Wugusun Liangzhen (烏古孫良楨)

Overview

Wugusun Liangzhen was an official and Statesman.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Courtesy name	Ganqing	幹卿	Ganqing

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 1333 to AD 1344 復起為監察御史至至正四年以前
Dated from the passage context · History of Yuan 187, passages 12, 24
AD 1349 至正九年
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 31
AD 1345 至正五年
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 27
AD 1348 至正八年
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 30
AD 1346 至正六年
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 29
AD 1351 至正十一年
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 32

Show 3 more source-backed claims

AD 1353 至正十三年
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 33
AD 1344 至正四年
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 26
AD 1322 至治二年
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 4

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Child of Wugusun Ze (烏古孫澤)
father 父 · paternal line
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 2
Child of Mother of Wugusun Liangzhen (烏古孫良楨母)
mother 母
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 4

Origins and identity

his place in the lineage is given in his father Ze's biography
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 2

Career and standing

surveillance commissioner of Guangdong circuit 廣東道肅政廉訪使
AD 1349 至正九年 · Appointed but did not depart
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 31
surveillance commissioner of Fujian circuit 福建道肅政廉訪使
AD 1349 至正九年 · Appointed then recalled en route
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 31
participant in Secretariat affairs 參議中書省事
AD 1349 至正九年 · Appointed
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 31
director of affairs of the Secretariat Left Department 中書左司都事
AD 1345 至正五年 · Appointed
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 27
associate director of the Classics Lecture 同知經筵事
AD 1351 至正十一年 · Appointed
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 32
supervising censor 治書侍御史
AD 1351 至正十一年 · Appointed
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 32

Show 24 more source-backed claims

assistant prefect of Jiangyin 江陰州判官
AD 1322 至治二年 · Appointed
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 4
investigating censor of the Shaanxi Branch Censorate 陝西行臺監察御史
Appointed
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 9
Classics Lecture official 經筵官
AD 1349 至正九年 · Concurrent
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 31
minister of the Great Agrarian Office 大司農卿
AD 1353 至正十三年 · Concurrent
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 33
general administrator of Pingjiang circuit 平江路緫管
AD 1346 至正六年 · Declined · Negated true
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 29
vice commissioner of the Jiangdong Surveillance Commission 江東道肅政廉訪司副使
AD 1345 至正五年 · Posted
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 27
director 郎中
AD 1349 至正九年 · Promoted
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 31
vice grand councillor of the Secretariat 中書參知政事
AD 1351 至正十一年 · Promoted
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 32
left vice grand councillor 左丞
AD 1353 至正十三年 · Promoted
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 33
director of affairs 都事
Promoted
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 11
investigating censor 監察御史
Recalled and appointed
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 12
director 郎中
AD 1349 至正九年 · Restored
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 31
associate director of the Classics Lecture 同知經筵事
AD 1353 至正十三年 · Retained
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 33
vice household head of the Heir Apparent 副詹事
AD 1353 至正十三年 · Summoned by post
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 37
vice director of the Secretariat Right Department 右司員外郎
AD 1348 至正八年 · Summoned
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 30
vice director of the Ministry of Punishments 刑部員外郎
AD 1344 至正四年 · Summoned
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 26
magistrate of Wuyi county in Wuzhou 婺州武義縣尹
AD 1324 to AD 1325 服除 · Transferred
Dated from the passage context · History of Yuan 187, passage 4
director of affairs of the Censorate 御史臺都事
AD 1344 至正四年 · Transferred
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 26
assistant prefect of Yanping 延平判官
Transferred
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 9
judicial investigator of Zhangzhou circuit 漳州路推官
Transferred
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 5
Entered
AD 1322 to AD 1323 尋丁內艱 · Mourning
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 4
Entered
AD 1345 至正五年 · Resigned
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 28
Entered
AD 1322 至治二年 · Entered office by inherited privilege
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 4
Entered
Resigned · Reason recommendations not fully implemented
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 11

Places and affiliations

Polity Id yuan · Relation Served
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passages 4, 32
AD 1345 至正五年
At Jiangdong 江東 · Relation Posted to
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 27
At Quanzhou 泉州 · Relation Posted to
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 8
At Wuyi, Wuzhou 婺州武義 · Relation Posted to
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 4
At Zhangzhou 漳州 · Relation Posted to
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 5

Learning and skills

Skill reading 好讀書 · Level noted
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 3

