Guo Daiju
Encyclopedia
Guo Daiju was an official of the Chinese
dynasty Tang Dynasty
, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Gaozong
as well as the regency
of Emperor Gaozong's wife Empress Wu
(later known as Wu Zetian) over their sons Emperor Zhongzong
and Emperor Ruizong
.
Despite Guo's high status, little is firmly established about his background or career except for the years that he served as chancellor -- as, unusual for a chancellor, he did not have a biography in either the Book of Tang
or the New Book of Tang
. He was from Yingchuan (潁川, in modern Xuchang
, Henan
.) According to the table of chancellors in the New Book of Tang, his father was Guo Chufan (郭處範), who at one point served as the secretary general of Zhucheng County (諸城, in modern Weifang
, Shandong
).
As of 682
, late in the reign of Emperor Gaozong, Guo was Huangmen Shilang (黃門侍郎), the deputy head of the examination bureau of government (門下省, Menxia Sheng), when he was given the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingchangshi (同中書門下平章事), making him a chancellor de facto. However, nothing was recorded about his acts as chancellor, and the next reference to him was in 684
, by which time Emperor Gaozong had died and been succeeded by his son Emperor Zhongzong -- who was then deposed by Empress Wu, then empress dowager
and regent
, for disobeying her -- and then by Emperor Zhongzong's brother Emperor Ruizong. In 684, there had been a rebellion by Li Jingye
the Duke of Ying against Empress Dowager Wu's rule, and while Li Jingye's rebellion was quickly defeated, the chancellor Pei Yan
was executed on suspicion that he sympathized with Li Jingye's rebellion. After Pei's death, there were a series of official movements involving officials who had tried to defend Pei, and as part of these movements, Guo was stripped of his status as chancellor and made a member of the staff of Emperor Ruizong's crown prince
Li Chengqi
, but just a month later, he was further demoted to the post of prefect of Yue Prefecture (岳州, roughly modern Yueyang
, Henan
). Nothing further about him was recorded in history, although the table of chancellors in the New Book of Tang indicated his grandsons Guo Run (郭潤) and Guo Na (郭納) later served as imperial officials.
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 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...
as well as the regency
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...
of Emperor Gaozong's 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) over their sons Emperor Zhongzong
Emperor 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...
and 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...
.
Despite Guo's high status, little is firmly established about his background or career except for the years that he served as chancellor -- as, unusual for a chancellor, he did not have a biography in either the Book of Tang
Book of Tang
The Book of Tang , Jiu Tangshu or the Old Book of Tang is the first classic work about the Tang Dynasty. The book began when Gaozu of Later Jin ordered its commencement in 941...
or the New Book of Tang
New Book of Tang
The New Book of Tang , is a classic work of history about the Tang Dynasty edited by Ouyang Xiu and Song Qi and other official scholars of the Song Dynasty. The emperor called for a revision of the former Book of Tang in 1044. The New Book was presented to the throne in 1060. It was given its...
. He was from Yingchuan (潁川, in modern Xuchang
Xuchang
Xuchang is a prefecture-level city in central Henan province in Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the northwest, Kaifeng to the northeast, Zhoukou to the east, Luohe to the southeast, and Pingdingshan to the southwest....
, Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
.) According to the table of chancellors in the New Book of Tang, his father was Guo Chufan (郭處範), who at one point served as the secretary general of Zhucheng County (諸城, in modern Weifang
Weifang
Weifang is a prefecture-level city in central Shandong province, People's Republic of China. It borders Dongying to the northwest, Zibo to the west, Linyi to the southwest, Rizhao to the south, Qingdao to the east, and looks out to the Laizhou Bay to the north.-History:Weifang is a historical city...
, Shandong
Shandong
' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...
).
As of 682
682
Year 682 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 682 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Europe :* Jarrow Priory is established by Benedict...
, late in the reign of Emperor Gaozong, Guo was Huangmen Shilang (黃門侍郎), the deputy head of the examination bureau of government (門下省, Menxia Sheng), when he was given the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingchangshi (同中書門下平章事), making him a chancellor de facto. However, nothing was recorded about his acts as chancellor, and the next reference to him was in 684
684
Year 684 was a leap year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 684 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Asia :* Wu Ze Tian takes power in China.* The Ummayad...
, by which time Emperor Gaozong had died and been succeeded by his son Emperor Zhongzong -- who was then deposed by Empress Wu, then 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...
, for disobeying her -- and then by Emperor Zhongzong's brother Emperor Ruizong. In 684, there had been a rebellion by Li Jingye
Li Jingye
Li Jingye , also known as Xu Jingye , was a grandson of the great Tang Dynasty general Li Shiji who, after Emperor Gaozong's wife Empress Wu had seized power after Emperor Gaozong's death, rose in rebellion against her, but who was quickly defeated and killed in flight.- Background :It is not...
the Duke of Ying against Empress Dowager Wu's rule, and while Li Jingye's rebellion was quickly defeated, the chancellor Pei Yan
Pei Yan
Pei Yan , courtesy name Zilong , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Gaozong, as well as regency by his wife Empress Wu over their sons Emperor Zhongzong and Emperor Ruizong...
was executed on suspicion that he sympathized with Li Jingye's rebellion. After Pei's death, there were a series of official movements involving officials who had tried to defend Pei, and as part of these movements, Guo was stripped of his status as chancellor and made a member of the staff of Emperor Ruizong'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 Chengqi
Li Chengqi
Li Chengqi , known as Wu Chengqi during the reign of his grandmother Wu Zetian and as Li Xian after 716, formally Emperor Rang , was an imperial prince of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty who served as crown prince during the first reign of his father Emperor Ruizong who yielded that position to...
, but just a month later, he was further demoted to the post of prefect of Yue Prefecture (岳州, roughly modern Yueyang
Yueyang
Yueyang is a prefecture-level city at the northeastern corner of Hunan province, South Central China, on the southern shores of Dongting Lake.The Yueyang metropolitan area occupies 14,896 km². and the city proper occupies 304 km²...
, Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
). Nothing further about him was recorded in history, although the table of chancellors in the New Book of Tang indicated his grandsons Guo Run (郭潤) and Guo Na (郭納) later served as imperial officials.