Xiao Song


Xiao Song, formally the Duke of Xu, was an official and general of the Chinese Tang dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong.

Background

It is not known when Xiao Song was born. His family was descended from the imperial family of Liang Dynasty. Hiis great-great-grandfather was Emperor Ming of Western Liang, and his great-granduncle Xiao Yu was a famed chancellor during the reigns of Tang Dynasty's first two emperors, Emperor Gaozu and Emperor Taizong. Xiao Song's grandfather Xiao Jun was well known as a deputy head of the legislative bureau of government and Xiao Song's father Xiao Guan served as a prefectural secretary general.
Xiao Song himself was described as handsome and tall, with a lengthy and beautiful beard. His wife was a daughter of one He Hui, another daughter of whom married Lu Xiangxian. At that time, Lu, who was the son of the chancellor Lu Yuanfang, was already well known for his abilities while serving as the sheriff of Luoyang County—one of the two counties making up the then-capital Luoyang, while Xiao was not yet serving as an official. The guests were all rushing to greet Lu, while not paying much attention to Xiao. However, a fortuneteller, Xia Rong, stated to Lu, "You, Master Lu, will reach the apex of officialdom in 10 years. However, Master Xiao's household will be thoroughly honored, and he will reach high positions and have a long life."

During Emperor Zhongzong's second reign and Emperor Ruizong's second reign

In 705, during the second reign of Emperor Zhongzong, Xiao Song was made a military officer at Ming Prefecture. When the chancellor Huan Yanfan was demoted to be the prefect of Ming Prefecture, Huan was impressed with him and treated him with respect. In 710, when Emperor Zhongzong's brother Emperor Ruizong was emperor, Xiao was serving as the sheriff of Liquan County when Lu Xiangxian, then serving as the deputy head of the legislative bureau, recommended him to be Jiancha Yushi, an imperial censor. When Lu became chancellor in 711, Xiao was promoted within the censor ranks.

