Lai Ji
Encyclopedia
Lai Ji (610–662) was an official of the Chinese
dynasty Tang Dynasty
, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Gaozong. He later offended Emperor Gaozong by opposing the ascension of Emperor Gaozong's second wife Empress Wu
(later known as Wu Zetian) and was exiled to be a prefect in the extreme western part of the state. In 662, he died in battle while defending his prefecture against a Western Tujue attack. His brother Lai Heng
also served as a chancellor during Emperor Gaozong's reign.
, Jiangsu
). His father Lai Hu'er (來護兒) was a major general during Sui Dynasty
and carried the title of Duke of Rong. In 618, while Emperor Yang of Sui
was at Jiangdu with the Sui state engulfed in agrarian rebellions, the general Yuwen Huaji
led a coup and overthrew Emperor Yang. Yuwen executed a large number of high level officials, and Lai Hu'er, along with most of his family, was killed. Only Lai Ji and his older brother Lai Heng
escaped death.
It was said that Lai Ji, because his family had suffered such disaster and he had himself escaped many dangers, was particularly studious. He was said to be a good writer and good at rhetoric and analyzing situations. He did well in imperial examinations and was able to become an imperial official.
's second emperor Emperor Taizong
, Lai Ji was serving as a low level official at the legislative bureau of government (中書省, Zhongshu Sheng). That year, Emperor Taizong's son and crown prince
Li Chengqian was discovered to have plotted to overthrow Emperor Taizong, and Emperor Taizong requested opinions from his officials as to what to do with Li Chengqian. No one dared to speak up, but Lai said, "The best possible outcome is that Your Imperial Majesty can remain a kind father and that the Crown Prince can live out his years." Emperor Taizong agreed, and he deposed Li Chengqian to commoner rank but spared Li Chengqian's life. In 644, after Emperor Taizong had created another son, Li Zhi
, to be the new crown prince, he could not find an appropriate person to serve the role of brainstormer for Li Zhi, and so he commissioned Lai. Lai was also made a scholar at the imperial think tank, Chongxian Pavilion (崇賢館). He was soon made a mid-level official at the legislative bureau and commissioned to edit the Book of Jin
-- the official history of Jin Dynasty -- with Linhu Defen (令狐德棻).
At that time, Emperor Gaozong, who greatly favored his concubine Consort Wu
, was considering deposing his wife Empress Wang
and replacing her with Consort Wu. He first considered creating Consort Wu the unprecedented title of Chenfei (宸妃), but Lai and fellow chancellor Han Yuan
opposed the move on the basis that the title was unprecedented, so Emperor Gaozong relented. However, in 655, he, over the explicit opposition of Lai, Han, and the highly regarded chancellor Chu Suiliang
, as well as the implicit disapproval by his own powerful uncle Zhangsun Wuji
, deposed Empress Wang and replaced her with Consort Wu. After Empress Wu's ascension, she submitted a petition ostensibly praising the faithfulness of Han and Lai in opposing the unprecedented Chenfei title, but showing instead that she remembered that they had offended her.
In 656, after Empress Wu's son Li Hong
was created crown prince (displacing Emperor Gaozong's oldest son Li Zhong
, whose mother Consort Liu was of low birth), Lai was made a junior advisor to the young crown prince, and his title was upgraded to that of a marquess. In 657, however, with Empress Wu and her allies Xu Jingzong
and Li Yifu
beginning to carry out a series of reprisals against officials who had opposed Empress Wu's ascension, Xu and Li falsely accused Han and Lai of encouraging Chu (who by that point had been demoted to the post of commandant at Gui Prefecture (桂州, roughly modern Guilin
, Guangxi
)) to rebel. Emperor Gaozong demoted both Han and Lai to be prefects of distant prefectures -- in Lai's case, the prefect of Tai Prefecture (台州, roughly modern Taizhou
, Zhejiang
) -- and ordered that they be permanently barred from returning to the capital Chang'an
. However, he was able to escape further reprisals in 659, when by Empress Wu's instigations Zhangsun was forced to commit suicide and Empress Wang's uncle Liu Shi
was executed. (Han would have suffered the same fate as Liu, but he already died before the executioners arrived.) In 660, though, Lai's post was moved to the even more distant Ting Prefecture (庭州, roughly modern Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture
, Xinjiang
), on the borders with Western Tujue.
In 661, Western Tujue forces attacked Ting Prefecture. Lai gathered his forces to resist, and he told his subordinates, "I should have been executed a long time ago, and it is fortunate that I was spared. This is the time that I should sacrifice my body for the empire." He therefore engaged Western Tujue forces without wearing armor, and he was killed in battle. He was posthumously honored, and his casket was returned to his home territory to be buried.
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 as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Gaozong. He later offended Emperor Gaozong by opposing the ascension of Emperor Gaozong's second wife Empress Wu
Wu Zetian
Wu Zetian , personal name Wu Zhao , often referred to as Tian Hou during the Tang Dynasty and Empress Consort Wu in later times, was the only woman in the history of China to assume the title of Empress Regnant...
