He Ning

He Ning (; 898 – July 23, 955 ), courtesy name Chengji (成績), noble title Duke of Lu (魯公), was an official of the Later Liang, Later Tang, Later Jin, Liao, Later Han, and Later Zhou dynasties, serving as a chancellor during the reigns of both Later Jin emperors, Shi Jingtang and Shi Chonggui, as well as during the Liao dynasty's brief rule over the Central Plains.

Background He Ning was born in 898, during the reign of Emperor Zhaozong of Tang. His family was from Xuchang (須昌, in modern Tai'an, Shandong). He claimed ninth-generation ancestry from He Fengyao , an imperial censor during the reign of Emperor Gaozong of Tang, early during Tang. However, his male-line ancestors were not in prominent governmental services after that, including his great-grandfather He Chang , grandfather He Ru , and father He Ju . He Ju was said to be a drinker who lacked adherence to social protocols, and was not learned, but was said to respect scholars such that he spent his wealth in receiving and aiding them. (This suggested that He Ju was a man of some wealth.) At one point during the battle, He Gui's army had suffered a crushing defeat, and no one was left to follow him other than He Ning. He Gui, believing doom to be coming, stated to He Ning, "Son, do not follow me. You should strive for yourself." He Ning wept and responded, "It is not my aspiration to be a man who was trusted by another but who then abandons him in disaster. I only would regret not dying in the right place." When a Jin cavalry soldier subsequently did try to chase He Gui down, He Ning first tried to scare him off but when the soldier persisted, He Ning fired an arrow and killed him. When they returned to headquarters the next day, He Gui told his sons, "Yesterday, but for Lord He, I would not be here. Lord He is capable in both civilian and military matters, and also has great ambition. He will surely be in an important position in the future. You should serve him carefully." He Gui thereafter gave He Ning a daughter in marriage, leading to He Ning's reputation becoming known. He later served three terms as secretary to military governors. He Ning initially continued to serve Shi as imperial scholar, and was in 937 given the greater title of imperial scholar at Duanming Hall . After his promotion, he initially posted a notice on his door that he would no longer receive any guests (apparently to avoid people's making requests to him). A former low level official, Zhang Yi , however, wrote him and pointed out that, in serving as the emperor's eyes and ears, if he cut himself off from the public, he would not be able to observe what was occurring in the public properly. He Ning was impressed, and recommended Zhang to the chancellor Sang Weihan. In addition to being imperial scholar at Duanming Hall, he was also put in charge of the imperial treasury. Not long after, when the Duanming Hall positions were abolished, he was made chief imperial scholar (翰林學士承旨, Hanlin Xueshi Chengzhi). It was said that Shi often consulted him on key decisions and found his advice helpful. and later committed suicide when the city fell.

During Shi Chonggui's reign Shi Jingtang died in later 942. He was succeeded by Shi Chonggui. He was shortly after given the slightly higher title of Zuo Pushe .

In the aftermaths of Emperor Taizong's death, the Liao general Zhao Yanshou (also a son-in-law of Li Siyuan's, who was also captured by Emperor Taizong when Later Tang fell), to whom Emperor Taizong had previously promised the Chinese throne but then reneged on the promise, tried to take over Heng and claim the title of regent over the southern court (i.e., the former Later Jin domain). The ethnically Khitan Liao generals, however, had already resolved to support Emperor Taizong's nephew Yelü Ruan the Prince of Yongkang,

Believing that his grandmother (Emperor Taizong's mother) Empress Dowager Shulü would not agree to his ascension (as she favored his uncle (Emperor Taizong's younger brother) Yelü Lihu), Emperor Shizong headed north to contend with her. Most of the ethnically Han officials accompanying Emperor Taizong were left at Heng, and he left Emperor Taizong's cousin Yelü Mada in charge of Heng. Subsequently, Emperor Shizong sent an edict to Heng, ordering He Ning and a number of other Han officials, including fellow chancellors Feng Dao and Li Song, to rendezvous with him for Emperor Taizong's burial. However, at that time, a rebellion by the Han soldiers against Yelü Mada, led by the officers Bai Zairong and Li Rong, broke out at Heng. Initially, Yelü Mada's Khitan soldiers had the upper hand in street battles, but a turning point came when the official Li Gu, asked He Ning, Feng, and Li Song to visit the battle scene to encourage the Han soldiers. When the soldiers saw the three senior chancellors, they were encouraged, and they fought harder, eventually expelling the Khitan soldiers out of the city. Subsequently, the soldiers supported Bai to be the acting military governor of Chengde, so that he could submit to Later Han and seek aid. Meanwhile, Bai, who was greedy, wanted to kill Li Song and He Ning to seize their wealth. Li Gu rebuked him, pointing out that if he did so, the new Later Han emperor would surely have him punished, so Bai did not do so. Bai subsequently submitted the region to the sovereignty of Liu Zhiyuan, a former Later Jin military governor of Hedong who had declared himself emperor of Later Han.

During Later Zhou After Later Han was later displaced by Later Zhou, He Ning was given the honorary title of Taizi Taifu . He died in 955 after suffering an ulcer on his back. He was given posthumous honors.

Personality and literary/musical works He Ning was said to be meticulous in details. Ever since he began to serve as a junior official, to the time that he served as a chancellor, he made sure that his wagons and clothes were all properly decorated such that they impressed the onlookers. He was also intent on helping junior officials, such that he dealt humbly with those in lower positions no matter how able or not they were. He wrote all his life, and was particularly good at writing short, exotic songs. He created a 100-volume collection of his works, and he personally wrote them out for the purpose of creating printing woodblocks. He printed several hundred copies and distributed them.