Li Deyu (李德裕) | 24 Histories

Overview

Li Deyu was an official and Writer.

Life and dates

Death

AD 849 死海上
At at sea 海上
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 183, passage 68

Attested activity

AD 841 to AD 846 stele inscription composition
Strongly inferred · Old Book of Tang 180, passage 264
AD 833 to AD 849 唐衛公德裕
Strongly inferred · History of Song 357, passage 65
AD 827 to AD 835 太和中
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 181, passage 98
AD 846 宣宗嗣位
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 184, passages 12-13
AD 846 宣宗立
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 181, passages 117, 125, 127
AD 833 to AD 846 德裕
Strongly inferred · Old History of the Five Dynasties 60, passage 134

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AD 833 to AD 846 德裕之為將相也
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 60, passages 105-106
AD 833 to AD 835 德裕之相
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 175, passage 136
AD 847 德裕既斥
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 183, passage 64
AD 841 會昌初
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 180, passages 95, 100; New Book of Tang 22, passage 112
AD 841 to AD 846 會昌時
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 181, passage 116; New Book of Tang 183, passage 62
AD 833 to AD 849 李太尉平泉莊
Strongly inferred · Old History of the Five Dynasties 63, passage 142
AD 820 to AD 835 李德裕
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 114, passage 73
AD 833 李德裕
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 445, passage 199
AD 833 to AD 846 李德裕始與悰同輔政
Strongly inferred · New Book of Tang 183, passages 10-11
AD 833 to AD 849 李德裕平泉醒酒石
Dated from the passage context · New History of the Five Dynasties 45, passage 44
AD 821 to AD 846 李德裕謗牛僧孺 (Niu–Li factional strife)
Strongly inferred · Old History of the Five Dynasties 3, passage 16
AD 840 武宗初
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 181, passage 144
AD 840 武宗即位
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 44, passage 191
AD 840 to AD 846 武宗朝
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 56, passage 245
AD 849 死海上
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 183, passage 68
AD 833 to AD 840 浙西觀察使
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 183, passage 60
AD 835 甘露之變
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 172, passage 110
AD 820 to AD 824 穆宗
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 181, passages 72, 75

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Descendant of Grandfather of Li Deyu (李德裕之祖)
grandfather 祖 · paternal line · 2 generations
Sources vary in certainty · New Book of Tang 44, passage 207
Ancestor of Li Jingyi (李敬義)
grandson 孫 · paternal line · 2 generations
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 60, passage 98
Ancestor of Yan'gu (延古)
grandson 孫 · paternal line · 2 generations
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 45, passage 44
Ancestor of Li Xijing (李熙靖)
ninth-generation descendant 九世孫 · paternal line · 9 generations
Directly stated · History of Song 357, passage 65
Ancestor of Jingyi (敬義)
ancestor 祖 · paternal line
descendant 子孫 · paternal line
Strongly inferred · Old History of the Five Dynasties 60, passages 133-134
Parent of Child of Li Deyu (李德裕之子)
child 子
Strongly inferred · New History of the Five Dynasties 45, passage 44
Parent of Li Wei (李煒)
father 父 · paternal line
Strongly inferred · Old History of the Five Dynasties 60, passages 98-99

Kinship Role sons · Quantity unspecified
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 183, passage 63

Key source chapters

Career and standing

Confucian minister 儒臣
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 180, passage 264
observation commissioner of Zhexi 浙西觀察使
Appointed
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 181, passage 75
chief minister holding power 當國
AD 827 to AD 835 太和中 · Held
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 181, passage 98
general and minister 將相
AD 833 to AD 846 德裕之為將相也 · Held
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 60, passage 105
chancellor 宰相
AD 841 to AD 846 會昌時 · Held
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 183, passage 62
Chancellor 宰相
Held
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 22, passage 112

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chancellor 宰臣
Held
Strongly inferred · Old Book of Tang 180, passage 100
Chief Minister 宰相
Held
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 44, passage 191; New Book of Tang 184, passage 12
chief minister 宰輔
Held
Strongly inferred · Old History of the Five Dynasties 60, passage 134
chief minister 相位
Held
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 60, passage 120
chief minister 輔政
Held
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 183, passage 10
guardian of Luoyang 留守洛陽
Held
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 60, passage 106
observation commissioner of Zhexi 浙西觀察使
Held
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 183, passage 60
Grand Commandant 太尉
Held
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 63, passage 142
restored offices and titles 復官爵
AD 859 懿宗立 · Posthumously restored
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 183, passage 69
Duke of Wei 衛公
Held · Polity Tang 唐
Directly stated · History of Song 357, passage 65
Entered
AD 840 武宗初 · Returned to power
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 181, passage 144
Entered
Dismissed
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 183, passage 64
Left office
AD 846 宣宗立 · Dismissed from power
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 181, passage 117
Condemned
False factional condemnation
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 183, passage 68
Demoted
AD 846 宣宗立 · Demotion
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 181, passage 127

