Guo Zhengyi
Encyclopedia
Guo Zhengyi (died September 10, 689) was an official of the Chinese
dynasty Tang Dynasty
, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Gaozong
and the regency
of Emperor Gaozong's wife Empress Wu
(later known as Wu Zetian) over their son Emperor Zhongzong
.
, Hebei
). He passed the imperial examination
during the reign of Emperor Taizong
, and subsequently served as a mid-level official at the legislative bureau of government (中書省, Zhongshu Sheng), as well as an imperial scholar.
, suffered a major defeat at the hands of Tufan's general Lun Qinling (論欽陵), and the major general Liu Shenli (劉審禮) was captured. In light of this major defeat, Emperor Gaozong asked his officials for the proper response against Tufan. Guo Zhengyi advocated going on the defensive for several years while regathering the people's strength, a proposal concurred in by other officials Liu Jingxian
and Huangfu Wenliang (皇甫文亮), and Emperor Gaozong accepted the proposal.
In 681, Guo was made the Mishu Shaojian (秘書少監), deputy head of the archival bureau as well as acting Zhongshu Shilang (中書侍郎), the deputy head of the legislative bureau. In 682, he was given the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事), making him a chancellor de facto. It was said that because Guo had been at the legislative bureau for a long period and was familiar with how it was run, most of the edicts were drafted by him, and he was considered capable in this. In 683, when Emperor Gaozong became seriously ill, he had Guo, along with Pei Yan
and Liu, assist his crown prince
Li Zhe
in handling important matters of state.
served as regent
and empress dowager
. Soon after Emperor Zhongzong's ascension, around the new year 684, she made Guo Zhengyi the principal of the imperial university, no longer a chancellor. Just a short time thereafter, Emperor Zhongzong, who displayed signs of independence, was deposed by Empress Dowager Wu and replaced by his brother Li Dan
the Prince of Yu (as Emperor Ruizong).
For the next few years, Guo was moved between several positions -- first as the prefect of Jin Prefecture (晉州, roughly modern Linfen
, Shanxi
), then the deputy head of the archival bureau (by this time known as Lintai Jian (麟臺監)), then acting prefect of Shan Prefecture (陝州, roughly modern Sanmenxia
, Henan
). He was serving as the prefect of Shan Prefecture as of 689, when Xu Jingzhen (徐敬真), the brother of Xu Jingye
the Duke of Ying, who had led an unsuccessful rebellion against Empress Dowager Wu in 684, was captured after spending several years in hiding. During the interrogation of Xu Jingzhen and Zhang Siming (張嗣明), a county magistrate who had assisted Xu Jingzhen in his years of hiding, Xu and Zhang implicated a large number of officials -- hoping that by doing so, they would be spared. Among those who were implicated were Guo, along with other key officials Zhang Guangfu
, Zhang Chujin (張楚金), Yuan Wanqing (元萬頃), and Wei Yuanzhong
. Zhang Guangfu was executed, but Guo, Zhang Chujin, Yuan, and Wei were spared and exiled to the Lingnan
region. Guo, however, died while on the way to exile or in exile, and his assets were confiscated.
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...
and 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 son 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...
.
Background
It is not known when Guo Zhengyi was born. He was from Ding Prefecture (定州, roughly modern BaodingBaoding
-Administrative divisions:Baoding prefecture-level city consists of 3 municipal districts, 4 county-level cities, 18 counties:-Demographics:The Baoding urban area has a population of around 1,006,000 . The population of the Baoding administrative area is 10,890,000. The considerable majority are...
, Hebei
Hebei
' is a province of the People's Republic of China in the North China region. Its one-character abbreviation is "" , named after Ji Province, a Han Dynasty province that included what is now southern Hebei...
). He passed the imperial examination
Imperial examination
The Imperial examination was an examination system in Imperial China designed to select the best administrative officials for the state's bureaucracy. This system had a huge influence on both society and culture in Imperial China and was directly responsible for the creation of a class of...
during the reign of Emperor Taizong
Emperor Taizong of Tang
Emperor Taizong of Tang , personal name Lǐ Shìmín , was the second emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China, ruling from 626 to 649...
, and subsequently served as a mid-level official at the legislative bureau of government (中書省, Zhongshu Sheng), as well as an imperial scholar.
