Cui Yuan (705–768)
Cui Yuan (
Background[edit]
Cui Yuan was born in 704, during the reign of Wu Zetian. His family was from Bei Prefecture (
During Emperor Xuanzong's reign[edit]
During the Kaiyuan era (713-741) of Emperor Xuanzong, Emperor Xuanzong held a special imperial examination for those who might have missed out on regular examinations. Cui Yuan received a high score on military strategy, and was made a military officer—but as he was proud of his literary abilities, he was not pleased with the commission. When he later served under Xiao Jiong (
After the military governor An Lushan rebelled in 755, Yang considered the possibility that the emperor might have to flee to Jiannan, and secretly instructed Cui to begin preparing for such a plan. In 756, as An's forces approached Chang'an, the plan was carried out, as Emperor Xuanzong began the flight to Jiannan—although, on the way, Yang was killed by angry imperial guard soldiers. Once Emperor Xuanzong's train reached Hechi Commandery (
During Emperor Suzong's reign[edit]
Meanwhile, though, Emperor Xuanzong's crown prince Li Heng, who did not follow Emperor Xuanzong toward Jiannan, had declared himself emperor (as Emperor Suzong) at Lingwu. When Emperor Xuanzong received news of this, he acknowledged Emperor Suzong as emperor, taking the title Taishang Huang (retired emperor) instead. He also sent three of the four chancellors he commissioned -- Wei Jiansu, Fang Guan, and Cui Huan to Lingwu to formally invest Emperor Suzong as emperor, but kept Cui Yuan at Shu Commandery for some time, until spring 757, when he also sent Cui Yuan to join Emperor Suzong, then at Pengyuan (彭原, in modern Qingyang, Gansu). In order to show favor to Cui, however, Emperor Xuanzong erected a monument at Shu Commandery to commemorate his accomplishments. Initially, it was expected that Emperor Suzong would not favor him, and Emperor Suzong did not meet him for several days even after he arrived at Pengyuan; only after he had bribed one of Emperor Suzong's close associates, the eunuch Li Fuguo, was he able to meet Emperor Suzong.[2][3]
In 758, after Emperor Suzong had recaptured Chang'an, and both Emperors Xuanzong and Suzong had returned there, Cui was created the Duke of Zhao but was removed from his chancellor post and became an advisor to the crown prince.[4] He was put in charge of the eastern capital Luoyang, which An Lushan's son and successor An Qingxu had just abandoned. In spring 759, however, after Tang forces fighting An Qingxu and Shi Siming collapsed at Yecheng, the officials and the people of Luoyang panicked and fled Luoyang, with Cui fleeing as far Xiangyang. Afterwards, he submitted a petition asking for punishment, and Emperor Suzong stripped him of his fief and his honorary title as Kaifu Yitong Sansi (
Notes and references[edit]
- ^ New Book of Tang, vol. 72."
漢 川 草 廬 -二 十 四 史 -新 唐 書 -卷 七 十 二 ‧表 第 十 二 ". Archived from the original on 2008-11-20. Retrieved 2008-10-03."宰相 世 系 二 (崔 氏 )". Archived from the original on 2007-10-22. Retrieved 2008-04-20. - ^ Old Book of Tang, vol. 111 Archived 2008-04-19 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ New Book of Tang, vol. 139 Archived 2007-12-26 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ However, there was no crown prince at that time, so the post was entirely honorary.
- ^ Bo Yang Edition of the Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 53 [759].
- Old Book of Tang, vol. 108.
- New Book of Tang, vol. 140.
- Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 216, 217, 218, 219, 220, 221, 222, 224.