Fang Guan

Fang Guan(Chinese:Phòng quản;pinyin:Fáng Guǎn;Wade–Giles:Fang Kuan;697 – September 15, 763),courtesy nameCilü( thứ luật ), formally theDuke of Qinghe( thanh hà công ), was a Chinese politician during theTang dynasty,serving as achancellorduring the reigns ofEmperor XuanzongandEmperor Suzong.

Background

Fang Guan was born in 697, during the first reign ofEmperor Ruizong.His family was from theTang dynastyeastern capitalLuoyang.His fatherFang Rongserved as achancellorduring the subsequent reign of Emperor Ruizong's motherWu Zetian,but was exiled and died in exile in 705 when Wu Zetian was overthrown in a coup. Fang Guan himself was said to be studious and collected in his youth, and he was able to be an imperial university student on account of his father's position. However, he favored the life of a hermit, and he and one Lü Xiang ( Lữ hướng ) both became hermits in Mount Luhun ( lục hồn sơn, near Luoyang) and studied together, for more than a decade.

During Emperor Xuanzong's reign

In 725, during the reign of Emperor Ruizong's sonEmperor Xuanzong,Emperor Xuanzong was set to offer sacrifices to heaven and earth atMount Tai.Fang Guan drafted a proposed text to accompany his sacrifices, and submitted the text to the chancellorZhang Shuo.Zhang was impressed and recommended him to beMishu Lang( bí thư lang ), a clerk at thePalace Library.He later served as the sheriff of Fengyi County ( phùng dực, in modernWeinan,Shaanxi). He later left office, but was selected in a subsequentimperial examinationseeking to fill county magistrate positions, and was made the magistrate of Lushi County ( Lư thị, in modernSanmenxia,Henan). It was said that the people of the county praised his rule. In 734, he was madeJiancha Yushi( giám sát ngự sử ), an imperial censor, but that same year was accused of improper handling of cases and demoted to be the census official at Mu Prefecture ( mục châu, in modernHangzhou,Zhe gian g). He later successively served as the magistrates ofCixi( từ khê, in modernNingbo,Zhe gian g), Songcheng ( Tống thành, in modernShangqiu,Henan), andJiyuanCounties, and was said to rule benevolently and reasonably.

In 742, Fang was madeZhuke Yuanwailang( chủ khách viên ngoại lang ), a low-level official at the ministry of rites ( Lễ Bộ,Libu), and in 744 was promoted to the higher post ofZhuke Langzhong( chủ khách lang trung ). In 746, he was madeJishizhong( cấp sự trung ), an imperial attendant, and was created the Baron of Zhangnan. At that time, Emperor Xuanzong was expanding Huaqing Palace ( hoa thanh cung ), known forits hot springs,and he put Fang in charge of building housing for the officials near Huaqing Palace. However, in 747, he was, on account of his association with disgraced officialsLi Shizhiand Wei Jian ( Vi kiên ), demoted to be the governor of Yichun Commandery ( Nghi Xuân, roughly modernYichun, Jiangxi). He later successively served as the governor of Langye ( lang tà, roughly modernLinyi,Shandong),Ye,and Fufeng ( đỡ phong, roughly modernBaoji,Shaanxi) Commanderies, and was known for benevolent rule. In 755, he was recalled to the capitalChang'anto serve as a staff member of Emperor Xuanzong'scrown princeLi Heng,and subsequently made the deputy minister of justice ( hiến bộ thị lang,Xianbu Shilang).

