Li Qiao
Encyclopedia
Li Jiao courtesy name Jushan (巨山), formally the Duke of Zhao (趙公), was an official of the Chinese
dynasty Tang Dynasty
and Wu Zetian
's Zhou Dynasty, serving as chancellor during the reigns of Wu Zetian, her sons Emperor Zhongzong
and Emperor Ruizong
, and her grandson Emperor Shang
.
, Hebei
). He came from a prominent clan, and his great-granduncle Li Yuancao (李元操) was a well-known official during Tang Dynasty
's predecessor Sui Dynasty
. His father Li Zhen'e (李鎮惡), who had served as the magistrate of Xiangcheng County (襄城, in modern Xuchang
, Henan
), died early, and it was said that Li Jiao served his mother Lady Zhang with great filial piety. His literary talent began to be known when he was young, and his reputation matched that of Su Weidao
, who was also from Zhao Prefecture. He already understood the Five Classics at age 14 and was praised by the chancellor Xue Yuanchao
. He passed the imperial examination
at age 19 and was made the sheriff of Anding County (安定, in modern Dingxi
, Gansu
). He was soon promoted to serve in the capital Chang'an
, and he, along with older colleagues Luo Binwang
and Liu Guangye (劉光業), became known for their literary talent.
Sometime during the reign of Emperor Gaozong
, Li Jiao became an imperial censor. At that time, there was a Lao (獠) rebellion in Yong (邕州, roughly modern Nanning
, Guangxi
) and Yan (巖州, roughly modern Laibin
, Guangxi
) Prefectures, and Emperor Gaozong launched an army to suppress it, with Li Jiao serving as the army's auditor. When the army reached Yong and Yan Prefectures, however, Li Jiao went to the rebel camps and persuaded the leaders to surrender, allowing the army to withdraw without a fight. He was later made imperial attendant (給事中, Geishizhong).
was reigning as "emperor" of her new Zhou Dynasty, interrupting Tang Dynasty. That year, her secret police official Lai Junchen
had falsely accused the chancellors Ren Zhigu
, Di Renjie
, and Pei Xingben
, along with other officials Cui Xuanli (崔宣禮), Lu Xian (盧獻), Wei Yuanzhong
, and Li Sizhen (李嗣真) of treason. As these officials were set for execution, Wu Zetian had Li Jiao, along with two other officials, Zhang Deyu (張德裕) and Liu Xian (劉憲), review the cases. Zhang and Liu knew that the accusations were false, but feared Lai, and therefore initially failed to object to the judgments. Li Jiao advocated that they did, and so the three filed written objections. As a result, they offended Wu Zetian, and she demoted him to be the military advisor to the prefect of Run Prefecture (潤州, roughly modern Zhenjiang
, Jiangsu
). (The officials, however, were still spared after Di was able to secretly deliver a petition proclaiming his innocence to Wu Zetian.) After some time, Li Jiao was recalled to serve as Fengge Sheren (鳳閣舍人), a mid-level official at the legislative bureau of government (鳳閣, Fengge), and he became largely responsible for drafting imperial edicts. While serving in that office, in 697, when Eastern Tujue's khan Ashina Mochuo made a request for Zhou to return Tujue people who had previously submitted to Tang and also to grant a number of supplies that he needed, Li Jiao lodged an objection against the recommendation of the chancellors Yao Shu
and Yang Zaisi
to comply, but Wu Zetian still granted Ashina Mochuo's requests. Later that year, he took over the selection of officials at the ministry of civil service affairs (春官部, Chunguan Bu) on an acting basis, and he began establishing a list of reserve officials who would draw salaries from the imperial treasury. Also around that time, Wu Zetian had established an imperial censorate to review local government affairs (右御史臺), which would send out censors to examine the local government affairs, leaving the capital Luoyang
in the third month of the lunar year and returning in the 11th month to report on findings. Li Jiao, believing that the time was insufficient, suggested dividing the empire into 20 circuits so that the censors had smaller areas to review. Wu Zetian initially agreed, but after opposition by other officials, did not carry out Li Jiao's proposal.
