Xiao Qing

For the fictional character from the Legend of the White Snake, seeXiaoqing (character).

Xiao Qing( tiêu khoảnh; 862– 19 June 930?),courtesy nameZicheng( tử trừng ), was an official of theChineseTang dynastyand its successor statesLater LiangandLater Tangof theFive Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period,serving as achancellorduring Later Liang.

Background

Xiao Qing was born in 862, during the reign ofEmperor Yizong of Tang.His family was from Wannian (Vạn năm), one of the two counties making up theTang dynastycapitalChang'an.His line was a prominent one—having produced a number ofchancellorsand other important officials, including his grandfatherXiao Fang,who served as a chancellor during the reign ofEmperor Xizong of Tang.His father Xiao Lin (Tiêu lẫm) served as the mayor of Jingzhao Municipality ( kinh triệu, i.e., the Chang'an area). Xiao Qing himself was said to be intelligent and capable in literary matters.

Service during the Tang dynasty

During the reign of Emperor Yizong's sonEmperor Zhaozong,Xiao Qing passed theimperial examinationsin theJinshiclass, and subsequently entered governmental service. He served successively as a surveyor for the treasury ( độ chi tuần quan,Duzhi Xunguan); scholar at the ministry of ceremonies ( quá thường tiến sĩ,Taichang Boshi); and low-level consultant ( hữu bổ khuyết,You Bujue) at the legislative bureau of government ( Trung Thư Tỉnh,Zhongshu Sheng). While serving asYou Bujue,there were times when a number of warlords requested that they be allowed to build temples dedicated to their ancestors. Xiao submitted a petition to Emperor Zhaozong, discussing why such requests were inappropriate, so those requests were rejected.

Later, while Xiao was serving asLibu Yuanwailang(Lại Bộ viên ngoại lang), a low-level official at the ministry of civil service affairs ( Lại Bộ,Libu), there was a time when the former chancellorZhang Jun,was serving as one of thePuye( bộc dạ, the heads of the executive bureau ( thượng thư tỉnh,Shangshu Sheng), which the ministry of civil service belonged to).At that time, Zhang's ally, the major warlordZhu Quanzhongthe military governor of Xuanwu Circuit ( tuyên võ, headquartered in modernKaifeng,Henan), had sent his attendant Gao Shao (Cao Thiệu) to demand that one of his (Zhu's) sons be given an official post based on Zhu's own prominence. The agencies responsible for such commissions rejected the request, finding it to be without precedent. Zhang, however, to please Zhu, insisted on the commission's approval, and went to the agencies himself to demand so. Xiao wrote (apparently to Zhang, but may be to Emperor Zhaozong): "It is not the customs of the southern palace [(i.e., the part of the governmental complex where the imperial officials worked)] that aPuye,without gathering his subordinate officials to consult with them, personally go to the agencies to issue orders. "When Zhang became aware of what Xiao wrote, he apologized profusely. Xiao thus became well known after that, and this also impressed Zhu.

Service during Later Liang

After Zhu Quanzhong later seized the throne and established his ownLater Liangas its Emperor Taizu, Xiao Qing became a Later Liang official, and successively served as imperial attendant ( cấp sự trung,Jishizhong), mid-level consultant ( gián nghị đại phu,Jianyi Daifu), deputy chief imperial censor ( ngự sử đại phu,Yushi Daifu), and deputy minister of rites ( Lễ Bộ thị lang,Lǐbu Shilang). In that office, he was responsible for imperial examinations, and became known for his abilities.

In 918, by which time Emperor Taizu's sonZhu Zhenwas emperor, Xiao was serving as the deputy minister of civil service affairs ( Lại Bộ thị lang,Lìbu Shilang,note different tone), when he was made the deputy head of the legislative bureau ( trung thư thị lang,Zhongshu Shilang) and given the designationTong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi(Cùng trung thư môn hạ bình chương sự), making him a chancellor.

In 920,Li Qiwas also made a chancellor due to his association with Zhu Zhen's close associatesZhao Yanand Zhang Hanjie (Trương hán kiệt),and soon Xiao and Li were in conflict with each other.It was said that while Xiao did not display displeasure, he secretly sought out evidence of Li's faults. Li, who was careless and willing to accept bribes, was often makingactingofficials who bribed him full officials. Xiao reported this to the emperor. Zhu Zhen, in anger, wanted to exile Li, but Zhao and Zhang interceded for Li for him to avoid that fate, although he was removed from chancellorship.

Service during Later Tang

In 923,Emperor Zhuangzongof Later Liang's archrivalLater Tang,which claimed to be Tang's legitimate successor, captured the Later Liang capitalDaliangin a surprise attack. Zhu Zhen committed suicide as the city fell, ending Later Liang, and Later Tang took over Later Liang's territory. Emperor Zhuangzong, believing that Xiao Qing and a number of other high-level Later Liang officials, including Xiao's chancellor colleagueZheng Jue,whose ancestors had been Tang officials for generations, were disloyal to Tang and should be punished, and therefore exiled them—in Xiao's case, he was exiled to be the census officer of Deng Prefecture ( Đăng Châu, in modernYantai,Shandong).He was later slightly promoted to be the military advisor to the prefect of Pu Prefecture ( bộc châu, in modernPuyang,Henan), and yet later recalled to then-Later Tang capitalLuoyangto serve asTaizi Binke(Thái Tử khách khứa)—an honorary post as theCrown Prince's advisor (as there was no crown prince at that time).

Early in theTianchengera (926–930) of Emperor Zhuangzong's adoptive brother and successorEmperor Mingzong,Xiao successively served as the minister of rites ( Lễ Bộ thượng thư,Libu Shangshu), then as the minister of ceremonies ( thái thường khanh,Taichang Qing), and retired asTaizi Shaobao( Thái Tử thiếu bảo, also an advisor to the Crown Prince, but also honorary as there was no crown prince at the time). He died at the age of 68.

Notes and references

• Old History of the Five Dynasties,vol. 58.
• Zizhi Tong gian,vols.270,271,272.