Biography of Chinese Prime Ministers (Volume 1, 2, and 3)

Author: Che Jixin
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 1997-01-01
Features: Excerpt: "Fan Shu" is a script used to record the Tangut language. While its form is largely based on the six principles of Chinese character construction (pictographs, ideographs, phonetic compounds, associative compounds, mutual references, and borrowed characters), it also has its own unique construction methods. For example, the strokes are more complex than Chinese characters, with more oblique strokes like diagonals and hooks, but no vertical hooks. It has more associative compounds than Chinese characters, very few pictographs and ideographs, and the semantic part of phonetic compounds similar to Chinese phonetic compounds does not represent form and is fewer than Chinese phonetic compounds. Another distinctive feature of its character construction is the combination of upper and lower characters in a method similar to phonetic compounding, and it also has a rich variety of characters that can be flipped horizontally and vertically. Etc. The work of creating characters by Yeli Renrong likely began when Yuanhao ascended the throne. After several years of effort, it was finally completed in the third year of Guangyun (1036), and Yeli Renrong compiled it into twelve volumes. At that time, it was unknown how many characters he had created in total, but so far, more than 6,000 characters have been discovered. After the characters were created, Yuanhao ordered them to be honored as the "National Script" and promulgated nationwide. Officials and ministers, and to commemorate this grand event, Yuanhao also changed the third year of Guangyun to the first year of Daqing to celebrate. In November, two institutions, the "Fan Shu Yuan" and the "Hanzi Yuan," were established in the government. These two institutions were similar to the Hanlin Academy in the Tang and Song dynasties. Because "Fan Shu" was the "National Script," the "Fan Shu Yuan" held a very high status, and Yuanhao appointed Yeli Renrong as the head. Officials serving in the "Fan Shu Yuan" and the "Hanzi Yuan" were responsible for drafting documents, edicts, and foreign correspondence. For communications with the Song Dynasty, the central government used Chinese characters with Fan Shu written alongside, drafted by the "Hanzi Yuan"; for communications with Tubo, Uyghur, and other countries in the Western Regions, the central government used Fan Shu as the main script with the characters of the respective countries as supplementary, drafted by the "Fan Shu Yuan." From then on, Fan Shu was widely used throughout the Western Xia, and it continued to be used to a certain extent even after the fall of Western Xia. After hundreds of years of vicissitudes, to this day, the preserved Fan Shu documents are still quite abundant, totaling no less than millions of characters. While creating the script, Yeli Renrong also assisted Yuanhao in establishing a central government system modeled on the Song Dynasty in the second year of XianDao (1033) in May. The central government institutions under the emperor included: the Zhongshu Sheng, the Sichuan Yuan, the San Si, the Yutai, the Kaifeng Fu, the Yiwei Si, the Guoji Si, the Shouna Si, the Nongfan Si, the Qunmu Si, the Feilong Yuan, and the Mokan Si, etc. Their responsibilities included: the Zhongshu Sheng, the Sichuan Yuan, and the San Si were the highest administrative agencies for national politics, military affairs, and finance; the Yutai was responsible for supervision and impeachment; the Kaifeng Fu was a special office established using the name of the local government of the capital of the Song Dynasty to manage local affairs in Xingqing, the capital of Western Xia; the Yiwei Si was responsible for guarding, garrisoning, and escorting the emperor; the Guoji Si was responsible for personnel management and transfers of officials; the Shouna Si was responsible for storage, distribution, and financial management; the Nongfan Si was responsible for farmland irrigation and grain stabilization; the Qunmu Si was responsible for horse breeding, reproduction, and training; the Feilong Yuan was responsible for the care of imperial horses; the Mokan Si was responsible for the assessment and promotion of officials; and the Wenxi Yuan was responsible for the production of imperial utensils and clothing. It was stipulated that all positions in the central government institutions, from the Zhongshu Ling to the Taiwei, could be held by both Tangut and Han people. To highlight ethnic characteristics, these positions had Tangut names, known in history as "Fan Hao," such as Muning Ling, Ning Ling, Dinglu, Sujie, Zuru, Lüze, and Suming. Probably because Yuanhao had not yet formally declared himself emperor, positions such as the Zhongshu Ling and Sichuan Shi were not immediately appointed. At this time, ministers were only given "Fan Hao." Yeli Renrong was appointed as "Muning Ling," translated into Chinese as "Tian Da Wang." With a bureaucratic system in place to serve the emperor, there also needed to be a system of rites and music to display the emperor's majesty. When the Tangut people first rose to prominence, they had no system of rites or music. Their music included the pipa, xiao, and flute, with clapping on the drum as the rhythm. The Qiang flute was once quite famous in history. Since the distant ancestor Tuoba Cisi became a vassal