You're listening to an Airwave Media Podcast.

Hello and welcome to the

Hello and welcome to the history of China.

Episode 121, Tong of the Dead.

Last time we'd left the Tong Dynasty in a state of suspended animation, on the border between life and death,

with the untimely death of Emperor Shizong and the ascension of the dynasty's penultimate

Emperor Jaudzong.

I didn't tell him to the conclusion of the episode that the 21 year old

jouzong's reign would be a fight for mere survival, both personally

and nationally.

And spoiler alert here in both capacities he's fighting a

losing war.

The realm that Jaudzon inherited from his brother in 888 was one held in a state of what Professor Summers puts as

quote precarious equilibrium end quote. For almost all intents and purposes the

Tang regime was already at its end, beyond it really,

but was now given an extended period of undeath

for the following two decades.

Its already rotting corpse was animated still

by the regional governors and power players of the realm.

Almost any one of whom could have overthrown the dynasty at will, but were held in check with

bated breath at what the consequences of such an action might be. The ultimate failure of Huang Chao and his brutal end had shown them all that while taking the reins of power would have been simple. Hanging on for the ride to come would be anything but. Nevertheless, by this point, as I've said, the Tang Dynasty was dead in all

but name. Thus, though he was personally intelligent and able and resolved to do all he could

...