During Wu

Zhou Zong's birth date is not clearly stated in history — although he was said to be in his 70s at the time of his death during the Later Zhou invasion against Southern Tang, which was launched in 956 and ended in 958 in Southern Tang's submission to Later Zhou as a vassal — placing somewhat of a timeframe around the time of his birth. His family was from Guangling. In his youth late in the Tang Dynasty, there were great disturbances in the region. As a result, he lost his parents, and he was poor. During Wu (one of the successor states of Tang after Tang fell, which ruled over, inter alia, Zhou's home city of Guangling and had Guangling as its capital), Zhou came to serve under the general Xu Zhigao, an adoptive son of Xu Wen, Wu's regent, as Xu Zhigao's supply officer. Zhou was said to be particularly appropriate in protocols and wording, and served Xu Zhigao well, thus causing Xu Zhigao to greatly favor him.

When Xu Wen died in 927 at Jinling, Zhou was at Jinling. Xu Zhigao's younger brother (Xu Wen's then-oldest-surviving biological son) Xu Zhixun — who was then in a power struggle with Xu Zhigao over who would effectively succeed Xu Wen as Wu's paramount regent — told Zhou to inform Xu Zhigao, who was then in Guangling serving as junior regent over the regime of Wu's king (but who would soon thereafter declare himself emperor, following Xu Wen's final petition before death that he does so) Yang Pu, that there was no need for him to attend the funeral proceedings and that it was more important for him to pay attention to the affairs of the state. Zhou insisted that Xu Zhixun write this down in a letter, so Xu Zhixun did so. When Xu Wen's other biological sons were displeased that Xu Zhigao did not attend the funeral, Zhou showed the letter to them, and Xu Zhixun was unable to argue against what he himself had written.

After Xu Wen's death, the power over the Wu realm effectively became divided between Xu Zhigao and Xu Zhixun, with Xu Zhigao in control of the imperial government at Guangling, but Xu Zhixun in control of the large army that Xu Wen had commanded at Jinling. Given Xu Zhixun's military strength, Xu Zhigao feared him, but Xu Zhixun's arrogance alienated his younger brothers. Meanwhile, Xu Zhixun was not curbing his actions properly; for example, when Qian Liu, the king of Wu's neighbor Wuyue, sent Xu Zhixun gifts of vessels and saddles adorn with dragons and phoenixes — which only the sovereign could use — Xu Zhixun used them, making no attempts to avoid making them into a display. His close associate Zhou Tingwang (周廷望) persuaded him to let Zhou Tingwang take large amounts of wealth to Guangling to try to use them to bribe other high level officials to turn from Xu Zhigao and toward him, but when Zhou arrived at Guangling, Zhou Tingwang, who was friendly with Zhou Zong, secretly pledged allegiance to Xu Zhigao through Zhou Zong, and informed Xu Zhixun's actions to Xu Zhigao — but then, when he returned to Jinling, also informed Xu Zhigao's actions to Xu Zhixun, trying to play both sides. Zhou Zong told Zhou Tingwang to inform Xu Zhixun that he had been accused of seven major crimes and should go to the capital to defend himself. Xu Zhixun believed Zhou Tingwang, and therefore went to Guangling. Once he arrived there, Xu Zhigao detained him and did not allow him to return to Jinling, sending the officer Ke Hou (柯厚) to lead the Jinling forces back to Guangling, thus consolidating the command under Xu Zhigao himself.

In 933, by which time Xu Zhigao himself had his headquarters at Jinling with his son Xu Jingtong serving as junior regent at Guangling, Xu Zhigao's chief strategist Song Qiqiu, who was then a chancellor, suggested that the Wu capital be moved from Guangling to Jinling. Xu Zhigao thus began palace construction projects at Jinling. However, the project to move the capital was not popular with the people, and Zhou Zong pointed out to Xu Zhigao that if he moved the imperial government from Guangling to Jinling, then, because of Guangling's importance, he would have to move his own headquarters from Jinling to Guangling, effectively doubling the expense of the movement. The project was therefore cancelled.

