Cui Sun
Cui Sun (崔損) (died November 27, 803
Background
It is not known when Cui Sun was born. His family was from the "Elder Boling branch" of the prominent
Early career
Toward the end of Emperor Daizong's Dali era (766–779), Cui Sun passed the imperial examinations and was made a scribe at the archival bureau. He later served as the sheriff of Xianyang County (咸陽, in modern Xianyang, Shaanxi), within the capital municipality of Jingzhao (京兆). However, later, because his maternal uncle Wang Hong (王翃) was the mayor of Jingzhao Municipality and thus could not properly serve as his superior, Cui was made a Dali Pingshi (大理評事), a judge at the supreme court (大理寺).[4] He later became Bingbu Langzhong (兵部郎中), a supervisorial official at the ministry of defense (兵部, Bingbu). He later became You Jianyi Daifu (右諫議大夫), a high-level consultant at the legislative bureau of government (中書省, Zhongshu Sheng) in 795.[3]
As chancellor
In 796, with the
In 798, Cui was made Menxia Shilang (門下侍郎), the deputy head of the examination bureau (門下省, Menxia Sheng), and continued to serve as chancellor. That year, the funereal palace (i.e., a palace intended to be built for the spirit of the deceased emperor) at Emperor Taizong's tomb Zhaoling (昭陵) was destroyed in a wildfire. Emperor Dezong commissioned Cui to head the project to rebuild not only that funereal palace, but also at Xianling (獻陵, Emperor Gaozu's tomb), Qianling (Emperor Gaozong's tomb), Dingling (定陵, Emperor Zhongzong's tomb), Tailing (泰陵, Emperor Xuanzong's tomb), Qiaoling (橋陵, Emperor Ruizong's tomb), and Yuanling (元陵, Emperor Daizong's tomb), as well as repairs to the funereal palace at Jianling (建陵, Emperor Suzong's tomb).[3]
Late in Cui's service as chancellor, he was often ill and staying at home. It was said that while he went through many important posts at both the legislative and examination bureaus and served as chancellor, he served without distinction. He was also criticized for not expanding the tomb of his mother and not attending the funeral of his older sister (who had become a
Notes and references
- ^ "中央研究院網站".
- ^ "漢川草廬-二十四史-新唐書-卷七十二‧表第十二". Archived from the original on 2008-11-20. Retrieved 2008-10-03.New Book of Tang, vol. 72 Archived 2010-06-20 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b c d e Old Book of Tang, vol. 136 Archived June 21, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ Wang Hong became the mayor of Jingzhao in 782 and appeared to have left office in 783, and therefore Cui's movement should have been during those years. See Old Book of Tang, vols. 12 Archived 2008-10-23 at the Wayback Machine, 157 Archived 2007-12-10 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 235.
- Old Book of Tang, vol. 136.
- New Book of Tang, vol. 167.
- Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 235, 236.