Background

Li Kui was born in 711, at the end of the reign of Emperor Ruizong. He was from a prominent clan that, by Li Kui's time, was domiciled in Zheng Prefecture (鄭州, in modern Zhengzhou, Henan) but which traced its ancestry to a line of prominent officials of Northern Wei, who in turn traced their ancestry to Li Fan (李翻), a son of Li Gao, the founder of the Sixteen Kingdoms state Western Liang. (The Tang dynasty imperial clan also traced its ancestry to Li Gao, through Li Gao's second son and successor Li Xin.) After Northern Wei, Li Kui's ancestors served as officials of the Sui dynasty and Tang dynasty. Li Kui was said to be intelligent, dextrous, and studious in his youth, and he was capable in writing.

During Emperor Xuanzongs reign

Toward the end of Emperor Xuanzong's Kaiyuan era (713–741), Li Kui passed the imperial examinations and was made the sheriff of Chenliu County (陳留, in modern Kaifeng, Henan). After he submitted his writing to Emperor Xuanzong, Emperor Xuanzong, apparently impressed, issued an edict allowing him to work at the legislative bureau of government (中書省, Zhongshu Sheng) on a trial basis. He was subsequently made You Shiyi (右拾遺), a junior official at the legislative bureau, and then successively served in the higher offices of You Bujue (右補闕) and Qiju Lang (起居郎) at the legislative bureau, and then as Zhi Zongzi Biaosu (知宗子表疏), the official in charge of receiving and acting on submissions from members of the imperial clan at the ministry of imperial clan affairs (宗正寺, Zongzheng Si). Later, he was promoted to be Sixun Yuanwai Lang (司勳員外郎), a junior official at the ministry of civil service affairs (吏部, Libu), and then the higher office of Kaogong Langzhong (考功郎中) at the ministry of civil service affairs, in charge of evaluating the officials' performance. He was also involved in drafting edicts for Emperor Xuanzong. After the general An Lushan rebelled in 755 and forced Emperor Xuanzong to flee to Jiannan Circuit (劍南, headquartered in modern Chengdu, Sichuan), Li Kui accompanied Emperor Xuanzong to Jiannan and was made Zhongshu Sheren (中書舍人), a mid-level official at the legislative bureau.

During Emperor Suzongs reign

Emperor Xuanzong's son and crown prince Li Heng, however, did not follow him to Chengdu and instead fled to Lingwu, where he was declared emperor (as Emperor Suzong), an act that Emperor Xuanzong recognized when he heard the news. After Emperor Suzong recaptured and returned to Chang'an in 757, his wife Empress Zhang became a dominating figure at court. She wanted her son Li Zhao (李佋) the Prince of Xing, who was only several years old at that point, to be made crown prince. Emperor Suzong, however, was instead considering his oldest son Li Chu the Prince of Cheng, who had contributed much to his campaigns to recapture Chang'an and the eastern capital Luoyang. Emperor Suzong consulted Li Kui and stated to him, "The Prince of Cheng is the oldest and had accomplished much. I want to create him crown prince. What do you think, sir?" Li Kui got up and bowed to Emperor Suzong, stating: "This is great blessing to the state. I am uncontrollably happy." Li Kui's comments affirmed Emperor Suzong's thoughts, and he created Li Chu crown prince in summer 758. In spring 759, when the officials who wanted to flatter Empress Zhang proposed that she be given a special honorific epithet of Yisheng (翊聖, meaning, "one who assists the holy one"). When Emperor Suzong consulted Li Kui on whether this was appropriate, Li Kui opposed, pointing out that the only prior instance when such an epithet was given to a living empress was to Empress Wei, the powerful and corrupt wife of Emperor Suzong's granduncle Emperor Zhongzong. After a lunar eclipse — which indicated divine displeasure with the empress — occurred around the same time, Emperor Suzong tabled the proposal.

