Li Yuansu
Encyclopedia
Li Yuansu (died October 26, 696) was an official of Wu Zetian
's Zhou Dynasty
, serving twice as chancellor.
Li Yuansu was the younger brother of Li Jingxuan
, who served as chancellor during the reign of Wu Zetian's husband Emperor Gaozong of Tang
. It was said that he, like Li Jingxuan, showed abilities as an official. He was, at one point, the magistrate of Wude County (武德, in modern Jiaozuo
, Henan
), when his superior, Li Wenjian (李文暕) the prefect of Huai Prefecture (roughly modern Jiaozuo) was set to collect gold and silver from the people to make barrels to offer to the emperor, and the people resented it. Other subordinates of Li Wenjian did not dare to speak about it, but Li Yuansu opposed it vehemently. Li Wenjian stopped collecting gold and silver from the people and, as he believed that Li Yuansu needed financial support, paid Li Yuansu out of his own pocket.
As of 692, during Wu Zetian's reign, Li Yuansu was acting deputy minister of treasury (地官侍郎, Diguan Shilang), when she promoted him to be Wenchang You Cheng (文昌右丞), one of the secretaries general of the executive bureau of government (文昌臺, Wenchang Tai) and gave him the designation Tong Fengge Luantai Pingzhangshi (同鳳閣鸞臺平章事), making him a chancellor de facto. Just slightly more than a month later, however, he, along with other chancellors Li Youdao
, Wang Xuan
, Yuan Zhihong
, and Cui Shenji
, and other officials Kong Siyuan (孔思元), and Ren Linghui (任令輝), were falsely accused of crimes by Wu Zetian's secret police official Wang Hongyi
. They were relieved from their posts and exiled to the Lingnan
region.
By 694, however, Li Yuansu had been recalled from exile and was serving as Wenchang You Cheng again, when he was made Fengge Shilang (鳳閣侍郎), the deputy head of the legislative bureau, and again given the de facto chancellor designation of Tong Fengge Luantai Pingzhangshi.
In late 696, there was a treasonous plot by the officials Liu Sili (劉思禮), Qilian Yao (綦連耀), and Wang Ju (王勮) -- as the conspirators believed that Qilian was fated to be emperor one day. The official Ji Xu
heard of the plot and relayed it to the secret police official Lai Junchen
, who in turn reported it to Wu Zetian. Wu Zetian had Wu Yizong (武懿宗) the Prince of Henan (the grandson of her uncle Wu Shiyi (武士逸)) investigate, and Wu Yizong, promising Liu that he would be spared, had him implicate as many officials as he could, and Liu implicated some 36 officials, including Li Yuansu, fellow chancellor Sun Yuanheng
, and other officials Shi Baozhong (石抱忠), Liu Qi (劉奇), Zhou Bo (周譒), and Wang Ju's brothers Wang Mian (王勔) and Wang Zhu (王助). All 36 households were slaughtered on the same day, and some 1,000 related persons were exiled. Not until Wu Zetian was overthrown in 705 were Li Yuansu's honors posthumously restored.
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...
's Zhou Dynasty
Zhou Dynasty
The Zhou Dynasty was a Chinese dynasty that followed the Shang Dynasty and preceded the Qin Dynasty. Although the Zhou Dynasty lasted longer than any other dynasty in Chinese history, the actual political and military control of China by the Ji family lasted only until 771 BC, a period known as...
, serving twice as chancellor.
Li Yuansu was the younger brother of Li Jingxuan
Li 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,...
, who served as chancellor during the reign of Wu Zetian's husband Emperor Gaozong of Tang
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...
. It was said that he, like Li Jingxuan, showed abilities as an official. He was, at one point, the magistrate of Wude County (武德, in modern Jiaozuo
Jiaozuo
Jiaozuo is a prefecture-level city in northern Henan province, People's Republic of China. Sitting on the northern bank of the Yellow River, it borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the south, Xinxiang to the east, Jiyuan to the west, Luoyang to the southwest, and the province of Shanxi...
, 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...
