Yang Meng

Yang Meng (died 937), courtesy name Zhilong, formally Prince Ling of Linjiang, was an imperial prince of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period state Wu. In 937, believing that the regent Xu Zhigao was about to seize the throne from his younger brother, then-reigning emperor Yang Pu, Yang Meng tried to start an insurrection against Xu, but was quickly captured and executed. Background Yang Meng was the third son of Yang Xingmi, a major warlord at the end of Tang Dynasty as the military governor (Jiedushi) of Huainan Circuit (淮南, headquartered in modern Yangzhou, Jiangsu). It is not known when he was born, although his immediately older brother Yang Longyan was born in 897 and his immediately younger brother Yang Pu was born in 900, placing a timeframe on his birth date. His mother's name was not recorded in history. During Yang Longyan's reign The first historical reference to Yang Meng was in 919, when Yang Longyan had just declared himself the King of Wu, a kingdom derived from the domains that Yang Xingmi conquered at the end of Tang. Yang Longyan created his younger brothers and his only known son Yang Fen dukes — in Yang Meng's case, the Duke of Lujiang. It was said that Yang Meng was talented, and he often lamented the state of the affairs in Wu, which then was in effect controlled by the regent Xu Wen, stating, "It is the state of my family's; is it all right for it to be taken over by others?" Xu heard of his remarks and was displeased at them. Shortly after, Xu had him sent out of the capital Guangling to serve as the military prefect (團練使, Tuanlianshi) of Chu Prefecture (楚州, in modern Huai'an, Jiangsu). In 920, Yang Longyan grew deathly ill. While Yang Meng was his oldest younger brother, Xu disliked Yang Meng and did not want him to succeed Yang Longyan, so he instead issued an order in Yang Longyan's name formally naming Yang Pu regent. When Yang Longyan subsequently died, Yang Pu took the throne as the King of Wu, while Yang Meng was moved from Chu Prefecture to serve as the military prefect of Shu Prefecture (舒州, in modern Huangshan, Anhui).