By this point, Li Kui also had the additional office of deputy minister of rites (禮部侍郎, Libu Shilang). He was displeased with how the officials in charge of the imperial examinations at the time were making their testing questions test highly obscure facts, and he believed that this led to the selection of examinees who were not necessarily talented or capable in writing. He therefore, at the examinations, made the Confucian classics, histories, and qieyun references available to the examinees for them to look through the books during examination. He was much praised for this reform. It was also said that Li Kui was handsome in appearance and capable in rhetoric. Emperor Suzong once told him, "You, sir, are the highest grade in your clan's prominence, in your appearance, and in your writing."

Also in spring 759, Emperor Suzong, as a part of his reorganization of his chancellors, removed Miao Jinqing and Wang Yu from their chancellor posts and replaced them with Li Kui, Lü Yin, Li Xian, and Diwu Qi. In Li Kui's case, he was given the post of Zhongshu Shilang (中書侍郎), the deputy head of the legislative bureau, which was not itself a chancellor post, but given the additional de facto chancellor designation of Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi, making him a chancellor. He was also put in charge of editing the imperial history. At that time, there were much banditry within the city of Chang'an itself, and the powerful eunuch Li Fuguo wanted to commission several hundred soldiers from part of the imperial guard corps, the Yulin Army, to patrol the streets at night. Li Kui opposed this, pointing out that the Yulin Army and another part of the imperial guards corps, the Jinwu Guards (金吾衛), which were already responsible for patrolling the streets, served as counterweights to each other, and allowing the Yulin Army to patrol the streets throw the balance out of whack. Emperor Suzong agreed and tabled Li Fuguo's proposal. Nevertheless, it was also said that Li Kui did not dare to offend Li Fuguo, and despite the fact that Li Kui's clan was prominent, he bowed to Li Fuguo whenever he saw Li Fuguo, and referred to Li Fuguo as "Father Five" (五父) (as Li Fuguo was fifth in his birth rank).

As chancellor, it was said that Li Kui was capable and decisive, but that he was also grasping onto fame and fortune, drawing criticism for doing so. He was also criticized for the fact that his brother Li Jie (李楷) was also capable, but during Li Kui's term as chancellor, was stuck at a position that lacked actual power with Li Kui doing nothing about it. Meanwhile, Lü, who was removed from his chancellor position in 760, was sent out to be the military governor (Jiedushi) of Jingnan Circuit (荊南, headquartered in modern Jingzhou, Hubei) and was gaining a good reputation at the position. Li Kui, who did not get along with Lü while both were chancellor, was concerned that Lü might return to the capital to be chancellor again, submitted an accusation that Lü, who had recently had proposed having eight prefectures added to his circuit, was overly ambitious; Li Kui also sent officials to Lü's circuit to try to find faults with Lü. When Lü reported this to Emperor Suzong, Emperor Suzong, displeased, demoted Li Kui to be the secretary general of Yuan Prefecture (袁州, in modern Yichun, Jiangxi). (Only after Li Kui was demoted was his brother Li Jie promoted.)

During Emperor Daizongs reign

Several years later — therefore, therefore likely under the reign of Li Chu (whose name had been changed to Li Yu at that point), as Emperor Daizong (Emperor Suzong having died in 762) — Li Kui was slightly promoted, to be the prefect of She Prefecture (歙州, in modern Huangshan, Anhui). However, he would soon be trapped by an action from his past. While he was chancellor, Miao Jinqing had once recommended Yuan Zai for promotion. Li Kui, whose own clan was prominent and who looked down on those with humble origins — which was the case with Yuan Zai — refused, and stated to Miao:

This caused Yuan to have much resentment toward Li Kui. As Yuan became a powerful chancellor during Emperor Daizong's reign, he gave Li Kui an honorable post with little power or salary — acting Mishu Jian (秘書監), the head of the Palace Library — and then ordered that Li Kui be sent to the region between the Yangtze River and the Huai River, on the excuse that Li Kui was ill and needed to tend to his illness. It was said that because the position lacked salaries and Li Kui lacked savings, his large household became so poor that members even had to beg for food. Li Kui moved from prefecture to prefecture, as he would move whenever the prefect would dishonor him. Only after Yuan was executed in 777 was Li Kui again given a substantive position — the prefect of Mu Prefecture (睦州, in modern Hangzhou, Zhejiang). He later returned to Chang'an to serve as the principal of the imperial university (國子監, Guozi Jian) and minister of rites (禮部尚書, Libu Shangshu).