Works and attributed material

Memorial · Author · Direct quotation · Addressed to the Yuan emperor (帝) · Extent s0012, s0013, s0014, s0015, s0016
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passages 12-16
Speech · Speaker · Direct quotation · Addressed to the Yuan emperor (帝) · Extent s0039
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 39
Memorial · Author · Direct quotation · Extent s0006
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 6
Memorial · Author · Direct quotation · Extent s0017, s0018, s0019, s0020
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passages 17-20
Memorial · Author · Direct quotation · Extent s0021
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 21
Memorial · Author · Paraphrased · Extent s0023
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 23

Show 1 more source-backed claim

Memorial · Author · Paraphrased · Extent s0024
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 24

Events and relationships

Could not fully carry out intentions
AD 1353 至正十三年 · Political · Councillor
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 34
Entered office by yin privilege
AD 1322 至治二年 · Appointment · Appointee · At Jiangyin 江陰
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 4
Impeached
Impeachment · Accuser · With Dashi Timur (達識帖睦邇)
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 9
Impeached
Impeachment · Accuser · With Hu Juyou (胡居祐)
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 10
Opposed mass killing amnesty issued
Political · Adviser
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passages 38-40
Oversaw garrison agriculture
AD 1353 至正十三年 · Military logistics · Supervisor · With Ulabqatai (悟良哈台) · Outcome Annual intake of 200000 piculs
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 35

Show 9 more source-backed claims

Overturned doubtful convictions
Legal · Judge
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 5
Pleaded to install heir
AD 1353 至正十三年 · Political · Advocate · With the Crown Prince (皇太子)
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 36
Proposals received no reply
Political · Memorialist
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 22
Sought severe punishment
Legal · Memorialist · With Hanshi (罕失)
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 24
Statute amended increase servitude reduce flogging
Legal · Proposer
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passages 6-7
Taught at Hall of the Upright Root
Instruction · Tutor · With the Crown Prince (皇太子) · At Hall of the Upright Root 端本堂
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 37
Urged accompanying sacrifice
Ritual · Proposer · With Liu Yin (劉因)
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 21
Relation Colleague of · Person Ulabqatai (悟良哈台)
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 35
Relation Teacher of · Person the Crown Prince (皇太子)
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 37

Assessments and attributes

Assessment criticisms sharp and unsparing even of forbidden topics · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 23
Assessment gifted beyond ordinary men and devoted to learning · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 3
Assessment hated by sycophants · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 25
Assessment humane governance · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 4
Assessment still greater renown for ability · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 8

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · History of Yuan 187, passage 1

References in the histories

History of Yuan, Chapter 187Volume 187 Biographies 74: Wugusunliangzhen, Jia Lu, Lu Luceng, Gong Shitai, Zhou Boqi, Wu Dang · 6 passages

Open chapter

烏古孫良楨 Wugusun Liangzhen

烏古孫良楨字幹卿，世次見父澤傳。 Wugusun Liangzhen, whose courtesy name was Ganqing, is treated further in the genealogical account in his father Ze's biography.

復起為監察御史，良楨以帝方覽萬幾，不可不求賢自輔，於是連疏：「天曆數年間紀綱大壞，元氣傷夷。 Recalled to serve again as investigating censor, Liangzhen judged that with the emperor now personally attending to the myriad affairs of government, he could not afford to neglect recruiting worthy advisers. He therefore submitted a series of memorials: "During the Tianli years the laws and institutions fell into grave disorder and the vital energies of the dynasty were grievously depleted.

宦者罕失嬖妾殺其妻，糜其肉飼犬，上疏乞正重刑，并論宦寺結廷臣撓政為害，可汰黜之。 When the eunuch Hanshi's favored concubine killed his wife, minced her flesh, and fed it to dogs, Liangzhen memorialized asking that the severest penalty be imposed. He also argued that eunuchs who colluded with court officials to obstruct government were a grave evil and ought to be purged.

東宮久未建，懇懇為言，車駕幸上都，始冊皇太子。 The heir apparent had long gone uninstalled; Liangzhen pleaded earnestly on the matter, and when the emperor traveled to the Upper Capital the crown prince was at last formally designated.

良楨言：「平賊在收人心，以回天意，多殺非道也。」 Liangzhen said: "To pacify rebellion one must win back the people's hearts and turn Heaven's wrath. Mass slaughter is not the Way."