Fang Xuanling

Fang Xuanling

Fang Xuanling (579-648, August 18), named Qiao and named Xuanling, was born in Linzi County of Qizhou (now Zibo City of Shandong Province). In the early Tang Dynasty, he was a famous prime minister, statesman, historian, and the son of Fang Yanqian, the order of Jingyang in the Sui Dynasty.

He came from Fang family in Qinghe. He is good at poetry and literature, and has a good command of classics and history. At the age of 18, he was born as a Jinshi, and was granted the title of Yuqi Wei and Xicheng County Wei. After Jinyang joined the army and took refuge with Li Shimin, the king of Qin, he actively gave advice, administrated the Secretary, selected talents, and became one of the effective counsellors in the palace of Qin. In the ninth year of Wude (626), he planned "the change of Xuanwumen" and joined Du Ruhui and other five people in the first place. After Tang Taizong ascended the throne, he paid homage to zhongshuling and xingguogong, and was responsible for the comprehensive administration of the imperial court, the compilation of national history and the compilation of Jinshu. During his reign, Fang Xuanling was good at strategy and Du Ruhui was decisive in dealing with affairs. He was also called "Fang's strategy and Du's judgment". He became a model of a good prime minister. He was appointed Duke of Liang and was named "twenty four meritorious officials of Lingyan Pavilion" after being moved to minister Zuo pushe and Sikong.

In 648, Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty died of illness. He gave his posthumous title Wenzhao to Emperor Taizong and was buried in Zhaoling.

Life of the characters

Young and promising

Fang Xuanling was born in the Fang family of Qinghe. Fang Yi, the great grandfather, was a general of Zhenyuan in the Northern Wei Dynasty and a prefect of song'an, who attacked Zhuang wubo; Fang Xiong, the grandfather, was the master of Shi Wuzhou; Fang Yanqian, the father, was a scholar of Shandong Province in the Wei and Qi dynasties, who was studious, knowledgeable and eloquent.

Fang Xuanling has been influenced by his father since childhood. Since childhood, he was intelligent, good at poetry and writing, read classics and history, proficient in Confucian classics, and learned good calligraphy from his father. When he was 18 years old, he was promoted to Jinshi in Qizhou, and was successively granted Yuqi Wei and Xicheng County Wei.

In troubled times

At the end of the Sui Dynasty, the world was in chaos. Jinyang, the Duke of the Tang Dynasty, left behind Li Yuan and led his troops to enter the pass. Fang Xuanling took refuge in Li Shimin in Weibei. He repeatedly went out from the king of Qin to join the army. He was the chief of staff and Secretary of the imperial palace.

In order to repay Li Shimin's kindness, he made every effort to plan military and political affairs. Every time he attacked one of the separatist forces, all the people in the army went all out to search for treasures. Only Fang Xuanling first gathered talents, placed the people who were resourceful and brave in his shogunate, made friends with them in private, and worked for Li Shimin together. After Wang Shichong was defeated, he thought that Zhang Liang was "suave and resourceful", so he recommended him to Li Shimin as a general of the cavalry in the palace of the king of Qin. Others, such as Xue Shou, who is quick witted, Li Daliang, who is "King's mausoleum, Zhou Bojie, you can rely on big things", and Du Ruhui, who is "intelligent, knowledgeable, Wang Zuo's talent", were recommended by Fang Xuanling and put in high position by Li Shimin, who was later the prime minister.

map out a strategy

Fang Xuanling has been in charge of military affairs for more than ten years in Li Shimin's palace of the Qin Dynasty. He is responsible for the management of documents. When military documents are memorialized, he stops Ma Licheng. His words are simple and his righteousness is rich. Li Yuan praised Fang Xuanling deeply and said to his courtiers, "this man has a deep understanding of opportunism, and can be entrusted with an important task. Whenever I tell the king of Qin about affairs, I can understand the psychology of human nature. Thousands of miles away, it's like talking to each other. "

Later, Li Jiancheng, the crown prince of Yin, expelled the officials in the palace of the king of Qin, and Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui were expelled from other posts.

