Li Cheng( lý trình ) (c. 766? - 842?),courtesy nameBiaochen( biểu thần ), formallyDuke Miu of Pengyuan( bành nguyên mâu công ), was an official of theChineseTang dynasty,serving as achancellorduring the reign ofEmperor Jingzong.
Background
editLi Cheng was probably born in about 766. He was a fifth-generation descendant of Li Shenfu ( lý thần phù ) the Prince of Xiangyi, who was a cousin of theTang dynasty's founding emperorEmperor Gaozu.[1]His grandfather Li Bo ( lý bách ) served as the minister of husbandry, and his father Li Su ( lý túc ) served as a prefectural prefect.[2]
In 796, Li Cheng passed theimperial examinationsas aJinshi,and further passed a special examination in grand speech. Thereafter, he served on the staff of several military governors (Jiedushi). In 804, he returned to the capitalChang'anto serve as an imperial chancellor with the titleJiancha Yushi( giam sát ngự sử ), and later that year became an imperial scholar ( hàn lâm học sĩ,Hanlin Xueshi). After then-reigningEmperor Dezongdied in 805 and was succeeded by his sonEmperor Shunzong,Li was pushed out of the office of the imperial scholars by fellow imperial scholarWang Shuwen,a trusted advisor to Emperor Shunzong, and he thereafter served three terms as low-level officials in various ministries.[3]
During the reigns of Emperors Xianzong and Muzong
editDuring the middle of theYuanheera (806–820) of Emperor Shunzong's sonEmperor Xianzong,Li Cheng was sent out to Xichuan Circuit ( tây xuyên, headquartered in modernChengdu,Sichuan) to serve as the military commander of the circuit. In 815, he was recalled to Chang'an to serve as the deputy minister of defense ( binh bộ thị lang,Bingbu Shilang) and also became in charge of drafting imperial edicts.[3]When the generalHan Hongwas made the overall commander of Emperor Xianzong's campaign against the warlordWu Yuanjithat year,[4]Li was sent to the battlefront to declare Han's commission. In 816, he was madeZhongshu Sheren( trung thư xá nhân ), a mid-level official at the legislative bureau of government ( trung thư tỉnh,Zhongshu Sheng), as well as acting mayor of the capital municipality Jingzhao ( kinh triệu ). In 817, he was responsible for the imperial examinations that year. In 818, he was made the deputy minister of rites ( lễ bộ thị lang,Lǐbu Shilang), but was soon made the governor ( quan sát sử,Guanchashi) of Eyue Circuit ( ngạc nhạc, headquartered in modernWuhan,Hubei), as well as the prefect of Eyue's capital E Prefecture ( ngạc châu ). At a later point, he was recalled to serve as the deputy minister of civil service affairs ( lại bộ thị lang,Lìbu Shilang,note different tone), and created the Baron of Weiyuan.[3]
During the reign of Emperor Jingzong
editIn 824, shortly after the death of Emperor Xianzong's son and successorEmperor Muzongand succession by Emperor Muzong's sonEmperor Jingzong,Li Cheng, who was then still the deputy minister of civil service affairs, was given the additional designationTong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi( đồng trung thư môn hạ bình chương sự ), making him achancellorde facto.[3](It was said that Li Cheng was named because Emperor Jingzong inquired of another chancellor,Li Fengji,of who might be appropriate chancellors; Li Fengji listed a number of officials, and of Li Fengji's list, Li Cheng was listed first, and so was made chancellor.)[5]At that time, Emperor Jingzong, who was young, wanted to build and rebuild many palaces. Li Cheng pointed out that Emperor Jingzong was still new to the throne and still in the mourning period for Emperor Muzong, and that it was inappropriate for him to undertake these construction projects. Under his suggestion, the raw material that Emperor Jingzong had gathered were diverted to repair the various imperial tombs.[3][5]Li Cheng also suggested, along withWei Chuhou,that the senior officialPei Du,who had been ejected out of the capital due to discord with Li Fengji, be honored, and under Wei's and Li Cheng's suggestion, Emperor Jingzong gave Pei an honorary chancellor title.[5]Li Cheng also suggested that imperial scholars be appointed to attend to Emperor Jingzong in his studies. It was said that Li Cheng was eloquent and calculating, and he was able to change Emperor Jingzong's mind. He was soon madeZhongshu Shilang( trung thư thị lang ), the deputy head of the legislative bureau, and created the greater title of Duke of Pengyuan, while continuing to serve as chancellor.[3]
In 825, there was an incident in which one Wu Zhao ( võ chiêu ) was accused of threatening to kill Li Fengji. Previously, after Wu had served as a prefectural prefect, he sought a better appointment, but was given the largely powerless position of serving as secretary general to Emperor Jingzong's granduncle Li Shen ( lý thân ) the Prince of Yuan. Li Cheng, who was friendly with Wu, wanted to give Wu a more useful position, but Li Fengji, who by that point was no longer friendly to Li Cheng, opposed, and Li Cheng's relative Li Rengshu ( lý nhưng thúc ) informed Wu of this. Once, when Wu became drunk, he made the remark to his friend Mao Hui ( mao hối ) that he was going to kill Li Fengji. When this was reported, Wu was arrested. Li Fengji's followerLi Zhongyansuggested to Mao that, if Mao was willing to implicate Li Cheng, he would be rewarded. Mao refused. As a result of the subsequent investigations, Wu was executed by caning; Li Rengshu was demoted; and Li Zhongyan and Mao were exiled.[5]