As of 698, Li Jiao was serving as Mishu Shaojian (秘書少監), the deputy head of the archival bureau (秘書省, Mishu Sheng), when he was given the designation Tong Fengge Luantai Pingzhangshi (同鳳閣鸞臺平章事), making him a chancellor de facto. In 700, Wu Zetian, in order to give her lovers Zhang Yizhi
and Zhang Changzong
legitimacy in their entries into the palace, had Li Jiao head a project to create a work known as the Essence of Pearls from the Three Religions (三教珠英, Sanjiao Zhuying) -- a compilation of various poetry about Confucianism
, Buddhism
, and Taoism
-- and had Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong involved in the project as well. Later that year, after Wu Zetian named Li Jiao's uncle Zhang Xi as a chancellor, Li Jiao, who was by this point serving also as Luantai Shilang (鸞臺侍郎), the deputy head of the examination bureau (鸞臺, Luantai), had his chancellor designation removed, because Wu Zetian did not want uncle and nephew to serve as chancellors at the same time. Li Jiao was instead made Chengjun Jijiu (成均祭酒), the principal of the imperial university.
By 702, Li Jiao was serving as deputy to the chancellor Wei Juyuan
, who was serving as official in charge of Luoyang while Wu Zetian was at the western capital Chang'an
, when Wu Zetian summoned Wei to Chang'an and had Li Jiao take over the responsibility at Luoyang.
By 703, when Wu Zetian changed the name of the executive bureau from Wenchang Tai (文昌臺) to Zhongtai (中臺), Li Jiao was serving as Zhongtai Zuo Cheng (中臺左丞), when he was made acting Nayan (納言), the head of the examination bureau and a post considered one for a chancellor. In 704, in response to the problem that imperial officials were not willing to be local officials, Li Jiao and fellow chancellor Tang Xiujing
suggested that the officials at the central government be assigned to the prefectures and counties to serve as officials, offering to go first themselves. Wu Zetian had 20 officials randomly drawn, and neither Li Jiao nor Tang was sent out. Later in 704, Li Jiao was made acting Neishi (內史), the head of the legislative bureau and also a post considered one for a chancellor. Also in 704, when Wu Zetian instituted a tax on the Buddhist monks and nuns of the realm to build a large Buddha statute, Li Jiao and Zhang Tinggui (張廷珪) opposed the project, and Wu Zetian eventually stopped it. Li Jiao then requested to be relieved of Neishi duties, and was given the chancellor designation Tong Fengge Luantai Sanpin (同鳳閣鸞臺三品). Late in the year, he was removed of chancellor duties altogether, becoming minister of the treasury (地官尚書, Diguan Shangshu) instead.
the Crown Prince
, formerly emperor, was restored to the throne (as Emperor Zhongzong). Li Jiao was accused of having flattered Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong and was demoted out of the capital, to serve as the prefect of Yu Prefecture (豫州, roughly modern Zhumadian
, Henan
), but before he departed for Yu Prefecture was made the prefect of Tong Prefecture (通州, in modern Beijing
). Several months later, he was recalled to serve as deputy minister of civil service affairs (吏部侍郎, Libu Shilang), and was soon promoted to be the minister of civil service affairs (吏部尚書, Libu Shangshu). It was said that when he was minister of civil service affairs, he, hoping to become chancellor again, expanded the roll of reserve officials and made many relatives and friends of powerful individuals reserve officials, in order to placate them.
In 706, Li Jiao was given the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Sanpin (同中書門下三品), making him again a chancellor. That year, when Emperor Zhongzong's son-in-law Wang Tongjiao (王同皎) was accused of a treasonous plot with Zhang Zhongzhi (張仲之), Zu Yanqing (祖延慶), and Zhou Jing (周璟), of plotting to kill Wu Sansi
the Prince of Dejing (Wu Zetian's nephew), the lover of Emperor Zhongzong's powerful wife Empress Wei
and then depose Empress Wei, Zhang, while being interrogated, openly accused Empress Wei and Wu Sansi of adultery. Li Jiao, Wei Juyuan, and Yang Zaisi were assigned to the investigation, in addition the censors Li Chengjia (李承嘉) and Yao Shaozhi (姚紹之). Wei and Yang acted as if they did not hear Zhang's accusation, while Li Jiao and Yao simply tried to had Zhang taken to prison for execution without acting on his accusation. Eventually, Wang and his associates were executed. Later that year, Li Jiao was again made the head of the legislative bureau, now with the title Zhongshu Ling (中書令). By this point, however, he had realized that his expansion of the roll of reserve officials was causing a major drain on the imperial treasury, and he, admitting this, offered to resign, an offer that Emperor Zhongzong declined.
