Zheng Qi
Encyclopedia
Zheng Qi (d. 899), courtesy name Yunwu (蘊武), was an official of the Chinese
dynasty Tang Dynasty
, serving briefly as chancellor in 894
during the reign of Emperor Zhaozong
. He was known for writing poems filled with puns (xiehouyu
) that satirized the political scene that impressed Emperor Zhaozong, leading to his brief term as chancellor despite his own misgivings.
. After he passed the imperial examination
s, he initially served as an imperial censor with the title Jiancha Yushi (監察御史) then as Dianzhong Shi Yushi (殿中侍御史). He then served as a low-level official at the ministry of census (戶部, Hubu), initially as Cangbu Yuanwailang (倉部員外郎) then as Hubu Yuanwailang (戶部員外郎). He then served as a supervisory official at the ministry of census as Jinbu Langzhong (金部郎中), then at the ministry of justice (刑部, Xingbu) as Xingbu Langzhong (刑部郎中), then at the executive bureau of government (尚書省, Shangshu Sheng) as Yousi Langzhong (右司郎中).
Although these posts carried prestige as imperial official posts, they lacked sufficient salary, and Zheng, because his family was poor, sought an assignment out of the capital Chang'an
, and thereafter was made the prefect of Lu Prefecture (廬州, in modern Hefei
, Anhui
). As the major agrarian rebel Huang Chao
advanced north in 880
, Zheng wrote him a declaration ordering him not to invade Lu Prefecture — a declaration that amused Huang who thereafter skipped past Lu Prefecture. When Zheng later left the post as prefect, he had accumulated some savings, but he left in the care of the prefectural treasury, which was not plundered even later when other agrarian rebels overran Lu Prefecture. Yet later, when Yang Xingmi
served as the prefect, he had messengers deliver the money to Zheng.
Zheng was good at writing poetry, and particularly became known for writing poetry that did not strictly comply with metric requirements and which focused on satirizing contemporary events. The format became known as the "Xiehou
style of the Fifth Zheng." (The fact that he referred to himself and was referred to others as the Fifth Zheng probably indicated that he was ranked fifth among his brothers.)
When the imperial official Wang Hui
served as the chief imperial censor, he recommended Zheng to serve as Bingbu Langzhong (兵部郎中), a supervisory official at the ministry of defense (兵部, Bingbu), and also oversee the administration of the office of the censors (御史臺, Yushi Tai). He later served as imperial attendant (給事中, Geishizhong). When Emperor Xizong
was set to commission Du Honghui (杜弘徽), the younger brother of the chancellor Du Rangneng
, as a Zhongshu Sheren (中書舍人, mid-level official at the legislative bureau (中書省, Zhongshu Sheng)), Zheng, in his duty of reviewing edicts, sealed and returned the edict to the emperor, arguing that it was inappropriate for one brother to oversee another (the chancellors had overall supervisory authority over the legislative bureau). Emperor Xizong took no action on Zheng's objection, so Zheng claimed an illness and resigned his post.
Soon thereafter, Zheng was recalled to the imperial government to serve as Zuo Sanqi Changshi (左散騎常侍), a high-level advisory official at the examination bureau (門下省, Menxia Sheng). It was said that he submitted many suggestions whenever he saw a problem with imperial governance. Not many of his suggestions were accepted, but they became publicly known at the capital. The ruling officials disliked this phenomenon and made him the principal of the imperial university (國子祭酒, Guozi Jijiu). When this assignment was announced, the public believed that Zheng was moved because he was being honest. The ruling officials became fearful of the consequences and made him Zuo Sanqi Changshi again.
eventually became aware of Zheng Qi's poems, as eunuchs recited them in their spare time. Empeorr Zhaozong saw their biting satire and believed that they showed hidden talent. In 894
, he issued an edict making Zheng the deputy minister of rites (禮部侍郎, Libu Shilang) and a chancellor with the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事). When Zheng's assistants reported this to Zheng to congratulate him, Zheng himself did not take it seriously and stated, "Gentlemen, you must have erred. Even if no one else under heaven knew how to read, the Fifth Zheng cannot be a chancellor." When the assistants insisted that this was the will of the emperor, he stated, "If this is true, people will laugh to death." When the edict announcing his chancellorship arrived the next day, along with congratulating guests, Zheng was confounded, stating to himself, "If the Fifth Zheng, the xiehou writer, becomes chancellor, what does this say about the current state of governance?" He submitted several petitions declining the commission, but the emperor took no heed of them, so he felt compelled to report to his post as a chancellor.
