Cui Anqian
Encyclopedia
Cui Anqian courtesy name Jinzhi (進之), was an official and general of the Chinese
dynasty Tang Dynasty
, who was a participant in Tang's campaigns against the agrarian rebels Wang Xianzhi
and Huang Chao
.
, Hebei
), which claimed ancestry from the ruling house of the Spring and Autumn Period state Qi, and which traced its ancestry to officials of Qin Dynasty
, Han Dynasty
, Cao Wei
, Jin Dynasty (265-420)
, Later Zhao
, Southern Yan
, Liu Song, Northern Wei
, Northern Qi
, and Tang Dynasty
. Cui Anqian's grandfather Cui Yi (崔異) served as a prefectural prefect, and his father Cui Cong (崔從) served as a regional governor and was created the Count of Qinghe. He had at least three older brothers, Cui Yanfang (崔彥方), Cui Shenyou
(who would later serve as chancellor), and Cui Zhoushu (崔周恕), and at least one younger brother, Cui Yanchong (崔彥沖).
Cui Anqian passed the imperial examination
s in the Jinshi class in 849
, during the reign of Emperor Xuānzong
. During the reign of Emperor Xuānzong's son Emperor Yizong
, he would successively serve as the governor (觀察使, Guanchashi) of Jiangxi Circuit (江西, headquartered in modern Nanchang
, Jiangxi
) and then the military governor (Jiedushi
) of Zhongwu Circuit (忠武, headquartered in modern Xuchang
, Henan
) as well as the prefect of Zhongwu's capital Xu Prefecture (許州).
, the Tang realm became overrun by agrarian rebels. In 876
, Cui Anqian, pursuant to Emperor Xizong's orders, sent troops under his officer Zhang Zimian (張自勉) to combat the major agrarian rebel Wang Xianzhi
. In 877
, however, Emperor Xizong ordered Zhang Zimian to transfer his 7,000 men to another Zhongwu officer, Zhang Guan (張貫), who was to serve under the overall commander of the operations against Wang, Song Wei (宋威) — who, for reasons lost to history, had long despised Zhang Zimian. The chancellor Zheng Tian
objected, pointing out that giving the Zhongwu troops to Song would leave Cui and Zhongwu Circuit defenseless; as a result, Emperor Xizong had Zhang Zimian give 4,000 of his soldiers to Song, while allowing him to return to Zhongwu with 3,000 men.
Cui was subsequently transferred to Xichuan Circuit (西川, headquartered in modern Chengdu
, Sichuan
) to serve as its military governor and the mayor of its capital Chengdu Municipality. Once there, he tried to root out corruption that was rampant under the prior military governor Gao Pian
and to revise improper regulations that Gao had imposed. He also tried to strengthen Xichuan's defenses by improving military training. In 878
, when Dali, which had long been in intermittent warfare with Tang, made peace overtures through letters that its prime minister wrote to the Tang Office of the Chancellors, the chancellors did not respond directly but had Cui author a response in his own name. Eventually, however, Cui's actions to try to rectify the problems that Gao left him offended Gao's ally, the chancellor Lu Xi
, and Lu falsely accused Cui of crimes. Cui was thus removed from his office, given the honorary post of advisor to the Crown Prince
(even though there was no crown prince at the time), and sent to the eastern capital Luoyang
.
After the major agrarian rebel Huang Chao
captured the capital Chang'an
around the new year 881
and established his own state of Qi as its emperor, Emperor Xizong fled to Chengdu. Cui followed Emperor Xizong there, and was subsequently made senior advisor to the Crown Prince. In 882
, with Gao, then titular overall commander of the operations against Huang, taking no real actions against Huang, the chancellor Wang Duo
volunteered to oversee the operations against Huang. Emperor Xizong agreed, and further made Cui Wang's deputy. (Gao, in anger, wrote a irreverent submission to Emperor Xizong that accused Wang of being a failed general and Cui of being corrupt, and Emperor Xizong had Zheng author a harshly worded response.) In 883
, however, after Wang was relieved of his command, Cui was also relieved of his command and made the defender of Luoyang. In 886
, when the warlord Zhu Mei
supported Emperor Xizong's distant cousin Li Yun
the Prince of Xiang as a competing claimant to the imperial throne, Cui, who was then at Hezhong Circuit (河中, headquartered in modern Yuncheng, Shanxi), submitted a letter supporting Li Yun's claim, along with other imperial officials then at Hezhong. He appeared to suffer no reprisals after both Li Yun and Zhu were killed later in the year, however.