Places and affiliations

Polity Tang 唐 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 180, passage 100; Old History of the Five Dynasties 60, passages 105, 134; History of Song 357, passage 65; New Book of Tang 44, passage 191; New Book of Tang 56, passage 245; New Book of Tang 181, passages 98, 117, 144; New Book of Tang 183, passages 10, 62
Polity Tang 唐 · Relation Served
Strongly inferred · Old History of the Five Dynasties 63, passage 142
At Huainan 淮南 · Relation Posted to
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 183, passage 61
At Jiannan 劍南 · Relation Posted to
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 183, passage 61
At Luoyang 洛陽 · Relation Posted to
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 60, passage 106
At Pingquan estate 平泉莊 · Relation Owned
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 63, passage 142

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At Pingquan 平泉 · Relation Resided at
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 60, passage 106
At Zhexi 浙西 · Relation Posted to
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 183, passages 60-61

Works and attributed material

family admonition with preface and record 家戒序錄
Relation Author
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 60, passage 107
Record of Sacred Merit inscription 紀聖功銘
Relation Author
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 180, passage 118
Zanhuang Collection 讚皇集
Relation Associated collection
Strongly inferred · Old History of the Five Dynasties 60, passages 133-134
Record of Sacred Merit stele inscription 紀聖功銘
Relation Author
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 180, passage 264
Record of Sacred Merit 紀聖功銘
Relation Author
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 180, passages 118, 237-240
Ten Thousand Years Tune 萬斯年曲
Relation Commissioner
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 22, passage 112

Show 5 more source-backed claims

Inscription · Author · Direct quotation
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 60, passage 107
Record of Sacred Merit 紀聖功銘
Inscription · Author
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 180, passages 241-264
Memorial · Author · Direct quotation
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 180, passages 100-101
Memorial · Author
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 44, passages 200-201
Speech · Speaker
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 44, passages 205-213

Events and relationships

Abolished jinshi banquet customs
Administrative · Proposer
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 44, passages 200-201
Carved stele inscription
Scholarly · Author
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 180, passage 264
Memorialized demotion
AD 841 to AD 846 會昌時 · Legal · Accuser · With Cui Yuanzao (崔元藻)
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 181, passage 116
Returned to power
Political · Minister
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 181, passage 144
Styled one of three talents
Political · Member · With Yuan Zhen (元稹)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 181, passage 72
Used to execute Liu Zhen
Military judicial · Agent · With Liu Zhen (劉稹)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 56, passage 245

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Vilified
Political · Accuser · With Niu Sengru (牛僧孺)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 3, passage 16
Relation Resented · Person Bi Xian (畢諴)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 183, passage 11
Relation Patron of · Person Liu Ye (劉鄴)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 183, passage 63
Relation Rival of · Person Du Cong (杜悰)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 183, passage 10
Relation Vilified · Person Niu Sengru (牛僧孺)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 3, passage 16
Relation Patron of · Person Shen (紳)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 181, passage 98
Relation Patron of · Person Liu Sanfu (劉三復)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 183, passage 60

Assessments and attributes

Assessment blocked censors from reporting Xiang case findings to the emperor and relied on Shen's memorial to execute Xiang · Mode allegation Speaker Cui Yuanzao (崔元藻)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 181, passage 124
Assessment faults and crimes recited against him · Mode named-person-speech Speaker Zhang Chengye (張承業)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 60, passage 134
Assessment great merit for the royal house, moving between the provinces and the capital through many reigns · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 60, passage 105
Assessment partial-and-eccentric-argument · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 44, passage 214
Item Pingquan sobering stone 平泉醒酒石 · Relation Owned
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 45, passage 44
Item Pingquan villa 平泉別墅 · Relation Established
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 60, passage 106

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Item sobering stone 醒酒石 · Relation Associated with estate
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 63, passage 142
Item sobering stone 醒酒石 · Relation Possessed
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 60, passage 109

