Li Xun: Chancellor of Emperor Wenzong of Tang and the Sweet Dew Incident in Zizhi Tongjian

Brief Introduction

Li Xun (originally named Li Zhongyan) was a key political figure in the late Tang Dynasty and served as Chancellor during the reign of Emperor Wenzong. He was the core planner of the "Sweet Dew Incident," attempting to eradicate the power of eunuchs, but the endeavor ended in tragedy. Sima Guang recorded his deeds in detail in the Zizhi Tongjian (Comprehensive Mirror to Aid in Government), making it a key node in late Tang political history. Li Xun's life encapsulates the intensity and helplessness of the struggle between imperial power and the eunuch faction in the late Tang, serving as an important sample for studying the mechanisms of the Tang Dynasty's decline.

Core Knowledge Points

* Identity and Background: Chancellor during the reign of Emperor Wenzong; originally named Li Zhongyan, later changed his name to Li Xun. He did not come from a top-tier aristocratic clan but was skilled in political intrigue, deeply trusted by Emperor Wenzong, and had participated in the Niu-Li Factional Strife.
* Political Goals: Allied with figures like Zheng Zhu with the intention of executing the eunuch group, restoring imperial power, and solving the chronic late Tang issue of "eunuch dictatorship" to achieve a political reset after the usurpation of monarchical authority.
* Historical Event: Planned the "Sweet Dew Incident" (835 AD). Li Xun falsely claimed that an auspicious sign of "sweet dew" had appeared in the rear garden of the Left Jinwu Hall, luring eunuchs such as Han Quanhai to inspect it, with the plan to ambush and kill them.
* Final Outcome: The plan leaked due to oversights in the details, leading to a counterattack by the eunuchs. Li Xun was killed, Emperor Wenzong was placed under house arrest, and court officials suffered a mass slaughter, historically known as the "Sweet Dew Calamity," in which over three hundred officials perished.

Connection with Content in Zizhi Tongjian

In the Zizhi Tongjian · Tang Ji, Sima Guang narrates Li Xun within the grand context of eunuch dictatorship in the late Tang. The book not only records in detail Li Xun's entire process from gaining power to planning the coup but also profoundly reveals Emperor Wenzong's helpless state of mind, described as "controlled by household slaves." Sima Guang uses this event to warn future generations: reform requires assessing the situation and timing; blind radicalism may lead to political turmoil. Li Xun's failure marked the point where Tang imperial power completely became a puppet of the eunuchs, accelerating the dynasty's decline. The book's description of the silence in the court after Li Xun's death possesses immense historical tension, reflecting the terror of the political ecosystem at that time. Sima Guang particularly emphasized that after this event, court officials were left speechless with fear, imperial power was completely lost, providing core historical material for studying late Tang politics.

Historical Significance

Although Li Xun failed, his spirit of resistance left a trace in historical records. The Sweet Dew Incident was one of the turning points from prosperity to decline in the late Tang; thereafter, eunuch power grew even stronger until the fall of the Tang. This event not only changed the political landscape of the Tang Dynasty but also profoundly influenced later generations' understanding of the relationship between imperial power and eunuchs, becoming an important case for historians analyzing the mechanisms of dynastic decline. Through the records in the Zizhi Tongjian, Li Xun's image transcends that of a mere political failure, becoming a historical symbol of imperial power attempting to save itself yet being powerless to change the outcome.