, by which time Emperor Xizong's brother Emperor Zhaozong
was emperor, Wang Jingwu
the military governor of Pinglu Circuit (平盧, headquartered in modern Weifang
, Shandong
) died. Most of Wang's officers supported his son Wang Shifan
as his successor, but one of his officers, Zhang Chan (張蟾) the prefect of Di Prefecture (棣州, in modern Binzhou
, Shandong
), refused to support Wang Shifan. Emperor Zhaozong, trying to take initiative in this conflict, commissioned Cui Anqian as the military governor of Pinglu, carrying the honorary chancellor title of Shizhong (侍中). Zhang welcomed Cui to Di Prefecture and planned a campaign against Wang Shifan. The campaign apparently lasted for more than a year, but in early 891
, Wang Shifan, after killing the officer Lu Hong (盧弘), who had turned against him, used the momentum to attack Di Prefecture. Di fell, and Wang killed Zhang; Cui fled back to Chang'an. Emperor Zhaozong subsequently commissioned Wang as the military governor of Pinglu. Cui subsequently died, although the date is not known. He was given the posthumous name
of Zhenxiao (貞孝, "faithful and filially pious").
History of China
Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...
dynasty Tang Dynasty
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
, who was a participant in Tang's campaigns against the agrarian rebels Wang Xianzhi
Wang Xianzhi
Wang Xianzhi , courtesy name Zijing , was a famous Chinese calligrapher of the Eastern Jin.He was the seventh and youngest son of the famed Wang Xizhi. Wang inherited his father's talent for the art, although his siblings were all notable calligraphers. His style is more fluid than his father's,...
and Huang Chao
Huang Chao
Huang Chao was the leader of the Huang Chao Rebellion , known in mainland China as the Huang Chao Revolution in China that seriously weakened the once mighty Tang Dynasty of China...
.
Background and early career
It is not known when Cui Anqian was born. He was from the prominent Cui clan of Qinghe (清河, in modern XingtaiXingtai
Xingtai is a city in southern Hebei province, North China. The prefecture-level city of Xingtai, with a total area of , administers 2 districts, 2 county-level cities and 15 counties. In 2004 it had an urban population of 561,400 and a total population of 6.73 million...
, Hebei
Hebei
' is a province of the People's Republic of China in the North China region. Its one-character abbreviation is "" , named after Ji Province, a Han Dynasty province that included what is now southern Hebei...
), which claimed ancestry from the ruling house of the Spring and Autumn Period state Qi, and which traced its ancestry to officials of Qin Dynasty
Qin Dynasty
The Qin Dynasty was the first imperial dynasty of China, lasting from 221 to 207 BC. The Qin state derived its name from its heartland of Qin, in modern-day Shaanxi. The strength of the Qin state was greatly increased by the legalist reforms of Shang Yang in the 4th century BC, during the Warring...
, Han Dynasty
Han Dynasty
The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...
, Cao Wei
Cao Wei
Cao Wei was one of the states that competed for control of China during the Three Kingdoms period. With the capital at Luoyang, the state was established by Cao Pi in 220, based upon the foundations that his father Cao Cao laid...
, Jin Dynasty (265-420)
Jìn Dynasty (265-420)
The Jìn Dynasty , was a dynasty in Chinese history, lasting between the years 265 and 420 AD. There are two main divisions in the history of the Dynasty, the first being Western Jin and the second Eastern Jin...
, Later Zhao
Later Zhao
The Later Zhao was a state of the Sixteen Kingdoms during the Jin Dynasty in China. It was founded by the Shi family of the Jie ethnicity...
, Southern Yan
Southern Yan
The Southern Yan was a state of Xianbei ethnicity during the era of Sixteen Kingdoms in China. Its territory roughly coincided with modern Shandong...