It was said that after Zheng became a chancellor, he took his responsibilities seriously and was no longer spending his time in humorous speech. However, he still felt that he was not a chancellor who met the expectation of the people. After serving as a chancellor for three months, he resigned and was allowed to retire as an advisor to the Crown Prince
. He died in 899
.
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 briefly as chancellor in 894
894
Year 894 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Northumbrians and East Angles swear allegiance to Alfred the Great, but promptly break their truce by attacking the south-west of England.* Mojmír II becomes King of Great Moravia after the death of his father...
during the reign of Emperor Zhaozong
Emperor Zhaozong of Tang
Emperor Zhaozong of Tang , né Li Jie , name later changed to Li Min , yet later name changed to Li Ye , was the penultimate emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China. He reigned from 888 to 904...
. He was known for writing poems filled with puns (xiehouyu
Xiehouyu
Xiehouyu is a kind of Chinese proverb consisting of two elements: the former segment presents a novel scenario while the latter provides the rationale thereof. One would often only state the first part, expecting the listener to know the second...
) that satirized the political scene that impressed Emperor Zhaozong, leading to his brief term as chancellor despite his own misgivings.
Background
Little is known about Zheng Qi's background, as his family was not included in the table of the chancellors' family trees in the New Book of TangNew 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...
. After 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...
s, he initially served as an imperial censor with the title Jiancha Yushi (監察御史) then as Dianzhong Shi Yushi (殿中侍御史). He then served as a low-level official at the ministry of census (戶部, Hubu), initially as Cangbu Yuanwailang (倉部員外郎) then as Hubu Yuanwailang (戶部員外郎). He then served as a supervisory official at the ministry of census as Jinbu Langzhong (金部郎中), then at the ministry of justice (刑部, Xingbu) as Xingbu Langzhong (刑部郎中), then at the executive bureau of government (尚書省, Shangshu Sheng) as Yousi Langzhong (右司郎中).
Although these posts carried prestige as imperial official posts, they lacked sufficient salary, and Zheng, because his family was poor, sought an assignment out of the 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...
, and thereafter was made the prefect of Lu Prefecture (廬州, in modern Hefei
Hefei
Hefei is the capital and largest city of Anhui Province in Eastern China. A prefecture-level city, it is the political, economic, and cultural centre of Anhui...
, Anhui
Anhui
Anhui is a province in the People's Republic of China. Located in eastern China across the basins of the Yangtze River and the Huai River, it borders Jiangsu to the east, Zhejiang to the southeast, Jiangxi to the south, Hubei to the southwest, Henan to the northwest, and Shandong for a tiny...
). As the major agrarian rebel Huang Chao
Huang Chao
Huang Chao was the leader of the Huang Chao Rebellion , known in mainland China as the Huang Chao Revolution in China that seriously weakened the once mighty Tang Dynasty of China...
advanced north in 880
880
Year 880 was a leap year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar.- Religion :* Pope John VIII issues the bull Industriae Tuae, creating an independent ecclesiastical province in Great Moravia with Archbishop Saint Methodius as its head...
, Zheng wrote him a declaration ordering him not to invade Lu Prefecture — a declaration that amused Huang who thereafter skipped past Lu Prefecture. When Zheng later left the post as prefect, he had accumulated some savings, but he left in the care of the prefectural treasury, which was not plundered even later when other agrarian rebels overran Lu Prefecture. Yet later, when Yang Xingmi
Yang Xingmi
Yang Xingmi , né Yang Xingmin , courtesy name Huayuan , formally Prince Wuzhong of Wu , later posthumously honored King Xiaowu of Wu then Emperor Wu of Wu with the temple name of Taizu , was a military governor of...
served as the prefect, he had messengers deliver the money to Zheng.
