Zhang Renyuan
Encyclopedia
Zhang Renyuan (died 714), né Zhang Rendan (張仁亶), formally the Duke of Han (韓公), was an official and general of the Chinese
dynasty Tang Dynasty
and Wu Zetian
's Zhou Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reigns of Wu Zetian's sons Emperor Zhongzong
and Emperor Ruizong
and grandson Emperor Shang
.
, Shaanxi
) and that his grandfather Zhang Deyan (張德言) was a prefectural prefect during early Tang Dynasty
, but nothing is known about his father Zhang Rong (張榮) beside the name.
's Zhou Dynasty, he was made Dianzhong Shi Yushi (殿中侍御史), a low-level imperial censor. Around this time, there was another censor, Guo Ba (郭霸), who submitted a report to Wu Zetian claiming that she was the incarnation of Maitreya Buddha, and there was another official, Zhang Jiafu
, who instigated the civilian Wang Qingzhi (王慶之) into submitting a petition asking that Wu Zetian make her nephew Wu Chengsi
the Prince of Wei crown prince
, instead of her son Li Dan
, formerly emperor until he yielded the throne to her in 690. Zhang Rendan was asked to cosign both documents and refused to do so, and he became known for this.
In 696, when Wu Zetian commissioned the chancellor Wang Xiaojie
to attack Tufan, Zhang Rendan was made the auditor for the campaign. Zhang submitted a report on the failures of the campaign, and as a result Wang was removed from his office. Zhang was thereafter promoted in his censor rank to Shi Yushi (侍御史).
In 697, another censor, Sun Chengjing (孫承景) served as an auditor of the border defense forces during a campaign, and after he returned from the campaign, he submitted a number of drawings showing him fighting and prevailing in battle. Wu Zetian was initially amazed, stating, "How can a censor be this faithful?" and promoted him to be deputy chief censor in charge of reviewing central government affairs. She asked Zhang to review the rolls of Sun's subordinates to see who should be rewarded. Zhang interviewed Sun and asked him to describe the battles -- and Sun could not, because, in reality, he did not fight in the battles. Zhang submitted an indictment accusing Sun of fraud. Sun was demoted to be a county magistrate, and Zhang was promoted in his stead, and sometime thereafter was made acting commandant at You Prefecture (幽州, roughly modern Beijing
). When Eastern Tujue's khan Ashina Mochuo subsequently invaded and, after capturing Zhao (趙州, roughly modern Shijiazhuang
, Hebei
) and Ding (roughly modern Baoding
, Hebei
) Prefectures but then withdrew through You Prefecture, Zhang tried to intercept him, and in the battle suffered an arrow wound to the hand. Wu Zetian sent messengers to praise him and physicians to treat him. He was subsequently made the secretary general at Bing Prefecture (并州, roughly modern Taiyuan
, Shanxi
).
(Li Dan's older brother, also former emperor, who had replaced him as crown prince in 698) was restored (as Emperor Zhongzong). In 706, when Emperor Zhongzong was returning from Luoyang
, which Wu Zetian had made capital, to the old Tang capital Chang'an
, he made Zhang Rendan one of the commanding generals of the imperial guards and the acting secretary general of Luo Prefecture (洛州, i.e., Luoyang), in charge of Luoyang. At that time, grain was expensive at Luoyang, and there were many grain thieves. Zhang captured them and caned them to death, and after the bodies stacked up, no one dared to steal grain any more.
In 707, after another Eastern Tujue incursion that saw the Tang general Shazha Zhongyi (沙吒忠義) defeated by Ashina Mochuo, Emperor Zhongzong commissioned Zhang to replace Shazha as the general in charge of the Shuofang
region (i.e., northern Shanxi and northern Shaanxi). When he arrived at the army camp, Eastern Tujue forces were withdrawing, and he made a surprise attack against them, inflicting much losses.
