Shi Zun - Before and During Shi Hu's Reign

Before and During Shi Hu's Reign

Shi Zun was a son of Shi Hu and his (then-)favorite, Zheng Yingtao, who also bore Shi Hu his oldest son, Shi Sui (石邃). After Shi Hu seized power after the death of his uncle and Later Zhao's founding emperor Shi Le in 333, he forced the new emperor Shi Hong to create him the Prince of Wei and all of his sons princes—and it was this time that Shi Zun was created the Prince of Qi. Shi Hu would seize the throne in 334, and after he declared himself "Heavenly Prince" (Tian Wang) in 337, he changed the ranks of all of his sons except Shi Sui to dukes, and so Shi Zun became the Duke of Pengcheng. His mother Princess Zheng was created empress, while his older brother Shi Sui was created crown prince. Later in 337, however, Shi Sui would be executed for plotting their father's death, and Empress Zheng was also demoted in rank to Duchess Dowager of Donghai.

During most of Shi Hu's reign, Shi Zun apparently served as a general. In 348, after Shi Hu executed his second crown prince, Shi Xuan (石宣) for having assassinated his brother Shi Tao (石韜), he considered whom to make crown prince. The official Zhang Ju (張舉) recommended two of Shi Hu's son—Shi Zun, whom he praised for having literary abilities and virtues, and Shi Bin (石斌) the Duke of Yan, whom he praised for knowing military strategies. However, based on Zhang Chai (張豺)'s recommendation, Shi Hu created his youngest son Shi Shi crown prince instead.