Lu Wenji

Lu Wenji (; 876 –June 7, 951 ), courtesy name Zichi (子持), was a Chinese official who served the Later Liang, Later Tang, Later Jin, Later Han, and Later Zhou dynasties. He was a chancellor during the reign of the Later Tang's last emperor, Li Congke.

Background Lu Wenji was born in 876, during the reign of Emperor Xizong of Tang. He was from the Tang dynasty's capital Chang'an. His grandfather Lu Jianqiu served as a military governor (Jiedushi), while his father Lu Siye served as You Bujue , a low-level consultant at the legislative bureau of government (中書省, Zhongshu Sheng).

During Later Liang At some point, Lu Wenji passed the imperial examinations in the Jinshi class. (It is not clear whether this was while Tang still existed, or during the succeeding Later Liang.) In any case, he eventually served as the deputy minister of justice (刑部侍郎, Xingbu Shilang) and imperial scholar at Jixian Hall . At that time, the customs were that the other officials would go the office of the imperial censors to congratulate the new deputy chief. The circuits' liaison officers at the capital were expected to go, present their name cards to the clerks of the deputy chief, and receive tea and wine from the deputy chief to thank them for coming, without actually meeting with the deputy chief. Lu's staff members, however, informed him that the previous Tang regulations were that the liaison officers were to actually meet with and bow to the deputy chief to congratulate him. Lu, wanting to emulate proper Tang customs, had the clerks escort the liaison officers into the hall, where Lu was seated, and bow to him. The liaison officers felt humiliated, and they complained to Li Siyuan's chief of staff (Shumishi) An Chonghui. An pointed out that he himself was unfamiliar with Tang regulations, and referred them directly to the emperor. When they went to complain to Li Siyuan, Li Siyuan, after consulting with the chancellor Zhao Feng, who pointed out that these liaison officers were merely low-level officers at their circuits entrusted to deliver messages, stated in anger, "These are just functionaries and soldiers. How dare they disrespect my judicial official!" He had them caned and ejected. At Lu's request, Li Siyuan also issued an edict reinstating the Tang regulations for performance review for officials — which also included self-evaluations for generals, chancellors, and the emperor himself. However, the edict was not actually implemented.

At a later point, Lu was recalled to Luoyang, and he thereafter served successively as the director of the archival bureau (祕書監, Mishu Jian), and then the minister of worship (太常卿, Taichang Qing). On their journey to Xichuan, they went through Fengxiang Circuit (鳳翔, headquartered in modern Baoji, Shaanxi), where Li Siyuan's adoptive son Li Congke was then serving as military governor. Lu impressed Li Congke with his impressive appearance and ability to speak.

In 935, there was an incident where the official Shi Zaide , who was said to be blunt and daring, submitted a number of petitions attacking the capabilities of a number of officials and generals, suggesting to Li Congke that he test these officials and generals and demote the ones who were not capable. This drew much anger among the criticized officials. Lu, as well as the consultants Liu Tao and Yang Zhaojian , all suggested that Shi be punished. Li Congke, however, believed that this would discourage open discussions about the affairs of state, issued an edict rejecting their request to punish Shi.

During Later Jin Upon Shi Jingtang's entry into Luoyang, he largely pardoned the Later Tang officials and retained them in his government. Lu Wenji, however, was removed from his post as chancellor, and made the minister of civil service affairs (吏部尚書, Libu Shangshu). He was later further removed from this relatively substantive post and given the ceremonial post of Taizi Shaofu . During the reign of Shi Jingtang's nephew and successor Shi Chonggui, he was given the higher ceremonial post of Taizi Taifu .

During Later Han During the reign of Liu Zhiyuan, the founding emperor of the subsequent Later Han, Lu Wenji received the title of Taizi Taishi . At that time, the capital was at Kaifeng, but many officials not directly involved in imperial governance were given offices at Luoyang. It was said that their conduct was often not proper, and that, while the branch government at Luoyang had imperial censors stationed at them, the imperial censors were not effective in correcting their behavior. Liu put Lu in charge of overseeing the situation and reorganizing these Luoyang officials more effectively. Subsequently, the imperial censor Zhao Li submitted a list of officials that he believed were not engaged in proper behavior, including taking excessive leaves on alleged illnesses. After Liu's chief of staff Yang Bin received this list, he forced the officials Zhao accused into retirement. As Lu was also overseeing the behavior of these Luoyang officials, he ran into frequent conflicts with Yang on this issue, and therefore Lu requested a leave on account of illness — and then was accused by the censors of improperly claiming a sick leave. He therefore was then ordered into retirement with the title of Taizi Taishi.

During Later Zhou After Guo Wei, the founding emperor of the subsequent Later Zhou, took the throne, he sent an emissary to Lu Wenji's mansion to bestow the title of Sikong (司空, one of the Three Excellencies) on Lu. Lu died later that year and was given posthumous honors. It was said that throughout his career, Lu accumulated great wealth, but upon his death, his son Lu Guiling spent it all within a span of several years, and that Lu Wenji thus became a cautionary tale for many, against excessive accumulation of wealth.

Notes and references

Old History of the Five Dynasties, vol. 127. New History of the Five Dynasties, vol. 55. Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 278, 279, 280.