(later known as Wu Zetian) and was exiled to be a prefect in the extreme western part of the state. In 662, he died in battle while defending his prefecture against a Western Tujue attack. His brother Lai Heng
Lai Heng
Lai Heng was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as chancellor during the reign of Emperor Gaozong.- Background :...
also served as a chancellor during Emperor Gaozong's reign.
Background
Lai Ji's family was from Jiangdu (江都, in modern YangzhouYangzhou
Yangzhou is a prefecture-level city in central Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China. Sitting on the northern bank of the Yangtze River, it borders the provincial capital of Nanjing to the southwest, Huai'an to the north, Yancheng to the northeast, Taizhou to the east, and Zhenjiang across...
, Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
). His father Lai Hu'er (來護兒) was a major general during 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 carried the title of Duke of Rong. In 618, while Emperor Yang of Sui
Emperor Yang of Sui
Emperor Yang of Sui , personal name Yang Guang , alternative name Ying , nickname Amo , known as Emperor Ming during the brief reign of his grandson Yang Tong), was the second son of Emperor Wen of Sui, and the second emperor of China's Sui Dynasty.Emperor Yang's original name was Yang Ying, but...
was at Jiangdu with the Sui state engulfed in agrarian rebellions, the general Yuwen Huaji
Yuwen Huaji
Yuwen Huaji was a general of the Chinese dynasty Sui Dynasty who, in 618, led a coup against Emperor Yang of Sui, killing him. He subsequently declared Emperor Yang's nephew Yang Hao led Emperor Yang's elite Xiaoguo Army north, but was then repeatedly defeated by Li Mi, Li Shentong , and...
led a coup and overthrew Emperor Yang. Yuwen executed a large number of high level officials, and Lai Hu'er, along with most of his family, was killed. Only Lai Ji and his older brother Lai Heng
Lai Heng
Lai Heng was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as chancellor during the reign of Emperor Gaozong.- Background :...
escaped death.
It was said that Lai Ji, because his family had suffered such disaster and he had himself escaped many dangers, was particularly studious. He was said to be a good writer and good at rhetoric and analyzing situations. He did well in imperial examinations and was able to become an imperial official.
During Emperor Taizong's reign
As of 643, during the reign of Tang DynastyTang 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...
's second emperor Emperor Taizong
Emperor Taizong of Tang
Emperor Taizong of Tang , personal name Lǐ Shìmín , was the second emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China, ruling from 626 to 649...
, Lai Ji was serving as a low level official at the legislative bureau of government (中書省, Zhongshu Sheng). That year, Emperor Taizong's son and 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....
Li Chengqian was discovered to have plotted to overthrow Emperor Taizong, and Emperor Taizong requested opinions from his officials as to what to do with Li Chengqian. No one dared to speak up, but Lai said, "The best possible outcome is that Your Imperial Majesty can remain a kind father and that the Crown Prince can live out his years." Emperor Taizong agreed, and he deposed Li Chengqian to commoner rank but spared Li Chengqian's life. In 644, after Emperor Taizong had created another son, Li Zhi
Emperor Gaozong of Tang
Emperor Gaozong of Tang , personal name Li Zhi , was the third emperor of the Tang Dynasty in China, ruling from 649 to 683...
, to be the new crown prince, he could not find an appropriate person to serve the role of brainstormer for Li Zhi, and so he commissioned Lai. Lai was also made a scholar at the imperial think tank, Chongxian Pavilion (崇賢館). He was soon made a mid-level official at the legislative bureau and commissioned to edit the Book of Jin
Book of Jin
The Book of Jin is one of the official Chinese historical works. It covers the history of Jin Dynasty from 265 to 420, which written by a number of officials commissioned by the court of Tang Dynasty, with the lead editor being the Prime Minister Fang Xuanling, drawing mostly from the official...
-- the official history of Jin Dynasty -- with Linhu Defen (令狐德棻).
During Emperor Gaozong's reign
In 649, Emperor Taizong died and was succeeded by Li Zhi (as Emperor Gaozong). In 651, Lai Ji was made Zhongshu Shilang (中書侍郎), the deputy head of the legislative bureau, and he became an official in charge of editing the imperial history. In 653, he was given the designation of Tong Zhongshu Menxia Sanpin (同中書門下三品), making him a chancellor de facto. In 654, he was further given the honorific title of Yinqing Guanglu Daifu (銀青光祿大夫) and, for his contributions in editing the histories, created the Baron of Nanyang. In 655, he was made Zhongshu Ling (中書令), the head of the legislative bureau and a post considered one for a chancellor, as well as the acting minister of civil service.At that time, Emperor Gaozong, who greatly favored his concubine Consort Wu
Wu Zetian
Wu Zetian , personal name Wu Zhao , often referred to as Tian Hou during the Tang Dynasty and Empress Consort Wu in later times, was the only woman in the history of China to assume the title of Empress Regnant...