, Liu Song, Northern Wei
Northern Wei
The Northern Wei Dynasty , also known as the Tuoba Wei , Later Wei , or Yuan Wei , was a dynasty which ruled northern China from 386 to 534 . It has been described as "part of an era of political turbulence and intense social and cultural change"...
, Northern Qi
Northern Qi
The Northern Qi Dynasty was one of the Northern dynasties of Chinese history and ruled northern China from 550 to 577.-History:The Chinese state of Northern Qi was the successor state of the Chinese/Xianbei state of Eastern Wei and was founded by Emperor Wenxuan...
, and Tang Dynasty
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
. Cui Anqian's grandfather Cui Yi (崔異) served as a prefectural prefect, and his father Cui Cong (崔從) served as a regional governor and was created the Count of Qinghe. He had at least three older brothers, Cui Yanfang (崔彥方), Cui Shenyou
Cui Shenyou
Cui Shenyou , courtesy name Jingzhi , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Xuānzong.- Background and early career :It is not known when Cui Shenyou was born...
(who would later serve as chancellor), and Cui Zhoushu (崔周恕), and at least one younger brother, Cui Yanchong (崔彥沖).
Cui Anqian passed the imperial examination
Imperial examination
The Imperial examination was an examination system in Imperial China designed to select the best administrative officials for the state's bureaucracy. This system had a huge influence on both society and culture in Imperial China and was directly responsible for the creation of a class of...
s in the Jinshi class in 849
849
Year 849 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* In the Tang Dynasty Chinese capital city of Chang'an, an imperial prince was impeached from his position by officials at court for erecting a building that obstructed a street in the northwesternmost ward in South...
, during the reign of Emperor Xuānzong
Emperor Xuanzong of Tang
Emperor Xuanzong of Tang , also commonly known as Emperor Ming of Tang , personal name Li Longji , known as Wu Longji from 690 to 705, was the seventh emperor of the Tang dynasty in China, reigning from 712 to 756. His reign of 43 years was the longest during the Tang Dynasty...
. During the reign of Emperor Xuānzong's son Emperor Yizong
Emperor Yizong of Tang
Emperor Yizong of Tang , 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 Xuānzong...
, he would successively serve as the governor (觀察使, Guanchashi) of Jiangxi Circuit (江西, headquartered in modern Nanchang
Nanchang
Nanchang is the capital of Jiangxi Province in southeastern China. It is located in the north-central portion of the province. As it is bounded on the west by the Jiuling Mountains, and on the east by Poyang Lake, it is famous for its scenery, rich history and cultural sites...
, Jiangxi
Jiangxi
' is a southern province in the People's Republic of China. Spanning from the banks of the Yangtze River in the north into hillier areas in the south, it shares a border with Anhui to the north, Zhejiang to the northeast, Fujian to the east, Guangdong to the south, Hunan to the west, and Hubei to...
) and then the military governor (Jiedushi
Jiedushi
The Jiedushi were regional military governors in China during the Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. Originally set up to counter external threats, the jiedushi were given enormous power, including the ability to maintain their own armies, collect taxes, and pass their...
) of Zhongwu Circuit (忠武, headquartered in modern Xuchang
Xuchang
Xuchang is a prefecture-level city in central Henan province in Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the northwest, Kaifeng to the northeast, Zhoukou to the east, Luohe to the southeast, and Pingdingshan to the southwest....
, Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
) as well as the prefect of Zhongwu's capital Xu Prefecture (許州).
During Emperor Xizong's reign
During the reign of Emperor Yizong's son Emperor XizongEmperor Xizong of Tang
Emperor Xizong of Tang , né Li Yan , later name changed to Li Xuan , was an emperor of the Tang dynasty of China. He reigned from 873 to 888. He was the fifth son of his predecessor Emperor Yizong and was the elder brother of his successor Emperor Zhaozong...
, the Tang realm became overrun by agrarian rebels. In 876
876
Year 876 was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar.- Births :* Henry the Fowler, the duke of Saxony from 912 and king of the Germans from 919 until his death...
