[1]Name and datesHan Tong is the recorded name; one source gives 908 as his birth year, another marks the birth year as unknown, and both give 960 as the year of death.
CBDBHan Tong (121636)The basic entry gives the name Han Tong, birth year 908, and death year 960.
Souyun韓通 (21497)The profile gives the name Han Tong and death year 960, while the biographical heading renders the dates as “?—960,” leaving the birth year unknown.
[2]Status, courtesy name, and originHan Tong was a military figure of the Five Dynasties, styled Zhongda, and came from Taiyuan in Bingzhou.
CBDBHan Tong (121636)The basic entry identifies him with the Five Dynasties, gives the courtesy name Zhong Da, and places his basic affiliation at Taiyuan.
Souyun韓通 (21497)The profile identifies the dynasty as the Five Dynasties, gives the courtesy name 仲达, the home as Bingzhou Taiyuan, and lists military offices including junxiao and jiedushi.
[3]Early military careerHan Tong entered military service at about twenty, became known for his strength, served as a military officer under the Later Han, and earned many achievements after Guo Wei established the Later Zhou.
Souyun韓通 (21497)The biography states that he entered the army at the age of twenty, became known for his strength, served as a military officer under the Later Han, was entrusted by Guo Wei at Daming, and achieved much after the Later Zhou was founded.
[4]Early titlesAt the beginning of Guangshun he served as Right-Wing Chief Patrol Inspector; his listed titles also included yimu, junxiao, supervisor of the Right-Wing offices, and several civil and honorary titles.
Souyun韓通 (21497)The profile lists yimu, junxiao, supervisor of the Right-Wing offices, and Chief Patrol Inspector, while the biography places the Right-Wing patrol appointment at the beginning of Guangshun.
CBDBHan Tong (121636)The career entries list the additional titles jianjiao taizi binke, shiyushi, Yinqing Guanglu Dafu, and Feiqiwei.
[5]Tianfu appointmentsIn 942 he held jianjiao guozi jijiu, yushi zhongcheng, and xiaoqiwei, and in 943 he held jianjiao shangshu you puye.
CBDBHan Tong (121636)The appointments place jianjiao guozi jijiu, yushi zhongcheng, and xiaoqiwei in the seventh year of Tianfu, 942, and jianjiao shangshu you puye in the eighth year, 943.
[6]Qianyou appointmentsBetween 948 and 949 Han Tong successively held the listed high offices and served as prefect of Leizhou.
CBDBHan Tong (121636)The appointments place jianjiao shangshu you puye in 948, and jianjiao shangshu zuo puye, yushi daifu, and the Leizhou prefecture in 949.
[7]Guangshun first yearIn 951 Han Tong held jianjiao taibao, served in military-administrative posts in Muzhou and Yongzhou, and held the honors Jinzi Guanglu Dafu, Kaiguo Nan, and a food fief.
CBDBHan Tong (121636)The appointment entries place jianjiao taibao, the Muzhou and Yongzhou military-administrative commissions, Jinzi Guanglu Dafu, Kaiguo Nan, and a food fief in 951, the first year of Guangshun.
[8]Guangshun third yearIn 953 Han Tong became jiedu guancha liuhou of the Baoyi Army and received the Nanyang commandery Kaiguo Hou title.
CBDBHan Tong (121636)The appointments place the Nanyang commandery Kaiguo Hou and the Baoyi Army jiedu guancha liuhou in 953, the third year of Guangshun.
[9]Xiande first yearIn 954 Han Tong held the senior administration and military-governor posts associated with Shanzhou, Guozhou, Baoyi, and Caozhou, together with jianjiao taifu, the Zhangxin Army title, and Kaiguo Gong.
CBDBHan Tong (121636)The appointment entries place the Shanzhou grand-commandery post, the Shanzhou and Guozhou observation posts, the Baoyi military governorship, jianjiao taifu, the Zhangxin military governorship at Caozhou, and Kaiguo Gong in 954.
[10]Liao campaign and jianjiao taiweiThe biographical narrative places the Liao campaign and the promotion to jianjiao taiwei and tong pingzhangshi after the Xiande second-year campaign, while the appointment data dates jianjiao taiwei from 956 and gives the fuller tong zhongshu menxia pingzhangshi in 959; the chronology is therefore not identical.