, was considering deposing his wife Empress Wang
Empress Wang (Gaozong)
Empress Wang was an empress of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty. She was the first wife and empress of Emperor Gaozong and became empress shortly after he became emperor in 649. She, however, did not bear any sons for him and was not favored...
and replacing her with Consort Wu. He first considered creating Consort Wu the unprecedented title of Chenfei (宸妃), but Lai and fellow chancellor Han Yuan
Han Yuan
Han Yuan , courtesy name Boyu , formally Duke of Yingchuan , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as chancellor during the reign of Emperor Gaozong...
opposed the move on the basis that the title was unprecedented, so Emperor Gaozong relented. However, in 655, he, over the explicit opposition of Lai, Han, and the highly regarded chancellor Chu Suiliang
Chu Suiliang
Chu Suiliang , courtesy name Dengshan , formally Duke of Henan , was a chancellor of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, during the reigns of Emperor Taizong and Emperor Taizong's son Emperor Gaozong...
, as well as the implicit disapproval by his own powerful uncle Zhangsun Wuji
Zhangsun Wuji
Zhangsun Wuji , courtesy name Fuji , formally Duke of Zhao , was a chancellor of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty during the reigns of his brother-in-law Emperor Taizong and nephew Emperor Gaozong...
, deposed Empress Wang and replaced her with Consort Wu. After Empress Wu's ascension, she submitted a petition ostensibly praising the faithfulness of Han and Lai in opposing the unprecedented Chenfei title, but showing instead that she remembered that they had offended her.
In 656, after Empress Wu's son Li Hong
Li Hong
Li Hong , formally Emperor Xiaojing with the temple name of Yizong , was a crown prince of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty...
was created crown prince (displacing Emperor Gaozong's oldest son Li Zhong
Li Zhong
Li Zhong is a fictional character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He ranks 86th of the 108 Liangshan heroes and 50th of the 72 Earthly Fiends. He is nicknamed "Tiger Slaying General".-Background:...
, whose mother Consort Liu was of low birth), Lai was made a junior advisor to the young crown prince, and his title was upgraded to that of a marquess. In 657, however, with Empress Wu and her allies Xu Jingzong
Xu Jingzong
Xu Jingzong , courtesy name Yanzu , formally Duke Gong of Gaoyang , was a chancellor of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty...
and Li Yifu
Li Yifu
Li Yifu was a chancellor of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, during the reign of Emperor Gaozong. He became particularly powerful because of his support for Emperor Gaozong's second wife Empress Wu when her ascension was opposed by then-chancellors, and he had a reputation for treachery...
beginning to carry out a series of reprisals against officials who had opposed Empress Wu's ascension, Xu and Li falsely accused Han and Lai of encouraging Chu (who by that point had been demoted to the post of commandant at Gui Prefecture (桂州, roughly modern Guilin
Guilin
Guilin is a prefecture-level city in the northeast of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of far southern China, sitting on the west bank of the Li River. Its name means "forest of Sweet Osmanthus", owing to the large number of fragrant Sweet Osmanthus trees located in the city...
, 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...
)) to rebel. Emperor Gaozong demoted both Han and Lai to be prefects of distant prefectures -- in Lai's case, the prefect of Tai Prefecture (台州, roughly modern Taizhou
Taizhou, Zhejiang
Taizhou is a prefecture-level city in middle eastern Zhejiang province, People's Republic of China...
, Zhejiang
Zhejiang
Zhejiang is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. The word Zhejiang was the old name of the Qiantang River, which passes through Hangzhou, the provincial capital...
) -- and ordered that they be permanently barred from returning to 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...
. However, he was able to escape further reprisals in 659, when by Empress Wu's instigations Zhangsun was forced to commit suicide and Empress Wang's uncle Liu Shi
Liu Shi (chancellor)
Liu Shi , courtesy name Zishao , was a chancellor of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, during the reign of Emperor Gaozong. His niece was Emperor Gaozong's first wife Empress Wang, and as Emperor Gaozong's favors for her waned, Liu found himself in a precarious position...
was executed. (Han would have suffered the same fate as Liu, but he already died before the executioners arrived.) In 660, though, Lai's post was moved to the even more distant Ting Prefecture (庭州, roughly modern Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture
Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture
Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture ) is an autonomous prefecture of Xinjiang in the People's Republic of China. It is located in the northeastern part of Xinjiang...
, Xinjiang
Xinjiang
Xinjiang is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China. It is the largest Chinese administrative division and spans over 1.6 million km2...
), on the borders with Western Tujue.
In 661, Western Tujue forces attacked Ting Prefecture. Lai gathered his forces to resist, and he told his subordinates, "I should have been executed a long time ago, and it is fortunate that I was spared. This is the time that I should sacrifice my body for the empire." He therefore engaged Western Tujue forces without wearing armor, and he was killed in battle. He was posthumously honored, and his casket was returned to his home territory to be buried.