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 3, passage 16; Old History of the Five Dynasties 60, passage 134; Old History of the Five Dynasties 63, passage 135; New Book of Tang 44, passage 191; New Book of Tang 56, passage 245; New Book of Tang 172, passage 110; New Book of Tang 181, passage 98; New Book of Tang 183, passages 10, 60

References in the histories

Search passages

History

42 passages

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 3Volume 3 Book of Later Liang 3: Taizu Annals 3 · 1 passage

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故周子諒彈牛仙客，李德裕謗牛僧孺，皆以應圖讖為辭。 Hence Zhou Ziliang attacked Niu Senke and Li Deyu vilified Niu Sengru—each invoking the prophecy as proof.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 60Volume 60 Book of Later Tang 36: Biographies 12: Li Xiji, Wang Jian, Li Jingyi, Lu Rubi, Li Dexiu, Su Xun · 6 passages

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李敬義，本名延古，太尉衛公德裕之孫。 Li Jingyi, originally named Yangu, was a grandson of Grand Commandant and Duke of Wei, Li Deyu.

初，德裕之為將相也，大有勳於王室，出藩入輔，綿曆累朝； In his prime, when Deyu served as general and minister, he won great merit for the throne, moving between the provinces and the capital through many reigns;

有醒酒石，德裕醉即踞之，最保惜者。 Among them was a sobering stone on which Deyu would sit when drunk—the treasure he guarded most closely.

敬義知之，泣渭全義曰：「平泉別業，吾祖戒約甚嚴，子孫不肖，動違先旨。」 When Jingyi learned of it he wept and said to Quanyi, "At the Pingquan villa my grandfather's admonitions were strict; his unworthy descendants have again broken his will."

他日宴會，全義謂監軍曰：「李員外泣告，言內侍得衛公醒酒石，其祖戒堪哀，內侍能回遺否？」 At a later banquet Quanyi told the eunuch, "Vice Director Li came weeping to say you took Duke Wei's sobering stone; his grandfather's admonition makes the loss pitiable—can you return it?"

監軍張承業尤不悅本朝宰輔子孫，待敬義甚薄，或面折於公宴，或指言德裕過惡，敬義不得志，鬱憤而卒。 The eunuch commander Zhang Chengye especially disliked descendants of Tang chief ministers and treated Jingyi harshly, sometimes humiliating him at public feasts or reciting Li Deyu's faults; Jingyi failed to prosper and died of grief and anger.

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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洛陽監軍使嘗收得李太尉平泉莊醒酒石，全義求之，監軍不與，全義立殺之，其附勢作威也又如此。 When the Luoyang army supervisor acquired the sobering stone from Chancellor Li Deyu's Pingquan estate, Quanyi demanded it; refused, he had the man killed on the spot—another instance of bullying by power.

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 445Volume 445 Biographies 232: Wu Kedu, Zhu Yixin, Tu Keshou, An Weijun, Wen Ti, Jiang Chunlin · 1 passage

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窺竊神器之徒，姑置勿論，即功在社稷，如霍光、李德裕、張居正，亦以權寵太盛，傾覆相尋。 Those who stole the sacred vessel may be set aside; even those who served the altars of state, such as Huo Guang, Li Deyu, and Zhang Juzheng, because favor and power grew too great, downfall followed in turn.

History of Song, Chapter 357Volume 357 Biographies 116: He Guan, Li Xijing, Wang Yun, Tan Shiji, Mei Zhili, Cheng Zhen, Liu Yanqing · 1 passage

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李熙靖，字子安，常州晉陵人，唐衛公德裕九世孫也。 Li Xijing, courtesy name Zi'an, was a native of Jinling in Changzhou and a ninth-generation descendant of the Tang Duke of Wei, Li Deyu.

New Book of Tang, Chapter 22Volume 22 Treatises 12: Rites and Music 12 · 1 passage

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會昌初，宰相李德裕命樂工制《萬斯年曲》以獻。 Early Huichang saw Li Deyu commission Ten Thousand Years for presentation.

New Book of Tang, Chapter 44Volume 44 Treatises 39: Selecting and Appointing Officials 1 · 5 passages

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武宗即位，宰相李德裕尤惡進士。 When Wuzong ascended the throne, Chief Minister Li Deyu especially despised Jinshi degree-holders.

