Song Dynasty woodblock print of the "Zengzuowei Tie" by Yan Zhenqing

Author: Zhou Hongtu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-12-01
Features: Yan Zhenqing, styled Qingchen, whose name and style matched, reflecting the hope of his parents. His life seemed to follow this predetermined path of seeking truth and purity. He served as a minister in the courts of Emperor Xuanzong, Emperor Shuosong, Emperor Daizong, and Emperor Dezong of the Tang Dynasty, ultimately sacrificing himself for the Tang Dynasty. Yan Zhenqing often signed his steles with "Yan Zhenqing of Langya" because his ancestral home was in Linyi, Shandong. His father, Yan Weizhen, passed the imperial examination in the first year of Wutuo (690) during Wu Zetian's reign and was appointed as a military officer in Qizhou. He served as the Chief Magistrate of Chang'an, the Imperial Literary Advisor to the Crown Prince, and was renowned for his skills in cursive and clerical scripts. Like his father, Yan Zhenqing also experienced the bitterness of being orphaned at a young age and was personally mentored by his mother, Yin Shi. This twist of fate may have been the very stone that honed his talent. As he grew older, Yan Zhenqing, tempered by diligence and perseverance, had already become "a young man who loved Confucian studies, was respectful and filial, and stood on his own. Lacking paper and ink, he practiced calligraphy by sweeping yellow soil against walls, excelling in regular script and surpassing others in literary talent" (from the "Biography of Yan Lugu Gong" in the "Yan Lugu Gong Collection").
In the twenty-second year of the Kaiyuan era (734), at the age of twenty-six, Yan Zhenqing passed the imperial examination and was further selected in the special examination for talented individuals, smoothly embarking on his official career. He served as a Cangsan, a copyist in the Secretariat's Composition Bureau, and the County Magistrate of Liquan. In the second year of the Tianbao era (743), he traveled to Luoyang to visit Zhang Xu. In the ninth year of the Tianbao era, Yan Zhenqing was promoted from a Censor to a Vice Censor-in-Chief, serving in the Caiyuan, one of the three divisions under the Censorate. During this time, when the Censor Ji Wen, out of personal resentment, fabricated charges to frame Song Hun (son of the Prime Minister Song Jing), Yan Zhenqing dared to speak out and confront him: "How can you, in a fit of anger, endanger the heir of Song Jing?" The Prime Minister Yang Guozhong and his allies thus regarded Yan Zhenqing as an enemy and eventually transferred him out of the capital in the twelfth year of the Tianbao era, demoting him to the position of Magistrate of Pingyuan. This is how he came to be known as "Yan Pingyuan."
Yan Zhenqing possessed a keen sensitivity in politics. When the rebellion of An Lushan first showed signs, he fortified the city, dug deep ditches, recruited strong young men, and stored grain as a precaution. Yet, he would daily sail with guests on the river, drinking wine and feigning ignorance of current affairs to allay An Lushan's suspicions. Pingyuan was under An Lushan's jurisdiction, and he constantly spied on Yan Zhenqing, but eventually concluded that he was merely a scholar and ceased his suspicions. The comical outcome was that in the fourteenth year of the Tianbao era, An Lushan rebelled, and all of Hebei fell except for Pingyuan, which was well-prepared. When the military envoy Li Ping rushed to report to Emperor Xuanzong, the emperor lamented sadly, "Of the twenty-four prefectures in Hebei, not a single loyal minister!" Li Ping's urgent report undoubtedly gave the emperor a surge of hope. He looked around and said with a mix of sorrow and admiration, "I do not know how Yan Zhenqing is, but his actions are like this!"
In the struggle against An Lushan, Yan Zhenqing's spirit was fierce. He quickly expanded his army from three thousand to ten thousand, selecting capable commanders and generals, and some magistrates and deputy magistrates also joined him with their troops. His cousin, Yan Gaoqing, the Magistrate of Changshan (located in modern Zhengding, Hebei), rose in rebellion behind An Lushan's lines. Seventeen prefectures in Hebei joined the imperial forces, leaving An Lushan with only six prefectures, including Fanyang and Lulong. Yan Zhenqing was appointed as the commander-in-chief of the coalition, leading two hundred thousand troops across Yan and Zhao, and his military might was immense. In the fifteenth year of the Tianbao era, he was promoted to Vice Minister of Revenue and appointed as the Investigating Commissioner of Hebei, assisting General Li Guangbi in suppressing the rebels. During this period, he led the armies of Pingyuan, Qinghe (located in modern Nanxiong, Hebei), and Boping (located in modern western Shandong) in fierce battles against the rebels, killing ten thousand enemies and capturing over a thousand, further enhancing his reputation.
