Li Jingxuan
Encyclopedia
Li Jingxuan (615–682), formally Duke Wenxian of Zhao (趙文憲公), was an official of the Chinese
dynasty Tang Dynasty
, serving as chancellor during the reign of Emperor Gaozong
. He was famed for his knack of organizing the civil service system efficiently, but his downfall began in 678, when he, over his objection, was put in command of an army against Tufan and was defeated. He was removed from his post soon thereafter, and while he would return to imperial service, he would never regain the power he had.
. His family was from what would become Bo Prefecture (亳州, roughly modern Bozhou
, Anhui
). His father Li Xiaojie (李孝節) served as the secretary general of Gu Prefecture (穀州, part of modern Luoyang
, Henan
) during Sui's succeeding dynasty Tang Dynasty
.
Li Jingxuan was said to be studious in his youth, and was particularly well-studied in various traditional ceremonies. Late in the reign of Emperor Taizong
, the chancellor Ma Zhou
, knowing Li Jingxuan's talent, recommended him to be a resident scholar to study with Emperor Taizong's crown prince
Li Zhi
. He was allowed to study books in the imperial collection of books. It was said that Li Jingxuan appeared stern and arrogant, but was diligent in his duties. Both Ma and another official, Xu Jingzong
, endorsed Li Jingxuan for his abilities.
and acting deputy minister of civil service. He also received the designation of Tong Dong Xi Tai Sanpin (同東西臺三品), making him a chancellor de facto. He would serve as a chancellor for a decade, with his service only interrupted by his observance of a parent's (unclear which one) death in 670.
It was said that one of Li's assistants, Zhang Renhui (張仁褘), was capable, and Li entrusted him to draft civil service regulations and forms, which Zhang did with skill. Zhang, however, overworked himself and died early from exhaustion. Li adopted the regulations and forms that Zhang drafted, and was able to make the civil service system more efficient than before, and it was said that since the start of Emperor Gaozong's reign, many officials had been in charge of civil service, but few were good at their duties, with Li being an exception and praised for his abilities. The reserve officials who visit Chang'an to request positions number in the thousands each year, and it was said that Li was capable of remembering their names and their strengths and weaknesses. The people were impressed with his memory and did not dare to deceive him. One particular example cited in by historians was one Xu Taixuan (徐太玄). Xu had, while serving as a prefectural official, encountered the situation where his colleague Zhang Hui (張惠) was due to be executed for receiving bribes. Xu knew that Zhang had an old mother, and therefore told the investigator that some of the bribes were his -- thus decreasing the amount that Zhang was responsible for and causing him to be spared from death, but because of this, Xu was stuck at his position and not promoted for more than a decade. Li found out about this and was impressed with Xu's character, and so promoted him, earning Li praise for being a good judge of character when Xu eventually served with distinction. In 675, Li was formally made the minister of civil service and continued to serve as chancellor as well. In 676, Li was made Zhongshu Ling (中書令) -- the head of the legislative bureau, which by this time was renamed Zhongshu Sheng (中書省) -- a post considered one for a chancellor. Emperor Gaozong also created him the Duke of Zhao.
Li, having been in charge of civil service for a long time, had many people trying to endear themselves to him. All three of his marriages were to daughters of prominent clans, and he was recognized by another prominent clan, the Li clan of the former Zhao Commandery, as a member. Because of this, he began to favor the prominent clans in his selections, drawing displeasure from Emperor Gaozong, but Emperor Gaozong did not outwardly disapprove. However, in 678, his discordant relationship with another chancellor, Liu Rengui
, would eventually begin his downfall. Liu, who had been a major general before becoming chancellor, had been sent to Taohe Base (洮河軍, in modern Haidong Prefecture
, Qinghai
) to defend against Tufan attacks and to plan a counterattack, but suggestions that he submitted from Taohe were often blocked by Li. To retaliate, Liu, while knowing that Li had no military talent, nevertheless submitted a proposal to Emperor Gaozong that stated that Li would make the best possible general for the coming military action against Tufan, and when Li declined, Emperor Gaozong responded, "If Liu Rengui told me to go, I would go; how can you not go?" Emperor Gaozong had Li take over Liu's post at Taohe. In fall 678, Li's forces engaged those of the Tufan general Lun Qinling (論欽陵) and suffered a great defeat, and even Li's deputy Liu Shenli (劉審禮) was captured by Tufan forces. Li himself might have been captured if not for a disruptive counterattack that the general Heichi Changzhi launched to disrupt the Tufan pursuit, and Li was able to withdraw back to Taohe.
After returning to Taohe, Li made repeated requests to return to Chang'an, claiming that he was ill and needed treatment. In 680, Emperor Gaozong recalled him to Chang'an, but found out that not only was Li not ill, but that Li, upon returning to Chang'an, immediately went to the legislative bureau to resume his duties. Emperor Gaozong was incensed, and demoted him to the post of prefect of Heng Prefecture (near modern Hengyang
in Hunan
). After some time, he was promoted slightly to be the secretary general to the commandant at Yang Prefecture (揚州, roughly modern Yangzhou
, Jiangsu
). He died in 682 and was posthumously honored, including with the honorable posthumous name
of Wenxian (文憲, meaning "civil and knowledgeable"). His brother Li Yuansu
later served as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Gaozong's wife Wu Zetian
.