, Cui Anqian, pursuant to Emperor Xizong's orders, sent troops under his officer Zhang Zimian (張自勉) to combat the major agrarian rebel Wang Xianzhi
Wang Xianzhi
Wang Xianzhi , courtesy name Zijing , was a famous Chinese calligrapher of the Eastern Jin.He was the seventh and youngest son of the famed Wang Xizhi. Wang inherited his father's talent for the art, although his siblings were all notable calligraphers. His style is more fluid than his father's,...
. In 877
877
Year 877 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* The Danes take Exeter, England.* A flotilla of 120 Danish ships is lost in a storm off Swanage....
, however, Emperor Xizong ordered Zhang Zimian to transfer his 7,000 men to another Zhongwu officer, Zhang Guan (張貫), who was to serve under the overall commander of the operations against Wang, Song Wei (宋威) — who, for reasons lost to history, had long despised Zhang Zimian. The chancellor Zheng Tian
Zheng Tian
Zheng Tian , courtesy name Taiwen , formally Duke Wenzhao of Xingyang , was a chancellor of late Tang Dynasty, serving two terms as chancellor during the reign of Emperor Xizong...
objected, pointing out that giving the Zhongwu troops to Song would leave Cui and Zhongwu Circuit defenseless; as a result, Emperor Xizong had Zhang Zimian give 4,000 of his soldiers to Song, while allowing him to return to Zhongwu with 3,000 men.
Cui was subsequently transferred to Xichuan Circuit (西川, headquartered in modern Chengdu
Chengdu
Chengdu , formerly transliterated Chengtu, is the capital of Sichuan province in Southwest China. It holds sub-provincial administrative status...
, Sichuan
Sichuan
' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
) to serve as its military governor and the mayor of its capital Chengdu Municipality. Once there, he tried to root out corruption that was rampant under the prior military governor Gao Pian
Gao Pian
Gao Pian , courtesy name Qianli , formally the Prince of Bohai , was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty...
and to revise improper regulations that Gao had imposed. He also tried to strengthen Xichuan's defenses by improving military training. In 878
878
Year 878 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :...
, when Dali, which had long been in intermittent warfare with Tang, made peace overtures through letters that its prime minister wrote to the Tang Office of the Chancellors, the chancellors did not respond directly but had Cui author a response in his own name. Eventually, however, Cui's actions to try to rectify the problems that Gao left him offended Gao's ally, the chancellor Lu Xi
Lu Xi
Lu Xi , courtesy name Zisheng , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving two terms as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Xizong...
, and Lu falsely accused Cui of crimes. Cui was thus removed from his office, given the honorary post of advisor to the Crown Prince
Crown Prince
A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
(even though there was no crown prince at the time), and sent to the eastern capital Luoyang
Luoyang
Luoyang is a prefecture-level city in western Henan province of Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the east, Pingdingshan to the southeast, Nanyang to the south, Sanmenxia to the west, Jiyuan to the north, and Jiaozuo to the northeast.Situated on the central plain of...
.
After the major agrarian rebel Huang Chao
Huang Chao
Huang Chao was the leader of the Huang Chao Rebellion , known in mainland China as the Huang Chao Revolution in China that seriously weakened the once mighty Tang Dynasty of China...
captured the capital Chang'an
Chang'an
Chang'an is an ancient capital of more than ten dynasties in Chinese history, today known as Xi'an. Chang'an literally means "Perpetual Peace" in Classical Chinese. During the short-lived Xin Dynasty, the city was renamed "Constant Peace" ; yet after its fall in AD 23, the old name was restored...
around the new year 881
881
Year 881 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Charles the Fat is crowned Western Emperor.* Battle of Saucourt-en-Vimeu: Louis III of France routs Norman pirates....
and established his own state of Qi as its emperor, Emperor Xizong fled to Chengdu. Cui followed Emperor Xizong there, and was subsequently made senior advisor to the Crown Prince. In 882
882
Year 882 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Carloman, King of the West Franks, becomes sole king upon the death of his brother....
