35 Facts About Fang Xuanling

Fang Qiao, courtesy name Xuanling, better known as Fang Xuanling, posthumously known as Duke Wenzhao of Liang, was a Chinese statesman and writer who served as a chancellor under Emperor Taizong in the early Tang dynasty.

Fang Xuanling was the lead editor of the historical record Book of Jin and one of the most celebrated Tang dynasty chancellors.

Fang Xuanling was born in 579, shortly before the founding of the Sui dynasty in 581, during Sui's predecessor state, Northern Zhou.

Fang Xuanling's great-grandfather Fang Yi was a general, official, and hereditary count under the Northern Wei dynasty, and his grandfather Fang Xiong was an official.

Fang Xuanling's father Fang Yanqian was a county magistrate during the Sui dynasty.

Fang Xuanling was said to be intelligent and well-learned in his youth, and particularly skillful at calligraphy.

Fang Xuanling did not think about long-term benefits for his descendants, and he allowed his sons to have no differences between the heir and the non-heirs.

Fang Xuanling particularly impressed the deputy minister of civil service, Gao Xiaoji.

However, it appeared that he did not serve long, as his father became ill, and the illness lasted 10 years, during which Fang Xuanling attended to him earnestly.

Fang Xuanling later became the magistrate of Xicheng County.

Fang Xuanling went to Li Shimin's camp and offered his services.

Fang Xuanling served Li Shimin faithfully, and wherever Li Shimin campaigned, while his staff members would collect treasures, Fang Xuanling spent the time interviewing the people of the area and retained the capable people to add to Li Shimin's staff.

Fang Xuanling was part of this establishment, along with, among others, the fellow future chancellors Du Ruhui and Xu Jingzong.

When Du was commissioned as a prefectural secretary general, Fang Xuanling told Li Shimin that Du was an uncommon talent that he should do everything he could to retain, and Li Shimin thus persuaded Emperor Gaozu to allow Du to remain on his staff.

Later in 627, under Emperor Taizong's direction, Fang Xuanling carried out a major simplification of the central government, reducing the number of officials at the central government to 634.

Fang Xuanling became responsible for organizing the imperial archives and the writing of official histories.

In 636, for reasons unknown, Fang Xuanling was briefly removed from his post and returned to his mansion.

When Emperor Taizong's wife Empress Zhangsun died later that year, she, in her final words, pointed out to Emperor Taiizong that Fang Xuanling had faithfully served him throughout his career and should not be removed.

In 637, as part of Emperor Taizong's scheme to bestow prefectures on his relatives and great generals and officials as their permanent domains, Fang Xuanling's title was changed to Duke of Liang, and he was given the post of prefect of Songzhou, to be inherited by his heirs, although he did not actually report to Songzhou but remained at Chang'an as chancellor.

Soon with many objections to the system, the strongest of which came from Zhangsun Wuji, Emperor Taizong cancelled the scheme, although Fang Xuanling's title remained Duke of Liang.

Also in 637, a major revision of the laws, led by Fang Xuanling, was completed, and the penal laws were said to be far more lenient than the Sui penal code, on which Fang Xuanling's revision was based, with 500 statutory sections and 20 grades of penalty.

Fang Xuanling then awarded both Fang and Wei an imperial sword.

However, Fang Xuanling was humble and never gave the Crown Prince any opportunity to bow to him, an act of humility which was praised.

Later that year, when Emperor Taizong was debating whether warring with Xueyantuo or making peace by marrying his daughter Princess Xinxing to Xueyantuo's Zhenzhu Khan Yi'nan, Fang Xuanling was a proponent of peace, and Emperor Taizong agreed, although Emperor Taizong later changed his mind and broke the marriage treaty.

In 643, when Emperor Taizong commissioned the Portraits at Lingyan Pavilion to commemorate the 24 great contributors to Tang rule, Fang Xuanling's was one of the portraits commissioned.

Fang Xuanling subsequently made Zhangsun, Fang, and Xiao Li Zhi's senior advisors.

Later that year, Emperor Taizong requested to read the official history that Fang Xuanling had written about during his reign, and Fang Xuanling initially resisted, stating that it would set a bad precedent.

Emperor Taizong disagreed, and Fang Xuanling thus submitted what he and his staff had written.

Emperor Taizong noticed that Fang Xuanling had avoided some of the more sensitive parts of the Incident at Xuanwu Gate, and he ordered Fang Xuanling to write a more complete and less censored version.

In 645, when Emperor Taizong personally led a campaign against Goguryeo, Fang Xuanling was put in charge of the capital.

In or around 646, Fang Xuanling was again, for reasons unknown in history but described to be minor reasons, removed from his post and returned to his mansion.

Fang Xuanling was said to be so influential in Emperor Taizong's decision-making by this stage that an amusing incident occurred in 647, involving the official Li Wei.

The Tang dynasty historian Liu Fang Xuanling made these comments about Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui:.

Fang Xuanling assisted Emperor Taizong in conquering and pacifying the empire for 32 years, finally serving as chancellor.

Fang Xuanling Yi'ai was executed, and his older brother Fang Xuanling Yizhi was demoted to be a county sheriff in modern Guangdong.