釋氏稽古略 3.253

3.253

His name was Chen. He was the thirteenth son of Xianzong and was enfiefed as Prince of Guang. In character he was solemn and of few words; those in the palace all considered him unintelligent. When Wuzong was indisposed, the Palace Commissioner Ma Yuanzhi set him up as Imperial Grand Uncle to ascend the imperial throne. He reigned for thirteen years and lived to fifty years of age. He restored the teachings of the Buddha. He appointed the Right Grand Master of Remonstrance, Li Jingrang, as Surveillance Commissioner of Zhexi. Earlier, Jingrang's mother, Lady Zheng, was strict and upright by nature. Widowed early, poor in family, she resided in Luoyang. Her sons were all young, and their mother taught them herself. One day, an old wall behind the house collapsed due to rain, revealing an excavation full of money that filled a boat. The servants joyfully ran to inform their mother. The mother went, burned incense, and prayed over it, saying: "I have heard that gaining without labor brings disaster to the person. If Heaven, by the remaining blessings of my late husband, pities our poverty and bestows it, my wish is only that the fatherless children one day achieve success in their studies—that is their true purpose. I dare not take this money." She immediately ordered it covered and walled up again. Her three sons, Jingrang, Jingwen, and Jingzhuang, all passed the jinshi examination. When Jingrang had achieved high official rank and his hair was already greying, if he made a small fault, he could not escape his mother's cane (The Book of Tang, "Biography of Li Jingrang"). Reign era: Dazhong (thirteen [years]).