Stabilize the country

In the ninth year of Wude (626), he participated in the planning of Xuanwumen's change and helped Li Shimin to become an emperor. Li Shimin praised him for his "masterminding strategies and setting the country". Li Shimin's theory of merit and reward is based on Fang Xuanling, Chang sun Wuji, Du Ruhui, Yuchi Jingde and Hou Junji. Fang Xuanling became the Duke of Xing because of his merits.

Devotion to the country

Fang Xuanling followed Li Shimin to pacify the world, go out into life and death, and prepare for the hardships of founding a country. He never forgets the difficulty of starting a business. The alarm bell rings for a long time, and he tries to avoid extravagance and lust, so as to maintain the long-term stability of the country.

Fang Xuanling attached great importance to the administration of officials. He thought that the problem of administration of officials was the root of governance, and the fairness and integrity of officials was the key to governing the country. On the issue of electing officials, Li Shimin advocated "appointing officials according to their abilities and serving provincial officials", "now it's time to examine officials so that they can play their respective roles, and then the country can rule by doing nothing." Fang Xuanling faithfully carried out this idea, vigorously simplified administration, and promoted provincial officials, "so the total number of civil and military officials allocated was 640.".

Fang Xuanling's practice of reducing the number of officials not only eliminated the redundant officials, but also improved the efficiency of various departments of the imperial court. At the same time, it also saved the national financial expenditure and lightened the burden of the people.

Fang Xuanling is proficient in making official decrees. In the early years of Zhenguan, when the world was just beginning to decide, the rules and regulations were still not complete. He and Du Ruhui, the minister's right servant, were in charge of the government. The scale of pavilions and other buildings, as well as the laws, rites, music, systems and valuable things left over from the past dynasties were all made by them, which won a good reputation at that time.

In the aspect of revising laws and decrees, Fang Xuanling adhered to the idea of "reviewing and determining laws and orders, taking leniency and peace as the purpose", simplified laws and decrees, and removed the harsh criminal law of Sui Dynasty. Since Fang Xuanling and other Geng laws, decrees, patterns and styles, there has not been much change in the Tang Dynasty.

In February of the third year of Zhenguan (629), Fang Xuanling changed the title of Duke of Wei and became the minister Zuo pushe, who supervised the compilation of national history. Fang Xuanling devoted himself to getting up early and going to bed late. In addition, he was clear about official affairs, lenient and even in law, and he was a virtuous man, regardless of his inferiority. People all called him a good prime minister.

In the ninth year of Zhenguan (635), Fang Xuanling protected the system of Gaozu mausoleum and granted Kaifu Yitong the third division. In 637, he was granted the title of Duke of Liang.

In the 13th year of Zhenguan (639), he was a little teacher of the crown prince. He stayed in the capital. He served as Prime Minister for 15 years. His daughter was Princess Han, and his son Fang's last love married Princess Gaoyang. He was extremely noble, but he often felt inferior and did not dare to show off others. In the 18th year of Zhenguan (644), Li Shimin personally attacked Gaoli in Liaodong, and ordered Fang Xuanling to stay in the capital.

depart from the world for ever

In the 22nd year of Zhenguan (648), Fang Xuanling was seriously ill. Li Shimin sent a famous doctor to treat him. He provided imperial food every day and visited him in person. On his deathbed, Fang Xuanling said to the scholars, "today, the world is peaceful, but your majesty is not only seeking Koryo from the East, it is a national disaster. The Lord is angry, and his subordinates dare not offend him. If I don't speak, I will die with hatred. " So he asked Li Shimin to take the common people in the world as the most important and stop the expedition against Korea. Seeing Zou Biao, Li Shimin was moved to say to Fang Xuanling's daughter-in-law, Princess Gaoyang, "this man is dying. It's really rare that he can worry about our country." On his deathbed, Li Shimin went to his bed to shake hands and bid farewell. He gave his son Fang's last love as Zhonglang General of Youwei, and Fang's last love as zhongsan doctor, so that he could see his two sons during his life.

On July 24, Fang Xuanling died at the age of 70. Li Shimin abolished the dynasty for three days and gave it to Taiwei, posthumous title "Wenzhao", and was buried with Zhaoling. Together with the other 23 founding ministers of the early Tang Dynasty, they were painted and worshipped in the "Lingyan Pavilion". Later, he was entitled to the Emperor Taizong temple.

