Xu Ji

Xu Ji (許寂) (died July 5, 936), courtesy name Xianxian (閑閑), was an official of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period state Former Shu, serving as a chancellor during the reign of its last emperor Wang Zongyan.

Background It is not known when Xu Ji was born, but it is known that he was from Kuaiji (modern Shaoxing in Zhejiang). His grandfather Xu Mi (許秘) was said to be famous in the region. In his youth, he took up residence in the Siming Mountains (四明山, a branch mountain range of the Tiantai Mountains) to study the I Ching from a scholar known only as Lord Jinzheng (晉徵君).

At some point, then-reigning Emperor Zhaozong of Tang became aware of Xu Ji's reputation, and summoned him (probably to the capital Chang'an), wanting to meet him. When Xu arrived at the palace, however, Emperor Zhaozong was playing music with performers, and did not see Xu immediately. Xu was unimpressed, and, after meeting the emperor, requested to return to the mountains. He eventually took up residence at Jiangling. After the warlord Zhao Kuangming became the military governor (Jiedushi) of Jingnan Circuit (荊南, headquartered at Jiangling), Zhao treated him with respect and often requested his advice on proper living. Xu fled to Xichuan with Zhao. Wang had known of Xu's reputation, and gave him a pavilion at which he could conduct his studies. In Wang's new imperial regime, Xu Ji was made Zuo Jianyi Daifu (左諫議大夫), a consultant serving at the examination bureau of government (門下省). Xu Ji was later promoted to be the deputy minister of civil service affairs (吏部侍郎, Libu Shilang). It was said that after quite a long time, Xu was repromoted to be the minister of rites (禮部尚書, Libu Shangshu).

After Former Shu's destruction In 925, Former Shu was destroyed by an invasion of its northeastern neighbor Later Tang (which had earlier destroyed Later Liang). Xu and a number of Former Shu officials, including chancellor colleague Wang Kai, surrendered to the Later Tang army and were taken to the Later Tang capital Luoyang, where he was given the honorary title of minister and allowed to retire. He resided at a mansion where he directed the water to be in the form of a creek, and built a bamboo bridge over it. Citing the cosmological beliefs that bamboos were capable of transforming into dragons, he named the bridge, "The Bridge to Meet the Dragon." It was said that Xu, despite his old age, was still healthy, but spoke very little, other than often speaking, in the Shu tongue, "It is odd. It is odd." He later died by illness in retirement, in 936.

Notes and references

Spring and Autumn Annals of the Ten Kingdoms, vol. 41. Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 268, 270, 273.