In 707, Emperor Zhongzong's crown prince Li Chongjun
, born of a concubine, was angry that Empress Wei's daughter Li Guo'er the Princess Anle
was repeatedly insulting him and trying to become crown princess to displace him, started a rebellion and killed Wu Sansi and Wu Sansi's son Wu Chongxun (武崇訓, also Li Guo'er's husband). He subsequently marched on the palace, hoping to arrest Li Guo'er, Empress Wei, and Emperor Zhongzong's concubine Consort Shangguan Wan'er
. Li Jiao was one of the officials who commanded imperial guards in countering Li Chongjun's attack, and Li Chongjun was eventually defeated and killed. Thereafter, Wei Yuanzhong, by this point a senior chancellor, was accused of association with Li Chongjun by Zong Chuke
and Ji Chuna
, and Li Jiao and Yang went along with Zong's and Ji's accusations; Wei was eventually exiled and died in exile.
In 708, when Emperor Zhongzong established an imperial literary institute Xiuwen Pavilion (修文館), Li Jiao was made a scholar at the institute, and Emperor Zhongzong often summoned the scholars for literary contests to be judged by Consort Shangguan. Also in 708, he was made minister of defense (兵部尚書, Bingbu Shangshu) and remained chancellor with the Tong Zhongshu Menxia Sanpin. He was also created the Duke of Zhao and given the honorific title Tejin (特進).
the Prince of Wei, also by a concubine, was made emperor (as Emperor Shang). Empress Wei retained power as empress dowager
and regent
, and she, while consolidating her power, were apprehensive about Emperor Zhongzong's brother Li Dan
the Prince of Xiang, himself a former emperor, and his sister Princess Taiping
. Li Jiao made a secret proposal to her to have Li Dan's sons sent out of the capital to be prefectural officials—a proposal that Empress Dowager Wei either did not accept or had no chance to implement. Less than a month later, a coup led by Princess Taiping and Li Dan's son Li Longji
the Prince of Linzi killed Empress Wei and Li Guo'er. Emperor Shang was deposed, and Li Dan was restored to the throne (as Emperor Ruizong).
, Henan
). He soon retired. In 713, Emperor Ruizong found out that Li Jiao had submitted the secret suggestion to Empress Dowager Wei to exile Emperor Ruizong's sons. Some of the officials that Emperor Ruizong told this to suggested that Li Jiao be executed, but the chancellor Zhang Shuo pointed out that Li Jiao's suggestion was a faithful one, as far as Empress Dowager Wei was concerned. Emperor Ruizong agreed, and while he issued an edict rebuking Li Jiao, he did not kill Li Jiao, although he made Li Jiao's son Li Changzhi (李暢之) the prefect of Qian Prefecture (虔州, roughly modern Ganzhou
, Jiangxi
) and had Li Jiao go with Li Changzhi to Qian Prefecture, effectively exiling him. At a later point, Li Jiao was made an advisor to the prefect of Lu Prefecture (廬州, roughly modern Hefei
, Anhui
), where he died at age 69.
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...
and 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...
's Zhou Dynasty, serving as chancellor during the reigns of Wu Zetian, her sons Emperor Zhongzong
Emperor Zhongzong of Tang
Emperor Zhongzong of Tang , personal name Lǐ Xiǎn , at times during his life Li Zhe and Wu Xian , was the fourth Emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China, ruling briefly in 684 and again from 705 to 710.Emperor Zhongzong was the son of Emperor Gaozong of Tang and Empress Wu...
and Emperor Ruizong
Emperor Ruizong of Tang
Emperor Ruizong of Tang , personal name Lǐ Dàn , known at times during his life as Li Xulun , Li Lun , Wu Lun , and Wu Dan , was the fifth and ninth emperor of Tang Dynasty...
, and her grandson Emperor Shang
Emperor Shang of Tang
Emperor Shang , also known as Emperor Shao , personal name Li Chongmao , was an emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China, ruling briefly in 710....
.
Background
It is not known exactly when Li Jiao was born, but it is known that his family was from Zhao Prefecture (趙州, roughly modern ShijiazhuangShijiazhuang
Shijiazhuang is the capital and largest city of North China's Hebei province. Administratively a prefecture-level city, it is about south of Beijing...