In 708, while Ashina Mochuo was busy fighting with Tuqishi (突騎施) forces in the Xiyu region, Zhang wanted to take advantage of Ashina Mochuo's absence to cross the Yellow River
in the bend region (in modern western central Inner Mongolia
), which had served as the de facto border of Tang and Eastern Tujue, and he submitted a proposal to build three forts north of the river to cut off the route that Eastern Tujue usually took in invading Tang territory. (Under the proposal, the eastern fort would be built in modern Hohhot
; the central fort would be built in modern Baotou
; and the western fort would be built in modern Bayan Nur
.) The chancellor Tang Xiujing
, himself a successful general, opposed, believing that the forts would be difficult to defend and would eventually fall into Eastern Tujue hands, but after repeated requests by Zhang, Emperor Zhongzong approved. The forts were completed in 60 days, and Zhang further built scout stations north of Mount Niutouchaona (牛頭朝那山, in modern Baotou). Apparently also at his suggestion, the ethnically Tufan general Lun Gongren (論弓仁) was made the forward commander of an army that patrolled the Nuozhen River (諾真水, flowing through modern Baotou). It was said that thereafter, Eastern Tujue forces did not dare to cross the Yin Mountains
, and the northern prefectures of the empire no longer needed to worry about Eastern Tujue attacks, allowing defense forces to be decreased in size.
The three forts built by Zhang had gates that did not have a secondary gate inside the primary gate, and also did not have defensive bulwarks. When he was asked the reason, he stated:
It was only later when another general, Chang Yuankai (常元楷), replaced him that the secondary gates were built, and it was said that the people at the time, as a result, respected Zhang and disrespected Chang. It was also said that while he was commanding the forces in Shuofang, he had retained on his staff such officials as Zhang Jingzhong (張敬中), He Luan (何鸞), Kou Ci (寇泚), Wang Yicong (王易從), Liu Tiwei (劉體微), Liu Yanzhao (柳彥昭), and Chao Liangzhen (晁良貞). These officials were capable, and later became important officials in the administration, leading to people praising Zhang Rendan for his ability to select officials.
Later in 708, Zhang was given the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Sanpin (同中書門下三品), making him a chancellor de facto. He was also created the Duke of Han. Under this arrangement, he would return to Chang'an in the spring to serve as chancellor, and in the fall he would again go to Shuofang to defend the border. On an occasion when he departed, Emperor Zhongzong personally wrote a poem to send him off and awarded him with much treasure.
and daughter Li Guo'er the Princess Anle
. His son by a concubine, Li Chongmao
the Prince of Wen, was made emperor (as Emperor Shang). Empress Wei retained power as empress dowager
and regent
. Less than a month later, a coup led by Emperor Zhongzong's sister Princess Taiping
and nephew Li Longji
the Prince of Linzi (son of Li Dan, who was then Prince of Xiang) killed Empress Dowager Wei and Li Guo'er, and Li Dan was returned to the throne (as Emperor Ruizong), displacing Emperor Shang, who was demoted back to the title of Prince of Wen. Zhang Renyuan, in order to observe naming taboo
(even though the Dan character in his name (亶) was not the same as Emperor Ruizong's (旦)), changed his name to Zhang Renyuan. A month after Emperor Ruizong took the throne, Zhang Renyuan requested retirement, and Emperor Ruizong allowed him to do so and further let him, in retirement, continue to carry the titles of minister of defense (兵部尚書) and Guanglu Daifu (光祿大夫) with full salaries. He died in 713, when Li Longji was emperor (as Emperor Xuanzong) and was buried with honor.
It was said that as a commanding general, Zhang was strict but fair. Later generals admired him and built a temple in his honor at the central fort that he built, and whenever there were military campaigns, sacrifices would be made to him. He, along with Li Jing
, Guo Yuanzhen
, and Tang Xiujing, were considered the few chancellors in Tang history who were capable in both civil and military matters.
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...
and Wu Zetian
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, serving as a chancellor during the reigns of Wu Zetian's 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...
and grandson Emperor Shang
Emperor Shang of Tang
Emperor Shang , also known as Emperor Shao , personal name Li Chongmao , was an emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China, ruling briefly in 710....
.
Background
It is not known when Zhang Renyuan, whose name was initially Zhang Rendan, was born. It is known that his family was from Hua Prefecture (華州, roughly modern WeinanWeinan
Weinan is a Municipality in the province of Shaanxi, PRC. The Grand Historian Sima Qian was born in Weinan.-Administration:...
, Shaanxi
Shaanxi
' is a province in the central part of Mainland China, and it includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River in addition to the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of this province...
) and that his grandfather Zhang Deyan (張德言) was a prefectural prefect during early 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...
