Xiao Hua (Tang dynasty)

Xiao Hua (Chinese: 蕭華), formally the Duke of Xu (徐公), was an official of the Chinese Tang dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Suzong.

It is not known when Xiao Hua was born. He was from one of the most prominent families of Tang Dynasty officialdom, having descended from the imperial clan of the Liang Dynasty, and his father Xiao Song was a prominent chancellor and general during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong. Xiao Hua's brother Xiao Heng (蕭衡) married Emperor Xuanzong's daughter Princess Xinchang.

In 733, when Xiao Song was removed as chancellor (although still remaining as a high-ranked official) in the midst of his conflict with fellow chancellor Han Xiu (who was also removed as a result), Xiao Hua was made an imperial attendant (給事中, Jishizhong), and was soon promoted to be the deputy minister of public works (工部侍郎, Gongbu Shilang). After Xiao Song died in 749, Xiao Hua inherited the title of Duke of Xu. Toward the end of Emperor Xuanzong's Tianbao era (742-756), Xiao Hua was made the deputy minister of defense (兵部侍郎, Bingbu Shilang).

In 755, the general An Lushan rebelled at Fanyang Circuit (范陽, headquartered in modern Beijing), and soon established a state of Yan with him as emperor. In 756, with Yan forces approaching the Tang capital Chang'an, Emperor Xuanzong fled toward Chengdu. Most officials, including Xiao Hua, were unable to follow him, and Xiao Hua was captured by Yan forces. An made him the prefect of Wei Prefecture (魏州, in modern Handan, Hebei).

In 758, with Emperor Xuanzong's son Emperor Suzong then the emperor of Tang and An Lushan's son An Qingxu then the emperor of Yan, Tang forces recaptured Chang'an and Yan's capital Luoyang, forcing An Qingxu to flee to Yecheng, near Wei Prefecture. Nine Tang military governors (Jiedushi), led by Guo Ziyi, put Yecheng under siege. Xiao Hua sent secret correspondences to the Tang army agreeing to rise against Yan forces. His correspondences, however, were intercepted, and he was imprisoned. When the Tang general Cui Guangyuan (崔光遠) captured Wei Prefecture, he freed Xiao. It was said that the people of Wei Prefecture favored Xiao's governance and petitioned Emperor Suzong to let Xiao remain at Wei Prefecture, and Emperor Suzong agreed. However, when the Yan general Shi Siming—who briefly submitted to Tang but then turned against Tang again—advanced south toward Yecheng from Fanyang, Guo was uncertain about Xiao's loyalty and so summoned him to the Tang army camps, replacing him with Cui. Soon, in a confrontation with Shi's forces, Tang forces collapsed, and in the aftermaths, Xiao went back to Chang'an. He was still considered tainted by his service as a Yan official, and he was demoted to be the acting Mishu Shaojian (秘書少監) -- the deputy director of the Palace Library. He was soon promoted to be Shangshu You Cheng (尚書右丞), one of the Secretaries General of the executive bureau of government (尚書省, Shangshu Sheng). In 759, he was made the mayor of Hezhong Municipality (河中, in modern Yuncheng, Shanxi) as well as the military governor of Hezhong Circuit (headquartered in Hezhong Municipality).

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