WEN-TSUNG

born 809, China died 840, China Pinyin Wenzong (temple name, or miao-hao), personal name (hsing-ming) Li Ang 14th emperor (reigned 826/827840) of the T'ang dynasty (618907) of China who attempted unsuccessfully to free the court from the influence of the palace eunuchs, who had usurped much of the imperial power. His carefully laid plots against the eunuchs all misfired, resulting in the Sweet Dew Incident of 833, in which three of his chief ministers and several other officials were slaughtered. The power of the eunuchs was greatly enhanced; they even dared assassinate an heir apparent of whom they did not approve.