Cui Yuan (Late Tang)
Encyclopedia
Cui Yuan (d. July 5, 905), courtesy name Changzhi (昌之), formally the Baron of Boling (博陵男), was an official of the Chinese
dynasty Tang Dynasty
, serving two terms as chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Zhaozong
and Emperor Zhaozong's son Emperor Ai
. He was killed in a purge of high-level Tang officials by the warlord Zhu Quanzhong the military governor (Jiedushi
) of Xuanwu Circuit (宣武, headquartered in modern Kaifeng
, Henan
), who was then preparing to seize the throne.
, Hebei
), which claimed its ancestry from the ruling Jiang house of the Spring and Autumn Period state Qi. Cui Yuan's ancestors traced their ancestry through a line of officials of Qin Dynasty
, Han Dynasty
, Jin Dynasty (265-420)
, Northern Wei
, Northern Zhou
, Sui Dynasty
, and Tang Dynasty
. Cui Yuan's granduncle Cui Gong
served as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Wuzong
. Cui Yuan's grandfather Cui Yu (崔璵), who was a younger brother to Cui Gong, was a military governor (Jiedushi
), while his father Cui Dan (崔澹) served as a deputy minister.
, by which time Emperor Zhaozong
(whose father Emperor Yizong
was a cousin to Emperor Wuzong) was emperor, Cui Yuan passed the imperial examination
s in the Jinshi class. Early in Emperor Zhaozong's Dashun era (890
-891
), Cui, while carrying the relatively low title of Yuanwailang (員外郎), became a drafter of imperial edicts. He was then made an imperial scholar (翰林學士, Hanlin Xueshi) as well as Zhongshu Sheren (中書舍人), a mid-level official at the legislative bureau of government (中書省, Zhongshu Sheng). In 896
, he was made the deputy minister of census (戶部侍郎, Hubu Shilang) and was created the Baron of Boling. He thereafter was made deputy minister of defense (兵部侍郎, Bingbu Shilang) and chief imperial scholar (翰林學士承旨, Hanlin Xueshi Chengzhi).
It was said that Cui was talented, capable at writing, and was stern and focused in his expressions. The people admired his behavior and referred to him as the "Seat-Gluing Pear" (釘桌梨) — i.e., that he was like a precious delicacy such that people would not want to leave his presence.
, he was stripped of his chancellor status and served only in those two secondary capacities. In 901
, when the former chancellor Xu Yanruo
, who was then the military governor of Qinghai Circuit (清海, headquartered in modern Guangzhou
, Guangdong
), died, Xu left a will commissioning the officer Liu Yin
acting military governor but asking the imperial government to send a replacement of its own choice. Emperor Zhaozong initially commissioned Cui to be the new military governor of Qinghai. As Cui was reporting to Qinghai, he reached Jiangling, when he heard that the Lingnan
region (i.e., Qinghai) was full of agrarian rebellions; he also feared that Liu, who was supported by other officers, would refuse to yield authority. He thus hesitated at advancing any further. Emperor Zhaozong thereafter recalled Cui to the imperial government.
In 904
, when, at the demand of the powerful warlord Zhu Quanzhong, Emperor Zhaozong was forced to order the demotion and then the death of the leading chancellor Cui Yin
, Cui Yuan and Zhu's close associate Liu Can
were made chancellors to replace Cui Yin. Soon thereafter, Zhu forced Emperor Zhaozong to abandon the imperial capital Chang'an
and move the capital to Luoyang
. Cui Yuan accompanied Emperor Zhaozong on the journey to Luoyang.
. At that time, Cui and the other chancellors Pei Shu
and Dugu Sun
all were senior officials who came from aristocratic families, and they despised their colleague Liu for associating with Zhu. By spring 905
, Pei had offended Zhu by refusing to commission another associate of Zhu's, Zhang Tingfan (張廷範), as the minister of worship (太常卿, Taichang Qing) — trying to deflect Zhu by stating that Zhang should serve as a military governor rather than be bothered with the responsibilities of minister of worship. Liu thus took the opportunity to accuse Cui and Dugu, as well as Pei, of disrespecting Zhu. Zhu thus had all three removed from chancellor positions; in Cui's case, he was made Zuo Pushe (左僕射), one of the heads of the executive bureau (尚書省, Shangshu Sheng).
