Kong Qian (孔謙) | 24 Histories

Overview

Kong Qian was a Later Tang Fiscal Official.

Life and dates

Death

AD 926 明宗即位
Execution
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 73, passages 134, 138
AD 926 明宗立
Execution · At Luoyang market 洛市
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 26, passage 78

Attested activity

AD 926 AD 923-926
Dated from the passage context · New History of the Five Dynasties 26, passage 45
AD 923 to AD 926 任吏人孔謙為租庸使
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 146, passage 8
AD 923 to AD 926 同光
Dated from the passage context · New History of the Five Dynasties 37, passage 63
AD 925 同光三年秋七月
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 33, passage 16
AD 924 同光二年
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 31, passage 70
AD 923 同光元年冬
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 93, passages 18-19

Show 9 more source-backed claims

AD 923 同光初
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 69, passage 77
AD 923 同光初
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 73, passage 101
AD 926 同光四年二月甲午
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 34, passage 37
AD 915 天祐十二年
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 73, passage 102
AD 923 to AD 926 孔謙侵削其權
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 63, passage 95
AD 926 明宗即位
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 73, passage 134
AD 923 to AD 926 租庸使孔謙領度支時
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 30, passage 113
AD 923 莊宗入汴
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 68, passage 147
AD 925 閏十二月
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 33, passages 193, 196

Key source chapters

Career and standing

clerk-advanced fiscal official 吏進
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 33, passage 196
clerk 吏人
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 146, passage 8
controller of finances 握利權
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 93, passage 19
commissioner of land tax and corvée 租庸使
AD 923 to AD 926 任吏人孔謙為租庸使 · Appointed
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 146, passage 8
overseer commissioner 監護使
AD 925 同光三年秋七月 · Appointed
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 33, passage 16
commissioner of taxation and corvée 租庸使
Appointed
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 73, passage 125

Show 7 more source-backed claims

Grain-and-Corvée Commissioner 租庸使
Appointed
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 26, passage 64
land-tax commissioner 租庸使
AD 924 同光二年 · Held
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 31, passage 71
deputy commissioner of taxation and corvée 租庸副使
AD 923 同光初 · Held
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 73, passage 101
rent-and-corvée commissioner 租庸使
AD 925 閏十二月甲午 · Held
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 33, passage 193
director of the Three Offices 三司使
Held
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 37, passage 63
Fiscal Commissioner 度支使
Held
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 26, passage 46
Tax and Corvée commissioner overseeing revenue 租庸使領度支
Held
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 30, passage 113

Places and affiliations

Polity Later Tang 後唐 · Relation Served
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 33, passage 16
Polity Later Tang 後唐 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 33, passage 193; Old History of the Five Dynasties 34, passage 37; Old History of the Five Dynasties 93, passage 19; New History of the Five Dynasties 30, passage 113
At Weizhou 魏州
Textual variant · Old History of the Five Dynasties 73, passages 100, 135
At Weizhou 魏州
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 26, passage 45

Works and attributed material

Memorial · Author
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 73, passages 126-129
Speech · Speaker · With Guo Chongtao (郭崇韜)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 69, passages 84-87; New History of the Five Dynasties 26, passage 52
Speech · Speaker · With Dou Luge (豆盧革)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 26, passage 59
Speech · Speaker · Quote true
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 73, passage 107
Speech · Speaker
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 69, passages 79-80

Events and relationships

Appointed
Appointment · Appointing official · With Yang Bin (楊邠)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 30, passage 113
Attached self to Jing Jin for favor
Court · Flatterer
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 34, passage 37
Imposed harsh exactions
AD 923 to AD 926 峻法以剝下，厚斂以奉上 · Political · Tax official
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 146, passage 8
Levied
AD 923 河上十餘年 · Fiscal · Administrator
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 26, passage 49
Ordered silk levy
AD 923 同光元年冬 · Fiscal · Issuer · At Bian 汴
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 93, passages 18-19
Tallied and issued grain at upper east gate
AD 925 閏十二月甲午 · Administrative · Distributor · At upper east gate 上東門
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 33, passages 193-194