During Emperor Dezongs reign

Emperor Daizong died in 779 and was succeeded by his son Li Kuo (as Emperor Dezong). Li Kui continued to serve as minister of rites, but the powerful chancellor Lu Qi was jealous of his reputation and seniority. In 783, after the emissary of the Tibetan Empire Qujiazan arrived in Chang'an to negotiate a border realignment treaty with Tang and after the treaty was completed, at Lu's instigation, Emperor Dezong made Li Kui emissary to the Tibetan Empire to escort Qujiazan back to the Tibetan Empire. Li Kui, then 72, stated to Emperor Dezong, "I do not fear going that far a distance, but I am afraid that I would die on the way and not complete my task." Emperor Dezong, who was saddened by the remarks, told Lu, "Li Kui is too old." Lu responded, "An emissary to a far-away foreign state needs to have a good reputation. Further, if Li Kui, who is this old, is sent as an emissary, then in the future, no official younger than Li Kui would dare to refuse such a task." When Li Kui got to the Tibetan Empire, its king Trisong Detsen asked, "I heard that there is a Li Kui who is the most able of officials in Tang. Are you that person, lord?" Li Kui was afraid that this meant that Trisong Detsen intended to detain him, and therefore responded, "That Li Kui would never be willing to come here." On his way of returning from the Tibetan Empire in 784, he died at Feng Prefecture (鳳州, in modern Baoji, Shaanxi). He was buried with honor and given the posthumous name Gong (恭, meaning "respectful").

Notes and references

• Old Book of Tang, vol. 126.

• New Book of Tang, vol. 150.

• Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 220, 221, 222, 228, 230.

家世

李揆出自隴西李氏姑臧房，是十八學士之一李玄道的玄孫，秘書監、贈吏部尚書李成裕的兒子。年少時聰敏好學，善于作文。

唐玄宗年間

唐玄宗開元（713年—741年）末年，李揆中進士，補陳留尉。曾在闕下獻書玄宗，玄宗命他去中書省試作文。升右拾遺，轉右補闕、起居郎，知宗子表疏。遷司勛員外郎、考功郎中，並知制誥。

李揆曾與盧允素服去鳳翔拜訪善于看相的金梁鳳，自稱為待選官員，被其看出是清望官而不肯相見，便說出實情。金梁鳳對李揆說：「你一年內就能從舍人而入相。」天寶十四年（755年），范陽、平盧、河東三鎮節度使安祿山叛亂，李揆隨玄宗逃到劍南軍，被拜中書舍人。

唐肅宗年間

皇太子李亨卻沒有隨駕去成都，而是逃到靈武，被擁立為帝，即唐肅宗。玄宗聞訊也只好同意，自稱上皇。肅宗收複並重返長安後，至德二年（757年），張皇后成為朝中的一大影響人物。她想讓當時只有數歲大的兒子興王李佋被立為皇太子。但肅宗卻考慮立在收複長安和東都洛陽的戰鬥中出力很多的長子成王李俶為皇太子，于是對李揆說：「成王是長子，又有功，我想立他為皇太子。卿的意思如何？」李揆拜賀稱：「這是社稷之福。臣不勝慶賀。」肅宗因而意決，于乾元元年（758年）五月立李俶為皇太子。二年（759年）二月，宗室、百官請加張皇后尊號「翊聖」，肅宗又問李揆是否合適，李揆反對，指出皇后生前加尊號的唯一先例是唐中宗有權且腐敗的韋皇后。肅宗驚呼幾乎被庸人所誤。正逢月食暗示上天對皇后不滿，于是肅宗擱置此事。

