Lu Guangqi
Encyclopedia
Lu Guangqi (died March 6, 903), courtesy name Zizhong (子忠), was an official of the Chinese
dynasty Tang Dynasty
, serving briefly as chancellor from 901
to 902
, while Emperor Zhaozong
was under the physical control of the warlord Li Maozhen
the military governor (Jiedushi
) of Fengxiang Circuit (鳳翔, headquartered in modern Baoji
, Shaanxi
) and Li's eunuch allies, led by Han Quanhui
. After Li Maozhen was forced to surrender Emperor Zhaozong to another warlord, Zhu Quanzhong the military governor of Xuanwu Circuit (宣武, headquartered in modern Kaifeng
, Henan
), Lu was forced to commit suicide.
chancellors named Lu, are that his grandfather was named Lu Zhi (盧質), his father was named Lu Zhou (盧晝), and that he had at least one older brother named Lu Guangji (盧光濟); none of the three was listed with any official titles.
Lu Guangqi passed the imperial examination
s in the Jinshi (進士) class at some point, and was favored by the chancellor Zhang Jun
. He went through a series of promotions, eventually reaching the post of deputy minister of defense (兵部侍郎, Bingbu Shilang).
, the powerful eunuchs, led by Han Quanhui
, fearing that then-reigning Emperor Zhaozong
and the leading chancellor Cui Yin
were about to massacre them, seized Emperor Zhaozong and took him to Fengxiang Circuit, ruled by Han's ally Li Maozhen
. All of the chancellors, led by Cui, remained at the imperial capital Chang'an
to await the arrival of Cui's ally Zhu Quanzhong, but some imperial officials followed Emperor Zhaozong to Fengxiang. While Emperor Zhaozong was still en route to Fengxiang, he (or the eunuchs, in his name) put Lu Guangqi in charge of the office of the chancellors, thus making him, in effect, a chancellor, albeit without the usual chancellor designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事). After Emperor Zhaozong's arrival in Fengxiang, Lu was given the more formalized chancellor designation Canzhi Jiwu (參知機務), but still not Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi; he was also made a You Jianyi Daifu (右諫議大夫), a high-level advisor at the legislative bureau of government (中書省, Zhongshu Sheng). In 902
, while Emperor Zhaozong was still at Fengxiang, Lu was removed from his chancellor position and made a senior advisor to the Crown Prince
.
, with Fengxiang under siege by Zhu Quanzhong, Li Maozhen was forced to slaughter the eunuchs and sue for peace by agreeing to surrender the emperor to Zhu. Lu accompanied Emperor Zhaozong back to Chang'an, and after arrival in Chang'an, was, at Cui Yin's instigation, forced to commit suicide, along with another chancellor commissioned at Fengxiang, Su Jian
.
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 briefly as chancellor from 901
901
Year 901 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.- Africa :* Abu 'Abdullah al-Shi'i leads the rebellion of the Kutama Berbers against the Aghlabid emirate in Ifriqiya ....
to 902
902
Year 902 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* August 1 – Taormina, the last Byzantine stronghold in Sicily, is captured by the Aghlabid army....
, while Emperor Zhaozong
Emperor Zhaozong of Tang
Emperor Zhaozong of Tang , né Li Jie , name later changed to Li Min , yet later name changed to Li Ye , was the penultimate emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China. He reigned from 888 to 904...
was under the physical control of the warlord Li Maozhen
Li Maozhen
Li Maozhen , né Song Wentong , courtesy name Zhengchen , formally Prince Zhongjing of Qin , was the only ruler of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period state Qi...
the military governor (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 Fengxiang Circuit (鳳翔, headquartered in modern Baoji
Baoji
Baoji is a prefecture-level city in Shaanxi province, China.-Geography:The prefecture-level city of Baoji has a population of 3,716,731 according to the 2010 Chinese census, inhabiting an area of . The city itself has a population of approximately 800,000. Surrounded on three sides by hills,...
, 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...
) and Li's eunuch allies, led by Han Quanhui
Han Quanhui
Han Quanhui was an eunuch late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty. The struggles by the eunuchs, led by him, against the chancellor Cui Yin, who wanted to eliminate the powerful eunuchs, led to the eunuchs' kidnapping of Emperor Zhaozong and then a major military confrontation between two...
