Han Huang (韓滉) | 24 Histories

Overview

Han Huang was a Tang Statesman and Transport Commissioner.

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 786 貞元二年
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 150, passages 151, 155-157
AD 766 to AD 779 大曆故事
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 127, passage 191
AD 777 to AD 779 大歷
Strongly inferred · New Book of Tang 55, passages 130, 132
AD 777 to AD 779 常袞當國
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 150, passages 72, 74
AD 783 建中四年
Dated from the passage context · Old Book of Tang 126, passage 137; Old Book of Tang 130, passage 137; Old Book of Tang 131, passages 6, 142
AD 779 to AD 805 德宗初
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 161, passage 80

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AD 766 永泰二年後
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 51, passages 157, 160
AD 778 to AD 799 浙江東、西道觀察使韓滉辟為推官
Dated from the passage context · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 8
AD 786 to AD 787 貞元二年至三年
Dated from the passage context · Old Book of Tang 129, passages 208, 210
AD 785 to AD 787 貞元初…度支使韓滉
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 127, passage 161
AD 785 to AD 786 貞元初
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 53, passages 82, 89
AD 778 to AD 799 韓滉辟為推官 (between Dali 13 and Zhenyuan 15)
Dated from the passage context · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 36

Key source chapters

Career and standing

sole director of expenditure, salt-iron, and transport for all circuits 專領度支諸道鹽鐵、轉運等使
Appointed
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 150, passage 157
chief minister entrusted with troops, provisions, salt and iron, and prosecutions 委政
AD 786 to AD 787 貞元二年至三年 · Held
Dated from the passage context · Old Book of Tang 129, passage 208
disbursement commissioner 度支使
AD 785 to AD 787 貞元初 · Held
Dated from the passage context · Old Book of Tang 127, passage 161
observation commissioner of the eastern and western Zhejiang circuits 浙江東、西道觀察使
Held · At Zhejiang circuits 浙江東、西道
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 8
observation commissioner of the eastern and western Zhejiang circuits 浙江東、西道觀察使
Held
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 36
Vice Minister of Revenue and Acting Expenditure Commissioner 戶部侍郎、判度支
Held
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 51, passage 160

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Vice Minister of Revenue and Revenue Commissioner 戶部侍郎判度支
Held
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 55, passage 132
transport commissioner 轉運
Held
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 150, passages 151, 155
Jianghuai transport commissioner 江淮轉運使
Restored
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 150, passage 156

Places and affiliations

Polity Tang 唐 · Relation Associated with
Strongly inferred · Old Book of Tang 129, passage 208
Polity Tang 唐 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 126, passage 137; Old Book of Tang 153, passage 8; Old Book of Tang 157, passage 36; New Book of Tang 51, passage 160; New Book of Tang 150, passage 151
Polity Tang 唐 · Relation Served
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 53, passage 82; New Book of Tang 55, passage 132
At Shangyuan 上元 · Relation Active at
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 126, passage 137

Works and attributed material

Recommended Yao for office
Memorial · Author
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 8
Memorial · Author · With Yao Nanzhong (姚南仲) · Paraphrased
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 36

Events and relationships

Beat an official to death within the ministry
AD 787 貞元三年 · Legal · Perpetrator
Dated from the passage context · Old Book of Tang 129, passage 211
Blocked abolition of transport office
Political · Opponent · With Cui Zao (崔造)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 150, passage 156
Came from Zhexi and was entrusted with government
AD 786 to AD 787 貞元二年至三年 · Political · Minister · At Zhexi 浙西
Dated from the passage context · Old Book of Tang 129, passage 208
Canal transport to Dongwei Bridge
Logistical · Transporter · With Du Ya (杜亞)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 150, passage 151
Dali era division of finance
AD 766 to AD 779 大曆故事 · Administrative · Precedent · With Liu Yan (劉晏)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 127, passage 191
Detained Bao Ji at Shangyuan
Political · Detainer · With Bao Ji (包佶)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 126, passage 137

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Detained troops who crossed the river with Bao Ji
Military · Detainer · With Bao Ji (包佶)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 126, passage 139
Directed transport, defended the existing system, and impeached Yuan Xiu
Administrative · Official
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 53, passages 82, 89
Eased severity after Hun's rebuke
Political · Minister
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 129, passage 213
Requested acting Grand Councilors receive pay equal to regular commissioners at the higher rate
Political · Proposer
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 55, passage 132
Shared finance with yan
Fiscal · Commissioner · With Liu Yan (劉晏)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 51, passage 160
Relation Patron of · Person Yao Nanzhong (姚南仲)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 36
Relation Recruiter of · Person Yao Nanzhong (姚南仲)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 8

