model official revered for wisdom and integrity

Wei Zheng

Wei Zheng (580-643), whose name is Xuancheng, was born in xiaquyang County, Julu County (now Jinzhou City, Hebei Province). Tang Dynasty prime minister, outstanding statesman, thinker, writer and historian.

In his early years, he joined the Wagang uprising and followed Li Mi, the Duke of Wei. In the first year of Wude (618), he returned to the Tang Dynasty and persuaded Li Ji to surrender. He taught Prince Xi Ma, assisted Prince Yin Li Jiancheng, and gave advice to pacify Liu heikai and Shandong. In the first year of Zhenguan (627), Zuo Cheng, a counsellor and censor, pacified Hebei. He moved to the Secretary prison, participated in the government affairs, and collated ancient books. He was appointed Duke of Julu County and was responsible for the affairs of the province. He was awarded doctor Zuo Guanglu, Prince Taizi and Duke Zheng. He was the fourth of the twenty-four meritorious officials in Lingyan Pavilion.

In the 17th year of Zhenguan (February 11, 643), he died and was given the posthumous title of Wenzhen to Sikong and Xiangzhou Dudu. He participated in the compilation of qunshuzhiyao, the preface of Sui Shu, and the general introduction of Liangshu, Chenshu, and Qishu. His comments were mostly in Zhenguan Zhengyao. Among them, the most famous and handed down admonition form is ten thoughts of admonishing Taizong, and there are Wei Zheng official document collection and Wei Zheng Gong poetry collection

Life of the characters

Early experience

In the 13th year of Daye (617), Wei Zheng became an official under the account of Cheng Yuanbao in Wuyang county. Yuanbaocang sent troops to respond to Li mi in Wagang. All the memorials yuanbaocang gave to Li mi were written by Wei Zheng. Seeing that Wei Zheng was very talented, Li mi summoned Wei Zheng. Wei Zheng offered ten strategies to strengthen Wagang, but Li mi didn't use them.

In 618, Wang Shichong attacked Cangcheng and was defeated by Li mi. However, Wei Zheng said to Chang Shi Zheng: "although Li Mi has won many victories, his generals have also been killed and wounded. Wagang has no Treasury, so his soldiers can't be rewarded for their achievements. It's better to go deep in the ditch and high in the fortress, occupy the important position, hold a stalemate with the enemy, and lead the army to pursue when the enemy runs out of food. This is the way to win. If there is no food in Luoyang, Wang Shichong will fight against our army if he has nothing to do. At this time, we will not fight against him. " Zheng Zhen didn't take Wei Zheng's words for granted, saying that it was a platitude. Wei Zheng said: "it's a strange and profound strategy. How can it be a platitude?" I'll leave.

Return to Tang Dynasty

In the first year of Wude (618), Li mi was defeated by Wang Shichong, and Wei Zheng followed Li Mi to surrender to Li Tang. Li to the north of the Yangtze River, and the South will occupy the territory of Rumi. When Li mi surrendered to Li Tang, Li Ji did not know where to go. Wei Zheng volunteered to appease Shandong. In Liyang, Wei Zheng wrote a letter with Li Ji, persuading him to surrender. Li Ji then sent envoys to Chang'an to give all the credit to Li Mi, and then escorted the grain and grass to Li Shentong.

In September of the same year, Dou Jiande led his army to attack Xiangzhou. Li Shentong couldn't resist it. He led his army to Liyang and was defeated by Dou Jiande. Wei Zheng, Li Shentong and Li Ji were all captured. Dou Jiande used Wei Zheng as his living room.

In 621, Li Shimin led the army to attack Wang Shichong, and Dou Jiande led the army to support Wang Shichong. In May, Li Shimin defeated Dou Jiande and captured him alive. Wei Zheng was able to enter the Tang Dynasty again. Prince Li Jiancheng used Wei Zheng to wash the horse for the prince, which was very courteous.

In the fifth year of Wude (622), Liu heikai colluded with Turkic invaders to invade Shandong. Wei Zheng saw that although Li Jiancheng was the eldest son, his achievements were not as good as Li Shimin's, so he suggested that Li Jiancheng go to fight for meritorious service. Following Wei Zheng's advice, Li Jiancheng captured Liu heikai and calmed Shandong.

In 626, Li Shimin launched the Xuanwumen incident and killed Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji. Li Shimin heard that Wei Zheng used to admonish Li Jiancheng to arrange Li Shimin for another place. Li Shimin sent someone to take Wei Zheng and asked, "why do you want to alienate our brothers?" Wei Zheng replied, "if the Prince did as I said, there would be no disaster today." Li Shimin saw that Wei Zheng was straightforward and didn't hide anything, so he pardoned Wei Zheng and used Wei Zheng as the chief of Zhan's affairs.

voice outspoken criticisms that bring a scowl to the emperor's face

In the first year of Zhenguan (627), Li Shimin ascended the throne of God and appointed Wei Zheng as the minister Zuo Cheng. Li Shimin was determined to establish a prosperous society. He called Wei Zheng to inquire about the gains and losses in his bed for many times. Wei Zheng was outspoken, and he admonished more than 200 things before and after, which Li Shimin fully accepted.

In the same year, Li Shimin sent Wei Zheng to Hebei to pacify the old family of Li Jiancheng, the former crown prince, and Li Yuanji, the king of Qi, because of the Xuanwumen incident. On the way, Wei Zheng happened to meet Prince Qianniu Li Zhian and Prince Qi's guard Li Sixing, who were escorted to the capital. Wei zhengrang released them and still appointed officials. Only in this way can the old family of Prince Yin in Hebei believe that Li Shimin really wants to forgive them.

