Lu Tan (盧坦) | 24 Histories

Overview

Lu Tan was an official and Judge.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Courtesy name	Baoheng	保衡	Bǎohéng

Life and dates

Death

AD 796 貞元十二年九月
Age Value: 69 · Unit: sui
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 268
AD 796 貞元十二年九月
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 295

Age

69
AD 796 貞元十二年九月 · Reckoning Sui
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 295
69
AD 796 貞元十二年九月 · Unit sui · Point death
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 268

Attested activity

AD 796 貞元十二年九月
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 295
AD 797 坦嘗為義成軍判官
Strongly inferred · Old Book of Tang 153, passages 234-239
AD 796 貞元十二年九月
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 268

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Child of Lu Luan (盧巒)
father 父
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 262
Child of Luan (巒)
father 父
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 235
Parent of Son of Lu Tan (盧坦子)
son 子
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 173, passage 102

Kinship Role ancestors · Quantity unspecified · moved from Fanyang to Luoyang
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 234
moved from Fanyang to Luoyang
Kinship Role ancestors · Quantity unspecified
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 261

Key source chapters

Career and standing

county magistrate 令
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 242; Old Book of Tang 157, passage 269
judge of the Yicheng Army 義成軍判官
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 236; Old Book of Tang 157, passage 263
Vice Minister of Justice 刑部侍郎
AD 808 三年 · Appointed
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 284
Vice Minister of Justice 刑部侍郎
AD 808 三年 · Appointed
Dated from the passage context · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 257
Vice Censor-in-chief 中丞
AD 807 to AD 813 及武元衡為宰相 · Appointed
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 277
Vice Censor-in-chief 中丞
AD 808 及武元衡為宰相 · Appointed
Dated from the passage context · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 250

Show 19 more source-backed claims

Military Commissioner of Eastern Sichuan in Jiannan 劍南東川節度使
Appointed
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 266
Military Commissioner of Jiannan East Chuan 劍南東川節度使
Appointed
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 293
Observation Commissioner of Xuan, She, and Chi 宣歙池觀察使
Appointed
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 256; Old Book of Tang 157, passage 283
Vice Director of the Storehouse Office 庫部員外郎
Appointed
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 244; Old Book of Tang 157, passage 271
Right Mentor of the Heir Apparent 右庶子
Demoted to
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 282
Right Subvisor 右庶子
Demoted to
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 255
Salt and Iron Transport Commissioner 鹽鐵轉運使
AD 808 三年 · Held concurrently
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 284
Salt and Iron Transport Commissioner 鹽鐵轉運使
AD 808 三年 · Held concurrently
Dated from the passage context · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 257
Serving Censor supervising miscellaneous matters 侍御史、知雜事
Held concurrently
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 244; Old Book of Tang 157, passage 271
Magistrate of Shou'an 壽安令
AD 797 後為壽安令 · Held
Dated from the passage context · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 239
Acting Expenditure Commissioner 判度支
Held
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 54, passage 234
judge of the Yicheng Army 義成軍判官
Held
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 236; Old Book of Tang 157, passage 263
Magistrate of Shou'an 壽安令
Held
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 266
Vice Minister of Revenue overseeing the Revenue Office 戶部侍郎、判度支
AD 808 三年 · Transferred
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 284
Vice Minister of Revenue overseeing the Revenue Office 戶部侍郎、判度支
AD 808 三年 · Transferred
Dated from the passage context · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 257
Minister of Rites 禮部尚書
AD 796 貞元十二年九月 · Awarded posthumously
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 268
Minister of Rites 禮部尚書
AD 796 貞元十二年九月 · Posthumously awarded
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 295
forfeiture of magistrate's salary 罰令俸
Received
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passages 269-270
forfeiture of the magistrate's salary 罰令俸
Received
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passages 242-243

Places and affiliations

Polity Tang 唐 · Relation Served
Strongly inferred · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 236; Old Book of Tang 157, passage 268; New Book of Tang 173, passage 101
Polity Tang 唐 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passages 250, 258; Old Book of Tang 157, passage 263; New Book of Tang 54, passage 234
Polity Tang 唐 · Relation Served
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 53, passage 106
At Luoyang, Henan 河南洛陽
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 234; Old Book of Tang 157, passage 261
AD 807 to AD 813 命坦分司東都
At eastern capital 東都 · Relation Posted to
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 277
AD 808 命坦分司東都
At Eastern Capital 東都 · Relation Posted to
Dated from the passage context · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 250

