Lu Sui

Lu Sui (路隨 or 路隋) (776 – August 16, 835 ), courtesy name Nanshi , was an official of the Chinese Tang dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Wenzong.

Background Lu Sui was born in 776, during the reign of Emperor Daizong. His ancestors were originally from Yangping (陽平, in modern Hanzhong, Shanxi). His great-great-grandfather Lu Jie served on staff of Li Zhen the Prince of Yue (an elder brother of Emperor Daizong's great-great-grandfather Emperor Gaozong); his great-grandfather Lu Weishu served as a prefectural prefect; and his grandfather Lu Junzhi served on the staff of a crown prince.

Lu Sui's father Lu Mi was known for being learned and studious. Lu Mi was captured and taken to the Tufan capital Lhasa. It was said that in his years at Lhasa, Lu Mi became well-learned in Buddhism, and was much respected by Tufan's king, but was never allowed to return to Tang until his death. When Wei Xiaqing the defender of the eastern capital Luoyang heard about this, he was impressed with Lu and invited Lu to serve on his staff, which furthered Lu's reputation. Lu Sui observed a mourning period for his father, and after the mourning period was over, was made Zuo Bujue , a low-level advisory official at the examination bureau of government (門下省, Menxia Sheng). Once, when the chancellor Li Jiang suggested that Emperor Xianzong listen more to advisory officials, Emperor Xianzong cited Lu and Wei Chuhou as two examples of advisory officials that he listened to. He was also made an editor of imperial history. He was subsequently made an imperial chronicler (起居郎, Qijulang), and then Sixun Yuanwailang , a low-level official at the ministry of civil service affairs (吏部, Libu), and continued to serve as an imperial history editor. After Emperor Muzong's ascension, Lu Sui was promoted to be Sixun Langzhong , a supervisory official at the ministry of civil service affairs, and both he and Wei Chuhou also became assistant imperial scholars at Hanlin Institute . He was later made Jianyi Daifu , a mid-level advisory official and continued to serve as assistant imperial scholar. As Emperor Muzong was commissioning the editing of the chronicles of Emperor Xianzong's reign, he again made Lu an editor as well. Lu Sui was thereafter promoted to be Zhongshu Sheren , a mid-level official at the legislative bureau (中書省, Zhongshu Sheng) and full imperial scholar (翰林學士, Hanlin Xueshi). When people sent congratulatory gifts of gold and silk, he responded, "How should I receive private wealth for a public matter?" and returned the gifts. In 830, Lu was made Menxia Shilang , the deputy head of the examination bureau, and was given the additional title of senior scholar at Chongwen Pavilion . In 833, he was also made a senior advisor to Emperor Wenzong's son and crown prince Li Yong; it was also that year that submitted chronicles of Emperor Xianzong's and Muzong's reigns to Emperor Wenzong. In 834, he offered to resign due to illness, but the resignation was not accepted. He died on the way to Zhenhai, while riding on a ship on the Yangtze River, and was given posthumous honors and the posthumous name Zhen (貞, "untainted").