Doulu Zhuan
Encyclopedia
Doulu Zhuan (died January 24, 881), courtesy name Xizhen (希真), was an official of the Chinese
dynasty Tang Dynasty
, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Xizong
. When the agrarian rebel Huang Chao
captured the Tang capital Chang'an
, Doulu was unable to flee; he was then executed by Huang's new state of Qi.
, from the Hedong (河東) region — i.e., modern Shanxi
— but, according to the New Book of Tang
, from Henan Municipality (河南) — i.e., the region of the Tang Dynasty
eastern capital Luoyang
. All that was recorded about his ancestry was that his grandfather Doulu Yuan (豆盧願) and father Doulu Ji (豆盧籍) passed the imperial examination
s in the Jinshi class, as the table of the chancellors' family trees in the New Book of Tang did not include his family, as it only listed, among the Doulus, the earlier chancellor Doulu Qinwang
, and did not indicate that there was any relations between Doulu Qinwang and Doulu Zhuan.
, during the reign of Emperor Xuānzong
. Little was said in his biographies about his subsequent career, however, until the end of the Xiantong era (860
-874
) of Emperor Xuānzong's son and successor Emperor Yizong
, when he became Bingbu Yuanwailang (兵部員外郎), a low-level official at the ministry of defense (兵部, Bingbu). He thereafter served as Hubu Langzhong (戶部郎中), a supervisory official at the ministry of census (戶部, Hubu), and was put in charge of drafting edicts. He thereafter was made an imperial scholar (翰林學士, Hanlin Xueshi) and Zhongshu Sheren (中書舍人), a mid-level official at the legislative bureau of government (中書省, Zhongshu Sheng). During the Qianfu era (874
-879
) of Emperor Yizong's son and successor Emperor Xizong
, he was made deputy minister of census (戶部侍郎, Hubu Shilang) and chief imperial scholar (翰林學士承旨, Hanlin Xueshi Chengzhi).
, when Emperor Xizong decided to remove the chancellors Zheng Tian
and Lu Xi
over a violent argument that Zheng and Lu had with each other, both Doulu Zhuan and Cui Hang
were made chancellors to succeed Zheng and Lu, with the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事). After Lu was restored to the chancellorship in 879
, though, Lu was clearly the leader among the chancellors, and Doulu was described as simply following Lu's lead on policies. Further, when Cui would have policy suggestions, Doulu often stopped him from presenting them.
By this point, Tang was facing the increasing threat of the agrarian rebel Huang Chao
. By late 880
, Huang had crossed Huai River
from the south and was heading toward Luoyang and Chang'an. Prior to Huang's doing so, Doulu had suggested agreeing to an offer Huang had made — that he be given the military governorship (Jiedushi
) of his home territory, Tianping Circuit (天平, headquartered in modern Tai'an
, Shandong
) — and then, once Huang went to Tianping to take over the circuit, attack him there. Lu opposed this proposal, however, believing that the Tang forces at Huai River would be sufficient to stop Huang's advance, and Emperor Xizong agreed with Lu. Instead, though, Tang forces were repeatedly defeated by Huang, who then captured Luoyang.
Doulu and Cui suggested sending forces to defend Tong Pass to stop Huang's advance toward Chang'an, but both of them were also suggesting that the contingency plan made by the powerful eunuch Tian Lingzi
— that Emperor Xizong flee to the Sanchuan region (三川, i.e., modern Sichuan
, Chongqing
, and southern Shaanxi
) be implemented. After Huang captured Tong Pass and approached Chang'an, Emperor Xizong fled toward Xichuan Circuit (西川, headquartered in modern Chengdu
, Sichuan
), where Tian's brother Chen Jingxuan
was military governor. Doulu and Cui, for reasons unknown, were unable to follow Emperor Xizong's flight, and they, along with the former chancellor Liu Ye
, hid at the mansion of the general Zhang Zhifang
, who had outwardly submitted to Huang (who declared himself the emperor of a new state of Qi) upon Huang's entry into Chang'an but was hiding many Tang officials at his mansion. As Qi forces sought to find hiding Tang officials, however, Liu, Doulu, and Cui tried to flee, but were captured. Refusing to submit to Huang, they were executed. Doulu Zhuan's son Doulu Ge later served as a chancellor during the succeeding Later Tang Dynasty
.