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 chancellor during the reign of Emperor Gaozong
Emperor Gaozong of Tang
Emperor Gaozong of Tang , personal name Li Zhi , was the third emperor of the Tang Dynasty in China, ruling from 649 to 683...
. He was famed for his knack of organizing the civil service system efficiently, but his downfall began in 678, when he, over his objection, was put in command of an army against Tufan and was defeated. He was removed from his post soon thereafter, and while he would return to imperial service, he would never regain the power he had.
Background
Li Jingxuan was born in 615, late in the reign of Emperor Yang of SuiEmperor Yang of Sui
Emperor Yang of Sui , personal name Yang Guang , alternative name Ying , nickname Amo , known as Emperor Ming during the brief reign of his grandson Yang Tong), was the second son of Emperor Wen of Sui, and the second emperor of China's Sui Dynasty.Emperor Yang's original name was Yang Ying, but...
. His family was from what would become Bo Prefecture (亳州, roughly modern Bozhou
Bozhou
Bozhou is a prefecture-level city in northwestern Anhui province, People's Republic of China. It borders Huaibei to the northeast, Bengbu to the southeast, Huainan to the south, Fuyang to the southwest, and the province of Henan to the north.-Administration:...
, Anhui
Anhui
Anhui is a province in the People's Republic of China. Located in eastern China across the basins of the Yangtze River and the Huai River, it borders Jiangsu to the east, Zhejiang to the southeast, Jiangxi to the south, Hubei to the southwest, Henan to the northwest, and Shandong for a tiny...
). His father Li Xiaojie (李孝節) served as the secretary general of Gu Prefecture (穀州, part of modern 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...
, Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
) during Sui's succeeding 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...
.
Li Jingxuan was said to be studious in his youth, and was particularly well-studied in various traditional ceremonies. Late in the reign of Emperor Taizong
Emperor Taizong of Tang
Emperor Taizong of Tang , personal name Lǐ Shìmín , was the second emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China, ruling from 626 to 649...
, the chancellor Ma Zhou
Ma Zhou
Ma Zhou , courtesy name Binwang , was a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Taizong of Tang. He was initially a commoner and a guest of the general Chang He , and after Chang submitted suggestions that Ma drafted, Emperor Taizong was impressed and retained Ma as an imperial official,...
, knowing Li Jingxuan's talent, recommended him to be a resident scholar to study with Emperor Taizong's crown prince
Crown Prince
A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
Li Zhi
Emperor Gaozong of Tang
Emperor Gaozong of Tang , personal name Li Zhi , was the third emperor of the Tang Dynasty in China, ruling from 649 to 683...
. He was allowed to study books in the imperial collection of books. It was said that Li Jingxuan appeared stern and arrogant, but was diligent in his duties. Both Ma and another official, Xu Jingzong
Xu Jingzong
Xu Jingzong , courtesy name Yanzu , formally Duke Gong of Gaoyang , was a chancellor of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty...
, endorsed Li Jingxuan for his abilities.
During Emperor Gaozong's reign
In 649, Emperor Taizong, and Li Zhi took the throne (as Emperor Gaozong). Li Jingxuan's activities during the earliest years of Emperor Gaozong's reign are not clear, but as of the early part of Emperor Gaozong's Qianfeng era (666-668), he was serving as a mid-level official at the legislative bureau of government (西臺, Xi Tai), as well as an imperial scholar. In 669, he was promoted to the post of Xi Tai Shilang (西臺侍郎) -- the deputy head of the legislative bureau; he also carried additional titles as a staff member for Emperor Gaozong's crown prince Li HongLi Hong
Li Hong , formally Emperor Xiaojing with the temple name of Yizong , was a crown prince of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty...
and acting deputy minister of civil service. He also received the designation of Tong Dong Xi Tai Sanpin (同東西臺三品), making him a chancellor de facto. He would serve as a chancellor for a decade, with his service only interrupted by his observance of a parent's (unclear which one) death in 670.