Assessments and attributes

Assessment favored by the emperor; court depended on his supplies · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 150, passage 155

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 126, passage 137; Old Book of Tang 129, passage 208; New Book of Tang 51, passage 160; New Book of Tang 55, passage 132

References in the histories

Search passages

History

27 passages

Old Book of Tang, Chapter 127Volume 123 Biographies 73: Liu Yan, Di Wuqi, Ban Hong, Ban Shao, Li Xun · 2 passages

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貞元初，仍歲旱蝗，上以賦調為急，改戶部侍郎，為度支使韓滉之副。 At the start of the Zhenyuan era, drought and locusts struck year after year and tax collection became the emperor's top priority; Ban Hong was made vice minister of revenue and deputy to fiscal chief Han Huang.

由是遵大歷故事，如劉晏、韓滉所分。 The court then reverted to the Dali-era arrangement, dividing finance as Liu Yan and Han Huang once had.

Old Book of Tang, Chapter 129Volume 125 Biographies 75: Zhang Yi, Liu Congyi, Xiao Fu, Liu Hun · 4 passages

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先時，韓滉自浙西入覲，朝廷委政待之，至於調兵食，籠鹽鐵，勾官吏贓罰，鋤豪強兼並，上悉仗焉。 Earlier, Han Huang came from Zhexi to attend court. The court entrusted him with government and relied on him for adjusting troops and provisions, controlling salt and iron, investigating official corruption, and uprooting powerful families' encroachments. The emperor wholly depended on him.

渾雖滉所引，心惡其專政，正色讓之曰：「先相公以狷察為相，不滿歲而罷； Though Hun had been introduced by Han Huang, he hated Huang's monopoly of power at heart and said sternly in rebuke, "The former chief minister served through narrow scrutiny and was dismissed before a year had passed;

今相公搒吏於省中至死，且非刑人之地，奈何蹈前非而又甚焉？ now you beat an official to death within the ministry—and this is not a place for punishing men. Why repeat the former fault and make it even worse?

滉感悟愧悔，為霽威焉。 Han Huang was moved to awareness and shame and thereupon eased his severity.

Old Book of Tang, Chapter 130Volume 126 Biographies 76: Li Kui, Li Han, Chen Shaoyou, Lu Yue, Pei Xu · 2 passages

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至上元，復為韓滉所拘留。 At Shangyuan he was detained again by Han Huang.

隨佶渡江者，又為韓滉所留，佶但領胥吏往江、鄂等州。 Those who crossed the river with Ji were detained by Han Huang as well, and Ji went on to Jiang, E, and other prefectures with only a few clerks.

Old Book of Tang, Chapter 131Volume 127 Biographies 77: Yao Lingyan, Zhang Guangcheng, Yuan Xiu, Qiao Lin, Zhang She, Jiang Zhen, Hong Jinglun, Peng Yan · 3 passages

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時戶部侍郎、判度支韓滉上言：「河中鹽池生瑞鹽，實土德之上瑞。」 At that time Han Huang, Vice Minister of Revenue and commissioner of the treasury, memorialized: "The salt ponds of Hezhong have produced auspicious salt—truly a supreme omen of the virtue of Earth."

鎮奏與滉同，仍上表賀，請宣付史館，並請置神祠，錫其嘉號寶應靈慶池。 Zhen reported in agreement with Huang, still submitted a congratulatory memorial, asked that it be proclaimed to the History Office, and also asked to establish a spirit shrine, bestowing the honorable title Pool of Treasure Response and Spiritual Blessing.

韓滉慮鹽戶減稅，詐奏雨不壞池，池生瑞鹽，鎮庇之飾詐，識者醜之。 Han Huang, fearing reduced salt-tax from the salt households, falsely reported that rain did not harm the ponds and that the ponds produced auspicious salt; Zhen shielded him and embellished the fraud—those who knew were ashamed of them.

Old Book of Tang, Chapter 157Volume 153 Biographies 103: Yao Nanzhong, Liu Nai, Yuan Gao, Duan Pingzhong, Xue Cuncheng, Lu Tan · 1 passage

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浙江東、西道觀察使韓滉辟為推官，奏授殿中侍御史、內供奉，充支使。 Han Huang, commissioner observing the eastern and western Zhejiang circuits, recruited him as investigating officer and memorialized to make him Palace Attendant Censor and inner attendant, with duty as supply commissioner.

