Xiao Qing was born in 862, during the reign of Emperor Yizong of Tang. His family was from Wannian, one of the two counties making up the Tang Dynasty capital Chang'an. His line was a prominent one — having produced a number of chancellors and other important officials, including his grandfather Xiao Fang, who served as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Xizong of Tang. His father Xiao Lin served as the mayor of Jingzhao Municipality. Xiao Qing himself was said to be intelligent and capable in literary matters.
Service during Tang Dynasty
During the reign of Emperor Yizong's son Emperor Zhaozong, Xiao Qing passed the imperial examinations in the Jinshi class, and subsequently entered governmental service. He served successively as a surveyor for the treasury ; scholar at the ministry of ceremonies ; and low-level consultant at the legislative bureau of government. While serving as You Bujue, there were times when a number of warlords requested that they be allowed to build temples dedicated to their ancestors. Xiao submitted a petition to Emperor Zhaozong, discussing why such requests were inappropriate, so those requests were rejected. Later, while Xiao was serving as Libu Yuanwailang, a low-level official at the ministry of civil service affairs, there was a time when the former chancellor Zhang Jun, was serving as one of the Puye. At that time, Zhang's ally, the major warlord Zhu Quanzhongthe military governor of Xuanwu Circuit, had sent his attendant Gao Shao to demand that one of his sons be given an official post based on Zhu's own prominence. The agencies responsible for such commissions rejected the request, finding it to be without precedent. Zhang, however, to please Zhu, insisted on the commission's approval, and went to the agencies himself to demand so. Xiao wrote : "It is not the customs of the southern palace that a Puye, without gathering his subordinate officials to consult with them, personally go to the agencies to issue orders." When Zhang became aware of what Xiao wrote, he apologized profusely. Xiao thus became well-known after that, and this also impressed Zhu.
Service during Later Liang
After Zhu Quanzhong later seized the throne and established his own Later Liang as its Emperor Taizu, Xiao Qing became a Later Liang official, and successively served as imperial attendant, mid-level consultant, deputy chief imperial censor, and deputy minister of rites. In that office, he was responsible for imperial examinations, and became known for his abilities. In 918, by which time Emperor Taizu's son Zhu Zhen was emperor, Xiao was serving as the deputy minister of civil service affairs, when he was made the deputy head of the legislative bureau and given the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi, making him a chancellor. In 920, Li Qi was also made a chancellor due to his association with Zhu Zhen's close associates Zhao Yan and Zhang Hanjie, and soon Xiao and Li were in conflict with each other. It was said that while Xiao did not display displeasure, he secretly sought out evidence of Li's faults. Li, who was careless and willing to accept bribes, was often making acting officials who bribed him full officials. Xiao reported this to the emperor. Zhu Zhen, in anger, wanted to exile Li, but Zhao and Zhang interceded for Li for him to avoid that fate, although he was removed from chancellorship.
Service during Later Tang
In 923, Emperor Zhuangzong of Later Liang's archrival Later Tang, which claimed to be Tang's legitimate successor, captured the Later Liang capital Daliang in a surprise attack. Zhu Zhen committed suicide as the city fell, ending Later Liang, and Later Tang took over Later Liang's territory. Emperor Zhuangzong, believing that Xiao Qing and a number of other high-level Later Liang officials, including Xiao's chancellor colleague Zheng Jue, whose ancestors had been Tang officials for generations, were disloyal to Tang and should be punished, and therefore exiled them — in Xiao's case, he was exiled to be the census officer of Deng Prefecture. He was later slightly promoted to be the military advisor to the prefect of Pu Prefecture, and yet later recalled to then-Later Tang capital Luoyang to serve as Taizi Binke — an honorary post as the Crown Prince's advisor. Early in the Tiancheng era of Emperor Zhuangzong's adoptive brother and successor Emperor Mingzong, Xiao successively served as the minister of rites, then as the minister of ceremonies, and retired as Taizi Shaobao. He died at the age of 68.