With Zhu preparing to seize the throne, Liu and another associate of Zhu's, Li Zhen, argued for a general purge of high-level imperial officials who were from aristocratic families. Zhu agreed, and initially a large number of them were demoted and exiled — in Cui's case, to be the prefect of Lai Prefecture (萊州, in modern Yantai
, Shandong
), and then to be the census officer of Bai Prefecture (白州, in modern Yulin
, Guangxi
). Soon thereafter, some 30 of these officials — including Cui, Pei, Dugu, fellow former chancellors Lu Yi
, Wang Bo
, and other officials Zhao Chong (趙崇) and Wang Zan (王贊) — were rounded up at Baima Station (白馬驛, in modern Anyang
, Henan
) and ordered to commit suicide. At Li Zhen's request (as Li Zhen, who was unable to pass the imperial examinations, resented these traditional aristocrats for claiming to be free from taint), Zhu had their bodies thrown into the Yellow River
(as Li Zhen put it, to taint them).
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...
, serving two terms as chancellor during the reigns of 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...
and Emperor Zhaozong's son Emperor Ai
Emperor Ai of Tang
Emperor Ai of Tang , also known as Emperor Zhaoxuan , born Li Zuo, later Li Zhu , was the last emperor of the Tang dynasty of China. He reigned from 904 to 907. The Ai Emperor was the son of Emperor Zhaozong....
. He was killed in a purge of high-level Tang officials by the warlord Zhu Quanzhong 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 Xuanwu Circuit (宣武, headquartered in modern Kaifeng
Kaifeng
Kaifeng , known previously by several names , is a prefecture-level city in east-central Henan province, Central China. Nearly 5 million people live in the metropolitan area...
, 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...
), who was then preparing to seize the throne.
Background
It is not known when Cui Yuan was born. He was from the "second house" (so named because one of his ancestors, Cui Kun (崔琨), was the second son of his father Cui Yi (崔懿)) branch of the famed Cui clan of Boling (博陵, roughly modern BaodingBaoding
-Administrative divisions:Baoding prefecture-level city consists of 3 municipal districts, 4 county-level cities, 18 counties:-Demographics:The Baoding urban area has a population of around 1,006,000 . The population of the Baoding administrative area is 10,890,000. The considerable majority are...
, 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 its ancestry from the ruling Jiang house of the Spring and Autumn Period state Qi. Cui Yuan's ancestors traced their ancestry through a line of 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...
, 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...
, 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 Zhou
Northern Zhou
The Northern Zhou Dynasty followed the Western Wei, and ruled northern China from 557 to 581. It was overthrown by the Sui Dynasty.Northern Zhou's basis of power was established by Yuwen Tai, who was paramount general of Western Wei, following the split of Northern Wei into Western Wei and...
, Sui Dynasty
Sui Dynasty
The Sui Dynasty was a powerful, but short-lived Imperial Chinese dynasty. Preceded by the Southern and Northern Dynasties, it ended nearly four centuries of division between rival regimes. It was followed by the Tang Dynasty....
, 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 Yuan's granduncle Cui Gong
Cui Gong
Cui Gong , formally the Duke of Anping , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Wuzong.- Background :It is not known when Cui Gong was born...
served as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Wuzong
Emperor Wuzong of Tang
Emperor Wuzong of Tang , né Li Chan , later changed to Li Yan just before his death, was an emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China, reigning from 840 to 846. Emperor Wuzong is mainly known in modern times for the religious persecution that occurred during his reign...
. Cui Yuan's grandfather Cui Yu (崔璵), who was a younger brother to Cui Gong, was a 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...
), while his father Cui Dan (崔澹) served as a deputy minister.
Early career
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 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...
(whose father 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...
was a cousin to Emperor Wuzong) was emperor, Cui Yuan 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. Early in Emperor Zhaozong's Dashun era (890
890
Year 890 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* The sovereignty of Great Moravian king Svatopluk I in Bohemia is confirmed.* Lusatia becomes a part of Great Moravia....
-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....
