Pei Zunqing
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Pei Zunqing (Chinese: 裴遵慶; died 775), courtesy name Shaoliang (少良), was a Chinese judge, politician, and writer during the Tang dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Suzong and Emperor Daizong.
It is not known what year Pei Zunqing was born—but as he was said to be in his 90s at his death in 775, based on Chinese protocol of age-counting, he would have been born between 677 and 686. He was from a prominent clan of Jiang Prefecture (絳州, in modern Yuncheng, Shanxi), which traced its ancestry to officials of Han dynasty, Cao Wei, Jin dynasty (266–420), Western Liang, Northern Wei, and Tang dynasty. Pei Zunqing's grandfather Pei Yihong (裴義弘) served as a mid-level official at the legislative bureau of government (中書省, Zhongshu Sheng) and carried the title of Duke of Xuanwu. Pei Zunqing's father Pei Quan (裴惓) was a prefectural prefect and carried the title of Baron of Hedong. Pei Zunqing had at least two older brothers, Pei Zunyu (裴遵裕) and Pei Zunye (裴遵業).[1]
During Emperor Xuanzong's reign
It was said that Pei Zunqing was ambitious but mild in his disposition, and he was studious and careful in his behavior in his youth. When he had become relatively old for a new official, he, on account of his heritage, was made the legal officer at Lu Prefecture (潞州, in modern Changzhi, Shanxi). Because of his relatively old age, he was not noticed, but was eventually summoned to the Tang capital Chang'an to serve in the ministry of civil service affairs (吏部, Libu), and then to serve as Dali Cheng (大理丞), the secretary general of the supreme court (大理寺, Dali Si). It was said that he was capable in judging cases and decided them logically. On one occasion, because the general Xiao Keji (蕭克濟) was harsh toward his subordinates, his soldiers made comments that suggested they were suggesting rebellion. When they were charged with treason, Pei responded, "They had no money to gather people, and no talent to command people. How could they commit treason?"[2] It was said that because of Pei's judgment, tens of households were saved. Later, late in Emperor Xuanzong's Tianbao era (742–756), Pei served as a junior official at the ministry of civil service affairs and was in charge of selecting the junior officials. It was said that because the realm was peaceful at times, each year there would be tens of thousands of people coming to Chang'an seeking official commissions. Pei was said to be dexterous, knowledgeable, good in memory, detailed, and not harsh, despite the large amount of work he had to carry out, and was said to be the best at the task. During this period, he wrote a work known as the Records of the Kings' Governance (王政記), discussing the rites from ancient days to his own days; it was said that those who read the work saw that he had talent to be a high-level official. Toward the end of the Tianbao era, the chancellor Yang Guozhong was exceedingly powerful, and he sent most officials who were not his followers away from the capital. As Pei did not flatter Yang, he was sent out of the capital to serve as a commandery governor.