Xiao Gou () (died April 6, 887
[ Academia Sinicabr>Chinese-Western Calendar Converter]
['' New Book of Tang'']
vol. 63
.),
courtesy name
A courtesy name (), also known as a style name, is a name bestowed upon one at adulthood in addition to one's given name. This practice is a tradition in the East Asian cultural sphere, including China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam.Ulrich Theob ...
Desheng (得聖), was an official of the Chinese
Tang dynasty
The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, t= ), or Tang Empire, was an imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907 AD, with an interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdom ...
, serving as a
chancellor during the reign of the
Emperor Xizong. He was later forced to accept a commission from the pretender
Li Yun and, after Li Yun's defeat and death, was forced to commit suicide.
Background
It is not known when Xiao Gou was born. He came from a prominent family that descended from the imperial house of
Liang Dynasty
The Liang dynasty (), alternatively known as the Southern Liang () in historiography, was an imperial dynasty of China and the third of the four Southern dynasties during the Northern and Southern dynasties period. It was preceded by the South ...
, and, just among his direct male-line ancestors, his father
Xiao Zhi, Xiao Zhi's grandfather
Xiao Fu
Xiao Fu (; 732 – June 23, 788), courtesy name Lüchu (履初), was a Chinese politician during the Tang dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Dezong.
Background
Xiao Fu was born in 732, during the reign of Emperor Xu ...
, and Xiao Fu's grandfather
Xiao Song
Xiao Song (; died 749), formally the Duke of Xu (), was a Chinese historian, military general, and politician during the Tang dynasty, serving as a chancellor of the Tang dynasty, chancellor during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Emperor Xua ...
were all
chancellors.
['' Old Book of Tang'', ovl. 179.]''New Book of Tang'', vol. 71
During Emperor Yizong's reign
Xiao Gou himself passed the imperial examination
The imperial examination (; lit. "subject recommendation") refers to a civil-service examination system in Imperial China, administered for the purpose of selecting candidates for the state bureaucracy. The concept of choosing bureaucrats by ...
s in the ''Jinshi'' class in 864, during the reign of Emperor Yizong, in the same year as fellow future chancellor Wei Baoheng Wei Baoheng (韋保衡) (died 873), courtesy name Yunyong (蘊用), was an official of the Chinese Tang dynasty. He became extremely powerful late in the reign of his father-in-law Emperor Yizong, rising to the post of chancellor and becoming the m ...
. Xiao thereafter served on the staff of a military governor (''Jiedushi
The ''jiedushi'' (), or jiedu, was a title for regional military governors in China which was established in the Tang dynasty and abolished in the Yuan dynasty. The post of ''jiedushi'' has been translated as "military commissioner", " legate" ...
'') of Hedong Circuit (河東, headquartered in modern Taiyuan, Shanxi), and was later recalled to the capital Chang'an
Chang'an (; ) is the traditional name of Xi'an. The site had been settled since Neolithic times, during which the Yangshao culture was established in Banpo, in the city's suburbs. Furthermore, in the northern vicinity of modern Xi'an, Qin S ...
to serve as ''You Shiyi'' (右拾遺), a low-level advisory official at the legislative bureau of government (中書省, ''Zhongshu Sheng''), and later was made an imperial chronicler (起居舍人, ''Qiju Sheren'').[
Xiao Gou was said to be handsome and ambitious, and he often compared himself to the deceased chancellor ]Li Deyu
Li Deyu (; 787 – January 26, 850Academia Sinicabr>Chinese-Western Calendar Converter.''Old Book of Tang'', vol. 174.), courtesy name Wenrao (), formally the Duke of Wei (), was a Chinese poet, politician, and writer during the Tang Dynasty, serv ...
. As a result, his colleagues often jokingly referred him as ''Taiwei'' (太尉, one of the Three Excellencies
The Three Ducal Ministers (), also translated as the Three Dukes, Three Excellencies, or the Three Lords, was the collective name for the three highest officials in Ancient China and Imperial China. These posts were abolished by Cao Cao in 208 AD a ...
, and a title that Li Deyu was well known for). This, and the fact that Xiao and the other ''Jinshi'' examinees of the same year did not highly regard Wei, caused Wei to be resentful of him.[ After Wei became chancellor in 870 due to his marriage with Emperor Yizong's favorite daughter Princess Tongchang, Wei carried out a series of reprisals against officials who he felt had slighted him, and in 872, as part of the reprisals against the chancellor Yu Cong, Wei also had Xiao exiled under the claim that Xiao was a close associate of Yu's,]['']Zizhi Tongjian
''Zizhi Tongjian'' () is a pioneering reference work in Chinese historiography, published in 1084 AD during the Northern Song (960–1127), Northern Song dynasty in the form of a chronicle recording Chinese history from 403 BC to 959&n ...