), Cui, while carrying the relatively low title of Yuanwailang (員外郎), became a drafter of imperial edicts. He was then made an imperial scholar (翰林學士, Hanlin Xueshi) as well as Zhongshu Sheren (中書舍人), a mid-level official at the legislative bureau of government (中書省, Zhongshu Sheng). In 896
896
Year 896 was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Decisive Bulgarian victory over Magyars in the Battle of Southern Buh....
, he was made the deputy minister of census (戶部侍郎, Hubu Shilang) and was created the Baron of Boling. He thereafter was made deputy minister of defense (兵部侍郎, Bingbu Shilang) and chief imperial scholar (翰林學士承旨, Hanlin Xueshi Chengzhi).
It was said that Cui was talented, capable at writing, and was stern and focused in his expressions. The people admired his behavior and referred to him as the "Seat-Gluing Pear" (釘桌梨) — i.e., that he was like a precious delicacy such that people would not want to leave his presence.
Chancellorships
In late 896, Emperor Zhaozong gave Cui Yuan the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事), making him a chancellor. Thereafter, his other offices became Zhongshu Shilang (中書侍郎), the deputy head of the legislative bureau, and the minister of civil service affairs (吏部尚書, Libu Shangshu). In 900900
Year 900 was a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* April 21 – Namwaran and his children, Lady Angkatan and Bukah, are granted pardon by the Datu of Tondo, as represented Jayadewa, Lord Minister of Pila, which released them of all their debts as inscribed in the...
, he was stripped of his chancellor status and served only in those two secondary capacities. In 901
901
Year 901 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.- Africa :* Abu 'Abdullah al-Shi'i leads the rebellion of the Kutama Berbers against the Aghlabid emirate in Ifriqiya ....
, when the former chancellor Xu Yanruo
Xu Yanruo
Xu Yanruo , courtesy name Yuzhi , formally the Duke of Qi , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Zhaozong.- Background and early career :...
, who was then the military governor of Qinghai Circuit (清海, headquartered in modern Guangzhou
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
, Guangdong
Guangdong
Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
), died, Xu left a will commissioning the officer Liu Yin
Liu Yin (Southern Han)
Liu Yin , formally Prince Xiang of Nanhai , later further posthumously honored Emperor Xiang with the temple name of Liezong by his younger brother Liu Yan, was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty and Tang's succeeding dynasty Later Liang Dynasty of the Five Dynasties and Ten...
acting military governor but asking the imperial government to send a replacement of its own choice. Emperor Zhaozong initially commissioned Cui to be the new military governor of Qinghai. As Cui was reporting to Qinghai, he reached Jiangling, when he heard that the Lingnan
Lingnan
Lingnan is a geographic area referring to lands in the south of China's "Five Ranges" which are Tayu, Qitian, Dupang, Mengzhu, Yuecheng. The region covers the Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan and Jiangxi provinces of modern China and northern Vietnam...
region (i.e., Qinghai) was full of agrarian rebellions; he also feared that Liu, who was supported by other officers, would refuse to yield authority. He thus hesitated at advancing any further. Emperor Zhaozong thereafter recalled Cui to the imperial government.
In 904
904
Year 904 was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* The Byzantines under Andronikos Doukas defeat the Arabs near Germanikeia...
, when, at the demand of the powerful warlord Zhu Quanzhong, Emperor Zhaozong was forced to order the demotion and then the death of the leading chancellor Cui Yin
Cui Yin
Cui Yin , courtesy name Chuixiu , nickname Zilang , formally the Duke of Wei , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Zhaozong...
, Cui Yuan and Zhu's close associate Liu Can
Liu Can (Tang Dynasty)
Liu Can , courtesy name Zhaozhi , formally the Baron of Hedong , nicknamed Liu Qiezi , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Zhaozong and Emperor Zhaozong's son Emperor Ai, near the end of the dynasty...
were made chancellors to replace Cui Yin. Soon thereafter, Zhu forced Emperor Zhaozong to abandon the imperial 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...
and move the capital to 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...
. Cui Yuan accompanied Emperor Zhaozong on the journey to Luoyang.
