Xing Wenwei
Encyclopedia
Xing Wenwei (died 690?) was an official of the Chinese
dynasty Tang Dynasty
, serving as a chancellor during the first reign of Emperor Ruizong
and his mother Wu Zetian
's Zhou Dynasty.
, Anhui
), and that he, along with two other men from nearby prefectures, Gao Zigong (高子貢) and Pei Huaigui (裴懷貴), were known for their knowledge throughout the region. About 672, during the reign of Emperor Gaozong
, Xing was serving as a secretary in charge of food supplies for the palace of Emperor Gaozong's crown prince
Li Hong
. At that time, Li Hong rarely met with his staff members, and Xing reduced the food supplies to Li Hong and submitted petitions to him, arguing that it was inappropriate for him not to meet staff members. Li Hong wrote a humble letter back to Xing, explaining that he did not meet with staff members because he was often ill and because he was often attending to Emperor Gaozong, but thanking Xing for his suggestions. Soon thereafter, Emperor Gaozong needed an imperial chronicler, and he commented, "Xing Wenwei, while serving my son, was able to use the reduction of food to get my son to correct his ways; this shows that he is an upright man." He promoted Xing to the imperial chronicler post.
the Crown Prince
(as Emperor Zhongzong) (Li Hong having predeceased his father in 675), but Emperor Gaozong's powerful wife Empress Wu
(later known as Wu Zetian) retained actual power as empress dowager
and regent
. In spring 684, after he showed signs of independence, she deposed him and replaced him with his younger brother Li Dan
the Prince of Yu (as Emperor Ruizong), but thereafter wielded power even more firmly. During her regency, Xing Wenwei was promoted to the post of Fengge Shilang (鳳閣侍郎) -- the deputy head of the legislative bureau of government (鳳閣, Fengge), and also served as an imperial scholar at Hongwen Pavilion (弘文館). In 689, he was given the designation Tong Fengge Luantai Pingzhangshi (同鳳閣鸞臺平章事), making him a chancellor de facto. In 690, he was made acting Neishi (內史) -- the head of the legislative bureau and a post considered one for a chancellor. When Empress Dowager Wu held a grand ceremony at the newly constructed imperial meeting hall (明堂, Ming Tang) later that year, she had Xing publicly recite the Xiao Jing
as part of the ceremony.
was accused of corruption and exiled, Xing was accused of being an associate of Zong's and demoted to be the prefect of Zhen Prefecture (珍州, roughly modern Zunyi
, Guizhou
). Soon after his demotion, there was an imperial messenger sent to Zhen Prefecture, and Xing, believing that the messenger must be sent to arrest him, committed suicide by hanging.
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 first reign of 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 his mother 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.
During Emperor Gaozong's reign
It is not known when Xing Wenwei was born, but it was known that his family was from Chu Prefecture (滁州, roughly modern ChuzhouChuzhou
Chuzhou is a prefecture-level city in eastern Anhui Province, People's Republic of China. It borders the provincial capital of Hefei to the southwest, Huainan to the west, Bengbu to the northwest, Chaohu to the south, and the province of Jiangsu to the east...
, 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...
), and that he, along with two other men from nearby prefectures, Gao Zigong (高子貢) and Pei Huaigui (裴懷貴), were known for their knowledge throughout the region. About 672, 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...
, Xing was serving as a secretary in charge of food supplies for the palace of Emperor Gaozong'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 Hong
Li Hong
Li Hong , formally Emperor Xiaojing with the temple name of Yizong , was a crown prince of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty...
. At that time, Li Hong rarely met with his staff members, and Xing reduced the food supplies to Li Hong and submitted petitions to him, arguing that it was inappropriate for him not to meet staff members. Li Hong wrote a humble letter back to Xing, explaining that he did not meet with staff members because he was often ill and because he was often attending to Emperor Gaozong, but thanking Xing for his suggestions. Soon thereafter, Emperor Gaozong needed an imperial chronicler, and he commented, "Xing Wenwei, while serving my son, was able to use the reduction of food to get my son to correct his ways; this shows that he is an upright man." He promoted Xing to the imperial chronicler post.
During Emperor Ruizong's first reign
Emperor Gaozong died in 683 and was succeeded by his son Li ZheEmperor 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....
(as Emperor Zhongzong) (Li Hong having predeceased his father in 675), but Emperor Gaozong's powerful wife Empress Wu
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...
(later known as Wu Zetian) retained actual 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...
. In spring 684, after he showed signs of independence, she deposed him and replaced him with his younger 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 Yu (as Emperor Ruizong), but thereafter wielded power even more firmly. During her regency, Xing Wenwei was promoted to the post of Fengge Shilang (鳳閣侍郎) -- the deputy head of the legislative bureau of government (鳳閣, Fengge), and also served as an imperial scholar at Hongwen Pavilion (弘文館). In 689, he was given the designation Tong Fengge Luantai Pingzhangshi (同鳳閣鸞臺平章事), making him a chancellor de facto. In 690, he was made acting Neishi (內史) -- the head of the legislative bureau and a post considered one for a chancellor. When Empress Dowager Wu held a grand ceremony at the newly constructed imperial meeting hall (明堂, Ming Tang) later that year, she had Xing publicly recite the Xiao Jing
Xiao Jing
Xiao Jing or Classic of Filial Piety is a Confucian classic treatise giving advice on filial piety; that is, how to behave towards a senior .-Authorship:...
as part of the ceremony.
During Wu Zetian's reign
Later in 690, Empress Dowager Wu had Emperor Ruizong yield the throne to her, and she took the throne as "emperor" of a new Zhou Dynasty, interrupting Tang Dynasty. Xing continued to serve as chancellor. However, later that year, when the chancellor Zong QinkeZong Qinke
Zong Qinke was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty and Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty, serving briefly as chancellor during Wu Zetian's reign....
was accused of corruption and exiled, Xing was accused of being an associate of Zong's and demoted to be the prefect of Zhen Prefecture (珍州, roughly modern Zunyi
Zunyi
Zunyi is a prefecture-level city in Guizhou province in southwestern China. Along with Guiyang and Liupanshui, it is one of the most important cities of the province...
, Guizhou
Guizhou
' is a province of the People's Republic of China located in the southwestern part of the country. Its provincial capital city is Guiyang.- History :...
). Soon after his demotion, there was an imperial messenger sent to Zhen Prefecture, and Xing, believing that the messenger must be sent to arrest him, committed suicide by hanging.