Gong Chengshu (龔澄樞)

Overview

Gong Chengshu was an official.

PeriodSong, Liao, and Jin

IdentityHistorical · Male

Roles

Found in

Life and dates

Death

AD 971 五月乙未朔
Execution
Dated from the passage context · History of Song 2, passage 298
Execution
Directly stated · History of Song 481, passage 228

Attested activity

AD 971 五月乙未朔
Dated from the passage context · History of Song 2, passage 298
AD 970 開寶三年九月
Dated from the passage context · History of Song 481, passages 144-145
AD 971 二月
Dated from the passage context · History of Song 481, passages 163, 173
AD 958 to AD 971 委政宦官龔澄樞
Dated from the passage context · History of Song 481, passage 18
AD 917 to AD 942 幼事龑為內供奉官
Dated from the passage context · History of Song 481, passage 221
AD 943 to AD 958 晟襲位…即日擢知承宣院
Dated from the passage context · History of Song 481, passages 222, 224

Show 2 more source-backed claims

AD 971 澄樞亦被誅
Dated from the passage context · History of Song 481, passage 228
AD 958 to AD 971 鋹嗣位
Dated from the passage context · History of Song 481, passage 225

Key source chapters

Career and standing

chief minister 柄臣
Directly stated · History of Song 2, passage 298
eunuch 宦官
Directly stated · History of Song 481, passage 18
administrator of the Presentation Court concurrent with Palace Domestic Service 知承宣院兼內侍省
Appointed
Directly stated · History of Song 481, passage 224
Commissioner of the Virtue Mausoleum and Commissioner of the Dragon Virtue Palace 德陵使兼龍德宮使
Appointed
Directly stated · History of Song 481, passage 224
Army Observer of the Left Dragon-Tiger Army 左龍虎軍觀軍容使
Held
Directly stated · History of Song 481, passage 225
Cavalry Grand General 驃騎大將軍
Held
Directly stated · History of Song 481, passage 225

Show 12 more source-backed claims

Commissioner of the Myriad Splendor Palace 萬華宮使
Held
Directly stated · History of Song 481, passage 225
Grand General 上將軍
Held
Directly stated · History of Song 481, passage 225
Grandee Equal in Honor to the Three Dukes 開府儀同三司
Held
Directly stated · History of Song 481, passage 225
Inner Grand Preceptor 內太師
Held
Directly stated · History of Song 481, passage 225
Inner Provisioner 內給事
Held
Directly stated · History of Song 481, passage 221
Inner Tribute Official 內供奉官
Held
Directly stated · History of Song 481, passage 221
Special Advancement 特進
Held
Directly stated · History of Song 481, passage 225
Exercised
Decided all military and state affairs
Directly stated · History of Song 481, passage 225
Beheaded
AD 971 斬於千秋門外 · Execution · Authority Taizu (太祖)
Directly stated · History of Song 481, passage 186
Beheaded
AD 971 五月乙未朔 · Execution
Dated from the passage context · History of Song 2, passage 298
Captured
AD 971 二月 · Captivity
Directly stated · History of Song 481, passage 173
execution 誅
Suffered
Directly stated · History of Song 481, passage 228

Places and affiliations

Polity Southern Han 南漢 · Relation Served
Directly stated · History of Song 2, passage 298; History of Song 481, passages 173, 184, 221, 225
Polity Southern Han 南漢 · Relation Served
Strongly inferred · History of Song 481, passage 144
At Nanhai in Guangzhou 廣州南海
Directly stated · History of Song 481, passage 219
At He Prefecture 賀州 · Relation Posted to
Directly stated · History of Song 481, passage 144
At Nanhai 南海 · Relation Native of
Directly stated · History of Song 481, passage 219

Events and relationships

Executed
AD 971 五月乙未朔 · Legal · Condemned
Dated from the passage context · History of Song 2, passage 298
Fled home
AD 970 開寶三年九月 · Military · Fleeing officer
Directly stated · History of Song 481, passage 145
Instituted instruments of cruel law
Legal · Perpetrator · With Li Tuo (李托)
Directly stated · History of Song 481, passage 226
Sent to He
Military · Defender
Directly stated · History of Song 481, passage 144
Relation Minister of · Person Liu Chang (劉鋹)
Directly stated · History of Song 2, passage 298
Relation Colleague of · Person Xue Chongyu (薛崇譽)
Directly stated · History of Song 481, passage 226

Show 3 more source-backed claims

Relation Recommended by · Person Lin Yanyu (林延遇)
Directly stated · History of Song 481, passage 223
Relation Colleague of · Person Li Tuo (李托)
Directly stated · History of Song 481, passage 226
Relation Retainer of · Person Former Ruler (先主)
Directly stated · History of Song 481, passage 184

