Lai Heng
Encyclopedia
Lai Heng (died November 18, 678) was an official of the Chinese
dynasty Tang Dynasty
, serving as chancellor during the reign of Emperor Gaozong
.
, Jiangsu
). His father Lai Hu'er (來護兒) was a major general during Sui Dynasty
and carried the title of Duke of Rong. In 618, while Emperor Yang of Sui
was at Jiangdu with the Sui state engulfed in agrarian rebellions, the general Yuwen Huaji
led a coup and overthrew Emperor Yang. Yuwen executed a large number of high level officials, and Lai Hu'er, along with most of his family, was killed. Only Lai Heng and his younger brother Lai Ji
escaped death.
's second wife Empress Wu
(later known as Wu Zetian) in 655, when Lai Ji was already chancellor. (For his opposition to Empress Wu, Lai Ji would eventually be exiled and die in exile in 662.)
What is known about Lai Heng's career was that as of 676, he was serving as 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 of Tong Zhongshu Menxia Sanpin (同中書門下三品), making him a chancellor de facto. However, his acts as chancellor were not recorded in history. He died in 678, while still serving as chancellor.
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 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...
.
Background
Lai Ji's family was from Jiangdu (江都, in modern YangzhouYangzhou
Yangzhou is a prefecture-level city in central Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China. Sitting on the northern bank of the Yangtze River, it borders the provincial capital of Nanjing to the southwest, Huai'an to the north, Yancheng to the northeast, Taizhou to the east, and Zhenjiang across...
, Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
). His father Lai Hu'er (來護兒) was a major general during Sui Dynasty
Sui Dynasty
The Sui Dynasty was a powerful, but short-lived Imperial Chinese dynasty. Preceded by the Southern and Northern Dynasties, it ended nearly four centuries of division between rival regimes. It was followed by the Tang Dynasty....
and carried the title of Duke of Rong. In 618, while Emperor Yang of Sui
Emperor Yang of Sui
Emperor Yang of Sui , personal name Yang Guang , alternative name Ying , nickname Amo , known as Emperor Ming during the brief reign of his grandson Yang Tong), was the second son of Emperor Wen of Sui, and the second emperor of China's Sui Dynasty.Emperor Yang's original name was Yang Ying, but...
was at Jiangdu with the Sui state engulfed in agrarian rebellions, the general Yuwen Huaji
Yuwen Huaji
Yuwen Huaji was a general of the Chinese dynasty Sui Dynasty who, in 618, led a coup against Emperor Yang of Sui, killing him. He subsequently declared Emperor Yang's nephew Yang Hao led Emperor Yang's elite Xiaoguo Army north, but was then repeatedly defeated by Li Mi, Li Shentong , and...
led a coup and overthrew Emperor Yang. Yuwen executed a large number of high level officials, and Lai Hu'er, along with most of his family, was killed. Only Lai Heng and his younger brother Lai Ji
Lai Ji
Lai Ji was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Gaozong. He later offended Emperor Gaozong by opposing the ascension of Emperor Gaozong's second wife Empress Wu and was exiled to be a prefect in the extreme western part of the state...
escaped death.
During Emperor Gaozong's reign
Both Lai Heng and Lai Ji were said to be talented in literature, and their reputations were said to be equivalent -- although much more is known about Lai Ji's career than Lai Heng's, due to Lai Ji's famed opposition to the ascension of Emperor Gaozong of TangEmperor 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...
's second 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) in 655, when Lai Ji was already chancellor. (For his opposition to Empress Wu, Lai Ji would eventually be exiled and die in exile in 662.)
What is known about Lai Heng's career was that as of 676, he was serving as 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 of Tong Zhongshu Menxia Sanpin (同中書門下三品), making him a chancellor de facto. However, his acts as chancellor were not recorded in history. He died in 678, while still serving as chancellor.