, Hebei
Hebei
' is a province of the People's Republic of China in the North China region. Its one-character abbreviation is "" , named after Ji Province, a Han Dynasty province that included what is now southern Hebei...
). He came from a prominent clan, and his great-granduncle Li Yuancao (李元操) was a well-known official during 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...
's predecessor Sui Dynasty
Sui Dynasty
The Sui Dynasty was a powerful, but short-lived Imperial Chinese dynasty. Preceded by the Southern and Northern Dynasties, it ended nearly four centuries of division between rival regimes. It was followed by the Tang Dynasty....
. His father Li Zhen'e (李鎮惡), who had served as the magistrate of Xiangcheng County (襄城, in modern Xuchang
Xuchang
Xuchang is a prefecture-level city in central Henan province in Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the northwest, Kaifeng to the northeast, Zhoukou to the east, Luohe to the southeast, and Pingdingshan to the southwest....
, 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...
), died early, and it was said that Li Jiao served his mother Lady Zhang with great filial piety. His literary talent began to be known when he was young, and his reputation matched that of Su Weidao
Su Weidao
Su Weidao , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty and Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty, twice serving as chancellor during Wu Zetian's reign.- Background :...
, who was also from Zhao Prefecture. He already understood the Five Classics at age 14 and was praised by the chancellor Xue Yuanchao
Xue Yuanchao
Xue Yuanchao , formal name Xue Zhen but went by the courtesy name of Yuanchao, formally Baron of Fenyin , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty who served as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Gaozong....
. He 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...
at age 19 and was made the sheriff of Anding County (安定, in modern Dingxi
Dingxi
-Geography and climate:Dingxi City is located in central Gansu province, 98 km east of Lanzhou, giving it the nickname the "eastern gateway". The Wei River, a tributary of the Yellow River flows through the district and provides it with the majority of its water. Dingxi is semi-arid, with little...
, Gansu
Gansu
' is a province located in the northwest of the People's Republic of China.It lies between the Tibetan and Huangtu plateaus, and borders Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Ningxia to the north, Xinjiang and Qinghai to the west, Sichuan to the south, and Shaanxi to the east...
). He was soon promoted to serve in the 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...
, and he, along with older colleagues Luo Binwang
Luo Binwang
Luo Binwang , courtesy name Guanguang , was a Chinese poet of the Tang Dynasty. His family was from modern Wuzhou, Zhejiang, but he was raised in Shandong...
and Liu Guangye (劉光業), became known for their literary talent.
Sometime 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...
, Li Jiao became an imperial censor. At that time, there was a Lao (獠) rebellion in Yong (邕州, roughly modern Nanning
Nanning
Nanning is the capital of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in southern China. It is known as the "Green City" because of its abundance of lush tropical foliage.-History:...
, Guangxi
Guangxi
Guangxi, formerly romanized Kwangsi, is a province of southern China along its border with Vietnam. In 1958, it became the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China, a region with special privileges created specifically for the Zhuang people.Guangxi's location, in...
) and Yan (巖州, roughly modern Laibin
Laibin
Laibin is a prefecture-level city in the central part of China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.-Geography and climate:Laibin is located in central Guangxi province. The Hongshui River or Red River and Rongjiang, both tributaries of the Xijiang, meet in Laibin. Its area is 13,400 km²...
, Guangxi
Guangxi
Guangxi, formerly romanized Kwangsi, is a province of southern China along its border with Vietnam. In 1958, it became the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China, a region with special privileges created specifically for the Zhuang people.Guangxi's location, in...
) Prefectures, and Emperor Gaozong launched an army to suppress it, with Li Jiao serving as the army's auditor. When the army reached Yong and Yan Prefectures, however, Li Jiao went to the rebel camps and persuaded the leaders to surrender, allowing the army to withdraw without a fight. He was later made imperial attendant (給事中, Geishizhong).
During Wu Zetian's reign
By 692, Emperor Gaozong's wife Wu ZetianWu 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...
was reigning as "emperor" of her new Zhou Dynasty, interrupting Tang Dynasty. That year, her secret police official Lai Junchen
Lai Junchen
Lai Junchen was a secret police official during the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty and Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty, whose ability to interrogate and falsely implicate officials of crimes made him a subject of fear and hatred...
had falsely accused the chancellors Ren Zhigu
Ren Zhigu
Ren Zhigu was an official of Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty, serving briefly as chancellor.Despite Ren's high status, little is firmly established about his background or career except for the time that he served as chancellor—as, unusual for a chancellor, he did not have a biography in either the Book...