Souyun韓通 (21497)The biography connects the second year of Xiande with the Liao incursion, construction, canal work, fighting, repeated successes, and promotion to jianjiao taiwei and tong pingzhangshi.
CBDBHan Tong (121636)The appointment data dates jianjiao taiwei to 956, the third year of Xiande, and lists the fuller tong zhongshu menxia pingzhangshi in 959, differing from the narrative sequence.
[11]Xiande third yearIn 956 Han Tong held military commissions over Xuzhou and Caizhou, served as military governor of the Zhongwu Army, and received the honorific Tejin.
CBDBHan Tong (121636)The appointment data places the Xuzhou and Caizhou military commissions, the Zhongwu Army governorship, and Tejin in 956, the third year of Xiande.
[12]Xiande fifth and sixth yearsIn 958 and 959 Han Tong held the Palace Guard cavalry-and-infantry command posts, served as military governor and tong zhongshu menxia pingzhangshi, and exercised military administration over Songzhou, Yunzhou, and Jizhou.
CBDBHan Tong (121636)The appointment data places the Songzhou post and du yuhou title in 958, and the military deputy-command post, military governorship with tong zhongshu menxia pingzhangshi, and Yunzhou-Jizhou posts in 959.
[13]Jianlong first year officeThe appointment data places the office of Zhongshuling in 960, the first year of Jianlong.
CBDBHan Tong (121636)The appointment data lists Zhongshuling in 960, the first year of Jianlong.
[14]Chenqiao Coup and deathAt the Chenqiao Coup Han Tong was in the palace hall, returned home after hearing of the upheaval, was killed by Wang Yansheng, and was then buried with due rites after Zhao Kuangyin regretted his death.
Souyun韓通 (21497)The biography recounts Han Tong's presence in the palace hall during the Chenqiao Coup, his return home and killing by Wang Yansheng, and Zhao Kuangyin's regret and ritual burial.
[15]Death place, burial, and epitaphHan Tong died at Kaifeng and was buried in Henan; Chen Baoheng composed his epitaph in 960.
CBDBHan Tong (121636)The address entries identify Kaifeng as the place of death and Henan as the burial place; the association entry links the 960 epitaph to Chen Baoheng.
[16]Ancestors and parentsHan Tong's great-grandfather was Han Ying, his grandfather is given as Han Mou, his father was Han Zhang, and his mother was Li; his great-grandmother was Diwu and his grandmother Zhang.
CBDBHan Tong (121636)The kinship entries identify Han Ying as the great-grandfather, Han Mou as the grandfather, Han Zhang as the father, Li as the mother, Diwu as the great-grandmother, and Zhang as the grandmother.
[17]WivesHan Tong's first wife was Dong, who lived from 913 to 955, and his second wife was Jiang.
CBDBHan Tong (121636)The kinship entries identify Dong as the first wife, born in 913 and deceased in 955, and Jiang as the second wife.
[18]SonsThe kinship entries list six sons: Shousu, Shouliang, and the eldest son Shoujun by name, with three others left as Han Mou placeholders.
CBDBHan Tong (121636)The kinship entries list six sons, naming Han Shousu, Han Shouliang, and the eldest son Han Shoujun while identifying three others only as Han Mou.
[19]DaughtersThe four daughters are identified by birth order rather than personal names; the entries give births in 948, 956, and 957 for the second, third, and fourth daughters.
CBDBHan Tong (121636)The kinship entries identify four daughters by order, without personal names, and give birth years 948 for the second, 956 for the third, and 957 for the fourth.
[20]Collateral nephewHan Shouhong is identified as Han Tong's collateral nephew.
CBDBHan Tong (121636)The kinship entry identifies Han Shouhong as a collateral nephew.
[21]Character and nicknameHan Tong was characterized as rigid and forthright but lacking in strategy, often abusing his authority, and was nicknamed Han the Staring-Eyed.
Souyun韓通 (21497)The biography describes him as rigid and lacking in strategy, says that he often exercised authority harshly, and gives the nickname 韓瞠眼.
CBDB
