given an additional chancellor position, while Guo was made co-chief of staff. Yang thus became the main decision-maker, with the two Su chancellors no longer having real chancellor authority.
Li Shouzhen's rebellion
Meanwhile, another governor was considering a rebellion of his own. Li Shouzhen, the military governor of Huguo Circuit, had previously been closely associated with Du Chongwei and therefore had been fearful since Du's death. Zhao Siwan offered to support him, and he declared himself the Prince of Qin and formally rose against the Later Han government. In rebelling, he was counting on the fact that he had commanded the imperial army for a long period when the Later Jin state was in existence. He therefore believed he could entice the army to defect to him. Acting as the Prince, he commissioned Zhao and Wang Shou'en with military governorships. Wang sent messages to Later Shu, seeking its aid.Liu Chengyou's government sent a force to attack the three rebellious circuits, but it foundered due to conflicts among the commanding generals. Liu Chengyou decided that he needed a senior general to oversee the operation, and commissioned Guo Wei to do so. Guo, following the advice of a senior official, Feng Dao, decided to issue many material rewards to the imperial soldiers to earn their loyalty, in the hope of inducing them to forget about Li's past command over them. From this point on Guo was loved by the army.
Guo consulted the generals under him on the options for subduing the three rebels. Most advocated attacking Chang'an and Fengxiang first. In contrast Hu Yanke the military governor of Zhenguo Circuit proposed attacking Huguo first, pointing out that Li was the leader of the three circuits' rebellion. If the other two cities were attacked first, Li would be able to attack the Later Han army from the rear. Guo agreed with Hu and ordered that the Later Han army should converges on Huguo's capital Hezhong Municipality. When they reached Hezhong in fall 948, they put it under siege. Li was surprised, as he had expected the soldiers to quickly defect to him. Guo decided not to attack Hezhong directly, but rather to surround the city and let Li's food and other supplies dwindle. Meanwhile, Zhao Hui also put Fengxiang under siege, and defeated multiple attempts by Later Shu forces to lift the siege on the city.
Zhao Siwan surrendered to Later Han forces besieging Chang'an under the command of Guo Congyi, the military governor of Zhenning Circuit and was made the acting military governor of Zhenguo. However, he then hesitated about reporting to his posting, and Guo Congyi killed him.
By summer 949, Hezhong was in a desperate situation, with people dying of starvation. Li made multiple attempts to fight his way out of the city but failed. Realizing that Hezhong was now vulnerable, Guo ordered constant attacks. Eventually, Hezhong's outer city fell, and Li retreated into the inner city to commit suicide with his family. Hearing that Hezhong and Chang'an had fallen, Wang Jingchong committed suicide as well, ending the rebellions.