In 826, Li Cheng was relieved of his post as chancellor (although he continued to hold theTong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshidesignation as an honorary title), and made the military governor of Hedong Circuit ( hà đông, headquartered in modernTaiyuan,Shanxi), as well as the mayor of its capital Taiyuan Municipality.[3][5]
During the reign of Emperor Wenzong
editIn 830, by which time Emperor Jingzong's brotherEmperor Wenzongwas emperor, Li Cheng was made the military governor of Hezhong Circuit ( hà trung, headquartered in modernYuncheng, Shanxi) as well as mayor of its capital Hezhong Municipality, and he continued to carry the honoraryTong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshititle. In 832, he was given the honorary title of actingSikong( tư không, one of theThree Excellencies). Soon thereafter, he was recalled to Chang'an to serve asZuo Puye( tả phó xạ ), one of the heads of the executive bureau ( thượng thư tỉnh,Shangshu Sheng). Emperor Wenzong had, recently prior to the commission, issued an edict that when thePuyetook office, all of the imperial officials were to formally congratulate him, and the officials of the fourth rank or below (in Tang's system of nine ranks for officials) were all to bow to him, andWang YaandDou Yizhi,who had recently receivedPuyecommissions, accepted the grand ceremonial bows. Li did not find this appropriate, and requested reconsideration. The executive bureau's secretary general Li Han ( lý hán ) also found the ceremonies to be too serious, but Emperor Wenzong nevertheless ordered the ceremonial bows be carried out.[3][6]Meanwhile, it was said that Li Cheng was talented and learned, but was seen as frivolous, careless, and overly humorous, and therefore did not have a good reputation despite his high position.[3]
In 833, Li Cheng was again sent out of the capital to serve as the military governor of Xuanwu Circuit ( tuyên võ, headquartered in modernKaifeng,Henan), as well as the prefect of its capital Bian Prefecture ( biện châu ); he also continued to carry the honorary title of actingSikong.In 835, he was again the military governor of Hezhong and the mayor of Hezhong, and was given the honorary title of actingSitu( tư đồ, also one of the Three Excellencies). In 836, he was recalled to Chang'an to serve asYou Puye( hữu phó xạ ), the other head of the executive bureau, as well as acting minister of worship ( thái thường khanh,Taichang Qing). He soon thereafter also assumed the post of acting minister of civil service affairs ( lại bộ thượng thư,Libu Shangshu) and was in charge of selecting officials. In 837, he was sent out to serve as the military governor of Shannan East Circuit ( sơn nam đông đạo, headquartered in modernXiangfan,Hubei) and the prefect of its capital Xiang Prefecture ( tương châu ), carrying the actingSitutitle. In 841 he served as defender ofLuoyang.While he presumably died in office at the age of 76 before 842 whenNiu Sengruwas appointed as the new defender of Luoyang, it was not explicitly indicated when he died. He was posthumously honored asTaibaoand given a posthumous nameMiu( mâu ).[1][3]
Notes and references
edit- ^abNew Book of Tang,vol. 131.
- ^Li Cheng's biography in theOld Book of Tangdid not give his grandfather's name, and gave his father's name as Li Subo ( lý túc bá ). SeeOld Book of Tang,vol. 167. The table of the chancellors' family trees in theNew Book of Tanggave his grandfather's name, and further indicated that his father's name was Li Su, apparently expressing skepticism that his father's name would have the character "Bo" given that his grandfather's name was Li Bo, albeit of a different character, due tonaming taboo.SeeNew Book of Tang,vol. 70."Hán xuyên thảo lư - nhị thập tứ sử - tân đường thư - quyển thất thập ‧ biểu đệ thập tông thất thế hệ".Archived fromthe originalon 2012-02-18.Retrieved2011-10-25."Tân đường thư - đại trịnh vương phòng".Archived fromthe originalon 2010-06-20.Retrieved2009-10-12.
- ^abcdefghijOld Book of Tang,vol. 167.
- ^Zizhi Tongjian,vol. 239.
- ^abcdeZizhi Tongjian,vol. 243.
- ^TheNew Book of Tangalso had an account of this controversy — but had the positions of Emperor Wenzong, Li Cheng, and Li Han, to be reverse of what was stated in theOld Book of Tang.As theOld Book of Tanghad quoted the language from Emperor Wenzong's edict, it is probably the more reliable account on this issue. CompareOld Book of Tang,vol. 167, withNew Book of Tang,vol. 131.