Five Dynasties · harsh official sent to collect overdue rent

Tao Wenju 陶文舉

Attested AD 955

Passages: 2
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Tao Wenju was a harsh official sent to collect overdue rent.

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 955 顯德二年
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 115, passage 198

Career and standing

court diarist ordered to collect overdue rent in Songzhou 起居郎奉命征宋州殘租
AD 955
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 115, passage 198

Assessments and attributes

condemned as a harsh official whose punishments harmed thousands and killed several youths 被評為酷吏，刑宋民數千且致數人死
AD 955 · Mode narrator
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 115, passage 199

References in the histories

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 115Volume 115 Book of Later Zhou 17: Shizong Annals 2 · 2 passages

是冬，命起居郎陶文舉征殘租於宋州。 That winter attendant Tao Wenju was ordered to collect overdue rent in Songzhou.

文舉本酷吏也，宋民被其刑者凡數千，冤號之聲聞於道路，有悼髦之輩，不勝其刑而死者數人，物議以為不允。 Wenju was a notorious harsh official; thousands in Song suffered under him, and cries of injustice filled the roads. Several youths died under his punishments, and public opinion condemned the methods as unjust.