Pei Shu
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Pei Shu (裴樞) (841[1]-July 5, 905[2][3]), courtesy name Jisheng (紀聖)[1][4] or Huasheng (化聖),[5] was an official of the Chinese Tang dynasty, who served two terms as chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Zhaozong and Emperor Zhaozong's son Emperor Ai, near the end of the dynasty. He was killed in a purge of high-level Tang officials by the warlord Zhu Quanzhong the military governor (Jiedushi) of Xuanwu Circuit (宣武, headquartered in modern Kaifeng, Henan), who was then preparing to seize the throne.
Pei Shu was born in 841, during the reign of Emperor Wuzong.[1] He was from the Middle Juan Pei of Pei clan of Hedong, which claimed original ancestry from the mythical emperor Zhuanxu. Pei Shu's traceable ancestry included officials of the Han dynasty, Western Liang, Jin dynasty (266–420), Northern Wei, and Tang dynasty.[5] Pei Shu's great-grandfather Pei Zunqing served as a chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Suzong and Emperor Suzong's son Emperor Daizong. His grandfather Pei Xiang (裴向) served in a number of important imperial offices, including as the chief judge of the supreme court. His father Pei Yin (裴寅) served as a chief imperial censor.[1] He had at least one older brother, Pei Ge (裴格)[5] – although, as he was referred to at one point as "the 14th Pei," that reference may imply that he was the 14th son.[2]
Early career
Pei Shu passed the imperial examinations in the Jinshi (進士) class in 871, during the reign of Emperor Wuzong's cousin Emperor Yizong.[1] When the chancellor Du Shenquan was sent out of the imperial capital Chang'an to serve as the military governor of Hezhong Circuit (河中, headquartered in modern Yuncheng, Shanxi),[6] Du invited Pei to serve as his secretary. Pei thereafter served as a copyeditor (校書郎, Xiaoshu Lang) at the Palace Library, and then the sheriff of Lantian County (藍田, in modern Xi'an, Shaanxi), but was also serving as a scholar at Hongwen Pavilion (弘文館). The chancellor Wang Duo, who headed the operations at Hongwen Pavilion, appreciated his abilities.[1] Later, when Wang was removed from his chancellor position, Pei became stuck at his position and was unable to be promoted.[1][7] It was only after he accompanied Emperor Yizong's son and successor Emperor Xizong on the flight from Chang'an to Chengdu (due to the attack on Chang'an by the major agrarian rebel Huang Chao in 880)[8] that, at the recommendation of the deputy chief imperial censor Li Huan (李煥) that he was made a censor with the title Duanzhong Shi Yushi (殿中侍御史). He thereafter became an imperial chronicler (起居郎, Qiju Lang).[1]
After Wang Duo became chancellor again in 881 and was put in command of the overall operations against Huang Chao's new state of Qi in 882,[8] due to Pei's long association with Wang, Wang invited him to serve as Wang's secretary in Wang's role as the military governor of Yicheng Circuit (義成, headquartered in modern Anyang, Henan). Pei was later recalled to the imperial government to serve as Bingbu Yuanwailang (兵部員外郎), a low-level official at the ministry of defense (兵部, Bingbu), and then Libu Yuanwailang (吏部員外郎), a low-level official at the ministry of civil service affairs (吏部, Libu).[1]
Early in the Longji era (889), by which time Emperor Xizong had died and been succeeded by his brother Emperor Zhaozong, Pei was made an imperial attendant (給事中, Jishizhong), and then the mayor of Jingzhao Municipality (京兆, i.e., the Chang'an region). He was particularly praised by the chancellor Kong Wei.[1] After Kong was removed from his position in 891 after a failed campaign against the warlord Li Keyong the military governor of Hedong Circuit (河東, headquartered in modern Taiyuan, Shanxi), Pei was also demoted, as a result, to be Taizi You Shuzi (太子右庶子), a member of the Crown Prince's staff — an entirely honorary position as there was no crown prince at that time. He was then sent out of Chang'an to serve as the prefect of She Prefecture (歙州, in modern Huangshan, Anhui).[1]
After being forced to surrender She Prefecture to the warlord Yang Xingmi the military governor of Huainan Circuit (淮南, headquartered in modern Yangzhou, Jiangsu) in 893,[9] Pei was recalled to the imperial government to serve as You Sanqi Changshi (右散騎常侍), a high-level advisory official at the legislative bureau of government (中書省, Zhongshu Sheng). On the way back to Chang'an, he went through Xuanwu Circuit, whose military governor, Zhu Quanzhong, had already become a powerful warlord. He met with Zhu and honored Zhu as an older brother, pleasing Zhu.[1] When Emperor Zhaozong was forced to abandon Chang'an and flee to Hua Prefecture (華州, in modern Weinan, Shaanxi) in 896 due to an attack by Li Maozhen the military governor of Fengxiang Circuit (鳳翔, headquartered in modern Baoji, Shaanxi),[10] Pei followed the emperor to Hua Prefecture, and was subsequently sent as an imperial emissary to Xuanwu. Because of the prior friendly relationship he established with Zhu, Zhu offered much tribute to the imperial court at that time, pleasing Emperor Zhaozong, who promoted Pei to be the deputy minister of defense (兵部侍郎, Bingbu Shilang). As the chancellor Cui Yin was also an ally of Zhu's, Cui and Pei also became allies, and at Cui's recommendation he was made the deputy minister of civil service affairs (吏部侍郎, Libu Shilang).[1]