New Book of Tang, Chapter 51Volume 51 Treatises 47: Finance and Economics 1 · 1 passage

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及琦貶，以戶部侍郎、判度支韓滉與晏分治。 After Qi's demotion, Han Huang as vice minister of revenue shared fiscal duties with Yan.

New Book of Tang, Chapter 53Volume 53 Treatises 43: Finance and Economics 3 · 6 passages

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增江淮之運，浙江東、西歲運米七十五萬石，復以兩稅易米百萬石，江西、湖南、鄂岳、福建、嶺南米亦百二十萬石，詔浙江東、西節度使韓滉，淮南節度使杜亞運至東、西渭橋倉。 Jiang-Huai shipments rose: eastern and western Zhejiang moved 750,000 shi yearly, another million shi bought with dual-tax revenue, and Jiangxi, Hunan, E'yue, Fujian, and Lingnan added 1.2 million shi. Han Huang and Du Ya were ordered to deliver to the eastern and western Wei Bridge granaries.

崔造厚元琇，而韓滉方領轉運，奏國漕不可改。 Zao favored Yuan Xiu, but Han Huang still ran transport and argued that national grain logistics must not be dismantled.

帝亦雅器滉，復以為江淮轉運使。 The emperor respected Huang and reappointed him Jiang-Huai transport commissioner.

元琇嫉其剛，不可共事，因有隙。 Yuan Xiu resented Huang's harsh manner; they could not cooperate and a feud opened.

琇稱疾罷，而滉為度支、諸道鹽鐵、轉運使，於是崔造亦罷。 Xiu resigned on grounds of illness. Huang took revenue, salt and iron, and transport; Zao fell soon after.

滉遂劾琇常餫米淄青、河中，而李納、懷光倚以構叛，貶琇雷州司戶參軍，尋賜死。 Huang accused Xiu of feeding Ziqing and Hezhong—supplies Li Na and Li Huaiguang relied on in their rebellions. Xiu was banished to Leizhou as registrar and soon ordered to take his own life.

New Book of Tang, Chapter 55Volume 55 Treatises 51: Finance and Economics 4 · 1 passage

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至是戶部侍郎判度支韓滉請同正官，從高而給之。 Han Huang, Vice Minister of Revenue, then petitioned that such appointees receive the same pay as regular commissioners, at the higher rate.

New Book of Tang, Chapter 150Volume 150 Biographies 75: Li, Chang, Zhao, Cui, Qi, Lu · 6 passages

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時韓滉使度支，與袞皆任情輕重。 At that time Han Huang handled the office of revenue; he and Gun both adjusted amounts as they pleased.

滉惡國子司業張參，袞惡太子少詹事趙惎，皆少給之。 Huang hated Zhang Can, Vice Director of the Directorate; Gun hated Zhao Ji, the Heir Apparent's Junior Administrator. Both men received reduced stipends.

而浙江東、西歲入米七十五萬石，方歲饑，更以兩稅準米百萬，豪、壽、洪、潭二十萬，責韓滉杜亞漕送東渭橋。 Zhejiang East and West had previously delivered 750,000 shi of grain each year. In a year of famine the quota was raised to the two-tax equivalent of one million shi, with Hao, Shou, Hong, and Tan together supplying 200,000. Han Huang and Du Ya were ordered to transport the grain by canal to Dongwei Bridge.

時滉方領轉運，有寵於帝，朝廷仰其須。 At the time Han Huang was still in charge of transport and enjoyed the emperor's favor; the court depended on him for supplies.

滉持不可改，帝重違之，復以滉滉為江淮轉運使，余如造請。 Huang insisted the arrangement could not be changed. Unwilling to override him, the emperor restored Han Huang as Jianghuai transport commissioner, while the rest of the plan went forward as Zao had proposed.

是秋，江淮米大集，帝美滉功，以滉專領度支諸道鹽鐵、轉運等使。 That autumn grain from the Jianghuai region poured in. The emperor praised Huang's achievement and put him in sole charge of expenditure, salt and iron, transport, and related offices for all circuits.

New Book of Tang, Chapter 161Volume 161 Biographies 86: Zhang, Zhao, Li, Zheng, Xu, Wang, Feng, Yu · 1 passage

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及治衢，不為觀察使韓滉所容，奏免官。 When governing Quzhou, he was not tolerated by observation commissioner Han Huang, who memorialized for his dismissal.