Li Xian (chancellor)

Li Xian (Chinese: 李峴; pinyin: Lǐ Xiàn) (709–766), formally the Duke of Liang (梁公, Liáng Gōng), was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Suzong and Emperor Daizong. He was known for his willingness to stand up against the powerful eunuch Li Fuguo and for his mercy toward other officials who had become collaborators with the rebel Yan regime.

Li Xian was born in 709, during the reign of Emperor Zhongzong. He was a member of Tang Dynasty's imperial Li clan – his great-grandfather Li Ke the Prince of Wu was a son of Tang's second emperor Emperor Taizong, who was also Emperor Zhongzong's grandfather. Li Xian's grandfather Li Kun (李琨) served as a prefectural prefect and was posthumously honored with the title of Prince of Wu as well. Li Xian's father Li Hui (李褘) the Prince of Xin'an was a well-known general early in the reign of Emperor Zhongzong's nephew Emperor Xuanzong. Li Xian had two older brothers, Li Heng (李峘) and Li Yi (李嶧), both of whom served as officials as well.

It was said that Li Xian was charitable and humble, willing to meet capable people of lower social stations, and that he showed abilities to be an official in his youth. Because of his heritage, he was able to join the civil service, and he eventually served as the magistrate of Gaoling County (高陵, in modern Xi'an, Shaanxi), near the capital Chang'an. Due to his good performance at Gaoling, he was then made the magistrate of Wannian County (萬年), one of the two counties making up the city of Chang'an. He then successively served as the deputy mayor of Henan Municipality (河南, i.e., the eastern capital Luoyang), the governor of Wei Commandery (魏郡, roughly modern Handan, Hebei), a general of the imperial guards, the director of palace construction (將作監, Jiangzuo Jian), and eventually the mayor of Jingzhao Municipality (京兆, i.e., Chang'an). Wherever he went he served well. In 754, while Li Xian was serving as the mayor of Jingzhao, the region suffered some 60 days of rain, causing much flooding. The powerful chancellor Yang Guozhong, who resented Li Xian for not flattering him, took this opportunity to blame Li Xian for the floods (i.e., that Li Xian must have brought divine displeasure) and had him demoted to be the governor of Changsha Commandery. The populace, which missed his governance, wrote a song that included the words, "If you want the grain price to fall, bring Li Xian back."

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