SuaveG – The Gentle Path

Chinese mythology, folktales, and literature

Du Chongwei

  • The Reformer of the Five Dynasties: Chai Rong [Sui & Tang]

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    Juan

    Introduction: This article profiles Chai Rong, Emperor Shizong of Later Zhou, a key reformer amid the Five Dynasties chaos. After succeeding his adoptive father Guo Wei, he stabilized the realm, won the Battle of Gaoping, and reformed the military. He regulated Buddhism, revived culture, and expanded Later Zhou’s territory by conquering southern states and…

  • The Son-Emperor and the Salted Corpse: The Rise of Liao and the Fall of Jin [Sui & Tang]

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    Juan

    Brief: This article tells the turbulent rise and fall of the Later Jin and the expansion of the Liao. It covers Shi Jingtang’s betrayal by becoming Liao’s “Son-Emperor” and ceding the Sixteen Prefectures. It also records Emperor Yelu Deguang’s invasion of the Central Plains, his rapid retreat due to popular resistance, and his bizarre…