Yuan · Official and Statesman

Yang Duoerzhi 楊朵兒只

Yáng Duǒ'érzhǐ

c. AD 1279 - AD 1320

Passages: 35
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Yang Duoerzhi was an official and Statesman.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal name		楊朵兒隻
Posthumous name	Xiangmin	襄愍

Life and dates

Death

AD 1320 英宗即位
executed 見殺 · Age 42
Directly stated · History of Yuan 179, passages 101, 123

Age

42
Reckoning Sui · Context at death
Directly stated · History of Yuan 179, passage 101

Attested activity

AD 1307 大德丁未
Dated from the passage context · History of Yuan 179, passage 54
AD 1320 英宗初
Dated from the passage context · History of Yuan 179, passage 101

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Kin of Nephew of Yang Duoerzhi (兄子)
brother's son 兄子
Directly stated · History of Yuan 179, passage 59
Sibling of Elder brother of Yang Duoerzhi
elder brother 兄 · Full siblings
Directly stated · History of Yuan 179, passage 52
Parent of Buhua (不花)
son 子
Directly stated · History of Yuan 179, passage 134
Spouse of Lady Liu (劉氏)
wife 妻
Directly stated · History of Yuan 179, passage 133

Origins and identity

Ethnicity Hexi-Ningxia people 河西寧夏人
Directly stated · History of Yuan 179, passage 51

Career and standing

Censor-in-Chief 御史中丞
Appointed
Directly stated · History of Yuan 179, passage 78
Minister of Rites 禮部尚書
Appointed
Directly stated · History of Yuan 179, passage 65
Duke of Xia 夏國公
Posthumously enfeoffed
Directly stated · History of Yuan 179, passage 132
Merit for Reflecting Compliance and Assisting Governance 思順佐理功臣
Posthumously granted
Directly stated · History of Yuan 179, passage 132

Places and affiliations

Polity Id yuan · Relation Served
Directly stated · History of Yuan 179, passage 53
At Hexi and Ningxia 河西寧夏
Directly stated · History of Yuan 179, passage 51

Works and attributed material

Speech · Speaker · With Temüder (鐵木迭兒)
Directly stated · History of Yuan 179, passages 118-119

Events and relationships

Impeached
Political · Impeacher · With Temüder (鐵木迭兒)
Directly stated · History of Yuan 179, passages 105, 109

Assessments and attributes

Assessment 刚直寡合 · Mode named-speech Speaker Ayurbarwada
Directly stated · History of Yuan 179, passage 61

References in the histories

Search passages

History

35 passages

History of Yuan, Chapter 179Volume 179 Biographies 66: He Sheng, Yang Duoerzhi, Xiao Baizhu · 35 passages

聞弼事，以語御史中丞楊朵兒只。 When he learned of the Bi case, he brought it to the Censor-in-Chief Yang Duoerzhi.

楊朵兒只以語監察御史玉龍帖木兒、徐元素。 Yang Duoerzhi in turn informed the Investigating Censors Yulong Temür and Xu Yuansu.

及英宗即位，在諒暗中，鐵木迭兒遂復出據相位，乃執楊朵兒隻及中書平章政事蕭拜住，同日戮於市。 When Emperor Yingzong came to the throne, Temüder reappeared during the mourning period and reclaimed the chief ministership. He then had Yang Duoerzhi and Assistant Administrator Xiao Baizhu arrested and executed in the market on the same day.

楊朵兒只 Yang Duoerzhi

楊朵兒只，河西寧夏人。 Yang Duoerzhi was a native of the Hexi and Ningxia region.

仁宗聞朝廷有變，將北還，命朵兒只與李孟先之京師，與右丞相哈剌哈孫定議，迎武宗於北籓。 When Renzong learned of upheaval at court and prepared to return north, he sent Duoerzhi and Li Meng ahead to the capital to confer with Right Chief Minister Qarghasun on welcoming Wuzong from the northern frontier.

仁宗還京師，朵兒只譏察禁衛，密致警備，仁宗嘉賴焉，親解所服帶以賜。 When Renzong returned to the capital, Duoerzhi inspected the palace guard and quietly strengthened security. Renzong was deeply pleased and personally unfastened his own belt to give him.

