Zhangsun Wuji (長孫無忌)

Overview

Zhangsun Wuji was an official and Statesman.

PeriodSui and Tang

IdentityHistorical · Male

Roles

Found in

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 656 顯慶元年五月己卯
Directly stated · Book of Sui 86, passage 14
AD 652 永徽三年
Directly stated · Book of Sui 86, passage 20
AD 626 六月四日
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 72, passage 265
AD 626 六月四日（武德九年玄武門之變）
Dated from the passage context · Old Book of Tang 72, passage 110
AD 643 十七年
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 72, passage 186
AD 643 十七年（貞觀）
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 72, passage 128

Show 16 more source-backed claims

AD 634 to AD 637 嘗侍宴慶善宮（同州刺史之後、十一年改封之前）
Dated from the passage context · Old Book of Tang 72, passage 115
AD 609 大業五年
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 51, passages 240, 246
AD 626 太宗即位，詔長孫无忌、房玄齡等復定舊令
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 56, passage 48
AD 626 to AD 627 太宗即位後藝反
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 92, passage 153
AD 626 to AD 649 太宗時內宴
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 21, passages 279, 286
AD 626 密計
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 95, passage 12
AD 627 to AD 649 貞觀中
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 72, passage 213
AD 647 貞觀二十一年
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 95, passage 259
AD 627 貞觀元年
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 72, passage 112
AD 626 隱太子、巢剌王元吉將謀害太宗
Dated from the passage context · Old Book of Tang 72, passages 64, 76, 86, 91
AD 656 to AD 661 顯慶中
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 20, passage 97
AD 657 顯慶二年九月
Dated from the passage context · Old Book of Tang 27, passage 4
AD 649 to AD 683 高宗
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 95, passage 63
AD 649 to AD 683 高宗初即位
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 56, passages 135-136
AD 650 高宗即位
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 51, passages 87-88
AD 656 to AD 661 高宗又詔…是為顯慶禮
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 11, passage 18

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Child of Zhangsun Sheng (長孫晟)
youngest son 少子
Directly stated · Book of Sui 51, passage 246
Sibling of Zhangsun Xingbu (長孫行布)
Full siblings
Strongly inferred · Book of Sui 51, passages 246-247
Sibling of Zhangsun Heng'an (長孫恆安)
Full siblings
Strongly inferred · Book of Sui 51, passages 246, 250

Key source chapters

Career and standing

supervisor of compilation 監修
AD 652 永徽三年 · Appointed
Directly stated · Book of Sui 86, passage 20
Grand Commandant 太尉
AD 656 顯慶元年五月己卯 · Held
Directly stated · Book of Sui 86, passage 14
Grand Commandant 太尉
Held
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 51, passage 88
Grand Preceptor 太尉
Held
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 11, passage 18
substantive fief of 1,300 households 食實封千三百戶
AD 627 貞觀元年 · Granted
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 72, passage 112
portrait at Lingyan Pavilion 圖形於凌煙閣
AD 643 十七年（貞觀） · Portrayed
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 72, passage 128

Show 1 more source-backed claim

first in merit ranking 論功第一
AD 626 六月四日（武德九年玄武門之變） · Ranked
Dated from the passage context · Old Book of Tang 72, passage 110

Places and affiliations

Polity Sui 隋 · Relation Served
Strongly inferred · Book of Sui 51, passage 246
Polity Tang 唐 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 27, passage 4; Old Book of Tang 72, passages 110, 265; New Book of Tang 11, passage 18; New Book of Tang 20, passage 97; New Book of Tang 21, passage 286; New Book of Tang 51, passage 88; New Book of Tang 56, passages 48, 136; New Book of Tang 92, passage 153; New Book of Tang 95, passage 63
Polity Tang 唐 · Relation Served
Strongly inferred · Book of Sui 86, passage 14

Works and attributed material

old ordinances 舊令
AD 626 復定舊令 · Relation Reviser
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 56, passage 48
Xianqing Ritual 顯慶禮
Relation Compiler
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 11, passage 18
Tilting Cup 傾盃曲
Relation Composer
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 21, passage 286
Treatises of the Five Dynasties History / Sui treatises 五代史志
Relation Presenter
Directly stated · Book of Sui 86, passages 14, 21
Broadly Issued Administrative Rules 散頒格
Relation Reviser
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 56, passage 136
Retained Office Administrative Rules 留司格
Relation Reviser
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 56, passage 136

Show 3 more source-backed claims

AD 626 隱太子、巢剌王元吉將謀害太宗
Speech · Speaker · With Taizong (太宗) · Direct quotation · Mode quoted-speech Speaker Zhangsun Wuji (長孫無忌)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 72, passages 64, 76-77
Memorial · Author
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 27, passages 4-15
Opinion · Speaker · Mode quotation Speaker Zhangsun Wuji (長孫無忌)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 20, passages 97-98