, but nothing is known about his father Zhang Rong (張榮) beside the name.
During Wu Zetian's reign
It was said that Zhang Rendan was talented in both civil and military matters when he was young, and early in Wu ZetianWu 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, he was made Dianzhong Shi Yushi (殿中侍御史), a low-level imperial censor. Around this time, there was another censor, Guo Ba (郭霸), who submitted a report to Wu Zetian claiming that she was the incarnation of Maitreya Buddha, and there was another official, Zhang Jiafu
Zhang Jiafu
Zhang Jiafu was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty and Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty, briefly serving as chancellor during the reign of Emperor Shang....
, who instigated the civilian Wang Qingzhi (王慶之) into submitting a petition asking that Wu Zetian make her nephew Wu Chengsi
Wu Chengsi
Wu Chengsi , formally Prince Xuan of Wei , was a nephew of Chinese sovereign Wu Zetian and an imperial prince during her Zhou Dynasty...
the Prince of Wei 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....
, instead of her son 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...
, formerly emperor until he yielded the throne to her in 690. Zhang Rendan was asked to cosign both documents and refused to do so, and he became known for this.
In 696, when Wu Zetian commissioned the chancellor Wang Xiaojie
Wang Xiaojie
Wang Xiaojie , formally the Duke of Geng , was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty and Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty, serving in campaigns against Tufan, Eastern Tujue, and Khitan and briefly serving as chancellor during Wu Zetian's reign...
to attack Tufan, Zhang Rendan was made the auditor for the campaign. Zhang submitted a report on the failures of the campaign, and as a result Wang was removed from his office. Zhang was thereafter promoted in his censor rank to Shi Yushi (侍御史).
In 697, another censor, Sun Chengjing (孫承景) served as an auditor of the border defense forces during a campaign, and after he returned from the campaign, he submitted a number of drawings showing him fighting and prevailing in battle. Wu Zetian was initially amazed, stating, "How can a censor be this faithful?" and promoted him to be deputy chief censor in charge of reviewing central government affairs. She asked Zhang to review the rolls of Sun's subordinates to see who should be rewarded. Zhang interviewed Sun and asked him to describe the battles -- and Sun could not, because, in reality, he did not fight in the battles. Zhang submitted an indictment accusing Sun of fraud. Sun was demoted to be a county magistrate, and Zhang was promoted in his stead, and sometime thereafter was made acting commandant at You Prefecture (幽州, roughly modern Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
). When Eastern Tujue's khan Ashina Mochuo subsequently invaded and, after capturing Zhao (趙州, roughly modern Shijiazhuang
Shijiazhuang
Shijiazhuang is the capital and largest city of North China's Hebei province. Administratively a prefecture-level city, it is about south of Beijing...
, 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...
) and Ding (roughly modern Baoding
Baoding
-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...
) Prefectures but then withdrew through You Prefecture, Zhang tried to intercept him, and in the battle suffered an arrow wound to the hand. Wu Zetian sent messengers to praise him and physicians to treat him. He was subsequently made the secretary general at Bing Prefecture (并州, roughly modern Taiyuan
Taiyuan
Taiyuan is the capital and largest city of Shanxi province in North China. At the 2010 census, it had a total population of 4,201,591 inhabitants on 6959 km² whom 3,212,500 are urban on 1,460 km². The name of the city literally means "Great Plains", referring to the location where the Fen River...
, 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....
).
During Emperor Zhongzong's second reign
In 705, Wu Zetian was overthrown in a coup, and her son and crown prince Li XianEmperor 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...
(Li Dan's older brother, also former emperor, who had replaced him as crown prince in 698) was restored (as Emperor Zhongzong). In 706, when Emperor Zhongzong was returning from Luoyang
Luoyang
Luoyang is a prefecture-level city in western Henan province of Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the east, Pingdingshan to the southeast, Nanyang to the south, Sanmenxia to the west, Jiyuan to the north, and Jiaozuo to the northeast.Situated on the central plain of...
, which Wu Zetian had made capital, to the old Tang capital Chang'an
Chang'an
Chang'an is an ancient capital of more than ten dynasties in Chinese history, today known as Xi'an. Chang'an literally means "Perpetual Peace" in Classical Chinese. During the short-lived Xin Dynasty, the city was renamed "Constant Peace" ; yet after its fall in AD 23, the old name was restored...
