Zeng Gongliang

Zeng Gongliang

Zeng Gongliang (999-1078) was named Mingzhong and Lezheng. Quanzhou Jinjiang county (now Quanzhou City, Fujian Province) people. Politicians and writers in the Northern Song Dynasty.

Song Renzong Tiansheng two years (1024 years), Zeng Gongliang ascended Jinshi, granted Huiji county magistrate. He rose from local officials to zhizhigao, Hanlin bachelor, Duanming palace bachelor, Shenzhi political affairs, Shumi envoy and other posts. In 1061, he formally paid homage to the Minister of Li Department, Tongping Zhangshi and Jixian palace bachelor. After song Yingzong ascended the throne, he added the Minister of Zhongshu and the Minister of Hubu. After emperor Shenzong of the Song Dynasty ascended the throne, he was granted the title of Duke of the state of Lu. Later, because of his old age, he took Sikong and Shizhong out of the town of Heyang, and sentenced Yongxing army to become an official. In the first year of Yuanfeng (1078), Zeng Gongliang died at the age of 80. He was awarded the imperial master and the order of Zhongshu, and was entitled to the imperial palace of Yingzong temple. He was granted the posthumous title of xuanjing. During the reign of emperor LiZong of Song Dynasty, he was one of the 24 meritorious officials of zhaoxun Pavilion.

Zeng Gongliang and Ding Du compiled the general principles of military science, which was the first official Encyclopedia of Military Science in ancient China.

Image source in overview: < / I >

Life of the characters

Promotion of official career

Zeng Gongliang was the second son of the doctor of the Ministry of criminal justice. He had great ambition since he was young, and he had extraordinary tools. He was "square, solemn, deep and thorough".

In the first year of Qianxing (1022), Zeng Gongliang was ordered by his father to serve as an official in Jinjing to congratulate song Renzong on his accession to the throne. Renzong appointed him as a judge of Dali. However, he was determined to be an official in the right way and did not want to be appointed as an official.

In the second year of Tiansheng (1024), Zeng Gongliang was granted the title of Kuaiji county magistrate of Yuezhou with the title of Jinshi Jiake.

In the sixth year of Tiansheng (1028), Zeng Gongliang managed Jinghu Lake, set up Doumen, and drained water into Caoe River, so that people's fields around the lake were free from the suffering of floods. Later, because his father bought land in Kuaiji, Zeng Gongliang was demoted to supervise Huzhou liquor.

Being an official has ability

A few years later, Zeng Gongliang came to Beijing as the Imperial College to speak directly. Later, he was appointed as the Minister of zhuwangfu. Soon after, he was promoted to the position of school manager of Jixian hall, assistant lecturer of tianzhang Pavilion, zhizhigao and historian. One year later, Zeng Gongliang should take the examination according to the old rules. By presenting his own articles, Zeng Gongliang was granted the title of Jixian school manager, tianzhang Pavilion minister and xiushouzhu. Upgrade tianzhang pavilion to be made and give it gold and purple clothes.

Before that, he did not change his clothes. Renzong gave Zeng Gongliang gold and purple clothes to his face and said, "I reward you at the lecture hall because I respect and love Confucian officials." Zeng Gongliang then took the post of official of Zhi Zhi Zhi Gao and concurrently served as the editor of the historical museum, and then changed to the post of academician and the third class Academy. There are many and miscellaneous officials in sanbanyuan. If they don't bribe, they can't give thanks. Most of the aristocratic children rely on their power to ask for a visit. Zeng Gongliang selected the articles of association before and after, and acted according to the situation, but the subordinate officials could not intervene.