Events and relationships

Argued maternal uncle mourning reform
AD 656 to AD 661 顯慶中 · Political · Advocate
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 20, passages 97-98
Case that implicated Lüxing
AD 649 to AD 683 高宗 · Legal · Fallen minister · With Lüxing (履行)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 95, passage 63
Composed by edict
AD 626 to AD 649 太宗時內宴 · Scholarly · Composer
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 21, passages 279, 286
Dispatched against
AD 626 to AD 627 太宗即位後藝反 · Military · Commander · With Luo Yi (羅藝)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 92, passage 153
Lay in wait at Xuanwu Gate with Gongjin
AD 626 六月四日 · Military · Ambusher · With Zhang Gongjin (張公謹) · At Xuanwu Gate 玄武門
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 72, passage 265
Portrait placed
AD 643 十七年 · Honorific · Portrayed · At Lingyan Pavilion 凌煙閣
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 72, passage 186

Show 11 more source-backed claims

Presented
AD 656 顯慶元年五月己卯 · Scholarly · Presenter · Object ten treatises in thirty juan 十志三十卷
Directly stated · Book of Sui 86, passage 14
Relayed dying plea and wept to stop emperor
Ritual · Remonstrator · With Gao Jian (高儉)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 95, passage 259
Revise old ordinances
AD 626 太宗即位 · Legal · Compiler · With Taizong (太宗)
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 56, passage 48
Revised administrative edicts
Legal reform · Reviser · With Gaozong (高宗)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 56, passage 136
Secretly planned with
AD 626 密計 · Political · Conspirator · With Gao Jian (高儉)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 95, passage 12
Secretly summoned
AD 626 隱太子、巢剌王元吉將謀害太宗 · Political · Messenger · With Fang Xuanling (房玄齡)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 72, passages 86, 89, 91
Succeeded line
AD 609 大業五年 · Succession · Heir · With Zhangsun Sheng (長孫晟)
Directly stated · Book of Sui 51, passage 246
Urged preemptive strike
AD 626 隱太子、巢剌王元吉將謀害太宗 · Political · Counselor · With Taizong (太宗)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 72, passages 64, 76-77
AD 626 隱太子、巢剌王元吉將謀害太宗
Relation Colleague of · Person Fang Xuanling (房玄齡)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 72, passages 86, 91
Relation Assisted in government · Person Emperor Gaozong of Tang (唐高宗)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 51, passage 88
Relation Colleague of · Person Cheng Zhijie (程知節)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 72, passage 213

Assessments and attributes

AD 626 六月四日（武德九年玄武門之變）
Item ten thousand bolts of silk 絹萬匹 · Relation Bestowed
Dated from the passage context · Old Book of Tang 72, passage 110

Source notes

Biography says he first received the supervising edict in Yonghui 3; suspected the text had already been edited and he presented it when complete
Field compilation-supervision · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Book of Sui 86, passage 20
Historicity historical
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 72, passages 64, 110; New Book of Tang 20, passage 97; New Book of Tang 51, passage 88; New Book of Tang 56, passages 48, 136; New Book of Tang 95, passage 63
Value historical
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 95, passage 12
would leave together if Jingde fled
AD 626 隱太子、巢剌王元吉將謀害太宗 · Mode quoted-speech Speaker Jingde (敬德)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 72, passage 75

References in the histories

Search passages

History

27 passages

Old Book of Tang, Chapter 72Volume 68 Biographies 18: Weichi Jingde, Qin Shubao, Cheng Zhijie, Duan Zhixuan, Zheng Gongjin · 13 passages

Open chapter

敬德聞其謀，與長孫無忌遽啟太宗曰：「大王若不速正之，則恐被其所害，社稷危矣。」 Jingde learned of the plot and with Zhangsun Wuji urged the prince: "If you do not act at once, they will kill you and the realm will be lost."

敬德今若逃亡，無忌亦欲同去。」 If I run, Wuji means to run with me."

太宗猶豫未決，無忌曰：「王今不從敬德之言，必知敬德等非王所有。 The prince still wavered; Wuji said: "If you reject Jingde now, you will lose him and all of us with him.

太宗令長孫無忌密召之，玄齡等報曰：「有敕不許更事王，今若私謁，必至誅滅，不敢奉命。」 The prince sent Zhangsun Wuji to fetch them secretly; they replied: "We are forbidden to serve you again; a private visit would mean death—we dare not come."

敬德又與無忌喻曰：「王已決計剋日平賊，公宜即入籌之。 Jingde told them through Wuji: "The prince has set the day to strike; come at once to plan with us.

於是玄齡、如晦著道士服隨無忌入，敬德別道亦至。 Fang and Du entered in Taoist dress with Wuji; Jingde came by another route.

及論功，敬德與長孫無忌為第一，各賜絹萬匹； In the distribution of rewards Jingde and Zhangsun Wuji ranked first, each receiving ten thousand bolts of silk;

貞觀元年，拜右武候大將軍，賜爵吳國公，與長孫無忌、房玄齡、杜如晦四人並食實封千三百戶。 In Zhenguan 1 he became right martial guard grand general and Duke of Wu; he and Zhangsun Wuji, Fang Xuanling, and Du Ruhui each held substantive fiefs of 1,300 households.