, Di Renjie
Di Renjie
Dí Rénjié , courtesy name Huaiying , formally Duke Wenhui of Liang , was an official of the Chinese Tang Dynasty and Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty, twice serving as chancellor during her reign...
, and Pei Xingben
Pei Xingben
Pei Xingben was an official of Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty, serving briefly as chancellor.Despite Pei's high status, little is firmly established about his background or career except for the time that he served as chancellor—as, unusual for a chancellor, he did not have a biography in either the...
, along with other officials Cui Xuanli (崔宣禮), Lu Xian (盧獻), Wei Yuanzhong
Wei Yuanzhong
Wei Yuanzhong , né Wei Zhenzai , formally Duke Zhen of Qi , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty and Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty, serving as chancellor during the reigns of Wu Zetian and her son Emperor Zhongzong.- Background :It is not known which year Wei Yuanzhong was born, but it...
, and Li Sizhen (李嗣真) of treason. As these officials were set for execution, Wu Zetian had Li Jiao, along with two other officials, Zhang Deyu (張德裕) and Liu Xian (劉憲), review the cases. Zhang and Liu knew that the accusations were false, but feared Lai, and therefore initially failed to object to the judgments. Li Jiao advocated that they did, and so the three filed written objections. As a result, they offended Wu Zetian, and she demoted him to be the military advisor to the prefect of Run Prefecture (潤州, roughly modern Zhenjiang
Zhenjiang
Zhenjiang is a prefecture-level city in the southwest of Jiangsu province in the eastern People's Republic of China . Sitting on the southern bank of the Yangtze River, it borders the provincial capital of Nanjing to the west, Changzhou to the east, and Yangzhou across the river to the north.Once...
, 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...
). (The officials, however, were still spared after Di was able to secretly deliver a petition proclaiming his innocence to Wu Zetian.) After some time, Li Jiao was recalled to serve as Fengge Sheren (鳳閣舍人), a mid-level official at the legislative bureau of government (鳳閣, Fengge), and he became largely responsible for drafting imperial edicts. While serving in that office, in 697, when Eastern Tujue's khan Ashina Mochuo made a request for Zhou to return Tujue people who had previously submitted to Tang and also to grant a number of supplies that he needed, Li Jiao lodged an objection against the recommendation of the chancellors Yao Shu
Yao Shu
Yao Shu , courtesy name Lingzhang , formally Count Cheng of Wuxing , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty and Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty, serving twice as chancellor during Wu Zetian's reign.- Background :...
and Yang Zaisi
Yang Zaisi
Yang Zaisi , formally Duke Gong of Zheng , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty and Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty, serving several times as chancellor during the reigns of Wu Zetian and her son Emperor Zhongzong...
to comply, but Wu Zetian still granted Ashina Mochuo's requests. Later that year, he took over the selection of officials at the ministry of civil service affairs (春官部, Chunguan Bu) on an acting basis, and he began establishing a list of reserve officials who would draw salaries from the imperial treasury. Also around that time, Wu Zetian had established an imperial censorate to review local government affairs (右御史臺), which would send out censors to examine the local government affairs, leaving the 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...
in the third month of the lunar year and returning in the 11th month to report on findings. Li Jiao, believing that the time was insufficient, suggested dividing the empire into 20 circuits so that the censors had smaller areas to review. Wu Zetian initially agreed, but after opposition by other officials, did not carry out Li Jiao's proposal.
