Cui Shenyou

Cui Shenyou (崔慎由), courtesy name Jingzhi (敬止), was an official of the Chinese Tang dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Xuānzong.

Background and early career It is not known when Cui Shenyou was born. He was from the prominent Cui clan of Qinghe (清河, in modern Xingtai, Hebei), which claimed ancestry from the ruling house of the Spring and Autumn period state Qi, and which traced its ancestry to officials of Qin dynasty, Han dynasty, Cao Wei, Jin dynasty (266–420), Later Zhao, Southern Yan, Liu Song, Northern Wei, Northern Qi, and Tang dynasty. Cui Shenyou's grandfather Cui Yi (崔異) served as a prefectural prefect, and his father Cui Cong (崔從) served as a regional governor and was created the Count of Qinghe. He had at least one older brother, Cui Yanfang (崔彥方) and at least three younger brothers, Cui Zhoushu (崔周恕), Cui Anqian (who would later become a major general), and Cui Yanchong (崔彥沖).

Cui Shenyou passed the imperial examinations in the Jinshi class early in the Taihe era (827-835) of Emperor Wenzong, and further passed a special examination for those who were considered good and righteous. He was said to be intelligent, with a good memory, and mild in his disposition. He later served on the staff of Gao Zhu (高銖) when Gao served as the military governor of Yicheng Circuit (義成, headquartered in modern Anyang, Henan).

During Emperor Xuānzong's reign Later, during the reign of Emperor Wenzong's uncle Emperor Xuānzong,

However, in 857, Xiao was made chancellor as well, and Xiao, who had previously been a colleague of Cui's while both served as imperial scholars, did not have a good relationship with Cui. Xiao recommended Liu Zhuan to serve as chancellor as well, and Liu was made a chancellor in 858. ) and that the state should not have repeated pardons without good reasons. ) When Cui subsequently suggested that if Emperor Xuānzong created one of his sons Crown Prince then that would be a good reason to declare a general pardon, Emperor Xuānzong, who did not want to create a crown prince and whose disposition had turned impatient and suspicious due to side effects of alchemists' pills that he was taking, was displeased with Cui. Xiao used the opportunity to persuade Emperor Xuānzong to remove Cui. Cui was thereafter made the military governor (Jiedushi) of Dongchuan Circuit (東川, headquartered in modern Mianyang, Sichuan).

After Emperor Xuānzong's reign Early in the Xiantong era (860-874) of Emperor Xuānzong's son Emperor Yizong, Cui Shenyou was made the prefect of Hua Prefecture (華州, headquartered in modern Weinan, Shaanxi) and the defender of Tong Pass. He was later made the military governor of Hezhong Circuit (河中, headquartered in modern Yuncheng, Shanxi) as well as the mayor of its capital Hezhong Municipality. He was later recalled to Chang'an to serve as the minister of civil service affairs (吏部尚書, Libu Shangshu). After he later requested retirement due to illness, he was made an advisor to the Crown Prince, with his office at Luoyang. He died there, but the death date is not clear. His son Cui Yin later served as a chancellor under Emperor Zhaozong, at the end of the Tang dynasty.

Notes and references

Old Book of Tang, vol. 177. New Book of Tang, vol. 114. Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 249.