It was said that one of Li's assistants, Zhang Renhui (張仁褘), was capable, and Li entrusted him to draft civil service regulations and forms, which Zhang did with skill. Zhang, however, overworked himself and died early from exhaustion. Li adopted the regulations and forms that Zhang drafted, and was able to make the civil service system more efficient than before, and it was said that since the start of Emperor Gaozong's reign, many officials had been in charge of civil service, but few were good at their duties, with Li being an exception and praised for his abilities. The reserve officials who visit Chang'an to request positions number in the thousands each year, and it was said that Li was capable of remembering their names and their strengths and weaknesses. The people were impressed with his memory and did not dare to deceive him. One particular example cited in by historians was one Xu Taixuan (徐太玄). Xu had, while serving as a prefectural official, encountered the situation where his colleague Zhang Hui (張惠) was due to be executed for receiving bribes. Xu knew that Zhang had an old mother, and therefore told the investigator that some of the bribes were his -- thus decreasing the amount that Zhang was responsible for and causing him to be spared from death, but because of this, Xu was stuck at his position and not promoted for more than a decade. Li found out about this and was impressed with Xu's character, and so promoted him, earning Li praise for being a good judge of character when Xu eventually served with distinction. In 675, Li was formally made the minister of civil service and continued to serve as chancellor as well. In 676, Li was made Zhongshu Ling (中書令) -- the head of the legislative bureau, which by this time was renamed Zhongshu Sheng (中書省) -- a post considered one for a chancellor. Emperor Gaozong also created him the Duke of Zhao.
Li, having been in charge of civil service for a long time, had many people trying to endear themselves to him. All three of his marriages were to daughters of prominent clans, and he was recognized by another prominent clan, the Li clan of the former Zhao Commandery, as a member. Because of this, he began to favor the prominent clans in his selections, drawing displeasure from Emperor Gaozong, but Emperor Gaozong did not outwardly disapprove. However, in 678, his discordant relationship with another chancellor, Liu Rengui
Liu Rengui
Liu Rengui , courtesy name Zhengze , formally Duke Wenxian of Lecheng , was a general and official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as chancellor during the reign of Emperor Gaozong and the subsequent regency of his wife Wu Zetian over his sons Emperor Zhongzong and Emperor Ruizong...
, would eventually begin his downfall. Liu, who had been a major general before becoming chancellor, had been sent to Taohe Base (洮河軍, in modern Haidong Prefecture
Haidong Prefecture
Haidong Prefecture is a prefecture of Qinghai province in Western China. Its name literally means "east of the Lake."-Geography:...
, Qinghai
Qinghai
Qinghai ; Oirat Mongolian: ; ; Salar:) is a province of the People's Republic of China, named after Qinghai Lake...
) to defend against Tufan attacks and to plan a counterattack, but suggestions that he submitted from Taohe were often blocked by Li. To retaliate, Liu, while knowing that Li had no military talent, nevertheless submitted a proposal to Emperor Gaozong that stated that Li would make the best possible general for the coming military action against Tufan, and when Li declined, Emperor Gaozong responded, "If Liu Rengui told me to go, I would go; how can you not go?" Emperor Gaozong had Li take over Liu's post at Taohe. In fall 678, Li's forces engaged those of the Tufan general Lun Qinling (論欽陵) and suffered a great defeat, and even Li's deputy Liu Shenli (劉審禮) was captured by Tufan forces. Li himself might have been captured if not for a disruptive counterattack that the general Heichi Changzhi launched to disrupt the Tufan pursuit, and Li was able to withdraw back to Taohe.
After returning to Taohe, Li made repeated requests to return to Chang'an, claiming that he was ill and needed treatment. In 680, Emperor Gaozong recalled him to Chang'an, but found out that not only was Li not ill, but that Li, upon returning to Chang'an, immediately went to the legislative bureau to resume his duties. Emperor Gaozong was incensed, and demoted him to the post of prefect of Heng Prefecture (near modern Hengyang
Hengyang
Hengyang is the second largest city of China's Hunan Province. It straddles the Xiang River about 160 km south of Changsha.-History:Its former name was Hengzhou . This was the capital of a prefecture in the Tang Dynasty's Jiangnan and West Jiangnan circuits...
in Hunan
Hunan
' is a province of South-Central China, located to the south of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and south of Lake Dongting...
). After some time, he was promoted slightly to be the secretary general to the commandant at Yang Prefecture (揚州, roughly modern Yangzhou
Yangzhou
Yangzhou is a prefecture-level city in central Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China. Sitting on the northern bank of the Yangtze River, it borders the provincial capital of Nanjing to the southwest, Huai'an to the north, Yancheng to the northeast, Taizhou to the east, and Zhenjiang across...
, Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
). He died in 682 and was posthumously honored, including with the honorable posthumous name
Posthumous name
A posthumous name is an honorary name given to royalty, nobles, and sometimes others, in East Asia after the person's death, and is used almost exclusively instead of one's personal name or other official titles during his life...
of Wenxian (文憲, meaning "civil and knowledgeable"). His brother Li Yuansu
Li Yuansu
Li Yuansu was an official of Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty, serving twice as chancellor.Li Yuansu was the younger brother of Li Jingxuan, who served as chancellor during the reign of Wu Zetian's husband Emperor Gaozong of Tang. It was said that he, like Li Jingxuan, showed abilities as an official...
later served as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Gaozong's wife Wu Zetian
Wu Zetian
Wu Zetian , personal name Wu Zhao , often referred to as Tian Hou during the Tang Dynasty and Empress Consort Wu in later times, was the only woman in the history of China to assume the title of Empress Regnant...
.