Xu Jingzong (許敬宗)

Overview

Xu Jingzong was an official and Courtier.

PeriodSui and Tang

IdentityHistorical · Male

Roles

Found in

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 636 貞觀十年
Directly stated · Book of Sui 86, passage 24
AD 663 龍朔三年
Directly stated · Book of Sui 86, passage 25
AD 634 貞觀八年
Directly stated · Book of Sui 86, passage 23
c. AD 650 to AD 658 唐初
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 20, passage 3
AD 629 貞觀三年
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 86, passages 6-7
AD 665 to AD 666 贊圖封禪事
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 95, passage 245

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AD 656 to AD 661 高宗又詔…是為顯慶禮
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 11, passages 18-19
AD 649 to AD 683 高宗時
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 95, passage 46
AD 650 to AD 683 高宗朝
Strongly inferred · New Book of Tang 51, passage 91

Key source chapters

Career and standing

Academician 著作郎
AD 634 貞觀八年 · Appointed
Directly stated · Book of Sui 86, passage 23
Junior Tutor to the Heir Apparent 太子少師
AD 663 龍朔三年 · Appointed
Directly stated · Book of Sui 86, passage 25
Administrator of Hongzhou 洪州司馬
AD 636 貞觀十年 · Demoted
Directly stated · Book of Sui 86, passage 24
Academician 著作郎
AD 629 貞觀三年 · Held
Directly stated · Book of Sui 86, passage 7
Guest of the Heir Apparent 太子賓客
Held
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 11, passage 18
Palace Attendant 侍中
Held
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 51, passage 91

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Secretariat Attendant 中書舍人
AD 634 貞觀八年 · Promoted
Directly stated · Book of Sui 86, passage 23
Enjoyed
Imperial favor
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 11, passage 19
Demoted
AD 636 貞觀十年 · Demotion
Directly stated · Book of Sui 86, passage 24

Places and affiliations

Polity Tang 唐 · Relation Served
Strongly inferred · Book of Sui 86, passage 7
Polity Tang 唐 · Relation Served
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 11, passage 18; New Book of Tang 20, passage 3; New Book of Tang 51, passage 91; New Book of Tang 95, passage 46
AD 636 貞觀十年
At Hongzhou 洪州 · Relation Posted to
Directly stated · Book of Sui 86, passage 24

Works and attributed material

Book of Sui annals and biographies 隋書紀傳
Relation Attributed author · Mode textual-variant
Uncertain · Book of Sui 86, passage 22
Xianqing Ritual 顯慶禮
Relation Compiler
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 11, passages 18-19
Record of Surnames 姓氏錄
Relation Reviser
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 95, passages 46-47
Explained Diqiu
Speech · Speaker · Paraphrased · Addressed to Gaozong (高宗)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 95, passage 245
凶事非臣子所宜言
Opinion · Speaker · Mode named-source-report
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 20, passage 3

Events and relationships

Assigned to write
Scholarly · Compiler · Object Sui history 隋史
Directly stated · Book of Sui 86, passage 7
Xianqing Ritual compilation 增修顯慶禮
Ritual compilation · Compiler · Bent to imperial intent
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 11, passage 19
Came to power
Political · Minister
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 51, passage 91
Compiled
AD 634 貞觀八年 · Scholarly · Compiler · Object dynastic history 國史
Directly stated · Book of Sui 86, passage 23
Explained ancient name Diqiu
Scholarly · Explainer · With Gaozong (高宗)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 95, passage 245
Removed national mourning chapter
c. AD 650 to AD 658 唐初 · Political · Advocate · With Li Yifu (李義府)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 20, passage 3

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Record of Surnames 姓氏錄
AD 649 to AD 683 高宗時 · Scholarly · Reviser · Revised clan register
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 95, passages 46-47
Relation Colleague of · Person Yan Shigu (顏師古)
Directly stated · Book of Sui 86, passage 7
Relation Colleague of · Person Kong Yingda (孔穎達)
Directly stated · Book of Sui 86, passage 7

Assessments and attributes

Assessment curried imperial favor in ritual compilation · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 11, passage 19
Assessment self-congratulatory before others · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 95, passage 246