Final removal and death
Later in 904, Zhu assassinated Emperor Zhaozong and replaced him with his son Emperor AiEmperor Ai of Tang
Emperor Ai of Tang , also known as Emperor Zhaoxuan , born Li Zuo, later Li Zhu , was the last emperor of the Tang dynasty of China. He reigned from 904 to 907. The Ai Emperor was the son of Emperor Zhaozong....
. At that time, Cui and the other chancellors Pei Shu
Pei Shu
Pei Shu , courtesy name Jisheng or Huasheng , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving two terms as chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Zhaozong and Emperor Zhaozong's son Emperor Ai, near the end of the dynasty...
and Dugu Sun
Dugu Sun
Dugu Sun , courtesy name Yousun , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Zhaozong and Emperor Zhaozong's son Emperor Ai, near the end of the dynasty...
all were senior officials who came from aristocratic families, and they despised their colleague Liu for associating with Zhu. By spring 905
905
Year 905 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar.- Africa :* The Abbasid Caliphate re-establishes control of Egypt from the Tulunids.- Asia :...
, Pei had offended Zhu by refusing to commission another associate of Zhu's, Zhang Tingfan (張廷範), as the minister of worship (太常卿, Taichang Qing) — trying to deflect Zhu by stating that Zhang should serve as a military governor rather than be bothered with the responsibilities of minister of worship. Liu thus took the opportunity to accuse Cui and Dugu, as well as Pei, of disrespecting Zhu. Zhu thus had all three removed from chancellor positions; in Cui's case, he was made Zuo Pushe (左僕射), one of the heads of the executive bureau (尚書省, Shangshu Sheng).
With Zhu preparing to seize the throne, Liu and another associate of Zhu's, Li Zhen, argued for a general purge of high-level imperial officials who were from aristocratic families. Zhu agreed, and initially a large number of them were demoted and exiled — in Cui's case, to be the prefect of Lai Prefecture (萊州, in modern Yantai
Yantai
Yantai is a prefecture-level city in northeastern Shandong province, People's Republic of China. Located on the southern coast of the Bohai Sea and the eastern coast of the Laizhou Bay, Yantai borders the cities of Qingdao and Weihai to the southwest and east respectively.The largest fishing...
, 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...
), and then to be the census officer of Bai Prefecture (白州, in modern Yulin
Yulin, Guangxi
Yulin is one of the fourteen prefecture-level cities of Guangxi autonomous region, in China.-Geography and climate:Yulin is located in southeastern Guangxi province along the border with Guangdong. It is a hilly basin with a total area of 12,838 sq. km....
, Guangxi
Guangxi
Guangxi, formerly romanized Kwangsi, is a province of southern China along its border with Vietnam. In 1958, it became the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China, a region with special privileges created specifically for the Zhuang people.Guangxi's location, in...
). Soon thereafter, some 30 of these officials — including Cui, Pei, Dugu, fellow former chancellors Lu Yi
Lu Yi (Tang Dynasty)
Lu Yi , né Lu Yundi , courtesy name Xiangwen , formally the Duke of Wu Commandery , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as chancellor for two terms during the reign of Emperor Zhaozong.- Background :Lu Yi was born in 847, during the reign of Emperor Xuānzong; he was...
, Wang Bo
Wang Bo (Late Tang)
Wang Bo , courtesy name Mingyang , formally Duke Jing of Taiyuan , was an official of the Chinese Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Muzong and Emperor Wenzong...
, and other officials Zhao Chong (趙崇) and Wang Zan (王贊) — were rounded up at Baima Station (白馬驛, in modern Anyang
Anyang
Anyang is a prefecture-level city in Henan province, People's Republic of China. The northernmost city in Henan, Anyang borders Puyang to the east, Hebi and Xinxiang to the south, and the provinces of Shanxi and Hebei to its west and north respectively....
, 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...
) and ordered to commit suicide. At Li Zhen's request (as Li Zhen, who was unable to pass the imperial examinations, resented these traditional aristocrats for claiming to be free from taint), Zhu had their bodies thrown into the Yellow River
Yellow River
The Yellow River or Huang He, formerly known as the Hwang Ho, is the second-longest river in China and the sixth-longest in the world at the estimated length of . Originating in the Bayan Har Mountains in Qinghai Province in western China, it flows through nine provinces of China and empties into...
(as Li Zhen put it, to taint them).