Pei Ju, birth name Pei Shiju, courtesy name Hongda, formally Duke Jing of Anyi, was a Chinese cartographer, diplomat, politician, and writer who lived in the Sui and Tang dynasties, briefly serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Gaozu of Tang.
36 Facts About Pei Ju
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Pei Ju was praised by traditional Chinese historians for his ability and lack of corruption, but blamed for flattering Emperor Yang of Sui and practically directly contributing to Sui's downfall by encouraging many external military campaigns that drained Sui's resources.
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Pei Ju's clan was originally from Hedong Commandery.
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Pei Ju's grandfather Pei Tuo was an official for Northern Wei, and his father Pei Nazhi served as an official during Northern Wei's branch successor state Eastern Wei and Eastern Wei's successor state Northern Qi.
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Pei Nazhi died when Pei Ju was young, and Pei Ju was raised by his uncle Pei Rangzhi, himself a famed official during the time.
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Pei Ju served on the staff of Gao Zhen the Prince of Beiping and then of Gao Renying the Prince of Gaoping, both sons of Emperor Wucheng of Northern Qi.
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Pei Ju later left Yang Jian's service when his mother died, to observe a mourning period.
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Pei Ju sent messengers to summon Pei, and Pei served on his staff as a secretary.
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Pei Ju became a mid-level official in the new dynasty's government.
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In 589, when Emperor Wen sent forces to conquer the rival Chen dynasty and to unite China, Pei Ju served as a secretary to Emperor Wen's son Yang Guang the Prince of Jin, the commander for the overall operation.
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Pei Ju gathered several thousand soldiers at Nankang and defeated and killed the rebel general Zhou Shiju, who served under Wang Zhongxuan.
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Pei Ju then approached Guang Province, where Wang was stationed, and Wang's forces, in fear, collapsed.
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Pei Ju created Pei the Duke of Wenxi and awarded him a large cache of silk.
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Pei Ju made Pei the assistant minister of census, and then Neishi Shilang, the deputy head of the legislative bureau of the government.
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In 593, Pei Ju served as a Sui emissary to Eastern Tujue, and he revealed to Ashina Yongyulu that Princess Qianjin had been committing adultery, and then further persuaded Ashina Yongyulu's nephew and subordinate khan Tuli Khan Ashina Rangan that if he was able to get Princess Qianjin killed, Sui would be willing to let him marry a Sui princess.
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Pei Ju launched armies against Dulan Khan and the subordinate Datou Khan Ashina Dianjue, to protect Ashina Rangan.
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In one of those attacks, commanded by Shi Wansui the Duke of Taiping, against Ashina Dianjue, Pei Ju served as Shi's assistant, and they achieved a great victory, but once they returned to Chang'an, Shi was falsely accused of being an adherent of the crown prince Yang Yong, with whom Emperor Wen was already displeased and executed, and Pei Ju was given no rewards.
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Emperor Wen subsequently made him the minister of civil service affairs, and Pei Ju was considered capable at that position.
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Pei Ju knew that Emperor Yang had great ambitions of territorial expansion, and when he met with central Asian merchants, he would get information from them as to the geographical features and customs of their states.
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Pei Ju wrote a three-volume work entitled the Maps of and Notes About the Western Regions, and he submitted it to Emperor Yang, urging reopening of relations with and subjugation of the Xiyu states.
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Emperor Yang summoned Pei Ju to discuss with him, and Pei Ju further convinced him that Xiyu was full of treasure and that the large nearby state, Tuyuhun, could be easily conquered.
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Later that year, when Emperor Yang was set to offer sacrifices to the spirits of Mount Heng, Pei Ju persuaded emissaries from 27 Xiyu states, headed by Qu Boya the King of Gaochang and Ashina Tutun, the Western Tujue general in charge of Yiwu, to pay homage to him and to assist in offering sacrifices.
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Pei Ju was known and praised for not accepting bribes.
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In 611, after Western Tujue's Chuluo Khan Ashina Daman similarly refused to visit Emperor Yang, Pei Ju suggested forming an alliance with Ashina Daman's subordinate Ashina Shekui, who had been requesting to marry a Sui princess.
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Emperor Yang then sent Pei Ju to Gaochang to persuade Ashina Daman to come to Sui, and Ashina Daman did; he subsequently stayed in China and did not return to his own land.
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Meanwhile, another strategy offered by Pei Ju to keep the Eastern Turks divided and controlled backfired.
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Pei Ju had become apprehensive that Ashina Rangan's son and successor the Shibi Khan was becoming strong and difficult to control and had therefore suggested that Emperor Yang offer to marry a princess to the khan's brother Ashina Chiji.
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Pei Ju falsely informed Shibi Khan that the Turks were under attack from the north, and so the khan lifted the siege.
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In 617, when news that the general Li Yuan had rebelled at Taiyuan and was attacking Chang'an, having defeated and captured the major general Qutu Tong, Emperor Yang was alarmed, and Pei Ju suggested returning to Luoyang.
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Emperor Yang, while not listening to Pei Ju, restored him to his posts.
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Pei Ju, seeing that Emperor Yang's elite Xiaoguo Army, which Emperor Yang had taken to Jiangdu with him, had its soldiers deserting due to their missing their northern homes, treated the Xiaoguo officers with respect while suggesting that the soldiers be given wives in Jiangdu.
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Pei Ju was captured and executed by another rebel ruler, Dou Jiande the Prince of Xia, in 619.
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Pei Ju had Pei and Yu Shinan draft regulations on various ceremonies, and the regulations were described as appropriate and praised by scholars.
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Emperor Gaozu consulted Pei Ju, who believed that such a marriage would be beneficial to Tang, and Emperor Gaozu therefore agreed.
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When Li Shimin then effectively forced Emperor Gaozu to create him crown prince and then reorganized the government, Pei Ju was made the minister of census.
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Pei Ju continued to serve as minister of census after Emperor Gaozu yielded the throne to Li Shimin in winter 626.