Show 14 more source-backed claims

AD 797 坦護喪歸東都
At eastern capital 東都 · Relation Traveled to
Strongly inferred · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 238
At eastern capital 東都 · Relation Traveled to
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 265
At Eastern Chuan, Jiannan 劍南東川 · Relation Posted to
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 266
At Fanyang 范陽 · Relation Ancestral origin
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 261
At Fanyang 范陽 · Relation Ancestral place
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 234
At Henan 河南 · Relation Posted to
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 240
At Jiannan East Chuan 劍南東川 · Relation Posted to
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 293
At Luoyang 洛陽 · Relation Native of
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 234; Old Book of Tang 157, passage 261
At Shou'an 壽安 · Relation Posted to
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 239; Old Book of Tang 157, passage 266
At Xuan, She, and Chi 宣歙池 · Relation Posted to
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 256
At Xuanzhou, Shezhou, and Chizhou 宣歙池 · Relation Posted to
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 283
Organization Censorate 臺 · Relation Returned to
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 250; Old Book of Tang 157, passage 277
Organization Yicheng Army 義成軍 · Relation Member of
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 263
Organization Yicheng Army 義成軍 · Relation Officer of
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 236

Works and attributed material

Private advice · Speaker · With Xue Yingzhen (薛盈珍) · Paraphrased · Extent s0237
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 237
Memorial · Joint author · Direct quotation · With Li Jiang (李絳)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passages 259-263
Memorial · Author · Direct quotation
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passages 246-247; Old Book of Tang 157, passages 273-274
Memorial · Co author
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 54, passage 234
Policy memorial · Author · With Li Jiang (李絳) · Direct quotation
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passages 286-290
Speech · Speaker · Direct quotation · With Pei Jun (裴均)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passages 252, 254; Old Book of Tang 157, passages 279, 281

Events and relationships

Asked to withdraw from improper rank
Court ritual · Censor · With Pei Jun (裴均)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 251
Blocked destruction of ancestral temple and tomb
Political · Petitioner · With Li Shentong (李神通)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passages 245-248
Bought a year’s grain reserve and eliminated redundant posts
Administrative · Official
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 53, passages 106, 108
Escorted Li Fu's coffin back to the eastern capital
Funeral · Escort · With Li Fu (李復) · At eastern capital 東都
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 265
Escorted coffin to eastern capital
AD 797 及復卒 · Funerary · Escort · With Li Fu (李復) · At eastern capital 東都
Strongly inferred · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 238
Opposed destruction of ancestral tombs
Political · Petitioner · With Li Qi (李锜) · Outcome Request denied
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passages 272-275

Show 18 more source-backed claims

Opposed moving garrison from Western Shouxiang
AD 813 元和八年 · Policy · Opponent · With Li Jifu (李吉甫) · At Western Shouxiang City 西受降城 · Outcome Plan not carried out
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passages 285-286, 291-292
Opposed moving garrison from Western Shouxiang
AD 813 元和八年 · Policy debate · Opponent · With Li Jifu (李吉甫) · At Western Shouxiang City 西受降城
Dated from the passage context · Old Book of Tang 153, passages 258-259, 265
Ordered households to finish weaving before tax
Administrative · Magistrate · Outcome Accepted salary penalty and became known
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passages 269-270
Ordered households to finish weaving then pay
Administrative · Magistrate
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 242
Ordered to withdraw
Court protocol · Censor · With Pei Jun (裴均) · Outcome Refused
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 278
Proposed three offices flying money
Fiscal · Proposer · Outcome Merchants avoided premium; coin remained heavy
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 54, passages 234-235
Requested intercalary month clerk rations for field camps
Fiscal · Commander · Outcome Widely criticized
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 294
Requested intercalary month clerk rations for field camps
Fiscal · Commander
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 267
Requested tax extension
Administrative · Magistrate · At Henan 河南 · Outcome Prefecture refused
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passages 267-268
Requested tax extension
Administrative · Magistrate · At Henan 河南
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passages 240-241
Secretly urged Xue Yingzhen to withdraw the five hundred men from headquarters
Military · Adviser · With Xue Yingzhen (薛盈珍)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 264
Secretly urged withdrawal of troops from headquarters
AD 797 節度使李復疾篤 · Military · Adviser · With Xue Yingzhen (薛盈珍)
Strongly inferred · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 237
aide 從事
Relation Aide of · Person Li Qi (李锜)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 246; Old Book of Tang 157, passage 273
Relation Served under · Person Li Fu (李復)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 263
Relation Subordinate of · Person Li Fu (李復)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passages 236, 238
Relation Opposed in court · Person Pei Jun (裴均)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passages 278, 282
Relation Colleague of · Person Wang Shao (王紹)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 54, passage 234
Relation Colleague of · Person Wang Bo (王播)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 54, passage 234

Assessments and attributes

Assessment argument for the western fort showed deep judgment · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 275; Old Book of Tang 157, passage 302
Assessment became known for shielding taxpayers · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 270
Assessment became known for taking the tax-deadline punishment himself · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 243
Assessment criticized for collecting intercalary-month grain rations · Mode named-source-report
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 294
Assessment many criticized him for collecting intercalary-month grain rations · Mode named-source-report
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 267
Assessment memorials are the words of gentlemen · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 280; Old Book of Tang 157, passage 307

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passages 241, 275; Old Book of Tang 157, passage 261; New Book of Tang 54, passage 234; New Book of Tang 173, passage 101
Value historical
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 268

References in the histories

Search passages

History

23 passages

Old Book of Tang, Chapter 157Volume 153 Biographies 103: Yao Nanzhong, Liu Nai, Yuan Gao, Duan Pingzhong, Xue Cuncheng, Lu Tan · 17 passages

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盧坦，字保衡，河南洛陽人，其先自范陽徙焉。 Lu Tan, courtesy name Baoheng, came from Luoyang in Henan. His ancestors had moved there from Fanyang.

