Zhu Pu
Encyclopedia
Zhu Pu was an official of the Chinese
dynasty Tang Dynasty
, serving briefly from 896
to 897
as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Zhaozong
. Emperor Zhaozong made him chancellor after he made assurances that he would be able to make the imperial administration, then suppressed by the power of the warlords, revived and powerful again, but after he was unable to deliver on the promise, he was removed and exiled at the instigation of the warlord Han Jian
; he died in exile.
. It is also not known when he was born, but it is known that he was from Xiangyang
and that he had, at some point, passed the imperial examination
s, but not in the prestigious Jinshi (進士) class, but in the "Three Histories" class — i.e., for the Records of the Grand Historian
, the Book of Han
, and the Book of Later Han
. After passing the imperial examinations, Zhu was initially made the magistrate of Jingmen County (荊門, in modern Jingmen
, Hubei
), then the archival officer at Jingzhao Municipality (京兆, i.e., the region of the imperial capital Chang'an
), then an archiver at the imperial archives (著作郎, Zhuzuo Lang). Early in Emperor Zhaozong
's Qianning era (894
-898
), the deputy secretary of commerce Li Yuanshi (李元實) made a proposal to deduct two months of pay from each imperial official to pay for military campaigns; Zhu submitted a petition against it, and Li Yuanshi's proposal was not accepted by Emperor Zhaozong.
Thereafter, Zhu was promoted to be a professor at the imperial university (國子監, Guozi Jian), teaching about the version of the Classic of Poetry annotated by the Han Dynasty
scholar Mao Heng (毛亨). At that time, with virtually the entire Tang realm engulfed in warfare, Zhu submitted a petition that the imperial capital be moved from Chang'an to the region of Xiang (襄州, in modern Xiangyang
, Hubei
) (where Zhu was from) and Deng (鄧州, in modern Nanyang
, Henan
) Prefectures; the petition was not acted upon.
It was said that Zhu was an excellent speaker, but was not talented otherwise. In 896
, though, the imperial official He Ying (何迎) submitted a recommendation to Emperor Zhaozong, claiming that Zhu was as talented as the great Jin Dynasty
prime minister Xie An
. The Taoist
monk Xu Yanshi (許巖士), a close associate of Emperor Zhaozong's due to his medical abilities, also recommended Zhu, claiming that he had economic talent. Emperor Zhaozong met with Zhu for several days straight and was impressed by Zhu's speaking ability. He stated, "Although I am not Emperor Taizong
[(an ancestor of Emperor Zhaozong's considered to be a heroic emperor at the start of Tang)], having you is like having Wei Zheng
[(a great chancellor of Emperor Taizong's time)]." He gave both Zhu and He awards of gold and silk.
, Shaanxi
) to flee an attack by the warlord Li Maozhen
the military governor of Fengxiang Circuit (鳳翔, headquartered in modern Baoji
, Shaanxi
) earlier in the year, was distressed about the state of affairs the Tang realm was in, and had the hope of finding exceptional individuals who could help him govern the state, such that he was willing to promote them in irregularly fast manners. Zhu took this opportunity and stated to Emperor Zhaozong, "Make me a chancellor, and there will be peace in just over a month." Emperor Zhaozong believed him, and in fall 896, he made Zhu Zuo Jianyi Daifu (左諫議大夫), a high-level advisory official at the examination bureau (門下省, Menxia Sheng) — and a chancellor, with the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事). It was said that this commission completely surprised the people because Zhu was not known for his talent and was commonly believed to be frivolous. Soon thereafter, Emperor Zhaozong also made him the acting director of taxation (判戶部, Pan Hubu) and entrusted him with all matters relating to military expenses, in preparation of a campaign against Li Maozhen.
By spring 897
, with the realm as overrun by warfare as it had been previously, the people believed that Zhu's promises had failed. Han Jian
the military governor of Zhenguo Circuit (鎮國, headquartered at Hua Prefecture), the warlord who had Emperor Zhaozong in his physical control, first falsely accused two of Emperor Zhaozong's associates, the astronomer Ma Daoyin (馬道殷), and Xu Yanshi, of crimes, and had them executed. He then accused Zhu and another chancellor, Sun Wo
, of close association with Ma and Xu, and had them removed from chancellorship. Zhu was first made Mishu Jian (秘書監), the director of the archival bureau (秘書省, Mishu Sheng). Later in the year, Zhu was exiled, first to be the military advisor to the prefect of Kui Prefecture (夔州, in modern Chongqing
), then to be the census officer at Chen Prefecture (郴州, in modern Chenzhou
, Hunan
).
