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

Author: Che Jixin
Publisher:
Publishing Date: Not available
Features:
Excerpt: "Fan Shu" is a script used to record the Tangut language. Although its form is largely based on the six methods of Chinese character construction (i.e., pictographs, ideographs, phonetic compounds, compound ideographs, mutual reference, and borrowed characters), it also has its 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. Compound ideographs are more numerous than in Chinese, while pictographs and ideographs are rare. The semantic part of phonetic compounds similar to Chinese phonetic compounds does not represent the form and is fewer in number 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 there are also many unique characters with interchangeable left and right orientations. Etc. The work of creating characters by Yeli Renrong likely began when Yuanhao ascended the throne, and after several years of effort, it was finally completed in the third year of Guangyun (1036). 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 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 renamed the third year of Guangyun as the first year of Daqing to celebrate it. In November, two institutions, the "Fan Shu Yuan" (Institution for Fan Script) and the "Hanzi Yuan" (Institution for Han Characters), were established in the government. These two institutions were similar to the Hanlin Academy in the Tang and Song dynasties. Since the "Fan Script" was the "National Script," the "Fan Shu Yuan" held a very high status, and Yuanhao appointed Yeli Renrong as the chief director. Officials serving in the two institutions were responsible for drafting documents, edicts, and foreign correspondence. For correspondence with the Song Dynasty, the central government used Han characters with Fan characters written alongside, drafted by the "Hanzi Yuan"; for correspondence with Tubo, Uyghur, and other countries in the Western Regions, the central government used Fan characters with the characters of the respective countries as supplements, drafted by the "Fan Shu Yuan." From then on, the Fan script 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 script documents are still quite abundant, totaling no less than several million characters. While creating the script, Yeli Renrong also assisted Yuanhao in establishing a central government system modeled on the Song Dynasty system in the second year of XianDao (1033) in May. The central government institutions under the emperor included: the Zhongshu Sheng (Chancellery), the Simu Yuan (Military Secretariat), the Sansi (Financial Bureau), the Yutai (Censorate), the Kaifeng Fu (Capital Administration), the Yiwei Si (Guardian Department), the Guoji Si (Personnel Department), the Shouna Si (Receiving Department), the Nongfan Si (Agricultural Department), the Qunmu Si (Pasture Department), the Feilong Yuan (Imperial Stable), the Mokan Si (Assessment Department), and the Wenxi Yuan (Imperial Craft Department), etc. Their responsibilities included: the Zhongshu Sheng, Simu Yuan, and Sansi were the highest administrative bodies for national politics, military affairs, and finance; the Yutai was responsible for supervision and impeachment; the Kaifeng Fu was established by borrowing the name of the local government of the Song Dynasty's capital 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; the Shouna Si was responsible for storage, preservation, and distribution of revenues and expenditures; the Nongfan Si was responsible for agricultural water conservancy and grain price stabilization; the Qunmu Si was responsible for horse breeding, training, and management; 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, from the Zhongshu Ling (Chancellor) and Simu Shi (Military Secretary) to the Yushi Daifu (Grand Censor) and Shizhong (Chancellor of the Imperial Secretariat), could be held by Tangut and Han people. To highlight ethnic characteristics, these positions had names in Tangut, known in history as "Fan Hao" (Tangut titles), such as Muning Ling, Ning Ling, Dinglu, Sujie, Zuru, Lize, and Siming, etc. Probably because Yuanhao had not yet formally declared himself emperor, positions such as the Zhongshu Ling and Simu Shi were not immediately appointed. At that time, ministers were only given "Fan Hao." Yeli Renrong was appointed as "Muning Ling," translated into Chinese as "Tian Da Wang" (Great King of Heaven). With a bureaucratic system 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 and music. Their music included the pipa, xiao, and flute, with clapping on drums as the rhythm. The Qiang flute was once quite famous in history. Since their 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. When Tuoba Siguang served as the Military Commissioner of Xiazhou, Emperor Xizong of the Tang Dynasty granted him a complete set of wind instruments, so their music became melodious and clear, gradually taking on 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 warfare. We should not blindly adopt the cumbersome rituals and of the Tang and Song dynasties." Under the leadership of Yeli Renrong, the system of rites and music was reformed with a focus on practicality. In occasions of joy and sorrow, for guests, for ancestral rites, and for banquets, the nine bows of Han rites were reduced to three, and the five tones of Han music were reduced to one. He ordered the entire country to follow this, with the punishment of death for those who did not comply. This greatly simplified system of rites and music was called "Fan Li" (Tangut Rites), which stood in contrast to the original "Han Li," each representing different cultural customs and having a profound impact on Western Xia society. After meticulous preparation, 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. With the support of his trusted ministers, Yeli Renrong, Yang Shousu, and others, Yuanhao formally ascended the throne as emperor, proclaiming the state as Da Xia and changing the era to Tian Shou Li Fa Yan Zuo. Yuanhao immediately enfeoffed his ministers according to the new system, appointing Yeli Renrong as the Zhongshu Ling, responsible for military and state strategies, officially becoming the prime minister of Western Xia. The following year in May, to facilitate the implementation of decrees and laws written in "Fan Shu," and to train officials, Yuanhao established the "Fan Xue" (Tangut School), appointing Yeli Renrong as its director. The Fan Xue not only taught the Fan script but also studied Han culture through translating Han classics to master the skills of governing a feudal state. Talented students from Tangut and Han official families were selected to study there, and based on their academic performance, they were tested and assigned positions. Afterward, Fan Xue were also established in various prefectures. 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 focused solely on the "Fan Hao" Muning Ling,、. From then on, in addition to assisting Yuanhao in governing the state, he dedicated himself to the development of Fan Xue. Under his leadership, classical texts such as the "Xiao Jing" (Classic of Filial Piety), the "Erya" (Explaining Words), and the "Four-Character" (Miscellaneous Characters) were translated into Fan script. 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, lamenting: "Oh, heaven! Why did you take away my right arm so quickly!" Yeli Renrong was buried in a grand ceremony and posthumously honored as the of Fuping. During the reign of Emperor Renzong of Western Xia, he was further posthumously honored as the King 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," "The Complete Biography of Chinese Empresses," and "The Complete Biography of Chinese Chancellors." This book features numerous subjects and spans a long period of time, utilizing a vast amount 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 sincerely invite readers to criticize and correct them. The entire book was edited under the guidance of the chief editor, 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 the Western Jin Dynasty; Wang Dajian for the period from the Eastern Jin Dynasty to the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms; and Li Xiao for the period from the Northern Song Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty. Che Jixin reviewed all the manuscripts, and Liu Dezeng assisted the chief editor in many organizational and coordinating tasks. During the writing process, we consulted several experts, including Professor An Zuozhang, a Ph.D. supervisor and professor at Shandong Normal University, and Professor Meng Xiangcai, a Ph.D. supervisor and professor at Shandong University. 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 historical figures. Mr. Xiao Can of Shandong Fine Arts Publishing House took all the color illustrations. We deeply appreciate their guidance and assistance.
Editors, May 1996