History of China
Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...
dynasty Tang Dynasty
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Xizong
Emperor Xizong of Tang
Emperor Xizong of Tang , né Li Yan , later name changed to Li Xuan , was an emperor of the Tang dynasty of China. He reigned from 873 to 888. He was the fifth son of his predecessor Emperor Yizong and was the elder brother of his successor Emperor Zhaozong...
. When the agrarian rebel Huang Chao
Huang Chao
Huang Chao was the leader of the Huang Chao Rebellion , known in mainland China as the Huang Chao Revolution in China that seriously weakened the once mighty Tang Dynasty of China...
captured the Tang capital Chang'an
Chang'an
Chang'an is an ancient capital of more than ten dynasties in Chinese history, today known as Xi'an. Chang'an literally means "Perpetual Peace" in Classical Chinese. During the short-lived Xin Dynasty, the city was renamed "Constant Peace" ; yet after its fall in AD 23, the old name was restored...
, Doulu was unable to flee; he was then executed by Huang's new state of Qi.
Background
It is not known when Doulu Zhuan was born. His family was, according to the Book of TangBook of Tang
The Book of Tang , Jiu Tangshu or the Old Book of Tang is the first classic work about the Tang Dynasty. The book began when Gaozu of Later Jin ordered its commencement in 941...
, from the Hedong (河東) region — i.e., modern Shanxi
Shanxi
' is a province in Northern China. Its one-character abbreviation is "晋" , after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period....
— but, according to the New Book of Tang
New Book of Tang
The New Book of Tang , is a classic work of history about the Tang Dynasty edited by Ouyang Xiu and Song Qi and other official scholars of the Song Dynasty. The emperor called for a revision of the former Book of Tang in 1044. The New Book was presented to the throne in 1060. It was given its...
, from Henan Municipality (河南) — i.e., the region of the Tang Dynasty
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
eastern capital Luoyang
Luoyang
Luoyang is a prefecture-level city in western Henan province of Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the east, Pingdingshan to the southeast, Nanyang to the south, Sanmenxia to the west, Jiyuan to the north, and Jiaozuo to the northeast.Situated on the central plain of...
. All that was recorded about his ancestry was that his grandfather Doulu Yuan (豆盧願) and father Doulu Ji (豆盧籍) passed the imperial examination
Imperial examination
The Imperial examination was an examination system in Imperial China designed to select the best administrative officials for the state's bureaucracy. This system had a huge influence on both society and culture in Imperial China and was directly responsible for the creation of a class of...
s in the Jinshi class, as the table of the chancellors' family trees in the New Book of Tang did not include his family, as it only listed, among the Doulus, the earlier chancellor Doulu Qinwang
Doulu Qinwang
Doulu Qinwang , né Lu Qinwang , formally Duke Yuan of Rui , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty and Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty, serving several terms as chancellor during the reigns of Wu Zetian and her son Emperor Zhongzong.- Background :Doulu Qinwang might have been born in 630,...
, and did not indicate that there was any relations between Doulu Qinwang and Doulu Zhuan.
Career prior to chancellorship
Doulu Zhuan passed the imperial examinations in the Jinshi class himself in 859859
Year 859 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* January 15 – Battle of Saint-Quentin, Aisne: Humfrid defeats Louis the German....
, during the reign of Emperor Xuānzong
Emperor Xuanzong of Tang
Emperor Xuanzong of Tang , also commonly known as Emperor Ming of Tang , personal name Li Longji , known as Wu Longji from 690 to 705, was the seventh emperor of the Tang dynasty in China, reigning from 712 to 756. His reign of 43 years was the longest during the Tang Dynasty...