敬德好訐直，負其功，每見無忌、玄齡、如晦等短長，必面折廷辯，由是與執政不平。 Jingde was blunt and proud of his merit; he openly quarreled with Zhangsun Wuji, Fang Xuanling, and Du Ruhui in court and fell out with the chief ministers.

尋與長孫無忌等二十四人圖形於凌煙閣。 He was among the twenty-four men portrayed at Lingyan Pavilion.

十七年，與長孫無忌等圖形於凌煙閣。 In year 17 his portrait was painted at Lingyan Pavilion.

與長孫無忌等代襲刺史，改封盧國公，授普州刺史。 He was among the hereditary prefects and was made Duke of Lu and prefect of Pu.

六月四日，公謹與長孫無忌等九人伏於玄武門以俟變。 On the fourth day of the sixth month Gongjin with Zhangsun Wuji, among a party of nine, lay in ambush at Xuanwu Gate awaiting the change.

Book of Sui, Chapter 51Volume 51 Biographies 16: Zhang Sunlan · 1 passage

Open chapter

少子無忌嗣。 His youngest son Wuji inherited the line.

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

Open chapter

顯慶元年五月己卯，太尉長孫無忌等詣朝堂上進，詔藏秘閣。 On the day jimao of the fifth month of the first year of Xianqing, Grand Commandant Zhangsun Wuji and others presented it in the court hall; an edict ordered it deposited in the Imperial Archive.

无忌傳又云，永徽三年，始受詔監修，疑當時先已刊修，无忌因成書而進。 Wuji's biography also says he first received the edict to supervise compilation in the third year of Yonghui—which suggests the text had already been edited earlier and that Wuji presented it only after the book was complete.

今紀傳題以徵，志以无忌，從眾本所載也。 The present edition titles the annals and biographies under Wei and the treatises under Wuji, following the various exemplars.

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

Open chapter

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.

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

Open chapter

顯慶中，長孫无忌以為甥為舅服同從母，則舅宜進同從母報。 Under Xianqing, Zhangsun Wuji argued that because a nephew mourned an uncle like a maternal aunt, the uncle's reciprocal mourning should match the aunt's grade.

New Book of Tang, Chapter 21Volume 21 Treatises 11: Rites and Music 11 · 1 passage

Open chapter

其後因內宴，詔長孫无忌製傾盃曲，魏徵製樂社樂曲，虞世南製英雄樂曲。 Later at a palace feast an edict ordered Zhangsun Wuji to compose Tilting Cup, Wei Zheng to compose Music Society, and Yu Shinan to compose Hero.

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

Open chapter

太尉長孫無忌等輔政，天下未見失德。 With Zhangsun Wuji and others guiding policy, the court showed no grave misconduct.

New Book of Tang, Chapter 56Volume 56 Treatises 52: Punishment and Law · 2 passages

Open chapter

太宗即位，詔長孫无忌、房玄齡等復定舊令，議絞刑之屬五十，皆免死而斷右趾。 When Taizong ascended the throne, he ordered Zhangsun Wuji, Fang Xuanling, and others to revise the old ordinances. Fifty offenses punishable by strangulation were commuted from death to amputation of the right foot.

又詔長孫无忌等增損格敕，其曹司常務曰留司格，頒之天下曰散頒格。 He also ordered Zhangsun Wuji and others to revise administrative edicts: rules for routine office business were called Retained Office Administrative Rules, and those issued empire-wide were called Broadly Issued Administrative Rules.

New Book of Tang, Chapter 92Volume 92 Biographies 17: Du, Kan, Wang, Li, Yuan, Luo, Wang · 1 passage

Open chapter

帝命長孫無忌、尉遲敬德擊之，未至，慈皓與統軍楊岌謀誅藝，藝覺，執慈皓。 The emperor dispatched Zhangsun Wuji and Yuchi Jingde against him. Before they arrived, Zhao Cihao and the army commander Yang Ji plotted to assassinate Luo Yi. Luo Yi discovered the plot and seized Zhao Cihao.

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

Open chapter

隱太子與王隙已熾，乃與長孫無忌密計計定，是日率吏卒釋囚授甲，趨芳林門助戰。 As the feud between the Hidden Crown Prince and the Prince of Qin reached its breaking point, Shilian and Zhangsun Wuji laid their plans in secret. On the day of the coup he led clerks and troops, freed prisoners, armed them, and hurried to Fanglin Gate to fight.

長孫無忌伏馬前，陳士廉遺言，乞不臨喪，帝猶不許，無忌至流涕，乃還入東苑，南向哭。 Zhangsun Wuji prostrated himself before the horse, relayed Shilian's dying plea that the emperor not attend the funeral, and though the emperor still refused, Wuji wept until the emperor turned back to the Eastern Park and cried facing south.

坐長孫無忌，左授洪州都督，改永州刺史。 Caught up in Zhangsun Wuji's fall, he was demoted to military governor of Hongzhou and later made prefect of Yongzhou.