Later in 755, the military governor (jiedushi)An Lushanrebelled, and by summer 756, the forces of his newly established state ofYanwas approaching Chang'an. Emperor Xuanzong fled toward Shu Commandery ( Thục quận, roughly modernChengdu,Sichuan) in panic, leaving most officials behind. Many officials who felt that Emperor Xuanzong overlooked them for promotions surrendered to An, but Fang, even though he was also largely overlooked, invited Zhang Shuo's sons Zhang Jun ( trương đều ) and Zhang Ji ( trương ký ), along with Wei Shu ( Vi thuật ), to try to catch up with Emperor Xuanzong. Once the journey got under way, though, the Zhangs changed their mind and returned to Chang'an (and eventually submitted to An), while Fang continued. He was able to catch up with Emperor Xuanzong at Pu'an Commandery ( phổ an, roughly modernGuangyuan,Sichuan). Emperor Xuanzong was pleased, and made him the deputy minister of civil service affairs ( văn bộ thị lang,Wenbu Shilang) and gave him the designationTong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi( cùng trung thư môn hạ bình chương sự ), making him a chancellorde facto.Subsequently, at Fang's recommendation, Emperor Xuanzong also madeCui Huana chancellor.

During Emperor Suzong's reign

Meanwhile, Li Heng, who did not follow Emperor Xuanzong, declared himself emperor atLingwu,and when the news reached Emperor Xuanzong, Emperor Xuanzong recognized Emperor Suzong as emperor and took the titleTaishang Huang(retired emperor) himself. He sent Fang and fellow chancellorsWei Jiansuand Cui Huan to Lingwu to official invest Emperor Suzong as emperor and gave them the imperial seal and the edict officially passing the throne. They encountered Emperor Suzong, who was then launching a counterattack, at Shunhua ( Huế, in modernQingyang,Gansu), and they offered the seal and the edict to Emperor Suzong. Emperor Suzong declined, stating that with empire still in turmoil, it was not an appropriate time for him to officially take the throne, instead putting the seal and the edict aside and paying them daily respects, as they represented Emperor Xuanzong.

Emperor Suzong was impressed with Fang's fervor for the restoration of Tang authority and gave him the most responsibility, and he followed Fang's recommendations in not executing the generals Wang Sili ( vương tư lễ ) and Lü Chongbi ( Lữ sùng bí ), who were part of the Tang army defeated atTong Passprior to An Lushan's approach on Chang'an. However, it was said that Fang favored big talkers and injected his own likes and dislikes into personnel decisions. This came to Emperor Suzong's attention when Emperor Suzong had decreed that the official Helan Jinming ( Hạ Lan tiến minh ) should be made the governor ofNanhai Commandery( Nam Hải, roughly modernGuangzhou,Guangdong) and military governor ofLingnanCircuit (headquartered in Guangzhou), and be given an honorary title as chief imperial censor—but Fang instead announced that Helan would be given the honorary title asactingchief imperial censor. When Helan brought this to Emperor Suzong's attention, and further intimated that a decree that Emperor Xuanzong had issued before he became aware that Emperor Suzong had assumed imperial title—commissioning Emperor Suzong and several brothers of his with military commands independent of each other—was intended to allowanyof Emperor Xuanzong's sons to be successful and thank him for the commission. Emperor Suzong thus began to distance himself from Fang. Fang, realizing this, requested that he be commissioned to lead an army to recapture Chang'an, hoping to regain imperial favor by battlefield success. Emperor Suzong agreed and further allowed him to select his own staff members. Fang selected such friends as Wang Sili, Deng Jingshan ( Đặng cảnh sơn ), Li Ji ( Lý ấp ), andLiu Zhito serve on his staff, entrusting the strategies to Li Ji and Liu—despite the fact that neither was learned in military matters, going as far as stating, "Even though the rebels have many strong men, none can rival my Liu Zhi." He divided his army into three groups and approached Chang'an, and once he was engaging Yan forces there, he used an ancient tactic from theSpring and Autumn period—putting cattle-drawn wagons in the center and cavalry and infantry on the side.Yan forces responded by beating its drums, terrorizing the cattle, and then setting fire on the wagons. This caused a general panic in both the cattle and the Tang soldiers, causing more than 40,000 casualties. Fang led a counterattack, which was also defeated. However, at the urging of Emperor Suzong's trusted advisorLi Mi,Fang was not punished.

