Yuan Zai (元載) | 24 Histories

Overview

The translated histories identify Yuan Zai as an official and statesman. This record brings together 18 passages from 4 chapters across 2 histories, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	Yuan Zai	元載	Yuan Zai
Title	Chief Minister	宰相	Zaixiang
Surname	Yuan	元	Yuán
Surname	Yuan	元	Yuan
Personal name	Yuan Zai	元載	Yuan Zai
Personal name	Yuan Zai	元載	Yuán Zǎi
Given name	Zai	載	Zǎi
Given	Zai	載	Zai

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Strongly inferred · jiutangshu:119:s0086
Sex: male
Explicit · jiutangshu:130:s0039, xintangshu:051:s0164, xintangshu:172:s0195

Roles

Official
Statesman

Life and dates

Death

Cause: executed for crimes · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 大歷十二年 · Western Year: AD 777
Explicit · jiutangshu:130:s0045

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: 代宗朝 · Western Interval: Start: AD 763 · End: AD 770
Strongly inferred · xintangshu:051:s0164
Source Date: Text: 元載秉政 · Western Interval: Start: AD 762 · End: AD 777
Explicit event contextual date · jiutangshu:130:s0039, jiutangshu:130:s0042, jiutangshu:130:s0045
Source Date: Text: 唐代本傳敘事 · Western Interval: Start: c. AD 755 · End: c. AD 858
Explicit · xintangshu:172:s0195
Source Date: Text: 大歷中 · Western Interval: Start: AD 766 · End: AD 771
Explicit event contextual date · jiutangshu:119:s0086

Family

Immediate source-linked family. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select a person to open their record.

Parent of Yuan Bohe (元伯和)
Kinship Term: son / 子 · Parentage: biological
Parent of Yuan Zhongwu (元仲武)
Kinship Term: son / 子 · Parentage: biological

Career and standing

Label: Chief Minister / 宰相 · Action: held
Explicit · xintangshu:051:s0164
Status: in-power · Action: held
Explicit · jiutangshu:119:s0086

Places and affiliations

Polity: Tang / 唐 · Relation: served
Explicit · xintangshu:051:s0164

Events and relationships

Kind: political · Role: plotter · Action: plotted-against · Other Person Id: Yu Chao'en (魚朝恩)
Explicit · xintangshu:051:s0164
Kind: political · Role: protector · Action: saved-Mingguan-from-mob · Other Person Id: Jia Mingguan (賈明觀)
Explicit · jiutangshu:119:s0087, jiutangshu:119:s0088
Relation: patron-of · Person Id: Jia Mingguan (賈明觀)
Explicit · jiutangshu:119:s0086

Source notes

Historicity: historical
Explicit · xintangshu:051:s0164, xintangshu:172:s0195

References in the histories

Open any source group to read the Chinese and English passage in context.

Old Book of Tang, Chapter 119Volume 115 Biographies 65: Cui Qi, Zhao Guozhen, Cui Guan, Jing Kuo, Wei Yuanfu, Wei Shaoyou, Wei Boyu, Li Cheng · 3 passages

Open chapter

朝恩、希暹既誅，元載當權，納明觀奸謀，容之，特令江西效力。 After Chao'en and Xixian were executed, Yuan Zai held power, took Mingguan's treacherous counsel, sheltered him, and specially ordered him to serve in Jiangxi.

載聞之，特令所由吏擁百姓入城內，由是獲免。 When Zai heard of it, he specially ordered subordinate officials to drive the crowd back into the city, and so Mingguan escaped harm.

在洪州二年，少遊為觀察使，承元載意茍容之。 For two years at Hongzhou, Shaoyou as observation commissioner indulged him according to Zai's wishes.

Old Book of Tang, Chapter 130Volume 126 Biographies 76: Li Kui, Li Han, Chen Shaoyou, Lu Yue, Pei Xu · 11 passages

Open chapter

初，揆秉政，侍中苗晉卿累薦元載為重官。 While Kui was in power, Chief Minister Miao Jinqing had repeatedly recommended Yuan Zai for high office.

揆自恃門望，以載地寒，意甚輕易，不納，而謂晉卿曰：「龍章鳳姿之士不見用，麞頭鼠目之子乃求官。」 Trusting in his own pedigree, Kui looked down on Zai's humble origins and refused the recommendation, telling Jinqing: "Men of true distinction go unused while creatures with the heads of deer and the eyes of rats come begging for posts."

載銜恨頗深。 Zai never forgave the insult.

及載登相位，因揆當徙職，遂奏為試秘書監，江淮養疾。 Once Zai became chief minister and Kui was due for reassignment, he had him named acting director of the Secretariat and sent to convalesce in the Jiang-Huai region.

元載以罪誅，除揆睦州刺史，入拜國子祭酒、禮部尚書，為盧杞所惡。 After Yuan Zai was executed for his crimes, Kui was made prefect of Muzhou, then recalled to serve as chancellor of the National University and minister of rites, but Lu Qi bore him ill will.

時少遊又已納賄於元載子仲武矣。 By then Shaoyou had also bribed Yuan Zai's son Zhongwu.