乾元初年，李揆兼禮部侍郎，不滿當時科舉主考官出題太過晦澀，將導致選出來的人未必有才或善于作文。他因而在考場當庭留下《五經》、諸史和《切韻》供作文考生查閱。此改革贏得人人稱美。李揆美風儀，善奏對，奏事都是勸諫。肅宗曾對他說：「你的門第、人材、文章都是當代首推。」因而時稱三絕。時唐玄宗為太上皇，也回到長安，命令中使祭奠在馬嵬坡之變中被迫賜死的楊貴妃，並詔令改葬。李揆認為龍武軍將士因楊貴妃族兄楊國忠亂國而誅殺楊國忠，如果改葬楊貴妃，將士將疑懼，不可。于是太上皇轉而密令中使改葬楊貴妃于他處。

二年二月，李揆看到室內床（坐具）上有大蛤蟆，隨即不見了。占卜者認為蛤蟆是天使，將有福慶之事。三月，肅宗重組宰相班子，罷苗晉卿、王璵，改任李揆、兵部侍郎呂諲、京兆尹李峴和戶部侍郎第五琦為相，任李揆為中書侍郎，加同中書門下平章事。李揆擢盧允為吏部郎中。李揆又為集賢殿崇文館大學士、修國史。當時長安城內多盜賊，當權宦官李輔國想選羽林騎士五百人夜間巡街。李揆上疏反對，指出羽林軍和已有巡街之責的金吾衛互相制衡，讓羽林軍巡街會破壞平衡。肅宗同意，阻止了李輔國的提議。但李揆並不敢冒犯李輔國，儘管家族顯赫，也對李輔國執子弟禮，稱之為五父（李輔國行五）。鳳翔七馬坊押官因搶人被天興令謝夷甫所殺，李輔國命其妻喊冤，詔命監察御史孫鎣審理，孫鎣支持謝夷甫。李輔國妻又上訴，御史中丞崔伯陽、刑部侍郎李曄、大理卿權獻訊問，無果。李輔國不服，肅宗又令侍御史毛若虛複查，毛若虛稱謝夷甫有罪、御史用法不端，肅宗怒叱崔伯陽，貶崔伯陽為高要尉、權獻為杜陽尉，放逐李曄于嶺南，流放孫鎣于播州。李峴認為責罰太重而入言，觸怒肅宗，而李揆不敢爭，于是李峴被出為蜀州刺史。

上元元年（760年）七月，興王李佋薨，肅宗追贈其為恭懿太子，詔李揆持節冊命。

李揆與顏真卿兄正議大夫、行國子司業、上柱國、金鄉縣開國男顏允南有莫逆之交。

李揆為相雖然有能力和決斷，卻耽于名利，招致非議。他以才能自矜，忌妒賢能，嫉妒與他同修國史的工部侍郎于休烈，奏為國子祭酒，權留史館修撰，以打壓之。其兄李皆（《新唐書》本傳作李楷）也有能力，但在李揆為相任內卻停留在冗職不得升遷。呂諲在上元元年五月被罷相出任荊南節度使，贏得佳聲。李揆與呂諲共事期間不合，擔心呂諲回京再度拜相，上表彈劾新近建議將八州劃歸荊南的呂諲有野心，還秘密派人去荊南尋呂諲過失。呂諲奏明肅宗，肅宗不悅，二年（761年）二月，貶當時官爵為銀青光祿大夫、行中書待郎、同中書門下平章事、集賢殿崇文館大學士、兼修國史、上柱國、姑臧縣開國伯的李揆為袁州長史員外置同正員，並公示其罪。李揆罷相不到三日，兄李皆即被升為司門員外郎。