Show 3 more source-backed claims

Relation Encroached on authority of · Person Zhang Quanyi (張全義)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 63, passage 95
Relation Client of · Person Jing Jin (景進)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 34, passage 37
Relation Treated as elder brother · Person Jing Jin (景進)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 37, passage 63

Assessments and attributes

Assessment devoted to accumulation and exploitation · Mode named-source-report Source Work Miscellaneous Notes from Northern Dreams 北夢瑣言
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 73, passage 137
Assessment harshly reimposed remitted levies, losing popular support · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 31, passage 70
Assessment knew no essentials of securing the state and aiding the people; only pursued urgent harsh levies · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 33, passage 196
Assessment stripped the people with harsh laws and heavy exactions yet still left military provisions short · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 146, passage 8

Source notes

Weizhou
Field native-place · Witness Zizhi Tongjian 通鑒
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 73, passage 100
Historicity historical
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 33, passages 16, 193; Old History of the Five Dynasties 34, passage 37; Old History of the Five Dynasties 146, passage 8; New History of the Five Dynasties 37, passage 63

References in the histories

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History

53 passages

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 31Volume 31 Book of Later Tang 7: Zhuangzong Annals 5 · 2 passages

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然自此權臣愎戾，伶官用事，吏人孔謙酷加賦斂，赦文之所原放，謙復刻剝不行，大失人心，始於此矣。 Yet from then on ministers turned stubborn, actors held power, and Kong Qian re-levied what the amnesty had freed—hearts were lost from this day.

庚午，租庸使孔謙奏：「諸道綱運客旅，多於私路苟免商稅，請令所在關防嚴加捉搦。」 On gengwu Kong Qian memorialized, "Transport convoys and traveling merchants on the circuits often evade commercial tax on private routes; order every pass and barrier to seize them strictly."

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 33Volume 33 Book of Later Tang 9: Zhuangzong Annals 7 · 3 passages

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以刑部尚書李琪充大行皇太后山陵禮儀使，河南尹張全義充山陵橋道排頓使，孔謙充監護使。 Li Qi of Punishments led the dowager's tomb rites; Zhang Quanyi of Henan handled roads and supply; Kong Qian oversaw the work.

州郡飛挽，旋給京師，租庸使孔謙日於上東門外佇望其來，算而給之。 Prefectures rushed grain in turn to the capital; rent-and-corvée commissioner Kong Qian daily waited at the upper east gate to tally and issue it.

孔謙比以吏進，故無保邦濟民之要務，唯以急刻賦斂為事。 Kong Qian had lately risen through clerks, so he knew no way to secure the state—he only made harsh levies his business.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 34Volume 34 Book of Later Tang 10: Zhuangzong Annals 8 · 1 passage

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孔謙附之以希寵，常呼為「八哥」。 Kong Qian flattered him and called him "Eighth Brother."

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 63Volume 63 Book of Later Tang 39: Biographies 15: Zhang Quanyi, Zhu Youqian · 1 passage

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先是，朱梁時供禦所費，皆出河南府，其後孔謙侵削其權，中官各領內司使務，或豪奪其田園居第，全義乃悉錄進納。 Under the Liang, imperial expenses had all been borne by the Henan prefecture; later Kong Qian stripped his authority, eunuchs took over inner bureau affairs, and some seized his estates by force; Quanyi then registered everything and turned it all over to the court.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 68Volume 68 Book of Later Tang 44: Biographies 20: Xue Tinggui, Cui Yi, Liu Yue, Liu Ye, Feng Shunqing, Dou Mengzheng, Li Baoyin, Gui Ai, Kong, Miao, Zhang Wenbao, Chen Yi, Liu Zan · 1 passage

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莊宗入汴，租庸副使孔謙以讚里人，表為鹽鐵判官。 When Zhuangzong took Bian, Deputy Grain-Tax Commissioner Kong Qian, a fellow townsman, recommended Zan as salt and iron commissioner.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 69Volume 69 Book of Later Tang 45: Biographies 21: Zhang Xian, Wang Zhengyan, Hu Zhuang, Cui Yisun, Meng Hu, Sun Yue, Zhang Yanlang, Liu Yanhao, Liu Yanlang · 7 passages

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時孔謙為租庸副使，常畏張憲挺特，不欲其領使，乃白郭崇韜留憲於魏州，請宰相豆盧革判租庸。 At that time Kong Qian was deputy commissioner of transport and corvée tax; he often feared Zhang Xian's uprightness and did not want him to head the commission, so he told Guo Chongtao to keep Xian at Weizhou and asked the chancellor Dou Luge to take charge of transport and corvée.

