Birth ｜ The histories record that Shunhuazhen was born in Yunnan, without a specific place.
中兴
emperor
Shun Hua Zhen
舜化贞
The Chinese source cache identifies this person as a emperor associated with Nanzhao. This entry preserves the source-backed identity and records the available chronology without adding unsupported claims.
中兴Nanzhao
PROFILE
The Chinese source cache identifies this person as a emperor associated with Nanzhao. This entry preserves the source-backed identity and records the available chronology without adding unsupported claims.
- Chinese name
- Shun Huazhen
- Period
- Nanzhao
- Date of Birth
- 878 CE（5th year of the Qianfu era, Tang）
- Date of Death
- 902 CE（2nd year of the Tianfu era, Tang; 6th year of the Nanzhaozhongxing era）
- Role
- emperor
LIFE TIMELINE
CE（4th year of the Qianning era, Tang; 1st year of the Zhongxing e
897 CE（4th year of the Qianning era, Tang; 1st year of the Zhongxing era, Nan Zhao） ｜ Diplomacy with Tang ｜ Southern Zhao sent letters and documents to the Tang court, which considered replying; Wang Jian dissuaded it and no answer was given.
CE（4th year of the Qianning era, Tang; 1st year of the Zhongxing e
897 CE（4th year of the Qianning era, Tang; 1st year of the Zhongxing era, Nan Zhao） ｜ Diplomacy with Tang ｜ Southern Zhao sent letters and documents to the Tang court, which considered replying; Wang Jian dissuaded it and no answer was given.
CE（2nd year of the Guanghua era, Tang; 3rd year of the Zhongxing e
899 CE（2nd year of the Guanghua era, Tang; 3rd year of the Zhongxing era, Nan Zhao） ｜ Religious office ｜ Another account records that Shunhuazhen established the "Master of the Five Teachings" and had Yang Deng killed together with his clan.
CE（1st year of the Tianfu era, Tang; 5th year of the Zhongxing era
901 CE（1st year of the Tianfu era, Tang; 5th year of the Zhongxing era, Nan Zhao） ｜ Seeking aid ｜ The histories record that Shunhuazhen sent a close attendant with a secret letter to Burma for aid; the Burmese assembled troops to cross the frontier, but the relief force never set out.
CE（2nd year of the Tianfu era, Tang; 6th year of the Zhongxing era
902 CE（2nd year of the Tianfu era, Tang; 6th year of the Zhongxing era, Nan Zhao） ｜ Death and end of the regime ｜ Shunhuazhen died; Zheng Maisi killed the Meng clan of Southern Zhao, ending the kingdom, and founded Dachanghe.
BIOGRAPHY
Biography
Family and Accession
Shun Huazhen was a son of the Nanzhao king Longshun, and his alternative names include Shunhua and Shun Huazhen; another account also gives "Bayou Along". The New Book of Tang records that after the Nanzhao king Fa died his son Shunhua succeeded; taken together with the order of succession in the preceding text and the relations given in the encyclopedic accounts, this refers to Longshun and Shun Huazhen. Wu Renchen's Chronicle of the Ten States records that Longshun was killed by his minister Yang Deng, after which Shunhua was installed. Another account adds that Zheng Maisi raised Shun Huazhen to the throne and that real power was controlled by Zheng Maisi. The surviving material does not provide details sufficient to reconstruct Shun Huazhen's career before his accession.
Exchanges with the Tang Court
After Shun Huazhen came to the throne Nanzhao sent letters to the Tang court. The Comprehensive Mirror for Aid in Government records that the Tang court received a letter and official documents from Shunhua, the Piaoxin of Nanzhao, and intended to respond; Wang Jian held that there was no need to reply by edict, and the Tang court therefore did not answer. The New Book of Tang records that Shun Huazhen sent envoys to Lizhou to seek friendly relations, that Emperor Zhaozong of Tang did not respond, and that after this the two sides ceased to exchange envoys because of the wars in the Central Plain. Another account records that Shun Huazhen sent an envoy to Chang'an to seek a marriage, hoping to use the Tang to restrain Zheng Maisi.
Final Years and the End of Nanzhao
The histories record that in 901 (1st year of the Tianfu era, Tang; 5th year of the Zhongxing era, Nanzhao) Shun Huazhen sent trusted men with a secret letter to Burma to seek help; the Burmese side mobilised troops but was unable to leave its territory the following year. Another account says that Shun Huazhen died suddenly of illness in 902 (2nd year of the Tianfu era, Tang; 6th year of the Zhongxing era, Nanzhao). Zheng Maisi then killed eight hundred members of the Meng royal house, the Nanzhao polity came to an end, and Zheng Maisi founded the Great Changhe.
Major Activities
Political and institutional context
The cached record places Shun Hua Zhen within the institutions and conflicts of Nanzhao.
Source-based record
Personal Relations
- Relationships are recorded from the cached source text and should be read together with the related entries listed below.
Historical Assessment
The surviving histories record little about Shun Huazhen's own administration and concern mainly his accession, the exchanges between Nanzhao and the Tang court and the end of the polity. What can be confirmed is that he was the last ruler of Nanzhao and that during his reign the power of Zheng Maisi grew until it replaced the Meng royal house. Because continuous material on government, institutions or military affairs is lacking, the available evidence is not enough for a comprehensive verdict on Shun Huazhen's personal rule, and the fall of Nanzhao should not be attributed simply to his personal ability.
FIGURES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS DYNASTY
Bibliography
Bibliographic information is not yet available for this entry.