Source notes

Some copies credit Junior Tutor to the Heir Apparent Xu Jingzong as compiler of the annals and biographies; dates and offices differ from the present record and are suspected later interpolation
Field authorship-credit · Witness present record vs. some copies
Directly stated · Book of Sui 86, passages 22, 26
Historicity historical
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 20, passage 3; New Book of Tang 51, passage 91; New Book of Tang 95, passage 46
Omitted Empress Wu's lineage from the genealogical ranking as a reason for revision
With Empress Wu (武后)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 95, passage 46

References in the histories

Search passages

History

10 passages

Book of Sui, Chapter 86Volume 86: the Second Year of the Tian Sheng Reign Publication Mark · 3 passages

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徵又奏於中書省置秘書內省，令前中書侍郎顏師古、給事中孔穎達、著作郎許敬宗撰隋史。 Wei also proposed setting up an inner secretariat bureau within the Secretariat and assigning former Vice Director Yan Shigu, Supernumerary within the Gates Kong Yingda, and Academician Xu Jingzong to write the Sui history.

紀傳亦有題太子少師許敬宗撰。 Some copies of the annals and biographies also credit "Junior Tutor to the Heir Apparent Xu Jingzong" as compiler.

案敬宗傳，貞觀八年，除著作郎，修國史，遷中書舍人。 Xu Jingzong's biography records that in the eighth year of Zhenguan he was made Academician, worked on the dynastic history, and was then promoted to Secretariat Attendant.

New Book of Tang, Chapter 11Volume 11 Treatises 1: Rites and Music 1 · 2 passages

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高宗又詔太尉長孫无忌、中書令杜正倫李義府、中書侍郎李友益、黃門侍郎劉祥道許圉師、太子賓客許敬宗、太常卿韋琨等增之為一百三十卷，是為顯慶禮。 Gaozong further ordered Grand Preceptor Zhangsun Wuji, Chief Ministers Du Zhenglun and Li Yifu, Vice Director of the Secretariat Li Youyi, Vice Directors of the Yellow Gate Liu Xiangdao and Xu Yushi, Guest of the Heir Apparent Xu Jingzong, Director of Court Music Wei Kun, and others to expand it to one hundred thirty scrolls: the Xianqing Ritual.

其文雜以式令，而義府、敬宗方得幸，多希旨傅會。 Its text was mixed with statutes and orders. Yifu and Jingzong were then in favor and largely bent their work to please imperial intent.

New Book of Tang, Chapter 20Volume 20 Treatises 10: Rites and Music 10 · 1 passage

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唐初，徙其次第五，而李義府、許敬宗以為凶事非臣子所宜言，遂去其國卹一篇，由是天子凶禮闕焉。 Early Tang moved it to fifth place. Li Yifu and Xu Jingzong argued that subjects should not discuss inauspicious matters, removed the chapter on national mourning, and left the emperor's mourning rites undocumented.

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

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及中書令李義府、侍中許敬宗既用事，役費並起。 Once Li Yifu and Xu Jingzong held power, corvée and spending both surged.

New Book of Tang, Chapter 95Volume 95 Biographies 20: Gao Jian and Fifth Generation Descendents: Gao Zhong, Dou Weizhi, Douzhi, Dou Gui, Dou Cong, Dou Kang, Dou Jing, Dou Dan, Dou Zhi, Dou Congsun: Dou Dexuan · 3 passages

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高宗時，許敬宗以不敘武后世，又李義府恥其家無名，更以孔志約、楊仁卿、史玄道、呂才等十二人刊定之，裁廣類例，合二百三十五姓，二千二百八十七家，帝自敘所以然。 Under Gaozong, Xu Jingzong — who had omitted Empress Wu's line — and Li Yifu, ashamed of his obscure birth, commissioned Kong Zhiyue, Yang Renqing, Shi Xuandao, Lü Cai, and eight others to revise the register. They expanded the categories to 235 surnames in 2,287 households; the emperor himself explained the new principles.

帝次濮陽，問古謂帝丘，德玄不能對，許敬宗具道其然，帝稱善。 Stopping at Puyang, the emperor asked whether the place had anciently been called Diqiu. Dexuan could not answer, but Xu Jingzong explained the matter in full, and the emperor approved.

敬宗自矜於人，德玄知，不為忤，眾服其量。 Jingzong habitually flaunted his knowledge before others. Dexuan understood this yet never took umbrage, and all admired his magnanimity.