. Little was said in his biographies about his subsequent career, however, until the end of the Xiantong era (860
860
Year 860 was a leap year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Ethelbert succeeds as king of Wessex.* The later Harald I of Norway becomes king.- Art :...
-874
874
Year 874 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Ingólfur Arnarson arrives as the first permanent Viking settler in Iceland, settling in Reykjavík ....
) of Emperor Xuānzong's son and successor Emperor Yizong
Emperor Yizong of Tang
Emperor Yizong of Tang , né Li Wen , later changed to Li Cui , was an emperor of the Tang dynasty of China. He reigned from 859 to 873. Yizong was the eldest son of Emperor Xuānzong...
, when he became Bingbu Yuanwailang (兵部員外郎), a low-level official at the ministry of defense (兵部, Bingbu). He thereafter served as Hubu Langzhong (戶部郎中), a supervisory official at the ministry of census (戶部, Hubu), and was put in charge of drafting edicts. He thereafter was made an imperial scholar (翰林學士, Hanlin Xueshi) and Zhongshu Sheren (中書舍人), a mid-level official at the legislative bureau of government (中書省, Zhongshu Sheng). During the Qianfu era (874
874
Year 874 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Ingólfur Arnarson arrives as the first permanent Viking settler in Iceland, settling in Reykjavík ....
-879
879
Year 879 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Pope John VIII recognizes the Duchy of Croatia as an independent state....
) of Emperor Yizong's son and successor Emperor Xizong
Emperor Xizong of Tang
Emperor Xizong of Tang , né Li Yan , later name changed to Li Xuan , was an emperor of the Tang dynasty of China. He reigned from 873 to 888. He was the fifth son of his predecessor Emperor Yizong and was the elder brother of his successor Emperor Zhaozong...
, he was made deputy minister of census (戶部侍郎, Hubu Shilang) and chief imperial scholar (翰林學士承旨, Hanlin Xueshi Chengzhi).
Chancellorship
In 878878
Year 878 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :...
, when Emperor Xizong decided to remove the chancellors Zheng Tian
Zheng Tian
Zheng Tian , courtesy name Taiwen , formally Duke Wenzhao of Xingyang , was a chancellor of late Tang Dynasty, serving two terms as chancellor during the reign of Emperor Xizong...
and Lu Xi
Lu Xi
Lu Xi , courtesy name Zisheng , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving two terms as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Xizong...
over a violent argument that Zheng and Lu had with each other, both Doulu Zhuan and Cui Hang
Cui Hang
Cui Hang , courtesy name Neirong , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Xizong. When the agrarian rebel Huang Chao captured the Tang capital Chang'an, Cui was unable to flee; he was then executed by Huang's new state of Qi.-...
were made chancellors to succeed Zheng and Lu, with the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事). After Lu was restored to the chancellorship in 879
879
Year 879 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Pope John VIII recognizes the Duchy of Croatia as an independent state....
, though, Lu was clearly the leader among the chancellors, and Doulu was described as simply following Lu's lead on policies. Further, when Cui would have policy suggestions, Doulu often stopped him from presenting them.
By this point, Tang was facing the increasing threat of the agrarian rebel Huang Chao
Huang Chao
Huang Chao was the leader of the Huang Chao Rebellion , known in mainland China as the Huang Chao Revolution in China that seriously weakened the once mighty Tang Dynasty of China...
. By late 880
880
Year 880 was a leap year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar.- Religion :* Pope John VIII issues the bull Industriae Tuae, creating an independent ecclesiastical province in Great Moravia with Archbishop Saint Methodius as its head...
