Yu Chuansu (庾傳素) 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 ...

Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period The Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period (), from 907 to 979, was an era of political upheaval and division in 10th-century Imperial China. Five dynastic states quickly succeeded one another in the Central Plain, and more than a dozen conc ...

state

Former Shu Great Shu (Chinese: 大蜀, Pinyin: Dàshǔ) called in retrospect Former Shu (Chinese: 前蜀, Pinyin: Qiánshǔ) or occasionally Wang Shu (王蜀), was one of the Ten Kingdoms formed during the chaotic period between the rules of the Tang dynas ...

, serving two terms as

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 Wang Jian's reign

It is not known when Yu Chuansu was born or what his familial origins were. It was said that while he served under

's founding emperor Wang Jian, he served initially as the prefect of Shu Prefecture (蜀州, in modern

Chengdu Chengdu (, ; Simplified Chinese characters, simplified Chinese: 成都; pinyin: ''Chéngdū''; Sichuanese dialects, Sichuanese pronunciation: , Standard Chinese pronunciation: ), Chinese postal romanization, alternatively Romanization of Chi ...

Sichuan Sichuan (; zh, c=, labels=no, ; zh, p=Sìchuān; alternatively romanized as Szechuan or Szechwan; formerly also referred to as "West China" or "Western China" by Protestant missions) is a province in Southwest China occupying most of the ...

).''

Spring and Autumn Annals of the Ten Kingdoms The ''Spring and Autumn Annals of the Ten Kingdoms'', also known by its Chinese title ''Shiguo Chunqiu'' (), is a history of the Ten Kingdoms that existed in southern China after the fall of the Tang Dynasty and before the reunification of China ...

'' (十國春秋)
vol. 41
As of 910, Yu was serving as deputy minister of census (戶部侍郎, ''Hubu Shilang'') and the acting director of treasury (判度支, ''Pan Duzhi'') when Wang Jian gave him the title of ''Zhongshu Shilang'' (中書侍郎, deputy head of the legislative bureau of government (中書省, ''Zhongshu Sheng'')) and gave him the designation ''Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi'' (同中書門下平章事), making him a

.''

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 dynast ...

'', vol. 267. In 917, the powerful eunuch Tang Wenyi (唐文扆) was in conflict with Yu's political ally

Mao Wenxi Mao Wenxi (毛文錫), courtesy name Pinggui (平珪), was an official of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period Former Shu state, serving as the director of palace communications (''Shumishi''). Background It is not known when Mao We ...

the director of palace communications, and when Mao played music at a feast held in preparation for the marriage between Mao's daughter and Yu's son without previously informing the emperor, Tang used the opportunity to accuse Mao of crimes. Mao was exiled, while Yu was removed from his chancellor position and made the minister of public works (工部尚書, ''Gongbu Shangshu'').''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 270. He was later made the minister of defense (兵部尚書, ''Bingbu Shangshu'').

During Wang Yan's reign

Wang Jian died in 918 and was succeeded by his son

Wang Zongyan Wang Yan (王衍) (899–926), né Wang Zongyan (王宗衍), courtesy name Huayuan (化源), also known as Houzhu (後主, "later Lord"), later posthumously created the Duke of Shunzheng (順正公) by Later Tang, was the second and final emperor o ...

who was later renamed Wang Yan. Later, Wang Yan made Yu Chuansu ''Zhongshu Shilang'' and chancellor again, as well as gave him the honorary title of ''Taizi Shaobao'' (太子少保). It was said that Yu was without significant accomplishments in this second term as chancellor. In particular, he and fellow chancellor Wang Kai were described as concerned with protecting themselves and failing to correct the wasteful and frivolous ways of the young emperor.''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 272. After Former Shu was invaded by its northeastern neighbor

Later Tang Tang, known in historiography as the Later Tang, was a short-lived imperial dynasty of China and the second of the Five Dynasties during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period in Chinese history. The first three of the Later Tang's four e ...

in 925,''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 274. Yu followed Wang Yan in surrendering to Later Tang and was made a prefectural prefect. Nothing further was said about him in history, including when he died.

Notes and references

* ''

''
vol. 41
* ''

'', vols. 267, 270, 272. {{DEFAULTSORT:Yu, Chuansu 9th-century births 10th-century deaths Former Shu people born during Tang Former Shu chancellors Later Tang politicians Political office-holders in Sichuan