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 briefly from 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....
to 897
897
Year 897 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* Emperor Uda of Japan is succeeded by Emperor Daigo....
as a chancellor during the reign 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...
. Emperor Zhaozong made him chancellor after he made assurances that he would be able to make the imperial administration, then suppressed by the power of the warlords, revived and powerful again, but after he was unable to deliver on the promise, he was removed and exiled at the instigation of the warlord Han Jian
Han Jian (Tang Dynasty)
Han Jian , courtesy name Zuoshi , was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who eventually became a subject of the succeeding Later Liang Dynasty...
; he died in exile.
Background and early career
Little is known about Zhu Pu's background, as his family was not included in the table of the chancellors' family trees in the New Book of TangNew 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 also not known when he was born, but it is known that he was from Xiangyang
Xiangyang
Xiangzhou District is a district of Xiangyang, Hubei, China. The district itself was formerly known as Xiangyang. It was a city famous for the Siege of Xiangyang by invading forces of the Mongol-founded Yuan Dynasty...
and that he had, at some point, 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, but not in the prestigious Jinshi (進士) class, but in the "Three Histories" class — i.e., for the Records of the Grand Historian
Records of the Grand Historian
The Records of the Grand Historian, also known in English by the Chinese name Shiji , written from 109 BC to 91 BC, was the Magnum opus of Sima Qian, in which he recounted Chinese history from the time of the Yellow Emperor until his own time...
, the Book of Han
Book of Han
The Book of Han, Hanshu or History of the Former Han Dynasty |Fan Ye]] . Various scholars have estimated that the earliest material covered in the book dates back to between 206 and 202 BCE...
, and the Book of Later Han
Book of Later Han
The Book of the Later Han or the History of the Later Han is one of the official Chinese historical works which was compiled by Fan Ye in the 5th century, using a number of earlier histories and documents as sources...
. After passing the imperial examinations, Zhu was initially made the magistrate of Jingmen County (荊門, in modern Jingmen
Jingmen
Jingmen is a prefecture-level city in Hubei province of the People's Republic of China. Jingmen is within an area where cotton and oil crops are planted. The population of the city is approximately 2,984,000 . The urban area of Jingmen City has a population of about 350,000...
, Hubei
Hubei
' Hupeh) is a province in Central China. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Lake Dongting...
), then the archival officer at Jingzhao Municipality (京兆, i.e., the region of 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...
), then an archiver at the imperial archives (著作郎, Zhuzuo Lang). Early in 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...
's Qianning era (894
894
Year 894 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Northumbrians and East Angles swear allegiance to Alfred the Great, but promptly break their truce by attacking the south-west of England.* Mojmír II becomes King of Great Moravia after the death of his father...
-898
898
Year 898 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* A Magyar army headed by Álmos besieges Kiev.* Magyar tribes found the state of Szekesfehervar in Hungary....
), the deputy secretary of commerce Li Yuanshi (李元實) made a proposal to deduct two months of pay from each imperial official to pay for military campaigns; Zhu submitted a petition against it, and Li Yuanshi's proposal was not accepted by Emperor Zhaozong.
Thereafter, Zhu was promoted to be a professor at the imperial university (國子監, Guozi Jian), teaching about the version of the Classic of Poetry annotated by the 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...
scholar Mao Heng (毛亨). At that time, with virtually the entire Tang realm engulfed in warfare, Zhu submitted a petition that the imperial capital be moved from Chang'an to the region of Xiang (襄州, in modern Xiangyang
Xiangyang
Xiangzhou District is a district of Xiangyang, Hubei, China. The district itself was formerly known as Xiangyang. It was a city famous for the Siege of Xiangyang by invading forces of the Mongol-founded Yuan Dynasty...
, Hubei
Hubei
' Hupeh) is a province in Central China. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Lake Dongting...
) (where Zhu was from) and Deng (鄧州, in modern Nanyang
Nanyang
Nanyang may refer to:* Nanyang is a Chinese term denoting the greater Nusantara region including Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, but excluding other Southeast Asian nations, especially the other nations on the Indochinese peninsula-China:* Nanyang, Henan , prefecture-level...
, 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...
) Prefectures; the petition was not acted upon.
It was said that Zhu was an excellent speaker, but was not talented otherwise. 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....
, though, the imperial official He Ying (何迎) submitted a recommendation to Emperor Zhaozong, claiming that Zhu was as talented as the great Jin Dynasty
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...
prime minister Xie An
Xie An
200px|right|thumb|Statue of xie anXie An , courtesy name Anshi , formally Duke Wenjing of Luling , was a Jin Dynasty statesman who, despite his lack of military ability, led Jin through a major crisis—attacks by Former Qin...
