Sui and Tang · Eunuch Courtier

Liang Shouqian 梁守謙

Attested c. AD 805 - AD 820

Passages: 7
Chapters: 3
Histories: 2

Overview

Liang Shouqian was an eunuch Courtier.

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 813 八年春
Strongly inferred · Old Book of Tang 160, passages 44, 46, 49
AD 806 to AD 820 元和中
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 160, passage 44
AD 817 十二年
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 173, passages 80, 82
c. AD 805 憲宗立
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 172, passage 33

Key source chapters

Career and standing

inner attendant / eunuch 內官
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 160, passage 44
army supervisor 監軍
Held
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 173, passage 80
controller of the Privy Council 掌樞密
Held
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 160, passage 44

Places and affiliations

Polity Tang 唐 · Relation Served
Strongly inferred · Old Book of Tang 160, passage 44; New Book of Tang 173, passage 80

Events and relationships

Controlled privy council and amassed power
Political · Power holder
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 160, passage 44
Urged full execution per edict
AD 817 十二年 · Legal · Enforcer
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 173, passage 82

Assessments and attributes

Item two swords 二劍 · Relation Bestowed
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 173, passage 80

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 160, passage 44; New Book of Tang 172, passage 33; New Book of Tang 173, passage 80

References in the histories

Old Book of Tang, Chapter 160Volume 156 Biographies 106: Yu Di, Han Hong, Wang Zhixing · 3 passages

元和中，內官梁守謙掌樞密，頗招權利。 During the Yuanhe reign, eunuch Liang Shouqian controlled the Privy Council and amassed considerable power.

有梁正言者，勇於射利，自言與守謙宗盟情厚，頔子敏與之遊處。 A man named Liang Zhengyan, bold in pursuit of profit, claimed close ties with Shouqian; Di's son Min kept company with him.

正言取頔財賄，言賂守謙，以求出鎮。 Zhengyan took Di's money, promising to bribe Shouqian to secure an outside command for him.

New Book of Tang, Chapter 172Volume 172 Biographies 97: Yu, Wang, Two Du's, Fan · 2 passages

時宦者梁守謙幸於帝，頗用事。 The eunuch Liang Shouqian enjoyed the emperor's favor and wielded real power at court.

有梁正言者，與頔子敏善，敏因正言厚賂守謙，求頔出鎮。 Liang Zhengyan was close to Di's son Min, and Min used him to bribe Shouqian heavily, hoping to get his father posted back to a military command.

New Book of Tang, Chapter 173Volume 173 Biographies 98: Pei Du · 2 passages

度入朝，會帝以二劍付監軍梁守謙，使悉誅賊將。 When Du returned to court, the emperor had just given two swords to army supervisor Liang Shouqian with orders to execute every rebel officer.

守謙請如詔，度固不然，騰奏申解，全宥者甚眾。 Shouqian urged following the edict to the letter, but Du refused. He memorialized urgently on the men's behalf, and a great many were spared.