Meanwhile, Xu Zhigao had long considered seizing the Wu throne for himself, but because Yang was known for carefulness, he did not want to take the potentially unpopular action of seizing the throne from him, and therefore wanted to wait until after Yang's reign — a course of action that Song agreed with. However, one day, in Zhou's presence, Xu Zhigao was plucking white facial hair from his face and stating, "The state is secure, but I am getting old." Zhou, who was then serving as the operations officer for Xu Zhigao's headquarters, realized that Xu Zhigao had the intent of taking the throne, and therefore volunteered to head to Guangling to hint to Yang to yield the throne and to inform Song. Xu Zhigao agreed — without first consulting with Song. When Zhou informed this to Yang and Song, Song became jealous of Zhou's doing so, and therefore not only opposed the action but further requested that Zhou be put to death, as an apology to Yang. Xu Zhigao, not wanting to turn against Song's suggestions at this point, while not putting Zhou to death, demoted him out of the headquarters to serve as the deputy military prefect of Chi Prefecture (池州, in modern Chizhou, Anhui). However, later, Xu Zhigao's other officers Li Jianxun and Xu Jie (徐玠) came to opine the same way as Zhou did, and therefore Xu Zhigao recalled Zhou back to headquarters to again serve as operations officer, while beginning to distance himself from Song. In 937, when, as part of the preparation for the transition, Yang created Xu Zhigao the Prince of Qi and Xu Zhigao began to build a government on the scale of the imperial government, he commissioned Zhou Zong and Zhou Tingyu (周廷玉) to serve as his chiefs of staff (內樞使, Neishushi) (analogous to the Shumishi positions of the other states at the time, but not using the character mi (密) to observe naming taboo for Wu's founder Yang Xingmi).

During Southern Tang

During Emperor Liezus reign

Zhou Zong continued to serve as Neishushi after Yang formally yielded the throne to Xu Zhigao (who then changed his name to Li Bian, as his original family name was Li) later in 937, ending Wu and starting Southern Tang as its Emperor Liezu. It was said that Emperor Liezu often held feasts for Zhou, treatment that other officials and generals did not receive except for Song Qiqiu and Ma Renyu (馬仁裕). Despite this display of imperial favor, Zhou was said to be careful in his actions, living frugally and not using much of what Emperor Liezu awarded him, thus not allowing Song (who continued to bear grudges against him due to his first suggesting to Emperor Liezu of taking the throne) and his partisans to have any chance to accuse him of improprieties. At some point, he was apparently made the military governor (Jiedushi) of Fenghua Circuit (奉化, headquartered in modern Jiujiang, Jiangxi).

During Emperor Yuanzongs reign

In 943, Emperor Liezu died, and was succeeded by his son Li Jing (i.e., Xu Jingtong) the Prince of Qi (as Emperor Yuanzong). Wanting to use the reputations of Song Qiqiu and Zhou Zong, as his father's senior advisors, to enhance his own reign, he recalled Song (who was then the military governor of Zhennan Circuit (鎮南, headquartered in modern Nanchang, Jiangxi) and Zhou from their military governor posts, to both serve as chancellors — in Zhou's case, Zhou was given the title of Shizhong (侍中), the head of the examination bureau of government (門下省, Menxia Sheng). It was said that, by this point, in his old age, Zhou was careful, and Emperor Yuanzong respected him greatly. However, Song and his partisans were still resentful of Zhou and wanted to destroy Zhou. When a weeping Zhou informed Emperor Yuanzong about this, Emperor Yuanzong lost some of his respect for Song. He sent Song to Zhenhai Circuit (鎮海, headquartered in modern Zhenjiang, Jiangsu), and then approved Song's petition for retirement.

In 944, Emperor Yuanzong made Zhou the military governor of Zhennan. One of Zhou's staff members was a long-time staffer named Yu Wenzhen (俞文貞), who had also served on Emperor Liezu's staff early in Emperor Liezu's career as a Wu official and when both Zhou and Ma Renyu were low-level officers. When the staff members welcomed Zhou to the post, Yu made the abrupt remark of, "How is Chief Ma doing?" (referring to Ma by his previously low rank). Zhou responded, "Chancellor Ma is currently defending Lu Prefecture in modern Hefei, Anhui))." Yu just looked at his fellow staff members and smiled. On a subsequent day, when Zhou held a feast for his staff members, when Zhou was offering wine to the staff members, Yu took his hand and then stated, "Lord Chancellor, you know that your subordinate does not drink much." Yu's overly familiar actions took the other staff members by surprise, but Zhou was not dismayed, and it was said that this showed Zhou's tolerance.

