Xu Jingzong

Life

During the Daye era of Emperor Yang of Sui, he was selected as a xiucai, served as judicial secretary's assistant in Huaiyang Commandery, and soon joined Li Mi as a secretary. In the early Wude era of the Tang, he entered the Qin Prince's household as a scholar, and was one of its eighteen scholars.

During Taizong's Zhenguan reign, he successively held the offices of zhuzuo lang, zhongshu sheren, jishizhong, taizi you shuzi, and zhongshu shilang, while also serving in the historiographical office; as zhongshu sheren, he had exclusive charge of imperial edicts, and in 643 he was enfeoffed as Baron of Gaoyang County. After Gaozong's accession, he became Minister of Rites and successively served as governor of Zhengzhou, Weiwei qing, and taizi binke; he was appointed shizhong, raised to commandery duke, made zhongshu ling, and eventually became right chancellor.

At court, he joined Li Yifu and others in helping Gaozong install Wu Zetian as empress, helped Wu Zetian remove Chu Suiliang and bring about the deaths of Changsun Wuji, Shangguan Yi, and others; during Xianqing, he served as zhongshu ling and shared control of government with Li Yifu. He retired in the first year of Xianheng (670) and was granted the additional honor of Tejin; he died in the third year (672), at the age of 81. He was posthumously granted the titles Kaifu Yitong Sansi and Yangzhou da dudu; his initial posthumous name was Miu, later changed to Gong.

Historiography and literature

From the Zhenguan period onward, Xu Jingzong supervised the compilation of the national history and took part in compiling Wenguan Cilin, Wensi Boyao, Yaoshan Yucai, and other works. His historical work was criticized for extensive alterations made to serve private interests, and he drew widespread censure.

Known for poetry and prose, he was a court poet under Taizong. The number of juan in Xu Jingzong's collected works is disputed: one account gives 80, another 60; the collection is lost. The surviving-poem count is likewise disputed: one account gives 28 poems in Quan Tang Shi and 19 additional poems plus a fragment in supplementary collections; another gives 27 in Quan Tang Shi and one poem in an outside supplement, while noting further losses. Most of the poems are court poems written in response to imperial commands. A critical assessment found his career and conduct lacking integrity and his poems shallow in conception and uneven in diction; it also described him as famous in literary circles from youth and judged some lines worthy of an author.

Family and associations

His recorded children were Xu Ang, Xu Yu, Xu Bian, Xu Guo, and Xu Jing; his sons-in-law were Qian Jiulong and Feng Wei, and his grandsons included Xu Yuan and Xu Yanbo. His literary exchanges included presenting poetry and prose to Taizong, Gaozong, Yang Shidao, Yu Zhining, and Lai Ji, and receiving such works from Yu Zhining, Cen Wenben, Shangguan Yi, and others. In 645, he composed an epitaph for Yuchi Gong.