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Zheng Tian
Zheng Tian (traditional Chinese: 鄭畋; simplified Chinese: 郑畋; pinyin: Zhèng Tián, 821?/825?–883?), courtesy name Taiwen (臺文), formally Duke Wenzhao of Xingyang (滎陽文昭公), was a Chinese politician and military commander of the late Tang dynasty who served twice as a chancellor under Emperor Xizong, from 874 to 878 and again from 881 to 883, and played a crucial role in the dynasty's resistance to the cataclysmic Huang Chao Rebellion. Zheng was also an accomplished man of letters, and his qijue poem "On Mawei Slope" was included in the Qing-era anthology Three Hundred Tang Poems.
The son of a prominent political figure, Zheng enjoyed early success in the imperial examinations and entered public service at a young age. After his father's political faction fell from favor, he was blacklisted for years and only returned to office in the 860s, after forming an association with the respected statesman Liu Zhan. Zheng secured influential court postings during Liu's brief tenure as chancellor, earning a reputation as a talented edict drafter and military strategist. He remained loyal to Liu when the latter fell from power and was in turn banished from court, but was rehabilitated during the reign of Emperor Xizong and made a chancellor in 874. Although Zheng enjoyed the young emperor's respect, he was marginalized at court by his cousin and fellow chancellor Lu Xie and, following a dispute with Lu, was removed from the chancellorship in 878. Zheng was later appointed as military governor of Fengxiang Circuit, west of the imperial capital of Chang'an. In 881, when Huang Chao's rebel army forced Emperor Xizong to flee to Chengdu, Zheng remained resolutely loyal to the dynasty and was tasked by the emperor with rallying loyalist resistance in the capital region. Relying on his personal wealth, he organized a viable fighting force at Fengxiang Circuit and inflicted a surprise defeat on rebel forces sent to subdue him. Zheng subsequently participated in an unsuccessful military operation to retake the capital and, following a mutiny, rejoined the emperor in Chengdu and was made a chancellor once again. He was forced into retirement in 883, following disputes with the influential court eunuch Tian Lingzi, and died of illness shortly thereafter.
Assuming that Zheng Tian died in 883, he might have been born in either 821 or 825. He was a part of the prominent Zheng clan based in Xingyang (滎陽, in modern Zhengzhou, Henan), but his traceable ancestry only went as far back as his great-grandfather Zheng Shaolin (鄭少鄰), who served as a civil service official under the prefect of Zheng Prefecture (鄭州, in modern Zhengzhou). Zheng Shaolin, as well as Zheng Tian's grandfather Zheng Mu (鄭穆) and Zheng Tian's father Zheng Ya (鄭亞), all passed the imperial examinations in the Jinshi class, and while Zheng Mu served only as a county magistrate, Zheng Ya became well known for his abilities, and he became a close associate of the chancellor Li Deyu, who was particularly powerful during the reign of Emperor Wuzong, eventually serving as a high level imperial consultant. Other than Zheng Tian, Zheng Ya had at least two younger sons, Zheng Jun (鄭畯) and Zheng Pi (鄭毗).
Zheng Tian himself passed the imperial examinations in the Jinshi class when he was 17, and thereafter served as a staff member under the military governor (Jiedushi) of Xuanwu Circuit (宣武, headquartered in modern Kaifeng, Henan). When he was 21, he further passed a special examination for those who made good rulings, and he was made the sheriff of Weinan County (渭南, in modern Weinan, Shaanxi) and a historian who would edit imperial histories. Before he could serve in those positions, however, in 847, due to his association with Li Deyu, who had lost power during the reign of the then-reigning Emperor Xuānzong (Emperor Wuzong's uncle), Zheng Ya was demoted to be prefect of Gui Prefecture (桂州, in modern Guilin, Guangxi), and Zheng Tian followed his father to Gui Prefecture, where Zheng Ya would die, probably around 849. (This chronology appeared to make it more likely that Zheng Tian was born in 825 or later, as he would have been 22 in 851 if born in 825, whereas he would already be 26 if born in 821.) As, during Emperor Xuānzong's reign, the court scene was dominated by the chancellor Bai Minzhong and then Linghu Tao, both of whom had no liking for Li Deyu and ejected Li Deyu's associates, Zheng Tian was not given an imperial government office for a long time.
During the Xiantong era (860–874) of Emperor Xuānzong's son Emperor Yizong, after Linghu Tao had left the office of the chancellors, Liu Zhan, who was then the military governor of Hedong Circuit (河東, headquartered in modern Taiyuan, Shanxi), invited Zheng Tian to serve on his staff. Subsequently, Zheng Tian was recalled to the capital Chang'an to serve as Yubu Yuanwailang (虞部員外郎), a low-level official at the ministry of public works (工部, Gongbu). However, at that time, Zheng Xun (鄭薰), one of the secretaries general of the executive bureau of government (尚書省, Shangshu Sheng), which the ministry of public works belonged to, was a follower of Linghu's, and he prevented Zheng Tian from actually taking office by making false accusations against Zheng Tian, and Zheng Tian left Chang'an again to serve on a governor staff (possibly under Liu). Not until 864 was Zheng Tian again recalled to Chang'an to serve as Xingbu Yuanwailang (刑部員外郎), a low-level official at the ministry of justice (刑部, Xingbu).