仁宗始總大政，執誤國者，將盡按誅之，朵兒只曰：「為政而尚殺，非帝王治也。」 When Renzong first assumed full authority, he seized those who had harmed the state and was about to execute them all. Duoerzhi said, "Governance that puts killing first is not the way of an emperor."

帝他日與中書平章李孟論元從人材，孟以朵兒只為第一，帝然之，拜禮部尚書。 On another day the emperor discussed with Assistant Administrator Li Meng the talents of his original followers. Li Meng ranked Duoerzhi first; the emperor agreed and appointed him Minister of Rites.

朵兒只曰：「法有便否，不當視立法之人為廢置。 Duoerzhi said, "Laws may or may not be useful; one should not abolish or keep them merely because of who made them.

遷宣徽副使，御史請遷為台官，帝以宣徽膳用，素不會計，特以委之，未之許也。 He was transferred to Vice Commissioner of the Office of Imperial Household Provisions. Censors asked that he be moved to the Censorate, but the emperor said that office handled imperial provisions and had never been skilled at accounting, and had specially entrusted it to Duoerzhi; he did not grant the request.

朵兒只言於帝曰：「誅告者失刑，違諫者失誼。 Duoerzhi told the emperor, "To execute the accuser is a failure of justice; to reject remonstrance is a failure of propriety.

帝喜，竟用珪言，拜朵兒只為侍御史。 Pleased, the emperor ultimately followed Zhang Gui's advice and appointed Duoerzhi Investigating Censor.

帝宴閒時，群臣侍坐者，或言笑逾度，帝見其正色，為之改容，有犯法者，雖貴幸無所容貸。 At imperial banquets, when ministers sitting in attendance grew too boisterous in speech or laughter, the emperor would straighten himself upon seeing Duoerzhi's stern face. When anyone violated the law, even the privileged found no leniency.

中書平章政事張閭以妻病，謁告歸江南，奪民河渡地，朵兒只以失大體，劾罷之。 Assistant Administrator Zhang Lu, claiming his wife's illness, took leave to return to Jiangnan and seized land used for a ferry crossing. Duoerzhi impeached him for conduct unbecoming his rank and had him removed.

江東、西奉使斡來不稱職，權臣匿其奸，冀不問，朵兒只劾而杖之，斡來愧死。 Wolai, commissioner to Jiangdong and Jiangxi, was incompetent. A powerful minister hid his misconduct, hoping to shield him from inquiry. Duoerzhi impeached him and had him beaten; Wolai died of shame.

御史納璘言事忤旨，帝怒叵測，朵兒只救之，一日至八九奏，曰：「臣非愛納璘，誠不願陛下有殺御史之名。」 When Censor Nalin spoke against the emperor's wishes, the emperor's anger was beyond measure. Duoerzhi pleaded for him, filing eight or nine memorials in a single day. He said, "I do not speak for Nalin's sake; I simply do not wish Your Majesty to bear the name of one who kills censors."

朵兒只又言曰：「以御史宰京邑，無不可者。 Duoerzhi said again, "There is nothing improper in a censor administering a capital county.

後數日，帝讀《貞觀政要》，朵兒只侍側，帝顧謂曰：「魏徵古之遺直也，朕安得用之。」 A few days later, as the emperor read the Essentials of Government of the Zhenguan Reign with Duoerzhi in attendance, he turned and said, "Wei Zheng was one of antiquity's faithful outspoken men. Where can I find such a person today?"

朵兒只曰：「詔書云：言雖不當，無罪。 Duoerzhi said, "The edict states that even when one's words are inappropriate, there is no crime.

或謂朵兒只眷倚方重，苟言之，當可得也，朵兒只曰：「家世寒微，幸際遇至此，已懼弗稱，尚敢求多乎！ Someone told him that, given his heavy favor at court, he could surely obtain such honors if he asked. Duoerzhi said, "My family was humble; I am fortunate to have come this far and already fear I am unworthy. How dare I ask for more?

朵兒只自侍御史拜御史中丞，慨然以糾正其罪為己任。 Promoted from Investigating Censor to Censor-in-Chief, Duoerzhi resolutely made it his duty to bring Temüder's crimes to justice.