Despite the defeat, though, Fang was still spending most of his day discussingBuddhistandTaoistphilosophies with Liu and Li JI, often claiming illness so that he would not need to deal with the affairs of state. He also favored the musician Dong Tinglan ( đổng đình lan ), and Dong thereafter often took bribes to influence Fang on the bribers' behalf. He also tried to reduce the punishment due to one of his friends, Li Heji ( Lý gì kỵ ), for lack of filial piety. Meanwhile, he also disrespected fellow chancellorCui Yuan,drawing Cui Yuan's resentment as well. When an indictment was filed against Dong, he tried to defend Dong, drawing displeasure from Emperor Suzong, who ordered him out of the palace. He thus returned to his own mansion and did not dare to rule on important matters. In summer 757, Emperor Suzong removed him from his chancellor position and replaced him withZhang Gao,making Fang an advisor to the crown prince instead.

In winter 757, after Tang forces recaptured Chang'an, he returned to Chang'an with Emperor Suzong, and was given the honorific titleJinzi Guanglu Daifu( Kim Tử Quang Lộc đại phu ) and created the Duke of Qinghe. Meanwhile, with him not having any real authorities, his associates were creating public sentiment that he should be restored to power due to his abilities. Emperor Suzong, displeased, issued a sternly-worded edict rebuking Fang and sending him out of Chang'an to serve as the prefect of Bin Prefecture ( Bân Châu, roughly modernXianyang,Shaanxi). It was said that, at the time, after all of the military action, Bin Prefecture was in a state of confusion and disrepair. Once Fang arrived there, he did what he could to comfort the people, repair the buildings, and put officials in their proper places. In 759, Emperor Suzong issued an edict praising him and recalling him to serve on the staff of the new crown princeLi Yu.In 760, he was made the minister of rites ( Lễ Bộ thượng thư,Libu Shangshu), but was soon sent out of the capital to serve as the prefect of Jin Prefecture ( Tấn Châu, in modernLinfen,Shanxi) and then the prefect ofHan Prefecture( Hán Châu, in modernDeyang,Sichuan). While he was at Han Prefecture, he paid a largebride priceto the official Li Rui ( Lý duệ ) to get Li Rui to give his nephew Lady Lu to be the wife of Fang's oldest son Fang Cheng ( phòng thừa ), who was blind in both eyes from birth. This use of bride price drew severe criticism against Fang Guan.

During Emperor Daizong's reign

In 762, Emperor Suzong died, and Li Yu became emperor (as Emperor Daizong). In summer 763, he recalled Fang Guan to serve as the minister of justice ( Hình Bộ thượng thư,Xingbu Shangshu). While Fang was on the way back to Chang'an, though, he became ill. He died in fall 763, while still on the way, atLang Prefecture( lãng châu, in modernNanchong,Sichuan). He was given posthumous honors, but historical records did not record aposthumous name.

Christian identity

See also:East Syriac Church in Sichuan

Duke Fang Stone at Guanghan

According to a local tradition inGuanghan(Hanchow,lit. 'Han Prefecture'), Fang Guan was anEast Syriac Christian.The tradition says that he worshipped the One God alone.At his daily worship, Fang used to kneel on a stone which later came to be known as the Duke Fang Stone.According to local testimonies, his name was carved on the no-longer-extant Nestorian stele at Wangxiangtai (Wang Hsiang T'ai) Temple.The earlier name for the temple was Jingfu Yuan (Ching Fu Yuan), as in Jingjiao (Ching Chiao, i.e.,East Syriac Church in China).

Notes and references

• Old Book of Tang,vol. 111.
• New Book of Tang,vol. 139.
• Zizhi Tong gian,vols.215,217,218,219,220.

Journal article

• Donnithorne, V. H.(1933–1934)."The Golden Age and the Dark Age in Hanchow, Szechwan".Journal of the West China Border Research Society.VI.