After Liu became chancellor in 869, Liu recommended Zheng Tian, and Zheng became an imperial scholar (翰林學士, Hanlin Xueshi) as well as Hubu Langzhong (戶部郎中), a supervisory official at the ministry of census (戶部, Hubu). He was soon also put in charge of drafting edicts, and also made Zhongshu Sheren (中書舍人), a mid-level official at the legislative bureau (中書省, Zhongshu Sheng). During the imperial armies' campaign against the rebel Pang Xun, who occupied Xu Prefecture (徐州, in modern Xuzhou, Jiangsu) in 869, Zheng was largely in drafting the numerous edicts involved in the military maneuvers, and it was said that his colleagues admired him for the speed and the elegance with which he wrote. He was soon promoted to be both deputy minister of census (戶部侍郎, Hubu Shilang) and, after Pang's rebellion was suppressed, chief imperial scholar (翰林學士承旨, Hanlin Xueshi Chengzhi).
In 870, after the death of Emperor Yizong's favorite daughter Princess Tongchang (同昌公主), Emperor Yizong, in grief, executed the imperial physicians who were unable to save her and further arrested some 300 of their family members. Liu tried to intercede on their behalf and drew Emperor Yizong's anger. With the chancellor Lu Yan and Princess Tongchang's husband Wei Baoheng making false accusations against Liu, Liu was exiled. When Zheng was ordered to draft the edict announcing Liu's exile, he used language that outwardly rebuked Liu but instead praised Liu. Lu thus had Zheng exiled and demoted to be the prefect of Wu Prefecture (梧州, in modern Wuzhou, Guangxi).
After Emperor Yizong died in 873 and was succeeded by his young son Emperor Xizong, Zheng Tian was gradually moved closer to the capital—first to Chen Prefecture (郴州, in modern Chenzhou, Hunan) and then to Jiang Prefecture (絳州, in modern Yuncheng, Shanxi). He was then recalled to Chang'an to serve as You Sanqi Changshi (右散騎常侍), a high-level advisor at the legislative bureau.
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Zheng Tian
Zheng Tian (traditional Chinese: 鄭畋; simplified Chinese: 郑畋; pinyin: Zhèng Tián, 821?/825?–883?), courtesy name Taiwen (臺文), formally Duke Wenzhao of Xingyang (滎陽文昭公), was a Chinese politician and military commander of the late Tang dynasty who served twice as a chancellor under Emperor Xizong, from 874 to 878 and again from 881 to 883, and played a crucial role in the dynasty's resistance to the cataclysmic Huang Chao Rebellion. Zheng was also an accomplished man of letters, and his qijue poem "On Mawei Slope" was included in the Qing-era anthology Three Hundred Tang Poems.
The son of a prominent political figure, Zheng enjoyed early success in the imperial examinations and entered public service at a young age. After his father's political faction fell from favor, he was blacklisted for years and only returned to office in the 860s, after forming an association with the respected statesman Liu Zhan. Zheng secured influential court postings during Liu's brief tenure as chancellor, earning a reputation as a talented edict drafter and military strategist. He remained loyal to Liu when the latter fell from power and was in turn banished from court, but was rehabilitated during the reign of Emperor Xizong and made a chancellor in 874. Although Zheng enjoyed the young emperor's respect, he was marginalized at court by his cousin and fellow chancellor Lu Xie and, following a dispute with Lu, was removed from the chancellorship in 878. Zheng was later appointed as military governor of Fengxiang Circuit, west of the imperial capital of Chang'an. In 881, when Huang Chao's rebel army forced Emperor Xizong to flee to Chengdu, Zheng remained resolutely loyal to the dynasty and was tasked by the emperor with rallying loyalist resistance in the capital region. Relying on his personal wealth, he organized a viable fighting force at Fengxiang Circuit and inflicted a surprise defeat on rebel forces sent to subdue him. Zheng subsequently participated in an unsuccessful military operation to retake the capital and, following a mutiny, rejoined the emperor in Chengdu and was made a chancellor once again. He was forced into retirement in 883, following disputes with the influential court eunuch Tian Lingzi, and died of illness shortly thereafter.
