Tian Yun (田頵) | 24 Histories

Overview

Tian Yun was a Military Governor.

IdentityHistorical · Male

Roles

Found in

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Courtesy name	Dechen	德臣	Déchén

Life and dates

Death

AD 904 天祐初十二月
Killed in battle after a bridge collapsed and his horse fell
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 17, passages 106, 108, 110
Met disaster
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 24, passage 107

Attested activity

AD 904 天祐初
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 17, passages 89, 110
AD 901 to AD 904 宣州 then revolt
Strongly inferred · Old History of the Five Dynasties 24, passages 105-106

Key source chapters

Career and standing

Xuancheng military commissioner 宣州節度使
AD 904 天祐初 · Held
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 17, passage 89

Places and affiliations

At Hefei in Luzhou 廬州合肥
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 17, passage 85
At Xuanzhou 宣州 · Relation Posted at
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 24, passage 105

Works and attributed material

Letter · Author · Mode direct-speech Speaker Tian Yun (田頵) · With Yang Xingmi (楊行密)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 17, passages 90-92
Speech · Speaker · Mode direct-speech Speaker Tian Yun (田頵) · With Du Xunhe (杜荀鶴)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 17, passage 99

Events and relationships

Held great circuit
Political · Warlord · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 17, passage 229
Prepared to raise troops
Rebellion · Rebel
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 24, passage 106

Assessments and attributes

Assessment among Cheng Rui, Zhong, Du, Tian, and Zhu, sincerity and clarity were superior · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 17, passage 229

References in the histories

Search passages

History

15 passages

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 17Volume 17 Book of Later Liang 17: Biographies 7: Cheng Rui, Du Hong, Tian Yun, Zhao Kuangning, Zhang Ji, Lei Man · 11 passages

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田頵，本揚府之大校也。 Tian Yun had begun as a senior officer in the Yangzhou garrison.

〈（《九國志》：頵字德臣，廬州合肥人。）〉 (The 《Nine States Chronicle》 gives his style Dechen and his home as Hefei in Luzhou.)〉

唐天祐初，楊行密雄據淮海，時頵為宣州節度使，延壽為壽州刺史。 Early in Tianyou, Yang Xingmi dominated the Huai-Hai region; Yun held Xuancheng and Yanshou held Shou prefecture.

頵以行密專恣跋扈，嘗移書諷之曰：「侯王守方，以奉天子，古之制也。 Finding Yang Xingmi arrogant, Yun wrote to admonish him: "Princes are meant to guard their lands for the Son of Heaven—that is the ancient order.

況東南之鎮，楊為大，塵賤刀布，阜積金玉，願公上恒賦，頵將悉儲峙，具單車從。」 You are greatest in the southeast, piled with gold and goods. Send the regular tribute through me—I will store it and deliver it myself in one cart."

直頵之事，密遣人告於頵曰：「公有所欲為者，願為公執鞭。」 With Yun's plot in mind, he secretly sent word: "Whatever you intend, I will serve as your man."

頵聞之，頗會其志，乃召進士杜荀鶴具述其意，復語曰：「昌本朝，奉盟主，在斯一舉矣。」 Yun took his meaning, summoned the scholar Du Xunhe, laid out the plan, and said, "To restore the dynasty and serve our ally—everything hangs on this."

次悉兵攻宣城，頵戎力寡薄，棄壁走，不能越境，為行密軍所得。 Xingmi then attacked Xuancheng; Yun, outmatched, fled the walls but was caught before he could escape the prefecture.

〈（《九國志》：行密別遣台濛、王茂章率步騎以往，頵委舟師於汪建、王壇，自出廣德迎戰，大為濛所敗，遂率殘眾遁保宛陵。 (The 《Nine Kingdoms Annals》 says Xingmi sent Tai Meng and Wang Maozhang by land; Yun entrusted the fleet to Wang Jian and Wang Tan, then fought at Guangde, was routed, and fled to Wanyang with survivors.

十二月，頵出外州柵疾戰，橋陷馬墜，為外軍所殺。）〉 In the twelfth month Yun fought at the outer stockade; the bridge gave way, his horse fell, and the besiegers killed him.)〉

史臣曰：成汭、鍾、杜、田、朱之流，皆因否運，雄據大藩，雖無濟代之勞，且有勤王之節，功雖不就，誌亦可嘉，若較其誠明，則田頵、延壽斯為優矣。 The historian writes: Cheng Rui, Zhong, Du, Tian, Zhu and the like seized great domains in dark times; they lacked power to save the realm yet showed loyalty to the throne; merit failed but intent deserves praise—of them Tian Yun and Yanshou showed the truest hearts.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 24Volume 24 Book of Later Liang 24: Biographies 14: Li Ting, Lu Ceng, Sun Zhi, Zhang Jun, Zhang Yan, Du Xunhe, Luo Yin, Chou Yin, Duan Shen · 4 passages

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是則荀鶴之受知於梁祖舊矣，不待田頵之箋問而始被遇也。）〉 So the Liang Founder had known Xunhe long before Tian Yun's letter brought him to court.)〉

時田頵在宣州，甚重之。 Tian Yun was then at Xuanzhou and held him in high esteem.

頵將起兵，乃陰令以箋問至，太祖遇之頗厚。 When Yun prepared to rebel he secretly sent a letter of inquiry ahead; the Founder treated Xunhe very well.

及頵遇禍，太祖以其才表之，尋授翰林學士、主客員外郎。 After Yun's fall the Founder praised his talent at court and soon made him Hanlin academician and supernumerary vice director of the Ministry of Reception.