'', vol. 252. to be the military advisor to the prefect of Bo Prefecture (播州, in modern Zunyi
Zunyi () is a prefecture-level city in northern Guizhou province, People's Republic of China, situated between the provincial capital Guiyang to the south and Chongqing to the north, also bordering Sichuan to the northwest. Along with Guiyang an ...
, Guizhou
Guizhou (; formerly Kweichow) is a landlocked province in the southwest region of the People's Republic of China. Its capital and largest city is Guiyang, in the center of the province. Guizhou borders the autonomous region of Guangxi to the ...
).[
]
During Emperor Xizong's reign
Prior to chancellorship
After Emperor Yizong died in 873 and was succeeded by his young son Emperor Xizong,[ Xiao Gou was recalled to Chang'an to serve as ''Libu Yuanwailang'' (禮部員外郎), a low-level official at the minister of rites (禮部, ''Lǐbu''). He was then made ''Kaogong Yuanwailang'' (考功員外郎), a low-level official at the minister of civil service affairs (吏部, ''Lìbu'', note different tone) and put in charge of drafting edicts. Early in the ''Qianfu'' era (874-879), he was made an imperial scholar (翰林學士, ''Hanlin Xueshi'') and ''Zhongshu Sheren'' (中書舍人), a mid-level official at the legislative bureau. He was eventually promoted to be deputy minister of census (戶部侍郎, ''Hubu Shilang'') and chief imperial scholar (翰林學士承旨, ''Hanlin Xueshi Chengzhi'').][
In late 880, the major agrarian rebel Huang Chao attacked Chang'an, and Emperor Xizong fled toward ]Chengdu
Chengdu (, ; simplified Chinese: 成都; pinyin: ''Chéngdū''; Sichuanese pronunciation: , Standard Chinese pronunciation: ), alternatively romanized as Chengtu, is a sub-provincial city which serves as the capital of the Chinese pro ...
.[''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 254.] Xiao followed Emperor Xizong. At that time, as the imperial treasury in exile was lacking funds, Emperor Xizong made him deputy minister of defense (兵部侍郎, ''Bingbu Shilang'') and acting director of finances.[ After Emperor Xizong arrived in Chengdu in spring 881, Xiao was made a chancellor ''de facto'' with the designation ''Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi'' (同中書門下平章事), as well as ''Zhongshu Shilang'' (中書侍郎), the deputy head of the legislative bureau.][ He was also made the minister of civil service affairs (吏部尚書, ''Lìbu Shangshu'') and put in charge of editing the imperial history.][
]
Chancellorship
It was said that Xiao Gou strived to reform the imperial government, and Emperor Xizong respected him. However, he served during a time when the imperial authority was dwindling,[ and in 883, there was an incident in which ]Shi Pu
Shi Pu (時溥) (d. May 9, 893Academia Sinicabr>Chinese-Western Calendar Converter''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 259.), formally the Prince of Julu (鉅鹿王), was a warlord of the late Tang dynasty, who controlled Ganhua Circuit (感化, headquartered ...
the military governor of Ganhua Circuit (感化, headquartered in modern Xuzhou
Xuzhou (徐州), also known as Pengcheng (彭城) in ancient times, is a major city in northwestern Jiangsu province, China. The city, with a recorded population of 9,083,790 at the 2020 census (3,135,660 of which lived in the built-up area ma ...
, Jiangsu
Jiangsu (; ; pinyin: Jiāngsū, alternatively romanized as Kiangsu or Chiangsu) is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. It is one of the leading provinces in finance, education, technology, and tourism, with its ca ...
)—who had seized the circuit from the imperially-commissioned military governor Zhi Xiang (支詳) in 881[—had suffered food poisoning. He suspected his staff member Li Ninggu (李凝古),][''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 255.] who had been commissioned by Zhi,[ of poisoning him, and therefore killed Li Ninggu. At that time, Li Ninggu's father Li Sun (李損) was serving as an advisory official in the imperial government at Chengdu, and Shi bribed the powerful ]eunuch
A eunuch ( ) is a male who has been castrated. Throughout history, castration often served a specific social function.
The earliest records for intentional castration to produce eunuchs are from the Sumerian city of Lagash in the 2nd millenni ...