As of 698, Li Jiao was serving as Mishu Shaojian (秘書少監), the deputy head of the archival bureau (秘書省, Mishu Sheng), when he was given the designation Tong Fengge Luantai Pingzhangshi (同鳳閣鸞臺平章事), making him a chancellor de facto. In 700, Wu Zetian, in order to give her lovers Zhang Yizhi
Zhang Yizhi
Zhang Yizhi , formally the Duke of Heng , nickname Wulang , was an official of Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty who, along with his brother Zhang Changzong, became a lover of Wu Zetian and became very powerful late in her reign...
and Zhang Changzong
Zhang Changzong
Zhang Changzong , formally the Duke of Ye , nickname Liulang , was an official of Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty who, along with his brother Zhang Yizhi, became a lover of Wu Zetian and became very powerful late in her reign...
legitimacy in their entries into the palace, had Li Jiao head a project to create a work known as the Essence of Pearls from the Three Religions (三教珠英, Sanjiao Zhuying) -- a compilation of various poetry about Confucianism
Confucianism
Confucianism is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system developed from the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius . Confucianism originated as an "ethical-sociopolitical teaching" during the Spring and Autumn Period, but later developed metaphysical and cosmological elements in the Han...
, Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
, and Taoism
Taoism
Taoism refers to a philosophical or religious tradition in which the basic concept is to establish harmony with the Tao , which is the mechanism of everything that exists...
-- and had Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong involved in the project as well. Later that year, after Wu Zetian named Li Jiao's uncle Zhang Xi as a chancellor, Li Jiao, who was by this point serving also as Luantai Shilang (鸞臺侍郎), the deputy head of the examination bureau (鸞臺, Luantai), had his chancellor designation removed, because Wu Zetian did not want uncle and nephew to serve as chancellors at the same time. Li Jiao was instead made Chengjun Jijiu (成均祭酒), the principal of the imperial university.
By 702, Li Jiao was serving as deputy to the chancellor Wei Juyuan
Wei Juyuan
Wei Juyuan , formally Duke Zhao of Shu , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty and Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty, serving multiple times as chancellor during the reigns of Wu Zetian, her son Emperor Zhongzong, and her grandson Emperor Shang...
, who was serving as official in charge of Luoyang while Wu Zetian was at the western 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...
, when Wu Zetian summoned Wei to Chang'an and had Li Jiao take over the responsibility at Luoyang.
By 703, when Wu Zetian changed the name of the executive bureau from Wenchang Tai (文昌臺) to Zhongtai (中臺), Li Jiao was serving as Zhongtai Zuo Cheng (中臺左丞), when he was made acting Nayan (納言), the head of the examination bureau and a post considered one for a chancellor. In 704, in response to the problem that imperial officials were not willing to be local officials, Li Jiao and fellow chancellor Tang Xiujing
Tang Xiujing
Tang Xiujing , formal name Tang Xuan but went by the courtesy name of Xiujing, formally Duke Zhong of Song , was an official and general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty and Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty, serving as chancellor during the reigns of Wu Zetian, her sons Emperor Zhongzong and Emperor...
suggested that the officials at the central government be assigned to the prefectures and counties to serve as officials, offering to go first themselves. Wu Zetian had 20 officials randomly drawn, and neither Li Jiao nor Tang was sent out. Later in 704, Li Jiao was made acting Neishi (內史), the head of the legislative bureau and also a post considered one for a chancellor. Also in 704, when Wu Zetian instituted a tax on the Buddhist monks and nuns of the realm to build a large Buddha statute, Li Jiao and Zhang Tinggui (張廷珪) opposed the project, and Wu Zetian eventually stopped it. Li Jiao then requested to be relieved of Neishi duties, and was given the chancellor designation Tong Fengge Luantai Sanpin (同鳳閣鸞臺三品). Late in the year, he was removed of chancellor duties altogether, becoming minister of the treasury (地官尚書, Diguan Shangshu) instead.
During Emperor Zhongzong's second reign
In 705, Wu Zetian was overthrown in a coup, in which Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong were killed. Wu Zetian's son Li XianEmperor Zhongzong of Tang
Emperor Zhongzong of Tang , personal name Lǐ Xiǎn , at times during his life Li Zhe and Wu Xian , was the fourth Emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China, ruling briefly in 684 and again from 705 to 710.Emperor Zhongzong was the son of Emperor Gaozong of Tang and Empress Wu...
the 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....
, formerly emperor, was restored to the throne (as Emperor Zhongzong). Li Jiao was accused of having flattered Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong and was demoted out of the capital, to serve as the prefect of Yu Prefecture (豫州, roughly modern Zhumadian
Zhumadian
Zhumadian is a prefecture-level city in southern Henan province, People's Republic of China. It borders Xinyang to the south, Nanyang to the west, Pingdingshan to the northwest, Luohe to the north, Zhoukou to the northeast, and the province of Anhui to the east.Its population is 7,230,744 at the...
