Qian Hongzun


Qian Hongzun , formally Heir Apparent Xiaoxian, was an heir apparent to the throne of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period state Wuyue during most of the reign of his father Qian Yuanguan, but did not inherit the throne on account of his predeceasing his father.

Background

Qian Hongzun was born in 925. He was the fifth son of his father Qian Chuanguan, who then was still serving under his father, Wuyue's first king Qian Liu, as the acting military governor of Wuyue's two main circuits, Zhenhai and Zhendong. His mother was Qian Chuanguan's concubine Lady Fu. While he was ranked as Qian Chuanguan's fifth son, traditional histories heavily implied that he was the first-born in terms of Qian Chuanguan's biological sons, as they emphasized that Qian Chuanguan and his wife Lady Ma were sonless and that, therefore, Qian Chuanguan was sonless into his 30s because Qian Liu had forbidden officials from taking concubines, until Lady Ma personally pleaded for an exemption for Qian Chuanguan due to that reason — and listing Qian Hongzun among the biological sons born from Qian Chuanguan's concubines, while omitting his older brothers Qian Hongzhuan, Qian Hongxuan, Qian Hongyou, and Qian Hong'an, although only Qian Hongyou was explicitly stated to be an adoptive son and explicitly stated to have the birth name of Sun.

During Qian Yuanguan's reign

In 932, Qian Liu died. Qian Chuanguan took control of the state, but did not claim the title of king at that time, but only the military governor of Zhenhai and Zhendong, as a vassal to Later Tang of the Central Plains. Qian Hongzun received the title of deputy military governor of Zhenhai and Zhendong, and military prefect of Guo Prefecture. In 937, by which time Later Tang had fallen and Wuyue was a vassal state of Later Jin, Qian Yuanguan assumed the title of king. He created Qian Hongzun as his heir apparent, and had a mansion built for Qian Hongzun. Qian Hongzun, however, would die in 940, before his father, who would eventually pass the throne to Qian Hongzuo.