至是，德裕奏：「國家設科取士，而附黨背公，自為門生。 At this point Li Deyu memorialized: "The state established examinations to select officials, yet candidates form factions, betray the public interest, and style themselves the examiner's personal disciples.

德裕嘗論公卿子弟艱于科舉，武宗曰：「向聞楊虞卿兄弟朋比貴勢，妨平進之路。 Li Deyu once argued that sons of high ministers struggled in the civil examinations. Wuzong replied: "I have heard that the Yang Yuqing brothers formed factions with the powerful and blocked the path of fair advancement.

德裕曰：「鄭肅、封敖子弟皆有才，不敢應舉。 Li Deyu said: "The sons of Zheng Su and Feng Ao are all talented, yet they dare not sit for the examinations.

德裕之論，偏異蓋如此。 Li Deyu's argument was partial and eccentric in roughly this fashion.

New Book of Tang, Chapter 56Volume 56 Treatises 52: Punishment and Law · 1 passage

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武宗用李德裕誅劉稹等，大刑舉矣，而性嚴刻。 Wuzong, relying on Li Deyu, executed Liu Zhen and others; harsh punishments were fully applied, and his nature was stern and harsh.

New Book of Tang, Chapter 114Volume 114 Biographies 39: Cui Rong and Descendent Cong, Descendent Neng, Neng's Nephew: Shen You, Neng's Nephew an Qian, Neng's Son: Yan Ceng, Xu Yanbo, Su Weidao, Dou Lu Qin Wang · 1 passage

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宰相李宗閔以從裴度、李德裕所善，內不喜。 Chief Minister Li Zongmin disliked Cong inwardly because he was close to Pei Du and Li Deyu.

New Book of Tang, Chapter 172Volume 172 Biographies 97: Yu, Wang, Two Du's, Fan · 2 passages

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宰相李德裕建言：「河陽兵寡，以忠武為援，既以捍洛，則並制魏博。」 The chief minister Li Deyu argued: "Heyang's garrison is thin; Zhongwu should reinforce it—protect Luoyang and Weibo falls into our grip as well."

德裕以宰乘破竹勢不遂取澤州，以其子晏實守磁，為顧望計，帝有詔切責。 Zai had the momentum of a bamboo split wide open yet stalled before Zezhou while his son Yan Shi guarded Cizhou—a feint of hesitation—and the emperor sent down a stern rebuke.

New Book of Tang, Chapter 175Volume 175 Biographies 100: Dou, Liu, Two Zhangs, Yang, Xiong, Bai · 1 passage

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德裕之相，出為常州刺史。 When Deyu took the chancellorship, Yuqing was posted to Changzhou as prefect.

New Book of Tang, Chapter 181Volume 181 Biographies 106: Chen, Three Li's, Cao, Liu · 9 passages

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穆宗召為右拾遺、翰林學士，與李德裕、元稹同時，號「三俊」。 Muzong made him right remonstrance official and Hanlin academician; with Li Deyu and Yuan Zhen he was called one of the 'Three Talents.'

欲引牛僧孺，懼紳等在禁近沮解，乃授德裕浙西觀察使。 wishing to bring in Niu Sengru, he feared Shen and others near the throne would block him, and sent Deyu to Zhexi as observation commissioner.

太和中，李德裕當國，擢紳浙東觀察使。 During the Taihe reign, with Li Deyu in power, Shen was made observation commissioner of Zhedong.

德裕惡元藻持兩端，奏貶崖州司戶參軍。 Deyu despised Yuanzao's wavering and had him demoted to army adjutant of Yazhou.

宣宗立，德裕去位，紳已卒。 When Xuanzong succeeded, Deyu fell from power and Shen was already dead.

崔元藻銜德裕斥己，即翻其辭，因言：「御史覆獄還，皆對天子別白是非，德裕權軋天下，使不得對，具獄不付有司，但用紳奏而寘湘死。」 Cui Yuanzao, bitter at Deyu's demotion of him, reversed his story and said: "When censors return from reinvestigating cases they report findings directly to the emperor, but Deyu blocked this, withheld the full dossier from the courts, and relied solely on Shen's memorial to execute Xiang."