Zhou was subsequently made the military governor of Ningguo Circuit (寧國, headquartered in modern Xuancheng, Anhui). In 950, Emperor Yuanzong made him the defender of the eastern capital Jiangdu (i.e., Guangling, with the imperial capital then at Jinling). He later requested retirement due to old age, and was allowed to retire with the title of Situ (司徒, one of the Three Excellencies). When Feng Yanlu, who succeeded Zhou as Jiangdu's defender, subsequently was captured by Later Zhou forces in the Later Zhou invasion in 956, the people came to regard Zhou as being fortunate. He died shortly after, in his 70s. Despite their prior animosity, Song mourned him bitterly, touching his coffin and stating, "Sir, you are of great wisdom. You came at the right time, and left at the right time." His two daughters (Zhou Ehuang and another whose name is lost to history, both by his second wife) later successively became empresses during the reign of Emperor Yuanzong's son Li Yu.

Notes and references

Sources

• vol. 21.

• vols. 276, 279, 281, 283, 289.

吳國年間

周宗出生的日子于史不詳，僅知其享年七十餘歲，且去世時正值後周伐南唐，這次討伐從保大十四年（956年）開始直至交泰元年（958年）南唐投降後周稱臣，為周宗的生年劃定了一個範圍。周宗為廣陵漣水人氏。唐朝末年，當地大亂，周宗年幼失去雙親且貧窮。唐亡後，廣陵城地區為吳國主要控制，且吳以廣陵為治所，期間，周宗效力吳國攝政徐溫養子將領徐知誥為給使。他擅長擯相和辭令，被署為牙吏，出使四方稱職而端敏，徐知誥因此很喜歡他，遂為徐知誥心腹。

順義七年（927年），徐溫薨于金陵時，周宗也在金陵。徐溫最年長的在世親生兒子、徐知誥的養弟徐知詢正在為實際繼承徐溫的吳國至高攝政地位與徐知誥爭權，叫周宗通知當時在廣陵為吳王楊溥（此後不久即從徐溫遺表稱帝）少攝政的徐知誥：處理政務更重要，不需要前來奔喪。周宗猜到這並非徐知詢本意，堅持徐知詢把這個意向寫成手札，徐知詢以無暇相辭，周宗就從衣袖裡拿出筆，從左右那裡取來紙，求徐知詢寫手札，徐知詢只得寫了。當徐溫的其他親子為徐知誥不來奔喪而責怪他時，周宗將徐知詢寫的手札給他們看，徐知詢語塞。

徐溫死後，徐知誥在廣陵控制朝政，但徐知詢控制徐溫先前在金陵統領的大軍。徐知誥畏懼徐知詢的軍勢，但徐知詢傲慢疏遠兄弟，又行為不檢，如鄰國吳越國國王錢鏐送給他裝飾有龍鳳的金玉鞍勒、器皿，都是君主用物，他卻不以為嫌而用之。徐知詢的近臣典客周廷望說服他派自己帶著大量財物去廣陵意圖賄賂其他高官背離徐知誥倒向徐知詢，但到廣陵後，卻仗著與周宗的交情秘密通過周宗表達效忠徐知誥，回到金陵後又將徐知誥的動向通知徐知詢，意圖兩邊搖擺。周宗又讓周廷望通知徐知詢其被彈劾七大不臣之罪，應該入京自辯。徐知詢相信周廷望，前去廣陵，一到就被徐知誥留為統軍，而派右雄武都指揮使柯厚將金陵軍帶回廣陵，親自統領。

徐知誥後告老回金陵，為鎮海、寧國節度使，以金陵為治所，以子司徒同平章事知中外左右諸軍事徐景通在廣陵為少攝政。大和五年（933年），徐知誥的謀士右僕射兼中書侍郎同平章事兼內樞使（同其他政權的樞密使，但為避吳國奠基人楊行密諱，官職不用「密」字）宋齊丘建議將吳都遷到金陵。徐知誥因而開始在金陵營建宮城。但吳人多不願遷都，時任都押牙的周宗對徐知誥指出一旦朝廷被從廣陵遷到金陵，以廣陵的重要性，他還需要把自己的治所從金陵遷到廣陵，實際上勞費是雙倍的，也違背眾心。于是遷都事罷。周宗從此漸漸參與密議，宋齊丘漸漸忌恨他。

