Yao Chong (650 or 651–721; 687 also appears as an alternative death year) was a Tang chancellor, poet, and prose writer. His courtesy name was Yuanzhi, and his original name was Yuanchong; during the reign of Wu Zetian he used his courtesy name, and in the Kaiyuan era he changed his name to Chong to avoid the emperor’s era title. He was also known as Yao Yuanchong and Dilianggong, while his posthumous name appears as Wenzhen or Wenxian. A native of Xiashi in Shan Prefecture (now Xiashi Town in southeastern Shaan County, Henan), he traced his ancestry to Wuxing; his family moved to Xiashi at the end of the Sui and later settled in Luoyang, which is also given as his registered native place.
Career
Early in his career, Yao Chong served as a funeral attendant for Crown Prince Xiaojing (孝敬挽郎), passed the examination in “composing as one writes” (下筆成章科), was appointed Puzhou Assistant Controller of Granaries (濮州司倉參軍), and then entered the government as Assistant Judicial Commissioner (司刑丞). During the Tianshou era of the Wu Zhou, he successively held the offices of Xiaguan yuanwailang, langzhong, and shilang; in Shengli 3 (700) he became tong Fengge Luantai pingzhangshi and was moved to Fengge shilang. After Zhang Yizhi slandered him, he was reassigned as Taipu qing while retaining the rank of Fengge Luantai sanpin, and was sent out as commander-in-chief of the Lingwu Circuit.
In the first year of Shenlong (705), he took part in the plot led by Zhang Jianzhi and others to eliminate Zhang Yizhi and his brothers, and was enfeoffed as Marquis of Liangxian. When Ruizong ascended the throne, Yao Chong was recalled as Minister of War, tong Zhongshu Menxia sanpin, and soon Chancellor of the Secretariat; after memorializing that Princess Taiping should move to the eastern capital, he was sent out as governor of Shenzhou, then served as chief administrator of Yangzhou, surveillance commissioner of Huainan, governor of Tongzhou, and in other offices. He subsequently served as governor in Shenzhou, Xuzhou, Bo, Song, Chang, Yue, Xu, Fengyi, Pengcheng, Shangdang, Yangzhou, Yiyang, Jinling, Kuaiji, and Jiangling.
In the second year of Xuanzong’s Xiantian era (713), he was again appointed Minister of War and tong Zhongshu Menxia sanpin. He submitted ten proposals for government, all of which the emperor accepted; he was then moved to Ziwei ling, abolished redundant offices, revised institutions, and was enfeoffed as Duke of Liang. At the beginning of the Kaiyuan era he returned to the chancellorship; in Kaiyuan 4 (716) he received the title Kaifu Yitong Sansi and was relieved of responsibility for state affairs, and illness prevented him from taking the appointment of Junior Protector of the Heir.
In Kaiyuan 4, a major locust outbreak occurred in Shandong, and Yao Chong proposed that every circuit organize locust-catching; the plague then subsided. He later brought Song Jing in as his replacement, and the two were known together as “Yao and Song”; Yao Chong held the chancellorship three times and was regarded as one of the Tang’s notable chancellors. He died in Kaiyuan 9 (721) at the age of seventy-two; he was posthumously made Grand Governor of Yangzhou and given the posthumous name Wenzhen, also rendered Wenxian, and in the seventeenth year he was again granted the title Junior Protector of the Heir, with another version giving Grand Protector of the Heir.
Family and associations
Yao Chong’s father was Yao Yi (590–662), and his three sons were Yao Yi (姚彝), Yao Yi (姚異), and Yao Yi (姚弈). His grandsons included Yao Lun, Yao He (781–846), and Yao Yanjie; Yao Zan is also listed as a direct descendant. Zhang Yue wrote his epitaph, while Yao Chong wrote an epitaph for Yu Zhiwei. Yao Chong presented poetry and prose to Li Longji, Emperor Xuanzong; Zhang Jiuling, Su Ting, Su Wan, Meng Haoran, and the monk Guanxiu each received poems or prose from him.
Literary works
Known for poetry and prose, Yao Chong is associated with *Liujie* (《六誡》) and a ten-volume *Yao Chong ji* (《姚崇集》), also called *Wenji* (《文集》), which is now lost. The *Complete Tang Poetry* preserves six poems by him, and the *Supplement to the Complete Tang Poetry* adds two more.
References
- CBDB Yao Chong (26935)
- 搜韵 姚崇 (13972)
- Wikidata Yao Chong (Q1275350)