Zheng Su

Zheng Su , courtesy name Aijing , was an official of the Chinese Tang dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Wuzong and Emperor Xuānzong.

Background and early career It is not known when Zheng Su is born, and little is known about his ancestry (as his family tree was not listed in the table of the chancellors' family trees in the New Book of Tang with the other chancellors named Zheng ) other than that his family was originally from Yingyang (滎陽, in modern Zhengzhou, Henan), and that both his grandfather Zheng Lie and father Zheng Yue were Confucian scholars. In 808, Zheng Su passed the imperial examinations in the Jinshi class, and further passed a special imperial examination for those good at making rulings. He subsequently served on the staffs of regional governors. In 835, he was made the deputy minister of justice (刑部侍郎, Xingbu Shilang), and was soon made Shangshu You Cheng , one of the secretaries general at the executive bureau; he was also put in charge of selecting officials at the ministry of civil service affairs (吏部, Libu). Zheng was sent out of Chang'an to serve as the military governor (jiedushi) of Hezhong Circuit (河中, headquartered in modern Yuncheng, Shanxi) as well as the mayor of its capital Hezhong Municipality. He was also put in charge of editing the imperial history.

During Emperor Xuānzong's reign After Emperor Wuzong died in 846 and was succeeded by his uncle Emperor Xuānzong, Emperor Xuānzong, despising the lead chancellor Li Deyu for his hold on power, removed Li Deyu from his chancellor post and sent him out of Chang'an. As Zheng had a strong friendship with Li Deyu, Zheng was also removed. He was sent to Jingnan Circuit (荊南, headquartered in modern Jingzhou, Hubei) to serve as its military governor, continuing to carry the Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi title as an honorary title. When he died, he was given posthumous honors, including the posthumous name Wenjian (文簡, "civil and approachable"); his year of death was not recorded in history.

Notes and references

Old Book of Tang, vol. 176. New Book of Tang, vol. 182. Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 245, 248.