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Fang Xuanling

Early Tang chief minister who helped plan the Xuanwu Gate coup, ran the Department of State Affairs under Taizong, and directed the compilation of the Jin History

Also known as Fang Qiao · Liangguo Gong · Wen Zhao

Roles: Chief MinistersStrategists

Fang Xuanling, whose names are given as Qiao with courtesy name Xuanling (the New Tang History reverses them), came from Linzi in Qizhou (modern Zibo, Shandong). He passed the Sui jinshi examination at eighteen and, after Li Yuan rose in revolt, joined Li Shimin, Prince of Qin, north of the Wei River as his secretary, recruiting able men for the prince. In 626 he and Du Ruhui helped plan the Xuanwu Gate coup, and under Emperor Taizong he became President of the Secretariat and, from 629, Left Vice-Director of the Department of State Affairs for more than ten years. Contemporaries paired him and Du Ruhui as the planner and the decider; he also oversaw revisions of the legal code, the state history and the compilation of the Jin History (Jinshu). He was made Duke of Liang in 637, and his portrait was hung in the Lingyan Pavilion in 643. He died in 648, received the posthumous name Wenzhao and was buried near Taizong's Zhaoling tomb.

Life and times

579 CEBornNorthern and Southern SuiTang
648 CEDied

Works

Literature · Prose144
Literature · Sayings51
1. Rising to Practice Swordplay at CockcrowTangIdiom from Zu Ti's biography in the Book of Jin: rising at cockcrow to train
2. One Act, Two GainsTangIdiom from the Book of Jin: one act, two gains
3. Pillowing on a Spear Awaiting DawnTangIdiom from Liu Kun's biography in the Book of Jin: ever vigilant, ready for battle
4. Failing on the Verge of SuccessTangIdiom from the Book of Jin: failing on the verge of success
5. Hard to Dismount a TigerTangIdiom from the Book of Jin: riding a tiger, unable to get off
6. +25 more
  1. Splitting Apart at the Blade's TouchTangIdiom from Du Yu's biography: once the key is solved the rest splits apart easily
  2. One Man Holds the Pass Against Ten ThousandTangIdiom best known from Li Bai's Hard Road to Shu: a pass one man can hold
  3. Rising Again from the Eastern HillsTangIdiom from the Book of Jin on Xie An, who left his eastern hills to save the realm
  4. Practising Calligraphy Until the Pond Turned BlackTangIdiom from the Book of Jin on Wang Xizhi: Zhang Zhi wrote until the pond turned black
  5. Winning by Stratagem Instead of BattleTangIdiom from the Book of Jin on Du Yu: a ruse worth ten thousand men
  6. Recover the Divine Land: Wang Dao Rebukes the Weeping ExilesTangFamous line from the Book of Jin: Wang Dao rallies the weeping exiles at Xinting
  7. All Eight Corners of the World on One TrackTangIdiom from the Book of Jin: Sima Yan proclaims a unified realm as he takes the throne
  8. Victory Without Blood on the BladesTangIdiom from the Book of Jin: Wang Jun's fleet sails down the Yangtze to take Wu
  9. Unrivalled in His GenerationTangIdiom from the Book of Jin: young Liu Cong's strength and archery outshine his age
  10. As Easily as Splitting BambooTangIdiom from the Book of Jin: Du Yu presses on against Wu rather than wait for autumn
  11. The Four Seas Boil Like a Cauldron: Liu Yuan's MomentTangIdiom from the Book of Jin: a realm seething like a boiling cauldron
  12. A Corpse with One Breath Left: Sima Yi Feigns IllnessTangIdiom from the Book of Jin: a man seemingly at death's door, Sima Yi's ruse
  13. The Broken Clog Tooth: Xie An Hides His Joy at Fei RiverTangIdiom from the Book of Jin: so overjoyed he broke his clog without noticing
  14. The Guangling Melody Is Heard No MoreTangIdiom from the Book of Jin's life of Ji Kang: a matchless art that dies with its master
  15. Overwhelmed by GriefTangIdiom in the Book of Jin's annals of Emperor Min: a captive emperor's unbearable sorrow
  16. Quelling Chaos to Rescue the AgeTangIdiom from the Book of Jin: Sima Yan's prayer recalls Cao Cao rescuing the Han
  17. Ringing Like Metal When Thrown to the GroundTangIdiom from the Book of Jin: Sun Chuo's rhapsody would ring like bronze if dropped
  18. Beheading Generals and Seizing Their BannersTangIdiom from Yang Hu's memorial urging the conquest of Wu: fighting with fearless skill
  19. Exiles Weeping Together at Xinting PavilionTangIdiom from the Book of Jin's life of Wang Dao: exiles weeping for a lost homeland
  20. Facing Each Other Like Captives of ChuTangIdiom from the Book of Jin's life of Wang Dao: exiles weeping like captives instead of acting
  21. Slender and Lovely as a Young PineTangIdiom from the Book of Jin's life of Sun Chuo: a young pine pitied as too slight
  22. Ape-Like Arms and a Born Archer: Young Liu CongTangFamous line from the Book of Jin: young Liu Cong's long arms and archery
  23. Hiding Joy to Steady Others: Xie An's Broken ClogTangIdiom from the Book of Jin: Xie An's calm at news of Feishui
  24. Composure Unchanged: Wang Dun at Wang Kai's BanquetTangIdiom in the Book of Jin: Wang Dun unmoved at a cruel banquet
  25. Ruan Ji Weeping Where the Road EndsTangIdiom from the Book of Jin: Ruan Ji drives until the road ends, then weeps
Literature · Fables1
1. Splitting at the Touch of the BladeTangEpisode in the Book of Jin: Du Yu likens the war on Wu to splitting bamboo before the blade

Family tree

Direct kin
Fang Xuanling
Daughter-in-law
Princess Gaoyang

Fang Xuanling

Life and times

Works

Family tree

Connections