唐代宗年間

數年後，李揆稍被起用為歙州刺史。當他為相時，侍中苗晉卿曾推薦元載，李揆自恃家世，鄙視出身寒門的元載，不但反對，還對苗晉卿說：「龍章鳳姿之士不見用，麞頭鼠目之子卻求官？」元載因此很恨李揆。唐代宗（即李俶，當時已改名李豫）年間，元載為權相，奏李揆為試秘書監，命他在江淮養病。李揆缺乏俸祿，也沒有積蓄，家裡一百口人窮得要討飯。各州地方官都討厭他，他在各州之間流轉。直至大曆十二年（777年）元載伏誅，李揆才被任為睦州刺史。

唐德宗年間

十四年（779年）五月，代宗崩，子李适繼位，即唐德宗。六月，以李揆為國子祭酒，留司東都洛陽。建中四年（783年）七月，以李揆為禮部侍郎，複爵。又用為禮部尚書。李揆因有才望，為權相盧杞所惡。吐蕃使者區頰贊到長安與唐朝商談重新劃分邊境的和約，和約達成後，盧杞擔心李揆複為德宗所用，教唆德宗任李揆充入蕃會盟使送區頰贊歸國，加御史大夫，拜尚書左僕射。李揆當時七十三歲，對德宗說：「臣不害怕遠行，但怕死在道路上，不能完成使命。」德宗惻然，對盧杞說：「李揆太老了！」盧杞答：「出使遠方夷族的必須是熟悉朝廷事的。一旦李揆成行，從此比他年輕的官員就不敢推辭出使遠方之命了。」天下無不為李揆遭排擠扼腕痛憤，但無人敢言。李揆與薛伾等出使吐蕃。李揆到吐蕃後，吐蕃贊普赤松德贊問：「我聽說唐朝有第一人李揆，公是嗎？」李揆害怕被赤松德贊扣留，答：「那個李揆怎麼肯來呢？」興元元年（784年）四月，李揆在歸途中死于鳳州，贈司空，謚恭，由官府辦理喪事。後來貞元年間，宰相中書侍郎李泌舉李揆和蕃事論盧杞之奸。

作品

• 《謝賜光宅坊宅表》，李揆曾獲賜光宅坊一區，故作此謝表。

• 《請罷選羽林騎士備巡檢疏》

• 《恭懿太子哀冊文》

軼聞

李揆乾元年間任禮部侍郎時，有一次坐堂，聽到牆倒般的震聲，驚得進去看，發現一隻蛤蟆俯在地上，高數寸。李揆不知它從哪裡來，急忙喊家童用缶蓋住它，客人說：「蛤蟆是月中之物，也是上天的使者，現在上天的使者來到公堂，難道不是上帝要給你高官了嗎？」黎明再看，蛤蟆已經不見了。數日後，李揆果然被拜為中書侍郎、同平章事。

子孫

• 李興公，侍御史

• 李佐公，河中少尹

　• 李元陟，畿尉

　　• 李歸魯，兼殿中侍御史

　• 李元賓，右衛兵曹參軍

　　• 李絢，長壽令

　　• 李氏，嫁宰相崔鄲嗣子左拾遺崔璞

　• 李元易，鹽城令

　　• 李歸文，滄州節度判官

　• 李元贄，太僕卿

　　• 李檢，河南少尹

　　• 李冉，右司郎中

　　• 李儉

　　• 李漸，補闕

• 李次公，殿中侍御史

　• 李元夔，宗正少卿

　　• 李岫，殿中侍御史

　• 李元周，王屋令

• 李幼公，杭州刺史

　• 李元裔，奉天令

　　• 李愔、李汾

　　• 李蕡，弘文館校書郎，累贈秘書少監，娶光州刺史盧鐸之女，生李珩

　　　• 李珩（864年—919年1月18日），字垂則，嫁工部尚書、西都留守副使崔柅，後梁隴西郡君

　• 李氏，試大理評事、嶺南節度推官盧寓妻

　• 李氏，鄭祗德妻

注釋及參考文獻