, with Gao, then titular overall commander of the operations against Huang, taking no real actions against Huang, the chancellor Wang Duo
Wang Duo
Wang Duo , is a Chinese calligrapher, painter, and poet in Ming Dynasty.Wang was born in Mengjin in the Henan province. His style name was 'Juesi' or 'Juezhi' and his sobriquets were 'Songqiao', 'Chi'an', or 'Yantan Yusou'...
volunteered to oversee the operations against Huang. Emperor Xizong agreed, and further made Cui Wang's deputy. (Gao, in anger, wrote a irreverent submission to Emperor Xizong that accused Wang of being a failed general and Cui of being corrupt, and Emperor Xizong had Zheng author a harshly worded response.) In 883
883
Year 883 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Oldest known mention of the city of Duisburg.* Monte Cassino is sacked and burned down by the Saracens....
, however, after Wang was relieved of his command, Cui was also relieved of his command and made the defender of Luoyang. In 886
886
Year 886 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :...
, when the warlord Zhu Mei
Zhu Mei
Zhu Mei was a warlord of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty. Disillusioned with Emperor Xizong and the powerful eunuch Tian Lingzi, he tried to support Emperor Xizong's distant relative Li Yun the Prince of Xiang as the new emperor, but was soon thereafter killed by his own officer Wang Xingyu.-...
supported Emperor Xizong's distant cousin Li Yun
Li Yun
Li Yun is a fictional character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He ranks 97th of the 108 Liangshan heroes and 61st of the 72 Earthly Fiends. He is nicknamed "Green Eyed Tiger".-Background:...
the Prince of Xiang as a competing claimant to the imperial throne, Cui, who was then at Hezhong Circuit (河中, headquartered in modern Yuncheng, Shanxi), submitted a letter supporting Li Yun's claim, along with other imperial officials then at Hezhong. He appeared to suffer no reprisals after both Li Yun and Zhu were killed later in the year, however.
During Emperor Zhaozong's reign
In 889889
Year 889 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* Yasovarman I succeeds Indravarman II as ruler of the Khmer empire....
, by which time Emperor Xizong's brother Emperor Zhaozong
Emperor Zhaozong of Tang
Emperor Zhaozong of Tang , né Li Jie , name later changed to Li Min , yet later name changed to Li Ye , was the penultimate emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China. He reigned from 888 to 904...
was emperor, Wang Jingwu
Wang Jingwu
Wang Jingwu was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who ruled Pinglu Circuit as its military governor from 882 to 889.- Background and seizure of Pinglu :...
the military governor of Pinglu Circuit (平盧, headquartered in modern Weifang
Weifang
Weifang is a prefecture-level city in central Shandong province, People's Republic of China. It borders Dongying to the northwest, Zibo to the west, Linyi to the southwest, Rizhao to the south, Qingdao to the east, and looks out to the Laizhou Bay to the north.-History:Weifang is a historical city...
, Shandong
Shandong
' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...
) died. Most of Wang's officers supported his son Wang Shifan
Wang Shifan
Wang Shifan was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who ruled Pinglu Circuit from 889 to 905...
as his successor, but one of his officers, Zhang Chan (張蟾) the prefect of Di Prefecture (棣州, in modern Binzhou
Binzhou
Binzhou is a prefecture-level city in northern Shandong province, People's Republic of China. Sitting on the northern bank of the Yellow River with two arms extended to the southern bank, Binzhou borders the provincial capital of Jinan to the southwest, Dezhou to the west, Zibo to the south,...
, Shandong
Shandong
' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...
), refused to support Wang Shifan. Emperor Zhaozong, trying to take initiative in this conflict, commissioned Cui Anqian as the military governor of Pinglu, carrying the honorary chancellor title of Shizhong (侍中). Zhang welcomed Cui to Di Prefecture and planned a campaign against Wang Shifan. The campaign apparently lasted for more than a year, but in early 891
891
Year 891 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Arnulf of Carinthia defeats the Normans at the Battle of Leuven....
, Wang Shifan, after killing the officer Lu Hong (盧弘), who had turned against him, used the momentum to attack Di Prefecture. Di fell, and Wang killed Zhang; Cui fled back to Chang'an. Emperor Zhaozong subsequently commissioned Wang as the military governor of Pinglu. Cui subsequently died, although the date is not known. He was given the posthumous name
Posthumous name
A posthumous name is an honorary name given to royalty, nobles, and sometimes others, in East Asia after the person's death, and is used almost exclusively instead of one's personal name or other official titles during his life...
of Zhenxiao (貞孝, "faithful and filially pious").