Zhao Guangfeng (趙光逢) (died January 20, 928?
[ Academia Sinicabr>Chinese-Western Calendar Converter]
),
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 ...
Yanji (延吉), formally the Duke of Qi (齊公), was an official in the late
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 ...
dynasty
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 ...
and the succeeding
Later Liang of the
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 ...
, serving as a
chancellor during Later Liang.
During Tang Dynasty
It is not known when Zhao Guangfeng was born. His father
Zhao Yin Zhao Yin (, died 881),'' Old Book of Tang'', vol. 19, part 2. courtesy name Dayin (大隱), formally the Count of Tianshui (天水伯), was an official of the Chinese Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Yizong and ...
served as a
chancellor during the reigns of
Emperor Yizong of Tang
Emperor Yizong of Tang (December 28, 833 – August 15, 873), né Li Wen, later changed to Li Cui (), was an emperor of the Tang dynasty of China. He reigned from 859 to 873. Yizong was the eldest son of Emperor Xuanzong. After Emperor Xuanzo ...
and Emperor Yizong's son
Emperor Xizong.
['' Old Book of Tang'', vol. 178.] Both Zhao Guangfeng and his younger brother
Zhao Guangyi
Zhao Jiong (20 November 939 – 8 May 997), known as Zhao Guangyi from 960 to 977 and Zhao Kuangyi before 960, also known by his temple name Taizong after his death, was the second emperor of the Song dynasty of China. He reigned from 976 to h ...
were known in their youth for their literary abilities and virtues, and Zhao Guangfeng was particularly praised for the propriety of his actions, becoming nicknamed "Jade Ruler" (玉界尺).
['' History of the Five Dynasties'', vol. 58.]
Zhao Guangfeng 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 878 and was made a secretary of the Fengxiang Municipality (鳳翔, 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 ...
) government, before he was recalled to the imperial government to serve as an imperial censor with the title ''Jiancha Yushi'' (監察御史).
[ After his father Zhao Yin died in 881, he left governmental service for some time to observe a mourning period for his father.][ After Emperor Xizong, who had fled the imperial 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 ...
due to the major agrarian rebellion led by Huang Chao, was able to return to Chang'an in 885,['']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. 256. Emperor Xizong made him a ''Taichang Boshi'' (太常博士), a scholar at the ministry of worship (太常寺, ''Taichang Si''). He subsequently successively served as ''Lǐbu Yuanwailang'' (禮部員外郎), a low-level official at the ministry of rites (禮部, ''Lǐbu''); ''Sixun Yuanwailang'' (司勛員外郎), a low-level official at the ministry of civil service affairs (吏部, ''Lìbu'', note different tone); and ''Lìbu Yuanwailang'' (吏部員外郎), also a low-level official at the ministry of civil service affairs, as well as a scholar at Jixian Hall (集賢殿). He was later promoted to be ''Lǐbu Langzhong'' (禮部郎中), a supervisory official at the ministry of rites.[
In the middle of ''Jinfu'' era (892-893) of Emperor Xizong's brother and successor Emperor Zhaozong, Zhao was made ''Cibu Langzhong'' (祠部郎中), still a supervisory official at the ministry of rites, but also given the responsibility of drafting imperial edicts. He was soon 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 of government (中書省, ''Zhongshu Sheng''). He was later made deputy minister of census (戶部侍郎) and chief imperial scholar (翰林學士承旨, ''Hanlin Xueshi Chengzhi''). He was later promoted to be ''Shangshu Zuocheng'' (尚書左丞), one of the secretaries general of the executive bureau (尚書省, ''Shangshu Sheng''), while remaining chief imperial scholar as well.][
When Emperor Zhaozong fled Chang'an in fear of attacks by the warlords ]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 ...
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 Maozhen
Li Maozhen (; 856 – May 17, 924), born Song Wentong (), courtesy name Zhengchen (), formally Prince Zhongjing of Qin (), was the only ruler of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period state Qi (901–924). He had become a powerful w ...
the military governor of Fengxiang Circuit (headquartered at Fengxiang Municipality) in 895,[''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 260.] Zhao did not follow the emperor, despite the emperor sending the eunuch Dai Zhiquan (戴知權) to summon him, and he subsequently claimed to be ill and retired.[ Later, after Emperor Zhaozong fled to Hua Prefecture (華州, in modern ]Weinan
Weinan () is a prefecture-level city in the east central Shaanxi province, China. The city lies on the lower section of the Wei River confluence into the Yellow River, about east of the provincial capital Xi'an, and borders the provinces of S ...
