Cui Guicong (崔龜從), courtesy name Xuangao (玄告), was an official of the

Chinese Chinese can refer to: * Something related to China * Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity **''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation ** List of ethnic groups in China, people of va ...

dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a

chancellor Chancellor ( la, cancellarius) is a title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the or lattice work screens of a basilica or law cou ...

during the reign of

Emperor Xuānzong Emperor Xuanzong of Tang (July 27, 810 – September 7, 859) (reigned April 25, 846 – September 7, 859) was an emperor in the latter part of the Tang dynasty of China. Personally named Li Yi, later renamed Li Chen (), and known before his rei ...

Background and early career

It is not known when Cui Guicong was born. He was from the "Greater Branch" of the prominent Cui clan of Qinghe (清河, in modern Xingtai, Hebei), and his male-line ancestors originally claimed ancestry from the ruling house of the

Spring and Autumn period The Spring and Autumn period was a period in Chinese history from approximately 770 to 476 BC (or according to some authorities until 403 BC) which corresponds roughly to the first half of the Eastern Zhou period. The period's name derives fr ...

state Qi. Cui Guicong's traceable ancestry included officials of Han Dynasty (including Cui Yan), Liu Song,

Northern Wei Wei (), known in historiography as the Northern Wei (), Tuoba Wei (), Yuan Wei () and Later Wei (), was founded by the Tuoba (Tabgach) clan of the Xianbei. The first of the Northern and Southern dynasties#Northern dynasties, Northern dynasties ...

, Northern Qi,

Sui Dynasty The Sui dynasty (, ) was a short-lived imperial dynasty of China that lasted from 581 to 618. The Sui unified the Northern and Southern dynasties, thus ending the long period of division following the fall of the Western Jin dynasty, and layi ...

, and Tang Dynasty, although neither Cui Guicong's grandfather Cui Cheng (崔誠) nor his father Cui Huang (崔黃) were listed with any offices. Cui Guicong passed the imperial examinations in the ''Jinshi'' class in 817, during the reign of Emperor Xianzong, and he subsequently passed two additional special imperial examinations in the classes of those who were considered good and capable of strategies, and those who made good rulings. He thereafter served as ''You Shiyi'' (右拾遺), a low-level advisory official at the legislative bureau of government (中書省, ''Zhongshu Sheng''). In 828, during the reign of Emperor Xianzong's grandson Emperor Wenzong, he was made ''Taichang Boshi'' (太常博士), a scholar at the ministry of worship (太常寺, ''Taichang Si'').''Old Book of Tang'', vol. 176. While serving as ''Taichang Boshi'', Cui was considered an expert in proper etiquette in imperial ceremonies. As Emperor Wenzong had succeeded his older brother Emperor Jingzong of Tang, Emperor Jingzong after Emperor Jingzong's death, his mourning text for Emperor Jingzong originally referred to himself as, "your filially pious younger brother." Cui pointed out that because Emperor Wenzong was of the same generation as Emperor Jingzong, "filially pious" was inappropriate, and suggested that, instead, he referred to himself by name to show respect instead. Also at Cui's suggestion, the sacrifices made to the gods of nine regions of heaven were downgraded to below those offered to the gods of the five planets (Mercury (planet), Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn), as he pointed out that traditionally, the gods of the nine regions were considered lower in status to the gods of the five planets. Further, it was at his suggestions that the custom that the emperor wait several days before mourning important officials be abolished — pointing out that Emperor Wenzong's distinguished ancestor Emperor Taizong of Tang, Emperor Taizong had insisted on mourning those officials immediately. Cui was later made ''Kaogong Langzhong'' (考功郎中), a supervisory official at the ministry of civil service affairs (吏部, ''Libu''), as well as an editor of the imperial histories. In 835, he was made ''Sixun Langzhong'' (司勛郎中), still a supervisory official at the ministry of civil service affairs, and was also put in charge of drafting imperial edicts. Later in the year, he was made ''Zhongshu Sheren'' (中書舍人), a mid-level official at the legislative bureau. Early in Emperor Wenzong's ''Kaicheng'' era (836-840), Cui was sent out of the capital Chang'an to serve as the prefect of Hua Prefecture (華州, in modern Weinan, Shaanxi). In 838, he was recalled to Chang'an to serve as the deputy minister of census (戶部侍郎, ''Hubu Shilang'') and put in charge of tax collection. In 839, he was briefly made acting minister of civil service affairs (吏部尚書, ''Hubu Shangshu''), to select officials for that year.

Chancellorship and aftermaths

In 850, by which time Emperor Wenzong's uncle

was emperor, Cui Guicong, who was then the minister of census (戶部尚書, ''Hubu Shangshu'') and the director of finances, was made a

''de facto'' with the designation ''Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi'' (同中書門下平章事).''Zizhi Tongjian'', :zh:s:資治通鑑/卷249, vol. 249. In 851, he submitted to Emperor Xuānzong a 30-volume calendar for Tang. In 852, he was removed from his chancellor position and made the military governor (''Jiedushi'') of Xuanwu Circuit (宣武, headquartered in modern Kaifeng, Henan). He served as military governor at other circuits before his death, although his terms of service and time of death were not given in his biographies.''New Book of Tang'', :zh:s:新唐書/卷160, vol. 160.

Notes and references

* ''Old Book of Tang'', :zh:s:舊唐書/卷176, vol. 176. * ''New Book of Tang'', :zh:s:新唐書/卷160, vol. 160. * ''Zizhi Tongjian'', :zh:s:資治通鑑/卷249, vol. 249. {{DEFAULTSORT:Cui Guicong Chancellors under Emperor Xuānzong of Tang Tang dynasty jiedushi of Xuanwu Circuit Tang dynasty historians Year of birth missing Year of death missing Cui clan of Qinghe