Li Guyan

Li Guyan (李固言), courtesy name Zhongshu (仲樞), was an official of the Chinese Tang dynasty, serving two terms as chancellor during the reign of Emperor Wenzong.

Background and early career It is not clear when Li Guyan was born. His family was from the prominent Li clan of Zhao Commandery (趙郡, in modern Shijiazhuang, Hebei) and traced its ancestry to the Warring States period Zhao general Li Mu. Li Guyan's ancestors later served as officials of the Qin dynasty, Han dynasty, Cao Wei, Jin dynasty (266–420), Former Yan and/or Later Yan, Northern Wei, Northern Qi, Sui dynasty, and the Tang dynasty. His grandfather Li Bing served as a military officer under a commandant of Yang Prefecture (揚州, in modern Yangzhou, Jiangsu), and his father Li Xian served as a county magistrate.

In 812, during the reign of Emperor Xianzong, Li Guyan passed the imperial examinations as the highest scorer in the Jinshi class. Subsequently, he successively served on the staffs of Pei Kan the governor of Jiangxi Circuit (江西, headquartered in modern Nanchang, Jiangxi) and Wang Bo the military governor (Jiedushi) of Xichuan Circuit (西川, headquartered in modern Chengdu, Sichuan). Eventually, he became Hubu Langzhong , a supervisory official at the ministry of census (戶部, Hubu).

In 831, when the chancellor Song Shenxi was falsely accused of treason (of wanting to overthrow Emperor Wenzong and replacing him with his brother Li Cou the Prince of Zhang) by the powerful eunuch Wang Shoucheng, Li Guyan was one of the advisory officials who urged that the investigation of the matter be transferred from the eunuch-controlled agencies to the imperial government-controlled agencies. It was said that it was due to the efforts of Li Guyan and his colleagues that Wang finally decided to recommend against death sentences for either Li Cou or Song, to avoid a reinvestigation. Also that year, when the imperial architect Wang Kan was delayed in repairing the imperial ancestral temple, Wang Kan was stripped of his salary and set to be made a member of the staff of Emperor Wenzong's son and crown prince, Li Yong. Li Guyan returned the edict to Emperor Wenzong, pointing out that someone who had been guilty should not serve on the crown prince's staff. Wang Kan was thereafter made a teacher to an imperial prince, instead. In 832, Li Guyan was made the deputy minister of public works (工部侍郎, Gongbu Shilang). In 833, he was made Shangshu Zuo Cheng , one of the secretaries general of the executive bureau of government (尚書省, Shangshu Sheng), and he was put in charge of drafting regulations on meetings between the Pushe (the heads of the executive bureau) and the emperor. In 834, when Li Zongmin's rival and leader of the Li Faction in the Niu-Li Factional struggles, Li Deyu, became chancellor, Li Guyan was sent out of the capital to serve as the prefect of Hua Prefecture (華州, in modern Weinan, Shaanxi). It was said that Li Guyan was only made chancellor because Emperor Wenzong's close associates Li Xun and Zheng Zhu, whose machinations led to Li Zongmin's exile, wanted to put on a display of fairness. Li Guyan was recalled from Xichuan to serve as You Pushe , one of the heads of the executive bureau, but soon thereafter was sent out of the capital Chang'an again to serve the military governor of Hezhong Circuit (河中, headquartered in modern Yuncheng, Shanxi). At that time, the bridge over the Yellow River between the two parts of Hezhong had been damaged by a flood, and the Hezhong Circuit officials were setting up a ferry between the parts of Hezhong but charging tolls for it. When Li Guyan arrived, he ordered that the collection be stopped. When Emperor Wuzong subsequently waged a campaign against the Uyghur Empire and ordered the circuits to submit wealth to support it, Li Guyan advised against it, but Emperor Wuzong did not listen to him. Subsequently, he was, on account of illness, made an advisor to the Crown Prince. He was later made the defender of the eastern capital Luoyang.

It was said that Li Guyan often stuttered while speaking, and was not good with receiving guests. However, when he spoke on policy matters before the emperor, he was able to analyze the matters well.