The Legacy of Indulgence and Assassination
Emperor Muzong of Tang, neglecting state affairs for pleasure and alchemical elixirs, died young from poisoning, mirroring his father’s fate. His reign saw the resurgence of rebellions in Hebei. His son, Emperor Jingzong, ascended at fifteen, leaving governance to the eunuch Wang Shoucheng. Jingzong’s cruel amusement – watching wrestlers fight to the death and abusing eunuchs – fueled hatred among his attendants. In 826 AD, during a late-night fox-hunting excursion known as “Beating the Night Fox,” he was murdered by the eunuch Liu Keming and his accomplices. Liu attempted to install a puppet ruler, but Wang Shoucheng crushed the plot, executing Liu and installing Prince Li Ang as Emperor Wenzong.
The Emperor’s Dilemma and the First Failure
Emperor Wenzong was more conscientious than his predecessors but was haunted by the fact that recent emperors, including his own brother and grandfather, had been killed or controlled by eunuchs. The court was paralyzed by the bitter “Niu-Li Factional Strife” between followers of Niu Sengru and Li Deyu, leaving the emperor isolated. He initially trusted the upright scholar Song Shenxi, appointing him chancellor to plot against the eunuchs. However, Song’s co-conspirator Wang Fan betrayed them to Wang Shoucheng. The eunuch fabricated a charge that Song was plotting to install the emperor’s brother, Prince Li Cou, as ruler. Wenzong, fearing a usurpation, blindly believed the accusation, exiling Song Shenxi, who died in despair. This failure left Wenzong disillusioned and ill.
The Rise of Li Xun and Zheng Zhu
In a twist of irony, Wang Shoucheng recommended two men to care for the ailing emperor: the physician Zheng Zhu and the scholar Li Xun. Intended as spies, they instead won Wenzong’s confidence by feigning loyalty while secretly sharing his hatred for eunuch dominance. Recognizing an opportunity for power, they pledged to help the emperor purge the eunuchs. Wenzong, revitalized, promoted them to key positions. They devised a strategy to divide the eunuch leadership. By promoting the ambitious eunuch Qiu Shiliang to counterbalance Wang Shoucheng, and orchestrating the assassination of Wang’s ally Chen Hongzhi (the murderer of Emperor Xianzong), they systematically stripped Wang of his support. Finally, they tricked Wang Shoucheng into drinking poisoned wine under the guise of an honorary appointment, eliminating the most powerful eunuch.
The Plot Thickens: A Race for Glory
With Wang Shoucheng dead, Li Xun and Zheng Zhu planned to eradicate the remaining eunuchs, including Qiu Shiliang. The original plan involved Zheng Zhu summoning troops from Fengxiang to massacre the eunuchs during Wang’s funeral. However, Li Xun, fearing Zheng Zhu would monopolize the credit and overshadow him, decided to act prematurely without waiting for Zheng’s forces. He colluded with Chancellor Shu Yuanyu and General Han Yue to stage a coup within the capital itself.
The Trap at the Golden Wu Hall
On a crisp autumn morning in 835 AD, General Han Yue reported to the court that “Sweet Dew” (Ganlu), a celestial omen, had appeared on pomegranate trees in the courtyard of the Golden Wu Hall. Li Xun and Shu Yuanyu urged Emperor Wenzong to inspect this miracle personally. The emperor agreed and sent Li Xun to verify it first. Li returned claiming doubt, prompting Wenzong to order Chief Eunuch Qiu Shiliang and his retinue to investigate.
Upon entering the courtyard, Qiu Shiliang noticed Han Yue trembling and sweating profusely. A sudden gust of wind lifted a curtain, revealing armed soldiers lying in ambush. Realizing the trap, Qiu screamed, “Assassins!” and fled back to the main hall. Chaos erupted as soldiers attacked, killing several eunuchs. However, Qiu Shiliang managed to seize Emperor Wenzong, forcing him into a sedan chair and rushing him back into the inner palace, slamming the gates shut. Li Xun’s desperate attempt to hold onto the emperor failed; he was knocked down, and the coup collapsed.
The Bloody Aftermath and the Puppet Emperor
With the emperor under their control, the eunuchs, led by Qiu Shiliang, launched a brutal retaliation. Using the emperor’s name, they issued orders to arrest and execute all suspected conspirators. Li Xun fled to a temple but was captured and beheaded. Zheng Zhu, marching towards the capital with his troops, was intercepted and killed by eunuch agents in Fengxiang. The purge, known historically as the “Sweet Dew Incident” (Ganlu Zhibian), resulted in the execution of over a thousand officials, including four chancellors, nearly decimating the civil bureaucracy.
Qiu Shiliang emerged as the supreme power, even more tyrannical than Wang Shoucheng. He openly humiliated Emperor Wenzong, who lamented, “I am worse off than Emperor Xian of Han or King Nan of Zhou; I am controlled by my own slaves.” Isolated and heartbroken, Wenzong fell ill and died shortly after. Qiu Shiliang bypassed Wenzong’s sons to install Li Yan (Emperor Wuzong) as the new puppet ruler, cementing the eunuchs’ stranglehold on the Tang Dynasty.
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