In 652, Fang Xuanling's second son Fang Yiai and his wife Princess Gaoyang were accused of conspiracy. Fang Yiai was executed, the princess committed suicide, and the sons were sent into exile to lingbiao. Fang Xuanling's heir, Fang Yizhi, was also implicated and demoted to Tongling Wei. As a result, Fang Xuanling's right to enjoy the treatment of Taimiao was stopped.

Main achievements

When Fang Xuanling went to war with Li Shimin (< I > Emperor Taizong of Tang Dynasty, < / I >), the king's office issued a written call to the emperor, which was completed by standing in the horse. The words were simple and the meaning was complete, and there was no need to draft them. He was once recruited as one of the "Eighteen bachelors". When Li Shimin ascended the throne, he was granted the title of Duke of Liang. He served as the official of Zhongshu Ling, Shangshu Zuo pushe, Sikong and so on. He was in charge of all kinds of departments and had been in charge of government affairs for 20 years. He participated in the formulation of laws and regulations, presided over the revision of laws and decrees, supervised the revision of national history, and also studied Tang rites with Wei Zheng; adjusted government agencies, and merged provincial and central officials; he was good at employing people, and did not ask for the preparation of people, nor did he ask for the noble and the humble, and granted them with the material; he abided by his duties and did not claim to be meritorious. At the same time, he was in charge of the National History Museum, and successively supervised the compilation of the records of Gaozu, Taizong and Jinshu. Later generations, he and Du Ruhui were regarded as models of good prime ministers, which were collectively called "Fang and Du".

Character evaluation

When commenting on the prime ministers of the Tang Dynasty, historians of later generations always put Fang Xuanling first. They always said, "the prime ministers of the Tang Dynasty were Fang Du in front of them and Yao song after them."

"The new book of the Tang Dynasty:" Fang Xuanling is the leader of the country. He works hard all day and night. He does not want to lose anything. No taboo, good news, if you have it. The government is clear and clear, and the ornament is elegant. The law is discussed and the order is dealt with, and the affairs are lenient. Don't look at others with your own long-term view, and don't be prepared for others. Though you are humble, you should do your best. Or to be let, will ask for sin, fear, as if no tolerance.

Li Shimin, Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty, said: "planning strategies and setting the country." "The utensils are deep, the demeanor is grand, the reputation is far and wide, and the Taoist crown is hairpin." "It was fan Zhongsu who knew clearly that he would be called Wang Zuo, and Wang Nai was a good scholar. It was the beginning of hegemonism and the beginning of economic development, and the reform of Dingming and the transformation of Longping. Cheng Gu Jinshi, Xun Le Zhongding. Since then, he has been appointed as the general manager of the imperial court. He has devoted himself to the task of serving the imperial court. He has worked hard in the order of the year, and is determined to retreat. The old and the old are weak, and the old and the old are weak. However, the position of Xie Caili Pavilion is very complicated, and the position of Dao huaiting Pavilion is very complicated

Wang Fan: "to serve the country diligently, we should do everything we know, and our officials are not as good as Xuanling."

Chang Gung: "between Wude and Zhenguan, there are Ruo Wei Zheng, Wang Yao, Li Jing, Li Ji, Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, etc., who support the Universiade, work hard for the Wang family, respect the Lord and protect the people. The bandits bow to death. They are virtuous and worthy of the emperor's memory. The wind is still strong."

Li Jiang: "in the past, Emperor Taizong was in charge of the whole world. Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui assisted Prime Minister Shengde. Wei Zheng and Wang Yao failed to admonish him. Wen Yanbo and Dai Zhou were responsible for the political affairs. Li Jing and Li Jixun were responsible for the military affairs. Therefore, Yidi was afraid of being subdued and the whole world was in peace."

Liu Fang: "Fang Xuanling assisted Taizong to decide the world and the final phase. In the 32nd year, the world number was the virtuous phase. However, if there is no trace to be found, virtue will come. so

Chinese PinYin : Fang Xuan Ling