孔謙白云：「錢穀重務，宰相事多，簿籍留滯。」 Kong Qian reported, "Revenue and grain are weighty affairs; the chancellor has many duties and the ledgers are delayed."

意謂崇韜必令己代其任，時物議未允而止，謙沮喪久之。 He meant that Chongtao would surely have him replace the post, but public opinion at the time did not approve and it stopped; Qian was dejected for a long time.

孔謙、段徊白崇韜曰：「邦計雖重，在侍中眼前，但得一人為使即可。 Kong Qian and Duan Huai told Chongtao, "State revenue is weighty, but it is before the Vice Director's eyes—one man as commissioner will suffice.

正言在職，主諾而已，權柄出於孔謙。 In office Zhengyan merely assented; real authority lay with Kong Qian.

正言不耐繁浩，簿領縱橫，觸事遺忘，物論以為不可，即以孔謙代之，正言守禮部尚書。 Zhengyan could not bear the complexity; ledgers crisscrossed and he forgot matters at every turn. Public opinion held this unacceptable, so Kong Qian replaced him and Zhengyan remained minister of rites.

及孔謙專典軍賦，徵督苛急，明宗嘗切齒。 When Kong Qian monopolized military supplies and collection and requisition were harsh and urgent, Mingzong once gnashed his teeth.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 73Volume 73 Book of Later Tang 49: Biographies 25: Mao Zhang, Nie Yu, Wen Tao, Duan Ning, Kong Qian, Li Ye · 17 passages

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孔謙， Kong Qian,

謙本州之幹吏，上自天祐十二年，帝平定魏博，會計皆委製置。 Qian had been a capable clerk in the prefecture. From the twelfth year of Tianyou, when the emperor pacified Weibo, all fiscal accounting was placed under his management.

謙能曲事權要，效其才力，帝委以泉貨之務，設法箕斂，七八年間，軍儲獲濟。 Qian knew how to defer skillfully to the powerful and put his talents to use. The emperor entrusted him with fiscal affairs; he devised methods of heavy exaction, and over seven or eight years the army's stores were kept supplied.

及帝即位於鄴城，謙已當為租庸使。 When the emperor took the throne at Ye City, Qian ought already to have become commissioner of taxation and corvée.

物議以謙雖有經營濟贍之勞，然人地尚卑，不欲驟總重任。 Public opinion held that although Qian had worked hard to manage and supply provisions, his rank and standing were still too low, and people did not want to see him suddenly given chief responsibility.

樞密使郭崇韜舉魏博觀察判官張憲為租庸使，以謙為副，謙悒然不樂者久之。 Guo Chongtao, director of the Bureau of Military Affairs, recommended Zhang Xian, observation commissioner aide of Weibo, as commissioner of taxation and corvée and made Qian his deputy. Qian remained displeased for a long time.

帝既平梁汴，謙徑自魏州馳之行在，因謂崇韜曰：「魏都重地，須大臣彈壓，以謙籌之，非張憲不可。」 After the emperor had pacified Liang and Bian, Qian raced directly from Weizhou to the imperial camp and told Chongtao, "Ye is a critical territory and requires a senior minister to keep order. As I see it, no one but Zhang Xian will do."

謙彌失望，乃尋革過失。 Qian was all the more disappointed and set about looking for Ge's faults.

時革以手書便省庫錢數十萬，謙以手書示崇韜，亦辭避。 At the time Ge had used a personal note to draw several hundred thousand from the treasury for convenience. Qian showed the note to Chongtao, who also declined the post.

