TE TSUNG

born 742, China died 805, China Pinyin De Zong (reign title), personal name (WadeGiles romanization) Li K'uo ninth emperor (reigned 779/780805) of the T'ang dynasty and the only emperor in the latter half of the dynasty to reign more than 20 years. In spite of his long reign, he never successfully controlled the militarists who commanded the provinces and ignored Imperial decrees. In the latter part of his reign Te Tsung gave up interest in the government, confiding only in his eunuchs, whose power at court grew as a result. A poet, he often sent decrees to his ministers in verse.