Zheng Yin

Zheng Yin (鄭絪) (752 – December 3, 829 ), courtesy name Wenming (文明), was a Chinese historian and politician during the Tang dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Xianzong.

Background Zheng Yin was born in 752, during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong. His family claimed ancestry from the ducal house of the Spring and Autumn period state Zheng, and it traced its ancestry to a line of officials of Han dynasty, Jin dynasty (266–420), Han-Zhao or Later Zhao, Former Yan or Later Yan, Northern Wei, and Tang dynasty. His grandfather Zheng Miao (鄭杳) served as a county secretary general, and his father Zheng Xian (鄭羨) served as a prefectural prefect.

Zheng Yin was ambitious in his youth, and was said to be ambitious and capable in writing. During the Dali era (766–779) of Emperor Xuanzong's grandson Emperor Daizong, it was said that he was respected by such well-known Confucian scholars as Zhang Can (張參), Jiang Ai (蔣乂), Yang Wan, and Chang Gun. After he passed the imperial examinations and further passed a special examination for grand speech, he was initially made Xiaoshu Lang (校書郎), a scribe at the Palace Library, and later the sheriff of Hu County (鄠縣), near the capital Chang'an.

During Emperor Shunzong's reign In spring 805, Emperor Dezong died. Zheng Yin and his colleague Wei Cigong (衛次公) were summoned to the palace to draft a will for him. While they were doing so, a eunuch suddenly stated, "It had not been decided who should be the new emperor." (Emperor Dezong's oldest son Li Song the Crown Prince would be the proper heir legally, but Li Song himself had been debilitated by a stroke in late 804.) It was said that Wei responded and pointed out that Li Song was the proper heir despite his illness and that trouble would come unless Li Song or, as the alternative, Li Song's oldest son Li Chun the Prince of Guangling, were enthroned, and that Zheng agreed with Wei. Li Song thus was able to take the throne (as Emperor Shunzong).

During Emperor Shunzong's brief reign, his close associates Wang Shuwen and Wang Pi, his concubine Consort Niu, and the eunuch Li Zhongyan (李忠言), formed a group of decision-makers, as Emperor Shunzong was unable to speak and himself unable to rule on important matters. It was said that when, in summer 805, Emperor Shunzong summoned Zheng, Wei, and Wang Ya to the palace to draft an edict to create a crown prince, Consort Niu was particularly fearful of Li Chun's decisiveness and did not want to have him created crown prince. Zheng was said to simply write on a paper, "The heir should be the oldest son" and show the paper to Emperor Shunzong. Emperor Shunzong saw what he wrote and nodded. An edict was subsequently issued, making Li Chun crown prince. There was an occasion after Du left office and was replaced by Li Jifu where Li Jifu secretly accused Zheng of having leaked secrets to the warlord Lu Congshi (盧從史), but the imperial scholar Li Jiang pointed out to Emperor Xianzong the implausibility of the accusation, and Emperor Xianzong agreed and did not act on the accusation. Still, with Emperor Xianzong considering Zheng to be too silent and not doing much as chancellor, in 809 Zheng was removed from his chancellor office and made an advisor to the Crown Prince; Zheng was replaced as chancellor with Li Fan.

After chancellorship After some time had elapsed, Zheng Yin was made the military governor of Lingnan Circuit (嶺南, headquartered in modern Guangzhou, Guangdong) as well as prefect of Lingnan's capital prefecture Guang Prefecture (廣州), and it was said that Zheng was known for his uncorrupt rule. He was later recalled to serve as minister of public works (工部尚書, Gongbu Shangshu) and the minister of worship (太常卿, Taichang Qing). Yet later, he served as the prefect of Tong Prefecture (同州, in modern Weinan, Shaanxi) as well as the director of Changchun Palace (長春宮). Later, he served as the official in charge of the eastern capital Luoyang. He was then recalled to be the minister of defense (兵部尚書, Bingbu Shangshu) but soon thereafter made the military governor of Hezhong Circuit (河中, headquartered in modern Yuncheng, Shanxi).

In 828, during the reign of Emperor Xianzong's grandson Emperor Wenzong, Zheng was recalled to serve as chief imperial censor (御史大夫, Yushi Daifu) and advisor to the Crown Prince. As by this point, he was old (76 in age) and weak, he repeatedly requested retirement. Emperor Wenzong thus granted him the title of senior advisor to the Crown Prince and allowed him to retire. He died in late 829 and was given the posthumous name of Xuan (宣, "responsible").

It was said in the Old Book of Tang that Zheng became an official on account of his literary abilities, and that served inside and outside the palace for more than 40 years. He was not known for great accomplishments, but he followed the laws properly. He often spent time on tour with knowledgeable and history-minded persons, and the people respected him for his virtues.