Han Tuozhou (1152–1207) was a powerful Southern Song chancellor and court official. His courtesy name was Jiefu, and his place of origin is variously given as Anyang in Xiangzhou and Qiantang.
Han was a great-grandson of Han Qi (韓琦), a grandson of Han Jiayan (韓嘉彥), and the son of Han Cheng (韓誠). His maternal aunt was Wu (吳氏), the wife of Zhao Gou (趙構), and his grandniece Han (韓氏) was the empress of Zhao Kuo (趙擴). He entered government through hereditary privilege.
Career and factional politics
At the end of Emperor Xiaozong’s Chunxi reign, he served as Defense Commissioner of Ruzhou and Director of Palace-Gate Affairs. His role in establishing Ningzong and transmitting imperial edicts won him favor. He then marginalized the minister Zhao Ruyu and drove Zhu Xi and Peng Guinian from office. He denounced Neo-Confucian learning as “false learning,” sought an edict banning it, and the episode became known as the Qingyuan Party Prohibition.
His offices included Supervisor of the Palace Library, Palace-Gate Attendant, Palace-Gate Proclaimer, Keeper of Imperial Arms, Ruzhou Defense Commissioner, Director of Palace-Gate Affairs, Military Command Commissioner, Yizhou Observation Commissioner, Chief Director of the Privy Council, Chengxuanshi, and Superintendent of Daoist Temples. In 1202, the second year of Jiatai, he served as Military Command Commissioner at Pingjiang Prefecture.
In the fifth year of Shaoxi (1194), he became Yizhou Observation Commissioner and concurrently Chief Director of the Privy Council. In the fourth year of Qingyuan (1198), he received the rank of Junior Tutor and the title Duke of Yu; in the fifth year (1199), he advanced to Junior Guardian and received the title Prince of Pingyuan; in the sixth year (1200), he became Grand Tutor. In 1203, he became Grand Preceptor, and in 1205 Associate in Discussing State and Military Affairs. His tenure in government lasted thirteen years; his influence was overwhelming, he ranked above the chancellors in court precedence, and he controlled the seals of the Three Provinces.
War and death
At the beginning of the Kaixi era, he sought a frontier campaign to consolidate his position and to recover the Central Plain. He attacked Jin and won limited initial successes, but repeated defeats in the northern expedition led him to seek peace in the north. Jin demanded the surrender of the chief advocates of the war. The Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, Shi Miyuan, and Empress Yang then plotted his assassination; his head was enclosed and sent to the Jin court to secure peace.
References
- CBDB Han Tuozhou (3326)
- 搜韵 韓侂胄 (35515)
- Wikidata Han Tuozhou (Q708637)