, 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...
), but before he departed for Yu Prefecture was made the prefect of Tong Prefecture (通州, in modern Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
). Several months later, he was recalled to serve as deputy minister of civil service affairs (吏部侍郎, Libu Shilang), and was soon promoted to be the minister of civil service affairs (吏部尚書, Libu Shangshu). It was said that when he was minister of civil service affairs, he, hoping to become chancellor again, expanded the roll of reserve officials and made many relatives and friends of powerful individuals reserve officials, in order to placate them.
In 706, Li Jiao was given the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Sanpin (同中書門下三品), making him again a chancellor. That year, when Emperor Zhongzong's son-in-law Wang Tongjiao (王同皎) was accused of a treasonous plot with Zhang Zhongzhi (張仲之), Zu Yanqing (祖延慶), and Zhou Jing (周璟), of plotting to kill Wu Sansi
Wu Sansi
Wu Sansi , formally Prince Xuan of Liang , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty and his aunt Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty, becoming an imperial prince and chancellor during the reign of Wu Zetian and subsequently, while only briefly chancellor during the second reign of Wu Zetian's son...
the Prince of Dejing (Wu Zetian's nephew), the lover of Emperor Zhongzong's powerful wife Empress Wei
Empress Wei (Zhongzong)
Empress Wei was an empress of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty. She was the second wife of Emperor Zhongzong, who reigned twice, and during his second reign, she tried to emulate the example of her mother-in-law Wu Zetian and seize power...
and then depose Empress Wei, Zhang, while being interrogated, openly accused Empress Wei and Wu Sansi of adultery. Li Jiao, Wei Juyuan, and Yang Zaisi were assigned to the investigation, in addition the censors Li Chengjia (李承嘉) and Yao Shaozhi (姚紹之). Wei and Yang acted as if they did not hear Zhang's accusation, while Li Jiao and Yao simply tried to had Zhang taken to prison for execution without acting on his accusation. Eventually, Wang and his associates were executed. Later that year, Li Jiao was again made the head of the legislative bureau, now with the title Zhongshu Ling (中書令). By this point, however, he had realized that his expansion of the roll of reserve officials was causing a major drain on the imperial treasury, and he, admitting this, offered to resign, an offer that Emperor Zhongzong declined.
In 707, Emperor Zhongzong's crown prince Li Chongjun
Li Chongjun
Li Chongjun , formally Crown Prince Jiemin , was a crown prince of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, during the second reign of his father Emperor Zhongzong...
, born of a concubine, was angry that Empress Wei's daughter Li Guo'er the Princess Anle
Princess Anle
Princess Anle , personal name Li Guo'er , was a princess of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty. She was the youngest daughter of Emperor Zhongzong and his wife Empress Wei who was greatly favored by her parents and therefore grew very powerful and corrupt during her father's second...
was repeatedly insulting him and trying to become crown princess to displace him, started a rebellion and killed Wu Sansi and Wu Sansi's son Wu Chongxun (武崇訓, also Li Guo'er's husband). He subsequently marched on the palace, hoping to arrest Li Guo'er, Empress Wei, and Emperor Zhongzong's concubine Consort Shangguan Wan'er
Shangguan Wan'er
Shangguan Wan'er , imperial consort rank Zhaorong , posthumous name Wenhui , was the granddaughter of Shangguan Yi and was one of the women most famous in Chinese history for her talent...
. Li Jiao was one of the officials who commanded imperial guards in countering Li Chongjun's attack, and Li Chongjun was eventually defeated and killed. Thereafter, Wei Yuanzhong, by this point a senior chancellor, was accused of association with Li Chongjun by Zong Chuke
Zong Chuke
Zong Chuke , courtesy name Shu'ao , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty and Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty, serving as chancellor during the reigns of Wu Zetian, her son Emperor Zhongzong, and her grandson Emperor Shang.- Background :It is not known when Zong Chuke was born, but it is...
and Ji Chuna
Ji Chuna
Ji Chuna was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Zhongzong and Emperor Zhongzong's son Emperor Shang...
, and Li Jiao and Yang went along with Zong's and Ji's accusations; Wei was eventually exiled and died in exile.