, Huang had crossed Huai River
Huai River
The Huai River is a major river in China. The Huai River is located about mid-way between the Yellow River and Yangtze River, the two largest rivers in China, and like them runs from west to east...
from the south and was heading toward Luoyang and Chang'an. Prior to Huang's doing so, Doulu had suggested agreeing to an offer Huang had made — that he be given the military governorship (Jiedushi
Jiedushi
The Jiedushi were regional military governors in China during the Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. Originally set up to counter external threats, the jiedushi were given enormous power, including the ability to maintain their own armies, collect taxes, and pass their...
) of his home territory, Tianping Circuit (天平, headquartered in modern Tai'an
Tai'an
Tai'an is a prefecture-level city in western Shandong province, People's Republic of China.Centered around Mount Tai, the city borders the provincial capital of Jinan to the north, Laiwu to the northeast, Zibo to the east, Linyi to the southeast, Liaocheng to the extreme west and Jining to the south...
, Shandong
Shandong
' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...
) — and then, once Huang went to Tianping to take over the circuit, attack him there. Lu opposed this proposal, however, believing that the Tang forces at Huai River would be sufficient to stop Huang's advance, and Emperor Xizong agreed with Lu. Instead, though, Tang forces were repeatedly defeated by Huang, who then captured Luoyang.
Doulu and Cui suggested sending forces to defend Tong Pass to stop Huang's advance toward Chang'an, but both of them were also suggesting that the contingency plan made by the powerful eunuch Tian Lingzi
Tian Lingzi
Tian Lingzi , courtesy name Zhongze , formally the Duke of Jin , was a powerful eunuch during the reign of Emperor Xizong of Tang...
— that Emperor Xizong flee to the Sanchuan region (三川, i.e., modern Sichuan
Sichuan
' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
, Chongqing
Chongqing
Chongqing is a major city in Southwest China and one of the five national central cities of China. Administratively, it is one of the PRC's four direct-controlled municipalities , and the only such municipality in inland China.The municipality was created on 14 March 1997, succeeding the...
, and southern Shaanxi
Shaanxi
' is a province in the central part of Mainland China, and it includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River in addition to the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of this province...
) be implemented. After Huang captured Tong Pass and approached Chang'an, Emperor Xizong fled toward Xichuan Circuit (西川, headquartered in modern Chengdu
Chengdu
Chengdu , formerly transliterated Chengtu, is the capital of Sichuan province in Southwest China. It holds sub-provincial administrative status...
, Sichuan
Sichuan
' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
), where Tian's brother Chen Jingxuan
Chen Jingxuan
Chen Jingxuan was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who came to control Xichuan Circuit Chen Jingxuan (陳敬瑄) (d. April 26, 893) was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who came to control Xichuan Circuit Chen Jingxuan (陳敬瑄) (d. April 26, 893) was a general of the Chinese...
was military governor. Doulu and Cui, for reasons unknown, were unable to follow Emperor Xizong's flight, and they, along with the former chancellor Liu Ye
Liu Ye (Tang Dynasty)
Liu Ye , courtesy name Hanfan , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Yizong and Emperor Yizong's son Emperor Xizong.- Background :...
, hid at the mansion of the general Zhang Zhifang
Zhang Zhifang
Zhang Zhifang was a general of the Chinese dynasty. Succeeding his father Zhang Zhongwu, he briefly ruled Lulong Circuit as its military governor in de facto independence from the imperial government, but fearing a mutiny, he fled to the imperial capital Chang'an and thereafter served as an...
, who had outwardly submitted to Huang (who declared himself the emperor of a new state of Qi) upon Huang's entry into Chang'an but was hiding many Tang officials at his mansion. As Qi forces sought to find hiding Tang officials, however, Liu, Doulu, and Cui tried to flee, but were captured. Refusing to submit to Huang, they were executed. Doulu Zhuan's son Doulu Ge later served as a chancellor during the succeeding Later Tang Dynasty
Later Tang Dynasty
The Later Tang Dynasty was a short-lived dynasty that lasted from 923 to 937 one of the five dynasties during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was also the first in a series of three dynasties ruled by the Shatuo Turks...
.