Background
The biographies of Wu Yuanji in the Book of Tang and the New Book of Tang conflict as to when he was born — with the Book of Tang indicating that he was born in 783 and the New Book of Tang indicating that he was born in 793. In any case, a major part of Wu Yuanji's life would have been spent during the time when his father Wu Shaoyang served under Wu Shaocheng the military governor (Jiedushi) of Zhangyi Circuit — who was not biologically related to Wu Yuanji but who was endeared to Wu Shaoyang and treated Wu Shaoyang as a cousin. In 809, when Wu Shaocheng was seriously ill, Wu Shaoyang killed Wu Shaocheng's son Wu Yuanqing (吳元慶) and took over control of the circuit. Then-reigning Emperor Xianzong, already engaged in a campaign against another warlord, Wang Chengzong the military governor of Chengde Circuit (成德, headquartered in modern Shijiazhuang, Hebei), was unable to act against Wu Shaoyang, and thus made Wu Shaoyang acting military governor and then military governor of Zhangyi.
Wu Yuanji was Wu Shaoyang's oldest son, and he had at least two younger brothers. While Wu Shaoyang governed the circuit, Wu Yuanji was made the acting prefect of Zhangyi's capital prefecture Cai Prefecture (蔡州).
Read more about this topic: Wu Yuanji
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