In 708, when Emperor Zhongzong established an imperial literary institute Xiuwen Pavilion (修文館), Li Jiao was made a scholar at the institute, and Emperor Zhongzong often summoned the scholars for literary contests to be judged by Consort Shangguan. Also in 708, he was made minister of defense (兵部尚書, Bingbu Shangshu) and remained chancellor with the Tong Zhongshu Menxia Sanpin. He was also created the Duke of Zhao and given the honorific title Tejin (特進).
During Emperor Shang's reign
In 710, Emperor Zhongzong died suddenly—a death that traditional historians believed to be a poisoning carried out by Empress Wei and Li Guo'er, so that Empress Wei could become emperor like Wu Zetian and Li Guo'er could become crown princess. For the time, however, Emperor Zhongzong's son Li ChongmaoEmperor Shang of Tang
Emperor Shang , also known as Emperor Shao , personal name Li Chongmao , was an emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China, ruling briefly in 710....
the Prince of Wei, also by a concubine, was made emperor (as Emperor Shang). Empress Wei retained power as empress dowager
Empress Dowager
Empress Dowager was the title given to the mother of a Chinese, Korean, Japanese or Vietnamese emperor.The title was also given occasionally to another woman of the same generation, while a woman from the previous generation was sometimes given the title of Grand empress dowager. Numerous empress...
and regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
, and she, while consolidating her power, were apprehensive about Emperor Zhongzong's brother Li Dan
Emperor Ruizong of Tang
Emperor Ruizong of Tang , personal name Lǐ Dàn , known at times during his life as Li Xulun , Li Lun , Wu Lun , and Wu Dan , was the fifth and ninth emperor of Tang Dynasty...
the Prince of Xiang, himself a former emperor, and his sister Princess Taiping
Princess Taiping
Princess Taiping was a princess of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty and her mother Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty. She was the youngest daughter of Wu Zetian and Emperor Gaozong and was powerful during the reigns of her mother and her elder brothers Emperor Zhongzong and Emperor Ruizong , particularly...
. Li Jiao made a secret proposal to her to have Li Dan's sons sent out of the capital to be prefectural officials—a proposal that Empress Dowager Wei either did not accept or had no chance to implement. Less than a month later, a coup led by Princess Taiping and Li Dan's son Li Longji
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...
the Prince of Linzi killed Empress Wei and Li Guo'er. Emperor Shang was deposed, and Li Dan was restored to the throne (as Emperor Ruizong).
During Emperor Ruizong's second reign
Li Jiao initially remained chancellor after Emperor Ruizong's return to the throne, but about a month later was demoted to be the prefect of Huai Prefecture (懷州, roughly modern JiaozuoJiaozuo
Jiaozuo is a prefecture-level city in northern Henan province, People's Republic of China. Sitting on the northern bank of the Yellow River, it borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the south, Xinxiang to the east, Jiyuan to the west, Luoyang to the southwest, and the province of Shanxi...
, 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...
). He soon retired. In 713, Emperor Ruizong found out that Li Jiao had submitted the secret suggestion to Empress Dowager Wei to exile Emperor Ruizong's sons. Some of the officials that Emperor Ruizong told this to suggested that Li Jiao be executed, but the chancellor Zhang Shuo pointed out that Li Jiao's suggestion was a faithful one, as far as Empress Dowager Wei was concerned. Emperor Ruizong agreed, and while he issued an edict rebuking Li Jiao, he did not kill Li Jiao, although he made Li Jiao's son Li Changzhi (李暢之) the prefect of Qian Prefecture (虔州, roughly modern Ganzhou
Ganzhou
Ganzhou is a prefecture-level city in southern Jiangxi province, People's Republic of China. Its administrative seat is at Zhanggong .-History:...
, Jiangxi
Jiangxi
' is a southern province in the People's Republic of China. Spanning from the banks of the Yangtze River in the north into hillier areas in the south, it shares a border with Anhui to the north, Zhejiang to the northeast, Fujian to the east, Guangdong to the south, Hunan to the west, and Hubei to...
) and had Li Jiao go with Li Changzhi to Qian Prefecture, effectively exiling him. At a later point, Li Jiao was made an advisor to the prefect of Lu Prefecture (廬州, roughly modern Hefei
Hefei
Hefei is the capital and largest city of Anhui Province in Eastern China. A prefecture-level city, it is the political, economic, and cultural centre of Anhui...
, 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...
), where he died at age 69.