Qiao Xingjian

Life

His great-grandfather was Qiao Shengzhi, his grandfather Qiao Yao, and his father Qiao Sen; his mother was Lady Yu. His great-grandmother was Lady Sun, and his grandmothers were Ladies Du and Jiang. He married Lady Lü and later took Lady Lou as his second wife; he had a son, Qiao Yuanlong.

In his youth, he studied under Lü Zuqian and also under Ma Zhichun. He passed the jinshi examination in 1193, in the fourth year of the Shaoxi era. In 1210, the third year of the Jiading era, he became Corrector of the Palace Library and an editor in the Privy Council; the following year he became governor of Tongzhou. He subsequently served as Transport Intendant for Huainan West, concurrently as Judicial Commissioner and Ever-Normal Granary Commissioner for Huaixi, and as prefect of Jiaxing and Zhenjiang; in the fourteenth year of Jiading he was appointed Director of the Directorate of Education, and later rose to Junior Supervisor of the Imperial Clan, Director of the Palace Library, and acting Vice Minister of Works. His other appointments included Palace Attendant for the Veritable Record, Palace Recorder, Vice Minister of Personnel, Vice Minister of Works, Director of the Directorate of Education, Minister of Rites, Minister of Justice, and Vice Commissioner of the Privy Council.

After Lizong came to the throne, Qiao repeatedly submitted memorials on current affairs, many of his arguments proving apt. He rose to Vice Chief Councillor concurrently serving as head of the Privy Council; early in the Duanping era he became Right Chancellor, and in the third year he became Left Chancellor. In the first year of Duanping, the court sought to take advantage of Jin’s fall to recover Henan. Qiao opposed the plan in a memorial, arguing that the legal order was broken, commands were not obeyed, financial resources were inadequate, and grain supplies would not last, and warning that war might provoke popular revolt. Concerned about the strategic areas in the upper reaches, he requested the establishment of a military-governor and pacification commission and proposed leading troops to defend Kuizhou Circuit.

In the third year of the Jiaxi era (given as Jiayou in one account), he was appointed Pingzhang jun guo zhongshi and made Duke of Su; the following year he was given the rank of Junior Preceptor and the military title Military Governor of Baoning Army, and was made Duke of Lu. The title Duke of Yi also appears. He was described as seasoned and mature, outspoken in office, and fond of recommending worthy men.

Associations and works

Qiao was a friend of Lou Yong, was valued by Lou Kui, and taught Hu Chucai; he recommended Xu Ziliang and Yu Mengyan, wrote a preface to Fu Yin’s *Yugong ji*, a temple inscription for Yuan Fu, and a biography for Li Dayou.

His works included 《周禮總說》 and 《孔山文集》, the latter now lost; he also compiled 《（宗澤）簡公年譜》.

Death

He died in the first year of the Chunyou era (1241), aged eighty-six, and received the posthumous name Wenhui.