是時，德裕已失權，而宗閔故黨令狐、崔鉉、白敏中皆當路，因是逞憾，以利誘動元藻等，使三司結紳杖鉞作藩，虐殺良平，準神龍詔書，酷吏歿者官爵皆奪，子孫不得進宦，紳雖亡，請從《春秋》戮死者之比。 Deyu was already out of power, but Zongmin's allies Linghu, Cui Xuan, and Bai Minzhong controlled the government; they vented old grudges, bribed Yuanzao to change his story, and had the Three Offices find that Shen, as a frontier commissioner wielding the axe, had murdered the innocent; citing the Shenlong edict stripping dead cruel officials and barring their descendants, they demanded posthumous punishment of Shen under the Spring and Autumn precedent.

貶德裕等，擢汝納左拾遺，元藻武功令。 Deyu and others were demoted; Runa was made left remonstrance official and Yuanzao magistrate of Wugong.

武宗初，李德裕復入，三遷至尚書右丞，拜中書侍郎、同中書門下平章事。 Early in Wuzong's reign Li Deyu returned; after three promotions he became right vice director of the Department of State Affairs, then vice chancellor.

New Book of Tang, Chapter 183Volume 183 Biographies 108: Bi, Cui, Liu, Lu, Zheng, Zhu, Han · 9 passages

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李德裕始與悰同輔政，不協，故出悰劍南東川節度使。 Li Deyu had first served as chief minister together with Cong, but the two fell out, and Cong was therefore sent out as military commissioner of Jiannan Dongchuan.

故吏惟諴餞訊如平日，德裕忌之，出為慈州刺史。 Among his former subordinates, only Yan came to see him off and asked after his welfare as though nothing had changed. Deyu took offense at this and had Yan sent out as prefect of Cizhou.

李德裕為浙西觀察使，奇其文，表為掌書記。 When Li Deyu served as observation commissioner of Zhexi, he admired Sanfu's writing and recommended him as chief secretary.

德裕三領浙西及劍南、淮南，未嘗不從。 Deyu thrice held command over Zhexi, Jiannan, and Huainan, and Sanfu never failed to follow him.

會昌時，位宰相，擢三復刑部侍郎、弘文館學士。 During the Huichang era, when Deyu rose to the chancellorship, he promoted Sanfu to Vice Minister of Punishments and made him a scholar of the Hongwen Academy.

鄴六七歲能屬辭，德裕憐之，使與其子共師學。 When Ye was only six or seven he could already compose texts. Deyu took pity on him and had him study under the same teachers as his own sons.

德裕既斥，鄴無所依，去客江湖間。 After Deyu was dismissed from office, Ye had no patron to rely on and went off to wander as a guest among the rivers and lakes.

鄴傷德裕以朋黨抱誣死海上，令狐久當國，更數赦，不為還官爵。 Ye grieved that Deyu had died at sea, falsely condemned as a factionalist. Linghu Tao had long held power, and through one amnesty after another he refused to restore Deyu's offices and titles.

至懿宗立，去位，鄴乃申直其冤，復官爵，世高其義。 When Yizong came to the throne and Tao left office, Ye petitioned to rectify Deyu's wrong and had his offices and titles restored. His contemporaries greatly honored this act of righteousness.

New Book of Tang, Chapter 184Volume 184 Biographies 109: Ma, Yang, Lu, Lu · 2 passages

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植自以譽望在當時諸公右，久補外，還朝不得要官，為宰相李德裕所抑，內怨望。 Zhi believed his renown outranked the other leading men of the day; after long provincial service, he returned to court without receiving a key post and was held down by Chief Minister Li Deyu, nursing resentment inwardly.

宣宗嗣位，白敏中當國，凡德裕所不善，悉不次用之，故植以刑部侍郎領諸道鹽鐵轉運使，遷戶部，俄同中書門下平章事，進中書侍郎。 After Emperor Xuanzong took the throne, Bai Minzhong directed the state; everyone Li Deyu had disliked was promoted out of turn, so Zhi served as Vice Minister of Justice while heading the salt-and-iron transport commissioners of all circuits, moved to the Ministry of Revenue, and soon became Grand Councillor, rising to Vice Director of the Secretariat.

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 45Volume 45 Miscellaneous Biographies 25: Zhang Quanyi, Zhu Youqian, Yuan Xiangxian, Zhu Hanbin, Duan Ning, Liu Qi, Zhou Zhiyu, Lu Siduo · 1 passage

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全義監軍嘗得李德裕平泉醒酒石，德裕孫延古，因托全義復求之。 His army supervisor had taken Li Deyu’s Pingquan sobering stone. Deyu’s grandson Yan’gu asked Quanyi to get it back.