Xu Ji
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Xu Ji (許寂) (died July 5, 936), courtesy name Xianxian (閑閑), was an official of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period state Former Shu, serving as a chancellor during the reign of its last emperor Wang Zongyan.
It is not known when Xu Ji was born, but it is known that he was from Kuaiji (modern Shaoxing in Zhejiang). His grandfather Xu Mi (許秘) was said to be famous in the region.[1] In his youth, he took up residence in the Siming Mountains (四明山, a branch mountain range of the Tiantai Mountains) to study the I Ching from a scholar known only as Lord Jinzheng (晉徵君).[2]
At some point, then-reigning Emperor Zhaozong of Tang became aware of Xu Ji's reputation, and summoned him (probably to the capital Chang'an), wanting to meet him. When Xu arrived at the palace, however, Emperor Zhaozong was playing music with performers, and did not see Xu immediately. Xu was unimpressed, and, after meeting the emperor, requested to return to the mountains. He eventually took up residence at Jiangling. After the warlord Zhao Kuangming became the military governor (Jiedushi) of Jingnan Circuit (荊南, headquartered at Jiangling), Zhao treated him with respect and often requested his advice on proper living.[1]
In 905, Zhao Kuangming was under threat of impending attack by the major warlord Zhu Quanzhong the military governor of Xuanwu Circuit (宣武, headquartered in modern Kaifeng, Henan) (after Zhu had already defeated Zhao's brother Zhao Kuangning the military governor of Zhongyi Circuit (忠義, headquartered in modern Xiangyang, Hubei) and forced Zhao Kuangning to flee his territory). He decided to flee to the territory of Wang Jian the military governor of Xichuan Circuit (西川, headquartered in modern Chengdu, Sichuan).[3] Xu fled to Xichuan with Zhao. Wang had known of Xu's reputation, and gave him a pavilion at which he could conduct his studies.[2]
During Wang Jian's reign
In 907, after Zhu Quanzhong had Tang's final emperor Emperor Ai of Tang yield the throne to him, ending Tang and starting a new Later Liang, Wang Jian, who was among the warlords who refused to recognize the new emperor, declared himself emperor of a new state of Shu (known historically as Former Shu).[4] In Wang's new imperial regime, Xu Ji was made Zuo Jianyi Daifu (左諫議大夫), a consultant serving at the examination bureau of government (門下省).[2] In 913, pursuant to the recommendation of Du Guangting, whom Wang Jian asked for recommendations for virtuous advisors for his son and crown prince Wang Yuanying, Wang Jian put Xu Ji and Xu Jianfu (徐簡夫) on Wang Yuanying's staff. However, Wang Yuanying refused to speak to them, and instead spent his time in games and pleasure with his favorites.[5] Xu Ji was later promoted to be the deputy minister of civil service affairs (吏部侍郎, Libu Shilang).[2] (It is unclear whether his promotion was before or after Wang Yuanying's death after an armed conflict with Wang Jian's close associate Tang Daoxi, later in 913. Wang Jian later made his youngest son Wang Zongyan crown prince.)[5]