), when his superior, Li Wenjian (李文暕) the prefect of Huai Prefecture (roughly modern Jiaozuo) was set to collect gold and silver from the people to make barrels to offer to the emperor, and the people resented it. Other subordinates of Li Wenjian did not dare to speak about it, but Li Yuansu opposed it vehemently. Li Wenjian stopped collecting gold and silver from the people and, as he believed that Li Yuansu needed financial support, paid Li Yuansu out of his own pocket.
As of 692, during Wu Zetian's reign, Li Yuansu was acting deputy minister of treasury (地官侍郎, Diguan Shilang), when she promoted him to be Wenchang You Cheng (文昌右丞), one of the secretaries general of the executive bureau of government (文昌臺, Wenchang Tai) and gave him the designation Tong Fengge Luantai Pingzhangshi (同鳳閣鸞臺平章事), making him a chancellor de facto. Just slightly more than a month later, however, he, along with other chancellors Li Youdao
Li Youdao
Li Youdao was an official of Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty, briefly serving as chancellor.Despite Li's high status, little is firmly established about his career except for the time that he served as chancellor -- as, unusual for a chancellor, he did not have a biography in either the Book of Tang or...
, Wang Xuan
Wang Xuan (Second Zhou)
Wang Xuan was an official of Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty, briefly serving as chancellor.Despite Wang's high status, little is firmly established about his career except for the time that he served as chancellor—as, unusual for a chancellor, he did not have a biography in either the Book of Tang or...
, Yuan Zhihong
Yuan Zhihong
Yuan Zhihong was an official of Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty, briefly serving as chancellor.Despite Yuan high status, little is firmly established about his background or career except for the time that he served as chancellor -- as, unusual for a chancellor, he did not have a biography in either the...
, and Cui Shenji
Cui Shenji
Cui Shenji , formally the Duke of Qingqiu , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty and Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty, briefly serving as chancellor during Wu Zetian's reign....
, and other officials Kong Siyuan (孔思元), and Ren Linghui (任令輝), were falsely accused of crimes by Wu Zetian's secret police official Wang Hongyi
Wang Hongyi
Wang Hongyi was a secret police official during the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty and Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty.It is not known when Wang Hongyi was born, but it is known that he was from Hengshui...
. They were relieved from their posts 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.
By 694, however, Li Yuansu had been recalled from exile and was serving as Wenchang You Cheng again, when he was made Fengge Shilang (鳳閣侍郎), the deputy head of the legislative bureau, and again given the de facto chancellor designation of Tong Fengge Luantai Pingzhangshi.
In late 696, there was a treasonous plot by the officials Liu Sili (劉思禮), Qilian Yao (綦連耀), and Wang Ju (王勮) -- as the conspirators believed that Qilian was fated to be emperor one day. The official Ji Xu
Ji Xu
Ji Xu was an official of Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty, serving briefly as chancellor.- Background :It is not known when Ji Xu was born, but it is known that he was from the Zhou capital Luoyang. He was said to be tall, good at hiding his emotions, but daring to speak...
heard of the plot and relayed it to the secret police official Lai Junchen
Lai Junchen
Lai Junchen was a secret police official during the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty and Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty, whose ability to interrogate and falsely implicate officials of crimes made him a subject of fear and hatred...
, who in turn reported it to Wu Zetian. Wu Zetian had Wu Yizong (武懿宗) the Prince of Henan (the grandson of her uncle Wu Shiyi (武士逸)) investigate, and Wu Yizong, promising Liu that he would be spared, had him implicate as many officials as he could, and Liu implicated some 36 officials, including Li Yuansu, fellow chancellor Sun Yuanheng
Sun Yuanheng
Sun Yuanheng was an official of Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty, serving briefly as chancellor.Despite Sun's high status, little is firmly established about his career except for the time that he served as chancellor—as, unusual for a chancellor, he did not have a biography in either the Book of Tang or...
, and other officials Shi Baozhong (石抱忠), Liu Qi (劉奇), Zhou Bo (周譒), and Wang Ju's brothers Wang Mian (王勔) and Wang Zhu (王助). All 36 households were slaughtered on the same day, and some 1,000 related persons were exiled. Not until Wu Zetian was overthrown in 705 were Li Yuansu's honors posthumously restored.