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Li Rizhi
Li Rizhi () (died 715) was an official of the Chinese Tang Dynasty and Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Ruizong. Background It is not known when Li Rizhi was born, but it is known that his family was from Zheng Prefecture (鄭州, roughly modern Zhengzhou, Henan). His family traced its ancestry to the great Warring States period Zhao general Li Mu. At some point, Li passed the imperial examinations. During Wu Zetian's reign During Wu Zetian's ''Tianshou'' era (690-692), he served as a ''Sixing Cheng'' () -- a judge at the supreme court. It was said that at that time, the judges were often cruel, but Li was kind and tried to avoid unjust penalties for defendants. In one case, he spared a defendant from death, but the deputy chief judge, Hu Yuanli () ordered that the defendant be executed. They exchanged dissenting paperwork between themselves four times. Eventually, Hu angrily stated, "As long as I am still here, this defendant w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
History Of China
The earliest known written records of the history of China date from as early as 1250 BC, from the Shang dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BC), during the reign of king Wu Ding. Ancient historical texts such as the '' Book of Documents'' (early chapters, 11th century BC), the '' Bamboo Annals'' (c. 296 BC) and the ''Records of the Grand Historian'' (c. 91 BC) describe a Xia dynasty before the Shang, but no writing is known from the period, and Shang writings do not indicate the existence of the Xia. The Shang ruled in the Yellow River valley, which is commonly held to be the cradle of Chinese civilization. However, Neolithic civilizations originated at various cultural centers along both the Yellow River and Yangtze River. These Yellow River and Yangtze civilizations arose millennia before the Shang. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is among the world's oldest civilizations and is regarded as one of the cradles of civilization. The Zhou dynasty (1046–256 BC) supp ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Empress Dowager
Empress dowager (also dowager empress or empress mother) () is the English language translation of the title given to the mother or widow of a Chinese, Japanese, Korean, or Vietnamese emperor in the Chinese cultural sphere. 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 dowagers held regency during the reign of underage emperors. Many of the most prominent empress dowagers also extended their control for long periods after the emperor was old enough to govern. This was a source of political turmoil according to the traditional view of Chinese history. The title dowager empress was given to the wife of a deceased emperor of Russia or Holy Roman emperor. By country ''For grand empresses dowager, visit grand empress dowager.'' East Asia Chinese empresses dowager ; Han dynasty * Empress Dowager Lü (241-180 BC), empress consort of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Zhang Yue (Tang Dynasty)
Zhang Yue () (663–730), courtesy name Daoji (道濟) or Yuezhi (說之), formally Duke Wenzhen of Yan (燕文貞公), was a Chinese historian, military general, poet, and politician. He served as an official under Wu Zetian's Zhou dynasty, a chancellor with three separate stints during the reigns of Emperor Ruizong and under Emperor Xuanzong. He was known for having suggested the transition of Tang central government armed forces from being conscription-based to recruitment-based, and for turning the office of the chancellor into a specialized post with strong executive powers. Zhang Yue was a well-respected literary figure of his time, and was ranked alongside Su Ting (Duke Wenxian of Xu, another of Emperor Xuanzong's chancellors) as the two great writers of the Kaiyuan era. They were known in unison as 燕许大手笔 ("Immense pen-brushes from Yan and Xu"). Background Zhang Yue was born in 663, during the reign of Emperor Gaozong. His family was from the Tang Dynasty e ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dou Huaizhen
Dou Huaizhen (; died July 29, 713), known by his courtesy name Dou Congyi (竇從一) during the second reign of Emperor Zhongzong (r. 705–710), posthumously renamed Du Huaizhen (毒懷貞), was an official of the Chinese Tang dynasty and Wu Zetian's Zhou dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Ruizong and Emperor Xuanzong. Background It is not known when Dou Huaizhen was born, but it is known that he was a son of Dou Dexuan, who served as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Gaozong. It was said that he had a treacherous mind in his youth, but was also known for being frugal and not competing in luxury spending with others. He later served as the magistrate of Qinghe County and was said to have governed it well. He was later promoted to be the commandant at Yue Prefecture (越州, roughly modern Shaoxing, Zhejiang) and then the secretary general at Yang Prefecture (揚州, roughly modern Yangzhou, Jiangsu). During Emperor Zhongzong's second ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Guo Yuanzhen
Guo Yuanzhen (郭元振; 656–713), formal name Guo Zhen () but went by the courtesy name of Yuanzhen, was an official, general, and diplomat of Tang and Zhou China, serving as a chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Ruizong and Emperor Xuanzong. Background Guo Yuanzhen was born in 656, during the reign of Emperor Gaozong. He was said to be tall and handsome, with a beautiful beard in his youth, as well as ambitious. In 671, he became a student at the imperial university, at the same time that future fellow chancellors Xue Ji and Zhao Yanzhao where. On one occasion, when Guo's family had just sent him spending money, a man who was wearing mourning clothes approached him and asked him for financial help to bury his ancestors, claiming that his ancestors had not been properly buried for five generations. Guo generously gave the man money without asking further questions, impressing Xue and Zhao, who were present at the time. In 673, he passed the imperial examinations and was ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wei Anshi