In the third year of Zhenguan (629), Wei Zheng was appointed Secretary Supervisor and began to participate in the government. Li Shimin led scholars to divide the ancient books into four parts and collate them.

In the fifth year of Zhenguan (631), Li Shimin talked with Wei Zheng about selecting a person to be an official. Wei Zheng said that we should first understand his talents, and then examine his moral character and hobbies.

Li Lizhi, the princess of Changle, was born to empress Chang sun. Li Shimin loved her very much and betrothed her to Chang sun Chong, the son of Chang sun Wuji. In the sixth year of Zhenguan (the fifth year of Zhenguan in the old Tang Dynasty), Li Shimin began to prepare the dowry. He said to his ministers, "Princess Changle, born of the empress, I love her as well as the empress. Now it will come out, and the etiquette will be increased. ". Ministers have said that "Your Majesty's love, want to add less", so he asked to double Yongjia princess, Li Shimin readily agreed. However, Wei Zheng objected. Because Princess Yongjia is the aunt of Princess Changle. This goes beyond the etiquette. Li Shimin went back to the palace and told empress changsun about it. When empress changsun learned about this, she sighed that Wei Zheng could "lead the etiquette and justice to suppress the feelings of the Lord", and greatly appreciated him. I specially sent someone to reward Wei ZhengJuan with 400 pieces of silk and 400 pieces of money. I heard that you are upright. Now I have seen it. I hope you will keep it and not change it. When Li Shimin didn't say anything, empress changsun directly rewarded Wei Zheng and hinted that she would support him, which could be said to have given Wei Zheng a boost. It was precisely because of the support of empress Chang sun that Wei Zheng's direct admonition of justice went so smoothly. Soon Wei Zheng was promoted to the rank of Duke.

In the seventh year of Zhenguan (633), Wei zhengdai was the servant of Wang Li. Shangshu province had a long backlog of unsettled lawsuits. Li Shimin ordered Wei Zheng to deal with them impartially. Wei Zheng was not familiar with the law, but he was able to grasp the fundamental principles and deal with it according to the actual situation. Everyone was convinced.

In the eighth year of Zhenguan (634), Shen county's chenghuangfu de Shen wrote a letter, which angered Li Shimin. Li Shimin thought it was slander. Wei zhengjinyan said: "once upon a time, when Jia Yi wrote a letter to Emperor Wen of Han Dynasty, he said," there is one thing you can cry for the emperor, and there are six things you can sigh for the emperor. ". Since ancient times, the words used to be very incisive. If they were not incisive, they would not move the heart of the Lord. You should think carefully whether it is right or not, your majesty Li Shimin felt that what Wei Zheng said was reasonable, and ordered to reward huangfude with twenty paragraphs of Shenbo.

In the 10th year of Zhenguan (636), empress changsun died and was buried in Zhaoling, posthumously known as empress Wende. After empress changsun was buried in the Zhaoling Mausoleum, Li Shimin couldn't stop missing her. In order to alleviate the pain of memory, he built a layer view in the palace. He looked at his wife's Mausoleum all day and asked the minister to accompany him to mourn. Once, Li Shimin asked Wei Zheng to accompany him and point to the direction of Zhaoling to see if he had seen it clearly. Wei Zheng pretended not to see it. Li Shimin was worried and asked, "how can I not see it? It's Zhaoling!" Wei Zheng answered, "I think your majesty is looking for Xianling. It's Zhaoling." After hearing this, Li Shimin understood that Wei Zheng was reminding himself not to forget his father just because he missed his dead wife. So he cried and ordered to tear down the layer view. Although Li Shimin's behavior of thinking about his wife is against the tradition of ethics, it is the true feelings of a son of heaven.

In 637, Li Shimin visited Luoyang and lived in Xianren palace. Most of them were condemned because of the poor worship of the officials in the prefectures and counties. Wei Zheng told Li Shimin that Yang Guang, the emperor of the Sui Dynasty, once made tribute to the people nearby. If he could not finish the tribute, he would throw it away, which was a waste.

In the 12th year of Zhenguan (638), Wang Zhen, the Minister of rites, said: "when officials of three grades or above meet the prince on the road, they all get out of the car and violate the law to show respect, which violates the standard of etiquette." Li Shimin said, "do you despise my son because you have a high status?" Wei Zheng said: "since ancient times, princes have been listed under the three gongs. Now the three grades are the chief of emperor lieqing and eight seats. Getting off the train for the prince is not what the prince should receive. It is against the national law to apply it to the present Li Shimin said: "the reason why the country establishes the prince is to prepare him to be the king of the country. However, the length of the person, not in the young and old, if there is no prince, then followed by the prince with his mother's younger brother. How can I despise my son in this way? " Wei Zheng said: "in the Yin Dynasty, the etiquette of simplicity was advocated. When one elder brother died, his younger brother ascended the throne. Since the Zhou Dynasty, the crown prince must be the eldest son, so as to put an end to the private thoughts of all brothers and plug the root of trouble. This is a matter that the monarch should be very careful." So Li Shimin agreed with Wang's speech.

In March of the 12th year of Zhenguan, Li Xiang, Li Chengqian's legitimate son, was born. Because of the happy birth of the emperor and his grandson, Li Shimin of Tang Dynasty ordered that all prisoners in the world should be reduced to the first grade of crime, and that the internal and external officials should serve more than five grades. The son was the father of the latter, and each of them should honor the officials

Chinese PinYin : Wei Zheng