Pei Tan
Encyclopedia
Pei Tan was an official of the Chinese
dynasty Tang Dynasty
, briefly serving as chancellor.
Despite Pei's high status, little is firmly established about his career except for the time that he served as chancellor—as, unusual for a chancellor, he did not have a biography in either the Book of Tang
or the New Book of Tang
. It is known that his clan traced its ancestry to the Cao Wei
official Pei Hui (裴徽). Some of Pei Tan's ancestors served as officials for Jin Dynasty (265-420)
, Former Qin
, and Northern Wei
, but Pei's several immediate ancestors did not carry any official titles.
As of 710, Pei was serving as minister of justice (刑部尚書) under Emperor Zhongzong
, when Emperor Zhongzong died suddenly—a death that traditional historians believed to be a poisoning by Emperor Zhongzong's powerful wife Empress Wei
and daughter Li Guo'er the Princess Anle
. Empress Wei did not initially announce Emperor Zhongzong's death and quickly made a number of personnel moves in the government and the military. As a part of these moves, Pei was given the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Sanpin (同中書門下三品), making him a chancellor de facto. Soon, she had Emperor Zhongzong's son by a concubine, Li Chongmao
the Prince of Wen, named emperor (as Emperor Shang), but retained power as empress dowager
and regent
. Less than a month later, Emperor Zhongzong's sister Princess Taiping
and nephew Li Longji
the Prince of Linzi, rose in rebellion and killed Empress Dowager Wei and Li Guo'er. LI Longji's father Li Dan
the Prince of Xiang became emperor (as Emperor Ruizong), displacing Emperor Shang. Soon, as part of the major governmental reorganization, Pei was demoted to be the prefect of Pu Prefecture (蒲州, roughly modern Yuncheng, Shanxi
). That was the last historical record about Pei, and it is not known when he died, although it is known that his son Pei Yuanming (裴元明) later served as a prefectural prefect as well. (There was a reference to Pei Tan in 714, when Pei Tan was listed among a list of secret police officials during the reign of Emperor Zhongzong's mother Wu Zetian
in an edict by Li Longji (then reigning as Emperor Xuanzong), indicating that the former secret police officials should be removed from their posts and officially denounced, but it is not completely certain that this was the same Pei Tan.)
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...
, briefly serving as chancellor.
Despite Pei's high status, little is firmly established about his career except for the time that he served as chancellor—as, unusual for a chancellor, he did not have a biography in either the Book of Tang
Book of Tang
The Book of Tang , Jiu Tangshu or the Old Book of Tang is the first classic work about the Tang Dynasty. The book began when Gaozu of Later Jin ordered its commencement in 941...
or the New Book of Tang
New Book of Tang
The New Book of Tang , is a classic work of history about the Tang Dynasty edited by Ouyang Xiu and Song Qi and other official scholars of the Song Dynasty. The emperor called for a revision of the former Book of Tang in 1044. The New Book was presented to the throne in 1060. It was given its...
. It is known that his clan traced its ancestry to the 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...
official Pei Hui (裴徽). Some of Pei Tan's ancestors served as officials for 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...
, Former Qin
Former Qin
The Former Qin was a state of the Sixteen Kingdoms in China. Founded by the Fu family of the Di ethnicity, it completed the unification of North China in 376. Its capital had been Xi'an up to the death of the ruler Fu Jiān. Despite its name, the Former Qin was much later and less powerful than...
, and 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"...
, but Pei's several immediate ancestors did not carry any official titles.
As of 710, Pei was serving as minister of justice (刑部尚書) under Emperor Zhongzong
Emperor Zhongzong of Tang
Emperor Zhongzong of Tang , personal name Lǐ Xiǎn , at times during his life Li Zhe and Wu Xian , was the fourth Emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China, ruling briefly in 684 and again from 705 to 710.Emperor Zhongzong was the son of Emperor Gaozong of Tang and Empress Wu...
, when Emperor Zhongzong died suddenly—a death that traditional historians believed to be a poisoning by Emperor Zhongzong's powerful wife Empress Wei
Empress Wei (Zhongzong)
Empress Wei was an empress of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty. She was the second wife of Emperor Zhongzong, who reigned twice, and during his second reign, she tried to emulate the example of her mother-in-law Wu Zetian and seize power...
and daughter Li Guo'er the Princess Anle
Princess Anle
Princess Anle , personal name Li Guo'er , was a princess of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty. She was the youngest daughter of Emperor Zhongzong and his wife Empress Wei who was greatly favored by her parents and therefore grew very powerful and corrupt during her father's second...
. Empress Wei did not initially announce Emperor Zhongzong's death and quickly made a number of personnel moves in the government and the military. As a part of these moves, Pei was given the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Sanpin (同中書門下三品), making him a chancellor de facto. Soon, she had Emperor Zhongzong's son by a concubine, Li Chongmao
Emperor Shang of Tang
Emperor Shang , also known as Emperor Shao , personal name Li Chongmao , was an emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China, ruling briefly in 710....
the Prince of Wen, named emperor (as Emperor Shang), but retained power as empress dowager
Empress Dowager
Empress Dowager was the title given to the mother of a Chinese, Korean, Japanese or Vietnamese emperor.The title was also given occasionally to another woman of the same generation, while a woman from the previous generation was sometimes given the title of Grand empress dowager. Numerous empress...
and regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
. Less than a month later, Emperor Zhongzong's sister Princess Taiping
Princess Taiping
Princess Taiping was a princess of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty and her mother Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty. She was the youngest daughter of Wu Zetian and Emperor Gaozong and was powerful during the reigns of her mother and her elder brothers Emperor Zhongzong and Emperor Ruizong , particularly...
and nephew Li Longji
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...
the Prince of Linzi, rose in rebellion and killed Empress Dowager Wei and Li Guo'er. LI Longji's father Li Dan
Emperor Ruizong of Tang
Emperor Ruizong of Tang , personal name Lǐ Dàn , known at times during his life as Li Xulun , Li Lun , Wu Lun , and Wu Dan , was the fifth and ninth emperor of Tang Dynasty...
the Prince of Xiang became emperor (as Emperor Ruizong), displacing Emperor Shang. Soon, as part of the major governmental reorganization, Pei was demoted to be the prefect of Pu Prefecture (蒲州, roughly modern Yuncheng, Shanxi
Shanxi
' is a province in Northern China. Its one-character abbreviation is "晋" , after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period....
). That was the last historical record about Pei, and it is not known when he died, although it is known that his son Pei Yuanming (裴元明) later served as a prefectural prefect as well. (There was a reference to Pei Tan in 714, when Pei Tan was listed among a list of secret police officials during the reign of Emperor Zhongzong's mother Wu Zetian
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...
in an edict by Li Longji (then reigning as Emperor Xuanzong), indicating that the former secret police officials should be removed from their posts and officially denounced, but it is not completely certain that this was the same Pei Tan.)