Tian Lingzi Tian Lingzi (田令孜) (died 893), courtesy name Zhongze (仲則), formally the Duke of Jin (晉公), was a powerful eunuch during the reign of Emperor Xizong of Tang. During most of Emperor Xizong's reign, he had a stranglehold on power due to hi ...
, wanting to have Li Sun put to death as well. The imperial censor Wang Hua (王華), however, refused to consent to Li Sun's execution or Tian's demand that Li Sun be transferred to the custody of the Shence Armies (神策軍), which were under Tian's command. Xiao supported Wang, and further pointed out that not only was there insufficient evidence that Li Ninggu had anything to do with Shi's poisoning, but that given the long distance between father and son, Li Sun could not have been involved. As a result, Li Sun was allowed to retire and was spared his life. It was said that at that time, Tian dominated the court scene, and that Xiao was the only one who dared to disagree with him on policy matters, and so the other imperial officials relied on him.[
]
During and after Li Yun's claim of imperial title
In 885, by which time Emperor Xizong and the imperial court had returned to Chang'an after Huang Chao's defeat, Tian, after getting into a confrontation with Wang Chongrong Wang Chongrong (王重榮) (died July 6, 887Academia Sinicabr>Chinese-Western Calendar Converter''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 257.), formally the Prince of Langye (瑯琊王), was a warlord of the late Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty who controlled Hezhon ...
the military governor of Hezhong Circuit (河中, headquartered in modern Yuncheng, Shanxi
Yuncheng is the southernmost prefecture-level city in Shanxi province, People's Republic of China. It borders Linfen and Jincheng municipalities to the north and east, and Henan (Luoyang and Jiyuan to the east, Sanmenxia to the south) and Sha ...
), tried to transfer Wang. Wang reacted by preparing for war (along with his ally Li Keyong
Li Keyong () (October 24, 856 – February 24, 908) was a Chinese military general and politician of Shatuo ethnicity, and from January 896 a Prince of Jin (, ''Jin Wang''), which would become an independent state after the fall of the Tang dyn ...
the military governor of Hedong Circuit (河東, headquartered in modern Taiyuan, Shanxi), against Tian and Tian's allies Zhu Mei Zhu Mei () (died January 7, 887 Academia Sinicabr>Chinese-Western Calendar Converter''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 256.) was a warlord of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty. Disillusioned with Emperor Xizong and the powerful eunuch Tian Lingzi, he tried ...
the military governor of Jingnan Circuit (靜難, headquartered in modern Xianyang
Xianyang () is a prefecture-level city in central Shaanxi province, situated on the Wei River a few kilometers upstream (west) from the provincial capital of Xi'an. Once the capital of the Qin dynasty, it is now integrated into the Xi'an metrop ...
, Shaanxi
Shaanxi (alternatively Shensi, see § Name) is a landlocked province of China. Officially part of Northwest China, it borders the province-level divisions of Shanxi (NE, E), Henan (E), Hubei (SE), Chongqing (S), Sichuan (SW), Gansu (W), N ...
) and Li Changfu Li Changfu (李昌符) (d. July 24, 887Academia Sinicabr>Chinese-Western Calendar Converter''Old Book of Tang'', vol. 19, part 2) was a warlord of the late Tang dynasty, who ruled Fengxiang Circuit (鳳翔, headquartered in modern Baoji, Shaanxi) f ...
the military governor of Fengxiang Circuit (鳳翔, headquartered in modern Baoji
() is a prefecture-level city in western Shaanxi province, People's Republic of China. Since the early 1990s, Baoji has been the second largest city in Shaanxi.
Geography
The prefecture-level city of Baoji had a population of 3,321,853 accord ...
, Shaanxi
Shaanxi (alternatively Shensi, see § Name) is a landlocked province of China. Officially part of Northwest China, it borders the province-level divisions of Shanxi (NE, E), Henan (E), Hubei (SE), Chongqing (S), Sichuan (SW), Gansu (W), N ...
). In late 885, Wang's and Li Keyong's forces defeated the Tian/Zhu/Li Changfu coalition, and approached Chang'an. Emperor Xizong fled first to Fengxiang, and then to Xingyuan (興元, headquartered in modern Hanzhong
Hanzhong (; abbreviation: Han) is a prefecture-level city in the southwest of Shaanxi province, China, bordering the provinces of Sichuan to the south and Gansu to the west.
The founder of the Han dynasty, Liu Bang, was once enfeoffed as th ...