, he made Zhang Rendan one of the commanding generals of the imperial guards and the acting secretary general of Luo Prefecture (洛州, i.e., Luoyang), in charge of Luoyang. At that time, grain was expensive at Luoyang, and there were many grain thieves. Zhang captured them and caned them to death, and after the bodies stacked up, no one dared to steal grain any more.
In 707, after another Eastern Tujue incursion that saw the Tang general Shazha Zhongyi (沙吒忠義) defeated by Ashina Mochuo, Emperor Zhongzong commissioned Zhang to replace Shazha as the general in charge of the Shuofang
Shuofang
Shuofang was a fort built in the land of nomadic horse hasbandry tribes at the dawn of the Chinese written history. According to Bamboo Annals, Shuofang was built by the Emperor Di Yi of Shang state on the third year of his reign in 1098 BC in the midst of the Kun Barbarians territory in the...
region (i.e., northern Shanxi and northern Shaanxi). When he arrived at the army camp, Eastern Tujue forces were withdrawing, and he made a surprise attack against them, inflicting much losses.
In 708, while Ashina Mochuo was busy fighting with Tuqishi (突騎施) forces in the Xiyu region, Zhang wanted to take advantage of Ashina Mochuo's absence to cross the Yellow River
Yellow River
The Yellow River or Huang He, formerly known as the Hwang Ho, is the second-longest river in China and the sixth-longest in the world at the estimated length of . Originating in the Bayan Har Mountains in Qinghai Province in western China, it flows through nine provinces of China and empties into...
in the bend region (in modern western central Inner Mongolia
Inner Mongolia
Inner Mongolia is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China, located in the northern region of the country. Inner Mongolia shares an international border with the countries of Mongolia and the Russian Federation...
), which had served as the de facto border of Tang and Eastern Tujue, and he submitted a proposal to build three forts north of the river to cut off the route that Eastern Tujue usually took in invading Tang territory. (Under the proposal, the eastern fort would be built in modern Hohhot
Hohhot
Hohhot , is a city in north-central China and the capital of the Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region, serving as the region's administrative, economic, and cultural centre....
; the central fort would be built in modern Baotou
Baotou
Baotou is a mid-sized industrial city in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China. Governed as a prefecture-level city, its urban areas are home to a population of approximately 1.78 million, with a total population of over 2.65 million accounting for counties under...
; and the western fort would be built in modern Bayan Nur
Bayan Nur
Bayannur is a prefecture-level city in western Inner Mongolia. Until December 1, 2003, the area was called the Bayannur league.Bayannur city has an area of 65,788 km². It borders Mongolia to the north, Alxa to the west, Ordos to the south and Baotou to the east...
.) The chancellor Tang Xiujing
Tang Xiujing
Tang Xiujing , formal name Tang Xuan but went by the courtesy name of Xiujing, formally Duke Zhong of Song , was an official and general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty and Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty, serving as chancellor during the reigns of Wu Zetian, her sons Emperor Zhongzong and Emperor...
, himself a successful general, opposed, believing that the forts would be difficult to defend and would eventually fall into Eastern Tujue hands, but after repeated requests by Zhang, Emperor Zhongzong approved. The forts were completed in 60 days, and Zhang further built scout stations north of Mount Niutouchaona (牛頭朝那山, in modern Baotou). Apparently also at his suggestion, the ethnically Tufan general Lun Gongren (論弓仁) was made the forward commander of an army that patrolled the Nuozhen River (諾真水, flowing through modern Baotou). It was said that thereafter, Eastern Tujue forces did not dare to cross the Yin Mountains
Yin Mountains
The Yin Mountains are mountains in the steppe forming the southern border of the eastern Gobi Desert of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, as well as the northern part of Hebei province....
, and the northern prefectures of the empire no longer needed to worry about Eastern Tujue attacks, allowing defense forces to be decreased in size.