Assuming that Zheng Tian died in 883, he might have been born in either 821 or 825. He was a part of the prominent Zheng clan based in Xingyang (滎陽, in modern Zhengzhou, Henan), but his traceable ancestry only went as far back as his great-grandfather Zheng Shaolin (鄭少鄰), who served as a civil service official under the prefect of Zheng Prefecture (鄭州, in modern Zhengzhou). Zheng Shaolin, as well as Zheng Tian's grandfather Zheng Mu (鄭穆) and Zheng Tian's father Zheng Ya (鄭亞), all passed the imperial examinations in the Jinshi class, and while Zheng Mu served only as a county magistrate, Zheng Ya became well known for his abilities, and he became a close associate of the chancellor Li Deyu, who was particularly powerful during the reign of Emperor Wuzong, eventually serving as a high level imperial consultant. Other than Zheng Tian, Zheng Ya had at least two younger sons, Zheng Jun (鄭畯) and Zheng Pi (鄭毗).
Zheng Tian himself passed the imperial examinations in the Jinshi class when he was 17, and thereafter served as a staff member under the military governor (Jiedushi) of Xuanwu Circuit (宣武, headquartered in modern Kaifeng, Henan). When he was 21, he further passed a special examination for those who made good rulings, and he was made the sheriff of Weinan County (渭南, in modern Weinan, Shaanxi) and a historian who would edit imperial histories. Before he could serve in those positions, however, in 847, due to his association with Li Deyu, who had lost power during the reign of the then-reigning Emperor Xuānzong (Emperor Wuzong's uncle), Zheng Ya was demoted to be prefect of Gui Prefecture (桂州, in modern Guilin, Guangxi), and Zheng Tian followed his father to Gui Prefecture, where Zheng Ya would die, probably around 849. (This chronology appeared to make it more likely that Zheng Tian was born in 825 or later, as he would have been 22 in 851 if born in 825, whereas he would already be 26 if born in 821.) As, during Emperor Xuānzong's reign, the court scene was dominated by the chancellor Bai Minzhong and then Linghu Tao, both of whom had no liking for Li Deyu and ejected Li Deyu's associates, Zheng Tian was not given an imperial government office for a long time.
During the Xiantong era (860–874) of Emperor Xuānzong's son Emperor Yizong, after Linghu Tao had left the office of the chancellors, Liu Zhan, who was then the military governor of Hedong Circuit (河東, headquartered in modern Taiyuan, Shanxi), invited Zheng Tian to serve on his staff. Subsequently, Zheng Tian was recalled to the capital Chang'an to serve as Yubu Yuanwailang (虞部員外郎), a low-level official at the ministry of public works (工部, Gongbu). However, at that time, Zheng Xun (鄭薰), one of the secretaries general of the executive bureau of government (尚書省, Shangshu Sheng), which the ministry of public works belonged to, was a follower of Linghu's, and he prevented Zheng Tian from actually taking office by making false accusations against Zheng Tian, and Zheng Tian left Chang'an again to serve on a governor staff (possibly under Liu). Not until 864 was Zheng Tian again recalled to Chang'an to serve as Xingbu Yuanwailang (刑部員外郎), a low-level official at the ministry of justice (刑部, Xingbu).
After Liu became chancellor in 869, Liu recommended Zheng Tian, and Zheng became an imperial scholar (翰林學士, Hanlin Xueshi) as well as Hubu Langzhong (戶部郎中), a supervisory official at the ministry of census (戶部, Hubu). He was soon also put in charge of drafting edicts, and also made Zhongshu Sheren (中書舍人), a mid-level official at the legislative bureau (中書省, Zhongshu Sheng). During the imperial armies' campaign against the rebel Pang Xun, who occupied Xu Prefecture (徐州, in modern Xuzhou, Jiangsu) in 869, Zheng was largely in drafting the numerous edicts involved in the military maneuvers, and it was said that his colleagues admired him for the speed and the elegance with which he wrote. He was soon promoted to be both deputy minister of census (戶部侍郎, Hubu Shilang) and, after Pang's rebellion was suppressed, chief imperial scholar (翰林學士承旨, Hanlin Xueshi Chengzhi).
In 870, after the death of Emperor Yizong's favorite daughter Princess Tongchang (同昌公主), Emperor Yizong, in grief, executed the imperial physicians who were unable to save her and further arrested some 300 of their family members. Liu tried to intercede on their behalf and drew Emperor Yizong's anger. With the chancellor Lu Yan and Princess Tongchang's husband Wei Baoheng making false accusations against Liu, Liu was exiled. When Zheng was ordered to draft the edict announcing Liu's exile, he used language that outwardly rebuked Liu but instead praised Liu. Lu thus had Zheng exiled and demoted to be the prefect of Wu Prefecture (梧州, in modern Wuzhou, Guangxi).
After Emperor Yizong died in 873 and was succeeded by his young son Emperor Xizong, Zheng Tian was gradually moved closer to the capital—first to Chen Prefecture (郴州, in modern Chenzhou, Hunan) and then to Jiang Prefecture (絳州, in modern Yuncheng, Shanxi). He was then recalled to Chang'an to serve as You Sanqi Changshi (右散騎常侍), a high-level advisor at the legislative bureau.