Background

It is not completely clear when He Chongshun was born, but it appeared that he was born in either 806 or 807. His father He Jintao was an officer of Weibo Circuit, and had served under the military governors Tian Hongzheng and Shi Xiancheng. In 829, when, at Shi's request, Emperor Wenzong transferred Shi to Hezhong Circuit (河中, headquartered in modern Yuncheng, Shanxi) and divided Weibo into two circuits — Weibo, with the imperial general Li Ting (李听) as military governor, and carving out three prefectures to have Shi's son Shi Xiaozhang (史孝章) as military governor — the Weibo soldiers mutinied under He Jintao's leadership and killed Shi Xiancheng. Eventually, after He Jintao defeated Li Ting in battle, the imperial government capitulated, reversed the division of Weibo, and made He Jintao military governor.

In 840, He Jintao died, and the soldiers supported He Chongshun to serve as acting military governor. Initially, the imperial government had Li Zhifang (李执方) the military governor of Hezhong and Liu Yue the military governor of Yichang Circuit (义昌, headquartered in modern Cangzhou, Hebei) write He Chongshun, encouraging him to submit control of Weibo to the imperial government and go to the capital Chang'an to pay homage to Emperor Wenzong's brother and successor Emperor Wuzong, but after He Chongshun refused to follow their suggestions, relented, as Emperor Wuzong, new to the throne, did not want to fight a campaign against Weibo. Emperor Wuzong thereafter made his granduncle Li Wan (李绾) the Prince of Fu the nominal military governor of Weibo while commissioning He Chongshun the deputy military governor. In 841, Emperor Wuzong made He Chongshun the military governor.

As military governor

Before and during the Zhaoyi campaign

In 843, Emperor Wuzong gave He Chongshun the new name of Hongjing.

Also in 843, Liu Congjian the military governor of Zhaoyi Circuit (昭义, headquartered in modern Changzhi, Shanxi) died, and his adopted son (and biological nephew) Liu Zhen took control of Zhaoyi without imperial sanction. The lead chancellor Li Deyu, believing that He Hongjing and fellow de facto independent military governor Wang Yuankui, of Chengde Circuit (成德, headquartered in modern Shijiazhuang, Hebei), could be persuaded to not support Liu Zhen and instead fight for the imperial cause, suggested that Emperor Wuzong issue them an edict that pointed out that the imperial government had been allowing Weibo and Chengde to be in de facto independence, but that Zhaoyi's situation was different, implicitly guaranteeing continued imperial noninterference if they acted against Zhaoyi. It was said that when He Hongjing and Wang Yuankui received the edict, they, in apprehension, agreed. Subsequently, Emperor Wuzong put Wang and He Hongjing in charge of capturing the three Zhaoyi prefectures east of the Taihang Mountains. Specifically, He Hongjing was ordered to attack Ming Prefecture (洺州, in modern Handan).

However, He Hongjing, while accepting the imperial orders, was trying to intercede on Liu's behalf, and Liu himself was also begging the imperial government for forgiveness. Emperor Wuzong ignored Liu's and He Hongjing's pleas. Meanwhile, Wang was attacking Zhaoyi territory, but He Hongjing was not. Wang thus submitted secret reports accusing He Hongjing of duplicity. Emperor Wuzong initially took a conciliatory stand, issuing an edict to He Hongjing stating that he understood that He Hongjing was filially pious to his mother and did not want to venture far. However, subsequently, under Li Deyu's advice, Emperor Wuzong pressured He Hongjing by ordering the imperial general Wang Zai the military governor of Zhongwu Circuit (忠武, headquartered in modern Xuchang, Henan) to take the Zhongwu troops through Weibo territory to attack Zhaoyi's Ci Prefecture (磁州, in modern Handan as well). He Hongjing, hearing that Wang Zai would pass through his territory, feared that Wang Zai's presence would disrupt the loyalty of the Weibo soldiers toward him, quickly launched troops and attacked Ci Prefecture himself, capturing Feixiang (肥乡, in modern Handan) and Ping'en (平恩, in modern Handan as well) Counties. After He Hongjing engaged Zhaoyi troops, Emperor Wuzong, believing that he had shown his faithfulness, diverted Wang Zai's troops to Heyang Circuit (河阳, headquartered in modern Jiaozuo, Henan), which had been defeated several times by Zhaoyi troops, instead, and also bestowed the honorary title of acting Zuo Pushe (左仆射) on He Hongjing.