, Shaanxi
Shaanxi (alternatively Shensi, see § Name) is a landlocked province of China. Officially part of Northwest China, it borders the province-level divisions of Shanxi (NE, E), Henan (E), Hubei (SE), Chongqing (S), Sichuan (SW), Gansu (W), N ...
).[''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 256.]
While Emperor Xizong was still at Fengxiang, where the imperial officials had largely followed him, Xiao, apparently hoping to use Zhu to eliminate Tian's influence on Emperor Xizong, summoned Zhu and his army to Fengxiang. By the time that Zhu arrived, however, Emperor Xizong had already fled to Xingyuan, with the imperial officials largely remaining at Fengxiang—indeed, when Kong Wei tried to persuade Xiao and fellow chancellor Pei Che Pei Che (裴澈) (died April 6, 887 Academia Sinicabr>Chinese-Western Calendar Converter'' New Book of Tang''vol. 63.), courtesy name Shenyuan (深源), was an official of the late Tang dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reigns of Emperor ...
to head to Xingyuan as well, Xiao and Pei refused, in light of Tian's hold on the emperor. Zhu, who by this point was also disillusioned with Tian, decided that he would try to support a new emperor—and planned to make Emperor Xizong's distant relative Li Yun the Prince of Xiang the new emperor. He consulted Xiao, who opposed, blaming the errors of Emperor Xizong's administration on Tian. Zhu, however, forged ahead with his plans and forced the imperial officials at Fengxiang to declare Li Yun regent
A regent (from Latin : ruling, governing) is a person appointed to govern a state '' pro tempore'' (Latin: 'for the time being') because the monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge the powers and duties of the monarchy ...
, in summer 886. When Zhu asked Xiao to draft the text of the declaration, however, Xiao declined, claiming that he was aged and no longer a good writer, so another imperial official, Zheng Changtu, authored it instead. Zhu then removed Xiao from his chancellor position, replacing him with Zheng, and instead gave Xiao the entirely honorary title of senior advisor to the Crown Prince
A crown prince or hereditary prince is the heir apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The female form of the title is crown princess, which may refer either to an heiress apparent or, especially in earlier times, to the wi ...
. Xiao was then allowed to retire to Yongle (永樂, in modern Yuncheng),[ where Xiao Gou's brother Xiao Qu (蕭蘧) was serving as county magistrate.][''New Book of Tang'', vol. 101.] Soon thereafter, Zhu declared Li Yun emperor at Chang'an.[
In winter 881, after Zhu's officer ]Wang Xingyu Wang Xingyu () (d. 895) was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty who controlled Jingnan Circuit (靜難, headquartered in modern Xianyang, Shaanxi) from 887 to his death in 895. At his prime, he and his ally Li Maozhen the military g ...
was unable to capture Xingyuan and seize Emperor Xizong as Zhu ordered, he turned against Zhu and killed Zhu in an ambush at Chang'an. Pei and Zheng escorted Li Yun to Yuncheng, hoping for support from Wang Chongrong, but Wang Chongrong, after initially feigning to welcome Li Yun, executed him and arrested Pei and Zheng, whom Emperor Xizong ordered in spring 882 to be executed.[ As Kong, who had been made chancellor by this point, had resented Xiao, he claimed that Xiao had also supported Li Yun.][ Thus, Xiao was also ordered to commit suicide at Yongle.][
]
Notes and references
* '' Old Book of Tang'', vol. 179.
* '' New Book of Tang'', vol. 101.
* ''Zizhi Tongjian
''Zizhi Tongjian'' () is a pioneering reference work in Chinese historiography, published in 1084 AD during the Northern Song (960–1127), Northern Song dynasty in the form of a chronicle recording Chinese history from 403 BC to 959&n ...
'', vols. 252
Year 252 ( CCLII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Trebonianus and Volusianus (or, less frequently, year 1005 '' Ab urb ...
, 254
Year 254 ( CCLIV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Valerianus and Gallienus (or, less frequently, year 1007 ''Ab urbe ...
, 255
__NOTOC__
Year 255 ( CCLV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Valerianus and Gallienus (or, less frequently, year 1008 '' ...
, 256
Year 256 ( CCLVI) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Claudius and Glabrio (or, less frequently, year 1009 ''Ab urbe condi ...
.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Xiao, Gou
9th-century births
887 deaths
Chancellors under Emperor Xizong of Tang
Chancellors under Li Yun
Tang dynasty historians
Suicides in the Tang dynasty
Executed Tang dynasty people
People executed by the Tang dynasty
Forced suicides of Chinese people
9th-century executions