Zeng Gongliang later learned Zhengzhou as a Bachelor of Duanming palace. He was famous for his ability in governing political affairs. All the thieves fled to other states and counties, so that there was a phenomenon of "staying at night" within his jurisdiction. Once, because of the loss of property in Zhengzhou, an emissary of the imperial court moved his book to Zeng Gongliang to interrogate the robbers. Zeng Gongliang reported: "I don't hide the robbers in my jurisdiction, I'm afraid they are hidden by my followers." The emissary carried out the search, as Zeng Gongliang had expected.

know all the moves on the board

In the third year of Huangyou (1051), Zeng Gongliang was promoted to Hanlin bachelor and knew Kaifeng Prefecture. Soon after, he was promoted to Vice Minister of Shizhong and Shenzhi. He also added the Minister of rites to worship the secret envoys.

In the sixth year of Jiayou reign (1061), Zeng Gongliang was promoted to be the Minister of the Ministry of official affairs, the Minister of Tongzhong, and the Bachelor of Jixian hall. Together with another prime minister, Han Qi, he presided over the political affairs of the central court.

Zeng Gongliang practiced grammar and had been an official for many years. He was familiar with the rules and regulations of the imperial court. Prime Minister Han Qi often asked him about the relevant regulations. At the end of emperor Renzong's reign, Han Qi asked for the establishment of a state reserve and agreed with Zeng Gongliang and others on the grand plan.

Mintian in Mizhou is rich in silver. Some people steal money. Dali Temple judges them as robbers. Zeng Gongliang said: "this is a forbidden property. Although stealing silver is a bandit, it is different from stealing property from people's homes." For this matter to start a debate, and then issued to the Secretary for discussion, compared with the robbery and theft of property law, stealing silver is not sentenced to death. At first, most people in Dongzhou were sentenced to death because of this law. Since then, there has been no death penalty.

Liao ordered people to fish in the boundary river, and opened salt boats many times. The border officials did not dare to ban them. They all said, "if you compete with them, there will be trouble." Zeng Gongliang said: "at the beginning, it was not forbidden. What should we do in the future? Zhixiong state Zhao Zi is brave and resourceful, and can be competent for it. " So he sent someone to tell Zhao Zi that the disaster at the border had finally subsided.

After song Yingzong ascended the throne, Zeng Gongliang was awarded the Minister of the Ministry of rites and Minister of the Ministry of household. Yingzong was weak and ill, so he could not meet the envoys of Liao. Zeng Gongliang was ordered to hold a banquet in the hall to entertain the emissary, but the emissary refused to attend the banquet. Zeng Gongliang questioned the emissary and said, "it's disrespectful to the monarch not to go to the banquet. The monarch is ill, but he must give a banquet himself. Can you live in peace? " The messenger listened and went to the banquet immediately.

After emperor Shenzong of the Song Dynasty ascended the throne, Zeng Gongliang was appointed as a minister and Minister of the Ministry.

In the second year of Xining reign (1069), he was promoted to the Bachelor of zhaowenguan and was granted the title of Duke of Lu.

Qizhen Yongxing

Zeng Gongliang repeatedly asked to resign because of his old age. In September of the third year of Xining (1070), he was granted the title of Sikong and Shizhong, Jiedushi of Heyang and jixiguan.

In 1071, Zeng Gongliang was restored by the imperial court and sentenced to Yongxing army.

Before that, soldiers in Qingzhou rebelled and were killed, but the rest of the party fled and were on guard from the west of Shaanxi. The imperial court reviewed the volunteers, increased the number of border guards, and moved the inland to rent and pay taxes, which made the human relationship turbulent. Zeng Gongliang was calm, dismissed in turn, and cut down the extra expenses. Chang'an heroes like to create rumors, claiming that soldiers complain about cost cuts and intend to collude with other troops to launch a rebellion on the Lantern Festival night. Chang'an officials and people are very scared. Some people advised Zeng Gongliang not to travel. Zeng Gongliang remained unmoved, opened a lamp to enjoy himself, and did not come back with his guests until the evening.

After serving in Yongxing army for one year, Zeng Gongliang returned to the capital and immediately became an official in the title of Taifu.

