Xue Cuncheng (薛存誠)

Overview

Xue Cuncheng was an official and Judge.

IdentityHistorical · Male

Roles

Found in

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Courtesy name	Ziming	資明	Ziming

Life and dates

Death

AD 805 to AD 820 未視事，暴卒
Sudden
Dated from the passage context · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 227

Attested activity

AD 813 八年春
Dated from the passage context · Old Book of Tang 160, passage 50
AD 806 元和初
Dated from the passage context · Old Book of Tang 153, passages 176-177
AD 806 元和初
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passages 203-204
AD 810 to AD 814 存誠之戮鑒虛
Strongly inferred · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 271
AD 810 存誠之戮鑒虛
Strongly inferred · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 298
AD 805 to AD 820 憲宗
Dated from the passage context · Old Book of Tang 157, passages 225-228

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c. AD 805 憲宗立
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 172, passage 36

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Child of Xue Sheng (薛勝)
father 父 · paternal line
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 175; Old Book of Tang 157, passage 202
Parent of Xue Tinglao (薛廷老)
son 子
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 230

Key source chapters

Career and standing

Diarist 起居郎
AD 806 元和初 · Appointed
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 208
Drafting Attendant 給事中
AD 805 to AD 820 未幾 · Appointed
Dated from the passage context · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 225
Diarist 起居郎
Appointed · Recommender Person Id Pei Ji (裴垍)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 181
Investigating Censor 監察御史
Appointed
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 176; Old Book of Tang 157, passage 203
Three Offices commissioner 三司使
Appointed
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 160, passage 50
director in the Ministry of War 兵部郎中
AD 806 元和初 · Changed
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 208

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Director in the Ministry of War 兵部郎中
Changed
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 181
Serving Censor supervising miscellaneous matters 兼侍御史、知雜事
AD 806 元和初 · Concurrent
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 208
Serving Censor supervising miscellaneous matters 兼侍御史、知雜事
Held concurrently
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 181
director in the Ministry of Justice 刑部郎中
AD 806 元和初 · Held
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 208
Drafting Attendant 給事中
AD 806 元和初 · Held
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 208
Censor-in-Chief 御史中丞
Held
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 160, passage 50
Director in the Ministry of Justice 刑部郎中
Held
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 181
Drafting Attendant 給事中
Held
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 181
supervisor of post stations 知館驛
Held
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 176; Old Book of Tang 157, passage 203
Vice Minister of Justice 刑部侍郎
AD 805 to AD 820 憲宗 · Posthumously awarded
Dated from the passage context · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 228
Vice Censor-in-Chief 御史中丞
AD 806 to AD 820 元和 · Promoted
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 185
Vice Censor-in-Chief 御史中丞
AD 806 元和初 · Promoted
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 212
vice director of the Revenue Office 度支員外郎
AD 806 元和初 · Promoted
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 207
Vice Director of the Revenue Office 度支員外郎
Promoted
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 180
commissioner staff 使府
Repeatedly summoned
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 176; Old Book of Tang 157, passage 203
Vice Censor-in-Chief 御史中丞
AD 805 to AD 820 數月，中丞闕 · Restored
Dated from the passage context · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 226
Palace Censor 殿中侍御史
AD 806 元和初 · Transferred
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 207
vice director of Merits 司勛員外
AD 806 元和初 · Transferred
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 208
Palace Censor 殿中侍御史
Transferred
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 180
Vice Director of Merits 司勛員外
Transferred
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 181
Vice Minister of Justice 刑部侍郎
AD 805 to AD 820 贈刑部侍郎 · Posthumous
Dated from the passage context · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 228
execution of Jianxu 戮鑒虛
Carried out · With Jianxu (鑒虛)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 298
execution of Jianxu 戮鑒虛
Ordered
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 271

Places and affiliations

Polity Tang 唐 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passages 174, 271; Old Book of Tang 157, passages 201, 203, 225-226
Polity Tang 唐 · Relation Served
Strongly inferred · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 298; Old Book of Tang 160, passage 50
At Hedong 河東
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 174; Old Book of Tang 157, passage 201

Learning and skills

Earned
Credential Presented Scholar 進士
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 176; Old Book of Tang 157, passage 203

Works and attributed material

Memorial · Author · Direct quotation · Addressed to Xianzong (憲宗)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passages 191-192
AD 806 元和初
Memorial · Author · Paraphrased · Addressed to Emperor Xianzong (憲宗)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 223
AD 806 元和初
Memorial · Author · Direct quotation · Addressed to Emperor Xianzong (憲宗)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passages 218-219
AD 806 元和初
Memorial · Author · Paraphrased
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 178; Old Book of Tang 157, passage 205

Events and relationships

Again made Drafting Attendant
Appointment · Appointee
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 225
Blocked edicts punishing
Legal · Resister · With Yuan Dan (袁儋)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passages 183-184
Blocked excessive artisan registration
AD 806 元和初 · Administrative · Reviewer
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 209
Blocked Qionlin artisan registrations
Administrative · Drafting attendant
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 182
Cleared
Legal · Investigator · With Li Wei (李位)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 197
Died suddenly before taking office
Death · Deceased
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 227