In 756, Li Heng, the son of Emperor Xuanzong, ascended the throne in Lingwu (modern Lingwu, Ningxia), becoming Emperor Shuosong. Yan Zhenqing was appointed as Minister of Works and Vice Censor-in-Chief, and once again served as the Investigating Commissioner of Hebei. Taking advantage of the transfer of Hebei troops to Emperor Shuosong, An Lushan sent his subordinates Shi Ming and Yin Ziqi to launch a surprise attack on Hebei, besieging Pingyuan. In October, Yan Zhenqing was forced to abandon the prefecture, cross the Yellow River, and endure countless dangers before arriving in Fengxiang in the second year of the Zhide era (757) to meet the emperor. He was appointed as Minister of Justice and transferred to the position of Vice Censor-in-Chief. At that time, the Tang Dynasty was in chaos, but Yan Zhenqing remained "strict and impartial as usual," speaking out frankly against any violations of the system, which led to his being targeted and appointed as a magistrate. He later served as Vice Minister of Justice and was later demoted to the position of Chief Administrator.
In the first year of the Baoying era (762), at the age of fifty-four, Yan Zhenqing was recalled from Sichuan to the capital and appointed as Vice Minister of Revenue. The following year, he was transferred to the position of Vice Minister of Personnel, and later became the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites. In the second year of the Guangde era (764), he was enfeoffed as Duke of Lubei, earning the title "Yan Lugu Gong." However, he was again demoted out of the capital in the second year of the Yongtai era (766) due to a conflict with the Prime Minister Yuan Zai. After Yuan Zai was executed, Yan Zhenqing returned to the capital as Minister of Personnel.
Yan Zhenqing was upright and incorruptible, serving as an honest and benevolent official. As a Censor, he was sent to Hebei and Longzhou. In Yuyuan (modern Linhe, Inner Mongolia), a case of injustice had long been unresolved, and the region was suffering from drought. When Yan Zhenqing resolved the case, it rained just in time. The people, grateful for his kindness, called this timely rain "the Censor's Rain." During his tenure as a local official in Pengzhou and Fuzhou, he was also praised for his relief efforts and irrigation projects.
In the first year of the Jianzhong era (780), the Duke of Lubei was already seventy-one years old. This highly respected veteran of four courts remained unwelcome to the Prime Ministers Yang Yan and Lu Qi due to his integrity. The most dramatic episode of Yan Zhenqing's life was his final struggle with Li Xili. The Huaxi Military Commissioner Li Xili had long harbored rebellious intentions and seized Runzhou (modern Linru, Henan) in the fourth year of the Jianzhong era. Lu Qi, seeking to settle a personal grudge, recommended sending Yan Zhenqing to persuade him, claiming that "Yan Zhenqing is trusted by all, and if he goes, the rebellion can be settled without a battle." When Yan Zhenqing met Li Xili in Xuzhou (located in modern Xuchang, Henan), before he could even deliver the imperial decree, the rebel's generals insulted the Duke of Lubei and threatened him with over a thousand armed bodyguards. Yet, Yan Zhenqing remained composed, and Li Xili had no choice but to dismiss his men and take him hostage. Li Xili used every means to coerce and tempt him, even digging a pit in the courtyard of Yan Zhenqing's residence, vowing to bury him alive to force his submission.
Yan Zhenqing remained steadfast and condemned him severely. With a mocking smile, he said to Li Xili, "Why bother with all this trouble? Just lend me a sword, and you will see the end of it!" Li Xili had his men pile wood in the courtyard, saying, "If you refuse to yield, you will be burned to death!" Yet, Yan Zhenqing showed no fear and walked straight into the fire, only to be stopped by his guards. Li Xili, helpless, ordered his eunuchs to strangle Yan Zhenqing in the Longxing Temple in Caizhou (modern Ruyang, Henan) in August of the first year of the Zhenyuan era (785).
Yan Zhenqing's life was half spent on the battlefield and in the complex struggles of the court. He dedicated his entire loyalty to the Tang Dynasty, truly becoming a loyal and incorruptible minister. The other half of his life was spent in the study, where he devoted himself to art, literature, and calligraphy, finding a tranquil realm. He also relentlessly pursued the pinnacle of calligraphy, becoming one of the greatest calligraphers in history.