During Emperor Xuanzong's reign

Early in the Kaiyuan era of Emperor Ruizong's son Emperor Xuanzong, Xiao Song became Zhongshu Sheren, a mid-level official at the legislative bureau, serving alongside Cui Lin, Wang Qiu, and Qi Huan. It was said that among these officials, Xiao was considered to be unknowledgeable and therefore not considered seriously. However, their superior Yao Chong felt that Xiao had good foresight and respected him. He later successively served as the prefect of Sòng Prefecture; Shangshu Zuo Cheng, one of the secretaries in general of the executive bureau ; and deputy minister of defense. He participated in government reactions to a Yellow River levee break at Bo Prefecture.
In 726, Xiao was given the title of minister of defense and made the military governor of Shuofang Circuit. In 727, having been aggravated by constant attacks by the Tang general Wang Junchuo the military governor of Hexi Circuit, generals We Tadra Khonglo and Zhulongmangbu of the Tibetan Empire launched a major attack on Gua Prefecture and captured its prefect Tian Yuanxian and Wang Junchuo's father Wang Shou. In the aftermaths, Wang Junchuo falsely accused the tribal chieftains of the Uyghur Khaganate, Huns, Kibirs, and Esegels of treason and had them exiled. In anger, Yaoluoge Hushu, the nephew of the Uyghur chieftain Yaoluoge Chengzong, launched a surprise raid against Wang, killing him. Emperor Xuanzong moved Xiao from Shuofang to Hexi. Xiao retained a number of officials that were considered capable—Pei Kuan, Guo Xuji, and Niu Xianke, and recommended the general Zhang Shougui to serve as the prefect of Gua Prefecture. Zhang rebuilt Gua Prefecture's defenses and comforted the people. Emperor Xuanzong, hearing this, gave him the honorific title Yinqing Guanglu Daifu. Meanwhile, Xiao had spies create rumors in the Tibetan Empire that We Tadra Khonglo was conspiring with Tang—which the Tibetan emperor Me Agtsom believed, and Me Agtsom summoned We Tadra Khonglo and killed him.
In 728, another Tibetan general, Ximolang, attacked Gua Prefecture. Xiao and the military governor of Longyou Circuit then counterattacked, and defeated Tibetan forces at Kepo Canyon, west of Qinghai Lake. Later that year, he sent the general Du Binke to defend against another Tibetan attack, and Du defeated Tibetan forces at Qilian. When the unsealed reports of the victory arrived at the capital Chang'an, Emperor Xuanzong was pleased, and he recalled Xiao to Chang'an to serve as minister of defense; he also gave Xiao the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi, making him a chancellor de facto.
In 729, when Emperor Xuanzong became displeased at the conflict between Xiao's fellow chancellors Li Yuanhong and Du Xian, as well as the senior chancellor Yuan Qianyao's inability to moderate them, Emperor Xuanzong removed all three from their chancellor positions and replaced them with Yuwen Rong and Pei Guangting. He also made Xiao Zhongshu Ling, the head of the legislative bureau and a post considered one for a chancellor—a post that had not been held since Zhang Shuo was removed in 726. Xiao was also given the military governorship of Hexi again, but remained at Chang'an and did not report to Hexi. Xiao was made an imperial scholar at Jixian Institute and put in charge of editing the imperial history; he was also given the honorific title of Jinzi Guanglu Daifu. Emperor Xuanzong gave his daughter Princess Xinchang to Xiao's son Xiao Heng in marriage. Sometime thereafter, Xiao Song was created the Duke of Xu. He, believing Niu, serving as acting military governor in his absence, to be capable, repeatedly recommended Niu, and eventually, his military governorship was given to Niu.
Emperor Xuanzong had put Zhang Shuo in charge of revising the rite regulations. After Zhang died in 731, Xiao was put in charge, and in 732, the revisions were complete and became known as the Kaiyuan Rites.
In 733, Pei died. Emperor Xuanzong asked Xiao for his recommendation for someone to succeed Pei. Xiao wanted to recommend his friend and old colleague Wang Qiu, who was then serving as a senior advisor at the examination bureau. Wang declined and recommended Han Xiu instead, and so Xiao recommended Han. Han was thus made chancellor to replace Pei. Han had a reputation for being peaceful, so Xiao believed that he could easily be controlled, but once Han became chancellor, Han did not bow to Xiao's wishes, often arguing with Xiao before Emperor Xuanzong and pointing out Xiao's shortcomings. This caused Emperor Xuanzong's displeasure, and Xiao offered to resign. Emperor Xuanzong asked Xiao, "I am not tired of you. Why do you want to leave?" Xiao responded:
Xiao then began to cry, and Emperor Xuanzong was touched, responding, "Leave my presence for the time being. I will think of a solution." Emperor Xuanzong then removed both Xiao and Han as chancellors, making Xiao Zuo Chengxiang, one of the heads of the executive bureau, instead. He replaced Xiao and Han with Pei Yaoqing and Zhang Jiuling. Soon thereafter, he made Xiao's son Xiao Hua an imperial attendant. In 734, when a major earthquake occurred at Qin Prefecture, causing more than 4,000 deaths, Emperor Xuanzong had Xiao head the disaster relief efforts.
In 736, Xiao was made a senior advisor to Li Yu the Crown Prince. Soon thereafter, however, Zhang Shougui was discovered to have bribed the eunuch Niu Xiantong and demoted. Then-chancellor Li Linfu, apprehensive that Xiao might return to the chancellorship at some point, accused Xiao of bribing Niu Xiantong as well and had him demoted to be the prefect of Qing Prefecture. Xiao was, however, soon recalled to again be senior advisor to Li Yu, although he soon retired.
Xiao had long been taking herbal medicines, and once he left the chancellorship, he began to grow his own herbs for his own use. At that time, Xiao Hua served as a deputy minister, and Xiao Heng was an imperial son-in-law. Xiao Song thus spent more than a decade in retirement in great honor and wealth. He died in 749 and was given posthumous honors, although no posthumous name was recorded for him. Among his descendants, Xiao Hua, Xiao Hua's grandsons Xiao Mian and Xiao Fang, and Xiao Heng's son Xiao Fu all later served as chancellors.