同時，徐知誥長期想篡吳自立，但楊溥並無失德，他擔心眾心不悅，想等楊溥死後再行之，宋齊丘也以為然。但有一天，徐知誥卻照著鏡子用鑷子除去臉上的白髭鬚，看著周宗嘆道：「國家安了，我卻老了，奈何？」周宗知其有奪位之意，主動請求去廣陵暗示楊溥禪位並告知宋齊丘。徐知誥同意了，卻沒有先諮詢宋齊丘。周宗向楊溥和宋齊丘傳達意思後，宋齊丘嫉妒周宗比自己先行一步，留周宗夜間飲酒，自己遣使騎馬奔金陵，以天時人事為由手書切諫反對徐知誥受禪，數天后更親自前往請斬周宗以謝楊溥。徐知誥以為天時人事果然不利于篡位，害怕了，想殺周宗，在馬仁裕、行軍司馬徐玠堅持下才將周宗黜為池州副使了事。後來徐知誥的其他屬官節度副使李建勛和徐玠也陳說徐知誥功業，建議其早從民望登基，于是徐知誥又召回周宗複任都押牙，更從此疏遠宋齊丘。徐知誥又對周宗說夢見被人引劍斷頸，周宗馬上下階拜賀稱這是當策立了。天祚三年（937年）正月，作為禪位的前序，楊溥封徐知誥為齊王，徐知誥開始以朝廷規格置屬官，任周宗和周廷玉為內樞使。

南唐年間

烈祖年間

徐知誥改名徐誥。十月，楊溥正式禪位徐誥，徐誥改名李昪，結束吳國，建立南唐，為烈祖皇帝。周宗仍任內樞使，進同平章事，遷侍中。烈祖常為周宗、宋齊丘、馬仁裕設宴，其他將相無此待遇，烈祖又尤其親厚周宗，不甚讓他處理政務。儘管蒙受聖寵，周宗行為謹慎，生活儉樸，烈祖賞賜之物多不用，使得依然為他先勸進烈祖奪位而懷恨的宋齊丘及其黨羽找不到機會彈劾他的過錯。然而周宗資產巨億卻愈發吝嗇，為論者所鄙。昇元四年（940年）四月，出為奉化軍節度使。

元宗年間

昇元七年（943年）二月，烈祖崩，子齊王李璟（即徐景通）直到三月還不肯繼位，推讓于諸弟。周宗手取袞冕衣對他說：「大行皇帝付陛下神器之重，陛下豈能固守小節。」齊王于是繼位，即元宗皇帝。因宋齊丘、周宗為先父勛舊，為了順應人望，他召回時任鎮南軍節度使的宋齊丘和周宗，分別任為左右丞相，以周宗為侍中。周宗年老，恭謹自守，元宗很尊敬他。而宋齊丘及其黨羽仍然懷恨，意圖毀謗他。一次周宗對元宗哭訴此事，元宗便薄待宋齊丘，最後出宋齊丘為鎮海軍節度使，並准其歸隱之請。

保大二年（944年）正月，元宗罷周宗為鎮南軍節度使。其部下九江巡官俞文貞早在烈祖為吳官員時即在其幕府，其時周宗和馬仁裕都還是小官，為他屬下。幕僚們歡迎周宗履職時，俞文貞突然越次，以馬仁裕先前的低級官職相問：「馬押牙無恙？」周宗笑答：「馬相公已鎮廬州。」俞文貞看看同僚，笑而退。後又有一天，周宗設宴勸酒，俞文貞挽其手說：「令公知道下官不能多飲。」滿座都為俞文貞此舉愕然，但周宗不怪罪他，寬厚如此。

周宗後被任為寧國軍節度使，入覲，獲賜宴，元宗親自為他整理襆頭，以表殊禮。保大八年（950年），元宗任他為東都江都（即廣陵，京城當時在金陵）留守。他後告老，雖初不獲准，但最終仍獲准以司徒致仕。而當繼任東都留守馮延魯隨後于十四年（956年）被入侵的後周軍所俘時，時人認為周宗有福。不久，周宗以七十餘歲的年齡去世。宋齊丘不顧先前敵意，撫摸著他的棺材哭道：「君真是太聰明了，來也得時，去也得時！」元宗聞之，不平。周宗繼室所生的兩個女兒周娥皇和名字失載于史的小周后都有國色，在元宗子李煜年間相繼成為皇后。

注釋及參考文獻