Pei Mian
Encyclopedia
Pei Mian (died January 5, 770), courtesy name Zhangfu (章甫), formally the Duke of Ji (冀公), was an official of the Chinese
dynasty Tang Dynasty
, serving as a chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Suzong
and Emperor Daizong
. He was known for his faithfulness to Tang during the difficult times of Anshi Rebellion, but was also looked down upon by historians for his material greed.
), which traced its ancestry to officials of Han Dynasty
, Cao Wei
, Jin Dynasty (265-420)
, Former Yan
, Later Qin
, Northern Wei
, and Tang Dynasty
. His grandfather Wei Zhi (韋陟) served as a military advisor to a prefectural prefect, and his father Wei Ji (韋紀) served as the secretary general for Chang'an County, one of the two counties making up the Tang capital Chang'an
.
's Tianbao era (742-756), because of his ancestors' status as imperial officials, Pei Mian was made the sheriff of Weinan County (in modern Weinan
, Shaanxi
), and he became known for his administrative abilities. When Wang Hong (王鉷) the chief imperial censor took on the additional post as the surveyor of the Chang'an region, he made Pei his assistant. Pei later served as an imperial censor, initially with the low rank of Jiancha Yushi (監察御史), then the higher rank of Dianzhong Shi Yushi (殿中侍御史). It was said that while Pei was not well-learned, he was diligent, responsible, and decisive, and Wang much depended on him. In 752, when Wang Hong was implicated in a coup plot of his brother Wang Han (王銲) and was forced to commit suicide, his several hundred subordinates did not dare to even approach Wang Hong's door, except for Pei, who personally took Wang Hong's body and buried it properly. He became renowned for this, and in 753, Geshu Han
, the military governor (jiedushi
) of Hexi Circuit (河西, headquartered in modern Wuwei, Gansu) invited him to serve as an officer below Geshu.
rebelled, and by 756 had established a new state of Yan
. Further, Yan forces were approaching Chang'an, forcing Emperor Xuanzong to flee toward Shu Commandery (蜀郡, roughly modern Chengdu
, Sichuan
). Emperor Xuanzong's son, Li Heng the Crown Prince
, however, did not follow Emperor Xuanzong and instead headed toward the important military outpost Lingwu. Meanwhile, Pei, who had received a recall to serve as deputy chief imperial censor (御史中丞, Yushi Zhongcheng), encountered Li Heng at Pingliang
and accompanied Li Heng to Lingwu. Subsequently, at the urging of Pei and Du Hongjian
, Li Heng declared himself emperor there (as Emperor Suzong) -- an act that Emperor Xuanzong would recognize when the news reached him later. Emperor Suzong made Pei Zhongshu Shilang (中書侍郎), the deputy head of the legislative bureau of government (中書省), and gave him the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事), making him a chancellor de facto.
It was said that Pei was faithful and diligent as chancellor, and received the support of the people. However, it was also said that he was not wise, and, believing that it was necessary to gather money for government use, advocated selling government offices for money, and also letting people become Buddhist and Taoist monks and use them to gather more money. As a result, political honors became worthless. After Emperor Suzong, gradually advancing back toward Chang'an, moved to Fengxiang (鳳翔, in modern Baoji
, Shaanxi
) in spring 757, Pei was made You Pushe (右僕射), one of the heads of the executive bureau (尚書省, Shangshu Sheng), and no longer chancellor. In fall 757, when Tang and Huige forces recaptured Chang'an, it was Pei that Emperor Suzong sent to Chang'an to comfort the people and to offer sacrifices to the imperial ancestral temple. Emperor Suzong created him the Duke of Ji. In 758, when Emperor Xuanzong gave his daughter Princess Ningguo in marriage to Huige's Bayanchur Khan
, Pei was sent to escort Princess Ningguo to the border, although not to Huige headquarters. Pei was subsequently made the mayor of Chengdu Municipality and the military governor of Xichuan Circuit (西川, headquartered in Chengdu), although he was later recalled to again be You Pushe. In 761, when the powerful eunuch Li Fuguo
wanted to be chancellor, and Emperor Suzong, who by this point was fearful of Li Fuguo, refused on the basis that he did not have the support of the officials, Li Fuguo tried to persuade Pei to recommend him. Emperor Suzong told the chancellor Xiao Hua
that if an important official (i.e., someone like Pei) recommended Li Fuguo, he would no longer have the excuse to refuse Li Fuguo's request. When Xiao subsequently discussed this with Pei, Pei's response was:
Subsequently, Li Fuguo was not able to be chancellor while Emperor Suzong was alive, much to Li Fuguo's resentment.