Show 13 more source-backed claims

Executed
AD 810 to AD 814 存誠之戮鑒虛 · Legal · Executioner · With Jianxu (鑒虛)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 271
Executed
Legal · Executioner · With Jianxu (鑒虛)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 298
Held both edicts
AD 806 元和初 · Legal · Resister of edicts · With Yuan Dan (袁儋)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passages 210-211
Investigated as three offices commissioner
Legal · Investigator
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 160, passage 50
Opposed inner post station commissioners
AD 806 元和初 · Political · Memorialist
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passages 178-179
Praised by the emperor to the chancellor and restored as Vice Censor in Chief
Political · Subject · With Emperor Xianzong (憲宗)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 226
Refused to surrender prisoner
Legal · Memorialist · With Jianxu (鑒虛)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passages 189-193
Secretly opposed inner attendants as post station commissioners
AD 806 元和初 · Political · Memorialist · With Emperor Xianzong (憲宗)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passages 204-206
Thrice memorialized to transfer case to Censorate
AD 806 元和初 · Legal · Advocate · With Li Wei (李位)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passages 221, 223-224
Thrice requested Censorate jurisdiction
Legal · Memorialist · With Li Wei (李位)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 196
Tried and refused to release
AD 806 元和初 · Legal · Investigator · With Jianxu (鑒虛)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passages 214-216, 218-220
Tried
Legal · Investigator · With Jianxu (鑒虛) · Outcome Death sentence
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passages 188-189, 193
Relation Protege of · Person Pei Ji (裴垍)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 181; Old Book of Tang 157, passage 208

Assessments and attributes

Assessment among men is Qu Yi, the pointing grass against flatterers · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 305
Assessment among men, Yuan and Xue are Qu Yi · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 278
Assessment carries the spirit of the ancients · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 271
Assessment easygoing and tolerant of all, yet unyielding in office · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 229
Assessment esteemed by scholars and friends · Mode named-group-report Source scholars and friends
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 229
Assessment execution of Jianxu carries the spirit of the ancients · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 298

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Assessment had steadfastness (有守) · Assessor Person Id Xianzong (憲宗) · Mode named-person-speech Speaker Xianzong (憲宗)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 193
Assessment had-steadfastness · Assessor Person Id Emperor Xianzong (憲宗) · Mode named-person-speech Speaker Emperor Xianzong (憲宗)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passage 220

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 153, passage 174; Old Book of Tang 157, passage 226; New Book of Tang 172, passage 36
Value historical
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 157, passages 201, 298

References in the histories

Search passages

History

26 passages

Old Book of Tang, Chapter 153Volume 149 Biographies 99: Yu Xiulie, Ling Huhuan, Gui Chongjing, Xi Zhi, Zhang Jian, Jiang Yi, Liu Deng, Shen Chuanshi · 11 passages

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薛存誠，字資明，河東人。 Xue Cuncheng, courtesy name Ziming, came from Hedong.

存誠進士擢第，累辟使府，入朝為監察御史，知館驛。 Cuncheng passed the jinshi examination, served repeatedly on commissioner staffs, entered court as Investigating Censor, and supervised the post stations.

存誠密表論奏，以為有傷公體。 Cuncheng secretly submitted a memorial arguing that this injured public propriety.

瓊林庫使奏占工徒太廣，存誠以為此皆奸人竄名，以避征役，不可許。 The Qionlin Treasury commissioner reported that registered artisans and laborers had grown too numerous. Cuncheng argued that scoundrels were slipping in names to avoid corvée and conscription, and the practice should not be allowed.

二敕繼至，存誠皆執之。 Two edicts arrived in succession, and Cuncheng resisted both.

存誠案鞫得奸贓數十萬，獄成，當大辟。 Cuncheng's investigation uncovered corrupt bribes worth several hundred thousand. When the case was complete, the sentence was death.

中外權要，更於上前保救，上宣令釋放，存誠不奉詔。 Powerful figures inside and outside court repeatedly interceded before the emperor. The emperor ordered Jianxu released, but Cuncheng refused to obey.

存誠附中使奏曰：「鑒虛罪款已具，陛下若召而赦之，請先殺臣，然後可取。 Cuncheng sent a report through the inner envoy: "Jianxu's crimes are fully established. If Your Majesty summons and pardons him, kill me first—then you may take him.

存誠一日三表，請付位於御史臺。 Cuncheng submitted three memorials in a single day, asking that Li Wei be turned over to the Censorate.

袁高之執盧杞，存誠之戮鑒虛，有古人之遺風焉！ Yuan Gao's stand against Lu Qi and Cuncheng's execution of Jianxu carry the spirit of the ancients!

惟袁與薛，人中屈軼。 Among men, only Yuan and Xue are Qu Yi.