During Emperor Gaozong's reign
In 678, Tang forces commanded by the chancellor Li JingxuanLi Jingxuan
Li Jingxuan , formally Duke Wenxian of Zhao , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as chancellor during the reign of Emperor Gaozong. He was famed for his knack of organizing the civil service system efficiently, but his downfall began in 678, when he, over his objection,...
, suffered a major defeat at the hands of Tufan's general Lun Qinling (論欽陵), and the major general Liu Shenli (劉審禮) was captured. In light of this major defeat, Emperor Gaozong asked his officials for the proper response against Tufan. Guo Zhengyi advocated going on the defensive for several years while regathering the people's strength, a proposal concurred in by other officials Liu Jingxian
Liu Jingxian
Liu Jingxian , né Liu Qixian , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as chancellor late in the reign of Emperor Gaozong and the subsequent regency of Emperor Gaozong's wife Empress Dowager Wu over their sons Emperor Zhongzong and Emperor Ruizong...
and Huangfu Wenliang (皇甫文亮), and Emperor Gaozong accepted the proposal.
In 681, Guo was made the Mishu Shaojian (秘書少監), deputy head of the archival bureau as well as acting Zhongshu Shilang (中書侍郎), the deputy head of the legislative bureau. In 682, he was given the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事), making him a chancellor de facto. It was said that because Guo had been at the legislative bureau for a long period and was familiar with how it was run, most of the edicts were drafted by him, and he was considered capable in this. In 683, when Emperor Gaozong became seriously ill, he had Guo, along with 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...
and Liu, assist his 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 Zhe
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...
in handling important matters of state.
During Empress Dowager Wu's regency
Emperor Gaozong died in late 683 and was succeeded by his Li Zhe (as Emperor Zhongzong), but Emperor Gaozong's wife Empress WuWu 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...
served as 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...
and 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...
. Soon after Emperor Zhongzong's ascension, around the new year 684, she made Guo Zhengyi the principal of the imperial university, no longer a chancellor. Just a short time thereafter, Emperor Zhongzong, who displayed signs of independence, was deposed by Empress Dowager Wu and replaced by his 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).
For the next few years, Guo was moved between several positions -- first as the prefect of Jin Prefecture (晉州, roughly modern Linfen
Linfen
-Administrative divisions:The prefecture-level city of Linfen is divided in one district, two cities and fourteen counties. The information here presented uses the metric system and data from 2010 Census.-Pollution:...
, Shanxi
Shanxi
' is a province in Northern China. Its one-character abbreviation is "晋" , after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period....
), then the deputy head of the archival bureau (by this time known as Lintai Jian (麟臺監)), then acting prefect of Shan Prefecture (陝州, roughly modern Sanmenxia
Sanmenxia
-Administration:The prefecture-level city of Sanmenxia administers one district, two county-level cities and three counties.*Hubin District*Lingbao City*Yima City*Lushi County*Shan County*Mianchi County*Sanmenxia Development Zone...
, 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...
). He was serving as the prefect of Shan Prefecture as of 689, when Xu Jingzhen (徐敬真), the brother of Xu 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, who had led an unsuccessful rebellion against Empress Dowager Wu in 684, was captured after spending several years in hiding. During the interrogation of Xu Jingzhen and Zhang Siming (張嗣明), a county magistrate who had assisted Xu Jingzhen in his years of hiding, Xu and Zhang implicated a large number of officials -- hoping that by doing so, they would be spared. Among those who were implicated were Guo, along with other key officials Zhang Guangfu
Zhang Guangfu
Zhang Guangfu was an official and general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as chancellor during the first reign of Emperor Ruizong....
, Zhang Chujin (張楚金), Yuan Wanqing (元萬頃), and Wei Yuanzhong
Wei Yuanzhong
Wei Yuanzhong , né Wei Zhenzai , formally Duke Zhen of Qi , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty and Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty, serving as chancellor during the reigns of Wu Zetian and her son Emperor Zhongzong.- Background :It is not known which year Wei Yuanzhong was born, but it...
. Zhang Guangfu was executed, but Guo, Zhang Chujin, Yuan, and Wei were spared and exiled to the Lingnan
Lingnan
Lingnan is a geographic area referring to lands in the south of China's "Five Ranges" which are Tayu, Qitian, Dupang, Mengzhu, Yuecheng. The region covers the Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan and Jiangxi provinces of modern China and northern Vietnam...
region. Guo, however, died while on the way to exile or in exile, and his assets were confiscated.