Cheng Yi

Cheng Yi (程异) (died May 21, 819 ), courtesy name Shiju (師舉), was a Chinese economist and politician of the Tang dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Xianzong. Like colleague Huangfu Bo, he was perceived to have risen to the chancellorship due to his ability to obtain revenues for the emperor, but unlike Huangfu, traditional accounts of his personal character were largely positive.

Background and early career It is not known when Cheng Yi was born, but it was known that his family was from the Tang dynasty capital Chang'an. According to the table of the chancellors' family trees in the New Book of Tang, the Cheng family claimed ancestry from a Zhou dynasty feudal state of the same name, but no detailed ancestral line of Cheng Yi's was known until his great-grandfather Cheng Sifeng , who served as a prefectural prefect. His grandfather Cheng Zigui served as a consultant at the examination bureau of government (門下省, Menxia Sheng), while his father Cheng Xianke served on the staff of a crown prince.

Cheng Yi became known for his filial piety for his service to his father during Cheng Xianke's illness. He later passed the imperial examinations — but in the Mingjing examinations, not the more prestigious Jinshi examinations. He later served as a secretary at Hailing County (海陵, in modern Taizhou, Jiangsu). After he further passed a special examination in the rites of the Kaiyuan era (i.e., the rites that were promulgated during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong), he was made the sheriff of Zheng County (鄭縣, in modern Weinan, Shaanxi). He was said to be capable in understanding and applying the regulations properly, and he did so without hesitation. When Du Que served as prefect of Tong Prefecture (同州, in modern Weinan) and then as the military governor (Jiedushi) of Hezhong Circuit (河中, headquartered in modern Yuncheng, Shanxi), Cheng served on his staff.

During Emperor Shunzong's reign Emperor Dezong died in 805, and Li Song, who was by that point himself seriously ill, became emperor (as Emperor Shunzong). Due to Emperor Shunzong's illness, the government was, for a while, effectively run by Wang Shuwen, Wang Pi, Emperor Shunzong's concubine Consort Niu, and the eunuch Li Zhongyan . However, Wang Shuwen soon lost power later that year as power became concentrated in the hands of Emperor Shunzong's crown prince Li Chun. He was eventually made the director of the two taxes for five circuits, including Huainan (淮南, headquartered in modern Yangzhou). It was said that Cheng spent much his effort in tax reform and was hard working, removing much of the problems that the taxation systems of the Yangtze River-Huai River region was experiencing at the time. He was later recalled to Chang'an to serve as the deputy minister of trade (太府少卿, Taifu Shaoqing), then as minister of trade (太府卿, Taifu Qing), then as minister of armory supplies (衛尉卿, Weiwei Qing), also serving as deputy director of the monopolies and supplies. He reviewed the finances of the regions and collected taxes, as well as requested the governors of the region to submit their surplus revenues. It was said that he did so without unduly extracting money from the people. He was thereafter made the director of the monopolies and supplies He was given posthumous honors and the posthumous name Gong (恭, "respectful"). It was said that he was self-restrained and frugal, and when he died, he did not leave savings for his family, and therefore was much praised.

Notes and references

Old Book of Tang, vol. 135. New Book of Tang, vol. 168. Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 236, 237, 240, 241.