Death in old age

In 1078, the first year of Yuanfeng, Zeng Gongliang died at the age of 80. After hearing the news, Shenzong issued an imperial edict to stop the court for three days and visited his mansion to express his condolence. In March, Emperor Shenzong, dressed in plain clothes, mourned for Zeng Gongliang in the forbidden court. He was granted the title of "xuanjing" and was granted the title of "Taishi" and "zhongshuling" in the imperial court of Song Dynasty. At the time of burial, Shenzong personally sealed the name of Zeng Gongliang's stele head as "the stele of praising CE Xunde according to the order of the two dynasties", and later issued an imperial edict to change it to "the stele of praising CE yaxun according to the order of the two dynasties".

In 1226, Zeng Gongliang's painting was hung in the Suide Pavilion of zhaoxun, becoming one of the 24 meritorious officials of zhaoxun Pavilion.

Main impact

Political achievements

In view of the malpractice of the Northern Song Dynasty, Zeng Gongliang proposed to abolish the "grinding and prospecting law" and take the method of examination and supervision for the appointment and promotion of officials at all levels, that is, "those who are good at administration in the three examinations will be promoted to official positions, those who are good at administration in the two terms will be promoted to envoys, and those who have no achievements will be dismissed." At the same time, he put forward the plan of reducing redundant soldiers to reduce the national financial expenditure.

Zeng Gongliang, as the elder of the three dynasties in the Northern Song Dynasty, had great influence. He not only strongly recommended Wang Anshi to preside over the reform, but also gave him considerable support in the process of reform, which played a great role in promoting the reform. Later, because of the differences between Wang Anshi and Wang Anshi on the understanding of the reform, and other reasons, he failed to become a firm reformer.

military concept

During the reign of emperor Tiansheng, Xixia rebelled against Song Dynasty, and the imperial court proposed to launch a crusade against it. Zeng Gongliang played the book of conscription and thought that the fundamental way to govern the world was to be gentle first and then to be conquered. Otherwise, the division would be ineffective and the enemy would become more and more rampant and strain the army. Renzong adopted the policy of Huairou and Xixia led the way.

During the Qing Li period, Zeng Gongliang put forward the idea of "selecting generals" to strengthen military equipment. In his opinion, the only way to choose generals is to judge their talents, not to leave them far away, not to abandon them by being cheap, not to cheat and neglect them, not to abolish them by sin. He believes that the reason for the incompetence of generals is not that there are no generals in the world, but that they can not be selected or employed. He suggested that the selection of generals should first try their talents, and only when the test is effective can they attach importance to their duties, and then entrust their orders without restriction, and use their strategies without doubt.

General principles of military classics, edited by Zeng Gongliang and Ding Du, a scholar of Duanming palace, is the first large-scale comprehensive military work in China, which is very important for the study of military thoughts before Song Dynasty. Among them, the manufacture of weapons is introduced in great length, which is also very important for the study of ancient Chinese military history and the history of science and technology.

Historical evaluation

Zhao Xu: Gong Liang is sincere and careful, and has no internal and external relations. He has been left behind to assist the government. He has a beginning and a ending, which can help Zhang Anshi in the Han Dynasty. (< I > < I > < I > continued Zizhitongjian editor in chief < / I > < I > < / I >)

Li Fu: Lao Feng can't squat by the pool. He is silent on the stage. (< I > < I > < I > Yanyu in Shilin

Jia Zhong: Zeng Lu's spine is like a dragon, Wang Jing's eyes are like a dragon. (< I > < I > < I > collection of anecdotes of Song Dynasty

Zeng Zhao: he was a Confucianist official. He performed justice for a while and never slackened. Therefore, he can fight against petty officials, not support the party, and serve them. To be a prime minister, Zuo you III was able to make contributions to the country. He is old and venerable. It is very prosperous to be the Prime Minister of a generation. (< I > "Zeng Tai Shigong's bright deeds" < / I >)

Wang said: Gong Liangxun is inferior to Yu Qi (Han Qi)

Chinese PinYin : Ceng Gong Liang