Zhao Guangfeng

Zhao Guangfeng (趙光逢) (died January 20, 928? ), courtesy name Yanji (延吉), formally the Duke of Qi (齊公), was an official in the late Chinese dynasty Tang dynasty and the succeeding Later Liang of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, serving as a chancellor during Later Liang.

During the Tang dynasty It is not known when Zhao Guangfeng was born. His father Zhao Yin served as a chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Yizong of Tang and Emperor Yizong's son Emperor Xizong. Both Zhao Guangfeng and his younger brother Zhao Guangyi were known in their youth for their literary abilities and virtues, and Zhao Guangfeng was particularly praised for the propriety of his actions, becoming nicknamed "Jade Ruler" (玉界尺).

Zhao Guangfeng passed the imperial examinations in the Jinshi class in 878 and was made a secretary of the Fengxiang Municipality (鳳翔, in modern Baoji, Shaanxi) government, before he was recalled to the imperial government to serve as an imperial censor with the title Jiancha Yushi (監察御史). he left governmental service for some time to observe a mourning period for his father. Emperor Xizong made him a Taichang Boshi (太常博士), a scholar at the ministry of worship (太常寺, Taichang Si). He subsequently successively served as Lǐbu Yuanwailang (禮部員外郎), a low-level official at the ministry of rites (禮部, Lǐbu); Sixun Yuanwailang (司勛員外郎), a low-level official at the ministry of civil service affairs (吏部, Lìbu, note different tone); and Lìbu Yuanwailang (吏部員外郎), also a low-level official at the ministry of civil service affairs, as well as a scholar at Jixian Hall (集賢殿). He was later promoted to be Lǐbu Langzhong (禮部郎中), a supervisory official at the ministry of rites. Zhao did not follow the emperor, despite the emperor sending the eunuch Dai Zhiquan (戴知權) to summon him, and he subsequently claimed to be ill and retired. there was an incident in 900 when the powerful eunuch Liu Jishu deposed the emperor and briefly replaced him with his son Li Yu, Prince of De the Crown Prince, before a countercoup restored Emperor Zhaozong to the throne. Still, the episode portended further struggles between eunuchs and imperial officials, led by the chancellor Cui Yin. Zhao did not want to be involved, so he claimed to be ill and retired to the eastern capital Luoyang, refusing to meet any guests for several years. whose passage of the imperial examinations had been under Zhao's auspices and who therefore felt indebted to Zhao. He subsequently brought Zhao back to the imperial government as deputy minister of civil service affairs, Shangshu Zuocheng, and minister of worship (太常卿, Taichang Qing).

During Later Liang In 908, Emperor Taizu sent Zhao Guangfeng's brother Zhao Guangyi and another official, Li Yinheng, to formally commission his vassal Liu Yin, who then controlled Qinghai Circuit (清海, headquartered in modern Guangzhou, Guangdong) as the military governor of Qinghai and Jinghai (靜海, headquartered in modern Hanoi, Vietnam) Circuits. Liu kept Zhao Guangyi and Li and refused to let them return. (When Liu's brother and successor Liu Yan would eventually declare himself emperor of a new state of Southern Han in 917, he would make both Zhao Guangyi and Li chancellors.)

In 909, Emperor Taizu removed the chancellors Han Jian and Yang She from their chancellor posts; Zhao Guangfeng, who was then serving still as the minister of worship, and Du Xiao, were made chancellors in their stead with the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事). He retired again in 918 and was given the title of Situ (司徒, also one of the Three Excellencies).

During Later Tang In 923, Later Liang was conquered by its northern rival Later Tang. Later Tang's Emperor Zhuangzong subsequently made another brother of Zhao Guangfeng's, Zhao Guangyin, chancellor. It was said that when Zhao Guangyin visited Zhao Guangfeng, he would often try to discuss the political matters of the day with Zhao Guangfeng. One day, Zhao Guangfeng posted a sign on his door, "Please do not speak of the matters of the Office of the Chancellors." Subsequently, early during the Tiancheng era (926-929) of Emperor Zhuangzong's adoptive brother and successor Emperor Mingzong, Zhao Guangfeng was given the honorary title of Taibao (太保) and created the Duke of Qi. He later died at Luoyang and was given posthumous honors.

Notes and references

Old Book of Tang, vol. 178. History of the Five Dynasties, vol. 58. New History of the Five Dynasties, vol. 35. Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 266, 267, 269, 270, 272.