. The Taoist
Taoism
Taoism refers to a philosophical or religious tradition in which the basic concept is to establish harmony with the Tao , which is the mechanism of everything that exists...
monk Xu Yanshi (許巖士), a close associate of Emperor Zhaozong's due to his medical abilities, also recommended Zhu, claiming that he had economic talent. Emperor Zhaozong met with Zhu for several days straight and was impressed by Zhu's speaking ability. He stated, "Although I am not 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...
[(an ancestor of Emperor Zhaozong's considered to be a heroic emperor at the start of Tang)], having you is like having Wei Zheng
Wei Zheng
Wei Zheng , courtesy name Xuancheng , formally Duke Wenzhen of Zheng , was a Chinese politician and the lead editor of the Book of Sui, composed in 636...
[(a great chancellor of Emperor Taizong's time)]." He gave both Zhu and He awards of gold and silk.
Chancellorship and after chancellorship
By this point, Emperor Zhaozong, who, along with the imperial officers, was then at Hua Prefecture (華州, in modern WeinanWeinan
Weinan is a Municipality in the province of Shaanxi, PRC. The Grand Historian Sima Qian was born in Weinan.-Administration:...
, Shaanxi
Shaanxi
' is a province in the central part of Mainland China, and it includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River in addition to the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of this province...
) to flee an attack by the warlord Li Maozhen
Li Maozhen
Li Maozhen , né 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...
the military governor of Fengxiang Circuit (鳳翔, headquartered in modern Baoji
Baoji
Baoji is a prefecture-level city in Shaanxi province, China.-Geography:The prefecture-level city of Baoji has a population of 3,716,731 according to the 2010 Chinese census, inhabiting an area of . The city itself has a population of approximately 800,000. Surrounded on three sides by hills,...
, Shaanxi
Shaanxi
' is a province in the central part of Mainland China, and it includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River in addition to the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of this province...
) earlier in the year, was distressed about the state of affairs the Tang realm was in, and had the hope of finding exceptional individuals who could help him govern the state, such that he was willing to promote them in irregularly fast manners. Zhu took this opportunity and stated to Emperor Zhaozong, "Make me a chancellor, and there will be peace in just over a month." Emperor Zhaozong believed him, and in fall 896, he made Zhu Zuo Jianyi Daifu (左諫議大夫), a high-level advisory official at the examination bureau (門下省, Menxia Sheng) — and a chancellor, with the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事). It was said that this commission completely surprised the people because Zhu was not known for his talent and was commonly believed to be frivolous. Soon thereafter, Emperor Zhaozong also made him the acting director of taxation (判戶部, Pan Hubu) and entrusted him with all matters relating to military expenses, in preparation of a campaign against Li Maozhen.
By spring 897
897
Year 897 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* Emperor Uda of Japan is succeeded by Emperor Daigo....
, with the realm as overrun by warfare as it had been previously, the people believed that Zhu's promises had failed. Han Jian
Han Jian (Tang Dynasty)
Han Jian , courtesy name Zuoshi , was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, who eventually became a subject of the succeeding Later Liang Dynasty...
the military governor of Zhenguo Circuit (鎮國, headquartered at Hua Prefecture), the warlord who had Emperor Zhaozong in his physical control, first falsely accused two of Emperor Zhaozong's associates, the astronomer Ma Daoyin (馬道殷), and Xu Yanshi, of crimes, and had them executed. He then accused Zhu and another chancellor, Sun Wo
Sun Wo
Sun Wo , courtesy name Longguang , formally the Marquess of Le'an , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor from 895 to 897 during the reign of Emperor Zhaozong.- Background :...
, of close association with Ma and Xu, and had them removed from chancellorship. Zhu was first made Mishu Jian (秘書監), the director of the archival bureau (秘書省, Mishu Sheng). Later in the year, Zhu was exiled, first to be the military advisor to the prefect of Kui Prefecture (夔州, in modern Chongqing
Chongqing
Chongqing is a major city in Southwest China and one of the five national central cities of China. Administratively, it is one of the PRC's four direct-controlled municipalities , and the only such municipality in inland China.The municipality was created on 14 March 1997, succeeding the...
), then to be the census officer at Chen Prefecture (郴州, in modern Chenzhou
Chenzhou
Chenzhou is a city located in the southern area of Hunan province, People's Republic of China. Its administrative area covers , 9.2% of the provincial area, and its total population reached 4,559,600 as of 2001, 26% of them living in urban areas, 74% of them live in rural areas.-History:Chenzhou...
, Hunan
Hunan
' is a province of South-Central China, located to the south of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and south of Lake Dongting...
).