Liu Zong - Resignation and Death

Resignation and Death

Meanwhile, it was said that Liu Zong, after he had killed his father and brother, had often been fearful in his heart, and at times he saw his father and brother in his dreams. He often gave food to several hundred Buddhist monks at his headquarters and had them hold religious ceremonies, and after he finished his day of work he would retreat to a room near the ceremonies. If he did not, then he would not be able to sleep. Seeing that the other circuits had all submitted to imperial authority, in 821 (when Emperor Xianzong's son Emperor Muzong was emperor), he requested to resign and become a Buddhist monk himself. He also requested an award to the soldiers, while ordering a number of officers that he felt were difficult to control, including Zhu Kerong (the grandson of a former military governor, Zhu Tao) to report to Chang'an, hoping that the imperial government would give them proper discipline and rewards such that they would become faithful to the imperial government. He further recommended that Lulong be divided into three circuits and recommended Zhang Hongjing, Xue Ping, and Lu Shimei (盧士玫) to take over the three circuits.

In response to Liu's proposal, Emperor Muzong gave a number of Liu's relatives honored titles, issued a money reward to the Lulong soldiers, and further issued two alternative edicts — one bestowing the dharma name of Dajue on Liu Zong, granting him a temple named Bao'en Temple (報恩寺), and giving him special purple monk robes; and one making him the military governor of Tianping Circuit (天平, headquartered in modern Tai'an, Shandong) and giving him the honorary chancellor title of Shizhong (侍中). He had his eunuchs deliver the two edicts to Liu Zong, to let Liu Zong decide which edict he would accept. However, before the edicts could arrive at You Prefecture, Liu Zong took tonsure and became a monk, and he prepared to depart You Prefecture. Some soldiers refused to let him leave, and he executed some 10 of the leaders and gave his seals to Zhang Qi, making Zhang the acting military governor. He then left in the middle of the night, and only in the morning did the soldiers find out. Zhang submitted a report stating, "I do not know where Liu Zong is by this point." On May 2, Liu Zong, who was by then in Ding Prefecture (定州, in modern Baoding), died.