Early Reign
Immediately following Emperor Wencheng's taking the throne, it appeared that the high level officials began internecine struggles against each other, as for several years officials would be put into honored positions, only to be executed days or months later. These included senior officials held over from Emperor Taiwu's administration as well as those who had accomplished much in putting Emperor Wencheng on the throne, and included:
- Tuoba Shoule (拓拔壽樂), chief commander (winter 452)
- Baba Kehou, a major participant in the coup bringing Emperor Wencheng to the throne (winter 452)
- Tuxi Bi (吐奚弼), prime minister under Tuoba Yu (winter 452)
- Zhang Li (張黎), chief commander under Tuoba Yu (winter 452)
- Tuoba Zhouniu (拓拔周忸) the Prince of Leling, chief commander (winter 452)
- Duguhun Yuanbao (獨孤渾元寶) the Prince of Jingzhao (spring 453)
- Tuoba Chong (拓拔崇) the Prince of Jianning, Emperor Wencheng's granduncle, and his son Tuoba Li (拓拔麗) the Prince of Ji'nan (spring 453)
- Yujiulü Ruowen (郁久閭若文) the Prince of Puyang (fall 453)
- Tuoba Ren (拓拔仁) the Prince of Yongchang, Emperor Wencheng's distant uncle (fall 453)
- Tuoba Ba (拓拔拔) the Prince of Leping, Emperor Wencheng's distant uncle (spring 455)
It appeared that Yuan He and Buliugu Li were the key victors out of these struggles, for not only did they not suffer during the infighting, but became exceedingly honored late in Emperor Wencheng's reign. Both they and Dugu Ni were created princes. Whether Emperor Wencheng himself was involved in these internecine struggles is unclear, although the edicts were issued in his name. Yuchi Juan (尉遲眷), already a decorated general during Emperor Taiwu's reign, also became powerful.
Another characteristic of Emperor Wencheng's reign was that he often toured the provinces throughout his empire.
In winter 452, Emperor Wencheng's mother Consort Yujiulü died, and he subsequently posthumously honored his parents as emperor and empress.
Around the new year 453, Emperor Wencheng, a Buddhist, officially ended the prohibitions against Buddhism that Emperor Taiwu had instituted in 445 (which became known as the first of Three Disasters of Wu), and he personally performed tonsure on five monks. However, as per the traditions instituted by Emperor Taiwu, he also publicly received Taoist amulets in spring 454.
In spring 453, Emperor Wencheng honored his wet nurse Lady Chang as empress dowager, and treated her brothers as if they were his biological uncles.
In fall 454, Emperor Wencheng's concubine Consort Li gave birth to his oldest son Tuoba Hong. In 456, he created another imperial consort, Consort Feng, empress and created Tuoba Hong crown prince—and then, pursuant to Northern Wei tradition, ordered Tuoba Hong's mother Consort Li to commit suicide.
In winter 458, Emperor Wencheng launched a major attack against Rouran, but considered abandoningit when his troops encountered a snow storm. At Weichi Juan's urging (arguing that a withdrawal would unduly signal weakness to Rouran), however, Emperor Wencheng continued, and while he was not able to deal a major defeat to Rouran's Chuluo Khan Yujiulü Tuhezhen, a number of Rouran tribesmen surrendered. Meanwhile, in his absence, his generals Feng Chiwen (封敕文) and Pi Baozi (皮豹子) engaged Liu Song forces near the Ji River (濟水, the route of which had been overtaken by the Yellow River in modern times), with inconclusive results.
Read more about this topic: Emperor Wencheng Of Northern Wei
Famous quotes containing the words early and/or reign:
“We have good reason to believe that memories of early childhood do not persist in consciousness because of the absence or fragmentary character of language covering this period. Words serve as fixatives for mental images. . . . Even at the end of the second year of life when word tags exist for a number of objects in the child’s life, these words are discrete and do not yet bind together the parts of an experience or organize them in a way that can produce a coherent memory.”
—Selma H. Fraiberg (20th century)
“Nature seemed to have adorned herself for our departure with a profusion of fringes and curls, mingled with the bright tints of flowers, reflected in the water. But we missed the white water-lily, which is the queen of river flowers, its reign being over for this season.... Many of this species inhabit our Concord water.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)