and Li Fuguo, Li Fuguo prevailed and killed Empress Zhang, and subsequently supported Emperor Suzong's crown prince Li Yu
as emperor (as Emperor Daizong). Meanwhile, Pei Mian was put in charge of building an imperial tomb for Emperor Suzong, and, in order to ingratiate Li Fuguo, made Li Fuguo's close associate Liu Xuan (劉烜) his assistant. After Li Fuguo was removed in 762, Pei had disagreements with the newly powerful eunuch Cheng Yuanzhen
, and thus was demoted to be the prefect of Shi Prefecture (施州, roughly modern Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture
, Hubei
). Several months later, he was moved to be the prefect of Li Prefecture (澧州, roughly Changde
, Hunan
), and eventually was recalled to be Zuo Pushe (左僕射), the other head of the executive bureau.
By 769, the chancellor Yuan Zai
was the most powerful figure at court. Yuan was grateful to Pei for having recommended him in the past, and therefore, when Du Hongjian, who was then chancellor, died that year, Yuan recommended Pei to again be chancellor both to repay Yuan and to further control the government in light of Pei's old age and illness. When Pei was receiving his commission as chancellor, pursuant to customs, he was dancing to show gratefulness to the emperor, but as he danced, he fell to the ground, and Yuan had to help him up and to give thanks on his behalf. Pei died around the new year 770 and was posthumously honored. Emperor Daizong further had an award of silk and grain sent to his family. However, no posthumous name
was recorded for him.
It was said that Pei, despite his faithfulness, was also known for wastefulness, spending much resources on his wagons, his clothes, his food, and his horses. He invented a form of headdress that was imitated by others and which became known as Pushe Form (僕射樣). When he succeeded Du as chancellor, his subordinate reported to him the amount of additional salary he would be earning, and he was pleased with the earning, drawing scorn from those who saw him.
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 reigns of Emperor Suzong
Emperor Suzong of Tang
Emperor Suzong of Tang , personal name Li Heng , né Li Sisheng , known as Li Jun from 725 to 736, known as Li Yu from 736 to 738, known briefly as Li Shao in 738, was an emperor of the Tang Dynasty and the son of Emperor Xuanzong...
and Emperor Daizong
Emperor Daizong of Tang
Emperor Daizong of Tang , personal name Li Yu , né Li Chu , was an emperor of the Chinese Tang Dynasty....
. He was known for his faithfulness to Tang during the difficult times of Anshi Rebellion, but was also looked down upon by historians for his material greed.
Background
It is not known when Pei Mian was born. He was from a prominent clan of Hedong (河東, in modern Yuncheng, ShanxiShanxi
' 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....
), which traced its ancestry to officials of Han Dynasty
Han Dynasty
The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...
, Cao Wei
Cao Wei
Cao Wei was one of the states that competed for control of China during the Three Kingdoms period. With the capital at Luoyang, the state was established by Cao Pi in 220, based upon the foundations that his father Cao Cao laid...
, Jin Dynasty (265-420)
Jìn Dynasty (265-420)
The Jìn Dynasty , was a dynasty in Chinese history, lasting between the years 265 and 420 AD. There are two main divisions in the history of the Dynasty, the first being Western Jin and the second Eastern Jin...
, Former Yan
Former Yan
The Former Yan was a state of Xianbei ethnicity during the era of Sixteen Kingdoms in China.Initially, Murong Huang and his son Murong Jun claimed the Jin Dynasty -created title "Prince of Yan," but subsequently, in 352, after seizing most of the former Later Zhao territory, Murong Juan would...
, Later Qin
Later Qin
The Later Qin was a state of Qiang ethnicity of the Sixteen Kingdoms during the Jin Dynasty in China. Note that the Later Qin is entirely distinct from the ancient Qin Dynasty, the Former Qin, and the Western Qin....
, Northern Wei
Northern Wei
The Northern Wei Dynasty , also known as the Tuoba Wei , Later Wei , or Yuan Wei , was a dynasty which ruled northern China from 386 to 534 . It has been described as "part of an era of political turbulence and intense social and cultural change"...
, and 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...
. His grandfather Wei Zhi (韋陟) served as a military advisor to a prefectural prefect, and his father Wei Ji (韋紀) served as the secretary general for Chang'an County, one of the two counties making up 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...
.
During Emperor Xuanzong's reign
Early in Emperor XuanzongEmperor 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...