朵兒只廉得其所受弼贓巨萬萬，大奴猶數千，使御史徐元素按得實，入奏。 Through investigation Duoerzhi learned that Temüder had taken bribes from Bi worth tens of millions, and from the chief slave several thousand more. He had Investigating Censor Xu Yuansu establish the facts and memorialized the throne.

朵兒只持之急，徽政近臣以太后旨，召朵兒隻至宮門，責以違旨意者。 As Duoerzhi pressed the case hard, close associates of the Office of Imperial Provisions, acting on the empress dowager's order, summoned him to the palace gate and rebuked him for defying the imperial will.

帝仁孝，恐誠出太后意，不忍重傷咈之，但罷其相位，而遷朵兒只為集賢學士。 The emperor, filial by nature, feared that the empress dowager truly meant it and could not bear to wound her deeply. He merely removed Temüder from the chief ministership and transferred Duoerzhi to Academician of the Hall of Encouraging Literature.

仁宗崩，英宗猶在東宮，鐵木迭兒復相，乃宣太后旨，召蕭拜住、朵兒隻至徽政院，與徽政使失里門、御史大夫禿忒哈雜問之，責以前違太后旨之罪。 When Emperor Renzong died, Emperor Yingzong was still in the Eastern Palace. Temüder again became chief minister. Proclaiming the empress dowager's order, he summoned Xiao Baizhu and Duoerzhi to the Office of Imperial Provisions and jointly interrogated them with Commissioner Shilimen and Censor-in-Chief Tutuqa, charging them with having earlier defied the empress dowager's will.

朵兒只曰：「中丞之職，恨不即斬汝，以謝天下。 Duoerzhi said, "As censor-in-chief, I regret that I cannot behead you at once to answer to the empire.

朵兒只顧二人唾之曰：「汝等嘗得備風憲，乃為是犬彘事耶！」 Duoerzhi turned on the two men and spat at them. "You once held posts in the Censorate," he said, "and yet you do the work of dogs and swine!"

未幾，稱旨執朵兒只，載諸國門之外，與蕭拜住俱見殺。 Before long, by imperial order Duoerzhi was seized, taken outside the capital gate, and executed together with Xiao Baizhu.

會有天災，求直言，會議廷中，集賢大學士張珪、中書參議回回，皆稱蕭、楊等死甚冤，是致不雨。 When a natural disaster struck and the throne called for frank criticism, Grand Academician Zhang Gui and Secretariat Participant Huihui both declared at court that the deaths of Xiao, Yang, and the others were gross injustices and were the cause of the drought.

若蕭、楊等冤，何可不亟昭雪也！」 If the injustice done to Xiao, Yang, and the others is not swiftly redressed, how can we govern?"

丞相善之，遂請於帝，詔昭雪其冤，特贈思順佐理功臣、金紫光祿大夫、司徒、上柱國、夏國公，諡襄愍。 The chief minister agreed and petitioned the emperor. An edict cleared their wrongful convictions and posthumously granted the title of Merit for Reflecting Compliance and Assisting Governance, Grand Master of Golden Seal and Purple Ribbon, Minister of Works, Senior Pillar of State, and Duke of Xia, with the posthumous name Xiangmin.

朵兒隻死時，權臣欲奪其妻劉氏與人，劉氏剪髮毀容以自誓，乃免。 When Duoerzhi died, a powerful minister tried to seize his wife, Lady Liu, and give her to another man. Lady Liu cut her hair and disfigured her face in pledge, and was spared.

英宗即位之十有九日，右丞相鐵木迭兒怨拜住在省中牽制其所為，又發其奸贓、專制等事，遂請依皇太后旨，並前御史中丞楊朵兒只皆殺之。 On the nineteenth day of Emperor Yingzong's reign, Right Chief Minister Temüder, resenting Baizhu's checks on his conduct in the Secretariat and angered by exposures of his bribery and despotism, requested by the empress dowager's order that Baizhu and the former Censor-in-Chief Yang Duoerzhi be executed.

竟殺之，並籍其家，語見楊朵兒隻及鐵木迭兒傳。 They were killed anyway, and their households were confiscated. The full account appears in the biographies of Yang Duoerzhi and Temüder.