Assessments and attributes

Assessment employment of the Gong surname brought ruin to Chang's state · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · History of Song 481, passage 228
upright and cautious; did not socialize casually
Character
Directly stated · History of Song 481, passage 220

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · History of Song 481, passages 18, 144, 173

References in the histories

Search passages

History

14 passages

History of Song, Chapter 2Volume 2 Annals 2: Taizu 2 · 1 passage

Open chapter

斬其柄臣龔澄樞、李托、薛崇譽。 and executed his chief ministers Gong Chengshu, Li Tuo, and Xue Chongyu.

History of Song, Chapter 481Volume 481 Biographies 240: Hereditary Houses 4: Southern Han and Liu Clans Liu Chang (Gong Chengshu, Li Tuo, Xue Chongyu, Pan Chongche) · 13 passages

Open chapter

性昏懦，委政宦官龔澄樞及才人盧瓊仙，每詳覽可否，皆瓊仙指之。 He was dull and timid by nature and left government to the eunuch Gong Chengshu and the talented concubine Lu Qiongxian; whenever he weighed what might be done, Qiongxian's finger decided it.

嘗雲瓊仙、澄樞、延壽皆玉皇遣輔太子皇帝，有過不得治。 She once declared that Qiongxian, Chengshu, and Yanshou had all been sent by the Jade Emperor to assist the Crown Prince Emperor and that he must not punish them even if they erred.

乃遣龔澄樞往賀州，郭崇嶽往桂州，李托往韶州，畫守禦之策。 He then sent Gong Chengshu to He, Guo Chongyue to Gui, and Li Tuo to Shao to devise defensive plans.

九月，美與崇珂圍賀州，澄樞遁歸。 In the ninth month Mei and Chongke besieged He Prefecture; Chengshu fled home.

美擒鋹及龔澄樞、李托、薛崇譽與宗室文武九十七人，同縻於龍德宮。 Mei captured Chang along with Gong Chengshu, Li Tuo, Xue Chongyu, and ninety-seven members of the imperial clan and the civil and military elite, all held together in Longde Palace.

至京，舍於玉津園，太祖遣參知政事呂餘慶問鋹翻覆及焚府庫之罪，鋹歸罪澄樞、托、崇譽。 When he reached the capital he was lodged at Yujin Garden; Taizu sent Vice Grand Councilor Lu Yuqing to question him about his treachery and the burning of the treasuries, and Chang blamed Chengshu, Tuo, and Chongyu.

太祖禦明德門，遣攝刑部尚書盧多遜宣詔責鋹，鋹對曰：「臣年十六僭偽位，澄樞等皆先臣舊人，每事臣不得專，在國時臣是臣下，澄樞是國主。」 Taizu took his seat at the Gate of Bright Virtue and dispatched Acting Minister of Justice Lu Duoxun to proclaim the edict reproaching Chang; Chang replied, "Your subject at sixteen usurped a false throne; Chengshu and the others were all my father's old retainers — in every matter I could not decide alone. In the state I was the subject and Chengshu was the sovereign."

太祖命攝大理卿高繼申引澄樞、托、崇譽斬於千秋門外。 Taizu ordered Acting Chief Justice Gao Jishen to lead Chengshu, Tuo, and Chongyu out and behead them outside the Gate of a Thousand Autumns.

龔澄樞，廣州南海人。 Gong Chengshu came from Nanhai in Guangzhou.

延遇病將死，言於晟曰：「臣死，惟龔澄樞可用。」 On his deathbed Yanyu told Shen, "When I am gone, only Gong Chengshu is fit to serve you."

鋹嗣位，加特進、開府儀同三司、萬華宮使、驃騎大將軍，改上將軍、左龍虎軍觀軍容使、內太師，軍國之務皆決於澄樞。 When Chang succeeded to the throne, Chengshu received Special Advancement, Grandee Equal in Honor to the Three Dukes, Commissioner of the Myriad Splendor Palace, and Cavalry Grand General, then Grand General, Army Observer of the Left Dragon-Tiger Army, and Inner Grand Preceptor. Every matter of war and state passed through his hands.

澄樞與李托、薛崇譽置酷法之具，民甚苦之。 Chengshu, Li Tuo, and Xue Chongyu instituted instruments of torture, and the people endured terrible suffering.

後鋹用澄樞，以其姓卒亡其國，澄樞亦被誅。 Later Chang put Chengshu in power — and the Gong surname did indeed destroy his realm. Chengshu was executed as well.