's Tianbao era (742-756), because of his ancestors' status as imperial officials, Pei Mian was made the sheriff of Weinan County (in modern Weinan
Weinan
Weinan is a Municipality in the province of Shaanxi, PRC. The Grand Historian Sima Qian was born in Weinan.-Administration:...
, 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 he became known for his administrative abilities. When Wang Hong (王鉷) the chief imperial censor took on the additional post as the surveyor of the Chang'an region, he made Pei his assistant. Pei later served as an imperial censor, initially with the low rank of Jiancha Yushi (監察御史), then the higher rank of Dianzhong Shi Yushi (殿中侍御史). It was said that while Pei was not well-learned, he was diligent, responsible, and decisive, and Wang much depended on him. In 752, when Wang Hong was implicated in a coup plot of his brother Wang Han (王銲) and was forced to commit suicide, his several hundred subordinates did not dare to even approach Wang Hong's door, except for Pei, who personally took Wang Hong's body and buried it properly. He became renowned for this, and in 753, Geshu Han
Geshu Han
Geshu Han , formally Prince Wumin of Xiping , was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty of Tuqishi extraction. He became a powerful general late in the reign of Emperor Xuanzong and in 756 became responsible for defending Tong Pass against the rebel forces of An Lushan...
, 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 Hexi Circuit (河西, headquartered in modern Wuwei, Gansu) invited him to serve as an officer below Geshu.
During Emperor Suzong's reign
In 755, the military governor An LushanAn Lushan
An Lushan was a general who rebelled against the Tang Dynasty in China.His name was also transcribed into Chinese as Āluòshān or Gáluòshān ,...
rebelled, and by 756 had established a new state of Yan
Yan (Anshi)
Yan , also known as the Great Yan , was a state established in 756 by the Tang Dynasty general An Lushan, after he rebelled against the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang in 755. The state was extinguished in 763, with the death of An Lushan's former subordinate, Shi Siming's son, Shi Chaoyi, who...
. Further, Yan forces were approaching Chang'an, forcing Emperor Xuanzong to flee toward Shu Commandery (蜀郡, roughly 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...
). Emperor Xuanzong's son, Li Heng 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....
, however, did not follow Emperor Xuanzong and instead headed toward the important military outpost Lingwu. Meanwhile, Pei, who had received a recall to serve as deputy chief imperial censor (御史中丞, Yushi Zhongcheng), encountered Li Heng at Pingliang
Pingliang
Pingliang is a prefecture-level city in eastern Gansu Province in China. Pingliang is famous for a local mountain range that includes Kongtong Mountain, a site sacred to Taoism and mythical meeting place of the Yellow Emperor and Guangchengzi, an immortal....
and accompanied Li Heng to Lingwu. Subsequently, at the urging of Pei and Du Hongjian
Du Hongjian
Du Hongjian , courtesy name Zhisun , formally Duke Wenxian of Wei , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty who served as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Daizong...
, Li Heng declared himself emperor there (as Emperor Suzong) -- an act that Emperor Xuanzong would recognize when the news reached him later. Emperor Suzong made Pei Zhongshu Shilang (中書侍郎), the deputy head of the legislative bureau of government (中書省), and gave him the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事), making him a chancellor de facto.
It was said that Pei was faithful and diligent as chancellor, and received the support of the people. However, it was also said that he was not wise, and, believing that it was necessary to gather money for government use, advocated selling government offices for money, and also letting people become Buddhist and Taoist monks and use them to gather more money. As a result, political honors became worthless. After Emperor Suzong, gradually advancing back toward Chang'an, moved to Fengxiang (鳳翔, 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...
) in spring 757, Pei was made You Pushe (右僕射), one of the heads of the executive bureau (尚書省, Shangshu Sheng), and no longer chancellor. In fall 757, when Tang and Huige forces recaptured Chang'an, it was Pei that Emperor Suzong sent to Chang'an to comfort the people and to offer sacrifices to the imperial ancestral temple. Emperor Suzong created him the Duke of Ji. In 758, when Emperor Xuanzong gave his daughter Princess Ningguo in marriage to Huige's Bayanchur Khan
Bayanchur Khan
Bayanchur Khan , was an Uyghur khagan from 747 to 759 AD. His official titles were "Ay Tengrida Qut Bolmish" and "El Etmish Bilge Qaghan" . His Tang Dynasty-invested title was Yingwuweiyuanpiqiejuo Khan or Yingwu Khan in short...