In 844, the Zhaoyi officer Wang Zhao (王钊), fearing that Liu would punish him for his continued military failures, surrendered Min Prefecture to He Hongjing. The Zhaoyi officer An Yu (安玉), hearing that Wang Zhao had surrendered to He Hongjing and that Pei Wen (裴问) and Cui Gu (崔嘏) had surrendered Xing Prefecture (邢州, in modern Xingtai, Hebei) to Wang Yuankui, also surrendered Ci Prefecture to He Hongjing. After Liu's officer Guo Yi (郭谊) subsequently killed Liu and surrendered the remainder of Zhaoyi to the imperial government, Emperor Wuzong bestowed the honorary chancellor title of Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi on He Hongjing.

After the Zhaoyi campaign

In 859, by which time Emperor Wuzong's cousin Emperor Yizong was emperor, Emperor Yizong bestowed the honorary title of Zhongshu Ling (中书令) on He Hongjing. Emperor Yizong also created him the Duke of Chu.

In 866 (or possibly 865), He Hongjing died. The soldiers supported his son He Quanhao as his successor, and the imperial government subsequently approved.

Notes and references

• Old Book of Tang, vol. 181

• New Book of Tang, vol. 210.

• Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 246, 247, 248, 249, 250.

家世

九代祖何妥，在隋朝任国子祭酒，封襄城公，因称襄城公房。六代祖何令思，以中郎将统领飞骑军，破薛延陀于石堡城，与将军乔叔望、执失思力争功，为叔望所诬陷，和部曲八百人被贬迁于魏、相、贝三州。

• 高祖：何孝物，本州军校

• 曾祖：何俊，本州军校，赠左散骑常侍

• 祖父：何默，夏州衙前兵马使，检校太子宾客，试太常卿，赠太保

• 父亲：何进滔，魏博节度使、司徒、同中书门下平章事，赠太师

• 母亲：康氏，封卫国太夫人

• 夫人：武威安氏，累封燕国、魏国、楚国夫人，

• 有子五人：何全皞、何全肇、何全绰、何全昪、何全卿。女一人，嫁给南阳张氏，封庐江县君。

生平

生于元和元年（806年），娶武威安氏为妻。开成五年（840年）十一月，其父何进滔去世，何弘敬继任魏博节度使，唐文宗时，任御史中丞、御史大夫、赐上柱国勋。武宗时，奉诏为南面招讨使，协同王元逵、刘沔、王茂元一起攻讨泽潞刘稹，史称「会昌伐叛」。唐懿宗时，官至同中书门下平章事（宰相），兼中书令，封楚国公。咸通六年（865年），册检校太尉兼中书令。不久卒。死后，以其子何全皞袭任魏博节度使。何氏子孙三代相继担任魏博节度使达四十馀年。

1973年万堤农场出土「何弘敬墓志铭」，阴刻篆字「唐故魏博节度使检校太尉兼中书令赠太师庐江何公墓志铭」，今收藏于邯郸碑林（邯郸市丛台公园西北）。

历任官职

• 太和四年（830年），任大理卿，任魏博副帅

• 太和六年（832年），加御史中丞

• 太和八年（834年），加上柱国

• 太和九年（835年），加御史大夫

• 开成五年（840年）十月，袭魏博节度使，唐武宗即位后，诏授游击将军、金吾卫将军同正

• 会昌元年（841年）六月，加金吾卫大将军

• 会昌二年（842年），加银青光禄大夫、检校户部尚书

• 会昌三年（843年），昭义节度使留后刘稹拒绝入朝，起兵反抗，何弘敬充东西招讨泽潞使，与成德军节度使王元逵等一起征讨。

• 加检校尚书右仆射

• 会昌四年（844年）六月，泽潞等五州被平定，何弘敬加金紫、检校尚书左仆射、同中书门下平章事、进封庐江郡开国公，食邑二千户

• 会昌六年（846年），唐宣宗即位，加检校司空

• 大中五年（851年），母亲卫国太夫人康氏去世，除丧后，加光禄大夫、检校司徒、同平章事

• 拜太子太保、检校司徒、同平章事如故

• 加太子太傅

• 大中十三年（859年）八月，唐懿宗即位，九月，加兼侍中

• 加中书令，进封楚国公，食邑三千户

• 咸通六年（865年），册拜检校太尉兼中书令，二月十四日乙丑（3月14日），去世，年六十，赠太师。然而根据任乃宏著《晚唐魏博节度使何弘敬生卒年小考》，乃卒于咸通七年三月十三日（866年4月2日）。

参考

• 《资治通鉴》卷第二百四十七

• 唐平刘稹之战