Fire and Ice: Zhuangzong Li Cunxu of the Later Tang Dynasty

The Five Dynasties period was characterized by political turmoil, warlord separatism, and constant fighting. Limited by the chaotic current situation and scattered historical data, the research results are not very fruitful. This book is based on historical facts and takes time as the axis. It is a biography of Zhuangzong Li Cunxu of the Later Tang Dynasty, the representative figure of this period - the founding monarch who put an end to Zhu Liang and revived the Tang Dynasty. It outlines the entire history of the Five Dynasties period through the biography's life. The author starts with Zhuangzong's historical background and the origin of his family, and narrates in detail his rise and fall from being favored as a child to inheriting the throne, from sitting on the east side of the river to competing for the Central Plains, from fighting against Zhu Liang to reviving the Tang Dynasty, from ascending the throne and proclaiming himself emperor to betrayal and separation from relatives. In his short life of forty-two years, Li Cunxu faced many dangers, opportunities and challenges. He resolved, grasped and dealt with most of them, but fell at the last level. The author places Li Cunxu's life in the context of troubled times, shows his dramatic ups and downs, and explains why the world can be conquered immediately but cannot be ruled immediately, which helps readers understand this special period of national integration, military rule, and the rise of Heshuo.