. After Li Maozhen was forced to surrender Emperor Zhaozong to another warlord, Zhu Quanzhong the military governor of Xuanwu Circuit (宣武, headquartered in modern Kaifeng
Kaifeng
Kaifeng , known previously by several names , is a prefecture-level city in east-central Henan province, Central China. Nearly 5 million people live in the metropolitan area...
, 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...
), Lu was forced to commit suicide.
Background and early career
It is not known when Lu Guangqi is born, and it is not known where he, or even his family, was from. All that is known about his family, which was not connected to the families of other Tang DynastyTang 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...
chancellors named Lu, are that his grandfather was named Lu Zhi (盧質), his father was named Lu Zhou (盧晝), and that he had at least one older brother named Lu Guangji (盧光濟); none of the three was listed with any official titles.
Lu Guangqi 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 (進士) class at some point, and was favored by the chancellor Zhang Jun
Zhang Jun (Tang Dynasty)
Zhang Jun , courtesy name Yuchuan , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Xizong and Emperor Xizong's brother Emperor Zhaozong...
. He went through a series of promotions, eventually reaching the post of deputy minister of defense (兵部侍郎, Bingbu Shilang).
As chancellor
In late 901901
Year 901 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.- Africa :* Abu 'Abdullah al-Shi'i leads the rebellion of the Kutama Berbers against the Aghlabid emirate in Ifriqiya ....
, the powerful eunuchs, led by Han Quanhui
Han Quanhui
Han Quanhui was an eunuch late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty. The struggles by the eunuchs, led by him, against the chancellor Cui Yin, who wanted to eliminate the powerful eunuchs, led to the eunuchs' kidnapping of Emperor Zhaozong and then a major military confrontation between two...
, fearing that then-reigning Emperor Zhaozong
Emperor Zhaozong of Tang
Emperor Zhaozong of Tang , né Li Jie , name later changed to Li Min , yet later name changed to Li Ye , was the penultimate emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China. He reigned from 888 to 904...
and the leading chancellor Cui Yin
Cui Yin
Cui Yin , courtesy name Chuixiu , nickname Zilang , formally the Duke of Wei , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Zhaozong...
were about to massacre them, seized Emperor Zhaozong and took him to Fengxiang Circuit, ruled by Han's ally Li Maozhen
Li Maozhen
Li Maozhen , né Song Wentong , courtesy name Zhengchen , formally Prince Zhongjing of Qin , was the only ruler of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period state Qi...
. All of the chancellors, led by Cui, remained at the imperial 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...
to await the arrival of Cui's ally Zhu Quanzhong, but some imperial officials followed Emperor Zhaozong to Fengxiang. While Emperor Zhaozong was still en route to Fengxiang, he (or the eunuchs, in his name) put Lu Guangqi in charge of the office of the chancellors, thus making him, in effect, a chancellor, albeit without the usual chancellor designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事). After Emperor Zhaozong's arrival in Fengxiang, Lu was given the more formalized chancellor designation Canzhi Jiwu (參知機務), but still not Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi; he was also made a You Jianyi Daifu (右諫議大夫), a high-level advisor at the legislative bureau of government (中書省, Zhongshu Sheng). In 902
902
Year 902 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* August 1 – Taormina, the last Byzantine stronghold in Sicily, is captured by the Aghlabid army....
, while Emperor Zhaozong was still at Fengxiang, Lu was removed from his chancellor position and made a senior advisor to 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....
.
Death
In 903903
Year 903 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* Abaoji is named commander of all Khitan military forces.- Religion :...
, with Fengxiang under siege by Zhu Quanzhong, Li Maozhen was forced to slaughter the eunuchs and sue for peace by agreeing to surrender the emperor to Zhu. Lu accompanied Emperor Zhaozong back to Chang'an, and after arrival in Chang'an, was, at Cui Yin's instigation, forced to commit suicide, along with another chancellor commissioned at Fengxiang, Su Jian
Su Jian
Su Jian , courtesy name Shengyong , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving briefly as chancellor from 902 to 903, while Emperor Zhaozong was under the physical control of the warlord Li Maozhen the military governor of Fengxiang Circuit and Li's eunuch allies, led by Han...
.