崇韜曰：「孔謙雖久掌貨泉，然物議未當居大任，以臣所見，當委張憲為便。」 Chongtao said, "Although Kong Qian has long managed fiscal affairs, public opinion holds that he should not yet hold great responsibility. In my view Zhang Xian would be the better choice."

謙乘間訴於豆盧革曰：「租庸錢穀，悉在眼前，委一小吏可辦。 Qian seized an opportunity to complain to Dou Lüge: "The revenues and grain of taxation and corvée are all right before one's eyes; a minor clerk could handle the task.

謙以正言非德非勳，懦而易製，曰：「此議為便。」 Qian, knowing Zhengyan lacked virtue and merit and was cowardly and easy to control, said, "This plan is convenient."

王正言風病恍惚，不能綜三司事，景進屢言於帝，乃以正言守禮部尚書，以謙為租庸使。 Wang Zhengyan suffered from wind ailment and mental confusion and could not manage the three offices. Jing Jin repeatedly spoke to the emperor, whereupon Zhengyan was made Minister of Rites and Qian was made commissioner of taxation and corvée.

謙以國用不足，奏：「諸道判官員數過多，請隻置節度、觀察、判官、書記、支使、推官各一員。 Citing insufficient state revenue, Qian memorialized: "The number of aides in the various circuits is excessive. I request that each circuit be limited to one military commissioner aide, one observation commissioner aide, one secretary, one staff officer, and one investigative officer.

《北夢瑣言》：明宗即位，誅租庸使孔謙等。 Miscellaneous Notes from Northern Dreams: When Emperor Mingzong took the throne, he executed commissioner of taxation and corvée Kong Qian and others.

孔謙者，魏州孔目。 Kong Qian had been a clerical officer in Weizhou.

莊宗圖霸，以供饋兵食，謙有力焉。 When Emperor Zhuangzong pursued hegemony, Qian contributed greatly to supplying the army with provisions.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 93Volume 93 Book of Later Jin 19: Biographies 8: Lu Zhi, Li Zhuanmei, Lu Zhan, Cui Zhuo, Xue Rong, Cao Guozhen, Zhang Renyuan, Zhao Xi, Li Xia, Yin Yuyu, Zheng Yunsou · 1 passage

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時孔謙握利權，志在聚斂，累移文於汴，配民放絲，質堅論之，事雖不行，時論賞之。 At that time Kong Qian controlled the finances and was intent on squeezing revenue; he repeatedly sent orders to Bian requiring the people to be levied for silk deliveries. Zhi argued vigorously against this, and although the measure was not carried out, public opinion praised him.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 146Volume 146: Treatises 8 Finance and Economics · 1 passage

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及莊宗平定梁室，任吏人孔謙為租庸使，峻法以剝下，厚斂以奉上，民產雖竭，軍食尚虧。 After Emperor Zhuangzong overthrew the Liang, he put the clerk Kong Qian in charge of land tax and corvée. Kong applied harsh laws to squeeze the populace and heavy exactions to fill the court's coffers; even when civilian wealth was drained dry, army rations still fell short.

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 26Volume 26 Later Tang Biographies 6: Fu Xi, Wu Zhen, Kong Qian, Zhang Yanlang, Li Yan, Li Renju, Mao Zhang · 17 passages

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孔謙，魏州人也，為魏州孔目官。 Kong Qian came from Weizhou and served as a clerical officer there.

謙為人勤敏，而傾巧善事人，莊宗及其左右皆悅之。 Qian was quick and clever, slick at pleasing men. Zhuangzong and his court liked him.

晉與梁相拒河上十餘年，大小百餘戰，謙調發供饋，未嘗闕乏，所以成莊宗之業者，謙之力為多，然民亦不勝其苦也。 For more than ten years Jin and Liang fought on the river in a hundred battles, large and small. Qian kept the levies and the grain flowing and never failed Zhuangzong’s cause—but the people groaned under him.