坦嘗為義成軍判官，節度使李復疾篤，監軍使薛盈珍慮變，遽封府庫，入其麾下五百人於使牙，軍中恟々； Tan once served as judge of the Yicheng Army. When military commissioner Li Fu fell gravely ill, army supervisor Xue Yingzhen, fearing trouble, suddenly sealed the treasury and brought five hundred of his own men into headquarters. The army was in uproar;

坦密言於盈珍促收之。 Tan secretly urged Yingzhen to withdraw them at once.

及復卒，坦護喪歸東都。 When Fu died, Tan escorted the coffin back to the eastern capital.

坦請延十日，府不許。 Tan requested a ten-day extension. The prefecture refused.

坦令戶人但織而輸，勿顧限也，違之不過罰令俸耳。 Tan told the households to keep weaving and pay when ready, ignoring the deadline. If punished, he would forfeit only his own salary as magistrate.

既成而輸，坦亦坐罰，由是知名。 When the weaving was done and payment delivered, Tan accepted punishment himself and thereby became known.

坦常為锜從事，乃上言曰：「淮安王神通有功於草昧。 Tan had once served under Li Qi and submitted a statement: "Prince Huai'an Li Shentong earned merit in the founding struggle.

及武元衡為宰相，以坦為中丞，李元素為大夫，命坦分司東都，未幾歸臺。 When Wu Yuanheng became chancellor, Tan was made vice censor-in-chief under chief censor Li Yuansu. Tan was posted separately to the eastern capital and soon returned to the Censorate.

裴均為僕射，在班逾位，坦請退之，均不受。 Pei Jun was Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs and stood out of rank in court assembly. Tan asked him to withdraw, but Jun refused.

坦曰：「姚南仲為僕射，例如此。」 Tan said: "When Yao Nanzhong was Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs, the precedent was the same."

坦曰：「南仲是守正而不交權幸者也。」 Tan said: "Nanzhong was a man who upheld rectitude and kept clear of the powerful and favored."

尋罷為右庶子，時人歸咎於均。 Soon afterward Tan was demoted to Right Mentor of the Heir Apparent. Contemporaries blamed Jun.

坦與李絳葉議，以為：「西城張仁願所築，制匈奴上策。 Tan and Li Jiang jointly argued: "The western city Zhang Renyuan built is the best strategy for holding the northern frontier.

及城使周懷義奏利害，與坦議同。 Fort commissioner Zhou Huaiyi submitted his analysis, which agreed with Tan's view.

南仲非葬之言，盧坦西城之議，量之深也。 Nanzhong's remonstrance against the improper burial and Tan's argument for the western fort show deep judgment.

姚、盧啟奏，君子之言。 The memorials of Yao and Lu are the words of gentlemen.

New Book of Tang, Chapter 53Volume 53 Treatises 43: Finance and Economics 3 · 2 passages

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諸道鹽鐵、轉運使盧坦糴以備一歲之費，省冗職八十員。 Circuit commissioner Lu Tan bought grain for a year's reserve and eliminated eighty redundant posts.

刑部侍郎王播代坦，建議米至渭橋五百石亡五十石者死。 Wang Bo of the Ministry of Justice replaced Tan and proposed death for anyone losing fifty shi out of every five hundred delivered to Wei Bridge.

New Book of Tang, Chapter 54Volume 54 Treatises 50: Finance and Economics 3 · 1 passage

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判度支盧坦、兵部尚書判戶部事王紹、鹽鐵使王播請許商人於戶部、度支、鹽鐵三司飛錢，每千錢增給百錢，然商人無至者。 Lu Tan, Wang Shao, and Wang Bo proposed state-sponsored flying money through the three fiscal offices with a hundred-cash premium per thousand—but no merchants used it.

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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盧坦表宣州副使。 Lu Tan recommended him as vice-commissioner of Xuanzhou.

New Book of Tang, Chapter 173Volume 173 Biographies 98: Pei Du · 2 passages

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又獲盧大夫逋券，捕盧坦家客責償，久乃悟盧群券。 He also seized promissory notes belonging to the fugitive Lu, arrested a retainer of Lu Tan's household to collect repayment, and only much later discovered they were Lu Qun's notes.

坦子上訴，朝汶讕語：「錢入禁中，何可得？」 Tan's son appealed upward. Chaowen answered evasively, "The money went into the inner palace. How can it be recovered?"