, 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 896,[ Zhao accompanied the emperor there and was made the deputy chief imperial censor (御史中丞). At that time, two of the emperor's favorites were the ]Taoist
Taoism (, ) or Daoism () refers to either a school of philosophical thought (道家; ''daojia'') or to a religion (道教; ''daojiao''), both of which share ideas and concepts of Chinese origin and emphasize living in harmony with the '' Tao ...
monk Xu Yanshi (許巖士) and the astronomer Ma Daoyin (馬道殷); as a result, many people were trying to use sorcery to gain audience at the court. Zhao carried out the law and put many of them to death, and it was said that his actions stopped the trend.[ He was subsequently made the deputy minister of rites (禮部侍郎) and put in charge of the imperial examinations.][
After Emperor Zhaozong returned to Chang'an in 898, there was an incident in 900 when 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 ...
Liu Jishu
/ ( or ) is an East Asian surname. pinyin: in Mandarin Chinese, in Cantonese. It is the family name of the Han dynasty emperors. The character originally meant 'kill', but is now used only as a surname. It is listed 252nd in the classic text ...
deposed the emperor and briefly replaced him with his son Li Yu, Prince of De
Li Yu (李裕) (died March 17, 905), né Li You (李祐) (name changed 897), briefly Li Zhen (李縝) (from 900 to 901), formally the Prince of De (德王), was an imperial prince of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty. He was the oldest son of the ...
the Crown Prince, before a countercoup restored Emperor Zhaozong to the throne. Still, the episode portended further struggles between eunuchs and imperial officials, led by the chancellor Cui Yin Cui Yin (崔胤) (854''New Book of Tang'', vol. 223, part 2.-February 1, 904''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 264.Academia Sinicabr>Chinese-Western Calendar Converter), courtesy name Chuixiu (垂休), nickname Zilang (緇郎), formally the Duke of Wei (魏 ...
. Zhao did not want to be involved, so he claimed to be ill and retired to the eastern capital Luoyang
Luoyang is a city located in the confluence area of Luo River and Yellow River in the west of Henan province. Governed as a prefecture-level city, it borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the east, Pingdingshan to the southeast, Nanyang ...
, refusing to meet any guests for several years.[
After Emperor Zhaozong was forcibly moved by the powerful warlord ]Zhu Quanzhong
Emperor Taizu of Later Liang (), personal name Zhu Quanzhong () (December 5, 852 – July 18, 912), né Zhu Wen (), name later changed to Zhu Huang (), nickname Zhu San (朱三, literally, "the third Zhu"), was a Chinese military general, mona ...
the military governor of Xuanwu Circuit (宣武, headquartered in modern Kaifeng
Kaifeng () is a prefecture-level city in east-central Henan province, China. It is one of the Eight Ancient Capitals of China, having been the capital eight times in history, and is best known for having been the Chinese capital during the No ...
, Henan
Henan (; or ; ; alternatively Honan) is a landlocked province of China, in the central part of the country. Henan is often referred to as Zhongyuan or Zhongzhou (), which literally means "central plain" or "midland", although the name is al ...
) in 904, one of the chancellors installed by Zhu was Liu Can,[''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 264.] whose passage of the imperial examinations had been under Zhao's auspices and who therefore felt indebted to Zhao. He subsequently brought Zhao back to the imperial government as deputy minister of civil service affairs, ''Shangshu Zuocheng'', and minister of worship (太常卿, ''Taichang Qing'').[ In 907, when Zhu forced Emperor Zhaozong's son and successor Emperor Ai to yield the throne to him (ending Tang and starting a new Later Liang with Zhu as its Emperor Taizu), Zhao participated in the transition ceremony, assisting the chief imperial censor Xue Yiju in bearing the main imperial seal and presenting it to Zhu.][''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 266.]
