Du Ruhui
| Du Ruhui | |
|---|---|
Portrait in Sancai Tuhui
|
|
| Chancellor of the Tang dynasty | |
| Born | 585 |
| Died | 630 (aged 44–45) |
| Names | |
| Traditional Chinese | 杜如晦 |
| Simplified Chinese | 杜如晦 |
| Pinyin | Dù Rúhuì |
| Wade–Giles | Tu Ju-hui |
| Courtesy name | Keming (Chinese: 克明; pinyin: Kèmíng; Wade–Giles: Ko-ming) |
| Posthumous name | Duke Cheng of Lai (simplified Chinese: 莱成公; traditional Chinese: 萊成公; pinyin: Lái Chéng Gōng; Wade–Giles: Lai Ch'eng Kung) |
Du Ruhui (585–630), courtesy name Keming, posthumously known as Duke Cheng of Lai, was a Chinese official who served as a chancellor under Emperor Taizong in the early Tang dynasty. He and his colleague, Fang Xuanling, were often described as role models for chancellors in imperial China.
Du Ruhui was born in 585, during the reign of Emperor Wen of Sui. He was from the Sui capital Chang'an. His great-grandfather Du Jiao (杜皎) and grandfather Du Hui (杜徽) were both officials for Sui's predecessor state Northern Zhou, and his granduncle Du Guo (杜果) or Du Gao (杜杲) was particularly well-regarded during Sui. His father Du Zha (杜吒) was a provincial secretary general during Sui. Du Ruhui had at least one older brother, whose name is lost to history, and one younger brother, Du Chuke (杜楚客).
Du Ruhui himself was considered intelligent in his youth, and he often discussed literature and history with others. During Emperor Wen's reign, he participated in the civil service selection process, and the deputy minister of civil service affairs, Gao Xiaoji (高孝基), was particularly impressed with him. Gao gave him the post as a county magistrate, although Du did not remain at that post for long and resigned.
In 617, the governor of Taiyuan Li Yuan rebelled against the rule of Emperor Wen's son Emperor Yang, and by 618 had established Tang Dynasty at Chang'an (as its Emperor Gaozu). Du Ruhui served on the staff of Emperor Gaozu's son Li Shimin the Prince of Qin, a major general. At that time, Li Shimin had many talented people on his staff, and soon, many were commissioned to be local officials. Du was scheduled to become the secretary general for Shan Prefecture (陝州, roughly modern Sanmenxia, Henan), when Li Shimin's trusted advisor Fang Xuanling pointed out that Du was highly talented and that Li Shimin could not afford to lose him. Li Shimin thus interceded with Emperor Gaozu to keep Du on his staff. Du later followed Li Shimin in campaigns against Tang's major enemies Xue Rengao the Emperor of Qin, Liu Wuzhou the Dingyang Khan, Wang Shichong the Emperor of Zheng, and Dou Jiande the Prince of Xia, contributing strategies to LI Shimin's campaigns. For his achievements, Du was created the Baron of Jianping. (When the Zheng capital Luoyang fell to Li Shimin in 621, Du Ruhui's uncle Du Yan, a Zheng official, was captured. Du Yan was not on friendly terms with Du Ruhui and his brothers and who had given informed Wang that Du Ruhui's older brother was not faithful to Zheng, causing Wang to execute Du Ruhui's older brother and to imprison Du Ruhui's younger brother Du Chuke. Du Ruhui was originally intending to allow Li Shimin to execute Du Yan, but Du Chuke reasoned with him that even though Du Yan had led to their brother's death, they should not in turn lead to an uncle's death. Du Ruhui relented and interceded on Du Yan's behalf, and Du Yan was spared.) Du and Fang continued to serve as key advisors for Li Shimin, and it was said that Fang was capable act planning and strategizing, but not resolute, while Du was capable in making quick and correct decisions, and they divided their strategical responsibilities while on Li Shimin's staff in that manner. (This eventually led to the Chinese proverb "Fang plans and Du decides" (房謀杜斷, Fang mou Du duan), after they became renowned.)
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