Zheng was good at writing poetry, and particularly became known for writing poetry that did not strictly comply with metric requirements and which focused on satirizing contemporary events. The format became known as the "Xiehou
Xiehouyu
Xiehouyu is a kind of Chinese proverb consisting of two elements: the former segment presents a novel scenario while the latter provides the rationale thereof. One would often only state the first part, expecting the listener to know the second...
style of the Fifth Zheng." (The fact that he referred to himself and was referred to others as the Fifth Zheng probably indicated that he was ranked fifth among his brothers.)
When the imperial official Wang Hui
Wang Hui (Tang Dynasty)
Wang Hui , courtesy name Zhaowen , formally Marquess Zhen of Langye , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Xizong.- Background :...
served as the chief imperial censor, he recommended Zheng to serve as Bingbu Langzhong (兵部郎中), a supervisory official at the ministry of defense (兵部, Bingbu), and also oversee the administration of the office of the censors (御史臺, Yushi Tai). He later served as imperial attendant (給事中, Geishizhong). When Emperor Xizong
Emperor Xizong of Tang
Emperor Xizong of Tang , né Li Yan , later name changed to Li Xuan , was an emperor of the Tang dynasty of China. He reigned from 873 to 888. He was the fifth son of his predecessor Emperor Yizong and was the elder brother of his successor Emperor Zhaozong...
was set to commission Du Honghui (杜弘徽), the younger brother of the chancellor Du Rangneng
Du Rangneng
Du Rangneng , courtesy name Qunyi , formally the Duke of Jin , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Xizong and Emperor Xizong's brother Emperor Zhaozong...
, as a Zhongshu Sheren (中書舍人, mid-level official at the legislative bureau (中書省, Zhongshu Sheng)), Zheng, in his duty of reviewing edicts, sealed and returned the edict to the emperor, arguing that it was inappropriate for one brother to oversee another (the chancellors had overall supervisory authority over the legislative bureau). Emperor Xizong took no action on Zheng's objection, so Zheng claimed an illness and resigned his post.
Soon thereafter, Zheng was recalled to the imperial government to serve as Zuo Sanqi Changshi (左散騎常侍), a high-level advisory official at the examination bureau (門下省, Menxia Sheng). It was said that he submitted many suggestions whenever he saw a problem with imperial governance. Not many of his suggestions were accepted, but they became publicly known at the capital. The ruling officials disliked this phenomenon and made him the principal of the imperial university (國子祭酒, Guozi Jijiu). When this assignment was announced, the public believed that Zheng was moved because he was being honest. The ruling officials became fearful of the consequences and made him Zuo Sanqi Changshi again.
Chancellorship and after chancellorship
Emperor Xizong's brother and successor Emperor ZhaozongEmperor Zhaozong of Tang
Emperor Zhaozong of Tang , né Li Jie , name later changed to Li Min , yet later name changed to Li Ye , was the penultimate emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China. He reigned from 888 to 904...
eventually became aware of Zheng Qi's poems, as eunuchs recited them in their spare time. Empeorr Zhaozong saw their biting satire and believed that they showed hidden talent. In 894
894
Year 894 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Northumbrians and East Angles swear allegiance to Alfred the Great, but promptly break their truce by attacking the south-west of England.* Mojmír II becomes King of Great Moravia after the death of his father...
, he issued an edict making Zheng the deputy minister of rites (禮部侍郎, Libu Shilang) and a chancellor with the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事). When Zheng's assistants reported this to Zheng to congratulate him, Zheng himself did not take it seriously and stated, "Gentlemen, you must have erred. Even if no one else under heaven knew how to read, the Fifth Zheng cannot be a chancellor." When the assistants insisted that this was the will of the emperor, he stated, "If this is true, people will laugh to death." When the edict announcing his chancellorship arrived the next day, along with congratulating guests, Zheng was confounded, stating to himself, "If the Fifth Zheng, the xiehou writer, becomes chancellor, what does this say about the current state of governance?" He submitted several petitions declining the commission, but the emperor took no heed of them, so he felt compelled to report to his post as a chancellor.
It was said that after Zheng became a chancellor, he took his responsibilities seriously and was no longer spending his time in humorous speech. However, he still felt that he was not a chancellor who met the expectation of the people. After serving as a chancellor for three months, he resigned and was allowed to retire as an advisor to the 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....
. He died in 899
899
Year 899 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Edward the Elder becomes King of Wessex.* Regino of Prüm is expelled from Prüm and becomes abbot of St...
.