During Later Liang
In 908, Emperor Taizu sent Zhao Guangfeng's brother Zhao Guangyi and another official, Li Yinheng, to formally commission his vassal Liu Yin, who then controlled Qinghai Circuit (清海, headquartered in modern Guangzhou
Guangzhou (, ; ; or ; ), also known as Canton () and alternatively romanized as Kwongchow or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of Guangdong province in southern China. Located on the Pearl River about north-northwest of Hong Kon ...
, Guangdong
Guangdong (, ), alternatively romanized as Canton or Kwangtung, is a coastal province in South China on the north shore of the South China Sea. The capital of the province is Guangzhou. With a population of 126.01 million (as of 2020) ...
) as the military governor of Qinghai and Jinghai (靜海, headquartered in modern Hanoi
Hanoi or Ha Noi ( or ; vi, Hà Nội ) is the capital and second-largest city of Vietnam. It covers an area of . It consists of 12 urban districts, one district-leveled town and 17 rural districts. Located within the Red River Delta, Hanoi is ...
, Vietnam
Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...
) Circuits. Liu kept Zhao Guangyi and Li and refused to let them return.[''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 267.] (When Liu's brother and successor Liu Yan would eventually declare himself emperor of a new state of Southern Han
Southern Han (; 917–971), officially Han (), originally Yue (), was one of the ten kingdoms that existed during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. It was located on China's southern coast, controlling modern Guangdong and Guangxi. The ...
in 917, he would make both Zhao Guangyi and Li chancellors.)[''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 270.]
In 909, Emperor Taizu removed the chancellors Han Jian and Yang She from their chancellor posts; Zhao Guangfeng, who was then serving still as the minister of worship, and Du Xiao, were made chancellors in their stead with the designation ''Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi'' (同中書門下平章事).[ In 915, by which time Emperor Taizu's son Zhu Zhen was emperor, Zhao Guangfeng, who was then carrying the titles of ''You Pushe'' (右僕射, one of the heads of the executive bureau) and ''Menxia Shilang'' (門下侍郎, deputy head of the examination bureau (門下省, ''Menxia Sheng'')), retired, and was given the honorary title of ''Taizi Taibao'' (太子太保). In 916, he was again made chancellor and ''Menxia Shilang'', and was additionally given the title of ''Sikong'' (司空, 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 ...
).[''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 269.] He retired again in 918 and was given the title of ''Situ'' (司徒, also one of the Three Excellencies).[ It was said that after this retirement, he did not receive guests at his mansion.][''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 272.]
During Later Tang
In 923, Later Liang was conquered by its northern rival 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 ...
. Later Tang's Emperor Zhuangzong subsequently made another brother of Zhao Guangfeng's, Zhao Guangyin, chancellor. It was said that when Zhao Guangyin visited Zhao Guangfeng, he would often try to discuss the political matters of the day with Zhao Guangfeng. One day, Zhao Guangfeng posted a sign on his door, "Please do not speak of the matters of the Office of the Chancellors."[ Subsequently, early during the ''Tiancheng'' era (926-929) of Emperor Zhuangzong's adoptive brother and successor Emperor Mingzong, Zhao Guangfeng was given the honorary title of ''Taibao'' (太保) and created the Duke of Qi. He later died at Luoyang and was given posthumous honors.][
]
Notes and references
* '' Old Book of Tang'', vol. 178.
* '' History of the Five Dynasties'', vol. 58.
* ''New History of the Five Dynasties
The ''Historical Records of the Five Dynasties'' (''Wudai Shiji'') is a Chinese history book on the Five Dynasties period (907–960), written by the Song dynasty official Ouyang Xiu in private. It was drafted during Ouyang's exile from 1036 to ...
'', vol. 35.
* ''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. 266
__NOTOC__
Year 266 ( CCLXVI) 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 Gallienus and Sabinillus (or, less frequently, year 1019 ...
, 267
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Year 267 ( CCLXVII) was a common 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 Paternus and Arcesilaus (or, less frequently, year 1 ...
, 269
Year 269 (Roman numerals, CCLXIX) was a common year starting on Friday (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 Paternus (or, less frequently, year 102 ...
, 270
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Year 270 ( CCLXX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Antiochianus and Orfitus (or, less frequently, year 10 ...
, 272.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zhao, Guangfeng
9th-century births
928 deaths
Year of birth unknown
Year of death uncertain
Tang dynasty government officials
Later Tang government officials
Later Liang (Five Dynasties) chancellors