of the Tang Dynasty, the Tangut people began to learn the etiquette of kneeling and bowing according to rank. Tuoba Siguang served as the Military Commissioner of Xiazhou and was granted a complete set of musical instruments by Emperor Xizong of the Tang. Thus, their music became more melodious and their performance more refined, gradually adopting the style of the Tang Dynasty. After Li Deming became a vassal of the Song Dynasty, the system of rites and music followed the Song Dynasty's model. Yuanhao believed that the Han system of rites and music was simply not suitable for imitation. He discussed with Yeli Renrong: "A ruler should create rites and music based on the customs of the people. The customs of the Tangut people prioritize loyalty and emphasize warfare. We should not blindly adopt the complex rituals and of the Tang and Song dynasties." Under Yeli Renrong's leadership, the system of rites and music was reformed with a focus on practicality. In situations of joy or sorrow, for guests or for ancestral rites and banquets, the nine bows of the Han rites were reduced to three, and the five tones of music were reduced to one. He ordered the entire country to follow this, with the punishment of death for those who dared not comply. This greatly simplified system of rites and music was called "Fan Li," contrasting with the original "Han Li," each representing different cultural customs and having a profound impact on Western Xia society. After meticulous preparations, Yuanhao's conditions for declaring himself emperor and founding the state were fully met. On the eleventh day of the tenth month of the third year of Daqing (1038), in the southern suburbs of Xingqing, a high altar was built, and with the support of his trusted ministers, Yeli Renrong and Yang Shousu, Yuanhao formally ascended the throne as emperor, proclaiming the state as Da Xia and changing the era to Tian Shou Li Fa Yan Zuo. Immediately after, he grandly rewarded his ministers, appointing Yeli Renrong as the Zhongshu Ling, responsible for military and state strategies, officially becoming the prime minister of Western Xia. The following May, to facilitate the implementation of policies and laws written in Fan Shu and to train officials, Yuanhao established the "Fan Xue," appointing Yeli Renrong as its head. The Fan Xue not only taught Fan Shu but also studied Han culture through translating Han classics to master the skills of governing a feudal state. Talented students from both Tangut and Han official families were selected to attend, and based on their academic performance, they were tested and assigned positions. Afterward, Fan Xue were also established in various states. Approximately from the beginning of the fourth year of Tian Shou Li Fa Yan Zuo (1041), Yeli Renrong no longer served as the Zhongshu Ling but solely as the "Fan Hao" Muning Ling, the head of the Fan Shu Yuan and the Fan Xue. From then on, in addition to assisting Yuanhao in governing the state, he dedicated himself more to the development of Fan Xue. Under his leadership, Han classics such as the "Xiao Jing," "Erya," and "Four-Character" were translated into Fan Shu. In the seventh month of the fifth year of Tian Shou Li Fa Yan Zuo (1042), Yeli Renrong,. Upon hearing the news, Yuanhao was deeply grieved, visiting his home three times to pay respects and weeping bitterly, shouting: "Oh, heaven! Why did you take away my right arm so quickly!" Yeli Renrong was given a grand funeral and posthumously honored as the Marquis of Fuping. During the reign of Emperor Ren of Western Xia, he was further posthumously honored as the Duke of Guanghui.
Postscript: The "Complete Biography of Chinese Prime Ministers" is the latest addition to the series of biographies of Chinese historical figures, following the "Complete Biography of Chinese Emperors," "Complete Biography of Chinese Empresses," and "Complete Biography of Chinese Chancellors." This book features numerous subjects and spans a long period of time, with extensive use of materials. Due to the varying styles of the authors who contributed to it, some chapters, despite repeated revisions and multiple drafts, may still contain shortcomings, inaccuracies, and errors. We kindly ask the readers to criticize and correct them. The entire book was edited under the guidance of Che Jixin by Liu Dezeng, Wang Dajian, and Li Xiao. The specific divisions of labor were: Liu Dezeng for the period from the Spring and Autumn Period to Western Jin; Wang Dajian for the period from Eastern Jin to the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms; and Li Xiao for the period from the Northern Song to the Qing Dynasty. Che Jixin reviewed all the manuscripts, and Liu Dezeng assisted the editor in many organizational and coordinating tasks. During the writing process, we consulted with Professor An Zuozhang, a Ph.D. supervisor and professor at Shandong Normal University, and Professor Meng Xiangcai, another Ph.D. supervisor and professor at Shandong University, among others, on issues related to the system of Chinese prime ministers. The library of Shandong Normal University provided great convenience for us in accessing materials. Professor Dou Jiting of Shandong College of Art and Design drew all the portraits of the figures. Mr. Xiao Can of Shandong Fine Arts Publishing House took all the color illustrations. We sincerely express our gratitude for their guidance and assistance. Editors, May 1996