Wei Anshi (; 651–714), formally Duke Wenzhen of Xun (), was an official of the Chinese Tang dynasty and Wu Zetian's Zhou dynasty, serving as a chancellor several times, during the reigns of Wu Zetian, her sons Emperor Zhongzong and Emperor Ruizong, and her grandson Emperor Shang. Background Wei Anshi was born in 651, early in the reign of Emperor Gaozong. His family was from the Tang Dynasty capital Chang'an, and his great-grandfather Wei Xiaokuan was a renowned general for Western Wei and Northern Zhou. His grandfather Wei Jin () was an official for Northern Zhou's successor and Tang's predecessor Sui Dynasty and, after Sui's destruction in 619, served one of the competing claimants for the throne, Wang Shichong the Emperor of Zheng, before eventually surrendering to and serving Tang's founder Emperor Gaozu. Wei Anshi's father Wei Wan () and uncles Wei Kun () and Wei Sui () also served as officials during Tang. It is not known when it occurred, but at some point Wei A ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Song Jing
Song Jing (宋璟) (663 – November 21, 737), formally Duke Wenzhen of Guangping (廣平文貞公), was a Chinese politician during the Tang Dynasty and Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty, serving as the chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Ruizong and Emperor Xuanzong. He was praised by historians for his insistence on being morally upright, and for being a just administrator of the law during his time as Xuanzong's senior chancellor. Background Song Jing was born in 663, during the reign of Emperor Gaozong. His clan was originally from Guangping (廣平, in modern Handan, Hebei), but by the time of Song Jing's birth, his family had relocated to Xing Prefecture (邢州, roughly modern Xingtai, Hebei). The clan traced its ancestor to the Northern Wei official Song Bian (), although Song Jing's grandfather Song Wuben () and father Song Xuanfu () served only as local officials. Song Jing was said to be upright in his character from youth. He was also said to be learned and capable i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yao Chong
Yao Chong (; 650 – September 28, 721), né Yao Yuanchong (姚元崇), known 700s–713 by the courtesy name of Yuanzhi (元之), formally Duke Wenxian of Liang (梁文獻公), was an official of the Chinese Tang dynasty and Wu Zetian's Wu Zhou dynasty, serving as chancellor under four sovereigns—Wu Zetian, her sons Emperor Zhongzong and Emperor Ruizong, and her grandson Emperor Xuanzong. After his resignation in 716, he still had great influence inside the imperial government, and his opinions often influenced the decisions of Emperor Xuanzong and the succeeding chancellors. Family *Consorts and issues: **Lady Wang, of the Wang clan (女王氏) **Furen, of the Zheng clan (夫人鄭氏) **Furen, of the Liu clan (夫人劉氏) ***Yao Yi (姚彝; 677- 16 September 716), first son ***Yao Yi (姚异), second son **Unknown: ***Yao Yi (姚弈), third son ***Lady Yao (姚氏), of the Yao clan Background Yao Chong was born in 650, during the reign of Emperor Gaozong. His ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Zizhi Tongjian
''Zizhi Tongjian'' () is a pioneering reference work in Chinese historiography, published in 1084 AD during the Northern Song dynasty in the form of a chronicle recording Chinese history from 403 BC to 959 AD, covering 16 dynasties and spanning almost 1400 years. The main text is arranged into 294 scrolls (''juan'' , equivalent to a chapter) totaling about 3 million Chinese characters. In 1065 AD, Emperor Yingzong of Song commissioned his official Sima Guang (1019–1086 AD) to lead a project to compile a universal history of China, and granted him funding and the authority to appoint his own staff. His team took 19 years to complete the work and in 1084 AD it was presented to Emperor Yingzong's successor Emperor Shenzong of Song. It was well-received and has proved to be immensely influential among both scholars and the general public. Endymion Wilkinson regards it as reference quality: "It had an enormous influence on later Chinese historical wri ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Old Book Of Tang
The ''Old Book of Tang'', or simply the ''Book of Tang'', is the first classic historical work about the Tang dynasty, comprising 200 chapters, and is one of the Twenty-Four Histories. Originally compiled during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, it was superseded by the ''New Book of Tang'' which was compiled in the Song dynasty, but later regained acceptance. The credited editor was chief minister Liu Xu, but the bulk (if not all) of the editing work was actually completed by his predecessor Zhao Ying. The authors include Zhang Zhao, Jia Wei (), and Zhao Xi ().Zhao YiCh. 16 "Old and New Books of Tang" () ''Notes on Twenty-two Histories'' ( ). Structure The ''Old Book of Tang'' comprises 200 volumes. Volumes 1–20 contain the annals of the Tang emperors. Twitchett notes that coverage over time in the annals is most dense during the early and middle Tang, including only very sparse information in the late Tang after 847. Volumes 21–50 contain treatises, includi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