The three forts built by Zhang had gates that did not have a secondary gate inside the primary gate, and also did not have defensive bulwarks. When he was asked the reason, he stated:
It was only later when another general, Chang Yuankai (常元楷), replaced him that the secondary gates were built, and it was said that the people at the time, as a result, respected Zhang and disrespected Chang. It was also said that while he was commanding the forces in Shuofang, he had retained on his staff such officials as Zhang Jingzhong (張敬中), He Luan (何鸞), Kou Ci (寇泚), Wang Yicong (王易從), Liu Tiwei (劉體微), Liu Yanzhao (柳彥昭), and Chao Liangzhen (晁良貞). These officials were capable, and later became important officials in the administration, leading to people praising Zhang Rendan for his ability to select officials.
Later in 708, Zhang was given the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Sanpin (同中書門下三品), making him a chancellor de facto. He was also created the Duke of Han. Under this arrangement, he would return to Chang'an in the spring to serve as chancellor, and in the fall he would again go to Shuofang to defend the border. On an occasion when he departed, Emperor Zhongzong personally wrote a poem to send him off and awarded him with much treasure.
During Emperor Shang's reign, Emperor Ruizong's second reign, and Emperor Xuanzong's reign
In 710, Emperor Zhongzong died suddenly -- a death that traditional historians believed to be poisoning carried out by his powerful wife Empress WeiEmpress Wei (Zhongzong)
Empress Wei was an empress of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty. She was the second wife of Emperor Zhongzong, who reigned twice, and during his second reign, she tried to emulate the example of her mother-in-law Wu Zetian and seize power...
and daughter Li Guo'er the Princess Anle
Princess Anle
Princess Anle , personal name Li Guo'er , was a princess of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty. She was the youngest daughter of Emperor Zhongzong and his wife Empress Wei who was greatly favored by her parents and therefore grew very powerful and corrupt during her father's second...
. His son by a concubine, Li Chongmao
Emperor Shang of Tang
Emperor Shang , also known as Emperor Shao , personal name Li Chongmao , was an emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China, ruling briefly in 710....
the Prince of Wen, was made emperor (as Emperor Shang). Empress Wei retained power as 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...
. Less than a month later, a coup led by Emperor Zhongzong's sister Princess Taiping
Princess Taiping
Princess Taiping was a princess of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty and her mother Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty. She was the youngest daughter of Wu Zetian and Emperor Gaozong and was powerful during the reigns of her mother and her elder brothers Emperor Zhongzong and Emperor Ruizong , particularly...
and nephew Li Longji
Emperor Xuanzong of Tang
Emperor Xuanzong of Tang , also commonly known as Emperor Ming of Tang , personal name Li Longji , known as Wu Longji from 690 to 705, was the seventh emperor of the Tang dynasty in China, reigning from 712 to 756. His reign of 43 years was the longest during the Tang Dynasty...
the Prince of Linzi (son of Li Dan, who was then Prince of Xiang) killed Empress Dowager Wei and Li Guo'er, and Li Dan was returned to the throne (as Emperor Ruizong), displacing Emperor Shang, who was demoted back to the title of Prince of Wen. Zhang Renyuan, in order to observe naming taboo
Naming taboo
Naming taboo is a cultural taboo against speaking or writing the given names of exalted persons in China and neighboring nations in the ancient Chinese cultural sphere.-Kinds of naming taboo:...
(even though the Dan character in his name (亶) was not the same as Emperor Ruizong's (旦)), changed his name to Zhang Renyuan. A month after Emperor Ruizong took the throne, Zhang Renyuan requested retirement, and Emperor Ruizong allowed him to do so and further let him, in retirement, continue to carry the titles of minister of defense (兵部尚書) and Guanglu Daifu (光祿大夫) with full salaries. He died in 713, when Li Longji was emperor (as Emperor Xuanzong) and was buried with honor.
It was said that as a commanding general, Zhang was strict but fair. Later generals admired him and built a temple in his honor at the central fort that he built, and whenever there were military campaigns, sacrifices would be made to him. He, along with Li Jing
Li Jing
Li Jing , né Yaoshi , formally Duke Jingwu of Wei , was a general and one time chancellor of the Chinese Tang Dynasty...
, Guo Yuanzhen
Guo Yuanzhen
Guo Yuanzhen , formal name Guo Zhen but went by the courtesy name of Yuanzhen, was an official, general, and diplomat of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty and Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Ruizong and Emperor Xuanzong.- Background :Guo Yuanzhen was...
, and Tang Xiujing, were considered the few chancellors in Tang history who were capable in both civil and military matters.