Tang Jie

Life

His father was 唐拱 (977–1022), and his five sons were 唐淑問, 唐義問, 唐待問, 唐嘉問, and 唐之問. His grandchildren included 唐恕, 唐意, and 唐懋; other relatives included the grandson-in-law 王仰, the sons-in-law 謝景溫 and 王泰, and the descendant 唐泰嶽.

In the eighth year of the Tiansheng era (1030), he earned the jinshi degree, served as lieutenant of Wuling in Dingzhou, and was transferred to Pingjiang as magistrate. In the second year of the Huangyou era (1050), he was summoned as an Investigating Censor in Probationary Service; in the third year, he was demoted after impeaching Chancellor Wen Yanbo and others, with the place of demotion variously given as Yingzhou, Chunzou, or Jingzhou; in the fifth year he returned to the censorate.

After his recall, he resumed office as Palace Censor, was appointed to the Jixian Academy, and served as a judge in Kaifeng Prefecture. In the first year of the Zhihe era (1054), he became governor of Yangzhou; his other appointments included governor of Fuzhou, transport commissioner for Jiangdong and Hedong, transport and supply commissioner for Huainan, Jiang-Zhe, and Jinghu, and governor of Hongzhou and Yingzhou.

During the Jiayou era, he moved from a transport commission to Vice Commissioner of the Directorate of Finance and then took charge of the remonstrance office; after arguing for Chen Shengzhi’s dismissal, he was sent out as governor of Hongzhou. In the first year of the Zhiping era (1064), he was recalled as Censor-in-chief, and in the second year became governor of Taiyuan; after Shenzong’s accession, he was transferred to Jishizhong and appointed Commissioner of the Three Offices.

In the first year of the Xining era (1068), he became Vice Chief Councillor (參知政事), opposed the elevation of Wang Anshi, and repeatedly argued with him after Wang took power. He served repeatedly in censorial and remonstrance posts and became known for his forthrightness; he remonstrated without sparing the powerful, and his impeachment cases included Zhang Yaozuo, Wen Yanbo, and Wu Kui. He died in the fourth month of the second year of the Xining era (1069), aged sixty, and was posthumously titled Zhisu.

Writings

His writings included 《文集》 and 《奏議》, among others; 《奏議》 is given as twenty juan, while 《文集》 is described as comprising several juan. Both are also said to have been lost, and four poems are recorded.