, Pei was sent to escort Princess Ningguo to the border, although not to Huige headquarters. Pei was subsequently made the mayor of Chengdu Municipality and the military governor of Xichuan Circuit (西川, headquartered in Chengdu), although he was later recalled to again be You Pushe. In 761, when the powerful eunuch Li Fuguo
Li Fuguo
Li Fuguo , né Li Jingzhong , known from 757 to 758 as Li Huguo , formally Prince Chou of Bolu , was a eunuch official during the reign of Emperor Suzong of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty...
wanted to be chancellor, and Emperor Suzong, who by this point was fearful of Li Fuguo, refused on the basis that he did not have the support of the officials, Li Fuguo tried to persuade Pei to recommend him. Emperor Suzong told the chancellor Xiao Hua
Xiao Hua
Xiao Hua , formally the Duke of Xu , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Suzong.- Background :It is not known when Xiao Hua was born...
that if an important official (i.e., someone like Pei) recommended Li Fuguo, he would no longer have the excuse to refuse Li Fuguo's request. When Xiao subsequently discussed this with Pei, Pei's response was:
Subsequently, Li Fuguo was not able to be chancellor while Emperor Suzong was alive, much to Li Fuguo's resentment.
During Emperor Daizong's reign
In 762, Emperor Suzong died. After a power struggle between Emperor Suzong's wife Empress ZhangEmpress Zhang (Suzong)
Empress Zhang was an empress of the Chinese Tang Dynasty. She was the second wife of Emperor Suzong and gained great power during his reign, in alliance with the eunuch Li Fuguo, but eventually she and Li Fuguo turned against each other late in Emperor Suzong's reign, as the emperor grew gravely...
and Li Fuguo, Li Fuguo prevailed and killed Empress Zhang, and subsequently supported Emperor Suzong's crown prince Li Yu
Emperor Daizong of Tang
Emperor Daizong of Tang , personal name Li Yu , né Li Chu , was an emperor of the Chinese Tang Dynasty....
as emperor (as Emperor Daizong). Meanwhile, Pei Mian was put in charge of building an imperial tomb for Emperor Suzong, and, in order to ingratiate Li Fuguo, made Li Fuguo's close associate Liu Xuan (劉烜) his assistant. After Li Fuguo was removed in 762, Pei had disagreements with the newly powerful eunuch Cheng Yuanzhen
Cheng Yuanzhen
Cheng Yuanzhen was a eunuch official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty. He was exceedingly powerful early in the reign of Emperor Daizong and was said to, in his attempts to consolidate his power, have killed or demoted a number of key generals and officials on his own whim, and thus drew the...
, and thus was demoted to be the prefect of Shi Prefecture (施州, roughly modern Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture
Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture
-Demographics:The total area is 24,000 square kilometers, and the population is 3,800,000. 52.6% of the population belong to the Tujia and Miao nations, who -while officially minority nations- are thus a majority here...
, Hubei
Hubei
' Hupeh) is a province in Central China. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Lake Dongting...
). Several months later, he was moved to be the prefect of Li Prefecture (澧州, roughly Changde
Changde
Changde is a city in the north of Hunan Province, China, with a population of 5,717,218 inhabitants at the 2010 census whom 1,232,182 in the built up area made of 2 urban districts .-History:...
, 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...
), and eventually was recalled to be Zuo Pushe (左僕射), the other head of the executive bureau.
By 769, the chancellor Yuan Zai
Yuan Zai
Yuan Zai , courtesy name Gongfu , formally Viscount Huang of Xuchang and then Viscount Chengzong of Xuchang , was an official of the Chinese Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Suzong and Emperor Daizong, becoming particularly powerful during the middle of Emperor...
was the most powerful figure at court. Yuan was grateful to Pei for having recommended him in the past, and therefore, when Du Hongjian, who was then chancellor, died that year, Yuan recommended Pei to again be chancellor both to repay Yuan and to further control the government in light of Pei's old age and illness. When Pei was receiving his commission as chancellor, pursuant to customs, he was dancing to show gratefulness to the emperor, but as he danced, he fell to the ground, and Yuan had to help him up and to give thanks on his behalf. Pei died around the new year 770 and was posthumously honored. Emperor Daizong further had an award of silk and grain sent to his family. However, no 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...
was recorded for him.
It was said that Pei, despite his faithfulness, was also known for wastefulness, spending much resources on his wagons, his clothes, his food, and his horses. He invented a form of headdress that was imitated by others and which became known as Pushe Form (僕射樣). When he succeeded Du as chancellor, his subordinate reported to him the amount of additional salary he would be earning, and he was pleased with the earning, drawing scorn from those who saw him.