莊宗初建大號，謙自謂當為租庸使，而郭崇韜用魏博觀察使判官張憲為使，以謙為副。 When Zhuangzong took the imperial title, Qian expected to become grain-and-corvée commissioner. Guo Chongtao instead made Zhang Xian, secretary to the Weibo observation commissioner, commissioner—with Qian as his deputy.

謙已怏怏。 Qian was already bitter.

既而莊宗滅梁，謙從入汴，謂崇韜曰：「鄴，北都也，宜得重人鎮之，非張憲不可。」 When Zhuangzong destroyed Liang and entered Bian, Qian told Chongtao: “Ye is the northern capital and needs a heavy hand. Only Zhang Xian will do.”

謙益失望，乃陰求革過失，而革嘗以手書假租庸錢十萬，謙因以書示崇韜，而微泄其事，使革聞之。 Qian grew more disappointed and hunted for Ge’s faults. Ge had once borrowed a hundred thousand in grain funds in his own hand. Qian showed the note to Chongtao and let the story leak until Ge heard it.

崇韜曰：「孔謙雖長於金谷，而物議未可居大任，不若復用張憲。」 Chongtao said, “Kong Qian knows the ledgers, but men say he is unfit for high office. Better to recall Zhang Xian.”

憲為人明辯，人頗忌之，謙因乘間謂革曰：「租庸錢谷，悉在目前，委一小吏可辦。 Xian was sharp-tongued and clear-minded, and many resented him. Qian seized the moment and told Ge, “The grain money is all here in the office. A petty clerk could run it.

謙益憤憤，因求解職。 Qian grew angrier still and asked to quit.

已而正言病風，不任事，景進數以為言，乃罷正言，以謙為租庸使，賜「豐財贍國功臣」。 Before long Zhengyan was struck with paralysis and could not serve. Jing Jin kept pressing the point. Zhengyan was removed, Qian got the commission, and the throne gave him the title "Meritorious in Enriching Wealth and Nourishing the State."

謙無佗能，直以聚斂為事。 Qian had no other gift. He lived to squeeze.

莊宗初即位，推恩天下，除百姓田租，放諸場務課利欠負者，謙悉違詔督理。 When Zhuangzong first ascended he cancelled land tax and wiped market debts across the realm. Qian ignored every word and kept collecting.

而謙直以租庸帖調發諸州，不關觀察，觀察使交章論理，以謂：「制敕不下支郡，刺史不專奏事，唐制也。 Qian instead issued grain-and-corvée orders straight to the prefectures, cutting observation commissioners out. They protested in joint memorials: “Edicts do not go to branch prefectures, and prefects do not memorialize on their own—that is Tang law.

詔從其請，而謙不奉詔，卒行直帖。 The throne agreed—but Qian ignored the edict and kept issuing direct orders.

明宗立，下詔暴謙罪，斬於洛市，籍沒其家。 When Mingzong took the throne he published Qian’s crimes, beheaded him in the Luoyang market, and seized his property.

明宗入立，誅租庸使孔謙而廢其使職，以大臣一人判戶部、度支、鹽鐵，號曰判三司。 When Mingzong seized the throne he executed Kong Qian and abolished the grain-and-corvée commission. One great minister then judged Household, Fiscal Affairs, and Salt Iron—the “three bureaus.”

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 30Volume 30 Later Han Biographies 10: Su Fengji, Shi Hongzhao, Yang Bin, Wang Zhang, Liu Zhu, Li Ye, Nie Wenjin, Hou Zan, Guo Yunming · 1 passage

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少為州掌籍吏，租庸使孔謙領度支，補邠勾押官，歷孟、華、鄆三州糧料院使。 As a youth he kept the prefectural registers. Kong Qian of the Tax and Corvée Bureau made him auditing officer; he rose through grain commissions in Meng, Hua, and Yun.

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 37Volume 37 Biographies 17: · 1 passage

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每進奏事殿中，左右皆屏退，軍機國政皆與參決，三司使孔謙兄事之，呼為「八哥」。 When Jin came to report, the room was cleared; he sat in on war and policy; Kong Qian of the Three Offices called him “Eighth Brother” and bowed to him like kin.