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Meng Chang

Meng Chang (919–965), né Meng Renzan (孟仁赞), courtesy name Baoyuan (保元), was Emperor of later shu (934–965), one of the Ten Kingdoms located in the Sichuan basin.

Accession to the Throne

Meng Chang, posthumously known as Houzhu (後主), was the son of Meng Zhixiang, the founder of the later shu kingdom. When his father died in 934, he named himself emperor of the kingdom.

Rule and Fall

Meng ruled ably for three decades. The later shu became one of the centers for the arts and literature, where it flourished with support from the court. An anthology of lyric poetry known as the Amidst the Flowers Anthology was compiled in 940 It was also among the most stable of the southern kingdoms.

A new force arose in the north in 960 when the song dynasty replaced the later zhou dynasty, the last of the Five Dynasties. Song Taizu made it his mission to reunify the realm. Song forces forced Meng Chang to surrender in 965 on the road to the reunification of most of China.

Last update 18-06-2012

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